out of the wheelbarrow, and put the string that was tied round the animal's leg into his new master's hand.

As Hans went along he could not help marvelling at his constant run of luck, which had regularly turned every little disappointment to the very best account. After a time he was overtaken by a lad who was carrying a fine white goose under his arm. They no sooner bid one another good morrow, than Hans related how lucky he had been, and what advantageous bargains he had struck. The lad told him, in turn, that he was carrying the goose to a christening dinner. "Only just feel how heavy it is," continued he, taking the goose up by the wings; "it has been fattening these eight weeks. I'll be bold to say that whoever tastes a slice of it when it comes to be roasted, will have to wipe away the fat from each corner of his mouth."

"Ay,” said Hans, as he weighed it in one hand, “it is heavy enough to be sure; but my pig is not to be sneezed at either."

Meanwhile the lad was looking all round him with an anxious air, and then shook his head as he observed: "It's my mind your pig will get you into trouble. I have just come through a village where the mayor's pig was stolen out of

its stye; and I'm mightily afraid it's the very pig you are now

with it, and the least that could happen to you would be a lodging in the black-hole."

Poor Hans now began to be frightened. "For goodness' sake," cried he, "do help me out of this scrape; and, as you know this neighbourhood better than I do, pray take my pig in exchange for your goose."

"I know I shall run some risk," replied the lad; "yet I haven't the heart to leave you in the lurch either."

And so saying he took hold of the rope, and drove away the pig as fast as he could into a by-way, while honest Hans pursued his road with the goose under his arm.

"When I come to think of it," said he to himself, “I have gained by the exchange. In the first place, a nice roast goose is a delicious morsel; then there will be the fat and the dripping to spread upon our bread for months to come; and, last of all, the beautiful white feathers will serve to fill my pillow, and I'll warrant I shall not want rocking to sleep. How pleased my mother will be!"

As he passed through the last village on his way home, he saw a knife-grinder busily turning his wheel, while he kept singing:

"Old knives and old scissors to make new I grind,
And round turns my wheel e'en swift as the wind.”

Hans stopped to look at him, and at last he said: "Your trade must be a good one, since you sing so merrily over your work."

"Yes,” replied the knife-grinder," it is a golden business. Your true knife-grinder is a man who finds money as often as he puts his hand into his pocket. But where did you buy that fine goose?" "I did not buy it, but exchanged it for my pig." "And where did you get piggy from?" "I gave my cow for it." "And how did you come by your cow?"

Ι

"And how might you have got it in exchange for a "And how did you come

"Oh, I gave a horse for it." obtained the horse?" "Why, I lump of gold as big as my head." by the gold?" "It was my wages for seven years' service." "Nay, then," said the knife-grinder, "since you have been so clever each time, you need only manage so as to hear the money jingle in your pocket every time you move, and then you will be a made man.' "But how shall I set about that? inquired Hans. "You must turn knife-grinder, like myself; and nothing is wanting to set you up in the trade but a grindstone the rest will come of itself. I have one here that is a trifle worn, but I won't ask for anything more than your goose in exchange for it. Shall it be a bargain?" "How can you doubt it?" replied Hans; "I shall be the happiest

man on earth. Why, if I find money as often as I put my hand in my pocket, what more need I care for?" And he handed him the goose, and took the grindstone. "Now," said the knife-grinder, picking up a tolerably heavy stone that lay on the ground by him, "here's a good solid stone into the bargain, on which you can hammer away, and straighten all your old crooked nails. You had better lay it on the top of the other."

Hans did so, and went away quite delighted. "I was surely born with a golden spoon in my mouth,” cried he, while his eyes sparkled with joy, "for everything falls out just as pat as if I were a Sunday child." In the meantime, however, having walked since daybreak, he now began to feel tired and very hungry, as he had eaten up all his provisions in his joy at the bargain he had made for the cow. By degrees he could scarcely drag his weary limbs any farther, and was obliged to stop every minute to rest from the fatigue of carrying the two heavy stones. At length he could not help thinking how much better it would be if he had not to carry them at all. He had now crawled like a snail up to a spring, where he meant to rest, and refresh himself with a cool draught; and for this purpose he placed the stones very carefully on the brink of the well. He then sat down, and was stooping over