He went to shore with one jump, caught the food, sprang back, and laid it down for himself and Cud. When this was done there was food seven times better on the land again.
“Who would taste of this, and that table over there?” cried Gold Boot.
“Never mind it,” said Cud. “If the man who owns this table was sleeping when you took it, he is not sleeping now.”
“Whatever I think of I must do,” replied Gold Boot.
“If you did that before, I will do it now,” said Cud, and he sprang to land. He looked up in the tree, and there he saw a man ready to take the life from him.
“Grief and sorrow!” said the man. “I thought it was Gold Boot again. Take this table, with welcome, but I hope you’ll invite me to dinner.”
“I will, indeed,” said Cud; “and what name am I to give you?”
“The Wet Mantle Champion.”
Cud took one end of the table and the champion the other. Out they went to the ship with one bound. They sat down then together with Gold Boot at the table. When dinner was over, the wind rose, and they sailed on, never delaying till they came to the castle of Gold Boot’s father, where there was a great welcome before them, and thanks beyond estimate.
“I will give you half my kingdom while I live and all of it when I die,” said the king, “and the choice of my twelve daughters.”