“Go to the King,” they say, “he will give you red boots, a red caftan, and a red shirt.”
Well, the fool said:
“By the Pike’s command, at my request, do thou, O stove, go to the King!”
He was seated on the stove at the time. The stove went; the fool arrived at the King’s.
The King was going to put him to death, but he had a daughter, and she took a tremendous liking to the fool. So she began begging her father to give her in marriage to the fool. Her father flew into a passion. He had them married, and then ordered them both to be placed in a tub, and the tub to be tarred over and thrown into the water; all which was done.
Long did the tub float about on the sea. His wife began to beseech the fool:
“Do something to get us cast on shore!”
“By the Pike’s command, at my request,” said the fool, “cast this tub ashore and tear it open!”
He and his wife stepped out of the tub. Then she again began imploring him to build some sort of a house. The fool said:
“By the Pike’s command, at my request, let a marble palace be built, and let it stand immediately opposite the King’s palace!”