The old woman softened at once, and began to question him. And Emelyán told her his whole life: how he married the lass; how they went to live in the town; how he had worked, and what he had done at the palace; how he built the cathedral, and made a river with ships on it, and how the King had now told him to go to “there, don’t know where,” and bring back “that, don’t know what.”
The Grandam listened to the end, and ceased weeping. She muttered to herself: “The time has surely come,” and said to him: “All right, my lad. Sit down now, and I will give you something to eat.”
Emelyán ate, and then the Grandam told him what to do. “Here,” said she, “is a ball of thread; roll it before you, and follow where it goes. You must go far till you come right to the sea. When you get there, you will see a great city. Enter the city and ask for a night’s lodging at the furthest house. There look out for what you are seeking.”
“How shall I know it when I see it, Granny?” said he.
“When you see something men obey more than father or mother, that is it. Seize that, and take it to the King. When you bring it to the King, he will say it is not right, and you must answer: ‘If it is not the right thing it must be smashed,’ and you must beat it, and carry it to the river, break it in pieces, and throw it into the water. Then you will get your wife back and my tears will be dried.”
Emelyán bade farewell to the Grandam and began rolling his ball before him. It rolled and rolled until at last it reached the sea. By the sea stood a great city, and at the further end of the city was a big house. There Emelyán begged for a night’s lodging, and was granted it. He lay down to sleep, and in the morning awoke and heard a father rousing his son to go and cut wood for the fire. But the son did not obey. “It is too early,” said he, “there is time enough.” Then Emelyán heard the mother say, “Go, my son, your father’s bones ache; would you have him go himself? It is time to be up!”