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1872
FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN
WHAT　THE　OLD　MAN　DOES　IS　ALWAYS　RIGHT
by　Hans　Christian　Andersen
　
I　WILL　tell　you　a　story　that　was　told　me　when　I　was　a　little
boy。　Every　time　I　thought　of　this　story；　it　seemed　to　me　more　and　more　charming；　for　it　is　with　stories　as　it　is　with　many　people…　they
become　better　as　they　grow　older。

I　have　no　doubt　that　you　have　been　in　the　country；　and　seen　a　very
old　farmhouse；　with　a　thatched　roof；　and　mosses　and　small　plants
growing　wild　upon　it。　There　is　a　stork's　nest　on　the　ridge　of　the
gable；　for　we　cannot　do　without　the　stork。　The　walls　of　the　house
are　sloping；　and　the　windows　are　low；　and　only　one　of　the　latter　is
made　to　open。　The　baking…oven　sticks　out　of　the　wall　like　a　great
knob。　An　elder…tree　hangs　over　the　palings；　and　beneath　its
branches；　at　the　foot　of　the　paling；　is　a　pool　of　water；　in　which　a
few　ducks　are　disporting　themselves。　There　is　a　yard…dog　too；　who
barks　at　all　corners。　Just　such　a　farmhouse　as　this　stood　in　a　country
lane；　and　in　it　dwelt　an　old　couple；　a　peasant　and　his　wife。　Small
as　their　possessions　were；　they　had　one　article　they　could　not　do
without；　and　that　was　a　horse；　which　contrived　to　live　upon　the
grass　which　it　found　by　the　side　of　the　high　road。　The　old　peasant
rode　into　the　town　upon　this　horse；　and　his　neighbors　often　borrowed
it　of　him；　and　paid　for　the　loan　of　it　by　rendering　some　service　to
the　old　couple。　After　a　time　they　thought　it　would　be　as　well　to
sell　the　horse；　or　exchange　it　for　something　which　might　be　more
useful　to　them。　But　what　might　this　something　be？

〃You'll　know　best；　old　man；〃　said　the　wife。　〃It　is　fair…day
to…day；　so　ride　into　town；　and　get　rid　of　the　horse　for　money；　or　make
a　good　exchange；　whichever　you　do　will　be　right　to　me；　so　ride　to　the
fair。〃

And　she　fastened　his　neckerchief　for　him；　for　she　could　do　that
better　than　he　could；　and　she　could　also　tie　it　very　prettily　in　a
double　bow。　She　also　smoothed　his　hat　round　and　round　with　the　palm　of　her　hand；　and　gave　him　a　kiss。　Then　he　rode　away　upon　the　horse　that　was　to　be　sold　or　bartered　for　something　else。　Yes；　the　old　man　knew　what　he　was　about。　The　sun　shone　with　great　heat；　and　not　a　cloud　was　to　be　seen　in　the　sky。　The　road　was　very　dusty；　for　a　number　of　people；　all　going　to　the　fair；　were　driving；　riding；　or　walking　upon　it。　There　was　no　shelter　anywhere　from　the　hot　sunshine。　
Among　the　rest　a　man　came　trudging　along；　and　driving　a　cow　to　the　fair。　The　cow　was　as　beautiful　a　creature　as　any　cow　could　be。

〃She　gives　good　milk；　I　am　certain；〃　said　the　peasant　to
himself。　〃That　would　be　a　very　good　exchange：　the　cow　for　the　horse。
Hallo　there！　you　with　the　cow；〃　he　said。　〃I　tell　you　what；　I　dare
say　a　horse　is　of　more　value　than　a　cow；　but　I　don't　care　for　that；…　a
cow　will　be　more　useful　to　me；　so；　if　you　like；　we'll　exchange。〃

〃To　be　sure　I　will；〃　said　the　man。

Accordingly　the　exchange　was　made；　and　as　the　matter　was
settled；　the　peasant　might　have　turned　back；　for　he　had　done　the
business　he　came　to　do。　But；　having　made　up　his　mind　to　go　to　the
fair；　he　determined　to　do　so；　if　only　to　have　a　look　at　it；　so　on　he
went　to　the　town　with　his　cow。　Leading　the　animal；　he　strode　on
sturdily；　and；　after　a　short　time；　overtook　a　man　who　was　driving　a
sheep。　It　was　a　good　fat　sheep；　with　a　fine　fleece　on　its　back。
〃I　should　like　to　have　that　fellow；〃　said　the　peasant　to
himself。　〃There　is　plenty　of　grass　for　him　by　our　palings；　and　in
the　winter　we　could　keep　him　in　the　room　with　us。　Perhaps　it　would
be　more　profitable　to　have　a　sheep　than　a　cow。　Shall　I　exchange？〃
The　man　with　the　sheep　was　quite　ready；　and　the　bargain　was
quickly　made。　And　then　our　peasant　continued　his　way　on　the
high…road　with　his　sheep。　Soon　after　this；　he　overtook　another　man；
who　had　come　into　the　road　from　a　field；　and　was　carrying　a　large
goose　under　his　arm。

