“That’s fool number one,” said John, and went on.
He travelled a long way, until one day he came to a cottage, against the wall of it was placed a ladder, and a man was trying to pull a cow up it by means of a rope, one end of which was round the cow’s neck.
“What are you about?” asked John.
“Why,” replied the man, “I want the cow up on the roof to eat off that fine tuft of grass you see growing there.”
“Why don’t you cut the grass and give it to the cow?” asked John.
“Why, now, I never thought of that!” answered the man. “So I will, of course, and many thanks, for many a good cow have I killed in trying to get it up there.”
“That’s fool number two,” said John to himself.
He walked on a long way, thinking there were more fools in the world than he had thought, and wondering what would be the next one he should meet. He had to wait a long time, however, and to walk very far, and his boots were almost worn out before he found another.
One day, however, he came to a field, in the middle of which he saw a pair of trousers standing up, being held up by sticks. A man was running about them and jumping over and over them.