A soldier meets a huntsman in the woods; they are both lost. They find a robbers' den, and the soldier persuades the huntsman to go, and then for the robbers to feed him and give him drink. He drinks the robbers' health and magically freezes them.

Then he finds his old comrades, and they capture the robbers. He then learns the huntsman is the king in disguise, and the king promises to supply his needs thereafter, but the soldier must never drink his health without permission.