there
will come so much sunshine that the hail will melt away. If you prick
the red side then there will come out of it such fire, with sparks and
crackling, that no one will be able to look at it. You may also get
whatever you will by means of this point and stone, and they will come
of themselves back to your hand when you call them. I can give you no
more of such gifts."

Thorston then thanked the dwarf for his presents, and returned to his
men; and it was better for him to have made that voyage than to have
stayed at home.

GUDBRAND.

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 th