At midday he reached his father, who rejoiced to see him again, and gladly took him in. “What have you made of yourself, my Son?” asked the old man.
“A miller, dear Father,” he answered.
“What have you brought back with you from your travels?”
“Nothing else but an ass.”
“There are asses enough here,” said the father. “I would rather have had a good goat.”
“Yes,” replied the son, “but it is no common ass, but a Gold-Ass. When I say:
“‘Bricklebrit!’
the good beast opens its mouth and drops a whole sheetful of gold pieces. Just summon all our relations hither, and I will make them rich folk.”
“That suits me well,” said the tailor, “for then I shall have no need to torment myself any longer with the needle;” and he ran out and called the relations together.
As soon as they were assembled, the miller bade them make way, spread out his cloth, and brought the ass into the room. “Now watch,” said he, and cried: