Good, said the kingand Simon the third?

My work is very simple, sire You have many ships built by learned men, with all sorts of new and clever improvements If you wish it I will build you quite a simple boat one, two, three, and its done But my plain little home made ship is not grand enough for a king Where other ships take a year, mine makes the voyage in a day, and where they would require ten years mine will do the distance in a week

Mine, your Majesty, needs no great cleverness When my brother has built the pillar I can mount it, and from the top, far above the clouds, I can see what is happening: in every country under the sun

My trade, O king, is really of no importance Should my brother build you a ship, then let me embark in it If we should be pursued by an enemy I can seize our boat by the prow and sink it to the bottom of the sea When the enemy has sailed off, I can draw it up to the top again

Off rushed all his followers at once to do his bidding, and found a nice, tidy farmhouse, in front of which sat seven peasants, lunching on rye bread and drinking water They wore red shirts bound with gold braid, and were so much alike that one could hardly tell one from another

Far, far away, beyond all sorts of countries, seas and rivers, there stood a splendid city where lived King Archidej, who was as good as he was rich and handsome His great army was made up of men ready to obey his slightest wish he owned forty times forty cities, and in each city he had ten palaces with silver doors, golden roofs, and crystal windows His council consisted of the twelve wisest men in the country, whose long beards flowed down over their breasts, each of whom was as learned as a whole college This council always told the king the exact truth

The king was pleased with the honest peasant, and said:You have done well, good people, in planting your field, and now you have a golden harvest But I should like each of you to tell me what special trades your father taught you

We, King Archidej, are your labourers, children of one father and mother, and we all have the same name, for each of us is called Simon Our father taught us to be true to our king, and to till the ground, and to be kind to our neighbours He also taught each of us a different trade which he thought might be useful to us, and he bade us not neglect our mother earth, which would be sure amply to repay our labour

The king drew rein and admired the fieldUpon my word, said he,whoever dug and planted it must be good workmen If all the fields in my kingdom were as well cared for as this, there would be more bread than my people could eat And he wished to know to whom the field belonged

Have you anywhere seen or heard of the daughter of an emperor, king, or a prince, who is as clever and as handsome as I am, and who would be worthy to be my wife and the queen of my country?

My work is very simple, sire You have many ships built by learned men, with all sorts of new and clever improvements If you wish it I will build you quite a simple boat one, two, three, and its done But my plain little home made ship is not grand enough for a king Where other ships take a year, mine makes the voyage in a day, and where they would require ten years mine will do the distance in a week

Good, said the kingand Simon the third?

After they were gone the king remained deep in thought He felt puzzled and anxious so he decided to ride into the country to distract his mind, and sent for his huntsmen and falconers The huntsmen blew their horns, the falconers took their hawks on their wrists, and off they all set out across country till they came to a green hedge On the other side of the hedge stretched a great field of maize as far as the eye could reach, and the yellow ears swayed to and fro in the gentle breeze like a rippling sea of gold

Off rushed all his followers at once to do his bidding, and found a nice, tidy farmhouse, in front of which sat seven peasants, lunching on rye bread and drinking water They wore red shirts bound with gold braid, and were so much alike that one could hardly tell one from another

My work is very simple, sire You have many ships built by learned men, with all sorts of new and clever improvements If you wish it I will build you quite a simple boat one, two, three, and its done But my plain little home made ship is not grand enough for a king Where other ships take a year, mine makes the voyage in a day, and where they would require ten years mine will do the distance in a week

And who are you?

It is not near, was the answerThe journey would take ten years, and we do not know the way And even if we did, what use would that be? The princess is no bride for you

Good, said the kingand Simon the third?

After they were gone the king remained deep in thought He felt puzzled and anxious so he decided to ride into the country to distract his mind, and sent for his huntsmen and falconers The huntsmen blew their horns, the falconers took their hawks on their wrists, and off they all set out across country till they came to a green hedge On the other side of the hedge stretched a great field of maize as far as the eye could reach, and the yellow ears swayed to and fro in the gentle breeze like a rippling sea of gold

We, King Archidej, are your labourers, children of one father and mother, and we all have the same name, for each of us is called Simon Our father taught us to be true to our king, and to till the ground, and to be kind to our neighbours He also taught each of us a different trade which he thought might be useful to us, and he bade us not neglect our mother earth, which would be sure amply to repay our labour

Is the island far off, and which is the way to it?

The messengers asked:Who owns this field of golden maize? And the seven brothers answered:The field is ours

The king reflected gravely Then he thanked the merchants, gave them leave to trade in his country without paying any duties, and dismissed them

One day, as he sat in his palace looking out to sea, a great ship sailed into the harbour and several merchants came on shore Said the king to himself:These people have travelled far and beheld many lands I will ask them if they have seen any princess who is as clever and as handsome as I am

The messengers asked:Who owns this field of golden maize? And the seven brothers answered:The field is ours

These answers were repeated to the king, who ordered the brothers to be brought before him at once On being asked who they were, the eldest said, bowing low:

We, King Archidej, are your labourers, children of one father and mother, and we all have the same name, for each of us is called Simon Our father taught us to be true to our king, and to till the ground, and to be kind to our neighbours He also taught each of us a different trade which he thought might be useful to us, and he bade us not neglect our mother earth, which would be sure amply to repay our labour

Now the king had everything to make him happy, but he did not enjoy anything because he could not find a bride to his mind

The messengers asked:Who owns this field of golden maize? And the seven brothers answered:The field is ours