The rich farmer had just left his old round hut and now lived in one
of the new and better kind of houses. He was very proud of his
chimney, which he had built higher than any of his neighbors, but he
could not be happy, while so many of his cows were sick or dying.
Besides, he was envious of other people's prosperity and cared
nothing, when they, too, suffered.
One night, while he was standing in front of his fine house and
wondering why he must be vexed with so many troubles, he talked to
himself and, speaking out loud, said:
"Why don't my cows get well?"
"I'll tell you," said a voice behind him. It seemed half way between a
squeak and a growl.
He turned round and there he saw a little, angry man. He was dressed
in red, and stood hardly as high as the farmer's knee. The little old
man glared at the big fellow and cried out in a high tone of voice:
"You must change your habits of disposing of your garbage, for other
people have chimneys besides you."
"What has that to do with sickness among my cows?"
"Much indeed. Your family is the cause of your troubles, for they
throw all their slops down my chimney and put out my fire.
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