the brothers Grimm original stories

the good bargain

There was once a peasant who had driven his cow to the fair, and sold

her for seven talers. On the way home he had to pass a pond, and

already from afar he heard the frogs crying, aik, aik, aik, aik.

Well, said he to himself, they are talking without rhyme or reason,

it is seven that I have received, not eight. When he got to the

water, he cried to them, stupid animals that you are. Don't you know

better than that. It is seven thalers and not eight. The frogs,

however, stuck to their, aik aik, aik, aik. Come, then, if you won't

believe it, I can count it out to you. And he took his money out of

his pocket and counted out the seven talers, always reckoning four

and twenty groschen to a taler. The frogs, however, paid no

attention to his reckoning, but still cried, aik, aik, aik, aik.

What, cried the peasant, quite angry, if you know better than I,

count it yourselves, and threw all the money at them into the water.

He stood still and wanted to wait until they were through and had

returned to him what was his, but the frogs maintained their opinion

and cried continually, aik, aik, aik, aik. And besides that, did not

throw the money out again. He still waited a long while until

evening came on and he was forced to go home. Then he abused the

frogs and cried, you water-splashers, you thick-heads, you

goggle-eyes, you have great mouths and can screech till you hurt

one's ears, but you cannot count seven talers. Do you think I'm

going to stand here till you get through. And with that he went

away, but the frogs still cried, aik, aik, aik, aik, after him till

he went home sorely vexed. After a while he bought another cow, which

he slaughtered, and he made the calculation that if he sold the meat

well he might gain as much as the two cows were worth, and have the

hide into the bargain. When therefore he got to the town with the

meat, a great pack of dogs were gathered together in front of the

gate, with a large greyhound at the head of them, which jumped at the

meat, sniffed at it, and barked, wow, wow, wow. As there was no

stopping him, the peasant said to him, yes, yes, I know quite well

that you are saying wow, wow, wow, because you want some of the meat,

but I should be in a fine state if I were to give it to you. The

dog, however, answered nothing but wow, wow. Will you promise not to

devour it all then, and will you go bail for your companions. Wow,

wow, wow, said the dog. Well, if you insist on it, I will leave it

for you, I know you well, and know whom you serve, but this I tell