Folk Tales Every Child Should Know

time he said to him: "Master, since my time is up, I should lik

of his pocket, and, wrapping the gold up in it, threw it over his shoulder and set out on the road toward his native village. As he went along, carefully setting one foot to the ground before the other, a horseman came in sight, trot

reflections, stopped and said, "Why, then

t of a lump to carry home; it certainly is gold, but then

he Rider. "I will give you my horse, a

s; "but I tell you fairly you

d, giving him the reins into his hands, said, "Now, when you want to g

els into a ditch which divided the fields from the road. The horse, having accomplished this feat, would have bolted off if he had not been stopped by a Peasant who was coming that way, driving a cow before him. Hans soon picked himself up on his legs, but he was terribly put out, and said to the countryman, "That is bad sport, that riding

advantage you may soon enjoy; I w

thanks, and the Peasant, swinging himse

e: "I have a bit of bread, and I can, as often as I please, eat with it butter and cheese

ss. Here he got into such a state of heat that his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth, and he thought to himself: "This won't do; I will just milk my cow, and refresh myself." Hans, therefore tied her to a stump of a tree, and, having no pail, placed his leathern cap below, and set to work, but not a drop of milk could he squeeze out. He had placed himself, too, very awkwardly, and at last the impatient cow gave him such a kick on the head that he tumbled over on

kill a beast like that at home, and make a profit of the flesh; but for my part I have no relish for cow's flesh;

Butcher, "I will make an exchange, a

giving up the cow, he untied the pig from the barrow a

fter they had said "Good-day" to each other, Hans began to talk about his luck, and what profitable exchanges he had made. The Boy on his part told him that he was carrying the goose to a christening-feast. "Just lift it,"

ith one hand, "it is weighty, b

pig. In the village through which I have just come, one has been stolen out of the sty of the mayor himself; and I am afraid, very much afraid, you have it now in your ha

n this fresh trouble! you know the neighbourhood better than I do;

ide-path, while Hans, lightened of his cares, walked on homeward with the goose under his arm. "If I judge rightly," thought he to himself, "I have gained even by this exchange: first there is a good roast; then the quantity of f

re stood a Knife-grinder, with his barrow by t

razors and suc

rags are fl

st he said, "You appear to have a good bu

nife-grinder is a man who as often as he puts his hand into his pocket fe

nd the horse?" "For him I gave a lump of gold as big as my head." "And the gold?" "That was my wages for a seven years' servitude." "And I see you have known how to

ll I manage th

stone; the other necessaries find themselves. Here is one which is a little worn, cert

iest man in the world; having money as often as I dip my h

the goose, and received

ar, "now, there you have a capital stone upon which only beat them long enou

listening with joy. "I must have been born," said he, "to a heap of

hing it were if he had no need to carry them any longer, and at the same moment he came up to a stream. Here he resolved to rest and refresh himself with drink, and so that the stones might not hurt him in kneeling he laid them carefully down by his side on the bank. This done, he stooped down to scoop up some water in his hand, and then it happened that he pushed one s

claimed Hans, "is no o

om every burden, he leaped gaily alo