the old man was not sufficiently cunning, and did as he was told; he lay down and looked steadily along the log. when the soldier saw the old man's beard had got well into the cleft, he struck out the wedge; the cleft closed and the old man was caught by the beard. the soldier began to beat him with the axe handle, and then swung the axe round his head, and vowed that he would split his skull if he did not tell him, there and then, where the princesses were.