But the flock never stopped—on it went
and all that the goody and the man did was to look
daggers at the smith for making fun of them. Then
the smith went on:
“It would be fine fun to see if I could hold
the whole flock, so many as they are,” for he
was a stout strong fellow. So he took hold with
his big tongs by the old man’s coat tail, and
the man all the while screeched and wriggled.
But Taper Tom only said:
“If you want to come along, hang on!”
So the smith had to go along too. He bent his
back and stuck his heels into the ground and tried
to get loose, but it was all no good. He stuck
fast, as though he had been screwed tight with his
own vise, and whether he would or not, he had to dance
along with the rest.
So, when they came near to the King’s palace,
the dog ran out and began to bark as though they were
wolves and beggars. And when the Princess, looking
out of the window to see what was the matter, set eyes
on this strange pack, she laughed softly to herself.
But Taper Tom was not content with that:
“Bide a bit,” he said, “she will
soon have to make a noise.” And as he said
that he turned off with his band to the back of the
palace.
When they passed by the kitchen the door stood open,
and the cook was just stirring the porridge.
But when she saw Taper Tom and his pack she came running
out at the door, with her broom in one hand and a ladle
full of smoking porridge in the other, and she laughed
as though her sides would split. And when she
saw the smith there too, she bent double and went
off again in a loud peal of laughter. But when
she had had her laugh out, she too thought the golden
goose so lovely she must just stroke it.
“Taper Tom! Taper Tom!” she called
out, and came running out with the ladle of porridge
in her fist, “Give me leave to pet that pretty
bird of yours’?”
“Better come and pet me,” said the smith.
But when the cook heard that she got angry.
“What is that you say?” she cried and
gave the smith a box on his ears with the ladle.
“If you want to come along, hang on,”
said Taper Tom. So she stuck fast too, and for
all her kicks and plunges, and all her scolding and
screaming, and all her riving and striving, she too
had to limp along with them.
[Illustration: She opened her mouth wide and
laughed]
Soon the whole company came under the Princess’s
window. There she stood waiting for them.
And when she saw they had taken the cook too, with
her ladle and broom, she opened her mouth wide, and
laughed so loud that the King had to hold her upright.
So Taper Tom got the Princess and half the kingdom,
and they say he kept her in high spirits with his
tricks and pranks till the end of her days.
One day the Bear met the Fox, who came slinking along
with a string of fish he had stolen.
