is as much as I'll pay."

So the laborer's wife sold the hen for three pennies. She went on to the
village and there she bought a pretty little paper bag with one of the
pennies and a piece of ribbon with another penny. She put the third
penny into the bag, tied the bag with the ribbon, slipped the ribbon on
a stick, put the stick over her shoulder, and then, feeling that she had
done a very good day's work, she tramped home to her husband.

When the laborer heard how stupidly his wife had acted, he flew into a
great rage and at first threatened to give her a sound beating.

"Was there ever such a foolish woman in the world?" he shouted angrily.

The poor woman, who by this time was snuffling and weeping, whimpered
out:

"I don't see why you find so much fault with me! I'm sure I'm not the
only gullible person in the world."

"Well," the laborer said, "I don't know. Perhaps there are people in the
world as gullible as you. I tell you what I'll do: I'll go out and see
if I can find them. If I do, I won't beat you."

So the laborer went out into the world to see if he could find any one
as gullible as his wife. He traveled several days until he reached a
countryside where he was unknown. Here he came to a fine castle at the
window of which stood the lady of the castle looking out.

"Now then, my lady," the laborer said to himself, "we'll see how
gullible you are."

He stood in the middle of the road, looked intently up at the sky, and
then reaching out his arms as if he were trying to catch hold of
something he began jumping up and down.

The lady of the castle watched him for a few moments and then dispatched
one of her servants to ask him what he was doing. The servant hurried
out and questioned him and this is the story the clever rascal made up:

"I'm trying to jump back into heaven. You see I live up there. I was
wrestling up there with one of my comrades and he pitched me out and now
I can't find the hole I fell through."

With his eyes popping out of his head, the servant hurried back to his
mistress and repeated the laborer's story word for word.

The lady of the castle instantly sent for the laborer.

"You say you were in heaven?" she asked him.

"Yes, my lady, that's where I live and I'm going back at once."

"I have a dear son in heaven," the lady said. "Do you know him?"

"Of course I know him. The last time I saw him he was sitting far back
in the chimney corner looking very sad and lonely.