The princess, who was a beautiful maiden, had been mute since her twelfth birthday.  The king, saddened and worried at this misfortune, had proclaimed that whoever could restore her speech could claim her as his bride. 

One after another, numerous young kings, counts, and other dignitaries had tried to make her speak, but they had left as they had come, without even a whisper from the princess.  “I should try my luck,” Vanek thought.  “I might convince her to talk if I ask the right question.”

The princess had a little dog of which she was very fond; he was clever and understood her every wish.  When Vanek, having announced his attempt to the king, entered her room (with the king and all his ministers in tow), he ignored the maiden and turned to her dog, saying: “I’ve heard that you’re a clever little dog, and so I’ve come to you for some advice.

“One time a wood-carver, a tailor, and I were traveling through the forest.  We had to spend the night there, so we made a fire, to be safe from wolves, and arranged that we would keep watch in turn.  The carver’s turn came first.  To pass the time, he carved a stump of wood into the form of a pretty woman.  When he was done, he woke the tailor.

“ ‘As you can see,’ he told the tailor, ‘to while away the time, I carved a wooden maiden.  If you get bored,  you can make her some clothes.’

“So the tailor took out his scissors, needle, and thread and made the wooden maiden a beautiful dress.  When it was done, he dressed her in it.  Finally, he called on me to take my turn at watch.  He told me that if I got bored, I could teach the maiden to speak!  And so, by morning, I had taught her how.

“But in the morning, we all wanted the maiden.

“ ‘I made her,’ said the carpenter.

“ ‘I clothed her,’ said the tailor.

“And I, too, claimed my rights.  So tell me, little dog, whom does the maiden belong to?”