Big Book of Ancient Gabanian Fables

Book LLXLV: Hans In Luck

Hans had served his master for seven years, so he said to him,master, my time is up, now I should be glad to go back home to mymother, give me my wages. The master answered, you have served mefaithfully and honestly, as the service was so shall the reward be.And he gave Hans a piece of gold as big as his head. Hans pulled hishandkerchief out of his pocket, wrapped up the lump in it, put it onhis shoulder, and set out on the way home.As he went on, always putting one foot before the other, he saw ahorseman trotting quickly and merrily by on a lively horse. Ah, saidHans quite loud, what a fine thing it is to ride. There you sit ason a chair, you stumble over no stones, you save your shoes, andcover the ground, you don't know how.The rider, who had heard him, stopped and called out, hi, there,Hans, why do you go on foot, then.I must, answered he, for I have this lump to carry home, it is truethat it is gold, but I cannot hold my head straight for it, and ithurts my shoulder.I will tell you what, said the rider, we will exchange, I will giveyou my horse, and you can give me your lump. With all my heart, saidHans, but I can tell you, you will have to crawl along with it.The rider got down, took the gold, and helped Hans up, then gave himthe bridle tight in his hands and said, if you want to go at a reallygood pace, you must click your tongue and call out, jup. Jup.Hans was heartily delighted as he sat upon the horse and rode away sobold and free. After a little while he thought that it ought to gofaster, and he began to click with his tongue and call out, jup.Jup. The horse put himself into a sharp trot, and before Hans knewwhere he was, he was thrown off and lying in a ditch which separatedthe field from the highway. The horse would have gone off too if ithad not been stopped by a countryman, who was coming along the roadand driving a cow before him.Hans pulled himself together and stood up on his legs again, but hewas vexed, and said to the countryman, it is a poor joke, thisriding, especially when one gets hold of a mare like this, that kicksand throws one off, so that one has a chance of breaking one's neck.Never again will I mount it. Now I like your cow, for one can walkquietly behind her, and have, over and above, one's milk, butter andcheese every day without fail. What would I not give to have such acow. Well, said the countryman, if it would give you so muchpleasure, I do not mind giving the cow for the horse. Hans agreedwith the greatest delight, the countryman jumped upon the horse, androde quickly away.Hans drove his cow quietly before him, and thought over his luckybargain. If only I have a morsel of bread - and that can hardly failme - I can eat butter and cheese with it as often as I like, if I amthirsty, I can milk my cow and drink the milk. My goodness, whatmore can I want.When he came to an inn he made a halt, and in his great concern ateup what he had with him - his dinner and supper - and all he had, andwith his last few farthings had half a glass of beer. Then he drovehis cow onwards along the road to his mother's village.As it drew nearer mid-day, the heat was more oppressive, and Hansfound himself upon a moor which it took about an hour to cross. Hefelt it very hot and his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth withthirst. I can find a cure for this, thought Hans, I will milk thecow now and refresh myself with the milk. He tied her to a witheredtree, and as he had no pail he put his leather cap underneath, buttry as he would, not a drop of milk came. And as he set himself towork in a clumsy way, the impatient beast at last gave him such ablow on his head with its hind foot, that he fell on the ground, andfor a long time could not think where he was.By good fortune a butcher just then came along the road with awheel-barrow, in which lay a young pig. What sort of a trick isthis, cried he, and helped the good Hans up. Hans told him what hadhappened. The butcher gave him his flask and said, take a drink andrefresh yourself. The cow will certainly give no milk, it is an oldbeast, at the best it is only fit for the plough, or for the butcher.Well, well, said Hans, as he stroked his hair down on his head, whowould have thought it. Certainly it is a fine thing when one cankill a beast like that at home, what meat one has. But I do not caremuch for beef, it is not juicy enough for me. A young pig like thatnow is the thing to have, it tastes quite different, and then thereare the sausages.Listen, Hans, said the butcher, out of love for you I will exchange,and will let you have the pig for the cow. Heaven repay you for yourkindness, said Hans as he gave up the cow, whilst the pig was unboundfrom the barrow, and the cord by which it was tied was put in hishand.Hans went on, and thought to himself how everything was going just ashe wished, if he did meet with any vexation it was immediately setright. Presently there joined him a lad who