he could, and started off with it; but the stupid one did not give up his wool, because it was nicely tied up and securely tied on.
Going still farther, they saw gold lying on the road. The wise peasant threw down his silver and picked up the gold; but the stupid one said:—
“What is the good of taking off the wool? It is nicely tied up and securely fastened to my back.”
And they went home. On the way a rain set in, and the wool became water-soaked, so that the stupid man had to throw it away, and thus reached home empty-handed; but the wise peasant kept his gold and became rich.
XVII
The Big Oven
Once upon a time a man had a big house, and in the house there was a big oven; but this man’s family was small—only himself and his wife.
When winter came, the man tried to keep his oven going; and in one month he burnt up all his firewood. He had nothing to feed the fire, and it was cold.
Then the man began to break up his fences, and use the boards for fuel. When he had burnt up all of his fences, the house, now without any protection against the wind, was colder than ever, and still they had no firewood.
Then the man began to tear down the ceiling of his house, and burn that in the oven.
A neighbor noticed that he was tearing down his ceiling, and said to him:—