Page 37 [37]
HANS IN LUCK. 17
quite right about your pig. In the village I have just left one
had actually been stolen from the bailiffs yard. I fear, I
fear you have it in your hand; they have sent after the thief,
and it would be a bad look-out for you if it was found upon
you; the least that could happen would be to be thrown into
a dark hole.” ú
Poor Hans grew pale with fright. " For heaven’s sake,"
said he, “help me out of this scrape, I am a stranger in
these parts; take my pig and give me your goose.”
“Tt will be running some risk,” answered the man, “ but
I will do it sooner than that you should come to grief.”
And so, taking the cord in his hand, he drove the pig quickly
along a by-path, and lucky Hans went on his way home with
the goose under his arm. ‘The more I think of it,’ said he
to himself, “the better the bargain seems; first I get the
roast goose; then the fat ; that will last a whole year for bread
and dripping ; and lastly the beautiful white feathers which I
can stuff my pillow with ; how comfortably I shall sleep upon
it, and how pleased my mother will be!”
And when he reached the last village, he saw a knife¬
grinder with his barrow ; and his wheel went whirring round,
and he sang,
** My scissors I grind, and my wheel I turn ;
And all good fellows my trade should learn,
For all that I meet with just serves my turn."
And Hans stood and looked at him; and at last he spoke
to him and said,
“You seem very well off, and merry with your grinding.”
“Yes,” answered the knife-grinder, “my handiwork pays
very well. I call a man a good grinder who, every time he
puts his hand in his pocket finds money there. But where
did you buy that fine goose?”
‘*T did not buy it, but I exchanged it for my pig,” said Hans.
“And the pig?”
‘That I exchanged for a cow.”
“And the cow?”
“That I exchanged for a horse.”
** And the horse?"
“T gave for the horse a lump of gold as big as my head.”
C