Page:Danish fairy and folk tales.djvu/104

 fish, his wife wished him to go and buy some. He answered, however, that they might procure some much more easily: she must give him her winnowing-trough and her bale. Upon this the troll and his wife seated themselves in the trough and put to sea. When they had arrived at a short distance from the shore the troll asked: "Are my eyes green?" "No," answered his wife, "not yet." When they had proceeded a little farther he repeated his question. "Yes," answered she; "now they are green." The troll immediately jumped into the water and baled so many fish out of the sea into the trough that soon it could hold no more. When they had landed, the whole company had a hearty meal. The troll finally gave his father-in-law three sacks filled with money, and with these he started home.

When he had almost reached his house, he thought once more of the cow. Placing the sacks of money on the ground, and his wooden shoes on top of them, to prevent their being stolen, he hastened to his house, asking if the cow were still alive. In the mean time, however, the same thief that had been there before had his eye upon the money. He stole it all, leaving the wooden shoes behind him. When the couple came out for the sacks and found nothing but this pair of old shoes, the wife scolded at a great rate. Her husband remained quiet, however, saying only: "Never mind the money! I have learned a good lesson." "What did you learn?" asked she; "it would be well worth