"Two miles from here," answered he, "there are seven windmills; I am blowing, and they are going round." "Oh, go with me," cried the leader, "four of us together can stand against the world." So the blower got down and went with them, and after a time they came to a man standing on one leg, and the other had been taken off and was lying near him. "You seem to have got a handy way of resting yourself," said the leader to the man. "I am a runner," answered he, "and in order to keep myself from going too fast I have taken off a leg, for when I run with both, I go faster than a bird can fly." "Oh, go with me," cried the leader, "five of us together may well stand against the world." So he went with them all together, and it was not long before they met a man with a little hat on, and he wore it just over one ear. "Manners! manners!" said the leader; "with your hat like that, you look like a jack-fool." "I dare not put it straight," answered the other; "if I did, there would be such a terrible frost that the very birds would be frozen and fall dead from the sky to the ground." "Oh, come with me," said the leader; "we six together may well stand against the whole world." So the six went on until they came to a town where the king had caused it to be made known that whoever would run a race with his daughter and win it might become her husband, but that whoever lost must lose his head into the bargain. And the leader came forward and said one of his men should run for him. "Then," said the king, "his life too must be put in pledge, and if he fails, his head and yours too must fall." When this was quite settled and agreed upon, the leader called the runner, and strapped his second leg on to him. "Now, look out," said he, "and take care that we win." It had been agreed that the one who should bring water first from a far distant brook should be accounted winner. Now the king's daughter and the runner each took a pitcher, and they started both at the same time; but in one moment, when the king's daughter had gone but a very little way, the runner was out of sight, for his running was as if the wind rushed by. In a short time he reached the brook, filled his pitcher full of water, and turned back again. About half-way home, however, he was overcome with weariness, and setting down his pitcher, he lay down on the ground to sleep. But in order to awaken soon again by not lying too soft he had taken a horse's skull which lay near and placed it under his head for a pillow. In the meanwhile the king's daughter, who really was a good runner, good enough to beat an ordinary man, had reached the brook, and filled her pitcher, and was hastening with it back again, when she saw the runner lying asleep. "The day is mine," said she with much joy, and she emptied his pitcher and hastened on. And now all had been lost but for the huntsman who was standing on the castle wall, and with his keen eyes saw all that happened.