diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/grimm10a.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/grimm10a.txt | 24831 |
1 files changed, 24831 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/grimm10a.txt b/old/grimm10a.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c7ff828 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/grimm10a.txt @@ -0,0 +1,24831 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Household Tales by Brothers Grimm + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Household Tales by Brothers Grimm + +Author: Grimm Brothers + +Release Date: March, 2004 [EBook #5314] +[Date last updated: August 9, 2006] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: Latin-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, HOUSEHOLD TALES BY BROTHERS GRIMM *** + + + + +The E-book was prepared and proofread by Veronica LeGrow with Katie +Nicholson, Erin Shea, David Baird, and David Skinner, all +undergraduates at Memorial University of Newfoundland, under the +direction of William Barker, and a compiled text was then prepared for +Gutenberg e-texts by Leon Kuperman. + + +Household Tales by brothers Grimm, translated by Margaret Hunt + +These fairy tales by brothers Grimm are based on the original +1884 translation "Household Tales" of Margaret Hunt. + +This text is based on the book +"Grimm's household tales with the author's notes." +By Grimm Jakob Ludwig Karl. +Translated by Margaret Hunt. + + +This text includes ALL Grimm's fairy tales and 10 +children's legends. The Margaret Hunt's translation is +very true to the German original. + +CONTENTS + + 1 The Frog King, or Iron Henry (Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich) + 2 Cat and Mouse in Partnership (Katze und Maus in Gesellschaft) + 3 Our Lady's Child (Marienkind) + 4 The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was (Märchen + von einem, der auszog, das Fürchten zu lernen) + 5 The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids (Der Wolf und die sieben jungen + Geißlein) + 6 Faithful John (Der treue Johannes) + 7 The Good Bargain (Der gute Handel) + 8 The Strange Musician (Der wunderliche Spielmann) + 9 The Twelve Brothers (Die zwölf Brüder) + 10 The Pack of Ragamuffins (Das Lumpengesindel) + 11 Little Brother and Little Sister (Brüderchen und Schwesterchen) + 12 Rapunzel (Rapunzel) + 13 The Three Little Men in the Forest (Die drei Männlein im Walde) + 14 The Three Spinning Women (Die drei Spinnerinnen) + 15 Hansel and Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) + 16 The Three Snake-Leaves (Die drei Schlangenblätter) + 17 The White Snake (Die weiße Schlange) + 18 Straw, Coal, and Bean (Strohhalm, Kohle und Bohne) + 19 The Fisherman and His Wife (Von dem Fischer un syner Fru) + 20 The Brave Little Tailor (Das tapfere Schneiderlein) + 21 Cinderella (Aschenputtel) + 22 The Riddle (Das Rätsel) + 23 The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage (Von dem Mäuschen, Vögelchen + und der Bratwurst) + 24 Frau Holle (Frau Holle) + 25 The Seven Ravens (Die sieben Raben) + 26 Little Red-Cap (Rotkäppchen) + 27 The Bremen Town Musicians (Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten) + 28 The Singing Bone (Der singende Knochen) + 29 The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs (Der Teufel mit den drei goldenen + Haaren) + 30 Little Louse and Little Flea (Läuschen und Flöhchen) + 31 The Girl without Hands (Das Mädchen ohne Hände) + 32 Clever Hans (Der gescheite Hans) + 33 The Three Languages (Die drei Sprachen) + 34 Clever Elsie (Die kluge Else) + 35 The Tailor in Heaven (Der Schneider im Himmel) + 36 The Wishing-table, the Gold-ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack + (Tischchendeckdich, Goldesel und Knüppel aus dem Sack) + 37 Thumbling (Daumesdick) + 38 The Wedding of Mrs. Fox (Die Hochzeit der Frau Füchsin) + 39 The Elves (Die Wichtelmänner) + 40 The Robber Bridegroom (Der Räuberbräutigam) + 41 Herr Korbes (Herr Korbes) + 42 The Godfather (Der Herr Gevatter) + 43 Frau Trude (Frau Trude) + 44 Godfather Death (Der Gevatter Tod) + 45 Thumbling as Journeyman [Thumbling's Travels] (Daumerlings + Wanderschaft) + 46 Fitcher's Bird [Fowler's Fowl] (Fitchers Vogel) + 47 The Juniper-Tree (Von dem Machandelboom) + 48 Old Sultan (Der alte Sultan) + 49 The Six Swans (Die sechs Schwäne) + 50 Little Briar-Rose (Dornröschen) + 51 Foundling-Bird (Fundevogel) + 52 King Thrushbeard (König Drosselbart) + 53 Little Snow-White (Sneewittchen) + 54 The Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn (Der Ranzen, das Hütlein und das + Hörnlein) + 55 Rumpelstiltskin (Rumpelstilzchen) + 56 Sweetheart Roland (Der Liebste Roland) + 57 The Golden Bird (Der goldene Vogel) + 58 The Dog and the Sparrow (Der Hund und der Sperling) + 59 Frederick and Catherine (Der Frieder und das Catherlieschen) + 60 The Two Brothers (Die zwei Brüder) + 61 The Little Peasant (Das Bürle) + 62 The Queen Bee (Die Bienenkönigin) + 63 The Three Feathers (Die drei Federn) + 64 The Golden Goose (Die goldene Gans) + 65 Allerleirauh [All-Kinds-Of-Fur] (Allerleirauh) + 66 The Hare's Bride (Häsichenbraut) + 67 The Twelve Huntsmen (Die zwölf Jäger) + 68 The Thief and His Master (De Gaudeif un sien Meester) + 69 Jorinde and Joringel (Jorinde und Joringel) + 70 The Three Children of Fortune (Die drei Glückskinder) + 71 How Six Men Got On in the World (Sechse kommen durch die ganze Welt) + 72 The Wolf and the Man (Der Wolf und der Mensch) + 73 The Wolf and the Fox (Der Wolf und der Fuchs) + 74 The Fox and His Cousin (Der Fuchs und die Frau Gevatterin) + 75 The Fox and the Cat (Der Fuchs und die Katze) + 76 The Pink (Die Nelke) + 77 Clever Grethel (Das kluge Gretel) + 78 The Old Man and His Grandson (Der alte Großvater und der Enkel) + 79 The Water-Nix (Die Wassernixe) + 80 The Death of the Little Hen (Von dem Tode des Hühnchens) + 81 Brother Lustig (Bruder Lustig) + 82 Gambling Hansel (De Spielhansl) + 83 Hans in Luck (Hans im Glück) + 84 Hans Married (Hans heiratet) + 85 The Gold-Children (Die Goldkinder) + 86 The Fox and the Geese (Der Fuchs und die Gänse) + 87 The Poor Man and the Rich Man (Der Arme und der Reiche) + 88 The Singing, Springing Lark (Das singende springende Löweneckerchen) + 89 The Goose-Girl (Die Gänsemagd) + 90 The Young Giant (Der junge Riese) + 91 The Gnome (Dat Erdmänneken) + 92 The King of the Golden Mountain (Der König vom goldenen Berg) + 93 The Raven (Die Rabe) + 94 The Peasant's Clever Daughter (Die kluge Bauerntochter) + 95 Old Hildebrand (Der alte Hildebrand) + 96 The Three Little Birds (De drei Vügelkens) + 97 The Water of Life (Das Wasser des Lebens) + 98 Dr. Know-All (Doktor Allwissend) + 99 The Spirit in the Bottle (Der Geist im Glas) +100 The Devil's Sooty Brother (Des Teufels rußiger Bruder) +101 Bearskin (Der Bärenhäuter) +102 The Willow-Wren and the Bear (Der Zaunkönig und der Bär) +103 Sweet Porridge (Der süße Brei) +104 Wise Folks (Die klugen Leute) +105 Stories about Snakes (Märchen von der Unke) +106 The Poor Miller's Boy and the Cat (Der arme Müllerbursch und das + Kätzchen) +107 The Two Travellers (Die beiden Wanderer) +108 Hans the Hedgehog (Hans mein Igel) +109 The Shroud (Das Totenhemdchen) +110 The Jew among Thorns (Der Jude im Dorn) +111 The Skilful Huntsman (Der gelernte Jäger) +112 The Flail from Heaven (Der Dreschflegel vom Himmel) +113 The Two Kings' Children (De beiden Künigeskinner) +114 The Cunning Little Tailor (Vom klugen Schneiderlein) +115 The Bright Sun Brings It to Light (Die klare Sonne bringt's an den Tag) +116 The Blue Light (Das blaue Licht) +117 The Wilful Child (Das eigensinnige Kind) +118 The Three Army Surgeons (Die drei Feldscherer) +119 The Seven Swabians (Die sieben Schwaben) +120 The Three Apprentices (Die drei Handwerksburschen) +121 The King's Son Who Feared Nothing (Der Königssohn, der sich vor nichts + fürchtet) +122 Donkey Cabbages (Der Krautesel) +123 The Old Woman in the Wood (Die Alte im Wald) +124 The Three Brothers (Die drei Brüder) +125 The Devil and His Grandmother (Der Teufel und seine Großmutter) +126 Ferdinand the Faithful (Ferenand getrü un Ferenand ungetrü) +127 The Iron Stove (Der Eisenofen) +128 The Lazy Spinner (Die faule Spinnerin) +129 The Four Skilful Brothers (Die vier kunstreichen Brüder) +130 One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes (Einäuglein, Zweiäuglein und + Dreiäuglein) +131 Fair Katrinelje and Pif Paf Poltrie (Die schöne Katrinelje und Pif Paf + Poltrie) +132 The Fox and the Horse (Der Fuchs und das Pferd) +133 The Shoes that Were Danced to Pieces (Die zertanzten Schuhe) +134 The Six Servants (Die sechs Diener) +135 The White Bride and the Black One (Die weiße und die schwarze Braut) +136 Iron John (Der Eisenhans) +137 The Three Black Princesses (De drei schwatten Prinzessinnen) +138 Knoist and His Three Sons (Knoist un sine dre Sühne) +139 The Maid of Brakel (Dat Mäken von Brakel) +140 Domestic Servants (Das Hausgesinde) +141 The Lambkin and the Little Fish (Das Lämmchen und Fischchen) +142 Simeli Mountain (Simeliberg) +143 Going A-Travelling (Up Reisen gohn) +144 The Donkey (Das Eselein) +145 The Ungrateful Son (Der undankbare Sohn) +146 The Turnip (Die Rübe) +147 The Old Man Made Young Again (Das junggeglühte Männlein) +148 The Lord's Animals and the Devil's (Des Herrn und des Teufels Getier) +149 The Beam (Der Hahnenbalken) +150 The Old Beggar-Woman (Die alte Bettelfrau) +151 The Three Sluggards (Die drei Faulen) +151* The Twelve Idle Servants (Die zwölf faulen Knechte) +152 The Shepherd Boy (Das Hirtenbüblein) +153 The Star-Money (Die Sterntaler) +154 The Stolen Farthings (Der gestohlene Heller) +155 Brides on their Trial (Die Brautschau) +156 Odds and Ends (Die Schlickerlinge) +157 The Sparrow and His Four Children (Der Sperling und seine vier Kinder) +158 The Story of Schlauraffen Land [The Tale of Cockaigne] (Das Märchen + vom Schlauraffenland) +159 The Ditmarsh Tale of Wonders (Das Diethmarsische Lügenmärchen) +160 A Riddling Tale (Rätselmärchen) +161 Snow-White and Rose-Red (Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot) +162 The Wise Servant (Der kluge Knecht) +163 The Glass Coffin (Der gläserne Sarg) +164 Lazy Harry (Der faule Heinz) +165 The Griffin (Der Vogel Greif) +166 Strong Hans (Der starke Hans) +167 The Peasant in Heaven (Das Bürle im Himmel) +168 Lean Lisa (Die hagere Liese) +169 The Hut in the Forest (Das Waldhaus) +170 Sharing Joy and Sorrow (Lieb und Leid teilen) +171 The Willow-Wren (Der Zaunkönig) +172 The Sole [The Flounder] (Die Scholle) +173 The Bittern and Hoopoe (Rohrdommel und Wiedehopf) +174 The Owl (Die Eule) +175 The Moon (Der Mond) +176 The Duration of Life (Die Lebenszeit) +177 Death's Messengers (Die Boten des Todes) +178 Master Pfriem (Meister Pfriem) +179 The Goose-Girl at the Well (Die Gänsehirtin am Brunnen) +180 Eve's Various Children (Die ungleichen Kinder Evas) +181 The Nixie of the Mill-Pond (Die Nixe im Teich) +182 The Little Folks' Presents (Die Geschenke des kleinen Volkes) +183 The Giant and the Tailor (Der Riese und der Schneider) +184 The Nail (Der Nagel) +185 The Poor Boy in the Grave (Der arme Junge im Grab) +186 The True Sweetheart [The True Bride] (Die wahre Braut) +187 The Hare and the Hedgehog (Der Hase und der Igel) +188 The Spindle, the Shuttle, and the Needle (Spindel, Weberschiffchen und + Nadel) +189 The Peasant and the Devil (Der Bauer und der Teufel) +190 The Crumbs on the Table (Die Brosamen auf dem Tisch) +191 The Sea-Hare (Das Meerhäschen) +192 The Master Thief (Der Meisterdieb) +193 The Drummer (Der Trommler) +194 The Ear of Corn (Die Kornähre) +195 The Grave Mound (Der Grabhügel) +196 Old Rinkrank (Oll Rinkrank) +197 The Crystal Ball (Die Kristallkugel) +198 Maid Maleen (Jungfrau Maleen) +199 The Boot of Buffalo Leather (Der Stiefel von Büffelleder) +200 The Golden Key (Der goldene Schlüssel) + +Children's Legends + +Legend 1 St. Joseph in the Forest (Der heilige Joseph im Walde) +Legend 2 The Twelve Apostles (Die zwölf Apostel) +Legend 3 The Rose (Die Rose) +Legend 4 Poverty and Humility Lead to Heaven (Armut und Demut führen zum + Himmel) +Legend 5 God's Food (Gottes Speise) +Legend 6 The Three Green Twigs (Die drei grünen Zweige) +Legend 7 Our Lady's Little Glass (Muttergottesgläschen) +Legend 8 The Aged Mother (Die alte Mütterchen) +Legend 9 The Heavenly Wedding (Die himmlische Hochzeit) +Legend 10 The Hazel Branch (Die Haselrute) + + + +1 The Frog-King, or Iron Henry + +In old times when wishing still helped one, there lived a king whose +daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that the +sun itself, which has seen so much, was astonished whenever it shone in +her face. Close by the King's castle lay a great dark forest, and under +an old lime-tree in the forest was a well, and when the day was very warm, +the King's child went out into the forest and sat down by the side of the +cool fountain, and when she was dull she took a golden ball, and threw +it up on high and caught it, and this ball was her favorite plaything. + +Now it so happened that on one occasion the princess's golden ball did +not fall into the little hand which she was holding up for it, but on to +the ground beyond, and rolled straight into the water. The King's daughter +followed it with her eyes, but it vanished, and the well was deep, so deep +that the bottom could not be seen. On this she began to cry, and cried +louder and louder, and could not be comforted. And as she thus lamented +some one said to her, "What ails thee, King's daughter? Thou weepest so +that even a stone would show pity." She looked round to the side from +whence the voice came, and saw a frog stretching forth its thick, ugly +head from the water. "Ah! old water-splasher, is it thou?" said she; +"I am weeping for my golden ball, which has fallen into the well." + +"Be quiet, and do not weep," answered the frog, "I can help thee, but +what wilt thou give me if I bring thy plaything up again?" "Whatever +thou wilt have, dear frog," said she--"My clothes, my pearls and jewels, +and even the golden crown which I am wearing." + +The frog answered, "I do not care for thy clothes, thy pearls and +jewels, or thy golden crown, but if thou wilt love me and let me be +thy companion and play-fellow, and sit by thee at thy little table, +and eat off thy little golden plate, and drink out of thy little cup, +and sleep in thy little bed---if thou wilt promise me this I will go +down below, and bring thee thy golden ball up again." + +"Oh yes," said she, "I promise thee all thou wishest, if thou wilt but +bring me my ball back again." She, however, thought, "How the silly +frog does talk! He lives in the water with the other frogs, and croaks, +and can be no companion to any human being!" + +But the frog when he had received this promise, put his head into the +water and sank down, and in a short while came swimmming up again with +the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the grass. The King's daughter +was delighted to see her pretty plaything once more, and picked it up, +and ran away with it. "Wait, wait," said the frog. "Take me with thee. I +can't run as thou canst." But what did it avail him to scream his croak, +croak, after her, as loudly as he could? She did not listen to it, but +ran home and soon forgot the poor frog, who was forced to go back into +his well again. + +The next day when she had seated herself at table with the King and all +the courtiers, and was eating from her little golden plate, something +came creeping splish splash, splish splash, up the marble staircase, and +when it had got to the top, it knocked at the door and cried, "Princess, +youngest princess, open the door for me." She ran to see who was outside, +but when she opened the door, there sat the frog in front of it. Then +she slammed the door to, in great haste, sat down to dinner again, and +was quite frightened. The King saw plainly that her heart was beating +violently, and said, "My child, what art thou so afraid of? Is there +perchance a giant outside who wants to carry thee away?" "Ah, no," +replied she. "It is no giant but a disgusting frog." + +"What does a frog want with thee?" "Ah, dear father, yesterday as I was +in the forest sitting by the well, playing, my golden ball fell into the +water. And because I cried so, the frog brought it out again for me, +and because he so insisted, I promised him he should be my companion, +but I never thought he would be able to come out of his water! And now +he is outside there, and wants to come in to me." + +In the meantime it knocked a second time, and cried, + + + "Princess! youngest princess! + Open the door for me! + Dost thou not know what thou saidst to me + + Yesterday by the cool waters of the fountain? + Princess, youngest princess! + Open the door for me!" + +Then said the King, "That which thou hast promised must thou perform. Go +and let him in." She went and opened the door, and the frog hopped in +and followed her, step by step, to her chair. There he sat and cried, +"Lift me up beside thee." She delayed, until at last the King commanded +her to do it. When the frog was once on the chair he wanted to be on the +table, and when he was on the table he said, "Now, push thy little golden +plate nearer to me that we may eat together." She did this, but it was +easy to see that she did not do it willingly. The frog enjoyed what he +ate, but almost every mouthful she took choked her. At length he said, +"I have eaten and am satisfied; now I am tired, carry me into thy little +room and make thy little silken bed ready, and we will both lie down +and go to sleep." + +The King's daughter began to cry, for she was afraid of the cold +frog which she did not like to touch, and which was now to sleep +in her pretty, clean little bed. But the King grew angry and said, +"He who helped thee when thou wert in trouble ought not afterwards to +be despised by thee." So she took hold of the frog with two fingers, +carried him upstairs, and put him in a corner. But when she was in bed +he crept to her and said, "I am tired, I want to sleep as well as thou, +lift me up or I will tell thy father." Then she was terribly angry, +and took him up and threw him with all her might against the wall. "Now, +thou wilt be quiet, odious frog," said she. But when he fell down he was +no frog but a King's son with beautiful kind eyes. He by her father's +will was now her dear companion and husband. Then he told her how he had +been bewitched by a wicked witch, and how no one could have delivered him +from the well but herself, and that to-morrow they would go together into +his kingdom. Then they went to sleep, and next morning when the sun awoke +them, a carriage came driving up with eight white horses, which had white +ostrich feathers on their heads, and were harnessed with golden chains, +and behind stood the young King's servant Faithful Henry. Faithful Henry +had been so unhappy when his master was changed into a frog, that he +had caused three iron bands to be laid round his heart, lest it should +burst with grief and sadness. The carriage was to conduct the young King +into his Kingdom. Faithful Henry helped them both in, and placed himself +behind again, and was full of joy because of this deliverance. And when +they had driven a part of the way the King's son heard a cracking behind +him as if something had broken. So he turned round and cried, "Henry, +the carriage is breaking." + +"No, master, it is not the carriage. It is a band from my heart, which +was put there in my great pain when you were a frog and imprisoned in +the well." Again and once again while they were on their way something +cracked, and each time the King's son thought the carriage was breaking; +but it was only the bands which were springing from the heart of faithful +Henry because his master was set free and was happy. + + + +2 Cat and Mouse in Partnership + +A certain cat had made the acquaintance of a mouse, and had said so +much to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, +that at length the mouse agreed that they should live and keep house +together. "But we must make a provision for winter, or else we shall +suffer from hunger," said the cat, "and you, little mouse, cannot venture +everywhere, or you will be caught in a trap some day." The good advice was +followed, and a pot of fat was bought, but they did not know where to put +it. At length, after much consideration, the cat said, "I know no place +where it will be better stored up than in the church, for no one dares +take anything away from there. We will set it beneath the altar, and