` Is it really you who have been clever enough to do that ? ' he asked . ` Or has some one else given you a hint ? ' ` Oh , I have had no help , ' replied the prince , ` except what my poor weak head could give me . ' The old man frowned , and went away , and the prince rejoiced that everything had turned out so well . In the evening his master said , ` To-morrow I have no special task to set you , but as the girl has a great deal to do in the house you must milk the black cow for her . But take care you milk her dry , or it may be the worse for you . ' ` Well , ' thought the prince as he went away , ` unless there is some trick behind , this does not sound very hard . I have never milked a cow before , but I have good strong fingers . ' He was very sleepy , and was just going toward his room , when the maiden came to him and asked : ` What is your task to-morrow ? ' ' I am to help you , ' he answered , ` and have nothing to do all day , except to milk the black cow dry . ' ` Oh , you are unlucky , ' cried she . ` 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 , XXXXX the cow ran dry .
In behind except for of on till toward unless with