“A lump of gold?” asked the man.
“Yes, a lump of gold. How lucky you are to have a nice quiet animal like the cow to give you good milk and butter and cheese, instead of a horse that runs away and throws you off.”
“Yes, I am lucky,” said the man. Then he thought a bit. “Listen,” said he. “I have had so much butter and cheese and cream that I am tired of them. If you like you shall have my cow and I will take your horse, and you will have the best of the bargain.”
“That I will,” cried Jack joyfully, “and I thank you kindly for speaking of it.” He then gave the horse to the man, and the man gave him the cow. Then the man sprang upon the horse and away he rode in haste without once turning to look behind him.
Jack led the cow along by the rope, and his heart was light if his heels were not. “Now I can live like a king,” said he. “When I am thirsty all I have to do is to milk the cow and have a drink of fine fresh milk; and when I have a piece of bread—it is easy enough to get a piece of bread—I can always have some butter with it, or a tasty bit of cheese.”
The sun was high in the sky by now, and it shone so hot that Jack’s mouth grew as dry as a nutmeg grater. “Now is the time for a glass of milk,” said he. He tied the cow to a post, and then he sat down and tried to milk her; but he had never learned how to milk, and not a drop could he get. Moreover he was so awkward about it that at last the cow gave him a kick that sent him head over heels across the road. Jack got up and rubbed his head. “That is a very dangerous animal,” said he, “or else she does not like me.”
Just then a butcher came by, wheeling a fine little pig in a barrow, and he stopped to speak with Jack. “What ails you,” said he, “that you look so sad and down in the mouth?”
“Oh,” said Jack, “my cow has kicked me and will not give me a drop of milk,” and he told the butcher the whole story, how he had exchanged the gold for a horse, and the horse for a cow.
“You made a bad bargain,” said the butcher. “That cow is old and will never give milk. There is nothing to do with her but to knock her on the head and use her for beef.”
“How could I do that?” asked Jack. “And besides I do not like beef. If she were only a fine little pig, now! There is nothing I love better than a tender juicy bit of pork.”