As for the King his eyes bulged with wonder that any one man could drink so much at one sitting.
“Yes, that is all very well,” said he to the simpleton. “I see you have a friend who can drink. Have you also a friend who can eat a whole mountain of bread without stopping? If you have, you may claim the Princess for your wife, but if you have not, then you shall be sent home with a good drubbing.”
Well, that was not in the bargain, but perhaps the simpleton might be able to find such a man.
He set off for the forest once more, and when he came near the place where the thirsty man had sat he saw there another man, and he was enough like the thirsty man to be his brother.
As John came near to where he sat he heard him talking to himself, and what he was saying over-and-over was, “How hungry I am. Oh, how hungry I am.”
“Friend,” said the simpleton, “are you hungry enough to eat a whole mountain of bread? If you are I may satisfy you.”
Yes, a whole mountain of bread would be none too much for the hungry man.
So John bade the stranger follow him and then he led the way back to the castle.
There all the flour in the kingdom had been gathered together into one great enormous mountain of dough. When John saw how big it was his heart failed him.
“Can you eat that much?” he asked of the hungry man.