"Is it empty?"
"Yes," they said.
Emelian wondered and asked the people to give him the thing, but they would not. Emelian gave up asking and followed the drummer. He walked about the whole day and when the drummer went to bed at night, Emelian seized the drum and ran away with it. He ran and ran until he came to his own town. He wanted to give his wife a surprise, but she was not at home. She had been taken to the King the day after Emelian had left.
Emelian went to the palace and asked to be announced as the man who had gone to I don't know where and brought back-I don't know what. The King was informed of his return and he ordered Emelian to come to him on the morrow. Emelian again demanded to see the King, saying, "I have brought back what I was ordered to; let the King come out to me, or I will go in to him myself."
The King came out.
"Where have you been? he asked.
Emelian told him.
