Atondido Stories
wife and ask her to change it. Then I shall go buy some milk and
eggs and bread and flour, and I’ll bring back a woman with me
who will make us a fine supper. Tomorrow I’ll go to town and
buy some clothes and feather beds. After that what else shall I
buy? Can you guess?”
“The best thing to do would be to buy back our old proper-
ty—the house, the fields, and the live stock, and then manage it
more wisely than before.”
“You’re right, wife, that’s just what I’ll do. And I will manage
prudently this time! I have learned my lesson, I can tell you, for
poverty is a good teacher.”
When Lukas had hidden the money in the chest and turned
the key, he took one ducat and went out to make his purchases.
While he was gone his wife spent the time nursing the child and
weaving happy dreams that now, she was sure, would come to
pass.
After a short hour the door opened and Lukas and a red-
cheeked maid entered. The maid carried a great pail of foaming
milk. Lukas followed her with a basket of eggs in one hand and
on top of the eggs two big round brown cakes, and in the other
hand a load of feather beds tied in a knot.
“God be with you!” said the maid, placing the milk pail on
the bench. “My mistress, the burgomaster’s wife, greets you and
sends you some milk for pudding. If there is anything else you
need you are to let her know.” The maid curtsied and went away
before the poor woman could express her thanks.
Lukas laughed and said: “You see, wife, what just one ducat
did! If they knew how many more we had they would carry us
about in their arms! The burgomaster’s wife has sent us all these
things. She is lending us feather beds until tomorrow and she is
going to send us an old woman to help us out. I told her our
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