Part 51

When the Shepherd heard this, he went to his master, and told him of it. The master took a cart with him, and they dug down to a door leading to the cave, and removed the treasure to his house. But the master was an honest man, and gave all the treasure to the Shepherd, saying—

“My son, all this treasure is yours, for heaven has given it to you. Buy yourself a house with it, marry, and live happily in it.”

The Shepherd took the treasure, built himself a house, and, having married, lived a happy life. Soon he became known as the richest man, not only in his own village, but so rich that there was not his equal in the whole neighborhood. He had his own shepherd, cow keeper, hostler, and swineherd; plenty of goods and chattels, and great riches.

One day, just before Christmas, he said to his wife, “Get some wine, and some brandy, and all things necessary; to-morrow we will go to the farmyard and take the good things to the shepherds that they may also enjoy themselves.”

The wife followed his directions and prepared all that he had told her. When they arrived on the following day at the farmhouse, the master said to the shepherds in the evening—

“Come here, all of you; eat, drink, and be merry. I will watch over the flocks for you to-night.” And he went, in very deed, and remained with the flocks.

About midnight the wolves began to howl and the dogs to bark, and the wolves said in their language—

“May we come in and do what mischief we like? Then you, too, shall have your share.”

And the dogs answered in their language, “Come in; and we will eat our fill with you.”

But among the dogs there was an old one, who had but two teeth in his head, and he said to the wolves—

“That will not do. So long as I have my two teeth in my head you shall do no harm to my master nor his.”

The master heard it all, and understood what was said. On the following morning he ordered all the dogs to be killed save only the old one. The hinds said, “Heaven forbid, sir; that would be a great pity!” But the master answered, “Do what I have told you.”

Then he prepared to return home with his wife, and they both mounted their horses. And as they rode on, the husband got a little ahead, while the wife fell behind. At last the husband’s horse neighed, and called to the mare—

“Come on! make haste! Why do you lag behind!”

And the mare answered him, “Ah yes, it is all very easy for you: you have only one to carry, the master; while I have to carry two, the mistress and her baby.”

The husband turned round and laughed, and his wife seeing this, urged the mare forward, overtook her husband, and asked him what he had been laughing at.

“Nothing; I do not know; just something that came into my mind,” answered the husband.

But the wife was not satisfied with this answer, and she pressed him again and again to tell her why he had laughed.

But he excused himself, and said—

“Let me alone, wife! What is the matter with you? I do not know myself why I laughed.”

But the more he denied her the more she insisted upon his telling her what he had been laughing at. At last the husband said to her—

“Know then, that if I tell you the reason, I shall instantly die.”

The woman, however, did not care for that, but urged him to tell her notwithstanding.

Meanwhile they had reached home. The husband ordered a coffin to be made immediately, and when it was ready he had it placed before the house, and said to his wife—

“See now, I now lay me down in this coffin, and then tell you why I laughed; but as soon as I have told you I shall die.”

The husband lay down in the coffin, and looked around him for the last time. And there came the old Dog from the farmyard, and sat down at his head and whined. The husband seeing this, said to his wife—

“Bring a piece of bread and give it to this Dog.”

The wife brought out a piece of bread, and threw it down to the Dog; but the Dog would not even look at it. Then the House Cock ran up, and began to pick at the bread; and the Dog said to it—