Sointheeveningheappearedattheballinhisgoldencloak；
butbeforetheentertainmentwasoverheslippedaway，andwentstraighttothestables，wherehemountedhisfoalandrodeoutintothemeadowtowaitfortheFlowerQueen’sdaughter。Towardsmidnightthebeautifulgirlappeared，andplacingherinfrontofhimonhishorse，thePrinceandsheflewlikethewindtilltheyreachedtheFlowerQueen’sdwelling。Butthedragonshadnoticedtheirflight，andwoketheirbrotheroutofhisyear’ssleep。Heflewintoaterribleragewhenheheardwhathadhappened，anddeterminedtolaysiegetotheFlowerQueen’spalace；buttheQueencausedaforestofflowersashighastheskytogrowuproundherdwelling，throughwhichnoonecouldforceaway。
WhentheFlowerQueenheardthatherdaughterwantedtomarrythePrince，shesaidtohim:’Iwillgivemyconsenttoyourmarriagegladly，butmydaughtercanonlystaywithyouinsummer。Inwinter，wheneverythingisdeadandthegroundcoveredwithsnow，shemustcomeandlivewithmeinmypalaceunderground。’ThePrinceconsentedtothis，andledhisbeautifulbridehome，wheretheweddingwasheldwithgreatpompandmagnificence。Theyoungcouplelivedhappilytogethertillwintercame，whentheFlowerQueen’sdaughterdepartedandwenthometohermother。Insummershereturnedtoherhusband，andtheirlifeofjoyandhappinessbeganagain，andlastedtilltheapproachofwinter，whentheFlowerQueen’sdaughterwentbackagaintohermother。Thiscomingandgoingcontinuedallherlifelong，andinspiteofittheyalwayslivedhappilytogether。
FromtheRussian。
Onceuponatimetherelivedanoldcouplewhohadthreesons；
thetwoelderwereclever，butthethirdwasaregulardunce。
Thecleversonswereveryfondoftheirmother，gavehergoodclothes，andalwaysspokepleasantlytoher；buttheyoungestwasalwaysgettinginherway，andshehadnopatiencewithhim。
Now，onedayitwasannouncedinthevillagethattheKinghadissuedadecree，offeringhisdaughter，thePrincess，inmarriagetowhoevershouldbuildashipthatcouldfly。Immediatelythetwoelderbrothersdeterminedtotrytheirluck，andaskedtheirparents’blessing。Sotheoldmothersmarteneduptheirclothes，andgavethemastoreofprovisionsfortheirjourney，notforgettingtoaddabottleofbrandy。WhentheyhadgonethepoorSimpletonbegantoteasehismothertosmartenhimupandlethimstartoff。
’Whatwouldbecomeofadoltlikeyou？’sheanswered。’Why，youwouldbeeatenupbywolves。’
Butthefoolishyouthkeptrepeating，’Iwillgo，Iwillgo，I
willgo！’
Seeingthatshecoulddonothingwithhim，themothergavehimacrustofbreadandabottleofwater，andtooknofurtherheedofhim。
SotheSimpletonsetoffonhisway。Whenhehadgoneashortdistancehemetalittleoldmanikin。Theygreetedoneanother，andthemanikinaskedhimwherehewasgoing。
’IamofftotheKing’sCourt，’heanswered。’Hehaspromisedtogivehisdaughtertowhoevercanmakeaflyingship。’
’Andcanyoumakesuchaship？’
’NotI。’
’Thenwhyintheworldareyougoing？’
’Can’ttell，’repliedtheSimpleton。
’Well，ifthatisthecase，’saidthemanikin，’sitdownbesideme；wecanrestforalittleandhavesomethingtoeat。Givemewhatyouhavegotinyoursatchel。’
Now，thepoorSimpletonwasashamedtoshowwhatwasinit。
However，hethoughtitbestnottomakeafuss，soheopenedthesatchel，andcouldscarcelybelievehisowneyes，for，insteadofthehardcrust，hesawtwobeautifulfreshrollsandsomecoldmeat。Hesharedthemwiththemanikin，wholickedhislipsandsaid:
’Now，gointothatwood，andstopinfrontofthefirsttree，bowthreetimes，andthenstrikethetreewithyouraxe，fallonyourkneesontheground，withyourfaceontheearth，andremaintheretillyouareraisedup。Youwillthenfindashipatyourside，stepintoitandflytotheKing’sPalace。Ifyoumeetanyoneontheway，takehimwithyou。’
TheSimpletonthankedthemanikinverykindly，badehimfarewell，andwentintotheroad。Whenhegottothefirsttreehestoppedinfrontofit，dideverythingjustashehadbeentold，and，kneelingonthegroundwithhisfacetotheearth，fellasleep。
Afteralittletimehewasaroused；heawokeand，rubbinghiseyes，sawaready-madeshipathisside，andatoncegotintoit。
Andtheshiproseandrose，andinanotherminutewasflyingthroughtheair，whentheSimpleton，whowasonthelookout，casthiseyesdowntotheearthandsawamanbeneathhimontheroad，whowaskneelingwithhisearuponthedampground。
