“That is a sad tale,” said the gentleman. “If you 89 will promise to meet me here within a month I will give you some money, which will help your parents and feed and clothe your small brothers and sisters.”
Prompt to the day and the hour, the boy kept the tryst in the forest glade, at the very spot where he had met the gentleman. But though he looked anxiously on every side he could see no signs of his friend. In his anxiety he pushed farther into the forest, and came to the borders of a pond, where three damsels were preparing to bathe. One was dressed in white, another in grey, and the third in blue. The boy pulled off his cap, gave them good-day, and asked politely if they had not seen a gentleman in the neighbourhood. The maiden who was dressed in white told him where the gentleman was to be found, and pointed out a road by which he might arrive at his castle.
“He will ask you,” said she, “to become his servant, and if you accept he will wish you to eat. The first time that he presents the food to you, say: ‘It is I who should serve you.’ If he asks you a second time make the same reply; but if he should press you a third time refuse brusquely and thrust away the plate which he offers you.”
The boy was not long in finding the castle, and was at once shown into the gentleman’s presence. As the maiden dressed in white had foretold, he requested the youth to enter his service, and when his offer was accepted placed before him a plate of viands. The lad bowed politely, but refused the food. A second time it was offered, but he persisted in his refusal, and when it was proffered to him a third time he thrust it away from him so roughly that it fell to the ground and the plate was broken.
“Ah,” said the gentleman, “you are just the kind of servant I require. You are now my lackey, and if you are able to do three things that I command you I will give you one of my daughters for your wife and you shall be my son-in-law.”
The next day he gave the boy a hatchet of lead, a saw of paper, and a wheelbarrow made of oak-leaves, bidding him fell, bind up, and measure all the wood in the forest within a radius of seven leagues. The new servant at once commenced his task, but the hatchet of lead broke at the first blow, the saw of paper buckled at the first stroke, and the wheelbarrow of oak-leaves was broken by the weight of the first little branch he placed on it. The lad in despair sat down, and could do nothing but gaze at the useless implements. At midday the damsel dressed in white whom he had seen at the pond came to bring him something to eat.
“Alas!” she cried, “why do you sit thus idle? If my father should come and find that you have done nothing he would kill you.”
“I can do nothing with such wretched tools,” grumbled the lad.
“Do you see this wand?” said the damsel, producing a little rod. “Take it in your hand and walk round the forest, and the work will take care of itself. At the same time say these words: ‘Let the wood fall, tie itself into bundles, and be measured.’”