Long ago in a quiet Norwegian village lived a poor farmer who was known not for wealth but for his sharp mind and quick wit. He had very little land, few belongings, and no real power, yet he managed to overcome every hardship through creativity and intelligence. People in the village admired him because he always found a clever solution to the problems he faced. His most famous story began when he encountered a wealthy landowner from a nearby estate. The landowner was arrogant and greedy, convinced that poor people existed only to be taken advantage of. He believed that no matter what deal he made, he could outsmart the poor farmer with ease. But he had no idea that the farmer was far more intelligent than he appeared.
The farmer needed land to grow crops, so he approached the landowner to rent a small field. The landowner agreed, but he added a cunning condition meant to guarantee his own benefit. They would share the upcoming harvest, and the farmer had to choose whether he wanted everything that grew above the ground or everything that grew below it. The landowner smiled smugly, certain that whichever option the farmer chose, he would still win. But the farmer saw straight through the trick. He calmly chose everything below the ground, then planted a field full of turnips. When harvest season arrived, the landowner received nothing but piles of useless leaves, while the farmer pulled up thick, heavy turnips from beneath the soil. The landowner was furious and humiliated when he discovered that he had been beaten at his own dishonest game.
Determined to regain his pride, the landowner demanded another season of shared farming. This time he declared that he would take everything below the ground and leave the farmer with the part above. He was confident that the farmer would not outsmart him twice. But once again, the farmer remained calm and planted barley across the entire field. When harvest came, the landowner dug up shriveled roots and dry stems, while the farmer gathered bundles of golden barley swaying proudly in the sunlight. The landowner realized too late that intelligence can defeat greed, no matter how wealthy or powerful a person is. His anger grew, but so did his frustration and embarrassment.
Still unwilling to accept defeat, he tried to shame the farmer with an impossible challenge. He commanded the farmer to bring him a creature with no eyes, no ears, no tongue, and no legs. He believed the poor man would fail, allowing him to publicly mock him in front of the villagers. But the farmer knew exactly how to turn the situation around. He bought a large piece of charcoal, carved a small opening into it, placed a coin inside, and sealed it shut. When he presented it to the landowner, he calmly explained that it had no ears, no eyes, and no legs. The landowner sneered and demanded to know where the tongue was. The farmer smiled and replied that the coin inside served as its tongue because money has the power to speak for itself in every corner of the world. The landowner could no longer argue or humiliate him.
In the end, the farmer earned admiration not just for his courage but for his brilliant mind. He protected his land, his crops, and his dignity without ever raising his voice or losing his calm. His story reminds us that intelligence, creativity, and self-respect are far more valuable than wealth or status. In the small Norwegian village, he became a symbol of how wisdom can overcome arrogance, and how even the poorest person can triumph when they think clearly and act with cleverness.