Wise Folks

One day a peasant took his good walking stick from the corner and said to his wife, “Trina, I’m going out into the country and won’t be back for three days. If the cattle dealer comes and wants to buy our three cows, you can make a deal, but only if you get two hundred thalers for them.

Nothing less, do you hear?” “For heaven’s sake, just go in peace,” answered the woman, “I’ll manage that.” “You, indeed,” said the man. “You fell on your head when you were little, and that still affects you.

But let me tell you this: if you do anything foolish, I’ll beat you black and blue, and not with paint, I promise you, but with this stick in my hand, and the coloring will last a whole year.

You can count on that.” And with that, the man went on his way.

The next morning the cattle dealer came, and the woman didn’t need to say many words to him. When he had seen the cows and heard the price, he said, “I’m quite willing to give that. Honestly, they’re worth it.

I’ll take them with me at once.” He unfastened their chains and drove them out of the barn. But just as he was going out the yard gate, the woman grabbed him by the sleeve and said, “You must give me the two hundred thalers now, or I can’t let the cows go.” “True,” answered the man, “but I forgot to put on my money belt.

Don’t worry, though. I’ll leave you security. I’ll take two cows and leave one, and then you’ll have a good pledge.” The woman saw that this made sense, and she let the man go with the cows, thinking to herself, “How pleased Hans will be when he finds out how cleverly I managed it!” The peasant came home on the third day as he had said, and at once asked if the cows were sold.

“Yes indeed, dear Hans,” answered the woman, “and as you said, for two hundred thalers. They’re hardly worth that much, but the man took them without any objection.” “Where is the money?” asked the peasant. “Oh, I don’t have the money yet,” replied the woman.

“He happened to forget his money belt, but he’ll bring it soon, and he left good security.” “What kind of security?” asked the man. “One of the three cows, which he won’t get until he pays for the other two.

I managed very cleverly, because I kept the smallest one, which eats the least.” The man was furious and lifted his stick, ready to give her the beating he had promised. But suddenly he lowered the stick and said, “You are the stupidest goose that ever waddled on God’s earth, but I feel sorry for you.

I’ll go out onto the highways and wait for three days to see if I find anyone even stupider than you. If I succeed, you’ll get off free. But if I don’t find anyone, you’ll get your well-deserved reward without any discount.”

He went out onto the main roads, sat down on a stone, and waited to see what would happen. Then he saw a peasant’s wagon coming toward him, and a woman was standing upright in the middle of it instead of sitting on the bundle of straw that lay beside her, or walking next to the oxen and leading them.

The man thought to himself, “That’s certainly one of the kind I’m looking for.” He jumped up and ran back and forth in front of the wagon, like someone who is not very smart. “What do you want, my friend?” said the woman to him. “I don’t know you.

Where do you come from?” “I’ve fallen down from heaven,” replied the man, “and I don’t know how to get back again. Couldn’t you drive me up?” “No,” said the woman, “I don’t know the way.

But if you come from heaven, you can surely tell me how my husband, who has been there for three years, is. You must have seen him?” “Oh yes, I’ve seen him, but not everyone gets along well up there. He tends sheep, and the sheep give him a lot of work.

They run up the mountains and get lost in the wilderness, and he has to run after them and gather them together again. His clothes are all torn, too, and will soon fall off his body.

There’s no tailor up there, because Saint Peter won’t let any tailors in, as you know from the story.” “Who would have thought it!” cried the woman. “Tell you what, I’ll go fetch his Sunday coat, which is still hanging in the cupboard at home. He can wear that and look respectable.

Would you be so kind as to take it with you?” “That won’t work very well,” answered the peasant. “People are not allowed to take clothes into heaven; they’re taken away at the gate.” “Then listen,” said the woman.

“I sold my fine wheat yesterday and got a good amount of money for it. I’ll send that to him. If you hide the purse in your pocket, no one will know you have it.” “If you can’t do it any other way,” said the peasant, “I’ll do you that favor.” “Just sit still where you are,” she said, “and I’ll drive home and fetch the purse.

I’ll be back soon. I’m not sitting on the bundle of straw, but standing up in the wagon, because it makes it lighter for the cattle.” She drove her oxen away, and the peasant thought, “That woman has a real talent for foolishness.

If she really brings the money, my wife may consider herself lucky, because she’ll get no beating.” It wasn’t long before she came hurrying back with the money and put it into his pocket with her own hands. Before she left, she thanked him again a thousand times for his kindness.

When the woman got home, she found her son, who had just come in from the field. She told him about the unexpected things that had happened, and then added, “I’m truly delighted that I found a way to send something to my poor husband.

Who would ever have thought he might be in need of anything up in heaven?” The son was astonished. “Mother,” he said, “it’s not every day that a man comes from heaven like this. I’ll go out immediately and see if he’s still around.

He must tell me what it’s like up there and how the work is done.” He saddled the horse and rode off as fast as he could. He found the peasant sitting under a willow tree, just about to count the money in the purse.

“Have you seen the man who fell down from heaven?” cried the youth to him. “Yes,” answered the peasant, “he has started on his way back there. He went up that hill, which is a bit closer.

You could still catch up with him if you ride fast.” “Alas,” said the youth, “I’ve been doing tiring work all day, and the ride here has worn me out completely. You know the man, so be so kind as to get on my horse and go persuade him to come here.” “Aha!” thought the peasant.

“Here’s another one who has no wick in his lamp!” “Why shouldn’t I do you this favor?” he said, and mounted the horse and rode off at a quick trot. The youth stayed there until night fell, but the peasant never came back.

“The man from heaven must have been in a great hurry and wouldn’t turn back,” thought the youth, “and the peasant probably gave him the horse to take to my father.” He went home and told his mother what had happened, and that he had sent his father the horse so he wouldn’t have to run around all the time.

“You have done well,” she answered. “Your legs are younger than his, and you can walk.”

When the peasant got home, he put the horse in the stable next to the cow he had as a pledge, and then went to his wife and said, “Trina, as luck would have it, I found two who are even sillier fools than you. This time you escape without a beating.

I’ll save it for another occasion.” Then he lit his pipe, sat down in his grandfather’s chair, and said, “It was a good stroke of business to get a sleek horse and a big purse full of money in exchange for two lean cows.

If stupidity always brought in as much as that, I’d be quite willing to honor it.” So thought the peasant, but you no doubt prefer the simple folks.