Gundy and the Golden Egg

When the old king announced that “He who can climb the pole and grasp the golden egg at its top shall marry my daughter,” many came from near and far to try. But none could climb the high pole, cut smooth from the tallest tree in the forest. Not even the strongest, bravest knights in the kingdom could scale its length, for it was heavily coated from tip to base in the thickest, slickest goose grease the royal cook could gather. And strain with all their might and mettle, all the strong men slipped and slid to its base in turn. And as each landed with an embarrassed thud, the crowd moaned.
“It cannot be done!” Sir Goodfellow pronounced.
“Impossible!” Sir Manly proclaimed.
“It must be bewitched!” Sir Stout bellowed, and everyone gasped, for there were indeed many marvels abroad in those days.
At last all the knights had finished their futile attempts, and the King stood. “Since no man present can scale this pole, I must withdraw the challenge,” he announced.
“Sire, I claim the right to try,” came a small, meek voice from the crowd.
“Claim what right? Who dares to address the king thus?” boomed the Royal Chamberlain.
“It is I, Gundy,” Gundy the peasant said, and stepped forward, and everyone laughed.
“A skinny little runt like you?” they scoffed. “A peasant? really!” others derided. “Why, you’re not even as thick as the pole!”
“Begone, fool!” boomed the Lord Chamberlain.
But Gundy was determined. “Sire, I accept the challenge,” he stood his ground.
“Guards!” the Lord Chamberlain motioned, and the guards started for Gundy.
“Hold!” ordered the king. “The offer was open to all.” And the guards withdrew.
“Oh very well then,” said the Lord Chamberlain. “Give us a good laugh at least.”
So drawing a deep breath for courage, Gundy approached the pole, turned, and clapped three times.
Instantly forty other peasants in the crowd pressed forward and formed a human pyramid around the pole, which Gundy scurried up nimbly. He snatched the golden egg then skipped to the ground.
“Amazing!” the crowd resounded. “How resourceful!” “Huzzah!”
Astonished, the king said, “A bold plan, audacious sir! You have indeed won the hand of the princess. But how did you get all those other peasants to help you?”
“I promised each forty pieces of gold,” Gundy said.
“Forty pieces of gold? Where on earth could such as you lay hold of such treasure? They will surely tear you to bits when you cannot pay them.”
“But Sire, I believe this golden egg is worth much more than that,” Gundy said. And he married the princess and lived happily ever after.