And now the little peasant and his wife had the cow for which they had
so long wished, and they were heartily glad, but they had no food for
it, and could give it nothing to eat, so it soon had to be killed. They
salted the flesh, and the peasant went into the town and wanted to sell
the skin there, so that he might buy a new calf with the proceeds. On
the way he passed by a mill, and there sat a raven with broken wings,
and out of pity he took him and wrapped him in the skin. As, however,
the weather grew so bad and there was a storm of rain and wind, he
could go no farther, and turned back to the mill and begged for
shelter. The miller’s wife was alone in the house, and said to the
peasant, “Lay thyself on the straw there”, and gave him a slice of
bread with cheese on it. The peasant ate it, and lay down with his skin
beside him, and the woman thought, “He is tired and has gone to sleep.”
In the meantime came the parson; the miller’s wife received him well,
and said, “My husband is out, so we will have a feast.” The peasant
listened, and when he heard about feasting he was vexed that he had
been forced to make shift with a slice of bread with cheese on it. Then
the woman served up four different things, roast meat, salad, cakes,
and wine.
Just as they were about to sit down and eat, there was a knocking
outside. The woman said, “Oh, heavens! It is my husband!” She quickly
hid the roast meat inside the tiled stove, the wine under the pillow,
the salad on the bed, the cakes under it, and the parson in the
cupboard in the entrance. Then she opened the door for her husband, and
said, “Thank heaven, thou art back again! There is such a storm, it
looks as if the world were coming to an end.” The miller saw the
peasant lying on the straw, and asked, “What is that fellow doing
there?” “Ah,” said the wife, “the poor knave came in the storm and
rain, and begged for shelter, so I gave him a bit of bread and cheese,
and showed him where the straw was.” The man said, “I have no
objection, but be quick and get me something to eat.” The woman said,
“But I have nothing but bread and cheese.” “I am contented with
anything,” replied the husband, “so far as I am concerned, bread and
cheese will do,” and looked at the peasant and said, “Come and eat some
more with me.” The peasant did not require to be invited twice, but got
up and ate. After this the miller saw the skin in which the raven was,
lying on the ground, and asked, “What hast thou there?” The peasant
answered, “I have a soothsayer inside it.” “Can he foretell anything to
me?” said the miller. “Why not?” answered the peasant, “but he only
says four things, and the fifth he keeps to himself.” The miller was
curious, and said, “Let him foretell something for once.” Then the
peasant pinched the raven’s head, so that he croaked and made a noise
like krr, krr. The miller said, “What did he say?” The peasant
answered, “In the first place, he says that there is some wine hidden
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