Parker Hoysted Fillmore

“ The nobleman promised to be most careful of the bird and, dismounting, he handed his bridle to the laborer. That one mounted the nobleman’s horse and galloped off.
It is needless to say the nobleman never saw either man or horse again. He waited and waited. At last when he could wait no longer he decided that he would have to take the bird home with him and let the laborer follow. So he lifted the edge of the hat very carefully, slipped in his hand, and clutched—the dry clod of earth! ”

“ Once out of sight of the castle he sat down by the roadside, stuffed the fine shirting into the legs of his trousers, and hid the ducats in his pockets. Then he stretched himself out to rest.
Meantime the lord of the castle got home and his wife at once told him the whole story and asked him if he didn’t think she was fortunate to find a man who had consented to deliver to their son in heaven three hundred golden ducats and material for six fine shirts.
“What!” cried the husband. “Oh, what a gullible creature you are! Who ever heard of a man falling out of heaven! ”