The eldest son, when he was driven from home, apprenticed himself to a joiner and he applied himself diligently to his trade, and when the time came for him to travel his master gave him a little table, nothing much to look at, and made of common wood, but it had one great quality. When any one set it down and said, ›Table, be covered!‹ all at once the good little table had a clean cloth on it, a plate, a knife, a fork, and dishes with food, and a large glass of red wine sparkling so as to cheer the heart. The young apprentice wanted to go back to his father, whose wrath might by this time have subsided, and perhaps because of the wishing-table he might receive him again gladly.