Biella’s People, tough people

One day a farmer was going down to Biella. The weather was so bad that you could hardly go on the streets. But the farmer had an important affair and kept going, head down, against the rain and the storm.
He met an old man who said:
– Good morning! Where are you going so fast, good man?
– In Biella, – said the farmer, without stopping.
– You could at least say: “God willing”.
The farmer stopped, looked at the old man in the face and answered:
– If God wants, I go to Biella; and if God does not want to, I have to go there anyway.
Now that old man was the Lord. – Then you’ll go to Biella in seven years,- he said – In the meanwhile, take a leap into that quagmire and stay there seven years.
And the farmer suddenly turned into a frog and jumped straight into the swamp.
Seven years passed. The farmer came out of the quagmire, came back man, put his hat on his head, and resumed the road to the market.
After a few steps, here is that old man again. – Where are you going, good man?
– In Biella.
– You could say: “God willing”
– God willing, good; if not, I know the pact, and in the quagmire I can go alone now.
And there was no way to get anything out of him.