ce. The colt had run under the wagon of the other farmer and
thereupon the owner of the wagon claimed the colt as his property.

The burgomaster, who was thinking of something else while the case was
being presented, said carelessly:

"The man who found the colt under his wagon is, of course, the owner of
the colt."

As the owner of the mare was leaving the burgomaster's house, he met
Manka and stopped to tell her about the case. Manka was ashamed of her
husband for making so foolish a decision and she said to the farmer:

"Come back this afternoon with a fishing net and stretch it across the
dusty road. When the burgomaster sees you he will come out and ask you
what you are doing. Say to him that you're catching fish. When he asks
you how you can expect to catch fish in a dusty road, tell him it's just
as easy for you to catch fish in a dusty road as it is for a wagon to
foal. Then he'll see the injustice of his decision and have the colt
returned to you. But remember one thing: you mustn't let him find out
that it was I who told you to do this."

That afternoon when the burgomaster chanced to look out the window he
saw a man stretching a fishnet across the dusty road. He went out to
him and asked:

"What are you doing?"

"Fishing."

"Fishing in a dusty road? Are you daft?"

"Well," the man said, "it's just as easy for me to catch fish in a dusty
road as it is for a wagon to foal."

Then the burgomaster recognized the man as the owner of the mare and he
had to confess that what he said was true.

"Of course the colt belongs to your mare and must be returned to you.
But tell me," he said, "who put you up to this? You didn't think of it
yourself."

The farmer tried not to tell but the burgomaster questioned him until he
found out that Manka was at the bottom of it. This made him very angry.
He went into the house and called his wife.

"Manka," he said, "do you forget what I told you would happen if you
went interfering in any of my cases? Home you go this very day. I don't
care to hear any excuses. The matter is settled. You may take with you
the one thing you like best in my house for I won't have people saying
that I treated you shabbily."

Manka made no outcry.

"Very well, my dear husband, I shall do as you say: I shall go home to
my father's cottage and take with me the one thing I like best in your
house. But don't make me go until after supper. We have been very happy
together and I should like