“I have stretched the king’s forces.”
“You’ll do well,” said the old man.
The old champion put the cloth on the table, and there was food for a king or a champion. They made three parts of that night,—the first for eating and drinking, the second for telling tales and singing songs, the third for sleep and sound rest.
Next morning, Cian gave such a blow on the pole of combat that the king in his chamber was frightened.
“What do you want this time?” asked the Tongue-speaker.
“I want the same number of men as yesterday.”
The king sent the men out; and the same fate befell them as the other twelve hundred, and Cian went home to the old man untouched. Next morning Cian made small bits of the king’s pole of combat.
“Well, what do you want?” asked the Tongue-speaker.
“Whatever I want, I don’t want to be losing time. Let out all your forces against me at once.”