"So thou 'rt come back," said she, with a nod. "What dost thou want with
me now?"

So he sat down and told her how he'd tried to get a coat o' clay, and he
wasn't any wiser for all of it.

"No," said the wise woman, "thou 'rt a bigger fool than ever, my lad."

"So they all say," sighed the fool; "but where can I get the right sort
of coat o' clay, then, missis?"

"When thou 'rt done with this world, and thy folk put thee in the
ground," said the wise woman. "That's the only coat o' clay as 'll make
such as _thee_ wise, lad. Born a fool, die a fool, and be a fool thy
life long, and that's the truth!"

And she went into the house and shut the door.

"Dang it," said the fool. "I must tell my mother she was right after
all, and that she'll never have a wise man for a son!"

And he went off home.




The Three Cows


There was a farmer, and he had three cows, fine fat beauties they were.