第18章WiseFolks

第18章wisefolks

onedayapeasanttookhisgoodhazel-stickoutofthecornerandsaidtohiswife:“trina,iamgoingacrosscountry,andshallnotreturnforthreedays.ifduringthattimethecattledealershouldhappentocallandwanttobuyourthreecows,youmaystrikeabargainatonce,butnotunlessyoucangettwohundredtalersforthem;nothingless,doyouhear?”“forheaven'ssake,justgoinpeace,”answeredthewoman,“iwillmanagethat.”“you,indeed,”saidtheman.“youoncefellonyourheadwhenyouwerealittlechild,andthataffectsyouevennow;butletmetellyouthis,ifyoudoanythingfoolish,iwillmakeyourbackblackandblue,andnotwithpaint,iassureyou,butwiththestickwhichihaveinmyhand,andthecolouringshalllastawholeyear,youmayrelyonthat.”andhavingsaidthat,themanwentonhisway.

nextmorningthecattledealercame,andthewomanhadnoneedtosaymanywordstohim.whenhehadseenthecowsandheardtheprice,hesaid:“iamquitewillingtogivethat.honestlyspeaking,theyareworthit.iwilltakethebeastsawaywithmeatonce.”heunfastenedtheirchainsanddrovethemoutofthebyre,butjustashewasgoingoutoftheyarddoor,thewomanclutchedhimbythesleeveandsaid:“youmustgivemethetwohundredtalersnow,oricannotletthecowsgo.”“true,”answeredtheman,“butihaveforgottentobuckleonmymoney-belt.havenofear,however,youshallhavesecurityformypaying.iwilltaketwocowswithmeandleaveone,andthenyouwillhaveagoodpledge.”thewomansawtheforceofthis,andletthemangoawaywiththecows,andthoughttoherself:“howpleasedhanswillbewhenhefindshowcleverlyihavemanagedit!”thepeasantcamehomeonthethirddayashehadsaidhewouldandatonceinquiredifthecowsweresold.“yes,indeed,dearhans,”answeredthewoman,“andasyousaid,fortwohundredtalers.theyarescarcelyworthsomuch,butthemantookthemwithoutmakinganyobjection.”“whereisthemoney?”askedthepeasant.“oh,ihavenotgotthemoney,”repliedthewoman;“hehadhappenedtoforgethismoney-belt,buthewillsoonbringit,andheleftgoodsecuritybehindhim.”“whatkindofsecurity?”askedtheman.“oneofthethreecows,whichheshallnothaveuntilhehaspaidfortheothertwo.ihavemanagedverycunningly,forihavekeptthesmallest,whicheatstheleast.”themanwasenragedandlifteduphisstick,andwasjustgoingtogiveherthebeatinghehadpromisedher,whensuddenlyheletthestickfailandsaid:“youarethestupidestgoosethateverwaddledongod'searth,butiamsorryforyou.iwillgooutintothehighwaysandwaitforthreedaystoseeififindanyonewhoisstillstupiderthanyou.ifieedindoingso,youshallgoscot-free,butifidonotfindhim,youshallreceiveyourwell-deservedrewardwithoutanydiscount.”hewentoutintothegreathighways,satdownonastone,andwaitedforwhatwouldhappen.thenhesawapeasant'soncomingtowardshim,andawomanwasstandinguprightinthemiddleofit,insteadofsittingonthebundleofstrawwhichwaslyingbesideher,orwalkingneartheoxenandleadingthem.themanthoughttohimself;“thatiscertainlyoneofthekindiaminsearchof,”andjumpedupandranbackwardsandforwardsinfrontoftheonlikeonewhoisnotinhisrightmind.“whatdoyouwant,myfriend?”saidthewomantohim;“idon'tknowyou,wheredoyoucomefrom?”“ihavefallendownfromheaven,”repliedtheman,“anddon'tknowhowtogetbackagain,couldn'tyoudrivemeup?”“no,”saidthewoman,“idon'tknowtheway,butifyoucomefromheavenyoucansurelytellmehowmyhusbandis,whohasbeentherethesethreeyears.youmusthaveseenhim?”“oh,yes,ihaveseenhim,butallmencan’tgetonwell.hekeepssheep,andthesheepgivehimagreatdealtodo.theyrunupthemountainsandlosetheirwayinthewilderness,andhehastorunafterthemanddrivethemtogetheragain.hisclothesarealltorntopiecestoo,andwillsoonfalloffhisbody.thereisnotailorthere,forsaintpeterwon’tletanyofthemin,asyouknowbythestory.”“whowouldhavethoughtit?”criedthewoman,“itellyouwhat,iwillfetchhissundaycoatwhichisstillhangingathomeinthecupboard.hecanwearthatandlookrespectable.youwillbesokindastotakeitwithyou.”“thatwon’tdoverywell,”answeredthepeasant;“peoplearenotallowedtotakeclothesintoheaven,theyaretakenawayatthegate.”“thenlisten,”saidthewoman,“isoldmyfinewheatyesterdayandgotagoodlotofmoneyforit,iwillsendthattohim.ifyouhidethepurseinyourpocket,noonewillknowthatyouhaveit.”“ifyoucan’tmanageitanyotherway,”saidthepeasant,“iwilldoyouthatfavour.”“justsitstillwhereyouare,”saidshe,“andiwilldrivehomeandfetchthepurse,ishallsoonbebackagain.idonotsitdownonthebundleofstraw,butstandupintheon,becauseitmakesitlighterforthecattle.”shedroveheroxenaway,andthepeasantthought:“thatwomanhasaperfecttalentforfolly,ifshereallybringsthemoney,mywifemaythinkherselffortunate,forshewillgetnobeating.”itwasnotlongbeforeshecameinagreathurrywiththemoney,andwithherownhandsputitinhispocket.beforeshewentaway,shethankedhimagainathousandtimesforhiscourtesy.

