Asbjoernsen’s literary power was of no mean merit, and his work not only found immediate acceptance in his own country, but has been widely translated into the other languages of Europe.  Norwegian literature in particular owes him a debt of gratitude, for he was the first to point out the direction of the subsequent national development.

GUDBRAND OF THE MOUNTAIN-SIDE

There was once a man named Gudbrand, who had a farm which lay on the side of a mountain, whence he was called Gudbrand of the Mountain-side.  He and his wife lived in such harmony together, and were so well matched, that whatever the husband did, seemed to the wife so well done that it could not be done better; let him therefore act as he might, she was equally well pleased.

They owned a plot of ground, and had a hundred dollars lying at the bottom of a chest, and in the stall two fine cows.  One day the woman said to Gudbrand:—­

“I think we might as well drive one of the cows to town, and sell it; we should then have a little pocket-money:  for such respectable persons as we are ought to have a few shillings in hand as well as others.  The hundred dollars at the bottom of the chest we had better not touch; but I do not see why we should keep more than one cow:  besides, we shall be somewhat the gainers; for instead of two cows, I shall have only one to milk and look after.”

These words Gudbrand thought both just and reasonable; so he took the cow and went to the town in order to sell it:  but when he came there, he could not find any one who wanted to buy a cow.

“Well!” thought Gudbrand, “I can go home again with my cow:  I have both stall and collar for her, and it is no farther to go backwards than forwards.”  So saying, he began wandering home again.

When he had gone a little way, he met a man who had a horse he wished to sell, and Gudbrand thought it better to have a horse than a cow, so he exchanged with the man.  Going a little further still, he met a man driving a fat pig before him; and thinking it better to have a fat pig than a horse, he made an exchange with him also.  A little further on he met a man with a goat.  “A goat,” thought he, “is always better to have than a pig;” so he made an exchange with the owner of the goat.  He now walked on for an hour, when he met a man with a sheep; with him he exchanged his goat:  “for,” thought he, “it is always better to have a sheep than a goat.”  After walking some way again, meeting a man with a goose, he changed away the sheep for the goose; then going on a long way, he met a man with a cock, and thought to himself, “It is better to have a cock than a goose,” and so gave his goose for the cock.  Having walked on till the day was far gone, and beginning to feel hungry, he sold the cock for twelve shillings, and bought some food; “for,” thought he, “it is better to support life than to carry back the cock.”  After this he continued his way homeward till he reached the house of his nearest neighbor, where he called in.