They said not a word, but, without
more ado, fell upon Peter and began threshing him as though he was wheat
on the barn floor. "Stop! stop!" cried Peter, and he went hopping and
skipping up and down, and here and there, but it seemed as though the
two ugly black men did not hear him, for the blows fell as thick as
hail on the roof. At last he gathered his wits together, like a flock of
pigeons, and cried, "Brikket-ligg! brikket-ligg!" Then, whisk! pop! they
went back into the bottle again, and Peter corked it up, and corked it
tightly, I can tell you.
[Illustration: Clever Peter and the Unlucky Bottle]
The next day he started off to the palace once more. Rap! rap! rap! he
knocked at the door. Was the King at home? Yes, the King was at home;
would he come and sit in the parlor?
Presently the King came in, in dressing-gown and slippers. "What! are
you back again?" said he.
"Yes; I am back again," said Peter.
"What do you want?" said the King.
"I want to marry the Princess," said Peter.
"What have you brought this time?" said the King.
"I have brought another bottle," said Peter.
Then the King rubbed his hands and was very polite indeed, and asked
Peter in to breakfast, and Peter went. So they all three sat down
together, the King, the Princess, and Peter.
"My dear," said the King, to the Princess, "the Lord Peter has brought
another bottle with him." Thereat the Princess was very polite also.
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