not +touch it until we are really in need of it." So the pot was placed in +safety, but it was not long before the cat had a great yearning for it, +and said to the mouse, "I want to tell you something, little mouse; my +cousin has brought a little son into the world, and has asked me to be +godmother; he is white with brown spots, and I am to hold him over the +font at the christening. Let me go out to-day, and you look after the +house by yourself." "Yes, yes," answered the mouse, "by all means go, and +if you get anything very good, think of me, I should like a drop of sweet +red christening wine too." All this, however, was untrue; the cat had no +cousin, and had not been asked to be godmother. She went straight to the +church, stole to the pot of fat, began to lick at it, and licked the top +of the fat off. Then she took a walk upon the roofs of the town, looked +out for opportunities, and then stretched herself in the sun, and licked +her lips whenever she thought of the pot of fat, and not until it was +evening did she return home. "Well, here you are again," said the mouse, +"no doubt you have had a merry day." "All went off well," answered the +cat. "What name did they give the child?" "Top off!" said the cat quite +coolly. "Top off!" cried the mouse, "that is a very odd and uncommon name, +is it a usual one in your family?" "What does it signify," said the cat, +"it is no worse than Crumb-stealer, as your god-children are called." + +Before long the cat was seized by another fit of longing. She said to +the mouse, "You must do me a favour, and once more manage the house for +a day alone. I am again asked to be godmother, and, as the child has a +white ring round its neck, I cannot refuse." The good mouse consented, +but the cat crept behind the town walls to the church, and devoured half +the pot of fat. "Nothing ever seems so good as what one keeps to oneself," +said she, and was quite satisfied with her day's work. When she went home +the mouse inquired, "And what was this child christened?" "Half-done," +answered the cat. "Half-done! What are you saying? I never heard the +name in my life, I'll wager anything it is not in the calendar!" + +The cat's mouth soon began to water for some more licking. "All +good things go in threes," said she, "I am asked to stand godmother +again. The child is quite black, only it has white paws, but with +that exception, it has not a single white hair on its whole body; +this only happens once every few years, you will let me go, won't +you?" "Top-off! Half-done!" answered the mouse, "they are such odd names, +they make me very thoughtful." "You sit at home," said the cat, "in your +dark-grey fur coat and long tail, and are filled with fancies, that's +because you do not go out in the daytime." During the cat's absence the +mouse cleaned the house, and put it in order but the greedy cat entirely +emptied the pot of fat. "When everything is eaten up one has some peace," +said she to herself, and well filled and fat she did not return home +till night. The mouse at once asked what name had been given to the +third child. "It will not please you more than the others," said the +cat. "He is called All-gone." "All-gone," cried the mouse, "that is the +most suspicious name of all! I have never seen it in print. All-gone; +what can that mean?" and she shook her head, curled herself up, and lay +down to sleep. + +From this time forth no one invited the cat to be god-mother, but when +the winter had come and there was no longer anything to be found outside, +the mouse thought of their provision, and said, "Come cat, we will go +to our pot of fat which we have stored up for ourselves---we shall enjoy +that." "Yes," answered the cat, "you will enjoy it as much as you would +enjoy sticking that dainty tongue of yours out of the window." They set +out on their way, but when they arrived, the pot of fat certainly was +still in its place, but it was empty. "Alas!" said the mouse, "now I +see what has happened, now it comes to light! You are a true friend! You +have devoured all when you were standing godmother. First top off, then +half done, then --." "Will you hold your tongue," cried the cat, "one +word more and I will eat you too." "All gone" was already on the poor +mouse's lips; scarcely had she spoken it before the cat sprang on her, +seized her, and swallowed her down. Verily, that is the way of the world. + + + +3 Our Lady's Child + +Hard by a great forest dwelt a wood-cutter with his wife, who had an +only child, a little girl three years old. They were so poor, however, +that they no longer had daily bread, and did not know how to get food for +her. One morning the wood-cutter went out sorrowfully to his work in the +forest, and while he was cutting wood, suddenly there stood before him +a tall and beautiful woman with a crown of shining stars on her head, +who said to him, "I am the Virgin Mary, mother of the child Jesus. Thou +art poor and needy, bring thy child to me, I will take her with me and be +her mother, and care for her." The wood-cutter obeyed, brought his child, +and gave her to the Virgin Mary, who took her up to heaven with her. There +the child fared well, ate sugar-cakes, and drank sweet milk, and her +clothes were of gold, and the little angels played with her. And when she +was fourteen years of age, the Virgin Mary called her one day and said, +"Dear child, I am about to make a long journey, so take into thy keeping +the keys of the thirteen doors of heaven. Twelve of these thou mayest +open, and behold the glory which is within them, but the thirteenth, to +which this little key belongs, is forbidden thee. Beware of opening it, +or thou wilt bring misery on thyself." The girl promised to be obedient, +and when the Virgin Mary was gone, she began to examine the dwellings of +the kingdom of heaven. Each day she opened one of them, until she had +made the round of the twelve. In each of them sat one of the Apostles +in the midst of a great light, and she rejoiced in all the magnificence +and splendour, and the little angels who always accompanied her rejoiced +with her. Then the forbidden door alone remained, and she felt a great +desire to know what could be hidden behind it, and said to the angels, +"I will not quite open it, and I will not go inside it, but I will unlock +it so that we can just see a little through the opening." "Oh no," said +the little angels, "that would be a sin. The Virgin Mary has forbidden it, +and it might easily cause thy unhappiness." Then she was silent, but the +desire in her heart was not stilled, but gnawed there and tormented her, +and let her have no rest. And once when the angels had all gone out, +she thought, "Now I am quite alone, and I could peep in. If I do it, +no one will ever know." She sought out the key, and when she had got it +in her hand, she put it in the lock, and when she had put it in, she +turned it round as well. Then the door sprang open, and she saw there +the Trinity sitting in fire and splendour. She stayed there awhile, and +looked at everything in amazement; then she touched the light a little +with her finger, and her finger became quite golden. Immediately a great +fear fell on her. She shut the door violently, and ran away. Her terror +too would not quit her, let her do what she might, and her heart beat +continually and would not be still; the gold too stayed on her finger, +and would not go away, let her rub it and wash it never so much. + +It was not long before the Virgin Mary came back from her journey. She +called the girl before her, and asked to have the keys of heaven +back. When the maiden gave her the bunch, the Virgin looked into her +eyes and said, "Hast thou not opened the thirteenth door also?" "No," +she replied. Then she laid her hand on the girl's heart, and felt how it +beat and beat, and saw right well that she had disobeyed her order and +had opened the door. Then she said once again, "Art thou certain that +thou hast not done it?" "Yes," said the girl, for the second time. Then +she perceived the finger which had become golden from touching the fire +of heaven, and saw well that the child had sinned, and said for the +third time "Hast thou not done it?" "No," said the girl for the third +time. Then said the Virgin Mary, "Thou hast not obeyed me, and besides +that thou hast lied, thou art no longer worthy to be in heaven." + +Then the girl fell into a deep sleep, and when she awoke she lay on the +earth below, and in the midst of a wilderness. She wanted to cry out, +but she could bring forth no sound. She sprang up and wanted to run away, +but whithersoever she turned herself, she was continually held back by +thick hedges of thorns through which she could not break. In the desert, +in which she was imprisoned, there stood an old hollow tree, and this had +to be her dwelling-place. Into this she crept when night came, and here +she slept. Here, too, she found a shelter from storm and rain, but it was +a miserable life, and bitterly did she weep when she remembered how happy +she had been in heaven, and how the angels had played with her. Roots +and wild berries were her only food, and for these she sought as far as +she could go. In the autumn she picked up the fallen nuts and leaves, +and carried them into the hole. The nuts were her food in winter, and +when snow and ice came, she crept amongst the leaves like a poor little +animal that she might not freeze. Before long her clothes were all torn, +and one bit of them after another fell off her. As soon, however, as +the sun shone warm again, she went out and sat in front of the tree, and +her long hair covered her on all sides like a mantle. Thus she sat year +after year, and felt the pain and the misery of the world. One day, when +the trees were once more clothed in fresh green, the King of the country +was hunting in the forest, and followed a roe, and as it had fled into +the thicket which shut in this part of the forest, he got off his horse, +tore the bushes asunder, and cut himself a path with his sword. When he +had at last forced his way through, he saw a wonderfully beautiful maiden +sitting under the tree; and she sat there and was entirely covered with +her golden hair down to her very feet. He stood still and looked at her +full of surprise, then he spoke to her and said, "Who art thou? Why art +thou sitting here in the wilderness?" But she gave no answer, for she +could not open her mouth. The King continued, "Wilt thou go with me to +my castle?" Then she just nodded her head a little. The King took her +in his arms, carried her to his horse, and rode home with her, and when +he reached the royal castle he caused her to be dressed in beautiful +garments, and gave her all things in abundance. Although she could not +speak, she was still so beautiful and charming that he began to love +her with all his heart, and it was not long before he married her. + +After a year or so had passed, the Queen brought a son into the +world. Thereupon the Virgin Mary appeared to her in the night when she +lay in her bed alone, and said, "If thou wilt tell the truth and confess +that thou didst unlock the forbidden door, I will open thy mouth and give +thee back thy speech, but if thou perseverest in thy sin, and deniest +obstinately, I will take thy new-born child away with me." Then the queen +was permitted to answer, but she remained hard, and said, "No, I did not +open the forbidden door;" and the Virgin Mary took the new-born child from +her arms, and vanished with it. Next morning when the child was not to be +found, it was whispered among the people that the Queen was a man-eater, +and had killed her own child. She heard all this and could say nothing to +the contrary, but the King would not believe it, for he loved her so much. + +When a year had gone by the Queen again bore a son, and in the night +the Virgin Mary again came to her, and said, "If thou wilt confess that +thou openedst the forbidden door, I will give thee thy child back and +untie thy tongue; but if you continuest in sin and deniest it, I will +take away with me this new child also." Then the Queen again said, "No, +I did not open the forbidden door;" and the Virgin took the child out +of her arms, and away with her to heaven. Next morning, when this child +also had disappeared, the people declared quite loudly that the Queen +had devoured it, and the King's councillors demanded that she should +be brought to justice. The King, however, loved her so dearly that he +would not believe it, and commanded the councillors under pain of death +not to say any more about it. + +The following year the Queen gave birth to a beautiful little daughter, +and for the third time the Virgin Mary appeared to her in the night and +said, "Follow me." She took the Queen by the hand and led her to heaven, +and showed her there her two eldest children, who smiled at her, and were +playing with the ball of the world. When the Queen rejoiced thereat, the +Virgin Mary said, "Is thy heart not yet softened? If thou wilt own that +thou openedst the forbidden door, I will give thee back thy two little +sons." But for the third time the Queen answered, "No, I did not open the +forbidden door." Then the Virgin let her sink down to earth once more, +and took from her likewise her third child. + +Next morning, when the loss was reported abroad, all the people cried +loudly, "The Queen is a man-eater. She must be judged," and the King was +no longer able to restrain his councillors. Thereupon a trial was held, +and as she could not answer, and defend herself, she was condemned to +be burnt alive. The wood was got together, and when she was fast bound +to the stake, and the fire began to burn round about her, the hard ice +of pride melted, her heart was moved by repentance, and she thought, +"If I could but confess before my death that I opened the door." Then her +voice came back to her, and she cried out loudly, "Yes, Mary, I did it;" +and straight-way rain fell from the sky and extinguished the flames of +fire, and a light broke forth above her, and the Virgin Mary descended +with the two little sons by her side, and the new-born daughter in her +arms. She spoke kindly to her, and said, "He who repents his sin and +acknowledges it, is forgiven." Then she gave her the three children, +untied her tongue, and granted her happiness for her whole life. + + + +4 The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was + +A certain father had two sons, the elder of whom was smart and sensible, +and could do everything, but the younger was stupid and could neither +learn nor understand anything, and when people saw him they said, "There's +a fellow who will give his father some trouble!" When anything had to be +done, it was always the elder who was forced to do it; but if his father +bade him fetch anything when it was late, or in the night-time, and the +way led through the churchyard, or any other dismal place, he answered +"Oh, no, father, I'll not go there, it makes me shudder!" for he was +afraid. Or when stories were told by the fire at night which made the +flesh creep, the listeners sometimes said "Oh, it makes us shudder!" +The younger sat in a corner and listened with the rest of them, and +could not imagine what they could mean. "They are always saying 'it +makes me shudder, it makes me shudder!' It does not make me shudder," +thought he. "That, too, must be an art of which I understand nothing." + +Now it came to pass that his father said to him one day "Hearken to me, +thou fellow in the corner there, thou art growing tall and strong, and +thou too must learn something by which thou canst earn thy living. Look +how thy brother works, but thou dost not even earn thy salt." "Well, +father," he replied, "I am quite willing to learn something---indeed, if +it could but be managed, I should like to learn how to shudder. I don't +understand that at all yet." The elder brother smiled when he heard that, +and thought to himself, "Good God, what a blockhead that brother of mine +is! He will never be good for anything as long as he lives. He who wants +to be a sickle must bend himself betimes." + +The father sighed, and answered him "thou shalt soon learn what it is +to shudder, but thou wilt not earn thy bread by that." + +Soon after this the sexton came to the house on a visit, and the father +bewailed his trouble, and told him how his younger son was so backward +in every respect that he knew nothing and learnt nothing. "Just think," +said he, "when I asked him how he was going to earn his bread, he +actually wanted to learn to shudder." "If that be all," replied the +sexton, "he can learn that with me. Send him to me, and I will soon +polish him." The father was glad to do it, for he thought, "It will +train the boy a little." The sexton therefore took him into his house, +and he had to ring the bell. After a day or two, the sexton awoke him +at midnight, and bade him arise and go up into the church tower and +ring the bell. "Thou shalt soon learn what shuddering is," thought he, +and secretly went there before him; and when the boy was at the top +of the tower and turned round, and was just going to take hold of the +bell rope, he saw a white figure standing on the stairs opposite the +sounding hole. "Who is there?" cried he, but the figure made no reply, +and did not move or stir. "Give an answer," cried the boy, "or take thy +self off, thou hast no business here at night." + +The sexton, however, remained standing motionless that the boy might +think he was a ghost. The boy cried a second time, "What do you want +here?