The princess then said : ` You must now go to my father , and tell him you desire to have me to wife , and when he has put the three problems before you , then come back and tell me . ' The stranger then went straight to the king , and told him that he wished to wed his daughter . And the king answered : ' I shall be well pleased , provided you can do what I impose upon you ; if not you will lose your head . Now , listen ; out there on the ground , there lies a thick log , which measures more than two fathoms ; if you can cleave it in two with one stroke of your sword , I will give you my daughter to wife . If you fail , then it will cost you your head . ' Then the stranger withdrew , and returned to the house of the old woman sore distressed , for he could believe nothing but that next day he must atone to the king with his head . And so full was he of the idea of how to set about cleaving the log that he forgot even his zither . In the evening came the princess to the window to listen to his playing , and behold all was still . Then she called to him : ` Why are you so cast down this evening , that you do not play on your zither ? ' And he told her his trouble . But she laughed at it , and called to him : ` And you grieve over that ? Bring quickly your zither , and play something for my amusement , and early to-morrow come to me . ' Then the stranger took his zither and played the whole evening for the amusement of the princess . Next morning she took a hair from her locks and gave it to him , saying : ` Take this hair , and wind it round your sword , then you will be able to cleave the log in two . ' Then the stranger went forth , and with one blow cleft the log in two . But the king said : ' I will impose another task upon you , before you can wed my daughter . ' ` Speak on , ' said the stranger . ` Listen , then , ' answered the king ; ` you must mount a horse and ride three miles at full gallop , holding in each hand a goblet full of water . If you spill no drop then I shall give you my daughter to wife , but should you not succeed then I will take your life . ' Then the stranger returned to the house of the old woman , and again he was so troubled as to forget his zither .
In the evening the princess came to the window as before to listen to the music , but again all was still ; and she called to him : ` What is the matter that you do not play on your XXXXX ? '
evening gallop goblet house idea locks something stroke to-morrow zither