The sapling hopping forth, began to beat them, drubbing them all preciously, both officer and soldiers, so that the officer was obliged to return discomfited. Arriving at the city, he related to the king how the fool had beaten them all. The king was very much astonished, and did not believe it possible that he could have beaten so many. The king, however, selected a prudent man, whom he sent with an injunction to bring the fool to him if possible, even though he should have recourse to deceit. The king’s envoy, arriving at the village where Emelian lived, sent for the starost, and said to him: “I am sent by the king to fetch your fool; but first of all, bring before me the people with whom he lives.” The starost instantly ran and brought the sisters-in-law; and the envoy asked them— “What does the fool like?” The sisters-in-law replied: “Gracious, sir, our fool likes to be intreated to do a thing; he refuses once and twice in order to be entreated a third time, when he never refuses, but does all that he is asked,—but he does not like to be spoken to roughly.” The envoy then dismissed them, warning them not to tell Emelian that he had sent for them. After that, having bought some raisins, prunes, and dried figs, he proceeded to the house of the fool, and on his arrival he went up to the petsch, and said: “How’s this, Emelian, why are you lying on the petsch?” Then, giving him the raisins, prunes, and dried figs, he said: “Come, Emelian, I will carry you to the king.” But the fool answered: “I am warm here,” for he loved nothing but warmth. “Let us go, Emelian,” said the envoy, “you will be quite comfortable there.” “Aye,” said the fool, “but I am lazy.” Thereupon the envoy began to beseech him once more. “Pray let us go, Emelian, the king has ordered a red caftan to be made for you, and also a red cap, and red boots.” The fool, hearing that a red caftan had been ordered to be made for him, provided he went, said: “Do you go before, and I will follow.” The envoy, not wishing to trouble him any more, left him, and asked privately of the sisters-in-law whether the fool would not deceive him; but they assured him that he never deceived anybody. The envoy then set forth on his return, and the fool, placing himself once more on the petsch, said: “O how I wish that I had not to go to court, but was there already.” Thereupon he said: “At the pike’s behest, and at my request, move straight, O petsch, to the city.”