This time, he was thoroughly satisfied.  The rooster, it is true, squawked from time to time, in a voice rather too hoarse to gratify most delicate ears; but as his claws had been tied together with twine and he was carried head downwards, he finally gave up and resigned himself to his fate.  The only unpleasant circumstance now remaining was that the day was rapidly drawing to a close.  Gudbrand, who had started before dawn, now found himself fasting, at sundown, without a farthing in his pocket.  He still had a long walk before him, and the good man felt that his legs were giving out and that his stomach craved refreshment.  Some bold step must be taken; and so, at the first wayside tavern, Gudbrand sold his rooster for a shilling, and as he had a raging appetite, he spent the last doit of it for his supper.

‘After all,’ said he, the while, ’what use would a rooster be to me, if I had to die of hunger?’

As he, at length, drew near his own dwelling, however, Gudbrand began to meditate seriously on the curious turn things had taken with him, and, before entering his home, he stopped at the door of Peter the Gray beard, as a neighbor of his was called in the surrounding country.

‘Well, neighbor,’ said Peter, ‘how have you prospered in the town?’

‘Oh! so, so,’ answered Gudbrand; ’I can’t say that I’ve been very lucky, nor have I much to complain of either;’ and he went on to tell all that had happened.

‘Neighbor, you’ve made a pretty mess of it!’ said Peter the Graybeard; ’you’ll have a nice time of it when you get home.  Heaven protect you from your dame!  I wouldn’t be in your shoes for ten crowns.’

‘Good!’ rejoined Gudbrand of the Hill; ’things might have turned out still worse for me; but, now, I’m quiet in my mind about it, for my wife is so clever that, right or wrong, no matter what I’ve done, well or ill, she’ll not say one word about it.’

‘I hear and admire your statement, neighbor,’ retorted Peter, ’but, with all respect for you, I do not believe a word of it.’

‘Will you lay a wager on it?’ said Gudbrand.  ’I have a hundred crowns in my drawer at home, and I’ll bet twenty of them against as many from you.’

‘Done, on the spot!’ replied Peter.  So, joining hands on it, the two friends entered Gudbrand’s house.  Peter stood back at the door to hear what the husband and wife would have to say.

‘Good evening, wife!’ said Gudbrand.  ‘Good evening, husband,’ said the good woman; ’you’ve come back, then, God be praised!  How did you fare all day?’

‘Neither well nor ill,’ replied Gudbrand.  When I got to the town, I could find no one there to buy our cow, and so I traded her off for a horse.’

‘For a horse!’ said the wife.  ’An excellent idea, and I thank you with all my heart.  We can go to church, then, in a wagon, like plenty of other folks who look down upon us, but are no better than we.  If we choose to keep a horse and can feed him, we have a right to do it, I suppose, for we ask no odds of anybody.  Where is the horse?  We must put him into the stable.’