When Eldest was eighteen, and Youngest twelve, their father told them that they must all go out into the world, and each must learn a trade.
They set out together, but when they came to a place where there were six roads, all leading different ways, they agreed to part company, and each chose a road. But they promised one another that just two years from that day they would meet there again, and go home together to their father.
On the appointed day they met, and went home together. Their father questioned each [[63]]of them as to what trade he had learned. Eldest said he had learned to be a shipbuilder; he could build ships that went of themselves. Next-Eldest had been to sea; he was a helmsman, and could steer a ship as easily on the land as on the sea. Third-Eldest had only learned the art of listening, but now he could hear in one country what was going on in another. Third-Youngest had learned to shoot, and he had become a crack shot. Next-Youngest had learned to climb; he could go up and down a wall like a fly,—there was nothing too steep for him.
Now when their father had listened to what these five had to tell about what they could do, he said that although upon the whole they had done fairly well, yet he had expected something more of them. What they had learned to do most people could do also. Now he must hear what Youngest could do.
Youngest had always been his darling, and in him he had the greatest confidence. Youngest was delighted that at last it was [[64]]his turn to speak, and said in the most cheerful manner that he had become a master thief. When his father heard that, he was so angry that he gave Youngest a sound box on the ear, saying, “Fie! for shame! You are a disgrace to me and to all your family.”
Now it so happened that just at this very time the King’s fair young daughter had been stolen away by a dwarf, and the King had promised that whoever should find her and deliver her from the dwarfs power should have her for his wife, and half the kingdom with her as her marriage portion.
The six brothers determined to try their luck. The shipbuilder built a ship that would go of itself. Then they all went on board, and the helmsman steered the ship over the land and over the sea. The listener kept on listening all the time, and at last he could hear the Princess inside a glass mountain. So they sailed up to the glass mountain.
The climber climbed immediately to the top, and looking down he saw the dwarf lying [[65]]asleep with his ugly head on the Princess’s lap. Then he ran down again, took the little master thief on his back, and climbed right down inside the mountain with him. The master thief stole away the Princess without waking the dwarf, and the climber helped them both back to the ship. They got on board and sailed away.
The listener kept a strict watch on the dwarf all the time, and when they had gone some little way he called to the others, “Now the dwarf is waking; now he is stretching himself; now he misses the Princess; and now he is coming!”
The Princess was dreadfully frightened, and said it was all over with them now, unless they had some one on board who was a crack shot. The dwarf could fly through the air, so that he would overtake them directly; but he was shot-proof, except in one little black spot about the size of a pin’s head, which was just in the middle of his chest.