its place. So the King's men seized him, bound him hand and foot, and
put him out on the island.

Now, Paul was to try his luck, but he fared just the same; when he had
hewn two or three strokes, they began to see the oak grow, and so the
King's men seized him too, bound him hand and foot, and put him out on
the island,

And now Boots was to try.

"You can save yourself the trouble, we'll bind you and send you off
after your brothers just as well first as last," laughed the King's men.

"Well, I'd just like to try first," said Boots, and so he got leave.
Then he took his axe out of his wallet and fitted it to its haft.

"Hew away!" said he to his axe; and away it hewed, making the chips fly,
so that it wasn't long before down came the oak.

When that was done Boots pulled out his spade and fitted it to its
handle.

"Dig away!" said he to the spade; and the spade began to dig and delve
till the earth and rock flew out in splinters, and he had the well soon
dug out, as you may believe.

And when he had got it as big and deep as he chose, Boots took out his
walnut and laid it in one corner of the well, and pulled the plug of
moss out.