"I wonder, now," said Youngling, "what it is digging and shovelling up yonder at the top of the rock?" "Ah, you're always so clever with your wonderings," said Peter and Paul again; "as if you'd never heard a woodpecker hacking and pecking at a hollow tree." "Well, well," said Youngling, "I think it would be a piece of fun just to see what it really is." And so off he set to climb the rock, while the others laughed and made game of him. But he didn't care a bit for that; up he clambered, and when he got near the top, what do you think he saw? Why, a spade that stood there digging and delving. "Good day," said Youngling. "So you stand here all alone, and dig and delve?" "Yes, that's what I do," said the Spade, "and that's what I've done this many a long day, waiting for you, my lad." "Well, here I am," said Youngling again, as he took the Spade and knocked off its handle, and put it into his wallet; and then he climbed down again to his brothers. "Well, what was it, so strange and rare," said Peter and Paul, "that you saw up there at the top of the rock?" "Oh," said Youngling, "nothing more than a spade; that was what we heard." So they went on again a good bit, till they came to a brook. They were thirsty all three, after their long walk, and so they lay down beside the brook to have a drink. "I have a great fancy to see where this brook comes from," said Youngling. So up alongside the brook he went, in spite of all that his brothers shouted after him. Nothing could stop him. On he went. And as he went up and up, the brook grew smaller and smaller, and at last, a little way farther on, what do you think he saw? Why, a great walnut, and out of that the water trickled. "Good day," said Youngling again. "So you lie here and trickle, and run down all alone?" "Yes, I do," said the Walnut "and here have I trickled and run this many a long day, waiting for you, my lad." "Well, here I am," said Youngling, as he took a lump of moss and plugged up the hole, so that the water mightn't run out. Then he put the Walnut into his wallet, and ran down to his brothers. "Well, now," said Peter and Paul, "have you found out where the water comes from? A rare sight it must have been!" "Oh, after all, it was only a hole it ran out of," said Youngling, and the others laughed and made game of him again, but Youngling didn't mind that a bit. So when they had gone a little farther, they came to the King's palace; but as every man in the kingdom had heard that he might win the Princess and half the realm, if he could only fell the big oak and dig the King's well, so many had come to try their luck that the oak was now twice as stout and big as it had been at first, for you will remember that two chips grew for every one they hewed out with their axes.