Sometimes one is not so simple as he seems, and behind a foolish face may lie a very clever head.

Everybody thought Dummling was a simpleton. His older brothers were very clever, but Dummling’s father thought he was too foolish to bother with. So everybody let him alone except his mother.

When Dummling was fifteen years old his father grew tired of supporting him, and gave him twenty shillings and told him to go out in the world and seek his fortune. Dummling kissed his mother, took the twenty shillings and went on down the road jingling the money in his pocket.

It made a merry sound, and Dummling jingled it louder and louder, for he liked to hear the noise of money in his pocket. By and by he met a man carrying a basket of fish.

“What have you there?” asked Dummling.

“Nothing that you can buy,” said the man; but when Dummling jingled his money the man stopped to listen. Then Dummling proposed to buy the fish for the twenty shillings. The man was so glad to get the money that he seized it and ran off leaving Dummling in the road with the fish and the basket, too.

“I shall take these fish and give them to the king,” said Dummling; and taking up the basket he went on to town and came to the king’s palace. He knocked at the gate and the porter came to open it.

“I have a present for the king,” said Dummling, “let me pass at once.” The porter was so impressed with Dummling’s manner that he let him by. As he went by the porter whispered to him:

“The king will give you something for your present, but you must give me half for letting you in.”

“That I will, and very gladly,” said Dummling, and went by.

Then he came to the chamberlain who also let him pass, saying: “You must give me half what the king gives you.”

“That I will gladly,” said Dummling, and went on in.

The king was seated on his throne, and the queen was sitting by him. When he saw Dummling he beckoned to him to bring his present. Dummling opened the basket and showed him the fine fish.

“Ah, very fine fish,” said the king. “I am very fond of fish. What shall I give you for them, my young friend?”

“You may give me a hundred lashes for them,” said Dummling. This was a very strange request, but the king ordered Dummling to be given the hundred lashes. Then Dummling told the king he had promised half his present to the porter, and the other half to the chamberlain. So the porter was brought in and given fifty lashes, and the chamberlain was brought in and given the other fifty lashes, to the great merriment of Dummling and all the court.

The king and queen thought Dummling was not so foolish after all, and made him live in the palace ever afterwards.