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244 "Why should I walk until my life's end behind the plough? Surely, I can somewhere else and more easily make my fortune."

He left off working, shut up the plough, and drove home.

"Father," he said, "I don't like the peasant's work. I would rather learn to be a gardener."

The father said,—"What's the matter with you, Vanek? Have you lost your senses?" But after a moment's thought he added, "Well, if you like to be a gardener, then learn it by all means; your brother shall inherit the hut after me."

Vanek lost the hut, but he did not care about that; he went to the king's gardener to be taught the art of gardening. The gardener did not teach him much, and yet Vanek learnt the business very quickly. In a short time he ceased to ask the gardener for instruction, but did everything according to his own idea. At first the gardener was angry, but when he saw that everything went better than before, he was satisfied. "I see," he said, "you are wiser than I am." He then allowed Vanek to garden just as he liked.

In a short time Vanek improved the garden so much that the king was greatly pleased with it, and often