ged his shoulders as if he
could not believe his own eyes.

'Now what are you standing there for, stupid?' cried his wife. 'Take up
the hare. A nice fat hare is a dinner for a feast day.'

The old man caught up the hare, and they drove on to the place where the
treasure was buried. They swept the twigs away, dug up the earth, took
out the pot, and drove home again with it.

And now the old couple had plenty of money and were cheery and
comfortable. But the wife was very foolish. Every day she asked a lot
of people to dinner and feasted them, till her husband grew quite
impatient. He tried to reason with her, but she would not listen.

'You've got no right to lecture me!' said she. 'We found the treasure
together, and together we will spend it.'

Her husband took patience, but at length he said to her: 'You may do as
you please, but I sha'n't give you another penny.'

The old woman was very angry. 'Oh, what a good-for-nothing fellow to
want to spend all the money himself! But just wait a bit and see what I
shall do.'

Off she went to the governor to complain of her husband.

'Oh, my lord, protect me from my husband! Ever since he found the
treasure there is no bearing him. He only eats and drinks, and won't
work, and he keeps all the money to himself.'

The governor took pity on the woman, and ordered his chief secretary to
look into the matter.

The secretary called the elders of the village together, and went with
them to the man's house.

'The governor,' said he, 'desires you to give all that treasure you
found into my care.'

The man shrugged his shoulders and said: 'What treasure? I know nothing
about a treasure.'

'How? You know nothing? Why your wife has complained of you. Don't
attempt to tell lies. If you don't hand over all the money at once you
will be tried for daring to raise treasure without giving due notice to
the governor about it.'

'Pardon me, your excellency, but what sort of treasure was it supposed
to have been? My wife must have dreamt of it, and you gentlemen have
listened to her nonsense.'

'Nonsense, indeed,' broke in his wife. 'A kettle full of gold and
silver, do you call that nonsense?'

'You are not in your right mind, dear wife. Sir, I beg your pardon. Ask
her how it all happened, and if she convinces you I'll pay for it with
my life.'

'This is how it all happened, Mr. Secretary,' cried the wife. 'We
were driving through the forest, and we saw a pike up in the top of