ONCE upon a time there lived an Emperor who had a Chamberlain who looked after his household。One day the Emperor called the Chamberlain， and said to him：
“Take a flock of two thousand sheep to the market。Sell the sheep and bring them back as well as the money。”
The Chamberlain， hearing such an order， went away perplexed and sad at heart。How could he carry out such a command？ How can a man sell sheep and bring them back together with the money？ He went home and sat down lost in thought。
Now， he had a daughter， sixteen years old， and when she saw him in that state she came to him and asked him why he was so sad and why he was worrying。He told her the Emperor had ordered him to sell the sheep， and yet to bring them back together with the money for which he had sold them。
“Is that all？”she replied。“That is nothing。You need not trouble。Go and be merry。Take the sheep to the market， shear the wool off their backs， sell the wool， and bring the sheep back together with the money。”
When the Chamberlain heard the clever advice of his daughter he took heart， went the next morning， whistled to the sheep， drove them up to the market， had the wool shorn off their backs， then sold the wool and brought the sheep with the money back to the Emperor。
When the latter saw what the Chamberlain had done he at once knew that there was someone else who had had a hand in it， so he asked him who had advised him。
The Chamberlain replied：“My daughter。I have a young daughter living with me in my house， and she told me what to do。”
The Emperor then said：“Tell her to come to me tomorrow to the Court； but she is to come here neither riding nor walking， neither by the high road nor by the pavement， neither dressed nor undressed， neither with game nor without game， neither with a shift nor without a shift。”
The Chamberlain returned home again full of sad thoughts， for he did not understand how anyone could come in the manner ordered by the Emperor。
When the daughter heard it she said：“Do not fear， I will not shame you。You go and bring me the big fisherman’s net， and bring me the little ass from the stables， and two live hares， and the rest leave to me。”
The father did what she asked him。She wrapped herself in the net， mounted the ass the way the women sit， not riding astride； then she took a shift and folded it in her lap under the net， and rode between the road and the pavement。
She touched the ground with one foot whilst riding along， so she was walking and not walking， riding and not riding。When the Emperor saw her from the window he marvelled at her wit and cleverness。
When she approached the palace the dogs began to bark at her。When she heard the barking of the dogs， and saw the pack approaching her， she let the two hares go， and the hounds ran after them。Then she entered the palace， and said to the Emperor：
“Good morning， your Majesty。”
“Thank thee， my good girl。I have ordered thee to come to me neither riding nor walking。”
“I have come on an ass， and I sat as women do， not riding astride as men do。”
The Emperor said：“I told you not to come on the high road or by the pavement。”
The girl replied：“I came between the two。”
The Emperor said：“Neither dressed nor undressed。”
The girl replied：“I came here wrapped in a net。”
The Emperor said：“Neither with nor without a shift。”
The girl replied：“I was sewing it， keeping it in my lap。”
The Emperor said：“Neither with nor without game。”
The girl replied：“The dogs are now running after the game。”