"
"You shall have it if you will run back to the oak tree at the second
turning of the road, and fetch me the book that I left there."
The king thought that the boy would be pleased. But not so. He turned
away, and said, "I am not so silly as you think."
"What do you mean?" said the king. "Who says that you are silly?"
"Well," said the boy, "you think that I am silly enough to believe
that you will give me that gold piece for running a mile, and
fetch-ing you a book. You can't catch me."
"But if I give it to you now, perhaps you will believe me," said the
king; and he put the gold piece into the little fellow's hand.
The boy's eyes spar-kled; but he did not move.
"What is the matter now?" said the king. "Won't you go?"
The boy said, "I would like to go; but I can't leave the geese. They
will stray away, and then I shall be blamed for it."
[Illustration: "Crack the whip!"]
"Oh, I will tend them while you are away," said the king.
The boy laughed. "I should like to see you tending them!" he said.
"Why, they would run away from you in a minute."
"Only let me try," said the king.
At last the boy gave the king his whip, and started off. He had gone
but a little way, when he turned and came back.
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