So the King had now laid it down as a punishment
that if any one tried and couldn't fell the oak, he should be put on
a barren island, and both his ears were to be clipped off. But the two
brothers didn't let themselves be scared by that; they were quite sure
they could fell the oak, and Peter, as he was eldest, was to try his
hand first; but it went with him as with all the rest who had hewn
at the oak; for every chip he cut out, two grew in its place. So the
King's men seized him, and clipped off both his ears, and put him out
on the island.
Now Paul, he was to try his luck, but he fared just the same; when he
had hewn two or three strokes, they began to see the oak grow, and so
the King's men seized him too, and clipped his ears, and put him out
on the island; and his ears they clipped closer, because they said he
ought to have taken a lesson from his brother.
So now Jack was to try.
"If you _will_ look like a marked sheep, we're quite ready to clip
your ears at once, and then you'll save yourself some bother," said
the King, for he was angry with him for his brothers' sake.
"Well, I'd like to just try first," said Jack, and so he got leave.
Then he took his axe out of his wallet and fitted it to its handle.
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