When the King heard this he looked at the man more closely, and then he recognized him as the father of the clever daughter.
“You have indeed a clever daughter,” said he. “Take your beans home and bring me back the eggs I gave you.”
The man was very glad when he heard that, and made haste to obey. He carried the beans home and then took the eggs and brought them back to the palace of the King.
After the King had received the eggs he gave the man a handful of flax. “Take this to your clever daughter,” he said, “and bid her make for me within the week a full set of sails for a large ship. If she does this she shall receive the half of my kingdom as a reward, but if she fails you shall have a drubbing that you will not soon forget.”
The man returned to his home, loudly lamenting his hard lot.
“What is the matter?” asked his daughter. “Has the King set another task that I must do?”
Yes, that he had; and her father showed her the flax the King had sent her and gave her the message.
“Do not be troubled,” said the girl. “No harm shall come to you. Go to bed and sleep quietly, and to-morrow I will send the King an answer that will satisfy him.”
The man believed what his daughter said. He went to bed and slept quietly.
The next day the girl gave her father a small piece of wood. “Carry this to the King,” said she. “Tell him I am ready to make the sails, but first let him make me of this wood a large ship that I may fit the sails to it.”