` If you were to try from morning till night you could n't do it . There is only one way of escaping the danger , and that is , when you go to milk her , take with you a pan of burning coals and a pair of tongs . Place the pan on the floor of the stall , and the tongs on the fire , and blow with all your might , till the coals burn brightly . The black cow will ask you what is the meaning of all this , and you must answer what I will whisper to you . ' And she stood on tip-toe and whispered something in his ear , and then went away . The dawn had scarcely reddened the sky when the prince jumped out of bed , and , with the pan of coals in one hand and the milk pail in the other , went straight to the cow 's stall , and began to do exactly as the maiden had told him the evening before . The black cow watched him with surprise for some time , and then said : ` What are you doing , sonny ? ' ` Oh , nothing , ' answered he ; ' I am only heating a pair of tongs in case you may not feel inclined to give as much milk as I want . ' The cow sighed deeply , and looked at the milkman with fear , but he took no notice , and milked briskly into the pail , till the cow ran dry . Just at that moment the old man entered the stable , and sat down to milk the cow himself , but not a drop of milk could he get . ` Have you really managed it all yourself , or did somebody help you ? ' ' I have nobody to help me , ' answered the prince , ` but my own poor head . ' The old man got up from his seat and went away . That night , when the prince went to his master to hear what his next day 's work was to be , the old man said : ' I have a little hay-stack out in the meadow which must be brought in to dry . To-morrow you will have to stack it all in the shed , and , as you value your life , be careful not to leave the smallest strand behind . ' The prince was overjoyed to hear he had nothing worse to do . ` To carry a little hay-rick requires no great skill , ' thought he , ` and it will give me no trouble , for the horse will have to draw it in . I am certainly not going to spare the old grandmother . ' By-and-by the maiden stole up to ask what task he had for the next day . The young man laughed , and said : ` It appears that I have got to learn all kinds of farmer 's work .
To-morrow I have to carry a hay-rick , and leave not a stalk XXXXX the meadow , and that is my whole day 's work ! '
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