---speak if thou art an honest fellow, or I will throw thee down the +steps!" The sexton thought, "he can't intend to be as bad as his words," +uttered no sound and stood as if he were made of stone. Then the boy +called to him for the third time, and as that was also to no purpose, +he ran against him and pushed the ghost down the stairs, so that it +fell down ten steps and remained lying there in a corner. Thereupon +he rang the bell, went home, and without saying a word went to bed, +and fell asleep. The sexton's wife waited a long time for her husband, +but he did not come back. At length she became uneasy, and wakened the +boy, and asked, "Dost thou not know where my husband is? He climbed +up the tower before thou didst." "No, I don't know," replied the boy, +"but some one was standing by the sounding hole on the other side of the +steps, and as he would neither give an answer nor go away, I took him for +a scoundrel, and threw him downstairs, just go there and you will see if +it was he. I should be sorry if it were." The woman ran away and found +her husband, who was lying moaning in the corner, and had broken his leg. + +She carried him down, and then with loud screams she hastened to the +boy's father. "Your boy," cried she, "has been the cause of a great +misfortune! He has thrown my husband down the steps and made him break his +leg. Take the good-for-nothing fellow away from our house." The father was +terrified, and ran thither and scolded the boy. "What wicked tricks are +these?" said he, "the devil must have put this into thy head." "Father," +he replied, "do listen to me. I am quite innocent. He was standing there +by night like one who is intending to do some evil. I did not know who it +was, and I entreated him three times either to speak or to go away." "Ah," +said the father, "I have nothing but unhappiness with you. Go out of my +sight. I will see thee no more." + +"Yes, father, right willingly, wait only until it is day. Then will I go +forth and learn how to shudder, and then I shall, at any rate, understand +one art which will support me." "Learn what thou wilt," spake the father, +"it is all the same to me. Here are fifty thalers for thee. Take these +and go into the wide world, and tell no one from whence thou comest, +and who is thy father, for I have reason to be ashamed of thee." "Yes, +father, it shall be as you will. If you desire nothing more than that, +I can easily keep it in mind." + +When day dawned, therefore, the boy put his fifty thalers into his pocket, +and went forth on the great highway, and continually said to himself, +"If I could but shudder! If I could but shudder!" Then a man approached +who heard this conversation which the youth was holding with himself, +and when they had walked a little farther to where they could see the +gallows, the man said to him, "Look, there is the tree where seven +men have married the ropemaker's daughter, and are now learning how to +fly. Sit down below it, and wait till night comes, and you will soon +learn how to shudder." "If that is all that is wanted," answered the +youth, "it is easily done; but if I learn how to shudder as fast as +that, thou shalt have my fifty thalers. Just come back to me early in +the morning." Then the youth went to the gallows, sat down below it, +and waited till evening came. And as he was cold, he lighted himself a +fire, but at midnight the wind blew so sharply that in spite of his fire, +he could not get warm. And as the wind knocked the hanged men against +each other, and they moved backwards and forwards, he thought to himself +"Thou shiverest below by the fire, but how those up above must freeze +and suffer!" And as he felt pity for them, he raised the ladder, and +climbed up, unbound one of them after the other, and brought down all +seven. Then he stirred the fire, blew it, and set them all round it +to warm themselves. But they sat there and did not stir, and the fire +caught their clothes. So he said, "Take care, or I will hang you up +again." The dead men, however, did not hear, but were quite silent, +and let their rags go on burning. On this he grew angry, and said, +"If you will not take care, I cannot help you, I will not be burnt with +you," and he hung them up again each in his turn. Then he sat down by +his fire and fell asleep, and the next morning the man came to him and +wanted to have the fifty thalers, and said, "Well, dost thou know how +to shudder?" "No," answered he, "how was I to get to know? Those fellows +up there did not open their mouths, and were so stupid that they let the +few old rags which they had on their bodies get burnt." Then the man saw +that he would not get the fifty thalers that day, and went away saying, +"One of this kind has never come my way before." + +The youth likewise went his way, and once more began to mutter to +himself, "Ah, if I could but shudder! Ah, if I could but shudder!" A +waggoner who was striding behind him heard that and asked, "Who are +you?" "I don't know," answered the youth. Then the waggoner asked, +"From whence comest thou?" "I know not." "Who is thy father?" "That I +may not tell thee." "What is it that thou art always muttering between +thy teeth." "Ah," replied the youth, "I do so wish I could shudder, but +no one can teach me how to do it." "Give up thy foolish chatter," said +the waggoner. "Come, go with me, I will see about a place for thee." The +youth went with the waggoner, and in the evening they arrived at an inn +where they wished to pass the night. Then at the entrance of the room +the youth again said quite loudly, "If I could but shudder! If I could +but shudder!" The host who heard this, laughed and said, "If that is +your desire, there ought to be a good opportunity for you here." "Ah, +be silent," said the hostess, "so many inquisitive persons have already +lost their lives, it would be a pity and a shame if such beautiful eyes +as these should never see the daylight again." + +But the youth said, "However difficult it may be, I will learn it and +for this purpose indeed have I journeyed forth." He let the host have +no rest, until the latter told him, that not far from thence stood a +haunted castle where any one could very easily learn what shuddering was, +if he would but watch in it for three nights. The King had promised that +he who would venture should have his daughter to wife, and she was the +most beautiful maiden the sun shone on. Great treasures likewise lay +in the castle, which were guarded by evil spirits, and these treasures +would then be freed, and would make a poor man rich enough. Already many +men had gone into the castle, but as yet none had come out again. Then +the youth went next morning to the King and said if he were allowed +he would watch three nights in the haunted castle. The King looked +at him, and as the youth pleased him, he said, "Thou mayest ask for +three things to take into the castle with thee, but they must be things +without life." Then he answered, "Then I ask for a fire, a turning lathe, +and a cutting-board with the knife." The King had these things carried +into the castle for him during the day. When night was drawing near, +the youth went up and made himself a bright fire in one of the rooms, +placed the cutting-board and knife beside it, and seated himself by the +turning-lathe. "Ah, if I could but shudder!" said he, "but I shall not +learn it here either." Towards midnight he was about to poke his fire, +and as he was blowing it, something cried suddenly from one corner, +"Au, miau! how cold we are!" "You simpletons!" cried he, "what are you +crying about? If you are cold, come and take a seat by the fire and warm +yourselves." And when he had said that, two great black cats came with +one tremendous leap and sat down on each side of him, and looked savagely +at him with their fiery eyes. After a short time, when they had warmed +themselves, they said, "Comrade, shall we have a game at cards?" "Why +not?" he replied, "but just show me your paws." Then they stretched +out their claws. "Oh," said he, "what long nails you have! Wait, I must +first cut them for you." Thereupon he seized them by the throats, put +them on the cutting-board and screwed their feet fast. "I have looked at +your fingers," said he, "and my fancy for card-playing has gone," and he +struck them dead and threw them out into the water. But when he had made +away with these two, and was about to sit down again by his fire, out +from every hole and corner came black cats and black dogs with red-hot +chains, and more and more of them came until he could no longer stir, +and they yelled horribly, and got on his fire, pulled it to pieces, and +tried to put it out. He watched them for a while quietly, but at last +when they were going too far, he seized his cutting-knife, and cried, +"Away with ye, vermin," and began to cut them down. Part of them ran +away, the others he killed, and threw out into the fish-pond. When he +came back he fanned the embers of his fire again and warmed himself. And +as he thus sat, his eyes would keep open no longer, and he felt a desire +to sleep. Then he looked round and saw a great bed in the corner. "That +is the very thing for me," said he, and got into it. When he was just +going to shut his eyes, however, the bed began to move of its own accord, +and went over the whole of the castle. "That's right," said he, "but go +faster." Then the bed rolled on as if six horses were harnessed to it, +up and down, over thresholds and steps, but suddenly hop, hop, it turned +over upside down, and lay on him like a mountain. But he threw quilts +and pillows up in the air, got out and said, "Now any one who likes, +may drive," and lay down by his fire, and slept till it was day. In the +morning the King came, and when he saw him lying there on the ground, +he thought the evil spirits had killed him and he was dead. Then said he, +"After all it is a pity,---he is a handsome man." The youth heard it, got +up, and said, "It has not come to that yet." Then the King was astonished, +but very glad, and asked how he had fared. "Very well indeed," answered +he; "one night is past, the two others will get over likewise." Then +he went to the innkeeper, who opened his eyes very wide, and said, "I +never expected to see thee alive again! Hast thou learnt how to shudder +yet?" "No," said he, "it is all in vain. If some one would but tell me." + +The second night he again went up into the old castle, sat down by the +fire, and once more began his old song, "If I could but shudder." When +midnight came, an uproar and noise of tumbling about was heard; at first +it was low, but it grew louder and louder. Then it was quiet for awhile, +and at length with a loud scream, half a man came down the chimney and +fell before him. "Hollo!" cried he, "another half belongs to this. This +is too little!" Then the uproar began again, there was a roaring and +howling, and the other half fell down likewise. "Wait," said he, "I +will just blow up the fire a little for thee." When he had done that and +looked round again, the two pieces were joined together, and a frightful +man was sitting in his place. "That is no part of our bargain," said the +youth, "the bench is mine." The man wanted to push him away; the youth, +however, would not allow that, but thrust him off with all his strength, +and seated himself again in his own place. Then still more men fell down, +one after the other; they brought nine dead men's legs and two skulls, +and set them up and played at nine-pins with them. The youth also +wanted to play and said "Hark you, can I join you?" "Yes, if thou hast +any money." "Money enough," replied he, "but your balls are not quite +round." Then he took the skulls and put them in the lathe and turned +them till they were round. "There, now, they will roll better!" said +he. "Hurrah! Now it goes merrily!" He played with them and lost some +of his money, but when it struck twelve, everything vanished from his +sight. He lay down and quietly fell asleep. Next morning the King came to +inquire after him. "How has it fared with you this time?" asked he. "I +have been playing at nine-pins," he answered, "and have lost a couple +of farthings." "Hast thou not shuddered then?" "Eh, what?" said he, +"I have made merry. If I did but know what it was to shudder!" + +The third night he sat down again on his bench and said quite sadly, "If +I could but shudder." When it grew late, six tall men came in and brought +a coffin. Then said he, "Ha, ha, that is certainly my little cousin, who +died only a few days ago," and he beckoned with his finger, and cried +"Come, little cousin, come." They placed the coffin on the ground, but +he went to it and took the lid off, and a dead man lay therein. He felt +his face, but it was cold as ice. "Stop," said he, "I will warm thee a +little," and went to the fire and warmed his hand and laid it on the dead +man's face, but he remained cold. Then he took him out, and sat down by +the fire and laid him on his breast and rubbed his arms that the blood +might circulate again. As this also did no good, he thought to himself +"When two people lie in bed together, they warm each other," and carried +him to the bed, covered him over and lay down by him. After a short time +the dead man became warm too, and began to move. Then said the youth, +"See, little cousin, have I not warmed thee?" The dead man, however, +got up and cried, "Now will I strangle thee." + +"What!" said he, "is that the way thou thankest me? Thou shalt at once go +into thy coffin again," and he took him up, threw him into it, and shut +the lid. Then came the six men and carried him away again. "I cannot +manage to shudder," said he. "I shall never learn it here as long as +I live." + +Then a man entered who was taller than all others, and looked terrible. He +was old, however, and had a long white beard. "Thou wretch," cried he, +"thou shalt soon learn what it is to shudder, for thou shalt die." "Not +so fast," replied the youth. "If I am to die, I shall have to have a say +in it." "I will soon seize thee," said the fiend. "Softly, softly, do not +talk so big. I am as strong as thou art, and perhaps even stronger." "We +shall see," said the old man. "If thou art stronger, I will let thee +go---come, we will try." Then he led him by dark passages to a smith's +forge, took an axe, and with one blow struck an anvil into the ground. "I +can do better than that," said the youth, and went to the other anvil. The +old man placed himself near and wanted to look on, and his white beard +hung down. Then the youth seized the axe, split the anvil with one blow, +and struck the old man's beard in with it. "Now I have thee," said the +youth. "Now it is thou who will have to die." Then he seized an iron +bar and beat the old man till he moaned and entreated him to stop, and +he would give him great riches. The youth drew out the axe and let him +go. The old man led him back into the castle, and in a cellar showed +him three chests full of gold. "Of these," said he, "one part is for +the poor, the other for the king, the third is thine." In the meantime +it struck twelve, and the spirit disappeared; the youth, therefore, was +left in darkness. "I shall still be able to find my way out," said he, +and felt about, found the way into the room, and slept there by his +fire. Next morning the King came and said "Now thou must have learnt +what shuddering is?" "No," he answered; "what can it be? My dead cousin +was here, and a bearded man came and showed me a great deal of money down +below, but no one told me what it was to shudder." "Then," said the King, +"thou hast delivered the castle, and shalt marry my daughter." "That is +all very well," said he, "but still I do not know what it is to shudder." + +Then the gold was brought up and the wedding celebrated; but howsoever +much the young king loved his wife, and however happy he was, he still +said always "If I could but shudder---if I could but shudder." And at +last she was angry at this. Her waiting-maid said, "I will find a cure +for him; he shall soon learn what it is to shudder." She went out to +the stream which flowed through the garden, and had a whole bucketful +of gudgeons brought to her. At night when the young king was sleeping, +his wife was to draw the clothes off him and empty the bucketful of +cold water with the gudgeons in it over him, so that the little fishes +would sprawl about him. When this was done, he woke up and cried "Oh, +what makes me shudder so?---what makes me shudder so, dear wife? Ah! now +I know what it is to shudder!" + + + +5 The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids + +There was once upon a time an old goat who had seven little kids, and +loved them with all the love of a mother for her children. One day she +wanted to go into the forest and fetch some food. So she called all seven +to her and said, "Dear children, I have to go into the forest, be on your +guard against the wolf; if he come in, he will devour you all---skin, +hair, and all. The wretch often disguises himself, but you will know +him at once by his rough voice and his black feet." The kids said, "Dear +mother, we will take good care of ourselves; you may go away without any +anxiety." Then the old one bleated, and went on her way with an easy mind. + +It was not long before some one knocked at the house-door and called, +"Open the door, dear children; your mother is here, and has brought +something back with her for each of you." But the little kids knew +that it was the wolf, by the rough voice; "We will not open the door," +cried they, "thou art not our mother. She has a soft, pleasant voice, +but thy voice is rough; thou art the wolf!" Then the wolf went away to a +shopkeeper and bought himself a great lump of chalk, ate this and made +his voice soft with it. The he came back, knocked at the door of the +house, and cried, "Open the door, dear children, your mother is here +and has brought something back with her for each of you." But the wolf +had laid his black paws against the window, and the children saw them +and cried, "We will not open the door, our mother has not black feet +like thee; thou art the wolf." Then the wolf ran to a baker and said, +"I have hurt my feet, rub some dough over them for me." And when the +baker had rubbed his feet over, he ran to the miller and said, "Strew +some white meal over my feet for me." The miller thought to himself, +"The wolf wants to deceive someone," and refused; but the wolf said, +"If thou wilt not do it, I will devour thee." Then the miller was afraid, +and made his paws white for him. Truly men are like that. + +So now the wretch went for the third time to the house-door, knocked at +it and said, "Open the door for me, children, your dear little mother +has come home, and has brought every one of you something back from +the forest with her." The little kids cried, "First show us thy paws +that we may know if thou art our dear little mother." Then he put his +paws in through the window, and when the kids saw that they were white, +they believed that all he said was true, and opened the door. But who +should come in but the wolf! They were terrified and wanted to hide +themselves. One sprang under the table, the second into the bed, the +third into the stove, the fourth into the kitchen, the fifth into the +cupboard, the sixth under the washing-bowl, and the seventh into the +clock-case. But the wolf found them all, and used no great ceremony; +one after the other he swallowed them down his throat. The youngest, +who was in the clock-case, was the only one he did not find. When the +wolf had satisfied his appetite he took himself off, laid himself +down under a tree in the green meadow outside, and began to sleep. +Soon afterwards the old goat came home again from the forest. Ah! What a +sight she saw there! The house-door stood wide open. The table, chairs, +and benches were thrown down, the washing-bowl lay broken to pieces, and +the quilts and pillows were pulled off the bed. She sought her children, +but they were nowhere to be found. She called them one after another +by name, but no one answered. At last, when she came to the youngest, +a soft voice cried, "Dear mother, I am in the clock-case." She took the +kid out, and it told her that the wolf had come and had eaten all the +others. Then you may imagine how she wept over her poor children. + +At length in her grief she went out, and the youngest kid ran with +her. When they came to the meadow, there lay the wolf by the tree and +snored so loud that the branches shook. She looked at him on every +side and saw that something was moving and struggling in his gorged +belly. "Ah, heavens," said she, "is it possible that my poor children +whom he has swallowed down for his supper, can be still alive?" Then +the kid had to run home and fetch scissors, and a needle and thread, +and the goat cut open the monster's stomach, and hardly had she make +one cut, than one little kid thrust its head out, and when she cut +farther, all six sprang out one after another, and were all still alive, +and had suffered no injury whatever, for in his greediness the monster +had swallowed them down whole. What rejoicing there was! They embraced +their dear mother, and jumped like a sailor at his wedding. The mother, +however, said, "Now go and look for some big stones, and we will fill +the wicked beast's stomach with them while he is still asleep." Then the +seven kids dragged the stones thither with all speed, and put as many of +them into his stomach as they could get in; and the mother sewed him up +again in the greatest haste, so that he was not aware of anything and +never once stirred. + +When the wolf at length had had his sleep out, he got on his legs, and +as the stones in his stomach made him very thirsty, he wanted to go to +a well to drink. But when he began to walk and move about, the stones +in his stomach knocked against each other and rattled. Then cried he, + + + + + "What rumbles and tumbles + Against my poor bones? + I thought 't was six kids, + But it's naught but big stones." + + + +And when he got to the well and stooped over the water and was just +about to drink, the heavy stones made him fall in, and there was no help, +but he had to drown miserably. When the seven kids saw that, they came +running to the spot and cried aloud, "The wolf is dead! The wolf is +dead!" and danced for joy round about the well with their mother. + + + +6 Faithful John + +There was once on a time an old king who was ill, and thought to himself, +"I am lying on what must be my death-bed." Then said he, "Tell Faithful +John to come to me." Faithful John was his favourite servant, and was so +called, because he had for his whole life long been so true to him. When +therefore he came beside the bed, the King said to him, "Most faithful +John, I feel my end approaching, and have no anxiety except about my +son. He is still of tender age, and cannot always know how to guide +himself. If thou dost not promise me to teach him everything that he +ought to know, and to be his foster-father, I cannot close my eyes in +peace." Then answered Faithful John, "I will not forsake him, and will +serve him with fidelity, even if it should cost me my life." On this, +the old King said, "Now I die in comfort and peace." Then he added, +"After my death, thou shalt show him the whole castle: all the chambers, +halls, and vaults, and