and threw his bundle on his back, and went forth. when he came to the hollow tree, he sat down and hung his head. the bees came flying out, and the queen-bee asked him if he had a stiff neck, since he held his head so awry? "alas, no," answered the tailor, "something quite different weighs me down," and he told her what the king had demanded of him. the bees began to buzz and hum amongst themselves, and the queen-bee said, "just go home again, but come back to-morrow at this time, and bring a large sheet with you, and then all will be well." so he turned back again, but the bees flew to the royal palace and straight into it through the open windows, crept round about into every corner, and inspected everything most carefully. then they hurried back and modelled the palace in wax with such rapidity that any one looking on would have thought it was growing before his eyes. by the evening all was ready, and when the tailor came next morning, the whole of the splendid building was there, and not one nail in the wall or tile of the roof was wanting, and it was delicate withal, and white as snow, and smelt sweet as honey. the tailor wrapped it carefully in his cloth and took it to the king, who could not admire it enough, placed it in his largest hall, and in return for it presented the tailor with a large stone house.