th him, led out the
white mare, and rode on her back to the haycock, but found that the
so-called haycock contained at least fifty loads. The prince did all
that the maiden had told him, and when he was sitting on the heap, and
had counted up to twenty, the white mare asked in surprise, "What are
you counting, my dear son?" "Nothing at all," said he; "I was only
amusing myself by counting up the packs of wolves[112] in the forest,
but there are so many that I can't reckon them all up." He had hardly
spoken when the white mare darted off like the wind, and the haycock was
safely housed in a few moments. The master was not a little surprised,
when he came out after breakfast, to find that the new labourer had
already finished his day's work. He put him the same question as before,
and received the same reply; and he went off shaking his head and
cursing.

In the evening, the prince went as usual to inquire about his work, and
the old man said, "To-morrow you must take the white-headed calf to
pasture, but take care that he doesn't run away, or it might cost you
your life." The prince thought, "There are many ten-year old farm-boys
who have whole herds to manage, and surely I can't find it so very
difficult to look after one calf." But when the maiden heard of it she
said, "Know that this calf is so wild that he would run three times
round the world in a day.[113] Take this silk thread, and bind one end
to the left fore-leg of the calf, and the other to the little toe of
your left foot, and then the calf will not be able to stir a step from
your side, whether you are walking, standing, or lying down." Then she
left him, and the prince lay down, but it vexed him to think that he had
again forgotten to thank her for her good advice.

Next morning he followed the advice of the friendly maiden, and led the
calf to the pasture by the silken thread. It remained by his side like a
faithful dog, and in the evening he led it back to the stall, where the
old man met him angrily, and, after the usual question and answer, went
off in a fury, and the prince thought it must be the mention of the holy
name which kept him under restraint.

Late in the evening the prince went to his master for instructions, when
the old man gave him a bag of barley, saying, "I will give you a holiday
to-morrow, and you may sleep as long as you like, but you must work hard
to-night instead. Sow me this barley, which will spring up and ripen
quickly; then