He had not gone far when he met a goody who looked longingly at the goose with the golden feathers, and at last she said to Taper Tom: “That is a very fine goose, and I would like to stroke it.”
“All right,” said Taper Tom.
So the goody laid her hand on the back of the goose, and Taper Tom said: “Hang on, if you care to go with us.” And the old woman could not take her hands off the goose, no matter how hard she tried.
They went on down the road a way and came to a man who for a long time had hated the goody, and he laughed loudly to see her hanging on to the goose and trying so hard to let go; and thinking to make more difficulty for her he lifted up his foot and kicked at her.
As his foot touched her dress Taper Tom said: “Hang on, if you care to come with us.” And the man’s foot hung on to the dress of the goody, and, try as hard as he would, he could not let go. He had to follow, hopping on one foot all the while, and falling often and being dragged. He was very angry, and said a great many bad words.
As they passed the blacksmith shop the brawny smith stood at the door, and when he saw Taper Tom leading the goose, and the goody hanging on to its back, and the man following, hopping on one leg, he began to laugh very much, and ran up to the man and struck him with his bellows, which he held in his hand.
And as the bellows touched the man, Taper Tom said: “Hang on, if you care to come with us.” And the smith had to follow after the man, for, try as he would, he could not let go of the bellows, nor would the bellows let go of the man.
Then Taper Tom turned in on the road that lay in front of the window of the Princess, and though he did not look up, he knew that the Princess was watching.
And when the Princess saw the boy leading the golden goose, and the goody hanging on to the back of the goose, and the man hopping on one leg behind the goody, and the smith hanging on to his bellows, she smiled inwardly, but she did not laugh.
Taper Tom did not stop, but went on around to the kitchen; and when the cook came out to ask for her fish, with her pot and ladle in her hand, and she saw the golden goose, and the goody, and the man, and the smith, she began to laugh, and laugh, and laugh, so that all the court came out to see what had happened, and the Princess leaned from her window to know what it was all about.