One day Gobborn sent Jack out to sell a sheepskin, saying, "You must bring me back the skin and the value of it as well."
Jack went, but he could not find any one who would leave him the skin and give him its price too, and he came home discouraged.
"Never mind," said his father, "you must try again tomorrow."
So Jack went out a second time with the skin, but nobody wished to buy it on such terms.
When he came home, his father said, "You must go and try your luck once more."
But the third day was no better. Jack trudged till nearly nightfall, but could find no one who would pay him for the skin and let him keep it. He had half a mind not to go home at all, for he feared his father would be vexed.
At last he came to a little bridge, and he stopped and leaned on the parapet, thinking of his troubles. A girl, washing clothes on the bank below, looked up and said, "If I may ask, what is it that you feel so badly about?"
"My father has given me this skin," said Jack, "and I am to fetch it back and the price of it besides."
"Is that all?" said the girl, laughing. "That is easily done. Bring the skin down here."
Jack carried the skin to her, and she washed it in the stream, and took the wool from it. She kept the wool and paid Jack for it, and gave him the skin to carry back.
When Gobborn heard the story he was well pleased, and said to Jack, "That was a clever woman. She would make you a good wife. Go to the bridge tomorrow, and look for her. If she is there, bid her come home with you and take supper."
Jack went to the bridge the next day, and found the girl by the water. Jack told her that his old father had a wish to meet her, and invited her to take supper with them.
The girl thanked him kindly, and said she would come the next day.
"All the better," said Jack. "We'll have time to make ready."
When she came, the old man could see that she was a witty woman, and he asked her if she would marry his son Jack.
She said, "Yes," and they were married.
Not long after, Jack's father told him that he must come with him and help to build the finest castle that ever was seen, for the king of the land wished to outdo all others with his wonderful castle.
As they walked along, Gobborn Seer said to Jack, "Can you not shorten the way for me?"
Jack looked at the long road before them, and said, "I don't see, father, how I could break a bit off."
"Then," said the old man, "you are of no good to me, and had best be off home."
So poor Jack turned back. When he reached home, his wife said to him, "Why, how is it that you have come alone?"
When he told her what had happened, she began to laugh. "You stupid!" said she. "Why did you not tell a tale? That would have shortened the road. Now listen till I tell you a story, and then catch up with Gobborn and begin it at once. He will like hearing it, and by the time you have finished it, you will have come to the end of your journey."
Jack heard the story, and then he ran and overtook his father. Gobborn Seer said never a word, but Jack began his story, and the road was shortened as his wife had said.
When they came to the end of their journey, they began to build the castle, which was to be finer than all others. For a year they worked, and then they had built such a castle that thousands came to admire it.
Last of all the king came. "Is the castle done?" he asked.
"I have just a ceiling to finish in an upper hall," replied Gobborn, "and then it will want nothing."
After the king had gone, the housekeeper sent for Gobborn and Jack and told them that the king was afraid they would now build some other person as fine a castle as his, and that he meant on the morrow to throw them into prison and keep them there for the rest of their lives.
"Keep a good heart," said the old man to Jack, "and we will come out all right."
When the king came the next day, Gobborn told him that they had been unable to finish the castle for lack of a certain tool that they had left at home, and that he should like to send Jack after it.
"No, no," said the king, "let one of my servants do the errand."
"The tool we need is a very valuable one," said Gobborn. "I could not trust it to a servant."
"Well, then," said the king, "how will it do if I send my own son?"
"Let him go," Gobborn replied. "I will send a letter by him to Jack's wife, telling her where to find the tool."
Then he wrote this letter: "I need my seequir. You will find it in my big tool chest. The prince who brings this letter must not return without it."
When the prince had gone, Gobborn Seer smiled. "Jack," he said, "if your wife is as clever as I think she is, we need have no far. This letter will tell her what she is to do."
The prince very soon arrived at the house of Gobborn Seer. Jack's wife read the letter, and then she began to think. "There is no such tool as a seequir," she said to herself, "and that big chest is empty, and yet the note says that the prince must not return without that tool. Well, he shan't."
Then she said to the prince, "I must ask you to help me get that tool."
"I am ready, madam," replied the prince.
Jack's wife led him to the big chest, and said, "I will lift the lid, while you reach down to find the tool."
As the prince leaned over the chest, she caught him by the two heels, and threw him into the chest, and fastened the lid. Then she bored a few holes in the cover to let in the light and air.
"Now, Prince," said she, "you must tell me what evil has befallen my husband and his father. You will not go home until you have told me the whole story."
Then the prince told her that Gobborn Seer and his son were going to be thrown into prison.
Jack's wife brought paper and a pen and ink, and slipped them through the holes to the prince. "Now," said she, "you must write a letter to the king, your father, and tell him that you will never return unless Gobborn Seer and his son are released."
The prince made no answer, but wrote as she directed. When the letter reached the king, he paid Gobborn at once for his work and sent him home with Jack.
"Well, Jack," said the old man as they walked toward home, "your wife has helped us well. You should reward her by building a castle for her far finer than the king's."
That was what Jack did, and they lived there happily ever after.
