"We are going to get the daughter of the King of the West," said the youth.
"Only you can marry her," said they all.
They went on till they came to the King's castle, but when they asked for the daughter the King would not let her go, but called his people together and said: "They have come after the bride. They are not very hungry, perhaps they will eat only a bite or two. Let one-and-twenty ovens be filled with bread and make one-and-twenty kettles of soup. If they eat all this I will give them my daughter; otherwise, I will not."
The seven brothers were in a distant room. He who listened with his ear to the ground heard what the King commanded, and said:
"Brother who hast pierced a steel shield with a steel spear, do you understand what the King said?"
"Rascal! how can I know what he says when I am not in the same room with him? What did he say?"
"He has commanded them to bake bread in one-and-twenty ovens and to make one-and-twenty kettles of soup. If we eat it all, we can take his daughter; otherwise, not."
The brother who devoured all the meal that seven millstones, ground said: "Fear not, I will eat everything that comes to hand, and then cry, 'Little father, I die of hunger.'"
When the King saw the hungry man eat he screamed: "May he perish! I shall certainly meet defeat at his hands."
Again he called his people to him and said, "Kindle a great fire, strew it with ashes and cover it with blankets. When they come in in the evening they will be consumed, all seven of them."