he went away , then , and he left the horse and the sword and the suit of armour in the place where he found them , and when the gentleman and the other people came home he was sitting before them at the fire . he asked them how the fight went , and they told him that the champion killed the fiery dragon , but that he was gone away , and that no one at all knew who he was . when the king 's daughter came home she said that she would never marry a man but the man whom that shoe would fit . there were sons of kings , and great people among them , and they saying that it was themselves who killed the dragon ; but she said it was not they , unless the shoe would fit them . some of them were cutting the toes off their feet , and some of them taking off a piece of the heel , and more of them cutting the big toe off themselves , trying would the shoe fit them . there was no good for them in it . the king 's daughter said that she would not marry one man of them . she sent out soldiers , then , and the shoe with them , to try would it fit anyone at all . every person , poor and rich , no matter where he was from , must try the shoe on him . the lad was stretched out lying on the grass when the soldiers came , and when they saw him they said to him , " show your foot . " " oh , do n't be humbugging me , " says he . " we have orders , " said they , " and we can not return without trying the shoe on everyone , poor and rich , so stretch out your foot . " he did that , and the shoe went in on his foot on the moment . they said to him that he must come with them . " oh , listen to me " ( i.e. , give me time ) , said he , " till i dress myself . " he went to the caher of the giants , and he got a fine new suit on him , and he went with them then . that 's where the welcome was for him , and he as dressed up as e'er a man of them . they had a wedding for three days and three nights . they got the pond and i the lakelet . they were drowned , and i came through . and as i have it ( i.e. , the story ) to - night , that ye may not have it to - morrow night , or if ye have it itself , that ye may only lose the back teeth by it ! 
every person , poor and rich , no matter where he was from , must try the shoe on him .
why did the soldiers insist on putting the shoe on the lad's foot ?
why did the soldiers insist on putting the shoe on the lad's foot ?