Page:Tales from the Fjeld.djvu/32

10 fast, and looked after it well; but she was not a hair better off than the others, for when she was going to pull it out at home, the pipe was gone; and at even down came Osborn Boots, driving the king's hares home for all the world like a flock of tame sheep.

"It is all stuff," said the king; "I see I must set off myself, if we are to get this wretched pipe from him; there's no other help for it, I can see." And when Osborn Boots had got well into the woods next day with the hares, the king stole after him, and found him lying on the same sunny hillside, where the women had tried their hands on him.

Well! they were good friends and very happy; and Osborn Boots showed him the pipe, and blew first on one end and then on the other, and the king thought it a pretty pipe, and wanted at last to buy it, even though he gave a thousand dollars for it.

"Yes! it is something like a pipe," said Boots, "and it's not to be had for money; but do you see that white horse yonder down there?" and he pointed away into the wood.

"See it! of course I see it; it's my own horse Whitey," said the king. No one had need to tell him that.

"Well! if you will give me a thousand dollars, and then go and kiss yon white horse down in the marsh there, behind the big fir-tree, you shall have my pipe."

"Isn't it to be had for any other price?" asked the king.

"No, it is not," said Osborn.

"Well! but I may put my silken pocket-handkerchief between us?" said the king.