all the treasures which lie therein, but the last +chamber in the long gallery, in which is the picture of the princess +of the Golden Dwelling, shalt thou not show. If he sees that picture, +he will fall violently in love with her, and will drop down in a swoon, +and go through great danger for her sake, therefore thou must preserve +him from that." And when Faithful John had once more given his promise +to the old King about this, the King said no more, but laid his head on +his pillow, and died. + +When the old King had been carried to his grave, Faithful John told +the young King all that he had promised his father on his deathbed, +and said, "This will I assuredly perform, and will be faithful to thee +as I have been faithful to him, even if it should cost me my life." When +the mourning was over, Faithful John said to him, "It is now time that +thou shouldst see thine inheritance. I will show thee thy father's +palace." Then he took him about everywhere, up and down, and let him +see all the riches, and the magnificent apartments, only there was one +room which he did not open, that in which hung the dangerous picture. The +picture was, however, so placed that when the door was opened you looked +straight on it, and it was so admirably painted that it seemed to breathe +and live, and there was nothing more charming or more beautiful in the +whole world. The young King, however, plainly remarked that Faithful +John always walked past this one door, and said, "Why dost thou never +open this one for me?" "There is something within it," he replied, "which +would terrify thee." But the King answered, "I have seen all the palace, +and I will know what is in this room also," and he went and tried to +break open the door by force. Then Faithful John held him back and said, +"I promised thy father before his death that thou shouldst not see that +which is in this chamber, it might bring the greatest misfortune on +thee and on me." "Ah, no," replied the young King, "if I do not go in, +it will be my certain destruction. I should have no rest day or night +until I had seen it with my own eyes. I shall not leave the place now +until thou hast unlocked the door." + +Then Faithful John saw that there was no help for it now, and with a heavy +heart and many sighs, sought out the key from the great bunch. When he +had opened the door, he went in first, and thought by standing before +him he could hide the portrait so that the King should not see it in +front of him, but what availed that? The King stood on tip-toe and +saw it over his shoulder. And when he saw the portrait of the maiden, +which was so magnificent and shone with gold and precious stones, he +fell fainting to the ground. Faithful John took him up, carried him to +his bed, and sorrowfully thought, "The misfortune has befallen us, Lord +God, what will be the end of it?" Then he strengthened him with wine, +until he came to himself again. The first words the King said were, +"Ah, the beautiful portrait! whose it it?" "That is the princess of +the Golden Dwelling," answered Faithful John. Then the King continued, +"My love for her is so great, that if all the leaves on all the trees +were tongues, they could not declare it. I will give my life to win +her. Thou art my most Faithful John, thou must help me." + +The faithful servant considered within himself for a long time how to +set about the matter, for it was difficult even to obtain a sight of the +King's daughter. At length he thought of a way, and said to the King, +"Everything which she has about her is of gold---tables, chairs, dishes, +glasses, bowls, and household furniture. Among thy treasures are five +tons of gold; let one of the goldsmiths of the Kingdom work these up +into all manner of vessels and utensils, into all kinds of birds, wild +beasts and strange animals, such as may please her, and we will go there +with them and try our luck." + +The King ordered all the goldsmiths to be brought to him, and they +had to work night and day until at last the most splendid things were +prepared. When everything was stowed on board a ship, Faithful John put on +the dress of a merchant, and the King was forced to do the same in order +to make himself quite unrecognizable. Then they sailed across the sea, +and sailed on until they came to the town wherein dwelt the princess of +the Golden Dwelling. + +Faithful John bade the King stay behind on the ship, and wait for +him. "Perhaps I shall bring the princess with me," said he, "therefore +see that everything is in order; have the golden vessels set out and +the whole ship decorated." Then he gathered together in his apron all +kinds of gold things, went on shore and walked straight to the royal +palace. When he entered the courtyard of the palace, a beautiful girl +was standing there by the well with two golden buckets in her hand, +drawing water with them. And when she was just turning round to carry +away the sparkling water she saw the stranger, and asked who he was. So +he answered, "I am a merchant," and opened his apron, and let her look +in. Then she cried, "Oh, what beautiful gold things!" and put her pails +down and looked at the golden wares one after the other. Then said the +girl, "The princess must see these, she has such great pleasure in golden +things, that she will buy all you have." She took him by the hand and led +him upstairs, for she was the waiting-maid. When the King's daughter saw +the wares, she was quite delighted and said, "They are so beautifully +worked, that I will buy them all of thee." But Faithful John said, "I +am only the servant of a rich merchant. The things I have here are not +to be compared with those my master has in his ship. They are the most +beautiful and valuable things that have ever been made in gold." She +wanted to have everything brought to her there, but he said, "There +are so many of them that it would take a great many days to do that, +and so many rooms would be required to exhibit them, that your house is +not big enough." Then her curiosity and longing were still more excited, +until at last she said, "Conduct me to the ship, I will go there myself, +and behold the treasures of thine master." + +On this Faithful John was quite delighted, and led her to the ship, and +when the King saw her, he perceived that her beauty was even greater than +the picture had represented it to be, and thought no other than that his +heart would burst in twain. Then she got into the ship, and the King led +her within. Faithful John, however, remained behind with the pilot, and +ordered the ship to be pushed off, saying, "Set all sail, till it fly like +a bird in air." Within, however, the King showed her the golden vessels, +every one of them, also the wild beasts and strange animals. Many hours +went by whilst she was seeing everything, and in her delight she did not +observe that the ship was sailing away. After she had looked at the last, +she thanked the merchant and wanted to go home, but when she came to the +side of the ship, she saw that it was on the deep sea far from land, +and hurrying onwards with all sail set. "Ah," cried she in her alarm, +"I am betrayed! I am carried away and have fallen into the power of +a merchant---I would die rather!" The King, however, seized her hand, +and said, "I am not a merchant. I am a king, and of no meaner origin than +thou art, and if I have carried thee away with subtlety, that has come to +pass because of my exceeding great love for thee. The first time that I +looked on thy portrait, I fell fainting to the ground." When the princess +of the Golden Dwelling heard that, she was comforted, and her heart was +inclined unto him, so that she willingly consented to be his wife. + +It so happened, however, while they were sailing onwards over the deep +sea, that Faithful John, who was sitting on the fore part of the vessel, +making music, saw three ravens in the air, which came flying towards +them. On this he stopped playing and listened to what they were saying +to each other, for that he well understood. One cried, "Oh, there he is +carrying home the princess of the Golden Dwelling." "Yes," replied the +second, "but he has not got her yet." Said the third, "But he has got +her, she is sitting beside him in the ship." Then the first began again, +and cried, "What good will that do him? When they reach land a chestnut +horse will leap forward to meet him, and the prince will want to mount +it, but if he does that, it will run away with him, and rise up into the +air with him, and he will never see his maiden more." Spake the second, +"But is there no escape?" + +"Oh, yes, if any one else gets on it swiftly, and takes out the pistol +which must be in its holster, and shoots the horse dead with it, the +young King is saved. But who knows that? And whosoever does know it, and +tells it to him, will be turned to stone from the toe to the knee." Then +said the second, "I know more than that; even if the horse be killed, +the young King will still not keep his bride. When they go into the +castle together, a wrought bridal garment will be lying there in a dish, +and looking as if it were woven of gold and silver; it is, however, +nothing but sulphur and pitch, and if he put it on, it will burn him to +the very bone and marrow." Said the third, "Is there no escape at all?" + +"Oh, yes," replied the second, "if any one with gloves on seizes the +garment and throws it into the fire and burns it, the young King will be +saved. "But what avails that?" "Whosoever knows it and tells it to him, +half his body will become stone from the knee to the heart." + +Then said the third, "I know still more; even if the bridal garment be +burnt, the young King will still not have his bride. After the wedding, +when the dancing begins and the young queen is dancing, she will suddenly +turn pale and fall down as if dead, and if some one does not lift her +up and draw three drops of blood from her right breast and spit them +out again, she will die. But if any one who knows that were to declare +it, he would become stone from the crown of his head to the sole of his +foot." When the ravens had spoken of this together, they flew onwards, +and Faithful John had well understood everything, but from that time +forth he became quiet and sad, for if he concealed what he had heard from +his master, the latter would be unfortunate, and if he discovered it to +him, he himself must sacrifice his life. At length, however, he said to +himself, "I will save my master, even if it bring destruction on myself." + +When therefore they came to shore, all happened as had been foretold +by the ravens, and a magnificent chestnut horse sprang forward. "Good," +said the King, "he shall carry me to my palace," and was about to mount +it when Faithful John got before him, jumped quickly on it, drew the +pistol out of the holster, and shot the horse. Then the other attendants +of the King, who after all were not very fond of Faithful John, cried, +"How shameful to kill the beautiful animal, that was to have carried the +King to his palace." But the King said, "Hold your peace and leave him +alone, he is my most faithful John, who knows what may be the good of +that!" They went into the palace, and in the hall there stood a dish, +and therein lay the bridal garment looking no otherwise than as if it +were made of gold and silver. The young King went towards it and was +about to take hold of it, but Faithful John pushed him away, seized it +with gloves on, carried it quickly to the fire and burnt it. The other +attendants again began to murmur, and said, "Behold, now he is even +burning the King's bridal garment!" But the young King said, "Who knows +what good he may have done, leave him alone, he is my most faithful John." + +And now the wedding was solemnized: the dance began, and the bride also +took part in it; then Faithful John was watchful and looked into her +face, and suddenly she turned pale and fell to the ground, as if she +were dead. On this he ran hastily to her, lifted her up and bore her +into a chamber---then he laid her down, and knelt and sucked the three +drops of blood from her right breast, and spat them out. Immediately she +breathed again and recovered herself, but the young King had seen this, +and being ignorant why Faithful John had done it, was angry and cried, +"Throw him into a dungeon." Next morning Faithful John was condemned, +and led to the gallows, and when he stood on high, and was about to be +executed, he said, "Every one who has to die is permitted before his end +to make one last speech; may I too claim the right?" "Yes," answered +the King, "it shall be granted unto thee." Then said Faithful John, +"I am unjustly condemned, and have always been true to thee," and he +related how he had hearkened to the conversation of the ravens when on +the sea, and how he had been obliged to do all these things in order to +save his master. Then cried the King, "Oh, my most Faithful John. Pardon, +pardon---bring him down." But as Faithful John spoke the last word he +had fallen down lifeless and become a stone. + +Thereupon the King and the Queen suffered great anguish, and the King +said, "Ah, how ill I have requited great fidelity!" and ordered the stone +figure to be taken up and placed in his bedroom beside his bed. And as +often as he looked on it he wept and said, "Ah, if I could bring thee +to life again, my most faithful John." Some time passed and the Queen +bore twins, two sons who grew fast and were her delight. Once when the +Queen was at church and the two children were sitting playing beside +their father, the latter full of grief again looked at the stone figure, +sighed and said, "Ah, if I could but bring thee to life again, my most +faithful John." Then the stone began to speak and said, "Thou canst bring +me to life again if thou wilt use for that purpose what is dearest to +thee." Then cried the King, "I will give everything I have in the world +for thee." The stone continued, "If thou wilt will cut off the heads of +thy two children with thine own hand, and sprinkle me with their blood, +I shall be restored to life." + +The King was terrified when he heard that he himself must kill his +dearest children, but he thought of faithful John's great fidelity, and +how he had died for him, drew his sword, and with his own hand cut off +the children's heads. And when he had smeared the stone with their blood, +life returned to it, and Faithful John stood once more safe and healthy +before him. He said to the King, "Thy truth shall not go unrewarded," +and took the heads of the children, put them on again, and rubbed the +wounds with their blood, on which they became whole again immediately, +and jumped about, and went on playing as if nothing had happened. Then +the King was full of joy, and when he saw the Queen coming he hid Faithful +John and the two children in a great cupboard. When she entered, he said +to her, "Hast thou been praying in the church?" "Yes," answered she, +"but I have constantly been thinking of Faithful John and what misfortune +has befallen him through us." Then said he, "Dear wife, we can give him +his life again, but it will cost us our two little sons, whom we must +sacrifice." The Queen turned pale, and her heart was full of terror, +but she said, "We owe it to him, for his great fidelity." Then the King +was rejoiced that she thought as he had thought, and went and opened the +cupboard, and brought forth Faithful John and the children, and said, +"God be praised, he is delivered, and we have our little sons again also," +and told her how everything had occurred. Then they dwelt together in +much happiness until their death. + + + +7 The Good Bargain + +There was once a peasant who had driven his cow to the fair, and sold +her for seven thalers. On the way home he had to pass a pond, and already +from afar he heard the frogs crying, "Aik, aik, aik, aik." "Well," said he +to himself, "they are talking without rhyme or reason, it is seven that +I have received, not eight." When he got to the water, he cried to them, +"Stupid animals that you are! Don't you know better than that? It is seven +thalers and not eight." The frogs, however, stood to their, "aik aik, +aik, aik." "Come, then, if you won't believe it, I can count it out to +you." And he took his money out of his pocket and counted out the seven +thalers, always reckoning four and twenty groschen to a thaler. The +frogs, however, paid no attention to his reckoning, but still cried, +"aik, aik, aik, aik." "What," cried the peasant, quite angry, "since you +are determined to know better than I, count it yourselves," and threw all +the money into the water to them. He stood still and wanted to wait until +they were done and had brought him his own again, but the frogs maintained +their opinion and cried continually, "aik, aik, aik, aik," and besides +that, did not throw the money out again. He still waited a long while +until evening came on and he was forced to go home. Then he abused the +frogs and cried, "You water-splashers, you thick-heads, you goggle-eyes, +you have great mouths and can screech till you hurt one's ears, but you +cannot count seven thalers! Do you think I'm going to stand here till +you get done?" And with that he went away, but the frogs still cried, +"aik, aik, aik, aik," after him till he went home quite angry. + +After a while he bought another cow, which he killed, and he made the +calculation that if he sold the meat well he might gain as much as the +two cows were worth, and have the skin into the bargain. When therefore +he got to the town with the meat, a great troop of dogs were gathered +together in front of the gate, with a large greyhound at the head of +them, which jumped at the meat, snuffed at it, and barked, "Wow, wow, +wow." As there was no stopping him, the peasant said to him, "Yes, +yes, I know quite well that thou art saying, 'wow, wow, wow,' because +thou wantest some of the meat; but I should fare badly if I were to +give it to thee." The dog, however, answered nothing but "wow, wow." +"Wilt thou promise not to devour it all then, and wilt thou go bail for +thy companions?" "Wow, wow, wow," said the dog. "Well, if thou insistest +on it, I will leave it for thee; I know thee well, and know who is thy +master; but this I tell thee, I must have my money in three days or else +it will go ill with thee; thou must just bring it out to me." Thereupon +he unloaded the meat and turned back again, the dogs fell upon it and +loudly barked, "wow, wow." + +The countryman, who heard them from afar, said to himself, "Hark, now +they all want some, but the big one is responsible to me for it." + +When three days had passed, the countryman thought, "To-night my money +will be in my pocket," and was quite delighted. But no one would come +and pay it. "There is no trusting any one now," said he; and at last +he lost patience, and went into the town to the butcher and demanded +his money. The butcher thought it was a joke, but the peasant said, +"Jesting apart, I will have my money! Did not the great dog bring you the +whole of the slaughtered cow three days ago?" Then the butcher grew angry, +snatched a broomstick and drove him out. "Wait a while," said the peasant, +"there is still some justice in the world!" and went to the royal palace +and begged for an audience. He was led before the King, who sat there with +his daughter, and asked him what injury he had suffered. "Alas!" said he, +"the frogs and the dogs have taken from me what is mine, and the butcher +has paid me for it with the stick," and he related at full length all +that had happened. Thereupon the King's daughter began to laugh heartily, +and the King said to him, "I cannot give you justice in this, but you +shall have my daughter to wife for it,---in her whole life she has never +yet laughed as she has just done at thee, and I have promised her to +him who could make her laugh. Thou mayst thank God for thy good fortune!" + +"Oh," answered the peasant, "I will not have her, I have a wife already, +and she is one too many for me; when I go home, it is just as bad as +if I had a wife standing in every corner." Then the King grew angry, +and said, "Thou art a boor." "Ah, Lord King," replied the peasant, +"what can you expect from an ox, but beef?" "Stop," answered the King, +"thou shalt have another reward. Be off now, but come back in three days, +and then thou shalt have five hundred counted out in full." + +When the peasant went out by the gate, the sentry