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Rh Taper Tom was the handiest in driving nails into the wall and in pulling them out again, and he was the handiest also in carrying wood and water. So his brothers were jealous of him, and said he had given out that he was good enough to get the king the prettiest princess who was to be found in the twelve kingdoms; for you must know the king had lost his old dame and was a widower. When the king heard that, he told Taper Tom he must do what he had said, or else he would make them lay him on the block and chop his head off.

Taper Tom answered he had never said nor thought anything of the kind, but, as the king was so stern, he would try what he could do. So he got him a scrip of food over his shoulders, and set off from the palace; but he had not gone far on the road before he grew hungry, and wanted to taste the food they had given him when he set out. So when he had seated himself to rest at his ease under a spruce by the roadside, up came an old hag hobbling, who asked what he had in his scrip.

"Salt meat and fresh meat," said the lad. "If you are hungry, granny, come and take a snack with me."

Yes! She thanked him, and then she said may be she would do him a good turn herself; and away she hobbled through the wood. So when Taper Tom had eaten his fill and had rested, he threw his scrip over his shoulder and set off again; but he had not gone far before he found a pipe. That, he thought, would be nice to have with him and play on by the way; and it was not long before he brought the sound out of it, you may fancy. But then there came about