“In the load of hay.”

“Then you have behaved stupidly, Hans; you should put needles on your coat sleeve.”

“To behave better, do nothing at all,” thought Hans.

“Whither are you going, Hans?”

“To Grethel’s, mother.”

“Behave well, Hans.”

“I will take care; good-bye mother.”

“Good-bye, Hans.”

Hans came to Grethel.  “Good day,” said he.

“Good day, Hans.  What treasure do you bring?”

“I bring nothing.  Have you anything to give?”

Grethel gave Hans a knife.

“Good-bye, Grethel.”

“Good-bye, Hans.”

Hans took the knife, put it in his sleeve and went home.

“Good evening, mother.”

“Good evening, Hans.  Where have you been?”

“To Grethel’s.”

“And what did you take to her?”

“I took nothing; she has given something to me.”

“And what did she give you?”

“A knife,” said Hans.

“And where have you put it?”

“In my sleeve.”

“Then you have behaved foolishly again, Hans; you should put knives in your pocket.”

“To behave better, do nothing at all,” thought Hans.

“Whither are you going, Hans?”

“To Grethel’s, mother.”

“Behave well, Hans.”

“I will take care; good-bye, mother.”

“Good-bye, Hans.”

Hans came to Grethel.  “Good day, Grethel.”

“Good day, Hans.  What treasure do you bring?”

“I bring nothing; have you anything to give?”

Grethel gave Hans a young goat.

“Good-bye, Grethel.”

“Good-bye, Hans.”

Hans took the goat, tied its legs and put it in his pocket.  Just as he reached home it was suffocated.

“Good evening, mother.”

“Good evening, Hans.  Where have you been?”

“To Grethel’s.”

“And what did you take to her?”

“I took nothing; she gave to me.”

“And what did Grethel give you?”

“A goat.”

“Where did you put it, Hans?”

“In my pocket.”

“There you acted stupidly, Hans; you should have tied the goat with a rope.”

“To behave better, do nothing,” thought Hans.

“Whither away, Hans?”

“To Grethel’s, mother.”

“Behave well, Hans.”

“I will take care; good-bye, mother.”

“Good-bye, Hans.”

Hans came to Grethel.  “Good day,” said he.

“Good day, Hans.  What treasure do you bring?”

“I have nothing.  Have you anything to give?”

Grethel gave Hans a piece of bacon.

“Good-bye, Grethel.”

“Good-bye, Hans.”

Hans took the bacon, tied it with a rope, and swung it to and fro, so that the dogs came and ate it up.  When he reached home he held the rope in his hand, but there was nothing on it.