There was once upon a time a poor peasant called Crabb, who drove withtwo oxen a load of wood to the town, and sold it to a doctor for twotalers. When the money was being counted out to him, it so happened thatthe doctor was sitting at table, and when the peasant saw how well heate and drank, his heart desired what he saw, and would willinglyhave been a doctor too. So he remained standing a while, and at lengthinquired if he too could not be a doctor. 'Oh, yes,' said the doctor,'that is soon managed.' 'What must I do?' asked the peasant. 'In thefirst place buy yourself an A B C book of the kind which has a cock onthe frontispiece; in the second, turn your cart and your two oxen intomoney, and get yourself some clothes, and whatsoever else pertains tomedicine; thirdly, have a sign painted for yourself with the words: "Iam Doctor Knowall," and have that nailed up above your house-door.' Thepeasant did everything that he had been told to do. When he had doctoredpeople awhile, but not long, a rich and great lord had some moneystolen. Then he was told about Doctor Knowall who lived in such and sucha village, and must know what had become of the money. So the lord hadthe horses harnessed to his carriage, drove out to the village, andasked Crabb if he were Doctor Knowall. Yes, he was, he said. Then he wasto go with him and bring back the stolen money. 'Oh, yes, but Grete, mywife, must go too.' The lord was willing, and let both of them have aseat in the carriage, and they all drove away together. When they cameto the nobleman's castle, the table was spread, and Crabb was told tosit down and eat. 'Yes, but my wife, Grete, too,' said he, and he seatedhimself with her at the table. And when the first servant came with adish of delicate fare, the peasant nudged his wife, and said: 'Grete,that was the first,' meaning that was the servant who brought the firstdish. The servant, however, thought he intended by that to say: 'That isthe first thief,' and as he actually was so, he was terrified, and saidto his comrade outside: 'The doctor knows all: we shall fare ill, hesaid I was the first.' The second did not want to go in at all, but wasforced. So when he went in with his dish, the peasant nudged his wife,and said: 'Grete, that is the second.' This servant was equally alarmed,and he got out as fast as he could. The third fared no better, for thepeasant again said: 'Grete, that is the third.' The fourth had to carryin a dish that was covered, and the lord told the doctor that he was toshow his skill, and guess what was beneath the cover. Actually, therewere crabs. The doctor looked at the dish, had no idea what to say, andcried: 'Ah, poor Crabb.' When the lord heard that, he cried: 'There! heknows it; he must also know who has the money!'

On this the servants looked terribly uneasy, and made a sign to thedoctor that they wished him to step outside for a moment. When thereforehe went out, all four of them confessed to him that they had stolenthe money, and said that they would willingly restore it and give him aheavy sum into the bargain, if he would not denounce them, for if hedid they would be hanged. They led him to the spot where the money wasconcealed. With this the doctor was satisfied, and returned to the hall,sat down to the table, and said: 'My lord, now will I search in my bookwhere the gold is hidden.' The fifth servant, however, crept into thestove to hear if the doctor knew still more. But the doctor sat stilland opened his A B C book, turned the pages backwards and forwards, andlooked for the cock. As he could not find it immediately he said: 'Iknow you are there, so you had better come out!' Then the fellow in thestove thought that the doctor meant him, and full of terror, sprang out,crying: 'That man knows everything!' Then Doctor Knowall showed the lordwhere the money was, but did not say who had stolen it, and receivedfrom both sides much money in reward, and became a renowned man.