The shoemaker walked off to the workshop, not believing what Ivan said; but when he saw all the shoes ready, he was so delighted that he did not know what to do. He embraced Ivan and called him his saviour.
He took the shoes and set off to the palace; and when the princesses saw the shoes, they felt sure that Ivan must be in the town, so they said to the shoemaker—
“You have well performed what you were ordered, but you must do something more for us. This night there must be built opposite our palace a golden castle. There must be a porcelain bridge from the one palace to the other, and this must be covered with velvet.”
The shoemaker was confounded at this, and said—
“I am only a poor shoemaker, how can I do such a thing?”
“If you do not do what we tell you,” said the princesses, “your head shall be cut off.”
The shoemaker went at once from the castle, weeping bitterly. He turned in at an alehouse to drown his care, got drunk, and when he reached home told Ivan what he had been commanded.
“Go to sleep,” said Ivan; “to-morrow will bring us good luck.”
The shoemaker laid himself down on a bench and went to sleep, and Ivan, calling the spirit to him, told him to get everything ready as the shoemaker had been commanded. After that he lay down, and went to sleep also.
Early the next morning Ivan woke his master, and putting the wing of a goose in his hand, said—