whenthewomangothomeagain,shefoundhersonwhohadcomeinfromthefield.shetoldhimwhatunexpectedthingshadbefallenher,andthenadded:“iamtrulydelightedathavingfoundanopportunityofsendingsomethingtomypoorhusband.whowouldeverhaveimaginedthathecouldbesufferingforwantofanythingupinheaven?”thesonwasfullofastonishment.“mother,”saidhe,“itisnoteverydaythatamancomesfromheaveninthisway,iwillgooutimmediately,andseeifheisstilltobefound;hemusttellmewhatitislikeupthere,andhowtheworkisdone.”hesaddledthehorseandrodeoffwithallspeed.hefoundthepeasantwhowassittingunderawillow-tree,andwasabouttocountthemoneyinthepurse.“haveyouseenthemanwhohasfallendownfromheaven?”criedtheyouthtohim.“yes,”answeredthepeasant,“hehassetoutonhiswaybackthere,andhasgoneupthathill,fromwhenceitwillberathernearer;youcouldstillcatchhimup,ifyouweretoridefast.”“alas,”saidtheyouth,“ihavebeendoingtiringworkallday,andtherideherehascompletelywornmeout;youknowtheman,besokindastogetonmyhorse,andgoandpersuadehimtocomehere.”“aha!”thoughtthepeasant,“hereisanotherwhohasnoabraininhishead!”“whyshouldnotidoyouthisfavour?”saidhe,andmountedthehorseandrodeoffataquicktrot.theyouthremainedsittingtheretillnightfell,butthepeasantnevercameback.“themanfromheavenmustcertainlyhavebeeninagreathurry,andwouldnotturnback,”thoughthe,“andthepeasanthasnodoubtgivenhimthehorsetotaketomyfather.”hewenthomeandtoldhismotherwhathadhappened,andthathehadsenthisfatherthehorsesothathemightnothavetobealwaysrunningabout.“youhavedonewell,”answeredshe,“yourlegsareyoungerthanhis,andyoucangoonfoot.”

whenthepeasantgothome,heputthehorseinthestablebesidethecowwhichhehadasapledge,andthenwenttohiswifeandsaid:“trina,asyourluckwouldhaveit,ihavefoundtwowhoarestillsillierfoolsthanyou;thistimeyouescapewithoutabeating.iwillstoreitupforanotheroccasion.”thenhelightedhispipe,satdowninhisgrandfather'schair,andsaid:“itwasagoodstrokeofbusinesstogetasleekhorseandagreatpursefullofmoneyintothebargain,fortwoleancows.ifstupidityalwaysbroughtinasmuchasthat,iwouldbequitewillingtoholditinhonour.”sothoughtthepeasant,butyounodoubtprefersimpletons.