The Old Man and His Horse
Did you know? Even a rotten apple can be traded for gold!
In Andersen's fairy tale, the old man trades a horse for a bag of rotten apples, and the old woman happily kisses him. This story actually reflects the real trading methods of 19th-century Danish farming villages: people often bartered, and believed that the head of the family always had his reasons. What's more, this story is thought to be collected by Andersen from oral tradition, and the original version might have been even more rough and amusing!
In the green fields of the Danish countryside lived a loving old couple. Their home was a simple little farmhouse with a low roof, and the chimney always puffed warm smoke. The old man's wrinkled face always wore a smile; he wore an old hat and simple farmer's clothes. The old woman had white hair, wore a clean apron, and her eyes were as gentle as spring sunshine. Their most precious possession was a brown old horse. One morning, as the old woman helped the old man tidy his collar, she said with a smile, "Old man, when you go to the market today, trade the horse for something. You never do anything wrong; whatever you trade for, I trust you." Hearing this, the old man felt warm inside. He took the old horse, put on his old hat, and set off happily.
The old man rode the old horse slowly along the country road. The wheat fields swayed in the wind, and the air was filled with the scent of fresh grass. As he went, he met a man leading a cow. The cow was fat and strong, and it lowed gently with its head down. The old man thought, "A cow gives fresh milk; the old woman could have a bowl of warm milk every morning. How wonderful that would be!" The more he thought, the more sense it made. He said with a chuckle to the man, "Friend, how about I trade my horse for your cow?" The man was delighted and nodded at once. So the old man led the cow and continued on his way, feeling very pleased.
The old man led the cow onward. Before long, he met a man herding a sheep. The sheep was fluffy, like a walking white cloud. The old man stroked his chin and said to himself, "A cow is good, but it needs milking and feeding every day—quite a bother. This sheep's wool can be woven into warm clothes, so the old woman won't be afraid of the cold in winter." The more he thought, the happier he felt. He said to the shepherd, "I'll trade this cow for your sheep, okay?" The man was happy to agree. The old man led the sheep, his steps light, and continued toward the market.
As he walked, the old man met a man carrying a goose. The goose was plump and strong, with a long neck, and it honked constantly. The old man stopped and thought, "A sheep needs pasture and shearing—quite a hassle. This goose is much better: its meat can be eaten, and its feathers can make a soft pillow. The old woman would sleep soundly on it." He said with a chuckle, "Friend, how about I trade my sheep for your goose?" The man with the goose readily agreed. The old man carried the goose, humming a tune, and continued on his way.
Before long, the old man met a person carrying a hen. The hen clucked noisily, and its feathers were shiny and smooth. The old man's eyes lit up, and he thought, "Geese are nice, but raising geese needs a pond and lots of feed. This hen is so much easier—she lays eggs every day, and we can eat the eggs. My old wife loves fried eggs!" The more he thought about it, the better a deal it seemed. So he said to the person with the hen, "I'll trade you my goose for your hen. How about that?" The person was delighted. The old man took the hen, his heart blooming with joy, and his steps grew lighter and lighter.
Carrying the hen, the old man finally arrived at the bustling market. People came and went, and the cries of vendors rose and fell. After walking all morning, his stomach growled with hunger, so he stepped into a tavern to rest his feet. He had just sat down when he saw a man walk in carrying a sack of rotten apples. The man set the sack on the ground and said, "These apples are all rotten—only good for feeding pigs." The old man looked closer and suddenly remembered that his old wife loved apple pie. His eyes lit up: "Rotten apples make sweet, fragrant apple pie—my old wife will be so happy!" He quickly said, "I'll trade you this hen for your bag of apples. Is that all right?" The man nodded happily. The old man hugged the apples, grinning from ear to ear.
In the tavern sat two wealthy English merchants—one dressed smartly with a rather proud look, the other fond of gambling. They had heard the whole story of the old man's trades and couldn't help laughing out loud. The first Englishman shook his head and said, "This old man is such a fool! He traded a horse for a cow, then a sheep, then a goose, then a hen, and finally ended up with a bag of rotten apples! He's sure to get a scolding from his wife when he gets home." But the old man chuckled and said, "Oh no, she won't scold me. She'll kiss me and say, 'My old man always does the right thing.'" The second Englishman's eyes sparkled: "Then let's make a bet! I'll bet a bag of gold coins that you'll get a scolding when you go home." The old man cheerfully agreed.
The old man returned home with the apples, and his old wife came out to greet him with a smile. The old man reported one by one: "I traded the horse for a cow." The old wife said happily, "Wonderful! We'll have fresh milk to drink." "Then I traded the cow for a sheep." "Wonderful! We'll have warm woolen clothes for winter." "I traded the sheep for a goose." "Wonderful! We'll have goose meat and soft pillows." "Then I traded the goose for a hen." "Wonderful! We'll have eggs every day." Finally the old man said, "I traded the hen for a bag of rotten apples." The old wife clapped her hands and laughed: "How did you know I wanted to make apple pie tonight? Wonderful!" And with that, she happily kissed the old man.
The two English merchants followed behind and saw everything with their own eyes. They were so impressed that they bowed down to the ground. The first Englishman blushed and said, "I lost. The trust between this old couple is more precious than gold." The second Englishman also admitted defeat and handed the whole bag of heavy gold coins to the old man. The old man held the gold coins, and the old woman clung to his arm. They both smiled as happily as children. When the people at the inn heard about this, they all gasped in amazement, saying that nowhere in the world could there be a husband and wife who loved and trusted each other more than they did.
From that day on, the old man and the old woman lived a happy and joyful life. They used the bag of gold coins to make their little farmhouse warmer. They fixed the roof, and the smoke from the chimney smelled sweeter. Every evening, the old woman would make a fragrant apple pie, and the old man would sit by the door, wearing his old hat, smiling as he watched the sunset. They always trusted each other, and they always believed in the old saying: "The old man never does anything wrong." The wind from the fields blew gently, carrying these words far, far away, leaving a warm echo that lingered for a long, long time.
