The man then took him into his service , and all the work he had to do was to dust his master 's books . But as he did this he had plenty of time to read them as well , and he read away at them until at last he was just as wise as his master -- who was a great wizard -- and could perform all kinds of magic . Among other feats , he could change himself into the shape of any animal , or any other thing that he pleased . When he had learned all this he did not think it worth while staying there any longer , so he ran away home to his parents again . Soon after this there was a market in the next village , and the boy told his mother that he had learned how to change himself into the shape of any animal he chose . ` Now , ' said he , ' I shall change myself to a horse , and father can take me to market and sell me . I shall come home again all right . ' His mother was frightened at the idea , but the boy told her that she need not be alarmed ; all would be well . So he changed himself to a horse , such a fine horse , too , that his father got a high price for it at the market ; but after the bargain was made , and the money paid , the boy changed again to his own shape , when no one was looking , and went home . The story spread all over the country about the fine horse that had been sold and then had disappeared , and at last the news came to the ears of the wizard . ` Aha ! ' said he , ` this is that boy of mine , who befooled me and ran away ; but I shall have him yet . ' The next time that there was a market the boy again changed himself to a horse , and was taken thither by his father . The horse soon found a purchaser , and while the two were inside drinking the luck-penny the wizard came along and saw the horse . He knew at once that it was not an ordinary one , so he also went inside , and offered the purchaser far more than he had paid for it , so the latter sold it to him . The first thing the wizard now did was to lead the horse away to a smith to get a red-hot nail driven into its mouth , because after that it could not change its shape again . When the horse saw this it changed itself to a dove , and flew up into the air . The wizard at once changed himself into a hawk , and flew up after it . The dove now turned into a gold ring , and fell into a girl 's lap . The hawk now turned into a man , and offered the girl a great sum of money for the gold ring , but she would not part with it , seeing that it had fallen down to her , as it were , from Heaven .
However , the XXXXX kept on offering her more and more for it , until at last the gold ring grew frightened , and changed itself into a grain of barley , which fell on the ground .
air animal bargain dust girl horse parents thing time wizard