“Before he went on he said, ”Listen carefully, my son, to what I tell you now: go 108 times 3 steps into the forest here to the right; two steps are made and one step each is unmade.

Then you will reach a bright wonder-field which measures 108 by 108 yards. There you will see three beeches. Knock seven times at each of the three beeches at sunrise, then sit down immediately before the middle tree, close the eyes and think of nothing. Sit quietly until someone wakes you up.

“In that manner you will obtain your ship with which you can travel over water and land, and through the air. Get into the ship and fly wherever you want, but take everyone you meet on the way with you.”

Hans thanked the wise man and the two bid farewell to each other.
The wanderer went his way; the son of the miller, however, turned to the right and went into the forest. After the prescribed number of steps he arrived at the bright wonder-field where he saw the three mighty beeches standing.

“He walked over a magnificent meadow full of colourful, fragrant flowers and blooms as if over an airy carpet, to the three noble sovereigns of this clearing, greeted them friendly and lay down between them in the high grass, resting and waiting for the next day.

When the moon rose between the tree-tops of the three waking companions, a deep and infinitely recuperative silence spread in his mind and in his nature and the whole nature seemed to take part in this deep rest.

“The next morning Hans woke up just before the first ray of the sun and got up, fresh as dew. He went to the first beech, saluted it and woke it up by knocking at it seven times. The same he repeated at the second and third beech.
Then immediately he sat down, as he was told, in front of the middle tree on the soft turf, closed his eyes and thought of nothing. Suddenly, after a long time, he felt how someone woke him up, ”Get up,” it sounded within him, ”your craft of fortune is ready, get up!”

“Hans woke up like from a deep, deep, endless, bright, dreamless sleep; and when he opened his eyes, he saw the ship standing there: made of solid gold - radiant like the sun; the masts of silver - gleaming like the moon; and the sails from silk, bulging out as if they were ready to fly away.
He did not wonder too long and sat down in the ship. And the ship rose and flew away.

“And Hans flew and flew. Suddenly he saw beneath him a man lying on the way, his ear pressed to the ground, and listening.

“Hans called him, ”Good day, good man!” - ”Good day, my dear!” - ”What are you doing there?”
“I am listening,” he answered, ”if the people at the czar have come together already for the feast.”
“Well, do you also want to go there?” - ”Yes!” - ”Sit down with me; I will bring you there.”
He sat down with him, and they flew on.

“They flew and flew; and suddenly they saw a man walking on the road; he had one leg tied behind the ear and on the other leg he jumped.

“Good day, good man!” - ”Good day, my dear!”
“Why do you jump on one leg?” - ”Because,” he answered, ”if I untied my other leg, I would jump over the whole world in one leap. And I don't want that.”

“Where are you going?” - ”To the czar, to the feast.” - ”Come sit with us!” - ”Good.”
And he sat down with them, and they flew on.