I am telling you the exact truth , ' answered the young man . ` Directly we came to the meadow they grew so wild that I could not keep them together . Then the big ox broke away , and the others followed till they all disappeared down a deep hole into the earth . It seemed to me that I heard sounds of bellowing , and I thought I recognised the voice of the golden horned ox ; but when I got to the place from which the sounds had come , I could neither see nor hear anything in the hole itself , though there were traces of a fire all round it . ' ` Wretch ! ' cried the herdsman , when he had heard this story , ` even if you did not lie before , you are lying now . ' ` No , master , I am speaking the truth . Come and see for yourself . ' ` If I find you have deceived me , you are a dead man , said the herdsman ; and they went out together . ` What do you call that ? ' asked the youth . And the herdsman looked and saw the traces of a fire , which seemed to have sprung up from under the earth . ` Wonder upon wonder , ' he exclaimed , ` so you really did speak the truth after all ! Well , I can not reproach you , though I shall have to pay heavily to my royal master for the value of that ox . But come , let us go home ! I will never set you to herd cattle again , henceforward I will give you something easier to do . ' ' I have thought of exactly the thing for you , ' said the herdsman as they walked along , ` and it is so simple that you can not make a mistake . Just make me ten scythes , one for every man , for I want the grass mown in one of my meadows to-morrow . ' At these words the youth 's heart sank , for he had never been trained either as a smith or a joiner . However , he dared not say no , but smiled and nodded .
Slowly and sadly he went to bed , but he could not sleep , for wondering how the XXXXX were to be made .
Wretch fire heart henceforward herdsman home meadow scythes sounds story