was carrying a finewhite goose under his arm. They said good morning to each other, andHans began to tell of his good luck, and how he had always made suchgood bargains. The boy told him that he was taking the goose to achristening-feast. Just lift her, added he, and laid hold of her bythe wings, how heavy she is - she has been fattened up for the lasteight weeks. Whosoever has a bit of her when she is roasted willhave to wipe the fat from both sides of his mouth. Yes, said Hans,as he weighed her in one hand, she is a good weight, but my pig is nobad one.Meanwhile the lad looked suspiciously from one side to the other, andshook his head. Look here, he said at length, it may not be allright with your pig. In the village through which I passed, themayor himself had just had one stolen out of its sty. I fear - Ifear that you have got hold of it there. They have sent out somepeople and it would be a bad business if they caught you with thepig, at the very least, you would be shut up in the dark hole.The good Hans was terrified. Goodness, he said, help me out of thisfix, you know more about this place than I do, take my pig and leaveme your goose. I shall risk something at that game, answered thelad, but I will not be the cause of your getting into trouble. So hetook the cord in his hand, and drove away the pig quickly along aby-path.The good Hans, free from care, went homewards with the goose underhis arm. When I think over it properly, said he to himself, I haveeven gained by the exchange. First there is the good roast meat,then the quantity of fat which will drip from it, and which will giveme dripping for my bread for a quarter of a year, and lastly thebeautiful white feathers. I will have my pillow stuffed with them,and then indeed I shall go to sleep without rocking. How glad mymother will be.As he was going through the last village, there stood ascissors-grinder with his barrow, as his wheel whirred he sang, I sharpen scissors and quickly grind, my coat blows out in the wind behind.Hans stood still and looked at him, at last he spoke to him and said,all's well with you, as you are so merry with your grinding. Yes,answered the scissors-grinder, the trade has a golden foundation. Areal grinder is a man who as often as he puts his hand into hispocket finds gold in it. But where did you buy that fine goose?I did not buy it, but exchanged my pig for it.And the pig?That I got for a cow.And the cow?I took that instead of a horse.And the horse?For that I gave a lump of gold as big as my head.And the gold?Well, that was my wages for seven years, service.You have known how to look after yourself each time, said thegrinder. If you can only get on so far as to hear the money jinglein your pocket whenever you stand up, you will have made yourfortune.How shall I manage that, said Hans. You must be a grinder, as I am,nothing particular is wanted for it but a grindstone, the rest findsitself. I have one here, it is certainly a little worn, but you neednot give me anything for it but your goose, will you do it?How can you ask, answered Hans. I shall be the luckiest fellow onearth. If I have money whenever I put my hand in my pocket, whyshould I ever worry again. And he handed him the goose and receivedthe grindstone in exchange. Now, said the grinder, as he took up anordinary heavy stone that lay by him, here is a strong stone for youinto the bargain, you can hammer well upon it, and straighten yourold nails. Take it with you and keep it carefully. Hans loadedhimself with the stones, and went on with a contented heart, his eyesshining with joy. I must have been born with a caul, he cried,everything I want happens to me just as if I were a sunday-child.Meanwhile, as he had been on his legs since daybreak, he began tofeel tired. Hunger also tormented him, for in his joy at the bargainby which he got the cow he had eaten up all his store of food atonce. At last he could only go on with great trouble, and was forcedto stop every minute, the stones, too, weighed him down dreadfully.Then he could not help thinking how nice it would be if he had not tocarry them just then.He crept like a snail to a well in a field, and there he thought thathe would rest and refresh himself with a cool draught of water, butin order that he might not injure the stones in sitting down, he laidthem carefully by his side on the edge of the well. Then he sat downon it, and was to stoop and drink, when he made a slip, pushedagainst the stones, and both of them fell into the water. When Hanssaw them with his own eyes sinking to the bottom, he jumped for joy,and then knelt down, and with tears in his eyes thanked God forhaving shown him this favor also, and delivered him in so good a way,and without his having any need to reproach himself, from those heavystones which had been the only things that troubled him.There is no man under the sun so fortunate as I, he cried out. With alight heart and free from every burden he now ran on until he waswith his mother at home.