then they once more went to the sleeping-room together, and there was a much greater and much taller image of st. christopher than the two first had been. the king’s daughter said to it, "when my father calls, do thou answer." then the great tall stone image of st. christopher nodded quite half an hour with its head, until at length the head stood still again. and the king’s son laid himself down on the threshold of the door and slept. the next morning the king said, "thou hast indeed watched well, but i cannot give thee my daughter now; i have a great forest, if thou cuttest it down for me between six o’clock this morning and six at night, i will think about it." then he gave him a glass axe, a glass wedge, and a glass mallet. when he got into the wood, he began at once to cut, but the axe broke in two, then he took the wedge, and struck it once with the mallet, and it became as short and as small as sand. then he was much troubled and believed he would have to die, and sat down and wept.