So saying, they fastened the bull to the tree with a stout rope, and ran back the way they had come.
No sooner were they out of sight, than Greybeard quickly dropped to the ground, untied the bull, and led him away to the hut.
“Here, friends,” he called out to the old people, “here is food in plenty. Kill the bull; we will have a good roast of beef. You can then salt down the rest, and make candles out of the fat; but his skin you must keep for me!”
The delight of the old people at the prospect of such a supply of good food, can well be imagined.
The king’s servants meanwhile, having gone back to the first oak tree and finding no one there, had returned to the second tree, but when they found that both the bull and Greybeard had disappeared, they began to realize that a trick had been played upon them. So there was nothing to be done but to return to the palace and tell the king what had happened.
After hearing their tale, the king at once sent a messenger to Greybeard, telling him to come with all possible speed to the palace.
The old couple greatly feared, when they heard his message, that some evil was intended towards Greybeard, and quite expected the king would hang him.
But Greybeard told them to keep up a good heart and not to weep; and, whistling cheerfully, he appeared before the king without any sign of fear or dread.
“Was it you who stole my bull?” asked the king.
“I did not steal it, sire; I had to take it, in order to save my life,” replied Greybeard.