“And he went to the people himself. ”Who came here flying on this ship?” he asked.

“Hans came forward and said, ”That was me, Your Majesty!” The czar, however, wondered that his coat was torn and his knees looked through his pants. And the ministers scratched their heads, ”Could that be possible, that the czar gives his beautiful daughter to this boy for his wife?!”

“And the ministers recommended the czar to give the boy tasks to solve.
“Go to him,” the czar said to his ministers, ”and tell him: he may have come flying in the ship, but if he does not bring the water of life here, and the water of healing, as long as the people are eating, then I will not give him my daughter.”

“The ministers went, but the listener had already heard everything the czar had said, and told the milleris son about it.
Hans sat on one of the benches that were placed around the tables and began to think; he ate nothing and drank nothing.

“The runner saw it and asked, ”Why don't you eat anything?” - ”How could I eat? It gets stuck in my throat.” And he told him, ”The czar has told me to fetch the water of life and of healing, as long as the people are still eating. How should I do that?”
“Don't worry much! I will get it for you.” - ”Well, try it then.”

“The ministers came and brought the czaris order; but Hans knew of it already.
“Tell the czar, that I will bring it,” he said.

“The ministers went back. The runner untied his leg from his ear, and as he went, he had drawn from the water of life and of healing immediately. However, he had become tired, and so he thought to himself, ”I will be back during lunch easily; now I will sit down here under the mill and rest for a while.”
He sat down, but fell asleep.

“In the meantime the people had finished their meal; but the runner had not come.
Hans sat there, half laughing, half crying. ”I canit fulfil the condition!” he thought quietly.

“The listener, however, put his ear to the ground and began to listen. And he listened and listened, and then said to Hans, ”Donit worry! The runner is sleeping under the mill!”
“What to do?” asked Hans, ”how can we wake him up?”
The shot said, ”Don't worry, I will wake him up.” And as he bent his bow and shot, his arrow whizzed along and hit the mill so hard that the splinters flew about.
The runner woke up and rushed back: the people were just standing up from their tables when he brought the water.

“The ministers went and reported to the czar, and they recommended him to give the lad yet another task.
What should the czar do then? He chose a new task for the milleris son and said to his ministers, ”Go tell him: when he and his comrades eat at a stroke the strength of six pairs of oxen and bread from fourtyfive ovens, I will give him my beloved daughter for wife.”

“The listener, however, had heard it and told Hans about it. Hans began to think again and the eater said, ”Don't worry! I will eat for you all, and it won't be much for me.”

“The ministers came and gave Hans the message of the czar. And the milleris son answered, ”Fine, let them serve up.”
So they made mighty sacrifices, collecting the strength of twelve oxen, and baked fourtyfive ovens of bread.

“But when the eater began to eat, not a single crumb was left behind and he even asked, ”Well, was that little! I wish they would give me some more!”