Hans and His Lump of Gold

Hans, having completed seven years of loyal service, was given a lump of gold as large as his own head as payment and set off cheerfully for home, delighted with his fortune. Along the road, however, the gold grew heavier and more awkward to carry with every mile, and when a horseman rode by, Hans happily traded his entire lump of gold for the horse, reasoning that riding home would be far more comfortable than trudging under such a burden.

The horse, however, proved skittish and soon threw him hard to the ground, so when a farmer passed by leading a cow, Hans traded the horse for the cow instead, certain a calm cow that gave milk was a far better bargain than a horse that could throw him. Later, finding the cow gave no milk when he tried to work her, he traded her again for a pig, then the pig for a goose when a passing man suggested pork might be dishonestly gotten, then finally the goose for a plain grindstone from a knife-grinder who convinced him a stone that could always earn him coin was the best deal of all.

Exhausted, Hans stopped to drink at a well, setting the heavy grindstone down on the edge — and it promptly tumbled in and sank without a trace. Rather than grieving, Hans felt an overwhelming surge of relief and lightness, thanked providence aloud for freeing him of the heaviest burden yet, and walked the rest of the way home whistling, happier and lighter with absolutely nothing than he had been carrying a fortune in solid gold. Whether he had been foolish or simply free of a weight the gold was always going to become, the story leaves for each listener to decide for themselves.