said, "Thou hast made +the King's daughter laugh, so thou wilt certainly receive something +good." "Yes, that is what I think," answered the peasant; "five hundred +are to be counted out to me." "Hark thee," said the soldier, "give me +some of it. What canst thou do with all that money?" "As it is thou," +said the peasant, "thou shalt have two hundred; present thyself in three +days' time before the King, and let it be paid to thee." A Jew, who was +standing by and had heard the conversation, ran after the peasant, held +him by the coat, and said, "Oh, wonder! what a luck-child thou art! I +will change it for thee, I will change it for thee into small coins, +what dost thou want with the great thalers?" "Jew," said the countryman, +"three hundred canst thou still have; give it to me at once in coin, in +three days from this, thou wilt be paid for it by the King." The Jew was +delighted with the profit, and brought the sum in bad groschen, three of +which were worth two good ones. After three days had passed, according +to the King's command, the peasant went before the King. "Pull his coat +off," said the latter, "and he shall have his five hundred." "Ah!" said +the peasant, "they no longer belong to me; I presented two hundred of +them to the sentinel, and three hundred the Jew has changed for me, +so by right nothing at all belongs to me." In the meantime the soldier +and the Jew entered and claimed what they had gained from the peasant, +and they received the blows strictly counted out. The soldier bore it +patiently and knew already how it tasted, but the Jew said sorrowfully, +"Alas, alas, are these the heavy thalers?" The King could not help +laughing at the peasant, and as all his anger was gone, he said, +"As thou hast already lost thy reward before it fell to thy lot, +I will give thee something in the place of it. Go into my treasure +chamber and get some money for thyself, as much as thou wilt." The +peasant did not need to be told twice, and stuffed into his big pockets +whatsoever would go in. Afterwards he went to an inn and counted out his +money. The Jew had crept after him and heard how he muttered to himself, +"That rogue of a King has cheated me after all, why could he not have +given me the money himself, and then I should have known what I had? +How can I tell now if what I have had the luck to put in my pockets is +right or not?" "Good heavens!" said the Jew to himself, "that man is +speaking disrespectfully of our lord the King, I will run and inform, +and then I shall get a reward, and he will be punished as well." + +When the King heard of the peasant's words he fell into a passion, and +commanded the Jew to go and bring the offender to him. The Jew ran to the +peasant, "You are to go at once to the lord King in the very clothes you +have on." "I know what's right better than that," answered the peasant, +"I shall have a new coat made first. Dost thou think that a man with so +much money in his pocket is to go there in his ragged old coat?" The +Jew, as he saw that the peasant would not stir without another coat, +and as he feared that if the King's anger cooled, he himself would lose +his reward, and the peasant his punishment, said, "I will out of pure +friendship lend thee a coat for the short time. What will people not do +for love!" The peasant was contented with this, put the Jew's coat on, +and went off with him. + +The King reproached the countryman because of the evil speaking of which +the Jew had informed him. "Ah," said the peasant, "what a Jew says is +always false -- no true word ever comes out of his mouth! That rascal +there is capable of maintaining that I have his coat on." + +"What is that?" shrieked the Jew. "Is the coat not mine? Have I not +lent it to thee out of pure friendship, in order that thou might appear +before the lord King?" When the King heard that, he said, "The Jew +has assuredly deceived one or the other of us, either myself or the +peasant," and again he ordered something to be counted out to him in hard +thalers. The peasant, however, went home in the good coat, with the good +money in his pocket, and said to himself, "This time I have hit it!" + + + 8 The Wonderful Musician + +There was once a wonderful musician, who went quite alone through a +forest and thought of all manner of things, and when nothing was left +for him to think about, he said to himself, "Time is beginning to pass +heavily with me here in the forest, I will fetch hither a good companion +for myself." Then he took his fiddle from his back, and played so that +it echoed through the trees. It was not long before a wolf came trotting +through the thicket towards him. "Ah, here is a wolf coming! I have no +desire for him!" said the musician; but the wolf came nearer and said +to him, "Ah, dear musician, how beautifully thou dost play. I should +like to learn that, too." "It is soon learnt," the musician replied, +"thou hast only to do all that I bid thee." "Oh, musician," said the wolf, +"I will obey thee as a scholar obeys his master." The musician bade him +follow, and when they had gone part of the way together, they came to an +old oak-tree which was hollow inside, and cleft in the middle. "Look," +said the musician, "if thou wilt learn to fiddle, put thy fore paws into +this crevice." The wolf obeyed, but the musician quickly picked up a +stone and with one blow wedged his two paws so fast that he was forced +to stay there like a prisoner. "Stay there until I come back again," +said the musician, and went his way. + +After a while he again said to himself, "Time is beginning to pass heavily +with me here in the forest, I will fetch hither another companion," +and took his fiddle and again played in the forest. It was not long +before a fox came creeping through the trees towards him. "Ah, there's +a fox coming!" said the musician. "I have no desire for him." The fox +came up to him and said, "Oh, dear musician, how beautifully thou dost +play! I should like to learn that too." "That is soon learnt," said +the musician. "Thou hast only to do everything that I bid thee." "Oh, +musician," then said the fox, "I will obey thee as a scholar obeys +his master." "Follow me," said the musician; and when they had walked +a part of the way, they came to a footpath, with high bushes on both +sides of it. There the musician stood still, and from one side bent a +young hazel-bush down to the ground, and put his foot on the top of it, +then he bent down a young tree from the other side as well, and said, +"Now little fox, if thou wilt learn something, give me thy left front +paw." The fox obeyed, and the musician fastened his paw to the left +bough. "Little fox," said he, "now reach me thy right paw" and he tied it +to the right bough. When he had examined whether they were firm enough, +he let go, and the bushes sprang up again, and jerked up the little fox, +so that it hung struggling in the air. "Wait there till I come back +again," said the musician, and went his way. + +Again he said to himself, "Time is beginning to pass heavily with me here +in the forest, I will fetch hither another companion," so he took his +fiddle, and the sound echoed through the forest. Then a little hare came +springing towards him. "Why, a hare is coming," said the musician, "I do +not want him." "Ah, dear musician," said the hare, "how beautifully thou +dost fiddle; I too, should like to learn that." "That is soon learnt," +said the musician, "thou hast only to do everything that I bid thee." + +"Oh, musician," replied the little hare, "I will obey thee as a scholar +obeys his master." They went a part of the way together until they came +to an open space in the forest, where stood an aspen tree. The musician +tied a long string round the little hare's neck, the other end of which he +fastened to the tree. "Now briskly, little hare, run twenty times round +the tree!" cried the musician, and the little hare obeyed, and when it +had run round twenty times, it had twisted the string twenty times round +the trunk of the tree, and the little hare was caught, and let it pull +and tug as it liked, it only made the string cut into its tender neck. +"Wait there till I come back," said the musician, and went onwards. + +The wolf, in the meantime, had pushed and pulled and bitten at the +stone, and had worked so long that he had set his feet at liberty and had +drawn them once more out of the cleft. Full of anger and rage he hurried +after the musician and wanted to tear him to pieces. When the fox saw +him running, he began to lament, and cried with all his might, "Brother +wolf, come to my help, the musician has betrayed me!" The wolf drew +down the little tree, bit the cord in two, and freed the fox, who went +with him to take revenge on the musician. They found the tied-up hare, +whom likewise they delivered, and then they all sought the enemy together. + +The musician had once more played his fiddle as he went on his way, +and this time he had been more fortunate. The sound reached the ears of +a poor wood-cutter, who instantly, whether he would or no, gave up his +work and came with his hatchet under his arm to listen to the music. "At +last comes the right companion," said the musician, "for I was seeking a +human being, and no wild beast." And he began and played so beautifully +and delightfully that the poor man stood there as if bewitched, and his +heart leaped with gladness. And as he thus stood, the wolf, the fox, +and the hare came up, and he saw well that they had some evil design. So +he raised his glittering axe and placed himself before the musician, +as if to say, "Whoso wishes to touch him let him beware, for he will +have to do with me!" Then the beasts were terrified and ran back into +the forest. The musician, however, played once more to the man out of +gratitude, and then went onwards. + + + 9 The Twelve Brothers + +There were once on a time a king and a queen who lived happily together +and had twelve children, but they were all boys. Then said the King +to his wife, "If the thirteenth child which thou art about to bring +into the world, is a girl, the twelve boys shall die, in order that her +possessions may be great, and that the kingdom may fall to her alone." He +caused likewise twelve coffins to be made, which were already filled with +shavings, and in each lay the little pillow for the dead, and he had them +taken into a locked-up room, and then he gave the Queen the key of it, +and bade her not to speak of this to any one. + +The mother, however, now sat and lamented all day long, until the youngest +son, who was always with her, and whom she had named Benjamin, from the +Bible, said to her, "Dear mother, why art thou so sad?" + +"Dearest child," she answered, "I may not tell thee." But he let her +have no rest until she went and unlocked the room, and showed him the +twelve coffins ready filled with shavings. Then she said, "my dearest +Benjamin, thy father has had these coffins made for thee and for thy +eleven brothers, for if I bring a little girl into the world, you are +all to be killed and buried in them." And as she wept while she was +saying this, the son comforted her and said, "Weep not, dear mother, +we will save ourselves, and go hence." But she said, "Go forth into the +forest with thy eleven brothers, and let one sit constantly on the highest +tree which can be found, and keep watch, looking towards the tower here +in the castle. If I give birth to a little son, I will put up a white +flag, and then you may venture to come back, but if I bear a daughter, +I will hoist a red flag, and then fly hence as quickly as you are able, +and may the good God protect you. And every night I will rise up and +pray for you---in winter that you may be able to warm yourself at a fire, +and in summer that you may not faint away in the heat." + +After she had blessed her sons therefore, they went forth into the +forest. They each kept watch in turn, and sat on the highest oak and +looked towards the tower. When eleven days had passed and the turn came +to Benjamin, he saw that a flag was being raised. It was, however, not +the white, but the blood-red flag which announced that they were all to +die. When the brothers heard that, they were very angry and said, "Are we +all to suffer death for the sake of a girl? We swear that we will avenge +ourselves!-- wheresoever we find a girl, her red blood shall flow." + +Thereupon they went deeper into the forest, and in the midst of it, +where it was the darkest, they found a little bewitched hut, which was +standing empty. Then said they, "Here we will dwell, and thou Benjamin, +who art the youngest and weakest, thou shalt stay at home and keep house, +we others will go out and get food." Then they went into the forest and +shot hares, wild deer, birds and pigeons, and whatsoever there was to +eat; this they took to Benjamin, who had to dress it for them in order +that they might appease their hunger. They lived together ten years in +the little hut, and the time did not appear long to them. + +The little daughter which their mother the Queen had given birth to, +was now grown up; she was good of heart, and fair of face, and had a +golden star on her forehead. Once, when it was the great washing, she saw +twelve men's shirts among the things, and asked her mother, "To whom do +these twelve shirts belong, for they are far too small for father?" Then +the Queen answered with a heavy heart, "Dear child, these belong to +thy twelve brothers." Said the maiden, "Where are my twelve brothers, +I have never yet heard of them?" She replied, "God knows where they are, +they are wandering about the world." Then she took the maiden and opened +the chamber for her, and showed her the twelve coffins with the shavings, +and pillows for the head. "These coffins," said she, "were destined for +thy brothers, but they went away secretly before thou wert born," and +she related to her how everything had happened; then said the maiden, +"Dear mother, weep not, I will go and seek my brothers." + +So she took the twelve shirts and went forth, and straight into the +great forest. She walked the whole day, and in the evening she came to +the bewitched hut. Then she entered it and found a young boy, who asked, +"From whence comest thou, and whither art thou bound?" and was astonished +that she was so beautiful, and wore royal garments, and had a star on +her forehead. And she answered, "I am a king's daughter, and am seeking +my twelve brothers, and I will walk as far as the sky is blue until I +find them." She likewise showed him the twelve shirts which belonged to +them. Then Benjamin saw that she was his sister, and said, "I am Benjamin, +thy youngest brother." And she began to weep for joy, and Benjamin wept +also, and they kissed and embraced each other with the greatest love. But +after this he said, "Dear sister, there is still one difficulty. We +have agreed that every maiden whom we meet shall die, because we have +been obliged to leave our kingdom on account of a girl." Then said she, +"I will willingly die, if by so doing I can deliver my twelve brothers." + +"No," answered he, "thou shalt not die, seat thyself beneath this tub +until our eleven brothers come, and then I will soon come to an agreement +with them." + +She did so, and when it was night the others came from hunting, +and their dinner was ready. And as they were sitting at table, and +eating, they asked, "What news is there?" Said Benjamin, "Don't you +know anything?" "No," they answered. He continued, "You have been in +the forest and I have stayed at home, and yet I know more than you +do." "Tell us then," they cried. He answered, "But promise me that the +first maiden who meets us shall not be killed." "Yes," they all cried, +"she shall have mercy, only do tell us." + +Then said he, "Our sister is here," and he lifted up the tub, and the +King's daughter came forth in her royal garments with the golden star +on her forehead, and she was beautiful, delicate and fair. Then they +were all rejoiced, and fell on her neck, and kissed and loved her with +all their hearts. + +Now she stayed at home with Benjamin and helped him with the work. The +eleven went into the forest and caught game, and deer, and birds, +and wood-pigeons that they might have food, and the little sister and +Benjamin took care to make it ready for them. She sought for the wood +for cooking and herbs for vegetables, and put the pans on the fire so +that the dinner was always ready when the eleven came. She likewise kept +order in the little house, and put beautifully white clean coverings +on the little beds, and the brothers were always contented and lived in +great harmony with her. + +Once on a time the two at home had prepared a beautiful entertainment, +and when they were all together, they sat down and ate and drank and were +full of gladness. There was, however, a little garden belonging to the +bewitched house wherein stood twelve lily flowers, which are likewise +called students. She wished to give her brothers pleasure, and plucked +the twelve flowers, and thought she would present each brother with one +while at dinner. But at the self-same moment that she plucked the flowers +the twelve brothers were changed into twelve ravens, and flew away over +the forest, and the house and garden vanished likewise. And now the +poor maiden was alone in the wild forest, and when she looked around, +an old woman was standing near her who said, "My child, what hast thou +done? Why didst thou not leave the twelve white flowers growing? They +were thy brothers, who are now for evermore changed into ravens." The +maiden said, weeping, "Is there no way of delivering them?" + +"No," said the woman, "there is but one in the whole world, and that +is so hard that thou wilt not deliver them by it, for thou must be dumb +for seven years, and mayst not speak or laugh, and if thou speakest one +single word, and only an hour of the seven years is wanting, all is in +vain, and thy brothers will be killed by the one word." + +Then said the maiden in her heart, "I know with certainty that I shall +set my brothers free," and went and sought a high tree and seated herself +in it and span, and neither spoke nor laughed. Now it so happened that +a king was hunting in the forest, who had a great greyhound which ran to +the tree on which the maiden was sitting, and sprang about it, whining, +and barking at her. Then the King came by and saw the beautiful King's +daughter with the golden star on her brow, and was so charmed with her +beauty that he called to ask her if she would be his wife. She made no +answer, but nodded a little with her head. So he climbed up the tree +himself, carried her down, placed her on his horse, and bore her home. +Then the wedding was solemnized with great magnificence and rejoicing, +but the bride neither spoke nor smiled. When they had lived happily +together for a few years, the King's mother, who was a wicked woman, +began to slander the young Queen, and said to the King, "This is a +common beggar girl whom thou hast brought back with thee. Who knows +what impious tricks she practises secretly! Even if she be dumb, and +not able to speak, she still might laugh for once; but those who do not +laugh have bad consciences." At first the King would not believe it, but +the old woman urged this so long, and accused her of so many evil things, +that at last the King let himself be persuaded and sentenced her to death. + +And now a great fire was lighted in the courtyard in which she was to be +burnt, and the King stood above at the window and looked on with tearful +eyes, because he still loved her so much. And when she was bound fast to +the stake, and the fire was licking at her clothes with its red tongue, +the last instant of the seven years expired. Then a whirring sound +was heard in the air, and twelve ravens came flying towards the place, +and sank downwards, and when they touched the earth they were her twelve +brothers, whom she had delivered. They tore the fire asunder, extinguished +the flames, set their dear sister free, and kissed and embraced her. And +now as she dared to open her mouth and speak, she told the King why she +had been dumb, and had never laughed. The King rejoiced when he heard that +she was innocent, and they all lived in great unity until their death. The +wicked step-mother was taken before the judge, and put into a barrel +filled with boiling oil and venomous snakes, and died an evil death. + + + +10 The Pack of Ragamuffins + +The cock