There was once upon a time a man who was called Gudbrand.  He had a farm which lay far away on a hill, and he was therefore known as Gudbrand of the Hillside.  He and his wife lived so happily together, and were so well matched, that do what the man would his wife was well pleased, thinking nothing in the world could be better.  Whatever he did she was satisfied.  The farm was their own, and they had a hundred dollars which lay in a box, and in the stall they had two cows.

One day the woman said to Gudbrand.

“I think it would be well to take one of the cows to town and sell it, and so we shall have some money at hand.  We are such fine folk that we ought to have a little ready money, as other people have.  As for the hundred dollars which lie in the chest, we must not make a hole in them, but I do not see why we should keep more than one cow.  We shall, too, gain something, for I shall then have only to look after one cow, instead of having to litter and feed two.”

This Gudbrand thought was right and reasonable, so he took the cow, and set off to town to sell it.  When he arrived there he could find no one who would buy the beast.

“Well, well,” said he, “I can go home again with the cow.  I have stall and litter for her, and the road home is no longer than the road here.”

So he began to go homewards again.

When he had gone a little distance he met a man who had a horse he wanted to sell.  So Gudbrand thought it was better to have a horse than a cow, and exchanged with him.  He went on a bit further, and met a man walking along driving a fat pig before him, and he thought it would be better to have a fat pig than a horse.  So he exchanged with the man.  He went on a bit further, and met a man with a goat.  A goat, he thought, was better than a pig.  So he exchanged with him.  He went on a good bit further till he met a man who had a sheep, and he exchanged with him, for he thought a sheep was always better than a goat.  He went on again, and met a man with a goose.  So he exchanged the sheep for the goose.  Then he went a long, long way, and met a man with a cock.  So he gave the goose for the cock, for he thought to himself—­

“It is better to have a cock than a goose.”

He walked on till late in the day, and then as he was getting hungry he sold the cock for twelve shillings, and bought something to eat, for, thought Gudbrand of the Hillside—­

“It is better to save one’s life than have a cock.”

Then he walked on homeward till he came to the house of his nearest neighbour, and there he looked in.

“Well, how did you get on at the town?” asked the neighbour.

“Only so and so,” said the man.  “I cannot say I have had good or bad luck,” and then he began and told them all that had happened.

“Well,” said the neighbour, “you will catch it when you get home to your wife.  Heaven help you!  I would not stand in your shoes.”