26 LUCKY HANS

I

Hans had been away from home for seven years. He had worked hard, and now he wanted to go home to see his mother.

His master said to him, “You have been a good boy. You may go home, Hans. You have worked hard, and I will pay you well.”

So he gave Hans a piece of silver as big as his head.

“How lucky I am! ”said Hans. He tied up the silver in a big cloth and put it over his shoulder. Then he started for home.

It was a hot day, and the silver began to feel heavy. Hans soon got very tired.

By and by he saw a man coming down the road. He was riding on a fine horse.

The man was so happy that he sang a song as he rode along.

“Oh, dear! ”said Hans. “How tired I am! This silver is so heavy that it hurts my shoulder. I wish I had a horse! Then I could be happy, too, and sing as I rode along. If I only had a fine horse! ”

The man heard Hans. “Why do you go on foot, then? ”he asked.

“I go on foot because I have no horse, ”said Hans, “I have such a heavy load! It is only a piece of silver, but it is so heavy that it hurts my shoulder.”

“Let us trade, ”said the man, “I will take the silver, and you may take the horse. When you want to go fast, pull the reins and say, ‘Get up! ' ”

“I shall be glad to trade.”said Hans.

So the man took the silver, and Hans got on the horse. “How lucky I am! ”he said. Away he rode on his horse.

Soon he wanted to go faster. He pulled the reins and said,“Get up! ”Away went the horse, faster and faster. Away went Hans, too, off the horse. The horse ran away as fast as he could go.

II

Just then another man came along. This man was driving a cow. He caught the horse and brought it back to Hans.

“How do you feel? ”asked the man.

“Oh, I had a hard fall, ”said Hans, “No more horses for me! I wish I had your cow. I could walk slowly after her along the sunny road. I could have nice, rich milk every day.”

“Let us trade, ”said the man, “You take the cow, and I will take the horse.”

“I shall be glad to trade.”said Hans.

Hans clapped his hands for joy. “How lucky I am! ”he said.

The man got on the horse and rode away. Hans drove the cow slowly along the road. He walked on and on and on until he got very tired.

He got thirsty, too, oh, so thirsty! “I know what to do, ”said Hans, “I will milk my cow and drink the milk.”

So he tied the cow to a tree. Then he tried to milk her, but he could not get a drop of milk.

He tried and tried until the cow got very cross. At last she kicked Hans, and over he went in the dust.

Hans lay on the ground a long time. At last a butcher came along the road. He had a pig in a wheelbarrow.

“What happened to you, my boy? ”asked the man. Hans told him. “That cow will give no milk, ”said the butcher, “She is an old cow. She must be killed for beef.”

“Oh, dear! ”said Hans, “I don't like beef. I wish I had a pig. Then I could kill it and eat it. I like pork better.”

“Let us trade, ”said the butcher, “You take the pig, and I will take the cow.”

“How lucky I am! ”said Hans. He gave the cow to the butcher. Then he took the pig, and tied a string around its leg.

Off he went, driving the pig. “Now my troubles are over, ”he said.

By and by he met a man carrying a goose. “Where are you going? ”asked the man.

Hans told him about the horse and the cow. “Now I have a fine pig.”said Hans.

The man shook his head. “I am sorry for you, my boy, ”he said, “Your pig may get you into trouble. Do you see that little town over there? It is on your way.

“A pig has been stolen there and they are looking for the thief. They will see this pig and will think it is the stolen pig. Then they will throw you into the pond.”

This frightened Hans very much. “Let us trade, ”he said,“You take the pig, and I will take the goose.”

“Very well, ”said the man. So they made the trade.

“How lucky I am to get rid of that pig! ”said Hans, as he walked along, carrying the big white goose.

III

When he got to the little town, he saw a scissors-grinder working and singing.

“You look happy.”said Hans.

“I am happy, ”said the man, “A good scissors-grinder always has money in his pocket. Where did you buy that fine goose? ”

“I did not buy it, ”said Hans, “I traded a pig for it.”

“Where did you buy the pig? ”asked the scissors-grinder.

“I did not buy it, either, ”answered Hans, “I traded a cow for it.”

“Where did you get the cow? ”asked the scissors-grinder.

“I traded a horse for it, ”answered Hans, “Where did you get the horse? ”asked the scissors-grinder.

“I traded a piece of silver for the horse, ”answered Hans, “The piece of silver was too heavy for me to carry.”

“Where did you get the silver? ”asked the scissors-grinder.

“Oh, I worked seven long years for that.”answered Hans.

“You have done well, ”said the scissors grinder, “but you can do better. You can always find money in your pocket.”

“How can I do that? ”asked Hans.

“You must be a scissors-grinder, ”said the man, “All you need is a grindstone.”

“Let us trade, ”said Hans, “You take the goose, and I will take the grindstone.”

“I am willing.”said the scissors-grinder.

So they made the trade.

“How lucky I am! ”said Hans as the scissors-grinder went off with the goose.

Hans took the grindstone and walked on and on and on until he got very tired.

By and by he came to a pond. “How thirsty I am! ”said Hans. He put the grindstone on the bank and stooped down to get drink.

Just then the grindstone fell over, and into the pond it went.

Hans watched it go down, down into the water until he could see it no longer. Now he had no grindstone to carry.

Hans was as happy as he could be. “How lucky I am! ”he said, “No one was ever so lucky as I.”

Then he went on to his mother's house.

(Old Tale)

Word list

pay: to give money to

trade: to give something to someone else in return fro another thing

reins: a strap fastened to an animal so that the rider can control it

scissors-grinder: a person whose job it is to keep scissors sharp

grindstone: a rock used for keeping tools sharp

stooped: bent over

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) How long had Hans been working for his master?

2) Why did the master give Hans a large piece of silver?

3) Why did Hans work such a long time away from his mother?

4) For what did Hans trade the piece of silver?

5) Why did Hans fall off the horse?

6) Why did Hans feel lucky when the grindstone fell into the pond?

7) Do you think Hans is really lucky? Why or why not?

B) Rhyme time—Find words in the story that rhyme with these ones.

1) course - h _ _ _ _

2) mine - f _ _ _

3) real - f _ _ _

4) boss - c _ _ _ _

5) must - d _ _ _

C) True or false? Read these sentences carefully. Write true or false for each one.

1) _____ Hans gave the silver to his mother.

2) _____ Hans rode the horse to his mother's house.

3) _____ Hans was sad when the grindstone fell into the pond.

4) _____ Hans became a scissors-grinder.

5) _____ Hans felt unlucky at the end of the story.