in. Down they dropped
the pot of money, and away they scampered as fast as their legs could
carry them.

Babo heard them running, and poked his head through the hedge, and there
lay the pot of gold. "Look now," said he: "this has come from the advice
that was given me; no one ever gave me advice that was worth so much
before." So he picked up the pot of gold, and off he marched with it.

He had not gone far before he met two of the king's officers, and you
may guess how they opened their eyes when they saw him travelling along
the highway with a pot full of gold money.

"Where are you going with that money?" said they.

"I don't know," said Babo.

"How did you get it?" said they.

"I got it for a piece of advice," said Babo.

For a piece of advice! No, no--the king's officers knew butter from
lard, and truth from t'other thing. It was just the same in that country
as it is in our town--there was nothing in the world so cheap as advice.
Whoever heard of anybody giving a pot of gold and silver money for it?
Without another word they marched Babo and his pot of money off to the
king.

"Come," said the king, "tell me truly; where did you get the pot of
money?"

Poor Babo began to whimper. "I got it for a piece of advice," said he.

"Really and truly?" said the king.

"Yes," said Babo; "really and truly."

"Humph!" said the king. "I should like to have advice that is worth as
much as that. Now, how much will you sell your advice to me for?"

"How much will you give?" said Babo.

"Well," said the king, "let me have it for a day on trial, and at the
end of that time I will pay you what it is worth."

"Very well," said Babo, "that is a bargain;" and so he lent the king his
piece of advice for one day on trial.

Now the chief councillor and some others had laid a plot against the
king's life, and that morning it had been settled that when the barber
shaved him he was to cut his throat with a razor. So after the barber
had lathered his face he began to whet the razor, and to whet the razor.

Just at that moment the king remembered Babo's piece of advice. "Think
well!" said he; "think well! Before you do what you are about to do,
think well!"

When the barber heard the words that the king said, he thought that
all had been discovered. Down he fell upon his knees, and confessed
everything.

That is how Babo's advice saved the king's life--you can guess whether
the king thought it was worth much or little. W