〃What　a　heavy　creature　you　have　there！〃　said　the　peasant；　〃it
has　plenty　of　feathers　and　plenty　of　fat；　and　would　look　well　tied
to　a　string；　or　paddling　in　the　water　at　our　place。　That　would　be　very
useful　to　my　old　woman；　she　could　make　all　sorts　of　profits　out　of　it。
How　often　she　has　said；　'If　now　we　only　had　a　goose！'　Now　here　is　an　opportunity；　and；　if　possible；　I　will　get　it　for　her。　Shall　we
exchange？　I　will　give　you　my　sheep　for　your　goose；　and　thanks　into　the　bargain。〃

The　other　had　not　the　least　objection；　and　accordingly　the
exchange　was　made；　and　our　peasant　became　possessor　of　the　goose。　By　this　time　he　had　arrived　very　near　the　town。　The　crowd　on　the　high　road　had　been　gradually　increasing；　and　there　was　quite　a　rush　of　men　and　cattle。　The　cattle　walked　on　the　path　and　by　the　palings；　and　at　the　turnpike…gate　they　even　walked　into　the　toll…keeper's　potato…field；　where　one　fowl　was　strutting　about　with　a　string　tied　to　its　leg；　for　fear　it　should　take　fright　at　the　crowd；　and　run　away　and　get　lost。　The　tail…feathers　of　the　fowl　were　very　short；　and　it　winked　with　both　its　eyes；　and　looked　very　cunning；　as　it　said　〃Cluck；
cluck。〃　What　were　the　thoughts　of　the　fowl　as　it　said　this　I　cannot
tell　you；　but　directly　our　good　man　saw　it；　he　thought；　〃Why　that's
the　finest　fowl　I　ever　saw　in　my　life；　it's　finer　than　our　parson's
brood　hen；　upon　my　word。　I　should　like　to　have　that　fowl。　Fowls　can
always　pick　up　a　few　grains　that　lie　about；　and　almost　keep
themselves。　I　think　it　would　be　a　good　exchange　if　I　could　get　it
for　my　goose。　Shall　we　exchange？〃　he　asked　the　toll…keeper。
〃Exchange；〃　repeated　the　man；　〃well；　it　would　not　be　a　bad　thing。〃

And　so　they　made　an　exchange；…　the　toll…keeper　at　the
turnpike…gate　kept　the　goose；　and　the　peasant　carried　off　the　fowl。
Now　he　had　really　done　a　great　deal　of　business　on　his　way　to　the
fair；　and　he　was　hot　and　tired。　He　wanted　something　to　eat；　and　a
glass　of　ale　to　refresh　himself；　so　he　turned　his　steps　to　an　inn。
He　was　just　about　to　enter　when　the　ostler　came　out；　and　they　met　at
the　door。　The　ostler　was　carrying　a　sack。　〃What　have　you　in　that
sack？〃　asked　the　peasant。

〃Rotten　apples；〃　answered　the　ostler；　〃a　whole　sackful　of　them。
They　will　do　to　feed　the　pigs　with。〃

〃Why　that　will　be　terrible　waste；〃　he　replied；　〃I　should　like　to
take　them　home　to　my　old　woman。　Last　year　the　old　apple…tree　by　the
grass…plot　only　bore　one　apple；　and　we　kept　it　in　the　cupboard　till　it
was　quite　withered　and　rotten。　It　was　always　property；　my　old　woman
said；　and　here　she　would　see　a　great　deal　of　property…　a　whole
sackful；　I　should　like　to　show　them　to　her。〃

〃What　will　you　give　me　for　the　sackful？〃　asked　the　ostler。

〃What　will　I　give？　Well；　I　will　give　you　my　fowl　in　exchange。〃
So　he　gave　up　the　fowl；　and　received　the　apples；　which　he
carried　into　the　inn　parlor。　He　leaned　the　sack　carefully　against
the　stove；　and　then　went　to　the　table。　But　the　stove　was　hot；　and　he
had　not　thought　of　that。　Many　guests　were　present…　horse　dealers；
cattle　drovers；　and　two　Englishmen。　The　Englishmen　were　so　rich　that
their　pockets　quite　bulged　out　and　seemed　ready　to　burst；　and　they
could　bet　too；　as　you　shall　hear。　〃Hiss…s…s；　hiss…s…s。〃　What　could
that　be　by　the　stove？　The　apples　were　beginning　to　roast。　〃What　is
that？〃　asked　one。