once said to the hen, "It is now the time when our nuts are +ripe, so let us go to the hill together and for once eat our fill +before the squirrel takes them all away." "Yes," replied the hen, +"come, we will have some pleasure together." Then they went away to +the hill, and on it was a bright day they stayed till evening. Now I +do not know whether it was that they had eaten till they were too fat, +or whether they had become proud, but they would not go home on foot, +and the cock had to build a little carriage of nut-shells. When it +was ready, the little hen seated herself in it and said to the cock, +"Thou canst just harness thyself to it." "I like that!" said the cock, +"I would rather go home on foot than let myself be harnessed to it; no, +that is not our bargain. I do not mind being coachman and sitting on +the box, but drag it myself I will not." + +As they were thus disputing, a duck quacked to them, "You thieving folks, +who bade you go to my nut-hill? Well, you shall suffer for it!" and ran +with open beak at the cock. But the cock also was not idle, and fell +boldly on the duck, and at last wounded her so with his spurs that she +also begged for mercy, and willingly let herself be harnessed to the +carriage as a punishment. The little cock now seated himself on the box +and was coachman, and thereupon they went off in a gallop, with "Duck, +go as fast as thou canst." When they had driven a part of the way they +met two foot-passengers, a pin and a needle. They cried, "Stop! stop!" +and said that it would soon be as dark as pitch, and then they could +not go a step further, and that it was so dirty on the road, and asked +if they could not get into the carriage for a while. They had been at +the tailor's public-house by the gate, and had stayed too long over +the beer. As they were thin people, who did not take up much room, the +cock let them both get in, but they had to promise him and his little +hen not to step on their feet. Late in the evening they came to an inn, +and as they did not like to go further by night, and as the duck also was +not strong on her feet, and fell from one side to the other, they went +in. The host at first made many objections, his house was already full, +besides he thought they could not be very distinguished persons; but at +last, as they made pleasant speeches, and told him that he should have the +egg which the little hen has laid on the way, and should likewise keep +the duck, which laid one every day, he at length said that they might +stay the night. And now they had themselves well served, and feasted +and rioted. Early in the morning, when day was breaking, and every one +was asleep, the cock awoke the hen, brought the egg, pecked it open, +and they ate it together, but they threw the shell on the hearth. Then +they went to the needle which was still asleep, took it by the head +and stuck it into the cushion of the landlord's chair, and put the pin +in his towel, and at the last without more ado they flew away over the +heath. The duck who liked to sleep in the open air and had stayed in +the yard, heard them going away, made herself merry and found a stream, +down which she swam, which was a much quicker way of travelling than +being harnessed to a carriage. The host did not get out of bed for two +hours after this; he washed himself and wanted to dry himself, then +the pin went over his face and made a red streak from one ear to the +other. After this he went into the kitchen and wanted to light a pipe, +but when he came to the hearth the egg-shell darted into his eyes. "This +morning everything attacks my head," said he, and angrily sat down +on his grandfather's chair, but he quickly started up again and cried, +"Woe is me," for the needle had pricked him still worse than the pin, +and not in the head. Now he was thoroughly angry, and suspected the +guests who had come so late the night before, and when he went and +looked about for them, they were gone. Then he made a vow to take no +more ragamuffins into his house, for they consume much, pay for nothing, +and play mischievous tricks into the bargain by way of gratitude. + + + +11 Little Brother and Little Sister + +Little brother took his little sister by the hand and said, "Since our +mother died we have had no happiness; our step-mother beats us every day, +and if we come near her she kicks us away with her foot. Our meals are +the hard crusts of bread that are left over; and the little dog under +the table is better off, for she often throws it a nice bit. May Heaven +pity us. If our mother only knew! Come, we will go forth together into +the wide world." + +They walked the whole day over meadows, fields, and stony places; +and when it rained the little sister said, "Heaven and our hearts are +weeping together." In the evening they came to a large forest, and they +were so weary with sorrow and hunger and the long walk, that they lay +down in a hollow tree and fell asleep. + +The next day when they awoke, the sun was already high in the sky, +and shone down hot into the tree. Then the brother said, "Sister, I am +thirsty; if I knew of a little brook I would go and just take a drink; +I think I hear one running." The brother got up and took the little +sister by the hand, and they set off to find the brook. + +But the wicked step-mother was a witch, and had seen how the two children +had gone away, and had crept after them privily, as witches do creep, +and had bewitched all the brooks in the forest. + +Now when they found a little brook leaping brightly over the stones, +the brother was going to drink out of it, but the sister heard how it +said as it ran, "Who drinks of me will be a tiger; who drinks of me will +be a tiger." Then the sister cried, "Pray, dear brother, do not drink, +or you will become a wild beast, and tear me to pieces." The brother +did not drink, although he was so thirsty, but said, "I will wait for +the next spring." + +When they came to the next brook the sister heard this also say, "Who +drinks of me will be a wolf; who drinks of me will be a wolf." Then +the sister cried out, "Pray, dear brother, do not drink, or you will +become a wolf, and devour me." The brother did not drink, and said, +"I will wait until we come to the next spring, but then I must drink, +say what you like; for my thirst is too great." + +And when they came to the third brook the sister heard how it said as +it ran, "Who drinks of me will be a roebuck; who drinks of me will be a +roebuck." The sister said, "Oh, I pray you, dear brother, do not drink, +or you will become a roebuck, and run away from me." But the brother +had knelt down at once by the brook, and had bent down and drunk some +of the water, and as soon as the first drops touched his lips he lay +there a young roebuck. + +And now the sister wept over her poor bewitched brother, and the little +roe wept also, and sat sorrowfully near to her. But at last the girl said, +"Be quiet, dear little roe, I will never, never leave you." + +Then she untied her golden garter and put it round the roebuck's neck, +and she plucked rushes and wove them into a soft cord. With this she +tied the little beast and led it on, and she walked deeper and deeper +into the forest. + +And when they had gone a very long way they came at last to a little +house, and the girl looked in; and as it was empty, she thought, "We +can stay here and live." Then she sought for leaves and moss to make a +soft bed for the roe; and every morning she went out and gathered roots +and berries and nuts for herself, and brought tender grass for the roe, +who ate out of her hand, and was content and played round about her. In +the evening, when the sister was tired, and had said her prayer, she +laid her head upon the roebuck's back: that was her pillow, and she +slept softly on it. And if only the brother had had his human form it +would have been a delightful life. + +For some time they were alone like this in the wilderness. But it happened +that the King of the country held a great hunt in the forest. Then +the blasts of the horns, the barking of dogs, and the merry shouts +of the huntsmen rang through the trees, and the roebuck heard all, +and was only too anxious to be there. "Oh," said he, to his sister, +"let me be off to the hunt, I cannot bear it any longer;" and he begged +so much that at last she agreed. "But," said she to him, "come back to +me in the evening; I must shut my door for fear of the rough huntsmen, +so knock and say, 'My little sister, let me in!' that I may know you; +and if you do not say that, I shall not open the door." Then the young +roebuck sprang away; so happy was he and so merry in the open air. + +The King and the huntsmen saw the pretty creature, and started after him, +but they could not catch him, and when they thought that they surely had +him, away he sprang through the bushes and could not be seen. When it +was dark he ran to the cottage, knocked, and said, "My little sister, +let me in." Then the door was opened for him, and he jumped in, and +rested himself the whole night through upon his soft bed. + +The next day the hunt went on afresh, and when the roebuck again heard +the bugle-horn, and the ho! ho! of the huntsmen, he had no peace, but +said, "Sister, let me out, I must be off." His sister opened the door +for him, and said, "But you must be here again in the evening and say +your pass-word." + +When the King and his huntsmen again saw the young roebuck with the +golden collar, they all chased him, but he was too quick and nimble for +them. This went on for the whole day, but at last by the evening the +huntsmen had surrounded him, and one of them wounded him a little in the +foot, so that he limped and ran slowly. Then a hunter crept after him to +the cottage and heard how he said, "My little sister, let me in," and saw +that the door was opened for him, and was shut again at once. The huntsman +took notice of it all, and went to the King and told him what he had +seen and heard. Then the King said, "To-morrow we will hunt once more." + +The little sister, however, was dreadfully frightened when she saw that +her fawn was hurt. She washed the blood off him, laid herbs on the wound, +and said, "Go to your bed, dear roe, that you may get well again." But the +wound was so slight that the roebuck, next morning, did not feel it any +more. And when he again heard the sport outside, he said, "I cannot bear +it, I must be there; they shall not find it so easy to catch me." The +sister cried, and said, "This time they will kill you, and here am I +alone in the forest and forsaken by all the world. I will not let you +out." "Then you will have me die of grief," answered the roe; "when I +hear the bugle-horns I feel as if I must jump out of my skin." Then the +sister could not do otherwise, but opened the door for him with a heavy +heart, and the roebuck, full of health and joy, bounded into the forest. + +When the King saw him, he said to his huntsmen, "Now chase him all day +long till night-fall, but take care that no one does him any harm." + +As soon as the sun had set, the King said to the huntsman, "Now come +and show me the cottage in the wood;" and when he was at the door, he +knocked and called out, "Dear little sister, let me in." Then the door +opened, and the King walked in, and there stood a maiden more lovely +than any he had ever seen. The maiden was frightened when she saw, +not her little roe, but a man come in who wore a golden crown upon his +head. But the King looked kindly at her, stretched out his hand, and said, +"Will you go with me to my palace and be my dear wife?" "Yes, indeed," +answered the maiden, "but the little roe must go with me, I cannot leave +him." The King said, "It shall stay with you as long as you live, and +shall want nothing." Just then he came running in, and the sister again +tied him with the cord of rushes, took it in her own hand, and went away +with the King from the cottage. + +The King took the lovely maiden upon his horse and carried her to his +palace, where the wedding was held with great pomp. She was now the Queen, +and they lived for a long time happily together; the roebuck was tended +and cherished, and ran about in the palace-garden. + +But the wicked step-mother, because of whom the children had gone out +into the world, thought all the time that the sister had been torn to +pieces by the wild beasts in the wood, and that the brother had been +shot for a roebuck by the huntsmen. Now when she heard that they were +so happy, and so well off, envy and hatred rose in her heart and left +her no peace, and she thought of nothing but how she could bring them +again to misfortune. Her own daughter, who was ugly as night, and had +only one eye, grumbled at her and said, "A Queen! that ought to have +been my luck." "Only be quiet," answered the old woman, and comforted +her by saying, "when the time comes I shall be ready." + +As time went on, the Queen had a pretty little boy, and it happened +that the King was out hunting; so the old witch took the form of the +chamber-maid, went into the room where the Queen lay, and said to her, +"Come, the bath is ready; it will do you good, and give you fresh +strength; make haste before it gets cold." + +The daughter also was close by; so they carried the weakly Queen into +the bath-room, and put her into the bath; then they shut the door and +ran away. But in the bath-room they had made a fire of such deadly heat +that the beautiful young Queen was soon suffocated. + +When this was done the old woman took her daughter, put a nightcap on +her head, and laid her in bed in place of the Queen. She gave her too +the shape and the look of the Queen, only she could not make good the +lost eye. But in order that the King might not see it, she was to lie +on the side on which she had no eye. + +In the evening when he came home and heard that he had a son he was +heartily glad, and was going to the bed of his dear wife to see how +she was. But the old woman quickly called out, "For your life leave the +curtains closed; the Queen ought not to see the light yet, and must have +rest." The King went away, and did not find out that a false Queen was +lying in the bed. + +But at midnight, when all slept, the nurse, who was sitting in the +nursery by the cradle, and who was the only person awake, saw the door +open and the true Queen walk in. She took the child out of the cradle, +laid it on her arm, and suckled it. Then she shook up its pillow, laid the +child down again, and covered it with the little quilt. And she did not +forget the roebuck, but went into the corner where it lay, and stroked +its back. Then she went quite silently out of the door again. The next +morning the nurse asked the guards whether anyone had come into the +palace during the night, but they answered, "No, we have seen no one." + +She came thus many nights and never spoke a word: the nurse always saw +her, but she did not dare to tell anyone about it. + +When some time had passed in this manner, the Queen began to speak in +the night, and said--- + + + "How fares my child, how fares my roe? + Twice shall I come, then never more." + +The nurse did not answer, but when the Queen had gone again, went +to the King and told him all. The King said, "Ah, heavens! what is +this? To-morrow night I will watch by the child." In the evening he went +into the nursery, and at midnight the Queen again appeared and said--- + + + "How fares my child, how fares my roe? + Once will I come, then never more." + +And she nursed the child as she was wont to do before she disappeared. The +King dared not speak to her, but on the next night he watched again. Then +she said--- + + + "How fares my child, how fares my roe? + This time I come, then never more." + +Then the King could not restrain himself; he sprang towards her, and +said, "You can be none other than my dear wife." She answered, "Yes, +I am your dear wife," and at the same moment she received life again, +and by God's grace became fresh, rosy, and full of health. + +Then she told the King the evil deed which the wicked witch and her +daughter had been guilty of towards her. The King ordered both to be led +before the judge, and judgment was delivered against them. The daughter +was taken into the forest where she was torn to pieces by wild beasts, +but the witch was cast into the fire and miserably burnt. And as soon as +she was burnt the roebuck changed his shape, and received his human form +again, so the sister and brother lived happily together all their lives. + + + +12 Rapunzel + +There were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for +a child. At length the woman hoped that God was about to grant her +desire. These people had a little window at the back of their house +from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most +beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, +and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, +who had great power and was dreaded by all the world. One day the +woman was standing by this window and looking down into the garden, +when she saw a bed which was planted with the most beautiful rampion +(rapunzel), and it looked so fresh and green that she longed for it, +and had the greatest desire to eat some. This desire increased every day, +and as she knew that she could not get any of it, she quite pined away, +and looked pale and miserable. Then her husband was alarmed, and asked, +"What aileth thee, dear wife?" "Ah," she replied, "if I can't get some +of the rampion, which is in the garden behind our house, to eat, I shall +die." The man, who loved her, thought, "Sooner than let thy wife die, +bring her some of the rampion thyself, let it cost thee what it will." In +the twilight of the evening, he clambered down over the wall into the +garden of the enchantress, hastily clutched a handful of rampion, and +took it to his wife. She at once made herself a salad of it, and ate it +with much relish. She, however, liked it so much---so very much, that the +next day she longed for it three times as much as before. If he was to +have any rest, her husband must once more descend into the garden. In the +gloom of evening, therefore, he let himself down again; but when he had +clambered down the wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw the enchantress +standing before him. "How canst thou dare," said she with angry look, +"to descend into my garden and steal my rampion like a thief? Thou shalt +suffer for it!" "Ah," answered he, "let mercy take the place of justice, I +only made up my mind to do it out of necessity. My wife saw your rampion +from the window, and felt such a longing for it that she would have +died if she had not got some to eat." Then the enchantress allowed her +anger to be softened, and said to him, "If the case be as thou sayest, +I will allow thee to take away with thee as much rampion as thou wilt, +only I make one condition, thou must give me the child which thy wife +will bring into the world; it shall be well treated, and I will care +for it like a mother." The man in his terror consented to everything, +and when the woman was brought to bed, the enchantress appeared at once, +gave the child the name of Rapunzel, and took it away with her. + +Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child beneath the sun. When she +was twelve years old, the enchantress shut her into a tower, which lay +in a forest, and had neither stairs nor door, but quite at the top was a +little window. When the enchantress wanted to go in, she placed herself +beneath it and cried, + + + "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, + Let down thy hair to me." + +Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and when she +heard the voice of the enchantress she unfastened her braided tresses, +wound them round one of the hooks of the window above, and then the hair +fell twenty ells down, and the enchantress climbed up by it. + +After a year or two, it came to pass that the King's son rode through +the forest and went by the tower. Then he heard a song, which was so +charming that he stood still and listened. This was Rapunzel, who in +her solitude passed her time in letting her sweet voice resound. The +King's son wanted to climb up to her, and looked for the door of the +tower, but none was to be found. He rode home, but the singing had so +deeply touched his heart, that every day he went out into the forest +and listened to it. Once when he was thus standing behind a tree, he +saw that