“I think things might have been much worse,” said Gudbrand of the Hillside; “but whether things have gone well or badly, I have such a gentle wife that she never says anything, do what I will.”

“Ah,” said the neighbour, “I hear what you say, but I don’t believe it.”

“Shall we make a bet?” said Gudbrand.  “I have a hundred dollars lying at home in a chest, will you lay as much?”

The neighbour was willing, so the bet was made.  They waited till evening, and then set out for Gudbrand’s house.  The neighbour stood outside the door, while Gudbrand went inside to his wife.

“Good evening,” said Gudbrand, when he was inside.

“Good evening,” said his wife.  “Heaven be praised.  Is it you?”

Yes, it was he.  His wife then asked him how things went at the town.

“Oh, but so-so,” said Gudbrand, “not much to boast of.  When I came to the town I could find no one to buy the cow, so I exchanged it for a horse.”

“Thanks for that!” said the wife; “we are such fine folk that we can ride to church the same as other people, and as we can keep a horse we might as well have one.  Go and put the horse up, children.”

“But,” said Gudbrand, “I have not got the horse.  After I had gone a bit further I exchanged it for a pig.”

“Well, well,” said his wife, “that was good.  I should have done the same.  Thanks for that! now I shall have meat in the house to put before folk when they come to see me.  What could we do with a horse?  People would only have said that we had got too proud to walk to church.  Go along, children, and put the pig in the sty.”

“But I have not got the pig either,” said Gudbrand.  “When I had gone on a bit further I exchanged it for a milch goat.”

“Bless me,” said the wife, “you do everything well!  When I think of it, what could we have done with a pig?  Folk would only have said we eat up all we had.  Now we have a goat we shall have milk and cheese, and we shall have the goat too.  Run, children, and put up the goat.”

“But I have not got the goat,” said Gudbrand.  “I went on a bit, and exchanged it for a fine sheep.”

“Well,” said the wife, “you have done just what I should have wished—­just as if I had done it myself.  What did we want a goat for?  I should have had to go over hill and dale after it.  Now we have a sheep I shall have wool and clothes in the house, and food as well.  Go, children, and put up the sheep.”

“But I have not got the sheep either,” said Gudbrand.  “I went on a while, and then I exchanged it for a goose.”

“You shall have thanks for that,” said the wife, “many thanks!  What would we have done with a sheep?  I have no spinning-wheel nor distaff, and I should not care to bother about making clothes.  We can buy clothes, as we have always done.  Now we shall have roast goose, which I have so often wished for, and I shall be able to stuff my little pillow with the down.  Go and bring in the goose, children.”