"It looks to me, Guest," said the King, "as if it was my men rather than you whose tongues have got them into trouble; but we will soon put it to the test."
After that they left him and went to drink; and when the drinking tables were removed, the King summoned Guest and spoke to him as follows:
"Now is the time for you to produce the gold if you have any, so that I can decide your wager."
"As you will, Sire!" replied Guest.
Then he felt in a pouch which he had with him, and took out of it a fob which he untied, and then handed something to the King.
The King saw that it was a piece of a saddle-buckle and that it was of exceedingly fine gold. Then he bade them bring the ring Hnituth; and when they did so, the King compared the ring and the piece of gold and said:
"I have no doubt whatever that the gold which Guest has shown us is the finer, and anyone who looks at it must think so too."
Everybody agreed with the King. Then he decided the wager in Guest's favour, and the other guests came to the conclusion that they had made fools of themselves over the business.
Then Guest said: "Take your money and keep it yourselves, for I don't need it; but don't make any more wagers with strangers, for you never know when you may hit upon someone who has both seen and heard more than you have.—I thank you, Sire, for your decision!"