r
a horse."

"Many thanks for that," said his wife: "we are such respectable people
that we ought to ride to church as well as others; and if we can afford
to keep a horse, we may certainly have one. Go and put the horse in the
stable, children."

"Oh," said Gudbrand, "but I have not got the horse; for as I went along
the road, I exchanged the horse for a pig."

"Well," said the woman, "that is just what I should have done myself; I
thank thee for that. I can now have pork and bacon in my house to offer
anybody when they come to see us. What should we have done with a horse?
People would only have said we were grown too proud to walk to church.
Go, children, and put the pig in."

"But I have not brought the pig with me," exclaimed Gudbrand; "for when
I had gone a little further on, I exchanged it for a milch goat."

"How admirably thou dost everything," exclaimed his wife. "What should
we have done with a pig? People would only have said that we eat
everything we own. Yes, now that I have a goat, I can get both milk and
cheese, and still keep my goat. Go and tie the goat, children."

"No," said Gudbrand, "I have not brought home the goat; for when I came
a little further on, I changed the goat for a fine sheep."

"Well," cried the woman, "thou hast done everything just as I could
wish; just as if I had been there myself. What should we have done with
a goat? I must have climbed up the mountains and wandered through the
valleys to bring it home in the evening. With a sheep I should have wool
and clothing in the house, with food into the bargain. So go, children,
and put the sheep into the field."

"But I have not got the sheep," said Gudbrand, "for as I went a little
further, I changed it away for a goose."

"Many, many thanks for that," said his wife. "What should I have done
with a sheep? For I have neither a spinning-wheel nor have I much desire
to toil and labor to make clothes; we can purchase clothing as we have
hitherto: now I shall have roast goose, which I have often longed for;
and then I can make a little pillow of the feathers. Go and bring in the
goose, children."

"But I have not got the goose," said Gudbrand; "as I came on a little
further, I changed it away for a cock."

"Heaven only knows how thou couldst think of all this," exclaimed his
wife, "it is just as if I had managed it all myself. A cock! that is
just as good as if thou hadst bought an eight-day clock; for as the cock
crows every