Nothing could stop him. On he went. So, as he went
up and up, the brook got smaller and smaller, and at last, a little
way farther on, what do you think he saw? Why, a great walnut, and out
of that the water trickled.
"Good-day!" said Jack again; "So you lie here, and trickle and run
down all alone?"
"Yes, I do," said the Walnut; "and here have I trickled and run this
many a long day, waiting for you."
"Well, here I am," said Jack, as he took up a lump of moss, and
plugged up the hole, that the water mightn't run out. Then he put the
walnut into his wallet, and ran down to his brothers.
"Well, now," said Peter and Paul, "have you found out where the water
comes from? A rare sight it must have been!"
"Oh, after all, it was only a hole it ran out of," said Jack; and so
the others laughed and made game of him again, but Jack didn't mind
that a bit.
"After all, I had the fun of seeing it," said he.
So when they had gone a bit farther they came to the King's palace;
but as every one in the kingdom had heard how they might win the
Princess and half the realm, if they could only fell the big oak and
dig the King's well, so many had come to try their luck that the oak
was now twice as stout and big as it had been at first, for two chips
grew for every one they hewed out with their axes, as I dare say you
all bear in mind.
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