now all three of them were to hold a three - days ' shooting - match , in order to see which was the best shot ; for the king hoped that sheep - peter would make a proper laughing - stock of himself , and drop far behind the others without any effort on their part . but sheep - peter was so good a marksman that he hit everything at which he aimed . and the very first day he shot a great deal , while the others shot but little . then they bought the game he had shot from him , and gave him a golden apple for it . the same thing happened the second day , and thus he got the other gold apple . but when peter came home on the evening of the first and second day , he had only a crow dangling from his blunderbuss . and when he met the king , he threw the crow to the ground and cried : " there is my whole bag ! "
make a proper laughing - stock of himself , and drop far behind the others without any effort on their part .
what did the king hope for ?
what did the king hope for ?