one day as he was standing in his stable , he sank through the ground . down below , in the place to which he had come , everything was unspeakably handsome . there was nothing which was not of gold or of silver . then the man who had called himself his neighbor came along , and bade him sit down . after a time food was brought in on a silver platter , and mead in a silver jug , and the neighbor invited him to draw up to the table and eat . the peasant did not dare refuse , and sat down at the table ; but just as he was about to dip his spoon into the dish , something fell down into his food from above , so that he lost his appetite . " yes , yes , " said the man , " now you can see why we do n't like your stable . we can never eat in peace , for as soon as we sit down to a meal , dirt and straw fall down , and no matter how hungry we may be , we lose our appetites and can not eat . but if you will do me the favor to set up your stable elsewhere , you shall never go short of pasture nor good crops , no matter how old you may grow to be . but if you wo n't , you shall know naught but lean years all your life long . "
his neighbor .
who owned the place down below that the peasant had come to ?
who owned the place down below that the peasant had come to ?