The request appeared so just to the King that it was granted to him.
He immediately took his way to the forest, to meditate there on the means of accomplishing the task set him.
With down-bent head he slowly traversed a narrow path running beside a brook, when he came upon a little old woman with snow-white hair, but sparkling eyes, who inquired the cause of his sadness.
The young shepherd replied, shaking his head:
"Alas! nobody can be of any assistance to me, and yet I greatly desire to wed the King's daughter."
"Don't give way to despair so quickly," replied the little old woman; "tell me all about your trouble, and perhaps I may be able to get you out of your difficulty."
The young shepherd's heart was so heavy that he needed no entreaty to tell her his story.
"Is that all?" said the little old woman; "in that case you have not much to despair about."
And she took from her pocket an ivory whistle and gave it to him.
This whistle was just like other whistles in appearance; so the shepherd, thinking that it needed to be blown in a particular way, turned to ask the little old woman how this was, but she had disappeared.