III
How One Turned His Trouble to Some Account
There was a soldier marching along the road—left, right! left, right! He had been to the wars for five years, so that he was very brave, and now he was coming home again. In his knapsack were two farthings, and that was everything that he had in the world. All the same, he had a rich brother at home, and that was something to say.
So, on he tramped until he had come to his rich brother’s house.
“Good-day, brother,” said he, “and how does the old world treat you.”
But the rich brother screwed up his face and rubbed his nose, for he was none too glad to see the other. “What!” said he, “and is the Pewter Penny back again?” That was the way that he welcomed the other to his house.
“Tut! tut!” says the brave soldier; “and is not this a prett
