Hudden and Dudden were two farmers. They had lots of livestock and fertile lands. But I Hudden and Dudden were not happy, because they wanted more. Now, Hudden and Dudden’s neighbour was another farmer named Donald. Donald was a poor but good-natured fellow. He had only one cow and a small piece of land, yet he was happy with his lot. The greedy farmers decided to kill Donald and take away his land. One night, Hudden and Dudden crept into his hut. However, that night Donald’s cow was also in the house and thinking it to be Donald, the two murdered it instead.
Next morning, when Donald awoke he found his only cow killed. “What should I do with a dead cow?” thought Donald. He decided to sell the hide to earn money. Taking whatever little money he had he decided to set out in the morning. “What if the robbers attack me on the way? I will lose everything I have,” he thought. So he made pockets in the cow’s hide where he put the pennies and set out for the market. After travelling for a while he felt tired and decided to halt at an inn. He placed the hide on the table. As he was eating, out came rolling a penny onto the ground. Then fell a second and a third.
“A hide with pennies!” thought the owner of the eatery watching them tinkle on the ground. Convinced that it was a magical hide, the owner approached Donald with a bagful of gold coins. “I’ll pay you a bagful of gold coins for that hide,” said the man. Donald was surprised but accepted the offer knowing that it was the best deal he could ever get. He walked home with the money rejoicing.
Hudden and Dudden watched wide-eyed as the man they thought was dead walked past them. They followed him to his house. Hudden and Dudden were amazed to see Donald take out a bag of gold coins. They asked Donald how he had got so much money. “I never knew people were paying gold coins for a mere cow’s hide!” exclaimed Donald, narrating his story.
Hudden and Dudden winked at each other. They rushed back home and killed all their farm animals. Next morning, they set out for the market place carrying all the hides on a cart. “Farm-fresh hides for sale!” they shouted in the marketplace. “I’ll pay you two pennies for one hide,” bargained a man. “Get lost, you pauper, these hides are worth a bagful of gold coins!” boasted Hudden. “Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the customer and walked away.
“Catch those cheats!” screamed someone. They were soon surrounded by a crowd of people and among them was the innkeeper. “These men are with the man who sold me a useless hide for a bagful of gold,” said the innkeeper to the crowd. “Beat the scoundrels!” he said. “Yes, now they are asking for gold in exchange for these cheap hides,” confirmed another man. Poor Hudden and Dudden returned home with broken limbs, torn clothes and battered faces. They had lost all.their healthy cattle due to their own greed.
That night they went to meek Donald thinking he would help them out. “Please have pity on us,” said Dudden. “Lend us money to buy cattle, my friend!” begged Hudden. “When I was poor farmer all you did was harm me. How can you ask me for help?” saying this Donald walked into his newly “built mansion.