Part 12 (2/2)

”'What shall we have to live on when you have wasted everything?'

”'Oh, I'll go out and befool somebody,' said Peik.

”'Yes, Peik, I'll be bound you'll do that soon enough,' said his sister.

”'Well, I'll try,' said Peik.

”So at last they had nothing more, for there was an end of everything; and Peik trotted off, and walked and walked till he came to the king's grange. There stood the King in the porch, and as soon as he set eyes on the lad, he said,--

”'Whither away to-day, Peik?'

”'Oh, I was going out to see if I could befool anybody,' said Peik.

”'Can't you befool me, now?' said the King.

”'No, I'm sure I can't,' said Peik, 'for I've forgotten my fooling rods at home.'

”'Can't you go and fetch them?' said the King, 'for I should be very glad to see if you are such a trickster as folks say.'

”'I've no strength to walk,' said Peik.

”'I'll lend you a horse and saddle,' said the King.

”'But I can't ride either,' said Peik.

”'Then we'll lift you up,' said the King, 'then you'll be able to stick on.'

”Well, Peik stood and clawed and scratched his head, as though he would pull the hair off, and let them lift him up into the saddle, and there he sat swinging this side and that so long as the King could see him, and the King laughed till the tears came into his eyes, for such a tailor on horseback he had never before seen. But when Peik was come well into the wood behind the hill, so that he was out of the King's sight, he sat as though he were nailed to the horse, and off he rode as though he had stolen both steed and bridle, and when he got to the town, he sold both horse and saddle.

”All the while the King walked up and down, and loitered and waited for Peik to come tottering back again with his fooling rods; and every now and then he laughed when he called to mind how wretched he looked as he sat swinging about on the horse like a sack of corn, not knowing on which side to fall off; but this lasted for seven lengths and seven breadths, and no Peik came, and so at last the King saw that he was fooled and cheated out of his horse and saddle, even though Peik had not his fooling rods with him. And so there was another story, for the King got wroth, and was all for setting off to kill Peik.

”But Peik had found out the day he was coming, and told his sister she must put on the big boiler with a drop of water in it. But just as the King came in Peik dragged the boiler off the fire and ran off with it to the chopping-block, and so boiled the porridge on the block.

”The King wondered at that, and wondered on and on so much that he clean forgot what brought him there.

”'What do you want for that pot?' said he.

”'I can't spare it,' said Peik.

”'Why not?' said the King, 'I'll pay what you ask.'

”'No, no!' said Peik. 'It saves me time and money, woodhire and choppinghire, carting and carrying.'

”'Never mind,' said the King, 'I'll give you a hundred dollars. It's true you've fooled me out of a horse and saddle, and bridle besides, but all that shall go for nothing if I can only get the pot.'

”'Well! if you must have it you must,' said Peik.

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