as a party of horsemen were leaving the town
for hunting, a troop appeared, with a fierce sheriff at their head.

"The bowmen were terribly scared, and the question passed around as to
what they should do. They hit upon a plan, and threw away their
hunting-gear. When the sheriff came up, he found the old men rolling
great stones up the hill, and the young men bending over and grunting
as if they were in great distress.

"'What are you doing?' demanded the sheriff of one of the old men who
was tugging away at a stone.

"'We are rolling stones up hill for day.'

"'You old fool!' said the sheriff. 'Go home and go to bed, and day
will come itself.'

"'Why,' returned the man, as though greatly astonished, 'I never
thought of that. How wise you be! You are the wisest man I ever did
see!'

"'And what are _you_ doing?' asked the sheriff, of one of the young
men.

"'We do the _grunting_,' was the prompt reply.

"'The old men do the lifting, and the young men do the grunting!'
exclaimed the sheriff. 'Well,' he added, in sudden good-humor, 'that
is the way the world goes everywhere!' And he galloped away, leaving
the men unharmed.

"The sheriff next met four old women, with brooms on their shoulders.

"'Whither away?' asked the sheriff.

"'To the priest's, to be married,' said they all.

"'To the priest's, to be married?'

"'We go every morning to be married,' answered one of the old crones,
'and we have been for the last forty years!'

"'Then why are you not married?'

"'The priest says that we do not bring the right thing. We carry
something new every morning.'

"'But why do you not take a _man_?'

"'A MAN!' exclaimed the old woman, leaping straight into the air. 'A
MAN? I never thought of that! How wise you be! Why, you are the wisest
man that I ever did see!'

[Illustration: LIMESTONE DWELLINGS.]

"The sheriff next met some men who had started on a journey, each of
whom carried on his back a door.

"'Why do you carry that door?' asked the sheriff of one of the
travellers.

"'Left my money at home.'

"'Then why not leave the door at home too?'

"'Afraid of thieves.'

"'Afraid of thieves? Then leave your door at home to protect your
money.'

"'They can't break in, because, you see, I've got the door.'

"'Leave your door at home, and take your money with you.'

"'I never thought of that. How wise you be! You are the wisest man
that I ever did see!'

"The sheriff let the travellers pass on u