an enchantress came there, and he heard how she cried, + + + "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, + Let down thy hair." + +Then Rapunzel let down the braids of her hair, and the enchantress climbed +up to her. "If that is the ladder by which one mounts, I will for once +try my fortune," said he, and the next day when it began to grow dark, +he went to the tower and cried, + + + "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, + Let down thy hair." + +Immediately the hair fell down and the King's son climbed up. + +At first Rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man such as her eyes +had never yet beheld, came to her; but the King's son began to talk to +her quite like a friend, and told her that his heart had been so stirred +that it had let him have no rest, and he had been forced to see her. Then +Rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take him for +her husband, and she saw that he was young and handsome, she thought, +"He will love me more than old Dame Gothel does;" and she said yes, +and laid her hand in his. She said, "I will willingly go away with thee, +but I do not know how to get down. Bring with thee a skein of silk every +time that thou comest, and I will weave a ladder with it, and when that +is ready I will descend, and thou wilt take me on thy horse." They agreed +that until that time he should come to her every evening, for the old +woman came by day. The enchantress remarked nothing of this, until once +Rapunzel said to her, "Tell me, Dame Gothel, how it happens that you are +so much heavier for me to draw up than the young King's son---he is with +me in a moment." "Ah! thou wicked child," cried the enchantress "What do +I hear thee say! I thought I had separated thee from all the world, and +yet thou hast deceived me." In her anger she clutched Rapunzel's beautiful +tresses, wrapped them twice round her left hand, seized a pair of scissors +with the right, and snip, snap, they were cut off, and the lovely braids +lay on the ground. And she was so pitiless that she took poor Rapunzel +into a desert where she had to live in great grief and misery. + +On the same day, however, that she cast out Rapunzel, the enchantress +in the evening fastened the braids of hair which she had cut off, to +the hook of the window, and when the King's son came and cried, + + + "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, + Let down thy hair," + +she let the hair down. The King's son ascended, but he did not find +his dearest Rapunzel above, but the enchantress, who gazed at him with +wicked and venomous looks. "Aha!" she cried mockingly, "Thou wouldst fetch +thy dearest, but the beautiful bird sits no longer singing in the nest; +the cat has got it, and will scratch out thy eyes as well. Rapunzel is +lost to thee; thou wilt never see her more." The King's son was beside +himself with pain, and in his despair he leapt down from the tower. He +escaped with his life, but the thorns into which he fell, pierced his +eyes. Then he wandered quite blind about the forest, ate nothing but +roots and berries, and did nothing but lament and weep over the loss of +his dearest wife. Thus he roamed about in misery for some years, and at +length came to the desert where Rapunzel, with the twins to which she had +given birth, a boy and a girl, lived in wretchedness. He heard a voice, +and it seemed so familiar to him that he went towards it, and when he +approached, Rapunzel knew him and fell on his neck and wept. Two of her +tears wetted his eyes and they grew clear again, and he could see with +them as before. He led her to his kingdom where he was joyfully received, +and they lived for a long time afterwards, happy and contented. + + + +13 The Three Little Men in the Wood + +There was once a man whose wife died, and a woman whose husband died, +and the man had a daughter, and the woman also had a daughter. The +girls were acquainted with each other, and went out walking together, +and afterwards came to the woman in her house. Then said she to the man's +daughter, "Listen, tell thy father that I would like to marry him, and +then thou shalt wash thyself in milk every morning, and drink wine, but +my own daughter shall wash herself in water and drink water." The girl +went home, and told her father what the woman had said. The man said, +"What shall I do? Marriage is a joy and also a torment." At length as he +could come to no decision, he pulled off his boot, and said, "Take this +boot, it has a hole in the sole of it. Go with it up to the loft, hang +it on the big nail, and then pour water into it. If it hold the water, +then I will again take a wife, but if it run through, I will not." The +girl did as she was ordered, but the water drew the hole together, +and the boot became full to the top. She informed her father how it had +turned out. Then he himself went up, and when he saw that she was right, +he went to the widow and wooed her, and the wedding was celebrated. + +The next morning, when the two girls got up, there stood before the +man's daughter milk for her to wash in and wine for her to drink, but +before the woman's daughter stood water to wash herself with and water +for drinking. On the second morning, stood water for washing and water +for drinking before the man's daughter as well as before the woman's +daughter. And on the third morning stood water for washing and water for +drinking before the man's daughter, and milk for washing and wine for +drinking, before the woman's daughter, and so it continued. The woman +became bitterly unkind to her step-daughter, and day by day did her best +to treat her still worse. She was also envious because her step-daughter +was beautiful and lovable, and her own daughter ugly and repulsive. + +Once, in winter, when everything was frozen as hard as a stone, and +hill and vale lay covered with snow, the woman made a frock of paper, +called her step-daughter, and said, "Here, put on this dress and go +out into the wood, and fetch me a little basketful of strawberries,---I +have a fancy for some." "Good heavens!" said the girl, "no strawberries +grow in winter! The ground is frozen, and besides the snow has covered +everything. And why am I to go in this paper frock? It is so cold outside +that one's very breath freezes! The wind will blow through the frock, +and the thorns will tear it off my body." "Wilt thou contradict me +again?" said the stepmother, "See that thou goest, and do not show +thy face again until thou hast the basketful of strawberries!" Then +she gave her a little piece of hard bread, and said, "This will last +thee the day," and thought, "Thou wilt die of cold and hunger outside, +and wilt never be seen again by me." + +Then the maiden was obedient, and put on the paper frock, and went +out with the basket. Far and wide there was nothing but snow, and not +a green blade to be seen. When she got into the wood she saw a small +house out of which peeped three dwarfs. She wished them good day, and +knocked modestly at the door. They cried, "Come in," and she entered +the room and seated herself on the bench by the stove, where she began +to warm herself and eat her breakfast. The elves said, "Give us, too, +some of it." "Willingly," she said, and divided her bit of bread in +two and gave them the half. They asked, "What dost thou here in the +forest in the winter time, in thy thin dress?" "Ah," she answered, +"I am to look for a basketful of strawberries, and am not to go home +until I can take them with me." When she had eaten her bread, they +gave her a broom and said, "Sweep away the snow at the back door with +it." But when she was outside, the three little men said to each other, +"What shall we give her as she is so good, and has shared her bread +with us?" Then said the first, "My gift is, that she shall every day +grow more beautiful." The second said, "My gift is, that gold pieces +shall fall out of her mouth every time she speaks." The third said, +"My gift is, that a king shall come and take her to wife." + +The girl, however, did as the little men had bidden her, swept away the +snow behind the little house with the broom, and what did she find but +real ripe strawberries, which came up quite dark-red out of the snow! In +her joy she hastily gathered her basket full, thanked the little men, +shook hands with each of them, and ran home to take her step-mother what +she had longed for so much. When she went in and said good-evening, +a piece of gold at once fell from her mouth. Thereupon she related +what had happened to her in the wood, but with every word she spoke, +gold pieces fell from her mouth, until very soon the whole room was +covered with them. "Now look at her arrogance," cried the step-sister, +"to throw about gold in that way!" but she was secretly envious of it, +and wanted to go into the forest also to seek strawberries. The mother +said, "No, my dear little daughter, it is too cold, thou mightest die +of cold." However, as her daughter let her have no peace, the mother at +last yielded, made her a magnificent dress of fur, which she was obliged +to put on, and gave her bread-and-butter and cake with her. + +The girl went into the forest and straight up to the little house. The +three little elves peeped out again, but she did not greet them, and +without looking round at them and without speaking to them, she went +awkwardly into the room, seated herself by the stove, and began to eat +her bread-and-butter and cake. "Give us some of it," cried the little +men; but she replied, "There is not enough for myself, so how can I +give it away to other people?" When she had done eating, they said, +"There is a broom for thee, sweep all clean for us outside by the +back-door." "Humph! Sweep for yourselves," she answered, "I am not your +servant." When she saw that they were not going to give her anything, +she went out by the door. Then the little men said to each other, "What +shall we give her as she is so naughty, and has a wicked envious heart, +that will never let her do a good turn to any one?" The first said, +"I grant that she may grow uglier every day." The second said, "I grant +that at every word she says, a toad shall spring out of her mouth." The +third said, "I grant that she may die a miserable death." The maiden +looked for strawberries outside, but as she found none, she went angrily +home. And when she opened her mouth, and was about to tell her mother +what had happened to her in the wood, with every word she said, a toad +sprang out of her mouth, so that every one was seized with horror of her. + +Then the step-mother was still more enraged, and thought of nothing but +how to do every possible injury to the man's daughter, whose beauty, +however, grew daily greater. At length she took a cauldron, set it on +the fire, and boiled yarn in it. When it was boiled, she flung it on +the poor girl's shoulder, and gave her an axe in order that she might +go on the frozen river, cut a hole in the ice, and rinse the yarn. She +was obedient, went thither and cut a hole in the ice; and while she was +in the midst of her cutting, a splendid carriage came driving up, in +which sat the King. The carriage stopped, and the King asked,"My child, +who are thou, and what art thou doing here?" "I am a poor girl, and I am +rinsing yarn." Then the King felt compassion, and when he saw that she +was so very beautiful, he said to her, "Wilt thou go away with me?" "Ah, +yes, with all my heart," she answered, for she was glad to get away from +the mother and sister. + +So she got into the carriage and drove away with the King, and when +they arrived at his palace, the wedding was celebrated with great pomp, +as the little men had granted to the maiden. When a year was over, the +young Queen bore a son, and as the step-mother had heard of her great +good-fortune, she came with her daughter to the palace and pretended +that she wanted to pay her a visit. Once, however, when the King had +gone out, and no one else was present, the wicked woman seized the +Queen by the head, and her daughter seized her by the feet, and they +lifted her out of the bed, and threw her out of the window into the +stream which flowed by. Then the ugly daughter laid herself in the +bed, and the old woman covered her up over her head. When the King +came home again and wanted to speak to his wife, the old woman cried, +"Hush, hush, that can't be now, she is lying in a violent perspiration; +you must let her rest to-day." The King suspected no evil, and did not +come back again till next morning; and as he talked with his wife and +she answered him, with every word a toad leaped out, whereas formerly +a piece of gold had fallen out. Then he asked what that could be, but +the old woman said that she had got that from the violent perspiration, +and would soon lose it again. During the night, however, the scullion +saw a duck come swimming up the gutter, and it said, + + + "King, what art thou doing now? + Sleepest thou, or wakest thou?" + +And as he returned no answer, it said, + + + "And my guests, What may they do?" + +The scullion said, + + + "They are sleeping soundly, too." + +Then it asked again, + + + "What does little baby mine?" + +He answered, + + + "Sleepeth in her cradle fine." + +Then she went upstairs in the form of the Queen, nursed the baby, shook +up its little bed, covered it over, and then swam away again down the +gutter in the shape of a duck. She came thus for two nights; on the third, +she said to the scullion, "Go and tell the King to take his sword and +swing it three times over me on the threshold." Then the scullion ran +and told this to the King, who came with his sword and swung it thrice +over the spirit, and at the third time, his wife stood before him strong, +living, and healthy as she had been before. Thereupon the King was full +of great joy, but he kept the Queen hidden in a chamber until the Sunday, +when the baby was to be christened. And when it was christened he said, +"What does a person deserve who drags another out of bed and throws him in +the water?" "The wretch deserves nothing better," answered the old woman, +"than to be taken and put in a barrel stuck full of nails, and rolled +down hill into the water." "Then," said the King, "Thou hast pronounced +thine own sentence;" and he ordered such a barrel to be brought, and +the old woman to be put into it with her daughter, and then the top was +hammered on, and the barrel rolled down hill until it went into the river. + + + +14 The Three Spinners + +There was once a girl who was idle and would not spin, and let her mother +say what she would, she could not bring her to it. At last the mother +was once so overcome with anger and impatience, that she beat her, on +which the girl began to weep loudly. Now at this very moment the Queen +drove by, and when she heard the weeping she stopped her carriage, went +into the house and asked the mother why she was beating her daughter +so that the cries could be heard out on the road? Then the woman was +ashamed to reveal the laziness of her daughter and said, "I cannot get +her to leave off spinning. She insists on spinning for ever and ever, +and I am poor, and cannot procure the flax." Then answered the Queen, +"There is nothing that I like better to hear than spinning, and I am +never happier than when the wheels are humming. Let me have your daughter +with me in the palace. I have flax enough, and there she shall spin as +much as she likes." The mother was heartily satisfied with this, and +the Queen took the girl with her. When they had arrived at the palace, +she led her up into three rooms which were filled from the bottom to the +top with the finest flax. "Now spin me this flax," said she, "and when +thou hast done it, thou shalt have my eldest son for a husband, even if +thou art poor. I care not for that, thy indefatigable industry is dowry +enough." The girl was secretly terrified, for she could not have spun +the flax, no, not if she had lived till she was three hundred years old, +and had sat at it every day from morning till night. When therefore she +was alone, she began to weep, and sat thus for three days without moving +a finger. On the third day came the Queen, and when she saw that nothing +had been spun yet, she was surprised; but the girl excused herself by +saying that she had not been able to begin because of her great distress +at leaving her mother's house. The queen was satisfied with this, but +said when she was going away, "To-morrow thou must begin to work." + +When the girl was alone again, she did not know what to do, and in her +distress went to the window. Then she saw three women coming towards +her, the first of whom had a broad flat foot, the second had such a +great underlip that it hung down over her chin, and the third had a +broad thumb. They remained standing before the window, looked up, and +asked the girl what was amiss with her? She complained of her trouble, +and then they offered her their help and said, "If thou wilt invite +us to the wedding, not be ashamed of us, and wilt call us thine aunts, +and likewise wilt place us at thy table, we will spin up the flax for +thee, and that in a very short time." "With all my heart," she replied, +"do but come in and begin the work at once." Then she let in the three +strange women, and cleared a place in the first room, where they seated +themselves and began their spinning. The one drew the thread and trod the +wheel, the other wetted the thread, the third twisted it, and struck the +table with her finger, and as often as she struck it, a skein of thread +fell to the ground that was spun in the finest manner possible. The girl +concealed the three spinners from the Queen, and showed her whenever +she came the great quantity of spun thread, until the latter could not +praise her enough. When the first room was empty she went to the second, +and at last to the third, and that too was quickly cleared. Then the +three women took leave and said to the girl, "Do not forget what thou +hast promised us,---it will make thy fortune." + +When the maiden showed the Queen the empty rooms, and the great heap +of yarn, she gave orders for the wedding, and the bridegroom rejoiced +that he was to have such a clever and industrious wife, and praised her +mightily. "I have three aunts," said the girl, "and as they have been very +kind to me, I should not like to forget them in my good fortune; allow +me to invite them to the wedding, and let them sit with us at table." The +Queen and the bridegroom said, "Why should we not allow that?" Therefore +when the feast began, the three women entered in strange apparel, and +the bride said, "Welcome, dear aunts." "Ah," said the bridegroom, "how +comest thou by these odious friends?" Thereupon he went to the one with +the broad flat foot, and said, "How do you come by such a broad foot?" "By +treading," she answered, "by treading." Then the bridegroom went to the +second, and said, "How do you come by your falling lip?" "By licking," +she answered, "by licking." Then he asked the third, "How do you come by +your broad thumb?" "By twisting the thread," she answered, "by twisting +the thread." On this the King's son was alarmed and said, "Neither now +nor ever shall my beautiful bride touch a spinning-wheel." And thus she +got rid of the hateful flax-spinning. + + + +15 Hansel and Grethel + +Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his +two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Grethel. He had +little to bite and to break, and once when great scarcity fell on the +land, he could no longer procure daily bread. Now when he thought over +this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety, he groaned +and said to his wife, "What is to become of us? How are we to feed our +poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves?" "I'll +tell you what, husband," answered the woman, "Early to-morrow morning we +will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest, +there we will light a fire for them, and give each of them one piece of +bread more, and then we will go to our work and leave them alone. They +will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them." "No, +wife," said the man, "I will not do that; how can I bear to leave my +children alone in the forest?