And the man replied , ` With all my heart , as long as I get enough to eat and drink . ' So they took him into the ship , and the young man whispered , ` Good father , before we were five , and now we are six . ' Off they went again , and before they had gone far they met a man striding towards them whose steps were so long that while one foot was on the north of the island the other was right down in the south . ` Good father , look at him ! What long steps he takes ! ' ` Ask him why he does it , ' replied the hermit . ` Oh , I am only going out for a little walk , ' answered he . ` Ask him if he will come with us . ' ` Gladly , if you will give me as much as I want to eat and drink , ' said he , climbing up into the ship . And the young man whispered , ` Good father , before we were six , and now we are seven . ' But the hermit knew what he was about , and why he gathered these strange people into the ship . After many days , at last they reached the town where lived the king and his daughter . They stopped the vessel right in front of the palace , and the young man went in and bowed low before the king . ' O Majesty , I have done your bidding , and now is the ship built that can travel over land and sea . Give me my reward , and let me have your daughter to wife . ' But the king said to himself , ` What ! am I to wed my daughter to a man of whom I know nothing . Not even whether he be rich or poor -- a knight or a beggar . ' And aloud he spake : It is not enough that you have managed to build the ship . You must find a runner who shall take this letter to the ruler of the Underworld , and bring me the answer back in an hour . '
` That is not XXXXX the bond , ' answered the young man .
Off at for if in into that towards whether with