But when the
king saw the youngster dragging half the forest after him, he got both
angry and afraid; but he thought he had better be a little careful with
him, since he was strong.
"Well, you are a wonderful workman, to be sure," said the king; "but how
much do you eat at a time, because I suppose you are hungry now?"
Oh, when he was to have a proper meal of porridge, it would take twelve
barrels of meal to make it, thought the youngster; but when he had put
that away, he could wait awhile, of course, for his next meal.
It took some time to boil such a dish of porridge, and meantime he was
to bring in a little firewood for the cook. He put a lot of wood on a
sledge, but when he was coming through the door with it he was a little
rough and careless again. The house got almost out of shape, and all the
joists creaked; he was very near dragging down the whole palace. When
the porridge was nearly ready, they sent him out to call the people home
from the fields. He shouted so that the mountains and hills around rang
with echoes, but the people did not come quick enough for him. He came
to blows with them, and killed twelve of them.
"You have killed twelve men," said the king; "and you eat for many times
twelve; but how many do you work for?"
"For many times twelve as well," answered the youngster.
When he had finished his porridge, he was to go into the barn to thrash.
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