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e palm ofher hand； and gave him a kiss。 Then he rode away upon the horse thatwas to be sold or bartered for something else。 Yes； the old man knewwhat he was about。 The sun shone with great heat； and not a cloudwas to be seen in the sky。 The road was very dusty； for a number ofpeople； all going to the fair； were driving； riding； or walking uponit。 There was no shelter anywhere from the hot sunshine。 Among therest a man came trudging along； and driving a cow to the fair。 The cowwas as beautiful a creature as any cow could be。
〃She gives good milk； I am certain；〃 said the peasant tohimself。 〃That would be a very good exchange： the cow for the horse。Hallo there！ you with the cow；〃 he said。 〃I tell you what； I daresay a horse is of more value than a cow； but I don't care for that；… acow will be more useful to me； so； if you like； we'll exchange。〃
〃To be sure I will；〃 said the man。
Accordingly the exchange was made； and as the matter wassettled； the peasant might have turned back； for he had done thebusiness he came to do。 But； having made up his mind to go to thefair； he determined to do so； if only to have a look at it； so on hewent to the town with his cow。 Leading the animal； he strode onsturdily； and； after a short time； overtook a man who was driving asheep。 It was a good fat sheep； with a fine fleece on its back。
〃I should like to have that fellow；〃 said the peasant tohimself。 〃There is plenty of grass for him by our palings； and inthe winter we could keep him in the room with us。 Perhaps it wouldbe more profitable to have a sheep than a cow。 Shall I exchange？〃
The man with the sheep was quite ready； and the bargain wasquickly made。 And then our peasant continued his way on thehigh…road with his sheep。 Soon after this； he overtook another man；who had e into the road from a field； and was carrying a largegoose under his arm。
〃What a heavy creature you have there！〃 said the peasant； 〃ithas plenty of feathers and plenty of fat； and would look well tiedto a string； or paddling in the water at our place。 That would be veryuseful to my old woman； she could make all sorts of profits out of it。How often she has said； 'If now we only had a goose！' Now here is anopportunity； and； if possible； I will get it for her。 Shall weexchange？ I will give you my sheep for your goose； and thanks into thebargain。〃
The other had not the least objection； and accordingly theexchange was made； and our peasant became possessor of the goose。 Bythis time he had arrived very near the town。 The crowd on the highroad had been gradually increasing； and there was quite a rush ofmen and cattle。 The cattle walked on the path and by the palings；and at the turnpike…gate they even walked into the toll…keeper'spotato…field； where one fowl was strutting about with a string tied toits leg； for fear it should take fright at the crowd； and run away andget lost。 The tail…feathers of the fowl were very short； and it winkedwith both its eyes； and looked very cunning； as it said 〃Cluck；cluck。〃 What were the thoughts of the fowl as it said this I cannottell you； but directly our good man saw it； he thought； 〃Why that'sthe finest fowl I ever saw in my life； it's finer than our parson'sbrood hen； upon my word。 I should like to have that fowl。 Fowls canalways pick up a few grains that lie about； and almost keepthemselves。 I think it would be a good exchange if I could get itfor my goose。 Shall we exchange？〃 he asked the toll…keeper。
〃Exchange；〃 repeated the man； 〃well； it would not be a bad thing。〃
And so they made an exchange；… the toll…keeper at theturnpike…gate kept the goose； and the peasant carried off the fowl。Now he had really done a great deal of business on his way to thefair； and he was hot and tired。 He wanted something to eat； and aglass of ale to refresh himself； so he turned his steps to an inn。He was just about to enter when the ostler came out； and they met atthe door。 The ostler was carrying a sack。 〃What have you in thatsack？〃 asked the peasant。
〃Rotten apples；〃 answered the ostler； 〃a whole sackful of them。They will do to feed the pigs with。〃
