Strona 27 z 626

If you have, and they catch you, it will be a bad job for you.

The least they will do will be to throw you into the horse-pond.

Can you swim?'

Poor Hans was sadly frightened. 'Good man,' cried he, 'pray get

me out of this scrape. I know nothing of where the pig was either

bred or born; but he may have been the squire's for aught I can

tell: you know this country better than I do, take my pig and

give me the goose.' 'I ought to have something into the bargain,'

said the countryman; 'give a fat goose for a pig, indeed! 'Tis

not everyone would do so much for you as that. However, I will

not be hard upon you, as you are in trouble.' Then he took the

string in his hand, and drove off the pig by a side path; while

Hans went on the way homewards free from care. 'After all,'

thought he, 'that chap is pretty well taken in. I don't care

whose pig it is, but wherever it came from it has been a very

good friend to me. I have much the best of the bargain. First

there will be a capital roast; then the fat will find me in

goose-grease for six months; and then there are all the beautiful

white feathers.