Poor hans was sadly frightened.
Good man, cried he, pray, get me out of this scrape, I know nothing of where the pig was either bred or born.
but he may have been the squire's for aught I can tell.you know this country better than I do, take my pig and give me the goose, I ought to have something into the bargain, said the countryman, give a fat goose for a pig, indeed. it is not not everyone would do so much for you as that. however, I will not be hard upon you, as you are in trouble.
Then he took the string in his hand, and drove off the pig by a said path, while hans went on the way homewards free from care,after all, thought he, that chap is pretty well taken in, I don't care whose pig it is, but wherever it came from, it has been a very good friend to me. I have much the best of the bargain. First there will be a captial roast, then the fat will find me in goose grease for six months,and then there are all the beautiful white feathers. I will put them into my pillow, and then I am sure I will sleep soundly without rocking. How happy my mother will be, talk of a pig, indeed, give me a fine fate goose.
As he came to the next villiage, he saw a scissor grinder with his wheel, working and singing.Work light and live well, all the world is my home, then who so blithe, so merry as I? hans stood looking on for a while, and at last said, you must be well off, master grinder, you seem so happy at your work. yes, said the other, mine is a golden trade, a good grinder never puts his hand into his pocket without finding money in it, but where did you get that beautiful goose? I did not buy it, I gave a pig for it, and where did you get the pig?I gave a cow for it, and the cow? I gave a horse for it. and the horse? I gave a lump of filver as big as my head for it.and the siver? I worked hard for that seven long years. You have thriven well in the world hitherto, said the grinder. now if you could find money in your pocket whenever you put your hand in it, your fortune would be made.
Hans Got Nothing at All
Very true, but how is that to be managed?
How?Why, you must turn grinder like myself, said the other, you only want a grindstone, the rest will come of itself. Here is one that is but little the worse for wear. I could not aske more than the value of your goose for it, will you buy?
How can you ask? said hans. I should be the happiness man in the world, if I could have money whenever
I put my hand in my pocket. on what could I want more? there's the goose.
Now, said the grinder, as he have him a common rough stone that lay by his said.e this is a most capital stone, do but work it well enough, and you can make an old nail cut with it. hans took the stone, and went his way with a light heart. his eyes sparkled for joy, and he said to himself, surely I must have been born in a lucky hour, everything I could want or wish for comes of itself. people are so kind, they seem really to think I do them a favour in letting them make me rich, and giving me good bargins. Meantime, he began to be tired, and hungry too, for he had given away his last penny in his joy at getting the cow.
At last he could go no further, for the stone tired him sadly, and he dragged himself to the side of a river, that he might take a drink of water, and rest a while.so he laid the stone carefully by his side on the bank, but, as he stopped down to drink, he forgot it, pushed it a little, and down it rolled, plumping into the stream.
For a while, he watched it sinking in the deep clear water, then sprang up and danced for joy, and again fell upon his knees and thanked heaven, with tears in his eyes, for its kindness in taking away his only plague, the ugly heavy stone, how happy I am, cried he, nobody was ever so lucky as I .Then up he got with a light heart, free from all his troubles, and walked on till he reached his mother's house. and told her how very easy the road to good luck was.