〃Why that will be terrible waste；〃 he replied； 〃I should like totake them home to my old woman。 Last year the old apple…tree by thegrass…plot only bore one apple； and we kept it in the cupboard till itwas quite withered and rotten。 It was always property； my old womansaid； and here she would see a great deal of property… a wholesackful； I should like to show them to her。〃
〃What will you give me for the sackful？〃 asked the ostler。
〃What will I give？ Well； I will give you my fowl in exchange。〃
So he gave up the fowl； and received the apples； which hecarried into the inn parlor。 He leaned the sack carefully againstthe stove； and then went to the table。 But the stove was hot； and hehad not thought of that。 Many guests were present… horse dealers；cattle drovers； and two Englishmen。 The Englishmen were so rich thattheir pockets quite bulged out and seemed ready to burst； and theycould bet too； as you shall hear。 〃Hiss…s…s； hiss…s…s。〃 What couldthat be by the stove？ The apples were beginning to roast。 〃What isthat？〃 asked one。
〃Why； do you know〃… said our peasant。 And then he told them thewhole story of the horse； which he had exchanged for a cow； and allthe rest of it； down to the apples。
〃Well； your old woman will give it you well when you get home；〃said one of the Englishmen。 〃Won't there be a noise？〃
〃What！ Give me what？〃 said the peasant。 〃Why； she will kiss me；and say； 'what the old man does is always right。'〃
〃Let us lay a wager on it；〃 said the Englishmen。 〃We'll wageryou a ton of coined gold； a hundred pounds to the hundred…weight。〃
〃No； a bushel will be enough；〃 replied the peasant。 〃I can onlyset a bushel of apples against it； and I'll throw myself and my oldwoman into the bargain； that will pile up the measure； I fancy。〃
〃Done！ taken！〃 and so the bet was made。
Then the landlord's coach came to the door； and the two Englishmenand the peasant got in； and away they drove； and soon arrived andstopped at the peasant's hut。 〃Good evening； old woman。〃 〃Goodevening； old man。〃 〃I've made the exchange。〃
〃Ah； well； you understand what you're about；〃 said the woman。 Thenshe embraced him； and paid no attention to the strangers； nor didshe notice the sack。
〃I got a cow in exchange for the horse。〃
〃Thank Heaven；〃 said she。 〃Now we shall have plenty of milk； andbutter； and cheese on the table。 That was a capital exchange。〃
〃Yes； but I changed the cow for a sheep。〃
〃Ah； better still！〃 cried the wife。 〃You always think ofeverything； we have just enough pasture for a sheep。 Ewe's milk andcheese； woollen jackets and stockings！ The cow could not give allthese； and her hair only falls off。 How you think of everything！〃
〃But I changed away the sheep for a goose。〃
〃Then we shall have roast goose to eat this year。 You dear oldman； you are always thinking of something to please me。 This isdelightful。 We can let the goose walk about with a string tied toher leg； so she will be fatter still before we roast her。〃
〃But I gave away the goose for a fowl。〃
〃A fowl！ Well； that was a good exchange；〃 replied the woman。〃The fowl will lay eggs and hatch them； and we shall have chickens； weshall soon have a poultry…yard。 Oh； this is just what I was wishingfor。〃
〃Yes； but I exchanged the fowl for a sack of shrivelled apples。〃
〃What！ I really must give you a kiss for that！〃 exclaimed thewife。 〃My dear； good husband； now I'll tell you something。 Do youknow； almost as soon as you left me this morning； I began to thinkof what I could give you nice for supper this evening； and then Ithought of fried eggs and bacon； with sweet herbs； I had eggs andbacon； but I wanted the herbs； so I went over to the schoolmaster's： Iknew they had plenty of herbs； but the schoolmistress is very mean；although she can smile so sweetly。 I begged her to lend me a handfulof herbs。 'Lend！' she exclaimed； 'I have nothing to lend； nothing atall grows in our garden； not even a shrivelled apple； I could not evenlend you a shrivelled apple； my dear woman。 But now I can lend herten； or a whole sackful； which I'm very glad of； it makes me laughto think about it；〃 and then she gave him a hearty kiss。
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