And it came to pass that as he was riding across a heath, he saw from afar something like a great heap of hay lying on the ground, and when he drew nearer, he could see that it was the stomach of a man, who had laid himself down there, but the stomach looked like a small mountain. When the fat man saw the traveller, he stood up and said, “If you are in need of anyone, take me into your service.”

The prince answered, “What can I do with such a great big man?”

“Oh,” said the Stout One, “this is nothing, when I stretch myself out well, I am three thousand times fatter.”

“If that’s the case,” said the prince, “I can make use of thee, come with me.” So the Stout One followed the prince, and after a while they found another man who was lying on the ground with his ear laid to the turf. “What art thou doing there?” asked the King’s son.

“I am listening,” replied the man.

“What art thou listening to so attentively?”