There was once a king; he had a daughter who was so wayward and willful in her speech that she always had to have the last word, and therefor he promised that the one who could make her hold her tongue should get the princess and half the kingdom into the bargain.
There were plenty who wanted to try, you may believe, for it's not everyday one can get a king's daughter and half a kingdom just for the asking. The gate to the king's manor didn't stop swinging for a moment; they came in flocks and droves, from east and west, both riding and walking. But there was no one who could make the princess stop talking. At last the king made it known that those who tried but couldn't would be branded on both ears with that big branding iron of his - he wouldn't have all this running to his manor for nothing.
Now there were three brothers who had also heard tell of the princess, and, as they weren't well off at home, they wanted to go out and try their luck, and see if they could win the king's daughter and half the kingdom. They were on good terms and got along pretty well, and so they went together, all three.
When they had gone a bit of the way, the youngest brother, who was called the Ash Lad found a dead magpie. "Look what I found!" he shouted. "What've you found?" asked his brothers. " I found a dead magpie," he said. "Fie! Drop it! What are you going to do with that?" said the two, who always thought they were the wisest. "Oh, I've nothing better to do, and nothing better to carry, so I'll just take it along with me," said the Ask Lad. When they had gone a bit farther, the Ask Lad found an old willow hank, so he pinked it up. "Look what I found! Look what I found!" he shouted. "What've you found now?" said his brothers "I found a willow hank," he replied. "Pooh! What are you going to do with that? Drop it!" said the two. "I've nothing better to do, and nothing better to carry, so I'll just take it along with me," said the Ask Lad. When they had gone a little farther, he found a bit of a broken saucer. This he also picked up.
"Boys! Look what I found! Look what I found!" he said "Well, what did you find now?" asked the brothers. "A bit of broken saucer," he said. "Ugh! Now that was something to take along! Drop it!" they said. "Oh, I've nothing better to do, and nothing better to carry, so I'll just take it along with me", replied the Ash Lad. When they had gone a little farther, he found a crooked ram's horn and just after he found the mate to it. "Look what I found! Look what I found, boys!" he shouted. "What've you found now? said the others. "Two ram's horns," replied the Ask Lad "Ugh, Drop them. What are you going to do with them?" they said. "Oh, I've nothing better to do, and nothing better to carry, so I'll just take them along with me," said the Ash Lad. In a little while he found a wedge. "But fellows, look what I found! Look what I found!" he shouted. "That's a mighty lot of finding you've been doing! What have you found this time?" said the two eldest. "I found a wedge," he replied "Oh, drop it! What are you going to do with that?" they said. "I've nothing better to do, and nothing better to carry, so I'll just take it along with me," said the Ash Lad. As they walked over the fields by the king's manor - where manure had recently been spread - the Ask Lad bent down and picked up a worn-out shoe sole. "Say, fellows! Look what I found! Look what I found!" he said. "If only you'd find a little sense by the time you got there!" said the two. "What did you find this time?" "A worm-out shoe sole," re replied. "Ugh! That was really something to pick up! Drop it! What are you going to do with it?" said the brothers. "Oh, I've nothing better to do, and nothing better to carry, so I'll just take it along with me, if I'm to win the princess and half the kingdom," said the Ash Lad. "Yes, you're likely to do that, you are!" said the two Then they were let in to the princess - first the eldest. "Good day" he said. "Good day yourself," she said, twisting and turning.' "It's terrible warm in here," he said "It's warmer in the coals," replied the princess. There lay the branding iron, ready and waiting. When he saw this, his courage failed him right away, and so it was all up with him. The middle brother didn't fare any better. "Good day" he said. "Good day yourself," she said, starting to squirm. "It's terrible hot in here," he said. "It's hotter in the coals," she said. At that, he too lost both voice and speech, and so it was out with the iron again. Then came the Ash Lad. "Good day," he said. «Good day, yourself," she replied, twisting and turning "It's good and warm in here," said the Ash Lad. "It's warmer in the coals, she replied. A third one didn't make her temper any sweeter "I suppose I can roast my magpie there, then?" he asked. "I'm afraid she'll burst," said the king's daughter "Oh, that be no trouble! I'll put this willow hank around it," replied the boy. "It's too wide!" she said. I'll drive in a wedge!" said the boy, and took out the wedge "I'll fat'll run off her! said the king's daughter !I'll catch it in this!" replied the boy, and held up the bit of broken saucer. "You're twisting my words!" said the princess. "No! Your words aren't twisted, but this is!" replied the boy, and took out one of the ram's horns. "Well! I've never seen the like!" shouted the princess "Here's the like of it!" said the boy, and took out the other one. "You're bent on wearing me out, aren't you?" she said. "No, you're not worn-out, but this is!" replied the boy, and pulled out the shoe sole. So the princess had to hold her tongue! "Now, you're mine!" said the Ash Lad, and so he got her, and half the realm and kingdom into the bargain.