“Hi,” said the fool, “that’s a good word.”

So down he sat and began to drink.  But it was wonderful how much liquor it took to moisten so much dust; and each time he got to the bottom of the pot he found he was still dry.  At last he began to feel very merry and pleased with himself.

“Hi, yi!” said he.  “I’ve got a real coat o’ clay now outside and in—­what a difference it do make, to be sure.  I feel another man now—­so smart.”

And he told the landlord he was certainly a wise man now, though he couldn’t speak over-distinctly after drinking so much.  So up he got, and thought he would go home and tell his mother she hadn’t a fool for a son any more.

But just as he was trying to get through the inn-door which would scarcely keep still long enough for him to find it, up came the landlord and caught him by the sleeve.

“See here, master,” said he, “thou hasn’t paid for thy score—­where’s thy money?”

“Haven’t any!” said the fool, and pulled out his pockets to show they were empty.

“What!” said the landlord, and swore; “thou ’st drunk all my liquor and haven’t got nought to pay for it with!”

“Hi!” said the fool.  “You told me to drink so as to get a coat o’ clay; but as I’m a wise man now I don’t mind helping thee along in the world a bit, for though I’m a smart fellow I’m not too proud to my friends.”

“Wise man! smart fellow!” said the landlord, “and help me along, wilt thee?  Dang it! thou ’rt the biggest fool I ever saw, and it’s I’ll help thee first—­out o’ this!”

And he kicked him out of the door into the road and swore at him.

“Hum,” said the fool, as he lay in the dust, “I’m not so wise as I thought.  I guess I’ll go back to the wise woman and tell her there’s a screw loose somewhere.”

So up he got and went along to her house, and found her sitting at the door.

“So thou ’rt come back,” said she, with a nod.  “What dost thou want with me now?”

So he sat down and told her how he’d tried to get a coat o’ clay, and he wasn’t any wiser for all of it.

“No,” said the wise woman, “thou ’rt a bigger fool than ever, my lad.”

“So they all say,” sighed the fool; “but where can I get the right sort of coat o’ clay, then, missis?”

“When thou ’rt done with this world, and thy folk put thee in the ground,” said the wise woman.  “That’s the only coat o’ clay as ’ll make such as thee wise, lad.  Born a fool, die a fool, and be a fool thy life long, and that’s the truth!”

And she went into the house and shut the door.

“Dang it,” said the fool.  “I must tell my mother she was right after all, and that she’ll never have a wise man for a son!”

And he went off home.

The Three Cows