Of course, any one who has habits of this kind must eventually become a general favorite, and this was the case with Old Riddler.
One day, he made up a splendid riddle, and, after he had told it to all the gnomes, he hurried up to propound it to some human person.
He was in such haste that he actually forgot his hat, although it was late in the fall, and he wore his cloak. He had not gone far through the fields before he met a young goose-girl, named Lois. She was a poor girl, and was barefooted; and as Old Riddler saw her in her scanty dress, standing on the cold ground, watching her geese, he thought to himself: "Now I do hope that girl has wit enough to understand my riddle, for I feel that I would like to get interested in her."
So, approaching Lois, he made a bow and politely asked her: "Can you tell me, my good little girl, why a ship full of sailors, at the bottom of the sea, is like the price of beef?"
The goose-girl began to scratch her head, through the old handkerchief she wore instead of a bonnet, and tried to think of the answer.
"Because it's 'low,'" said she, after a minute or two.
"Oh no!" said the gnome. "That's not it. You can give it up, you know, if you can't think of the answer."
"I know!" said Lois. "Because it's sunk."
"Not at all," said Old Riddler, a little impatiently. "Now come, my good girl, you'd much better give it up. You will just hack at the answer until you make it good for nothing."
"Well, what is it?" said Lois.