Now poor Jack goes in search of his missing castle, over hills, dales,
valleys, and mountains, through woolly woods and sheepwalks, further
than I can tell you or ever intend to tell you. Until at last he comes
up to the place where lives the King of all the little mice in the
world. There was one of the little mice on sentry at the front gate
going up to the palace, and did try to stop Jack from going in. He
asked the little mouse: "Where does the King live? I should like to
see him." This one sent another with him to show him the place; and
when the King saw him, he called him in. And the King questioned him,
and asked him where he was going that way. Well, Jack told him all the
truth, that he had lost the great castle, and was going to look for
it, and he had a whole twelvemonths and a day to find it out. And Jack
asked him whether he knew anything about it; and the King said: "No,
but I am the King of all the little mice in the world, and I will call
them all up in the morning, and maybe they have seen something of it."

Then Jack got a good meal and bed, and in the morning he and the King
went on to the fields; and the King called all the mice together, and
asked them whether they had seen the great beautiful castle standing
on golden pillars. And all the little mice said, No, there was none of
them had seen it. The old King said to him that he had two other
brothers: "One is the King of all the frogs; and my other brother, who
is the oldest, he is the King of all the birds in the world. And if
you go there, may be they know something about the missing castle."
The King said to him: "Leave your horse here with me till you come
back, and take one of my best horses under you, and give this cake to
my brother; he will know then who you got it from. Mind and tell him I
am well, and should like dearly to see him." And then the King and
Jack shook hands together.