The Brown Fairy Book, part 9 · page 21 2101And Father Grumbler, nothing loth, drank one glass after another, till his head fell forward on the table, and once more he was sound asleep.102Then the woman gently coaxed the cock from the basket and carried it off to her own poultry yard, from which she brought one exactly like it, and popped it in its place.103Night was falling when the man awoke, and throwing proudly some grains of gold on the table to pay for the wine he had drunk, he tucked the cock comfortably into his basket and set out for home.104His wife and all the children were waiting for him at the door, and as soon as she caught sight of him she broke out:105“You are a nice man to go wasting your time and your money drinking in that tavern, and leaving us to starve!106Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”107“You don’t know what you are talking of,” he answered.108“Money?109Why, I have gold and diamonds now, as much as I want.110Do you see that cock?111Well, you have only to say to him, ‘Show me what you can do, cock,’ and something splendid will happen.”112Neither wife nor children were inclined to put much faith in him after their last experience; however, they thought it was worth trying, and did as he told them.113The cock flew round the room like a mad thing, and crowed till their heads nearly split with the noise; but no gold or diamonds dropped on the brick floor—not the tiniest grain of either.114Father Grumbler stared in silence for an instant, and then he began to swear so loudly that even his family, accustomed as they were to his language, wondered at him.115At last he grew a little quieter, but remained as puzzled as ever.116“Can I have forgotten the words?117But I KNOW that was what he said!118And I saw the diamonds with my own eyes!”119Then suddenly he seized the cock, shut it into the basket, and rushed out of the house.120His heavy wooden shoes clattered as he ran along the road, and he made such haste that the stars were only just beginning to come out when he reached the cave of the Holy Man.121“Who is that knocking?” asked a voice from within.122“It is me!123It is me!124Holy Man! you know!125Father—”126“But, my good fellow, you really should give some one else a chance.127This is the third time you have been—and at such an hour, too!”128“Oh, yes, Holy Man, I know it is very late, but you will forgive me!129It is your cock—there is something the matter.130It is like the basket.131Look!”1 2← previousThe Brown Fairy Book, part 8next →The Brown Fairy Book, part 10↑ back to The Brown Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3282/9/page/2/