hanged with the man. Going a little further still, he met a man
driving a fat pig before him; and thinking it better to have a fat pig
than a horse, he made an exchange with him also. A little further on he
met a man with a goat. "A goat," thought he, "is always better to have
than a pig;" so he made an exchange with the owner of the goat. He now
walked on for an hour, when he met a man with a sheep; with him he
exchanged his goat: "for," thought he, "it is always better to have a
sheep than a goat." After walking some way again, meeting a man with a
goose, he changed away the sheep for the goose; then going on a long
way, he met a man with a cock, and thought to himself, "It is better to
have a cock than a goose," and so gave his goose for the cock. Having
walked on till the day was far gone, and beginning to feel hungry, he
sold the cock for twelve shillings, and bought some food; "for," thought
he, "it is better to support life than to carry back the cock." After
this he continued his way homeward till he reached the house of his
nearest neighbor, where he called in.

"How have matters gone with you in town?" asked the neighbor.

"Oh," answered Gudbrand, "but so-so; I cannot boast of my luck, neither
can I exactly complain of it." He then began to relate all that he had
done from first to last.

"You'll meet with a warm reception when you get home to your wife," said
his neighbor. "God help you, I would not be in your place."

"I think things might have been much worse," said Gudbrand; "but whether
they are good or bad, I have such a gentle wife that she will never say
a word, let me do what I may."

"Yes, that I know," answered his neighbor; "but I do not think she will
be so gentle in this instance."

"Shall we lay a wager?" said Gudbrand of the Mountain-side. "I have got
a hundred dollars in my chest at home; will you venture the like sum?"

"Yes, I will," replied the neighbor, and they wagered accordingly, and
remained till evening drew on, when they set out together for Gudbrand's
house; having agreed that the neighbor should stand outside and listen,
while Gudbrand went in to meet his wife.

"Good-evening," said Gudbrand.

"Good-evening," said his wife, "thank God thou art there."

Yes, there he was. His wife then began asking him how he had fared in
the town.

"So-so," said Gudbrand: "I have not much to boast of; for when I reached
the town there was no one who would buy the cow, so I changed it fo