'Well,' said the squire, 'I generally have twenty-four men at
this time of the year, but I have only twelve just now, so I can
easily take you on.'

'Very well,' said Hans, 'I shall easily do twelve men's work, but
then I must also have as much to eat as the twelve would.'

All this was agreed to, and the squire took Hans into the
kitchen, and told the servant girls that the new man was to have
as much food as the other twelve. It was arranged that he should
have a pot to himself, and he could then use the ladle to take
his food with.

It was in the evening that Hans arrived there, so he did nothing
more that day than eat his supper--a big pot of buck-wheat
porridge, which he cleaned to the bottom and was then so far
satisfied that he said he could sleep on that, so he went off to
bed. He slept both well and long, and all the rest were up and
at their work while he was still sleeping soundly. The squire
was also on foot, for he was curious to see how the new man would
behave who was both to eat and work for twelve.

But as yet there was no Hans to be seen, and the sun was already
high in the heavens, so the squire himself went and called on
him.

'Get up, Hans,' he cried; 'you are sleeping too long.'

Hans woke up and rubbed his eyes. 'Yes, that's true,' he said,