"Very good; but you must have friends at Court. There are two parties there; that of Count Snarlitz is a power just now, but he has a rival in Count Merit, and you must attach yourself to him."
"But why should I," inquired the giant, "a stranger here, meddle in Court politics? Is it not safer to stand between both and lean to neither, and thus get none of the tumble when the seesaw goes up or down?"
"Did you ever, as a boy, play at seesaw?" asked the Phooka.
"Yes, and generally stood in the centre and balanced myself."
"Then," said the Phooka, "you had all the tumbles and none of the rides. Make yourself friends with Count Merit."
"I see," replied the giant.
By this time they had reached the dead dragon, and with a few powerful strokes of his huge sword Gofaster severed the head from the body. Raising it with ease, through the immense strength conveyed by the jerkin, the giant proceeded towards the house of Hepsone. The weight he bore was enormous, but the shoes of endurance played their part well, and it seemed to him almost as light as a feather.
GOFASTER CARRIES THE DRAGON'S HEAD TO TOWN.
Before he had gone half a mile he came upon some boys gathering wild berries, which grew here and there upon the sides of the declivity. They looked at the head of the beast in wonder, and then scampered to the town with the news that the dragon had been slain.