Gudbrand on the Hill-side

Once on a time there was a man whose name was Gudbrand; he had a farm which lay far, far away, upon a hill-side, and so they called him Gudbrand on the Hill-side.
Now, you must know this man and his goodwife lived so p. 150 happily together, and understood one another so well, that all the husband did the wife thought so well done, there was nothing like it in the world, and she was always glad whatever he turned his hand to. The farm was their own land, and they had a hundred dollars lying at the bottom of their chest, and two cows tethered up in a stall in their farmyard.
So one day his wife said to Gudbrand,--
"Do you know, dear, I think we ought to take one of our cows into town and sell it; that's what I think; for then we shall have some money in hand, and such well to-do people as we ought to have ready money like the rest of the world. As for the hundred dollars at the bottom of the chest yonder, we can't make a hole in them, and I'm sure I don't know what we want with more than one cow. Besides, we shall gain a little in another way, for then I shall get off with only looking after one cow, instead of having, as now, to feed and litter and water two."
Well, Gudbrand thought his wife talked right good sense, so he set off at once with the cow on his way to town to sell her; but when he got to the town, there was no one who would buy his cow.
"Well, well! never mind," said Gudbrand, "at the worst, I can only go back home again with my cow. I've both stable and tether for her, I should think, and the road is no farther out than in;" and with that he began to toddle home with his cow.
But when he had gone a bit of the way, a man met him who had a horse to sell, so Gudbrand thought 'twas better to have a horse than a cow, so he swopped with the man. A little farther on he met a man walking along and driving p. 151 a fat pig before him, and he thought it better to have a fat pig than a horse, so he swopped with the man. After that he went a little farther, and a man met him with a goat; so he thought it better to have a goat than a pig, and he swopped with the man that owned the goat. Then he went on a good bit till he met a man who had a sheep, and he swopped with him too, for he thought it always better to have a sheep than a goat. After a while he met a man with a goose, and he swopped away the sheep for the goose; and when he had walked a long, long time, he met a man with a cock, and he swopped with him, for he thought in this wise, " 'Tis surely better to have a cock than a goose." Then he went on till the day was far spent, and he began to get very hungry, so he sold the cock for a shilling, and bought food with the money, for, thought Gudbrand on the Hill-side, " 'Tis always better to save one's life than to have a cock."
After that he went on home till he reached his nearest neighbour's house, where he turned in.
"Well," said the owner of the house, "how did things go with you in town?"
"Rather so so," said Gudbrand. "I can't praise my luck, nor do I blame it either," and with that he told the whole story from first to last.
"Ah!" said his friend, "you'll get nicely called over the coals, that one can see, when you get home to your wife. Heaven help you, I wouldn't stand in your shoes for something."
"Well," said Gudbrand on the Hill-side, "I think things might have gone much worse with me; but now, whether I have done wrong or not, I have so kind a good-wife, p. 152 she never has a word to say against anything that I do."
"Oh!" answered his neighbour, "I hear what you say, but I don't believe it for all that."
"Shall we lay a bet upon it?" asked Gudbrand on the Hill-side. "I have a hundred dollars at the bottom of my chest at home; will you lay as many against them?"
Yes, the friend was ready to bet; so Gudbrand stayed there till evening, when it began to get dark, and then they went together to his house, and the neighbour was to stand outside the door and listen, while the man went in to see his wife.
"Good evening!" said Gudbrand on the Hill-side.
"Good evening!" said the goodwife. "Oh, is that you? now God be praised."
Yes! it was he. So the wife asked how things had gone with him in town.
"Oh! only so so," answered Gudbrand; "not much to brag of. When I got to the town there was no one who would buy the cow, so you must know I swopped it away for a horse."
"For a horse," said his wife; "well, that is good of you; thanks with all my heart. We are so well to do that we may drive to church, just as well as other people; and if we choose to keep a horse we have a right to get one, I should think. So run out, child, and put up the horse."
"Ah!" said Gudbrand, "but you see I've not got the horse after all; for when I got a bit farther on the road I swopped it away for a pig."
"Think of that, now!" said the wife; "you did just as I should have done myself; a thousand thanks! Now I p. 153 can have a bit of bacon in the house to set before people when they come to see me, that I can. What do we want with a horse? People would only say we had got so proud that we couldn't walk to church. Go out, child, and put up the pig in the stye."
"But I've not got the pig either," said Gudbrand; "for when I got a little farther on I swopped it away for a milch goat."
"Bless us!" cried his wife, "how well you manage everything! Now I think it over, what should I do with a pig? People would only point at us and say, 'Yonder they eat up all they have got.' No! now I have got a goat, and I shall have milk and cheese, and keep the goat too. Run out, child, and put up the goat."
"Nay, but I haven't got the goat either," said Gudbrand, "for a little farther on I swopped it away, and got a fine sheep instead."
