So when the Christmas season was come the farmer and his wife killed an ox, and prepared a great feast. And when the strangers came they were right royally entertained; but the next morning they said that they must hasten, as they were to enter the church with the friends of the year before. This was very satisfactory to the farmer and his wife, for they did not want to go to church on Christmas Day, but the farmer said that since the strangers were going to the church he would drive them there in his carriage.
So the finest horses on the farm were harnessed to the carriage and it stood at the door. And just as they were about to drive away one of the strangers turned to the farmer, asking: “Did you kill the ox for us?”
“Oh, yes,” answered the farmer, eagerly.
“And how many horns did he have?”
This was the question that the farmer and his wife had been waiting for, and the farmer’s wife whispered in her husband’s ear: “Say four—there will be that much more for us.”
So the farmer answered: “Indeed, it was a very peculiar ox; it had four horns.”
“Then,” said the stranger, “you shall have four wishes, two for each of you.”
Then they mounted into the carriage and were driven off to the church, the farmer driving very fast, for he was eager to get back home to his wife so that they might talk over what they were to wish for.
So when he started back the horses were pretty well “blown,” and could not go fast, and the farmer whipped them, and at last one of them stumbled and a trace broke. This was most provoking, and he could not wait to fix it right, but fastened it hastily, for he wanted to be at home again. Then the other horse stumbled, and the other trace broke, so both of them were down.
At this the farmer was very angry. “The wicked elves take you! I wish—” But the words were not all out of his mouth before the horses had gone, leaving the harness dangling to the carriage.