So the Cock ran to the Shoemaker and said_Popular Tales from the Norse

“Dear good friend Shoemaker, give me shoes, and I’ll give the shoes to

the Virgin Mary, the Virgin Mary’ll give me a red ribbon, the red

ribbon I’ll give to the Linden, the Linden’ll give me leaves, the

leaves I’ll give to the Spring, the Spring’ll give me water, the water

I’ll give to Dame Partlet my mate, who lies at death’s door in the

hazel-wood.”

“You’ll get no shoes from me”, said the Shoemaker, “until I get

bristles from you.”

So the Cock ran to the Sow and said:

“Dear good friend Sow, give me bristles, the bristles I’ll give to the

Shoemaker, the Shoemaker’ll give me shoes, the shoes I’ll give to the

Virgin Mary, the Virgin Mary’ll give me a red ribbon, the red ribbon

I’ll give to the Linden, the Linden’ll give me leaves, the leaves I’ll

give to the Spring, the Spring’ll give me water, the water I’ll give to

Dame Partlet my mate, who lies at death’s door in the hazel-wood.”

“You’ll get no bristles from me”, said the Sow, “until I get corn from

you.”

So the Cock ran to the Thresher and said:

“Dear good friend Thresher, give me corn, the corn I’ll give to the

Sow, the Sow’ll give me bristles, the bristles I’ll give to the

Shoemaker, the Shoemaker’ll give me shoes, the shoes I’ll give to the

Virgin Mary, the Virgin Mary’ll give me a red ribbon, the red ribbon

I’ll give to the Linden, the Linden’ll give me leaves, the leaves I’ll

give to the Spring, the Spring’ll give me water, the water I’ll give to

Dame Partlet my mate, who lies at death’s door in the hazel-wood.”

“You’ll get no corn from me”, said the Thresher, “until I get a bannock

from you.”

So the Cock ran to the Baker’s wife and said:

“Dear good friend Mrs. Baker, give me a bannock, the bannock I’ll give

to the Thresher, the Thresher’ll give me corn, the corn I’ll give to

the Sow, the Sow’ll give me bristles, the bristles I’ll give to the

Shoemaker, the Shoemaker’ll give me shoes, the shoes I’ll give to the

Virgin Mary, the Virgin Mary’ll give me a red ribbon, the red ribbon

I’ll give to the Linden, the Linden’ll give me leaves, the leaves I’ll

give to the Spring, the Spring’ll give me water, the water I’ll give to

Dame Partlet my mate, who lies at death’s door in the hazel-wood.”

“You’ll get no bannock from me”, said the Baker’s wife, until I get

wood from you.”

So the Cock ran to the Woodcutter and said:

“Dear good friend Woodcutter, give me wood, the wood I’ll give to the

Baker’s wife, the Baker’s wife’ll give me a bannock, the bannock I’ll

give to the Thresher, the Thresher’ll give me corn, the corn I’ll give

to the Sow, the Sow’ll give me bristles, the bristles I’ll give to the

Shoemaker, the Shoemaker’ll give me shoes, the shoes I’ll give to the

Virgin Mary, the Virgin Mary’ll give me a red ribbon, the red ribbon

I’ll give to the Linden, the Linden’ll give me leaves, the leaves I’ll

give to the Spring, the Spring’ll give me water, the water I’ll give to

Dame Partlet my mate, who lies at death’s door in the hazel-wood.”

“You’ll get no wood from me”, answered the Woodcutter, “until I get an

axe from you.”

So the Cock ran to the Smith and said:

“Dear good friend Smith, give me an axe, the axe I’ll give to the

Woodcutter, the Woodcutter’ll give me wood, the wood I’ll give to the