"You don't say so!" cried his wife; "why, you do everything to please me, just as if I had been with you; what do we want with a goat! If I had it I should lose half my time in climbing up the hills to get it down. No! if I have a sheep, I shall have both wool and clothing, and fresh meat in the house. Run out, child, and put up the sheep."
"But I haven't got the sheep any more than the rest," said Gudbrand; "for when I had gone a bit farther I swopped it away for a goose."
"Thank you! thank you! with all my heart," cried his wife; "what should I do with a sheep? I have no spinning-wheel, nor carding-comb, nor should I care to worry myself with cutting, and shaping, and sewing clothes. We can buy clothes now, as we have always done; and now I shall p. 154 have roast goose, which I have longed for so often; and, besides, down to stuff my little pillow with. Run out, child, and put up the goose."
"Ah!" said Gudbrand, "but I haven't the goose either; for when I had gone a bit farther I swopped it away for a cock."
"Dear me!" cried his wife, "how you think of everything! just as I should have done myself. A cock! think of that! why it's as good as an eight-day clock, for every morning the cock crows at four o'clock, and we shall be able to stir our stumps in good time. What should we do with a goose? I don't know how to cook it; and as for my pillow, I can stuff it with cotton-grass. Run out, child, and put up the cock."
"But after all I haven't got the cock," said Gudbrand; "for when I had gone a bit farther, I got as hungry as a hunter, so I was forced to sell the cock for a shilling, for fear I should starve."
"Now, God be praised that you did so!" cried his wife; "whatever you do, you do it always just after my own heart. What should we do with the cock? We are our own masters, I should think, and can lie a-bed in the morning, as long as we like. Heaven be thanked that I have got you safe back again; you who do everything so well that I want neither cock nor goose; neither pigs nor kine."
Then Gudbrand opened the door and said,--
"Well, what do you say now? Have I won the hundred dollars?" and his neighbour was forced to allow that he had.

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Boots and the Troll

Once on a time there was a poor man who had three sons. When he died, the two elder set off into the world to try their luck, but the youngest they wouldn't have with them at any price.
"As for you," they said, "you're fit for nothing but to sit and poke about in the ashes."
So the two went off and got places at a palace--the one under the coachman, and the other under the gardener. But Boots, he set off too, and took with him a great kneading-trough, which was the only thing his parents left behind them, but which the other two would not bother themselves with. It was heavy to carry, but he did not like to leave it behind, and so, after he had trudged a bit, he too came to the palace, and asked for a place. So they told him they did not want him, but he begged so prettily that at last he got leave to be in the kitchen, and carry in wood and water for the kitchen maid. He was quick and ready, and in a little while every one liked him; but the two others were dull, and so they got more kicks than half pence, and grew quite envious of Boots, when they saw how much better he got on.
Just opposite the palace, across a lake, lived a Troll, who had seven silver ducks which swam on the lake, so that they could be seen from the palace. These the king had often longed for; and so the two elder brothers told the coachman,--
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"If our brother only chose, he has said he could easily get the king those seven silver ducks."
You may fancy it wasn't long before the coachman told this to the king; and the king called Boots before him, and said,--
"Your brothers say you can get me the silver ducks; so now go and fetch them."
"I'm sure I never thought or said anything of the kind," said the lad.
"You did say so, and you shall fetch them," said the king, who would hold his own.
"Well, well," said the lad; "needs must, I suppose; but give me a bushel of rye and a bushel of wheat, and I'll try what I can do."
So he got the rye and the wheat, and put them into the kneading-trough he had brought with him from home, got in, and rowed across the lake. When he reached the other side he began to walk along the shore, and to sprinkle and strew the grain, and at last he coaxed the ducks into his kneadin-trough, and rowed back as fast as ever he could.
When he got half over, the Troll came out of his house and set eyes on him.
"Halloa!" roared out the Troll; "is it you that has gone off with my seven silver ducks?"
"Ay! ay!" said the lad.
"Shall you be back soon?" asked the Troll.
"Very likely," said the lad.
So when he got back to the king, with the seven silver ducks, he was more liked than ever, and even the king was pleased to say, "Well done!" But at this his brothers grew more and more spiteful and envious; and so they p. 217 went and told the coachman that their brother had said if he chose, he was man enough to get the king the Troll's bed-quilt, which had a gold patch and a silver patch, and a silver patch and a gold patch; and this time, too, the coachman was not slow in telling all this to the king. So the king said to the lad, how his brothers had said he was good to steal the Troll's bed-quilt, with gold and silver patches; so now he must go and do it, or lose his life.
Boots answered, he had never thought or said any such thing; but when he found there was no help for it, he begged for three days to think over the matter.
So when the three days were gone, he rowed over in his kneading-trough, and went spying about. At last, he saw those in the Troll's cave come out and hang the quilt out to air, and as soon as ever they had gone back into the face of the rock, Boots pulled the quilt down, and rowed away with it as fast as he could.
And when he was half across, out came the Troll and set eyes on him, and roared out,--
"Halloa! It is you who took my seven silver ducks?"
