an for
me, and you are doing nothing at all."

'Well, whatever happened after that, all the daughters and the
sons-in-law came back one time to the father's house to see him. And
after the dinner, the daughters were playing cards together, and the
sons-in-law were in another room with the father. And he asked the first
of them how did he like his wife. "Very well," says he, "I have no fault
to find with her, a very civil, obedient girl." The second son-in-law
said the same; and then the father said to the man that married the
hot-tempered one: "And what sort of an account have you to give of your
missus?" "Very good," he said. "If her sisters are civil and obedient,
she is three times more civil and obedient."

'They were surprised to hear him say that; and they said they would put
it to the proof. And the first husband went to the door and called to
his wife, "Come here a minute." "I can't come," says she; "I'm dealing
the cards." Then the second husband went and called to his wife that he
wanted her. "I can't come," says she; "I'm playing the game." Then the
third went and called to his wife; and she rose up and put down the
cards, and came out to him on the moment. "What were you doing when I
called you?" says he. "I was playing the game," says she.

'They all wondered when they heard that, and they asked what made her,
that was so hard to manage before, so quiet now.

'"I will tell you that," she said. And she told them the whole story of
the horse and the hound being shot, and the servants being treated
better than herself.

'And that's the end of my story.'

* * * * *

Then a young red-faced, one-eyed man was dragged forward, and he said:

'There was a farmer one time had met with great misfortunes; and at last
of all his stock he had nothing left but one cow. And when he saw his
children starving with the hunger, he made up his mind to sell the cow,
and he set out with her to the fair.

'And on the road he met a man that asked would he sell the cow. "I will
indeed; it's for that I'm going to the fair," says he. "Will you give
her to me for this bottle?" says the man, holding out a bottle to him.
"Do you know what my wife would do if I brought her home that bottle in
place of the cow?" said the farmer. "I do not," said the man. "She'd
break it on my head," said the farmer.

'Well, the man pressed him for a while; and at last he said the fair
might be a bad one, and maybe