Yarmil took the axe and the saw, and went on. In the forest he threw himself on the ground and thought of death; for such a stretch of forest no man could clear alone, still less with such tools. At midday his princess brought him dinner.
“Ah!” scolded she, “thou art not working diligently.”
“Why trouble myself for nothing?” sighed Yarmil.
“Only be of good courage,” said the princess, comforting him. “It is not so bad to-day; it will be worse to-morrow.”
Then she gave him dinner; and when Yarmil had eaten, he put his head on her lap and fell asleep soundly. Then the princess took out of her bosom some kind of powder, and muttering mysterious words she threw it in the air. And wonder of wonders! in the twinkle of an eye invisible hands began to fell the aged trees, cut, split, and pile, so that in a short time the whole forest was felled.
Now Yarmil woke up, and hurried with the princess to the castle. The sorceress praised him; she suppressed her rage with difficulty, and said: “Thou hast worked out thy first year in order.”
Next day the sorceress gave him a spade and a wheelbarrow, and said: “Thou must carry away that mountain out there, or be the son of Death.”
Yarmil went with his tools to the hill, but when there he threw himself on the ground, for a thousand men would not have been able to carry off the hill in ten years. At midday his princess brought him dinner, and said: “Oh, thou art working as diligently as yesterday!”
“I am,” sighed Yarmil.
“Only be of good cheer,” said the princess, comforting him. “To-day it is not so bad; it will be worse to-morrow.”