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3o6 THE WONDERFUL TRAVELLERS. |
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The king was delighted, especially when the soldier said he would go away at once and come again for the money in fourteen days. Thereupon the soldier sent for all the tailors in the kingdom, and desired them to make him such an immense sack that it took the whole fourteen days to finish it. As soon as it was ready, he called the strong man, who was one of the six, and who could pull up trees by the roots, and telling him to take the sack on his shoulders, they went together to the king. As soon as they appeared, the king asked, " Who is this powerful fellow that I see with a woollen sack on his shoulders, as large as a house ?" and when they told him it was the servant of the soldier, and that the sack was to be filled with gold, he was greatly alarmed. "My money will all be swallowed up." he thought. However he ordered a ton of gold to be brought, and it took sixteen strong men to carry it. But the soldier's servant took it up with one hand easily and threw it into the sack.
" Fetch some more," he said, " that only just covers the bottom." So the king ordered more to-be brought, which the strong man threw into the sack also, yet still it was not half full. " Bring more," he cried, " these crumbs are nothing at all." So at last they brought seven hundred cart loads of gold from all parts ot the kingdom, and these the strong man stuffed into his sack, gold and waggons, with even the oxen that drew them. " I can't stay much longer," he said at last, " so bring me all you can to fill my sack." But when he had got everything in that they could find, he said, " The sack is not near full, but I must make an end of the matter, so it does not signify." Then he hoisted the sack on his shoulders, and went away with his companions.
When the king saw plainly that all the riches of the country had been taken away by one man, he was in a terrible rage, and ordered all his cavalry to mount their horses and pursue the travellers, and above all things, to bring back the man with the sack.
Two regiments, therefore, rode after the six travellers, and soon overtook them and cried, "You are our prisoners, lay down the sack of gold immediately, or we will cut you in pieces."
M What did you say ?" asked the blower, " that we are prisoners ? x think before you take us prisoners I can treat you to a dance in the air." Then he closed up one nostril, and with the other blew the two repiments up into the air, right over a mountain, senoing |
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