Then the servant asked him if the story they had heard about the bird with the long beak was true . ' I do n't know about that , ' answered the man , ` as I have never seen the bird ; but I once saw twelve men shoving all their might and main with brooms to push a monster egg into a cellar . ' -LSB- Illustration : `` I once saw '' 12 MEN SHOVING ALL THEIR MIGHT AND MAIN WITH BROOMS TO PUSH A MONSTER EGG INTO A CELLAR -RSB- ` That is capital , ' answered the servant , presenting the man with ten florins . ` Come and tell your tale to the king , and you will save me a long journey . ' So , when the story was repeated to the king , there was nothing for him to do but to pay the thief the twelve hundred florins . Then the two partners set out again with their ill-gotten gains , which they proceeded to divide into two equal shares ; but the thief kept back three of the florins that belonged to the liar 's half of the booty . Shortly afterwards they each married , and settled down in homes of their own with their wives . One day the liar discovered that he had been done out of three florins by his partner , so he went to his house and demanded them from him . ` Come next Saturday , and I will give them to you , ' answered the thief . But as he had no intention of giving the liar the money , when Saturday morning came he stretched himself out stiff and stark upon the bed , and told his wife she was to say he was dead . So the wife rubbed her eyes with an onion , and when the liar appeared at the door , she met him in tears , and told him that as her husband was dead he could not be paid the three florins . But the liar , who knew his partner 's tricks , instantly suspected the truth , and said : ` As he has not paid me , I will pay him out with three good lashes of my riding whip . ' At these words the thief sprang to his feet , and , appearing at the door , promised his partner that if he would return the following Saturday he would pay him . So the liar went away satisfied with this promise . But when Saturday morning came the thief got up early and hid himself under a truss of hay in the hay-loft . When the liar appeared to demand his three florins , the wife met him with tears in her eyes , and told him that her husband was dead . ` Where have you buried him ? ' asked the liar . ` In the hay-loft , ' answered the wife . ` Then I will go there , and take away some hay in payment of his debt , ' said the liar .
And proceeding XXXXX the hay-loft , he began to toss about the hay with a pitch-fork , prodding it into the trusses of hay , till , in terror of his life , the thief crept out and promised his partner to pay him the three florins on the following Saturday .
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