` 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 scythes were to be made . All the skill and cunning he had shown before was of no use to him now , and after thinking about the scythes for many hours , there seemed only one way open to him . So , listening to make sure that all was still , he stole away to his parents , and told them the whole story . When they had heard everything , they hid him where no one could find him .
Time passed away , and the young man stayed at home doing all his parents bade him , and showing himself very different from what he had been before he went out XXXXX see the world ; but one day he said to his father that he should like to marry , and have a house of his own .
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