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2i8 THE FORTUNE SEEKERS. |
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sack on his shoulder, he stepped in and presented himself to his brothers.
They would not, however, acknowledge him at all; they mocked and insulted him, and said, " You pretend to be our brother, who despised gold and silver, and left us to seek a higher and a better fortune ; why, we shall expect him to arrive in pomp and splendour like a mighty king, not in the dress of a poor beggarman," and so they drove him from their doors.
Then he fell into a passion, and knocked on his knapsack so many times that a hundred and fifty warriors in rank and file stood before him. He ordered them to surround his brothers' houses, and sent two of their company with hazel switches, to flog them till they acknowledged that he was their brother.
All this caused a great noise and disturbance in the town; the people ran together, and wanted to render some assistance to the two brothers ; but they could not, because of the soldiers. At last information was sent to the king; he was very indignant, and sent a captain and his troop to drive the peace-disturber from the town.
But the man with the wonderful knapsack had very soon a larger number of soldiers at his command, who drove back the king's captain and his company in no time, so that they were obliged to retreat in disgrace.
Then said the king, " This vagabond fellow must be put down." And the next day he sent a larger troop than before, but all in vain. A great many people and soldiers now came forward, ready to oppose the peace-destroyer, and to drive him from the town; but he quickly put an end to the disturbance himself,—he took off his hat, and whirled it twice round his head. In an instant the shots fell among the people like hail; many were slain, and the soldiers fled in alarm.
"Tell your king," said the young fortune-seeker to the captain of the soldiers, "that there shall be no peace till he gives me his daughter as a wife, or power to rule the whole kingdom in his name."
Away ran the captain to the king with this announcement, and seeing what the consequences would be if he did not agree to these requests, he went to his daughter, and told hej what the troublesome man required to keep him quiet |
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