J. F. Campbell Collection > Household stories

A GOOD BARGAIN. 29
and, taking up a, broomstick, he hunted the Countryman out of his
doors.
"Wait a bit," said the Country- man ; -'justice is to be had in the
world ;" and he went to the King's pahice and requested an audience.
So he was led before the King, who sat there with his daughter, and
asked, "What misfortune has befallen you?"
" Ah," said he, " frogs and the dogs have taken away my property,
and the butcher has repaid me with a stick ;" and he narrated at length
all that had happened. The King's daugliter laughed aloud at his tale,
and the King said to him, " I cannot give you justice here ; but,
nevertheless, you shall have my daughter for a wife : all her lifetime
she has not laughed except before you, and I have promised her to
that man who should make her laugh. You may thank God for your
luck."
"Odear!" replied the Countryman, "I do not wish it at all; I
have one wife at home, who is already too much for me." This made
the King angry, and he said, " You are an ill-bred fellow."
" Ah, my lord the King," answered the Countryman, " what can
you expect from an ox except beef?"
" Wait a bit," replied the King, " you shall have another reward.
Now be off at once, and return in three days, and you shall receive five
hundred."
As the Countryman came to the gate, the sentinel said to him,
" Since you have made the King's daughter laugh, no doubt you have
received a great reward." " Yes, I think so," answered the Peasant ;
" five hundred are to be counted out for me."
"Indeed!" said the soldier; "give me some of it; what will you
do with all that money?"
" Since you ask me," replied the Countryman, " you shall have two
hundred : apply to the King in three days, and they will be counted
out to you." A Jew, who stood near, and heard their conversation,
ran after the Countryman, and, catching him by his coat, cried out,
" O wonderful ! what a child of fortune are you ! I will change, I will
change with you in small coins ! What will you do with the hard
dollars ? "
"You, Jew!" said the Countryman, "you can yet have the three
hundred ; give me the same amount in small coins, and in three days
after to-day it shall be counted out to you by the King." The Jew
rejoiced at his profit, and brought the sum in worn-out farthings, three of
which were equal to two good ones.
After the lapse of three days, the Countryman went before the
King, according to his command. The King called out, " Pull off his
coat; he shall have his five hundred!" "Oh!" replied the Country-
man, " they do not belong to me now : I have presented two liundred
to the sentinel, and the Jew has changed with me for three hundred,
so that rigl'.tly nothing at all belongs to me."
Meanwhile the soldier and the Jew came in, desirino; their shares