The tailor,
seeing the wooden damsel, asked what it meant. 'As you see,' said the
sculptor, 'I was weary, and didn't know what to do with myself, so I
carved a damsel out of a log; if you find time hang heavy on your hands,
you can dress her.' The tailor at once took out his scissors, needle and
thread, cut out the clothes, stitched away, and, when they were ready,
dressed the damsel in them. He then called me to come and keep watch. I,
too, asked him what the meaning of all this was. 'As you see,' said the
tailor, 'the sculptor found time hang heavy on his hands and carved a
damsel out of a log, and I for the same reason clothed her; and if you
find time hanging on your hands, you can teach her to speak.' And by
morning dawn I had actually taught her to speak. But in the morning when
my companions woke up, each wanted to possess the damsel. The sculptor
said, 'I made her;' the tailor, 'I clothed her.' I, too, maintained my
right. Tell me, therefore, doggie, to which of us the damsel belongs."
The dog said nothing, but instead of the dog the princess replied: "To
whom can she belong but to yourself? What's the good of the sculptor's
damsel without life? What's the good of the tailor's dressing without
speech? You gave her the best gift, life and speech, and therefore she
by right belongs to you." "You have passed your own sentence," said
Vanek; "I have given you speech again and a new life, and you therefore
by right belong to me.
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