Yes! the lad did all his Horse told him, and as soon as ever he put on the wig of moss he became so ugly, and pale, and miserable to look at, no one would have known him again. Then he went up to the king’s palace and begged first for leave to be in the kitchen, and bring in wood and water for the cook, but then the kitchen-maid asked him:
“Why do you wear that ugly wig? Off with it. I won’t have such a fright in here.”
“No, I can’t do that”, said the lad; “for I’m not quite right in my head.”
“Do you think then I’ll have you in here about the food”, cried the cook. “Away with you to the coachman; you’re best fit to go and clean the stable.”
But when the coachman begged him to take his wig off, he got the same answer, and he wouldn’t have him either. “You’d best go down to the gardener”, said he; “you’re best fit to go about and dig in the garden.”
So he got leave to be with the gardener, but none of the other servants would sleep with him, and so he had to sleep by himself under the steps of the summerhouse. It stood upon beams, and had a high staircase. Under that he got some turf for his bed, and there he lay as well as he could.
So, when he had been some time at the palace, it happened one morning, just as the sun rose, that the lad had taken off his wig, and stood and washed himself, and then he was so handsome, it was a joy to look at him.
So the Princess saw from her window the lovely gardener’s boy, and thought she had never seen any one so handsome. Then she asked the gardener why he lay out there under the steps.
“Oh”, said the gardener, “none of his fellow-servants will sleep with him; that’s why.”
“Let him come up to-night, and lie at the door inside my bedroom, and then they’ll not refuse to sleep with him any more”, said the Princess.