Now it very soon appeared that the goldsmith had a lot of extra money , so that people began to ask questions , and finally demanded of him the reason for his sudden wealth . ` Oh , ' said he , ` my wife died , and I sold her . ' ` You sold your dead wife ? ' cried the people . ` Yes , ' said the goldsmith . ` For how much ? ' ' A thousand gold pieces , ' replied the goldsmith . Instantly the villagers went away and each caught hold of his own wife and throttled her , and the next day they all went off to sell their dead wives . Many a weary mile did they tramp , but got nothing but hard words or laughter , or directions to the nearest cemetery , from people to whom they offered dead wives for sale . At last they perceived that they had been cheated somehow by that goldsmith . So off they rushed home , seized the unhappy man , and , without listening to his cries and entreaties , hurried him down to the river bank and flung him -- plop ! -- into the deepest , weediest , and nastiest place they could find . ` That will teach him to play tricks on us , ' said they . ` For as he ca n't swim he 'll drown , and we sha 'n' t have any more trouble with him ! ' Now the goldsmith really could not swim , and as soon as he was thrown into the deep river he sank below the surface ; so his enemies went away believing that they had seen the last of him . But , in reality , he was carried down , half drowned , below the next bend in the river , where he fortunately came across a ` snag ' floating in the water -LRB- a snag is , you know , a part of a tree or bush which floats very nearly under the surface of the water -RRB- ; and he held on to this snag , and by great good luck eventually came ashore some two or three miles down the river . At the place where he landed he came across a fine fat cow buffalo , and immediately he jumped on her back and rode home . When the village people saw him , they ran out in surprise , and said : ` Where on earth do you come from , and where did you get that buffalo ? ' ` Ah ! ' said the goldsmith , ` you little know what delightful adventures I have had !
Why , down in that place XXXXX the river where you threw me in I found meadows , and trees , and fine pastures , and buffaloes , and all kinds of cattle .
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