’Hallo！’hecalledout，’whatareyoudoingdownthere？’
’Iamlisteningtowhatisgoingonintheworld，’repliedtheman。
’Comewithmeinmyship，’saidtheSimpleton。
Sothemanwasonlytooglad，andgotinbesidehim；andtheshipflew，andflew，andflewthroughtheair，tillagainfromhisoutlooktheSimpletonsawamanontheroadbelow，whowashoppingononeleg，whilehisotherlegwastiedupbehindhisear。Sohehailedhim，callingout:
’Hallo！whatareyoudoing，hoppingononeleg？’
’Ican’thelpit，’repliedtheman。’IwalksofastthatunlessItieduponelegIshouldbeattheendoftheearthinabound。’
’Comewithusonmyship，’heanswered；andthemanmadenoobjections，butjoinedthem；andtheshipflewon，andon，andon，tillsuddenlytheSimpleton，lookingdownontheroadbelow，beheldamanaimingwithagunintothedistance。
’Hallo！’heshoutedtohim，’whatareyouaimingat？Asfaraseyecansee，thereisnobirdinsight。’
’Whatwouldbethegoodofmytakinganearshot？’repliedtheman；’Icanhitbeastorbirdatahundredmiles’distance。ThatisthekindofshotIenjoy。’
’Comeintotheshipwithus，’answeredtheSimpleton；andthemanwasonlytoogladtojointhem，andhegotin；andtheshipflewon，fartherandfarther，tillagaintheSimpletonfromhisoutlooksawamanontheroadbelow，carryingonhisbackabasketfullofbread。Andhewavedtohim，callingout:
’Hallo！whereareyougoing？’
’Tofetchbreadformybreakfast。’
’Bread？Why，youhavegotawholebasket-loadofitonyourback。’
’That’snothing，’answeredtheman；’Ishouldfinishthatinonemouthful。’
’Comealongwithusinmyship，then。’
Andsothegluttonjoinedtheparty，andtheshipmountedagainintotheair，andflewupandonward，tilltheSimpletonfromhisoutlooksawamanwalkingbytheshoreofagreatlake，andevidentlylookingforsomething。
’Hallo！’hecriedtohim，’whatareyouseeking？
’Iwantwatertodrink，I’msothirsty，’repliedtheman。
’Well，there’sawholelakeinfrontofyou；whydon’tyoudrinksomeofthat？’
’Doyoucallthatenough？’answeredtheother。’Why，Ishoulddrinkitupinonegulp。’
’Well，comewithusintheship。’
Andsothemightydrinkerwasaddedtothecompany；andtheshipflewfarther，andevenfarther，tillagaintheSimpletonlookedout，andthistimehesawamandraggingabundleofwood，walkingthroughtheforestbeneaththem。
’Hallo！’heshoutedtohim，’whyareyoucarryingwoodthroughaforest？’
’Thisisnotcommonwood，’answeredtheother。
’Whatsortofwoodisit，then？’saidtheSimpleton。
’Ifyouthrowitupontheground，’saidtheman，’itwillbechangedintoanarmyofsoldiers。’
’Comeintotheshipwithus，then。’
Andsohetoojoinedthem；andawaytheshipflewon，andon，andon，andoncemoretheSimpletonlookedout，andthistimehesawamancarryingstrawuponhisback。
’Hallo！Whereareyoucarryingthatstrawto？’
’Tothevillage，’saidtheman。
’Doyoumeantosaythereisnostrawinthevillage？’
’Ah！butthisisquiteapeculiarstraw。Ifyoustrewitabouteveninthehottestsummertheairatoncebecomescold，andsnowfalls，andthepeoplefreeze。’
ThentheSimpletonaskedhimalsotojointhem。
Atlasttheship，withitsstrangecrew，arrivedattheKing’sCourt。TheKingwashavinghisdinner，butheatoncedespatchedoneofhiscourtierstofindoutwhatthehuge，strangenewbirdcouldbethathadcomeflyingthroughtheair。Thecourtierpeepedintotheship，and，seeingwhatitwas，instantlywentbacktotheKingandtoldhimthatitwasaflyingship，andthatitwasmannedbyafewpeasants。
ThentheKingrememberedhisroyaloath；buthemadeuphismindthathewouldneverconsenttoletthePrincessmarryapoorpeasant。Sohethoughtandthought，andthensaidtohimself:
’Iwillgivehimsomeimpossibletaskstoperform；thatwillbethebestwayofgettingridofhim。’AndhethereandthendecidedtodespatchoneofhiscourtierstotheSimpleton，withthecommandthathewastofetchtheKingthehealingwaterfromtheworld’sendbeforehehadfinishedhisdinner。
ButwhiletheKingwasstillinstructingthecourtierexactlywhathewastosay，thefirstmanoftheship’scompany，theonewiththemiraculouspowerofhearing，hadoverheardtheKing’swords，andhastilyreportedthemtothepoorSimpleton。
’Alas，alas！’hecried；’whatamItodonow？Itwouldtakemequiteayear，possiblymywholelife，tofindthewater。’
’Neverfear，’saidhisfleet-footedcomrade，’IwillfetchwhattheKingwants。’
Justthenthecourtierarrived，bearingtheKing’scommand。
