第416章
《安徒生童话英文版 全TXT版》章节:第416章,宠文网网友提供全文无弹窗免费在线阅读。!
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 come 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?