〃Why；　do　you　know〃…　said　our　peasant。　And　then　he　told　them　the
whole　story　of　the　horse；　which　he　had　exchanged　for　a　cow；　and　all
the　rest　of　it；　down　to　the　apples。

〃Well；　your　old　woman　will　give　it　you　well　when　you　get　home；〃
said　one　of　the　Englishmen。　〃Won't　there　be　a　noise？〃

〃What！　Give　me　what？〃　said　the　peasant。　〃Why；　she　will　kiss　me；
and　say；　'what　the　old　man　does　is　always　right。'〃

〃Let　us　lay　a　wager　on　it；〃　said　the　Englishmen。　〃We'll　wager
you　a　ton　of　coined　gold；　a　hundred　pounds　to　the　hundred…weight。〃

〃No；　a　bushel　will　be　enough；〃　replied　the　peasant。　〃I　can　only
set　a　bushel　of　apples　against　it；　and　I'll　throw　myself　and　my　old
woman　into　the　bargain；　that　will　pile　up　the　measure；　I　fancy。〃

〃Done！　taken！〃　and　so　the　bet　was　made。

Then　the　landlord's　coach　came　to　the　door；　and　the　two　Englishmen
and　the　peasant　got　in；　and　away　they　drove；　and　soon　arrived　and
stopped　at　the　peasant's　hut。　〃Good　evening；　old　woman。〃　〃Good
evening；　old　man。〃　〃I've　made　the　exchange。〃

〃Ah；　well；　you　understand　what　you're　about；〃　said　the　woman。　Then
she　embraced　him；　and　paid　no　attention　to　the　strangers；　nor　did
she　notice　the　sack。

〃I　got　a　cow　in　exchange　for　the　horse。〃

〃Thank　Heaven；〃　said　she。　〃Now　we　shall　have　plenty　of　milk；　and
butter；　and　cheese　on　the　table。　That　was　a　capital　exchange。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　changed　the　cow　for　a　sheep。〃

〃Ah；　better　still！〃　cried　the　wife。　〃You　always　think　of
everything；　we　have　just　enough　pasture　for　a　sheep。　Ewe's　milk　and
cheese；　woollen　jackets　and　stockings！　The　cow　could　not　give　all
these；　and　her　hair　only　falls　off。　How　you　think　of　everything！〃

〃But　I　changed　away　the　sheep　for　a　goose。〃

〃Then　we　shall　have　roast　goose　to　eat　this　year。　You　dear　old
man；　you　are　always　thinking　of　something　to　please　me。　This　is
delightful。　We　can　let　the　goose　walk　about　with　a　string　tied　to
her　leg；　so　she　will　be　fatter　still　before　we　roast　her。〃

〃But　I　gave　away　the　goose　for　a　fowl。〃

〃A　fowl！　Well；　that　was　a　good　exchange；〃　replied　the　woman。

〃The　fowl　will　lay　eggs　and　hatch　them；　and　we　shall　have　chickens；　we　shall　soon　have　a　poultry…yard。　Oh；　this　is　just　what　I　was　wishing
for。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　exchanged　the　fowl　for　a　sack　of　shrivelled　apples。〃

〃What！　I　really　must　give　you　a　kiss　for　that！〃　exclaimed　the
wife。　〃My　dear；　good　husband；　now　I'll　tell　you　something。　Do　you
know；　almost　as　soon　as　you　left　me　this　morning；　I　began　to　think
of　what　I　could　give　you　nice　for　supper　this　evening；　and　then　I
thought　of　fried　eggs　and　bacon；　with　sweet　herbs；　I　had　eggs　and
bacon；　but　I　wanted　the　herbs；　so　I　went　over　to　the　schoolmaster's：　I
knew　they　had　plenty　of　herbs；　but　the　schoolmistress　is　very　mean；
although　she　can　smile　so　sweetly。　I　begged　her　to　lend　me　a　handful
of　herbs。　'Lend！'　she　exclaimed；　'I　have　nothing　to　lend；　nothing　at
all　grows　in　our　garden；　not　even　a　shrivelled　apple；　I　could　not　even
lend　you　a　shrivelled