As a reward for seven years of service, Hans receives a large lump of gold from his master. For Hans, this means: out into the world, out into life, out into freedom.
Along the way, Hans makes many trades: he exchanges the lump of gold for a horse, the horse for a cow, the cow for a pig, the pig for a goose, and the goose for a grindstone—which he then drops into a well—until, in the end, he has nothing left and realizes: freedom is the greatest happiness.
(in German)