then the son found he had forgotten his handkerchief , and went down to the boat to get it . but no sooner was he in the boat than it moved off with a rush , and no matter how hard the youth worked against it with the oars , it was all in vain . the boat drove on and on , all night long , and at last he came to a white strand , far , far away . he stepped ashore , and after he had gone a while he met an old man with a great , white beard . " what is this country called ? " asked the youth . " whiteland , " was the man 's answer , and he asked the youth where he came from , and what he wanted , and the latter told him . " if you keep right on along the shore , " said the man , " you will come to three princesses , buried in the earth so that only their heads show . then the first will call you -- and she is the oldest -- and beg you very hard to come to her and help her ; and the next will do the same ; but you must go to neither of them ; walk quickly past them , and act as though you neither saw nor heard them . but go up to the third , and do what she asks of you , for then you will make your fortune . "
what happened when the son went down to the boat ?
it moved off with a rush .
the boat moved off with a rush .