The peasant’s wife answered, ‘The most I can give you is a single chick-pea.’[2]
‘Very well; that will do,’ replied the poor man; ‘only mind the hen doesn’t eat it.’
The peasant’s wife was as good as her word, and put out a chick-pea on the dresser against the beggar came by next time. While her back was turned, however, the hen came in and gobbled it up. Presently after the beggar came by.
‘Where’s the chick-pea you promised me?’ he asked.
‘Ah! I put it out for you, but the hen gobbled it up!’
At this he assumed an air of terrible authority, and said: ‘Did I not tell you to beware lest the hen should eat it? Now, you must give me either the pea or the hen!’
As it was impossible for the peasant’s wife now to give him the pea, she was obliged to give him the hen.
The beggar, therefore, took the hen, and went to another cottage.
‘Good woman,’ he said to the peasant’s wife; ‘can you be so good as to take care of this hen for me?’
‘Willingly enough!’ said the peasant’s wife.