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 the lad looked
as he sat swinging about on the horse like a sack of corn, not knowing
on which side to fall off. This lasted for seven lengths and seven
breaths, but 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
had his fooling rods with him. Then 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 boiling-pot with a little water in it. Just as the
King came in, Peik dragged the pot 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 quite
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, wood hire and chopping
hire, 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