VI.The Wonderful Man who overcame the Chan

‘This flask,’ cried he, ‘is of a surety a wishing flask, which will procure him who has it everything he desires. I will take the flask with me.’

“And when he had thus spoken, he continued his journey until he met with a man holding a sword in his hand. ‘Wherefore,’ cried he, ‘dost thou carry that sword in thine hand?’ And the man answered, ‘This sword is called Kreischwinger; and when I say to it, “Kreischwinger, thither goes a man who has taken such a thing from me, follow him and bring it back,” Kreischwinger goes forth, kills the man, and brings my property back again.’ To this the first replied, ‘Out of this vessel springeth everything you desire; let us exchange.’ So accordingly they made an exchange; and when the man went away with the flask, he who now owned the sword said, ‘Kreischwinger, go forth now and bring me back my flask.’ So the sword went forth, smote his former master dead, and brought the golden vessel back again.

“When he had journeyed a little further, he met a man holding in his hand an iron hammer. ‘Wherefore,’ cried he, ‘dost thou hold this hammer in thy hand?’ To this question the other replied, ‘When I strike the earth nine times with this hammer, there immediately arises a wall of iron, nine pillars high.’ Then said the first, ‘Let us make an exchange.’ And when the exchange was made, he cried out, ‘Kreischwinger, go forth and bring me back my golden vessel!’

“After Kreischwinger had slain the man, and brought back the golden vessel, the man journeyed on until he encountered another man, carrying in his bosom a sack, made of goatskin, and he asked him, ‘Wherefore keepest thou that sack?’ To this question the other replied, ‘This sack is a very wonderful thing. When you shake it, it rains heavily; and if you shake it very hard, it rains very heavily.’ Hereupon the owner of the flask said, ‘Let us change,’ and they changed accordingly; and the sword went forth, slew the man, and returned back to its master with the golden vessel.

“When the man found himself in the possession of all these wonderful things, he said unto himself, ‘The Chan of my country is indeed a cruel man; nevertheless I will turn back unto my native land.