themanwiththesheepwasquiteready,andthebargainwasquicklymade.andthenourpeasantcontinuedhiswayonthehigh-roadwithhissheep.soonafterthis,heovertookanotherman,whohadcomeintotheroadfromafield,andwascarryingalargegooseunderhisarm.

"whataheavycreatureyouhavethere!"saidthepeasant;"ithasplentyoffeathersandplentyoffat,andwouldlookwelltiedtoastring,orpaddlinginthewateratourplace.thatwouldbeveryusefultomyoldwoman;shecouldmakeallsortsofprofitsoutofoftenshehassaid,'ifnowweonlyhadagoose!'nowhereisanopportunity,and,ifpossible,iwillgetitforher.shallweexchange?iwillgiveyoumysheepforyourgoose,andthanksintothebargain."

theotherhadnottheleastobjection,andaccordinglytheexchangewasmade,andourpeasantbecamepossessorofthegoose.bythistimehehadarrivedverynearthetown.thecrowdonthehighroadhadbeengraduallyincreasing,andtherewasquitearushofmenandcattle.thecattlewalkedonthepathandbythepalings,andattheturnpike-gatetheyevenwalkedintothetoll-keeper'spotato-field,whereonefowlwasstruttingaboutwithastringtiedtoitsleg,forfearitshouldtakefrightatthecrowd,andrunawayandgetlost.thetail-feathersofthefowlwereveryshort,anditwinkedwithbothitseyes,andlookedverycunning,asitsaid"cluck,cluck."whatwerethethoughtsofthefowlasitsaidthisicannottellyou;butdirectlyourgoodmansawit,hethought,"whythat'sthefinestfowlieversawinmylife;it'sfinerthanourparson'sbroodhen,uponmyword.ishouldliketohavethatfowl.fowlscanalwayspickupafewgrainsthatlieabout,andalmostkeepthemselves.ithinkitwouldbeagoodexchangeificouldgetitformygoose.shallweexchange?"heaskedthetoll-keeper.

"exchange,"repeatedtheman;"well,itwouldnotbeabadthing."

andsotheymadeanexchange,-thetoll-keeperattheturnpike-gatekeptthegoose,andthepeasantcarriedoffthehehadreallydoneagreatdealofbusinessonhiswaytothefair,andhewashotandtired.hewantedsomethingtoeat,andaglassofaletorefreshhimself;soheturnedhisstepstoanwasjustabouttoenterwhentheostlercameout,andtheymetatthedoor.theostlerwascarryingasack."whathaveyouinthatsack?"askedthepeasant.

"rottenapples,"answeredtheostler;"awholesackfulofywilldotofeedthepigswith."

"whythatwillbeterriblewaste,"hereplied;"ishouldliketotakethemhometomyoldwoman.lastyeartheoldapple-treebythegrass-plotonlyboreoneapple,andwekeptitinthecupboardtillitwasquitewitheredandrotten.itwasalwaysproperty,myoldwomansaid;andhereshewouldseeagreatdealofproperty-awholesackful;ishouldliketoshowthemtoher."

"whatwillyougivemeforthesackful?"askedtheostler.

"whatwilligive?well,iwillgiveyoumyfowlinexchange."

sohegaveupthefowl,andreceivedtheapples,whichhecarriedintotheinnparlor.heleanedthesackcarefullyagainstthestove,andthenwenttothetable.butthestovewashot,andhehadnotthoughtofthat.manyguestswerepresent-horsedealers,cattledrovers,andtwoenglishmen.theenglishmenweresorichthattheirpocketsquitebulgedoutandseemedreadytoburst;andtheycouldbettoo,asyoushallhear."hiss-s-s,hiss-s-s."whatcouldthatbebythestove?