What's up in Europe? | Page 90

Hearing the rooster’s voice, the old man got out of the house in great joy and, casting a glance at the gate, what was there for him to see? His rooster was quite a sight for sore eyes: an elephant might look like a flea next to him! And flocks of beautiful plump domestic birds kept following him! So the old man opened the gate for all of those creatures to walk into his yard. Then the rooster said: “Master, lay down a blanket here, in the middle of the yard!” The old man did as told, and the rooster sat down, shook his wings powerfully, and all the old man’s garden and yard were filled with herds of cows and oxen, and the blanket was covered in gold coins that dazzled your eyes glittering in the sunlight. The old man couldn’t believe his eyes at the sight of all these riches, and kept kissing and stroking the rooster. And who do you think might be coming along the village road right then? The old woman herself who, seeing all this, felt like blowing up with envy! “Old man”, she said, ashamed, “give me some gold coins, will you?” “Well I never, old woman!” said the old man. “Do you remember what you said when I asked you for a few eggs? Go get your hen and ask it to bring you gold coins, for that is how I beat up my rooster – following your advice – and here’s what he brought me!”