Lean Lisa

Lean Lisa was of a very different way of thinking from lazy Harry and
fat Trina, who never let anything disturb their peace. She scoured
everything with ashes, from morning till evening, and burdened her
husband, Long Laurence, with so much work that he had heavier weights
to carry than an ass with three sacks. It was, however, all to no
purpose, they had nothing and came to nothing. One night as she lay in
bed, and could hardly move one limb for weariness, she still did not
allow her thoughts to go to sleep. She thrust her elbows into her
husband's side, and said, "Listen, Lenz, to what I have been thinking:
if I were to find one florin and one was given to me, I would borrow
another to put to them, and thou too shouldst give me another, and then
as soon as I had got the four florins together, I would buy a young
cow." This pleased the husband right well. "It is true," said he, "that
I do not know where I am to get the florin which thou wantest as a gift
from me; but, if thou canst get the money together, and canst buy a cow
with it, thou wilt do well to carry out thy project. I shall be glad,"
he added, "if the cow has a calf, and then I shall often get a drink of
milk to refresh me." "The milk is not for thee," said the woman, "we
must let the calf suck that it may become big and fat, and we may be
able to sell it well." "Certainly," replied the man, "but still we will
take a little milk; that will do no harm." "Who has taught thee to
manage cows?" said the woman; "Whether it does harm or not, I will not
allow it, and even if thou wert to stand on thy head for it, thou
shouldst not have a drop of the milk! Dost thou think, because there is
no satisfying thee, Long Laurence, that thou art to eat up what I earn
with so much difficulty?" "Wife," said the man, "be quiet, or I will
give thee a blow on thy mouth!" "What!" cried she, "thou threatenest
me, thou glutton, thou rascal, thou lazy Harry!" She was just laying
hold of his hair, but long Laurence got up, seized both Lean Lisa's
withered arms in one hand, and with the other he pressed down her head
into the pillow, let her scold, and held her until she fell asleep for
very weariness. Whether she continued to wrangle when she awoke next
morning, or whether she went out to look for the florin which she
wanted to find, that I know not.
