The Red Fairy Book

prayed so long that the mother was forced to let him have some
old rags, and tie up a little food for him, and then gaily and happily
he went out into the world.

But almost before he was out of the house another boy was
born, and he too looked about him, and said, `Ah, my dear mother!
give me some of my brothers' old clothes, and food for some days,
and then I will go out into the world and find my twin brother, for
you have children enough.'

`Heaven help thee, little creature! thou art far too little for that,'
said the woman; `it would never do.'

But she spoke to no purpose, for the boy begged and prayed
until he had got some old rags and a bundle of provisions, and then
he set out manfully into the world to find his twin brother.

When the younger had walked for some time he caught sight
of his brother a short distance in front of him, and called to him
and bade him to stop.

`Wait a minute,' he said; `you are walking as if for a wager,
but you ought to have stayed to see your younger brother before
you hurried off into the world.'

So the elder stood still and looked back, and when the younger
had got up to him, and had told him that he was his brother, he said:
`But now, let us sit down and see what kind of food our mother has
given us,' and that they did.

When they had walked on a little farther they came to a brook
which ran through a green meadow, and there the younger said that
they ought to christen each other. `As we had to make such haste,
and had no time to do it at home, we may as well do it here,' said he.

`What will you be called?' asked the elder.

`I will be called Minnikin,' answered the second; `and you,
what will you be called?'

`I will be called King Pippin,' answered the elder.

They christened each other and then went onwards. When they
had walked for some time they came to a crossway, and there they
agreed to part, and each take his own road. This they did, but no
sooner had they walked a short distance than they met again. So
they parted once more, and each took his own road, but in a very
short time the same thing happened again--they met each other
before they were at all aware, and so it happened the third time also.
Then they arranged with each other that each should choose his
own quarter, and one should go east and the other west.

`But if ever you fall into any need or trouble,' said the elder,
`call me thrice, and I will come and help you; only you must not
call me until you are in the utmost need.'

`In that case we shall not see each other for some time,' said
Minnikin; so they bade farewell to each other, and Minnikin went
east and King Pippin went west.

When Minnikin had walked a long way alone, he met an old,
old crook-backed hag, who had only one eye. Minnikin stole it.

`Oh! oh!' cried the old hag, `what has become of my eye?'

`What will you give me to get your eye back?' said Minnikin.

`I will give thee a sword which is such a sword that it can
conquer a whole army, let it be ever so great,' replied the woman.

`Let me have it, then,' said Minnikin.

The old hag gave him the sword, so she got her eye back.
Then Minnikin went onwards, and when he had wandered on for
some time he again met an old, old crook-backed hag, who had only
one eye. Minnikin stole it before she was aware.

`Oh! oh! what has become of my eye?' cried the old hag.

`What will you give me to get your eye back?' said Minnikin.

`I will give thee a ship which can sail over fresh water and salt
water, over high hills and deep dales,' answered the old woman.

`Let me have it then,' said Minnikin.

So the old woman gave him a little bit of a ship which was no
bigger than he could put in his pocket, and then she got her eye
back, and she went her way and Minnikin his. When he had
walked on for a long time, he met for the third time an old, old
crook-backed hag, who had only one eye. This eye also Minnikin
stole, and when the woman screamed and lamented, and asked
what had become of her eye, Minnikin said, `What will you give
me to get your eye back?'

`I will give thee the art to brew a hundred lasts of malt in one
brewing.'

So, for teaching that art, the old hag got her eye back, and they
both went away by different roads.