` Yes , indeed , ' said the village elders , ` it is certainly the first time we have heard that hares thrive in the water or fish among the tree tops . ' The secretary could make nothing of it all , and drove back to the town . The old woman was so laughed at that she had to hold her tongue and obey her husband ever after , and the man bought wares with part of the treasure and moved into the town , where he opened a shop , and prospered , and spent the rest of his days in peace . TWO IN A SACK What a life that poor man led with his wife , to be sure ! Not a day passed without her scolding him and calling him names , and indeed sometimes she would take the broom from behind the stove and beat him with it . He had no peace or comfort at all , and really hardly knew how to bear it . One day , when his wife had been particularly unkind and had beaten him black and blue , he strolled slowly into the fields , and as he could not endure to be idle he spread out his nets . What kind of bird do you think he caught in his net ? He caught a crane , and the crane said , ` Let me go free , and I 'll show myself grateful . ' The man answered , ` No , my dear fellow . I shall take you home , and then perhaps my wife wo n't scold me so much . ' Said the crane : ` You had better come with me to my house , ' and so they went to the crane 's house . When they got there , what do you think the crane took from the wall ? He took down a sack , and he said : ` Two out of a sack ! ' Instantly two pretty lads sprang out of the sack . They brought in oak tables , which they spread with silken covers , and placed all sorts of delicious dishes and refreshing drinks on them . The man had never seen anything so beautiful in his life , and he was delighted . Then the crane said to him , ` Now take this sack to your wife . ' The man thanked him warmly , took the sack , and set out . His home was a good long way off , and as it was growing dark , and he was feeling tired , he stopped to rest at his cousin 's house by the way .
The cousin had three daughters , who laid out a tempting supper , but the man would eat nothing , and said XXXXX his cousin , ` Your supper is bad . '
as at in into off on so to with without