In the book, when the apprentice realizes he cannot stop the broom from fetching water, he hacks it in an attempt to "kill" it, but the 2nd piece just runs off to get water. He does this again and again until he has about 10 brooms all fetching water and thus flooding the Sorcerer's castle even faster.

I'd love to read it again, but I have to find the one with the "right" cover otherwise all the illustration will look too foreign to me.