great treasure. But think you I'm such a fool as to take on me a long
and wearisome journey and all for a silly dream. No, my good fellow,
learn wit from a wiser man than thyself. Get thee home, and mind thy
business."

When the pedlar heard this he spoke no word, but was exceeding glad in
himself, and returning home speedily, digged underneath the great
oak-tree, and found a prodigious great treasure. He grew exceeding rich,
but he did not forget his duty in the pride of his riches. For he built
up again the church at Swaffham, and when he died they put a statue of
him therein all in stone with his pack at his back and his dog at his
heels. And there it stands to this day to witness if I lie.

The Old Witch

Once upon a time there were two girls who lived with their mother and
father. Their father had no work, and the girls wanted to go away and
seek their fortunes. Now one girl wanted to go to service, and her
mother said she might if she could find a place. So she started for the
town. Well, she went all about the town, but no one wanted a girl like
her. So she went on farther into the country, and she came to the place
where there was an oven where there was lots of bread baking. And the
bread said, "Little girl, little girl, take us out, take us out. We have
been baking seven years, and no one has come to take us out." So the
girl took out the bread, laid it on the ground, and went on her way.
Then she met a cow, and the cow said, "Little girl, little girl, milk
me, milk me! Seven years have I been waiting, and no one has come to
milk me." The girl milked the cow into the pails that stood by. As she
was thirsty she drank some, and left the rest in the pails by the cow.
Then she went on a little bit farther, and came to an apple tree, so
loaded with fruit that its branches were breaking down, and the tree
said, "Little girl, little girl, help me shake my fruit. My branches are
breaking, it is so heavy." And the girl said, "Of course I will, you
poor tree." So she shook the fruit all off, propped up the branches, and
left the fruit on the ground under the tree. Then she went on again till
she came to a house. Now in this house there lived a witch, and this
witch took girls into her house as servants. And when she heard that
this girl had left her home to seek service, she said that she would try
her, and give her good wages. The witch told the girl what work she was
to do. "You must keep the house clean and