In a certain mill lived an old miller who had neither wife nor child, and three apprentices served under him. As they had been with him several years, he one day said to them, "I am old, and want to sit in the chimney-corner. Go out, and whichever of you brings me the best horse home, to him will I give the mill, and in return for it he shall take care of me till my death."
The third boy was the drudge, considered foolish by the others. They begrudged him the mill, thinking he would never get it. All three set out together. Upon reaching the village, the two said to Hans, "You might as well stay here, for as long as you live you will never get a horse."
Hans went with them anyway. At night, they found a cave to sleep in. The two cunning ones waited until Hans fell asleep, then left him there, thinking themselves clever.
When the sun rose, Hans awoke in a deep cavern. "Oh, heavens, where am I?" he exclaimed. He climbed out and entered the forest, thinking, "Here I am alone and deserted. How shall I obtain a horse now?"
As he walked, lost in thought, he met a small tabby-cat who kindly asked, "Hans, where are you going?"
"Alas, you cannot help me," Hans replied.
"I know your desire," said the cat. "You wish for a beautiful horse. Come with me, be my faithful servant for seven years, and I will give you one more beautiful than any you have ever seen."
"Well, this is a wonderful cat!" thought Hans. "But I am determined to see if she is telling the truth."
She took him to her enchanted castle, inhabited only by cats who were her servants. They leapt nimbly about, merry and happy. At dinner, three cats made music: one played the bassoon, another the fiddle, and the third blew a trumpet, puffing out his cheeks.
After dinner, the table was carried away. The cat said, "Now, Hans, come and dance with me."
"No," he said, "I won't dance with a pussy cat. I have never done that yet."
"Then take him to bed," she told the cats. One lit his way to the bedroom, one pulled off his shoes, another his stockings, and finally one blew out the candle.
Next morning, they helped him dress: one put on his stockings, one tied his garters, one brought his shoes, one washed him, and one dried his face with her tail.
"That feels very soft!" said Hans.
He served the cat, chopping wood daily with a silver axe, silver wedge and saw, and a copper mallet. He stayed in the house with good food and drink but saw no one but the tabby-cat and her servants.
Once, she told him, "Go and mow my meadow and dry the grass." She gave him a silver scythe and a golden whetstone, instructing him to return them carefully. Hans did as he was told. After finishing, he asked if it was time for his reward.
"No," said the cat. "You must first do something more. There is timber of silver, a carpenter's axe, a square, and all necessary tools, all of silver. Build me a small house with these."
Hans built the small house. He had done everything, yet still had no horse. Nevertheless, the seven years passed as if they were six months. The cat asked if he would like to see her horses.
"Yes," said Hans.
She opened the door of the small house, and there stood twelve horses, so bright and shining that his heart rejoiced.
She gave him food and drink and said, "Go home. I will not give you the horse now, but in three days' time I will follow and bring it." She showed him the way to the mill. She had never given him new clothes, so he wore his old, dirty smock-frock, which had become too small during the seven years.
When he reached home, the other two apprentices were there, each with a horse—one blind, the other lame. They asked Hans where his horse was.
"It will follow me in three days' time," he replied.
They laughed. "Indeed, stupid Hans, where will you get a horse?"
"It will be a fine one!" said Hans.
Hans went into the parlour, but the miller said he could not sit at the table because he was so ragged and torn. They gave him a mouthful of food outside. At night, the others refused him a bed, forcing him to creep into the goose-house and lie on hard straw.
In the morning, the three days had passed. A coach arrived with six shining horses, delightful to see! A servant brought a seventh horse for the poor miller's boy.
A magnificent princess alighted from the coach and entered the mill. She was the little tabby-cat whom Hans had served for seven years. She asked the miller where his boy and drudge was.
The miller said, "We cannot have him here, for he is so ragged. He is lying in the goose-house."
The King's daughter ordered him brought immediately.
They brought him out, clutching his little smock-frock to cover himself. Servants unpacked splendid garments, washed and dressed him. When done, no king could have looked more handsome.
The maiden asked to see the horses the other apprentices had brought—one blind, the other lame. She ordered the servant to bring the seventh horse. The miller said such a horse had never entered his yard.
"And that is for the third miller's boy," she said.
"Then he must have the mill," said the miller.
But the King's daughter said the horse was there, and he was to keep his mill as well. She took her faithful Hans, set him in the coach, and drove away.
They first drove to the little house he had built with the silver tools. Behold, it was a great castle, with everything inside of silver and gold. Then she married him, and he became rich, with enough for the rest of his life.
After this, let no one ever say that anyone who is silly can never become a person of importance.