He watched them for a while quietly, but at last
when they were going too far, he seized his cutting-knife, and cried,
"Away with ye, vermin," and began to cut them down. Part of them ran
away, the others he killed, and threw out into the fish-pond. When he
came back he fanned the embers of his fire again and warmed himself. And
as he thus sat, his eyes would keep open no longer, and he felt a desire
to sleep. Then he looked round and saw a great bed in the corner. "That
is the very thing for me," said he, and got into it. When he was just
going to shut his eyes, however, the bed began to move of its own accord,
and went over the whole of the castle. "That's right," said he, "but go
faster." Then the bed rolled on as if six horses were harnessed to it,
up and down, over thresholds and steps, but suddenly hop, hop, it turned
over upside down, and lay on him like a mountain. But he threw quilts
and pillows up in the air, got out and said, "Now any one who likes,
may drive," and lay down by his fire, and slept till it was day. In the
morning the King came, and when he saw him lying there on the ground,
he thought the evil spirits had killed him and he was dead.
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