In payment the old man gave him a nut , and offered to keep him for another year ; but Peter was home-sick ; and , besides , he would rather have been paid ever so small a piece of money than a nut ; for , thought he , nuts grow on every tree , and I can gather as many as I like . However , he did not say this to the old man , who had been kind to him , but just bade him farewell . The nearer Peter drew to his father 's house the more ashamed he felt at having brought back such poor wages . What could one nut do for him ? Why , it would not buy even a slice of bacon . It was no use taking it home , he might as well eat it . So he sat down on a stone and cracked it with his teeth , and then took it out of his mouth to break off the shell . But who could ever guess what came out of that nut ? Why , horses and oxen and sheep stepped out in such numbers that they seemed as if they would stretch to the world 's end ! The sight gave Peter such a shock that he wrung his hands in dismay . What was he to do with all these creatures , where was he to put them ? He stood and gazed in terror , and at this moment Eisenkopf came by . ` What is the matter , young man ? ' asked he . ` Oh , my friend , there is plenty the matter , ' answered Peter . ' I have gained a nut as my wages , and when I cracked it this crowd of beasts came out , and I do n't know what to do with them all ! ' ` Listen to me , my son , ' said Eisenkopf . ` If you will promise never to marry I will drive them all back into the nut again . ' In his trouble Peter would have promised far harder things than this , so he gladly gave the promise Eisenkopf asked for ; and at a whistle from the stranger the animals all began crowding into the nut again , nearly tumbling over each other in their haste . When the last foot had got inside , the two halves of the shell shut close .
Then XXXXX put it in his pocket and went on to the house .
Eisenkopf Peter home home-sick numbers oxen sight son wages year