“Dear, good, kind gentlemen,” said she, “do help a poor old body with a penny or two, for it is nothing I have in the world, and life sits heavy on old shoulders.”
The rich brother was for passing along as though he heard never a word of what she said, but the poor brother had a soft heart, and reined in his horse.
“It is only three farthings that I have in the world,” said he; “but such as they are you are welcome to them,” and he emptied his purse into her hand.
“You shall not have the worst of the bargain,” said the old woman; “here is something that is worth the having,” and she gave him a little black stone about as big as a bean. Then off she went with what he had given her.
“See, now,” said the rich brother, “that is why you are so poor as hardly to be able to make both ends meet in the world.”
“That may be so, or may not be so,” said the poor brother; “all the same, mercy is better than greed.”
How the elder did laugh at this, to be sure! “Why, look,” says he, “here I am riding upon a grand horse with my pockets full of gold and silver money, and there you are astride of a beast that can hardly hobble along the road, and with never a copper bit in your pocket to jingle against another.”
Yes; that was all true enough; nevertheless, the younger brother stuck to it that mercy was better than greed, until, at last, the other flew into a mighty huff.
“Very well,” says he, “I will wager my horse against yours that I am right, and we will leave it to the first body we meet to settle the point.”
Well, that suited the poor brother, and he was agreed to do as the other said.