And he fetched his youngest daughter , who seemed quite pleased at the proposed match , and gave the youth her hand . Then the young man went home to his parents , and bade them get ready to welcome his bride . And when the wedding was over he told his father-in-law , the herdsman , what he had done with the sheep , and pigs , and cattle . By-and-by the story came to the king 's ears , and he thought that a man who was so clever was just the man to govern the country ; so he made him his minister , and after the king himself there was no one so great as he . -LSB- From Islandische Mahrchen . -RSB- Eisenkopf Once upon a time there lived an old man who had only one son , whom he loved dearly ; but they were very poor , and often had scarcely enough to eat . Then the old man fell ill , and things grew worse than ever , so he called his son and said to him : ` My dear boy , I have no longer any food to give you , and you must go into the world and get it for yourself . It does not matter what work you do , but remember if you do it well and are faithful to your master , you will always have your reward . ' So Peter put a piece of black bread in his knapsack , and strapping it on his back , took a stout stick in his hand , and set out to seek his fortune . For a long while he travelled on and on , and nobody seemed to want him ; but one day he met an old man , and being a polite youth , he took off his hat and said : ` Good morning , ' in a pleasant voice . ` Good morning , ' answered the old man ; ` and where are you going ? ' ' I am wandering through the country trying to get work , ' replied Peter . ` Then stay with me , for I can give you plenty , ' said the old man , and Peter stayed . His work did not seem hard , for he had only two horses and a cow to see after , and though he had been hired for a year , the year consisted of but three days , so that it was not long before he received his wages . 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 XXXXX his teeth , and then took it out of his mouth to break off the shell .
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