Leave was given him , and taking the instrument from under his cloak he touched the strings . Scarcely had the first notes sounded than the hangman and his helper began to dance , and the louder grew the music the higher they capered , till at last they cried for mercy . But the youth paid no heed , and the tunes rang out more merrily than before , and by the time the sun set they both sank on the ground exhausted , and declared that the hanging must be put off till to-morrow . The story of the zither soon spread through the town , and on the following morning the king and his whole court and a large crowd of people were gathered at the foot of the gallows to see the youth hanged . Once more he asked a favour -- permission to play on his fiddle , and this the king was graciously pleased to grant . But with the first notes , the leg of every man in the crowd was lifted high , and they danced to the sound of the music the whole day till darkness fell , and there was no light to hang the musician by . The third day came , and the youth asked leave to play on his flute . ` No , no , ' said the king , ` you made me dance all day yesterday , and if I do it again it will certainly be my death . You shall play no more tunes . Quick ! the rope round his neck . ' At these words the young man looked so sorrowful that the courtiers said to the king : ` He is very young to die . Let him play a tune if it will make him happy . ' So , very unwillingly , the king gave him leave ; but first he had himself bound to a big fir tree , for fear that he should be made to dance . When he was made fast , the young man began to blow softly on his flute , and bound though he was , the king 's body moved to the sound , up and down the fir tree till his clothes were in tatters , and the skin nearly rubbed off his back . But the youth had no pity , and went on blowing , till suddenly the old magician appeared and asked : ` What danger are you in , my son , that you have sent for me ? ' ` They want to hang me , ' answered the young man ; ` the gallows are all ready and the hangman is only waiting for me to stop playing . ' ` Oh , I will put that right , ' said the magician ; and taking the gallows , he tore it up and flung it into the air , and no one knows where it came down . ` Who has ordered you to be hanged ? ' asked he .
The young man pointed to the king , who was still bound to the fir ; and without wasting words the magician took hold of the tree also , and XXXXX a mighty heave both fir and man went spinning through the air , and vanished in the clouds after the gallows .
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