The nobles racked their brains but all in vain.  So, at the first chance they hurried back to the old man.  They surrounded him, begging him to explain the meaning of the king’s questions to him.

“Sorry, I can’t tell you until I have seen the portrait of the king,” said the man.

“Where? Which portrait?’ they asked.

“The portrait that’s minted on gold coins,” said he.

The noblemen agreed to give him ten gold pieces.

The old man began to explain his conversation with the king. “ ‘My respects to you, old fellow’ means simply that I have a good wife who keeps me clean, for I always wear clean, respectable clothes.  I am, therefore, held in respect.  That’s why I said, ‘Thanks to my wife.’ ”

"But why did you say that you are throwing your money in the mud?  Four out of six?"

“Well, I earn six gold pieces.  I spend two of these for my own needs and spend the remaining four on my son.  And that’s really like throwing money in the mud,” said the old man.

“And what did the king mean when he asked, ‘How many are thirty-two’?”

“I’ll tell you if you give me ten more gold pieces.”

Although reluctantly, the nobles gave in.  Then the old man continued laughingly, “When I was a young lad, I had thirty-two teeth.  But now that I am old, I only have twelve.  That’s the meaning of what I said!”

There was only one more question left, and the nobles spared no money to get the answer.  To get it, they gave the old man ten more gold pieces.

“And what in the world did the question ‘Could you still milk a billy goat’ mean?”

“It meant exactly what I have just done to you, gentlemen!”