sively delighted. With the
greatest speed they put on and smoothed down the pretty clothes,
singing:

"Now we're dressed so fine and neat,
Why cobble more for others' feet?"

Then they hopped and danced about, and leaped over chairs and tables
and out at the door. Henceforward, they came back no more, but the
shoemaker fared well as long as he lived, and had good luck in all his
undertakings.

* * * * *

HANS IN LUCK

Hans had served his master seven long years; so he said to him:
"Master, my time is out, and my wish is to return home to my mother:
give me, if you please, my reward."

The master answered: "Thou hast truly and faithfully served me; as the
service was, so shall the reward be." And he gave Hans a piece of gold
as big as his head.

Hans pulled out his handkerchief, wrapped up the lump of gold in it,
and, throwing it over his shoulder, made his way home. As he went
on his way, always putting one foot before the other, he met a man
galloping briskly along on a fine horse.

"Ah!" said Hans, quite aloud, "what a capital thing it is to ride!
There you sit as comfortably as in a chair, kicking against no stones,
saving your shoe-leather, and getting to your journey's end almost
without knowing it!"

The horseman, who heard this, pulled up and cried, "Hullo, Hans why do
you trudge on foot?"

"Because I must," answered he; "for I have this big lump to carry
home. It is real gold, you know; but, all the same, I can scarcely
hold up my head, it weighs so terribly on my shoulders."

"I'll tell you what," said the horseman: "we'll just exchange. I'll
give you my horse and you give me your lump of gold."

"With all my heart!" said Hans. "But I warn you, you'll have a job to
carry it."

The horseman dismounted, took the gold, and helped Hans up; and,
giving the bridle into his hand, said: "If you want him to go at full
speed, you must cluck with your tongue and cry 'C'ck! c'ck!'"

Hans was heartily delighted, as he sat on his horse and rode gaily
along.

After a while he fancied he would like to go faster, so he began to
cluck with his tongue and cry "C'ck! c'ck!" The horse broke into a
smart trot, and before Hans was aware he was thrown off--splash!--into
a ditch which divided the highway from the fields, and there he lay.
The horse, too, would have run away had it not been stopped by a
peasant, as he came along the road, driving his cow before him.

Han