But there was nothing to carry the water in except a sieve. So of course the water just ran through. Just then a crow flew by. He thought Henry was very silly to try to carry water in a sieve. He told Henry: “Stop the holes with mud and grass.” And the water stayed in the sieve!
So Henry took the water to the farmer’s wife; she baked some bread which Henry took to the farm worker; the farm worker gave him some hay for the cow; the cow gave some milk for the cat; the cat chased the mouse; the mouse got some butter for the dog’s paws; the dog chased the deer; the deer swam the stream; the stream wet the stone; the stone sharpened the axe; the axe cut down a stick and Henry took the stick. “At last!” And went to find Henrietta.
But he was too late. She had eaten all the fruit!
16 - THE STORY OF THE DONKEY, THE TABLE AND THE STICK
This is a story about a young man, called Tim, who wanted to marry a girl called Susan. “I want to marry Susan,” he said to Susan’s father. But Susan’s father said: “You haven’t got enough money. I want Susan to have a rich husband.”
So Tim set out to make his fortune. The first person he met was a little old woman. And the little old woman said to him: “Would you like to work for me? I’ll pay you well, but I want you to work for me for a year and a day.” So Tim worked for the old woman for a year and a day. And at the end of that time the old woman said: “Thank you. You’ve worked well, and now I’m going to give you your wages.” And then Tim got a surprise, because the old woman gave him a donkey. “This donkey is for you,” she said. “This is a splendid donkey. Look!” And the old woman pulled the donkey’s ears and money fell out of his mouth.
Tim set off for home with the donkey. On the way back, he stopped at an inn for the night. “I want you to bring me a good dinner,” he said to the innkeeper. “I want you to pay me first,” said the innkeeper. So Tim went to the donkey and said: “I want you to give me some money.” He pulled the donkey’s ears and money fell out of his mouth. The innkeeper saw this and said to himself: “I want that donkey to give me some money.” That night when Tim was asleep, the landlord took the donkey away. “I’ll put another donkey in its place,” he said. “He’ll never notice the difference.”
So Tim set off for home the next day with the wrong donkey. He went to see Susan’s father to show him how money fell out of the donkey’s mouth - but it didn’t! Susan’s father wouldn’t let him marry her so he set out again to make his fortune.
This time he met a carpenter and he worked for the carpenter for a year and a day. And at the end of that time, the carpenter gave him a table - a special table. The carpenter cried out: “Table, be covered!” And at once food and drink appeared on the table - enough for a feast!. And Tom set off to go home. On the way he stopped at an inn for the night - the same one as before. When the innkeeper realised what a wonderful table it was, he stole it and put another table in its place.
Tim didn’t notice the difference and set off for home with the wrong table. But, when he tried to show Susan’s father what a wonderful table it was, the magic didn’t work. And of course he had to set out again to make his fortune. Tim walked for a long way until he met a man building a bridge and offered to help. When he had finished, the man gave him a present - a strong stick. “When you say: “’Stick, hit him!’, the stick will hit anyone who annoys you. And when you say ‘Stick, Stop!’, it will stop.”
And Tim set off for home. On the way he stopped at the inn and asked where his donkey and his table were. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said the innkeeper. So Tim ordered the stick to hit him, and hit him and hit him. The innkeeper was so frightened that he gave the donkey and the table back to Tim.
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