The other had not the least objection,and accordingly the exchange was made,and our peasant became possessor of the goose.By this time he had arrived very near the town.The crowd on the high road had been gradually increasing,and there was quite a rush of men and cattle.The cattle walked on the path and by the palings,and at the turnpike-gate they even walked into the toll-keeper's potato-field,where one fowl was strutting about with a string tied to its leg,for fear it should take fright at the crowd,and run away and get lost.The tail-feathers of the fowl were very short,and it winked with both its eyes,and looked very cunning,as it said “Cluck,cluck.”What were the thoughts of the fowl as it said this I cannot tell you;but directly our good man saw it,he thought,“Why that's the finest fowl I ever saw in my life;it's finer than our parson's brood hen,upon my word.I should like to have that fowl.Fowls can always pick up a few grains that lie about,and almost keep themselves.I think it would be a good exchange if I could get it for my goose.Shall we exchange?”he asked the toll-keeper.
“Exchange,”repeated the man;“well,it would not be a bad thing.”
And so they made an exchange—the toll-keeper at the turnpike-gate kept the goose,and the peasant carried off the fowl.Now he had really done a great deal of business on his way to the fair,and he was hot and tired.He wanted something to eat,and a glass of ale to refresh himself;so he turned his steps to an inn.He was just about to enter when the ostler came out,and they met at the door.The ostler was carrying a sack.“What have you in that sack?”asked the peasant.
“Rotten apples,”answered the ostler;“a whole sackful of them.They will do to feed the pigs with.”
“Why that will be terrible waste,”he replied;“I should like to take them home to my old woman.Last year the old apple-tree by the grass-plot only bore one apple,and we kept it in the cupboard till it was quite withered and rotten.It was always property,my old woman said;and here she would see a great deal of property—a whole sackful;I should like to show them to her.”
“What will you give me for the sackful?”asked the ostler.