them leave to trade in his country without paying any duties, and
dismissed them.

After they were gone the king remained deep in thought. He felt
puzzled and anxious; so he decided to ride into the country to
distract his mind, and sent for his huntsmen and falconers. The
huntsmen blew their horns, the falconers took their hawks on their
wrists, and off they all set out across country till they came to a
green hedge. On the other side of the hedge stretched a great field
of maize as far as the eye could reach, and the yellow ears swayed
to and fro in the gentle breeze like a rippling sea of gold.

The king drew rein and admired the field. 'Upon my word,' said he,
'whoever dug and planted it must be good workmen. If all the
fields in my kingdom were as well cared for as this, there would be
more bread than my people could eat.' And he wished to know to
whom the field belonged.

Off rushed all his followers at once to do his bidding, and found a
nice, tidy farmhouse, in front of which sat seven peasants, lunching
on rye bread and drinking water. They wore red shirts bound with
gold braid, and were so much alike that one could hardly tell one
from another.

The messengers asked: 'Who owns this field of golden maize?' And
the seven brothers answered: 'The field is ours.'

'And who are you?'

'We are King Archidej's labourers.'