The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-03-14
Number. Number. l2.

Il &"s' - P~Ss et@s Sesh w wv
Gudbrand, when, just at that moment, he
deserted q peasant driving along a hog 50
fine and fat that its stomach touched the
ground. '- b1n .'.' aa' 'i. Ara % i'..a-F
"a nail that is useful Is better than din.
mond that glitters and can be turned to no.
thing, as my wife often says" reflected Gud.
brand aud. with that, he traded of his
horse for the hog.
It was bright idea to bo sure, but. our
good man had counted without his host
Don Porkcr would not budge an inch. 'Gud.
brand talked to him, coaxed him. sworc at
him, but all in vain he dragged him by the
snout. he pushed him from behind, he whack.
ed him on both his fat sides with cudgcl,
but It was only labor lost, and Mr.. Hog re-
mained there in the middle Of the dusty road
like stranded whale. The poor farmer was
yielding to despair, when, ut the very nick
of time, there came alonga country lad lead.
ing shc.goat, that, with an uddcr oil swol.
len with milk, skipped, ran, and played
about, in manner charming to behold.
There that's the very thing want"
exclaimed Gudbrand. "I'd far rather have
that gay, sprightly creature than this huge,
stupid brute" Whereupon. without an in
stant's hesitation, he exchanged tho hog for
the she-goat. .J | .....
All went well for another half-hour. The
young madam with her long horns greatly
amused Gudbrand, who laughed ut her
pranks till his sides ached. In fact, too, she
pulled him nlong but, when one is on tho
wrong side of forty, one soon gets tired Of
scrambling over the rocks and 50 the farmer,
happening to meet shepherd feeding bic
flock, traded his shc-goat Tor eve. '1'll
have just as much milk" unused he, "from
that animal rs from the other, and, at least,
she will keep quiet, and not worry either my
wife or me" .. ...f
Gudbrand was right, in ono respect. for
there is nothing moro gentle than ewc.-
This one had no tricks; she neither capercd
nor buttcd with her head, but she stood per-
fectly still and bleated all the time. Finding
herself separated from her companions, she
wanted to rejoin them, and the moro Gud.
brand tugged ut her tether, tho more piteous.
iy she baaed. ......
"Deucs take the silly brute !" shouted
Gudbrand; "shc's Us obstinate and whim
pering as my neighbours wife. Who'll rid
mo OF this bawling, believing little beast
I must get clear Of her, at any price,"
"It's bargain, if you choose, neighbor,"
said country fellow who was just passing.
with fat goose under his arm. "licrc,
take this fine bird instead; she's worth two
of that ugly sheep that's going to split its
throat in less than an hour, anyhow"
But it was no easy matter to manage his
new bargain. Tho goose turned out to bc u
very disagrccablc companion for, finding
itself no longer on the ground, 1t fought with
its bill, its feet, and It's wings, so that Gud.
brand was soon tired Of struggling to hold
it. .... ....r ..,.
"Pah !" growlcd ho: "the goose Is on
ugly, llgraincd creature, and my wife nevor
would have one about the house." With
this reflection, he changed the goose, at the
first farmhouse he came to, for u fine rooster
of rich plumage and furnished with grand
pair Of spurs.
This time ho was thoroughly satisfied
The rooster, II is true, squawked from time
to time, in voice rather too hoarse to gratiiy
most delicate cars but as his claws had
been tied together with twinc and he was car
ried head downwards, he finally gave up and
resigned himsels to his fate. The only un-
pleasant circumstance now remaining was
that the day was rapidly drawing to close.
Gudbrand, who had started before dawn,
now found himself fasting, at sundown, with
out iarthing in his pocket. Ho still had u
long walk before him, and tho good man felt
that his legs wero giving out and that his
stomach cravcd relrcshment. Some bold
step must be taken and 80, at the first way
side tavern, Gudbrand sold his rooster for n
shilling, and as he had raving appetite, he
spent the last doit Of it for his supper.
"After all" said he. the while, "what
use would rooster be to me, if I bad to die
OF hunger?"
As he, at length, drew near his own dwell.
ling. however, Gudbrand began to mediate
serioudly on the curious turn things had TAX.
en- with him, and before entering his home,
he stopped at tho door OF Peter the Gray
beard, as neighbor Of his was called in the
surrounding country. '-ra.H aHEEi
"Well, ueighbor," said Peter, "how have
you prospercJ in the town ~" U-r
"Oh! -, so," answered Gudbnnd; "l
can't say that I've been very lucky, nor have
much to complain Of either ;"and he went
on to tell all that happened. J1reI
"Neighbor. you've made pretty mess Of
IT," said Peter the Graybcard: "you'll have
nice time oi 1t when you got homo. Heav-
en- protect you from your dame l wouldn't
bc in your shoes for ten crowns"
"Good !" rejoiued Gudbrand Of the Hill (;
"things might have turned out still worse for
me but, now, rm quiet in my mind about