The gardener told this to the youth.  “Dost thou think I will do so?” said he.  “If I do so, all will say there is something between me and the princess.”  “Thou hast reason, forsooth, to fear such a suspicion,” replied the gardener, “such a fine, comely lad as thou art.”  “Well, if she has commanded it, I suppose I must comply,” said the youth.  In going up-stairs that evening he stamped and made such a noise that they were obliged to beg of him to go more gently, lest it might come to the king’s knowledge.  When within the chamber, he lay down and began immediately to snore.  The princess then said to her waiting-maid, “Go gently and pull off his moss wig.”  Creeping softly toward him, she was about to snatch it, but he held it fast with both hands, and said she should not have it.  He then lay down again and began to snore.  The princess made a sign to the maid, and this time she snatched his wig off.  There he lay so beautifully red and white, just as the princess had seen him in the morning sun.  After this the youth slept every night in the princess’s chamber.

But it was not long before the king heard that the garden lad slept every night in the princess’s chamber, at which he became so angry that he almost resolved on putting him to death.  This, however, he did not do, but cast him into prison, and his daughter he confined to her room, not allowing her to go out, either by day or night.  Her tears and prayers for herself and the youth were unheeded by the king, who only became the more incensed against her.

Some time after this, there arose a war and disturbance in the country, and the king was obliged to take arms and defend himself against another king, who threatened to deprive him of his throne.  When the youth heard this he begged the jailer would go to the king for him, and propose to let him have armor and a sword, and allow him to follow to the war.  All the courtiers laughed when the jailer made known his errand to the king.  They begged he might have some old trumpery for armor, that they might enjoy the sport of seeing the poor creature in the war.  He got the armor and also an old jade of a horse, which limped on three legs, dragging the fourth after it.

Thus they all marched forth against the enemy, but they had not gone far from the royal palace before the youth stuck fast with his old jade in a swamp.  Here he sat beating and calling to the jade, “Hie! wilt thou go? hie! wilt thou go?” This amused all the others, who laughed and jeered as they passed.  But no sooner were they all gone than, running to the linden, he put on his own armor and shook the bridle, and immediately the horse appeared, and said, “Do thou do thy best and I will do mine.”

When the youth arrived on the field the battle had already begun, and the king was hard pressed; but just at that moment the youth put the enemy to flight.  The king and his attendants wondered who it could be that came to their help; but no one had been near enough to speak to him, and when the battle was over he was away.  When they returned, the youth was still sitting fast in the swamp, beating and calling to his three-legged jade.  They laughed as they passed, and said, “Only look, yonder sits the fool yet.”