"Ay! ay!" said the lad.
"And now, have you taken my bed-quilt, with silver patches and gold patches, and gold patches and silver patches?"
"Ay! ay!" said the lad.
"Shall you come back again?"
"Very likely," said the lad.
But when he got back with the gold and silver patchwork quilt every one was fonder of him than ever and he was made the king's body-servant.
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At this the other two were still more vexed, and to be revenged, they went and told the coachman,--
"Now, our brother has said he is man enough to get the king the gold harp which the Troll has, and that harp is of such a kind that all who listen when it is played grow glad, however sad they may be."
Yes; the coachman went and told the king, and he said to the lad,--
"If you have said this you shall do it. If you do it you shall have the Princess and half the kingdom. If you don't, you shall lose your life."
"I'm sure I never thought or said anything of the kind," said the lad; "but if there's no help for it, I may as well try; but I must have six days to think about it."
Yes, he might have six days, but when they were over he must set out.
Then he took a tenpenny nail, a birch-pin, and a waxen taper-end in his pocket, and rowed across, and walked up and down before the Troll's cave, looking stealthily about him. So when the Troll came out he saw him at once.
"HO, HO!" roared the Troll; "is it you who took my seven silver ducks?"
"Ay! ay!" said the lad.
"And it is you who took my bed-quilt, with the gold and silver patches?" asked the Troll.
"Ay! ay!" said the lad.
So the Troll caught hold of him at once, and took him off into the cave in the face of the rock.
"Now, daughter dear," said the Troll, "I've caught the fellow who stole the silver ducks and my bed-quilt with p. 219 gold and silver patches; put him into the fattening coop, and when he's fat we'll kill him, and make a feast for our friends."
She was willing enough, and put him at once into the fattening coop, and there he stayed eight days, fed on the best, both in meat and drink, and as much as he could cram. So, when the eight days were over, the Troll said to his daughter to go down and cut him in his little finger, that they might see if he were fat. Down she came to the coop.
"Out with your little finger!" she said.
But Boots stuck out his tenpenny nail, and she cut at it.
"Nay, nay! he's as hard as iron still," said the Troll's daughter, when she got back to her father; "we can't take, him yet."
After another eight days the same thing happened, and this time Boots stuck out his birchen pin.
"Well, he's a little better," she said, when she got back to the Troll; "but still he'll be as hard as wood to chew."
But when another eight days were gone, the Troll told his daughter to go down and see if he wasn't fat now.
"Out with your little finger," said the Troll's daughter, when she reached the coop, and this time Boots stuck out the taper end.
"Now he'll do nicely," she said.
"Will he?" said the Troll. "Well, then, I'll just set off and ask the guests; meantime you must kill him, and roast half and boil half."
So when the Troll had been gone a little while, the daughter began to sharpen a great long knife.
"Is that what you're going to kill me with?" asked the lad.
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"Yes, it is," said she.
"But it isn't sharp," said the lad. "Just let me sharpen it for you, and then you'll find it easier work to kill me."
So she let him have the knife, and he began to rub and sharpen it on the whetstone.
"Just let me try it on one of your hair plaits; I think it's about right now."
So he got leave to do that; but at the same time that he grasped the plait of hair he pulled back her head, and at one gash cut off the Troll's daughter's head; and half of her he roasted and half of her he boiled, and served it all up.
After that he dressed himself in her clothes, and sat away in the corner.
So when the Troll came home with his guests, he called out to his daughter--for he thought all the time it was his daughter--to come and take a snack.
"No, thank, you," said the lad, "I don't care for food, I'm so sad and downcast."
"Oh!" said the Troll, "if that's all, you know the cure; take the harp, and play a tune on it."
"Yes!" said the lad; "but where has it got to; I can't find it."
"Why, you know well enough," said the Troll; "you used it last; where should it be but over the door yonder?"
The lad did not wait to be told twice; he took down the harp, and went in and out playing tunes; but, all at once he shoved off the kneading-trough, jumped into it, and rowed off, so that the foam flew around the trough.
After a while the Troll thought his daughter was a long while gone, and went out to see what ailed her; and then he saw the lad in the trough, far, far out on the lake.
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"Halloa! Is it you," he roared, "that took my seven silver ducks?"
"Ay, ay!" said the lad.
"Is it you that took my bed-quilt, with the gold and silver patches?"
"Yes!" said the lad.
"And now you have taken off my gold harp?" screamed the Troll.
"Yes!" said the lad; "I've got it, sure enough."
"And haven't I eaten you up after all, then?"
"No, no! 'twas your own daughter you ate," answered the lad.
But when the Troll heard that, he was so sorry, he burst; and then Boots rowed back, and took a whole heap of gold and silver with him, as much as the trough could carry. And so, when he came to the palace with the gold harp he got the Princess and half the kingdom, as the king had promised him; and, as for his brothers, he treated them well, for he thought they had only wished his good when they said what they had said.

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