---the wild animals would soon come and +tear them to pieces." "O, thou fool!" said she, "Then we must all four +die of hunger, thou mayest as well plane the planks for our coffins," +and she left him no peace until he consented. "But I feel very sorry +for the poor children, all the same," said the man. + +The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had +heard what their step-mother had said to their father. Grethel wept +bitter tears, and said to Hansel, "Now all is over with us." "Be quiet, +Grethel," said Hansel, "do not distress thyself, I will soon find a way +to help us." And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put +on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside. The moon +shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house +glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and put as many of +them in the little pocket of his coat as he could possibly get in. Then +he went back and said to Grethel, "Be comforted, dear little sister, +and sleep in peace, God will not forsake us," and he lay down again in +his bed. When day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came +and awoke the two children, saying "Get up, you sluggards! we are going +into the forest to fetch wood." She gave each a little piece of bread, +and said, "There is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up +before then, for you will get nothing else." Grethel took the bread +under her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his pocket. Then they all +set out together on the way to the forest. When they had walked a short +time, Hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again +and again. His father said, "Hansel, what art thou looking at there and +staying behind for? Mind what thou art about, and do not forget how to +use thy legs." "Ah, father," said Hansel, "I am looking at my little +white cat, which is sitting up on the roof, and wants to say good-bye +to me." The wife said, "Fool, that is not thy little cat, that is the +morning sun which is shining on the chimneys." Hansel, however, had not +been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of +the white pebble-stones out of his pocket on the road. + +When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said, "Now, +children, pile up some wood, and I will light a fire that you may not +be cold." Hansel and Grethel gathered brushwood together, as high as a +little hill. The brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning +very high, the woman said, "Now, children, lay yourselves down by the +fire and rest, we will go into the forest and cut some wood. When we +have done, we will come back and fetch you away." + +Hansel and Grethel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a +little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe +they believed that their father was near. It was not, however, the axe, +it was a branch which he had fastened to a withered tree which the wind +was blowing backwards and forwards. And as they had been sitting such a +long time, their eyes shut with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When +at last they awoke, it was already dark night. Grethel began to cry and +said, "How are we to get out of the forest now?" But Hansel comforted +her and said, "Just wait a little, until the moon has risen, and then we +will soon find the way." And when the full moon had risen, Hansel took +his little sister by the hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like +newly-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way. + +They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more +to their father's house. They knocked at the door, and when the woman +opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Grethel, she said, "You naughty +children, why have you slept so long in the forest?---we thought you +were never coming back at all!" The father, however, rejoiced, for it +had cut him to the heart to leave them behind alone. + +Not long afterwards, there was once more great scarcity in all parts, +and the children heard their mother saying at night to their father, +"Everything is eaten again, we have one half loaf left, and after that +there is an end. The children must go, we will take them farther into +the wood, so that they will not find their way out again; there is no +other means of saving ourselves!" The man's heart was heavy, and he +thought "it would be better for thee to share the last mouthful with thy +children." The woman, however, would listen to nothing that he had to +say, but scolded and reproached him. He who says A must say B, likewise, +and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time also. + +The children were, however, still awake and had heard the +conversation. When the old folks were asleep, Hansel again got up, +and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles as he had done before, but the +woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. Nevertheless +he comforted his little sister, and said, "Do not cry, Grethel, go to +sleep quietly, the good God will help us." + +Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their +beds. Their bit of bread was given to them, but it was still smaller than +the time before. On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his in his +pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground. "Hansel, +why dost thou stop and look round?" said the father, "go on." "I am +looking back at my little pigeon which is sitting on the roof, and wants +to say good-bye to me," answered Hansel. "Simpleton!" said the woman, +"that is not thy little pigeon, that is the morning sun that is shining +on the chimney." Hansel, however, little by little, threw all the crumbs +on the path. + +The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had +never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was again made, and +the mother said, "Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired you +may sleep a little; we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in the +evening when we are done, we will come and fetch you away." When it was +noon, Grethel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had scattered his +by the way. Then they fell asleep and evening came and went, but no one +came to the poor children. They did not awake until it was dark night, +and Hansel comforted his little sister and said, "Just wait, Grethel, +until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I +have strewn about, they will show us our way home again." When the moon +came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands +of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all +up. Hansel said to Grethel, "We shall soon find the way," but they did +not find it. They walked the whole night and all the next day too from +morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest, and were +very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or three berries, +which grew on the ground. And as they were so weary that their legs +would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree and fell asleep. + +It was now three mornings since they had left their father's house. They +began to walk again, but they always got deeper into the forest, and if +help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. When it +was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, +which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it. And +when it had finished its song, it spread its wings and flew away before +them, and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the +roof of which it alighted; and when they came quite up to little house +they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the +windows were of clear sugar. "We will set to work on that," said Hansel, +"and have a good meal. I will eat a bit of the roof, and thou, Grethel, +canst eat some of the window, it will taste sweet." Hansel reached up +above, and broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and +Grethel leant against the window and nibbled at the panes. Then a soft +voice cried from the room, + + + "Nibble, nibble, gnaw, + Who is nibbling at my little house?" + +The children answered, + + + "The wind, the wind, + The heaven-born wind," + +and went on eating without disturbing themselves. Hansel, who thought +the roof tasted very nice, tore down a great piece of it, and Grethel +pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and enjoyed +herself with it. Suddenly the door opened, and a very, very old +woman, who supported herself on crutches, came creeping out. Hansel +and Grethel were so terribly frightened that they let fall what they +had in their hands. The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said, +"Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here? Do come in, and stay +with me. No harm shall happen to you." She took them both by the hand, +and led them into her little house. Then good food was set before them, +milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterwards two pretty +little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Grethel +lay down in them, and thought they were in heaven. + +The old woman had only pretended to be so kind; she was in reality a +wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the little +house of bread in order to entice them there. When a child fell into her +power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that was a feast day with +her. Witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but they have a keen scent +like the beasts, and are aware when human beings draw near. When Hansel +and Grethel came into her neighborhood, she laughed maliciously, and +said mockingly, "I have them, they shall not escape me again!" Early in +the morning before the children were awake, she was already up, and when +she saw both of them sleeping and looking so pretty, with their plump red +cheeks, she muttered to herself, "That will be a dainty mouthful!" Then +she seized Hansel with her shrivelled hand, carried him into a little +stable, and shut him in with a grated door. He might scream as he liked, +that was of no use. Then she went to Grethel, shook her till she awoke, +and cried, "Get up, lazy thing, fetch some water, and cook something good +for thy brother, he is in the stable outside, and is to be made fat. When +he is fat, I will eat him." Grethel began to weep bitterly, but it was +all in vain, she was forced to do what the wicked witch ordered her. + +And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Grethel got nothing +but crab-shells. Every morning the woman crept to the little stable, +and cried, "Hansel, stretch out thy finger that I may feel if thou wilt +soon be fat." Hansel, however, stretched out a little bone to her, and +the old woman, who had dim eyes, could not see it, and thought it was +Hansel's finger, and was astonished that there was no way of fattening +him. When four weeks had gone by, and Hansel still continued thin, +she was seized with impatience and would not wait any longer. "Hola, +Grethel," she cried to the girl, "be active, and bring some water. +Let Hansel be fat or lean, to-morrow I will kill him, and cook him." Ah, +how the poor little sister did lament when she had to fetch the water, +and how her tears did flow down over her cheeks! "Dear God, do help us," +she cried. "If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we +should at any rate have died together." "Just keep thy noise to thyself," +said the old woman, "all that won't help thee at all." + +Early in the morning, Grethel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with +the water, and light the fire. "We will bake first," said the old woman, +"I have already heated the oven, and kneaded the dough." She pushed +poor Grethel out to the oven, from which flames of fire were already +darting. "Creep in," said the witch, "and see if it is properly heated, +so that we can shut the bread in." And when once Grethel was inside, +she intended to shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would +eat her, too. But Grethel saw what she had in her mind, and said, "I do +not know how I am to do it; how do you get in?" "Silly goose," said the +old woman, "The door is big enough; just look, I can get in myself!" and +she crept up and thrust her head into the oven. Then Grethel gave her a +push that drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the +bolt. Oh! then she began to howl quite horribly, but Grethel ran away, +and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death. + +Grethel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable, +and cried, "Hansel, we are saved! The old witch is dead!" Then Hansel +sprang out like a bird from its cage when the door is opened for it. How +they did rejoice and embrace each other, and dance about and kiss each +other! And as they had no longer any need to fear her, they went into +the witch's house, and in every corner there stood chests full of pearls +and jewels. "These are far better than pebbles!" said Hansel, and thrust +into his pockets whatever could be got in, and Grethel said, "I, too, will +take something home with me," and filled her pinafore full. "But now we +will go away." said Hansel, "that we may get out of the witch's forest." + +When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great piece of +water. "We cannot get over," said Hansel, "I see no foot-plank, and no +bridge." "And no boat crosses either," answered Grethel, "but a white duck +is swimming there; if I ask her, she will help us over." Then she cried, + + + "Little duck, little duck, dost thou see, + Hansel and Grethel are waiting for thee? + There's never a plank, or bridge in sight, + + Take us across on thy back so white." + +The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back, and told +his sister to sit by him. "No," replied Grethel, "that will be too heavy +for the little duck; she shall take us across, one after the other." The +good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had +walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar +to them, and at length they saw from afar their father's house. Then +they began to run, rushed into the parlour, and threw themselves into +their father's arms. The man had not known one happy hour since he +had left the children in the forest; the woman, however, was dead. +Grethel emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about +the room, and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket +to add to them. Then all anxiety was at an end, and they lived together +in perfect happiness. My tale is done, there runs a mouse, whosoever +catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it. + + + +16 The Three Snake-Leaves + +There was once on a time a poor man, who could no longer support his +only son. Then said the son, "Dear father, things go so badly with us +that I am a burden to you. I would rather go away and see how I can earn +my bread." So the father gave him his blessing, and with great sorrow +took leave of him. At this time the King of a mighty empire was at war, +and the youth took service with him, and with him went out to fight. And +when he came before the enemy, there was a battle, and great danger, +and it rained shot until his comrades fell on all sides, and when the +leader also was killed, those left were about to take flight, but the +youth stepped forth, spoke boldly to them, and cried, "We will not let +our fatherland be ruined!" Then the others followed him, and he pressed on +and conquered the enemy. When the King heard that he owed the victory to +him alone, he raised him above all the others, gave him great treasures, +and made him the first in the kingdom. + +The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very +strange. She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband +who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died +first. "If he loves me with all his heart," said she, "of what use will +life be to him afterwards?" On her side she would do the same, and if +he died first, would go down to the grave with him. This strange oath +had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so +charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father +for her. "But dost thou know what thou must promise?" said the King. "I +must be buried with her," he replied, "if I outlive her, but my love +is so great that I do not mind the danger." Then the King consented, +and the wedding was solemnized with great splendour. + +They lived now for a while happy and contented with each other, and +then it befell that the young Queen was attacked by a severe illness, +and no physician could save her. And as she lay there dead, the young +King remembered what he had been obliged to promise, and was horrified at +having to lie down alive in the grave, but there was no escape. The King +had placed sentries at all the gates, and it was not possible to avoid +his fate. When the day came when the corpse was to be buried, he was taken +down into the royal vault with it and then the door was shut and bolted. + +Near the coffin stood a table on which were four candles, four loaves of +bread, and four bottles of wine, and when this provision came to an end, +he would have to die of hunger. And now he sat there full of pain and +grief, ate every day only a little piece of bread, drank only a mouthful +of wine, and nevertheless saw death daily drawing nearer. Whilst he thus +gazed before him, he saw a snake creep out of a corner of the vault +and approach the dead body. And as he thought it came to gnaw at it, +he drew his sword and said, "As long as I live, thou shalt not touch +her," and hewed the snake in three pieces. After a time a second snake +crept out of the hole, and when it saw the other lying dead and cut in +pieces, it went back, but soon came again with three green leaves in its +mouth. Then it took the three pieces of the snake, laid them together, as +they ought to go, and placed one of the leaves on each wound. Immediately +the severed parts joined themselves together, the snake moved, and became +alive again, and both of them hastened away together. The leaves were +left lying on the ground, and a desire came into the mind of the unhappy +man who had been watching all this, to know if the wondrous power of the +leaves which had brought the snake to life again, could not likewise be +of service to a human being. So he picked up the leaves and laid one of +them on the mouth of his dead wife, and the two others on her eyes. And +hardly had he done this than the blood stirred in her veins, rose into +her pale face, and coloured it again. Then she drew breath, opened her +eyes, and said, "Ah, God, where am I?" "Thou art with me, dear wife," +he answered, and told her how everything had happened, and how he had +brought her back again to life. Then he gave her some wine and bread, +and when she had regained her strength, he raised her up and they went +to the door and knocked, and called so loudly that the sentries heard +it, and told the King. The King came down himself and opened the door, +and there he found both strong and well, and rejoiced with them that now +all sorrow was over. The young King, however, took the three snake-leaves +with him, gave them to a servant and said, "Keep them for me carefully, +and carry them constantly about thee; who knows in what trouble they +may yet be of service to us!" + +A change had, however, taken place in his wife; after she had been +restored to life, it seemed as if all love for her husband had gone out +of her heart. After some time, when he wanted to make a voyage over +the sea, to visit his old father, and they had gone on board a ship, +she forgot the great love and fidelity which he had shown her, and which +had been the means of rescuing her from death, and conceived a wicked +inclination for the skipper. And once when the young King lay there +asleep, she called in the skipper and seized the sleeper by the head, +and the skipper took him by the feet, and thus they threw him down into +the sea. When the shameful deed was done, she said, "Now let us return +home, and say that he died on the way. I will extol and praise thee so +to my father that he will marry me to thee, and make thee the heir to +his crown." But the faithful servant who had seen all that they did, +unseen by them, unfastened a little boat from the ship, got into it, +sailed after his master, and let the traitors go on their way. He fished +up the dead body, and by the help of the three snake-leaves which he +carried about with him, and laid on the eyes and mouth, he fortunately +brought the young King back to life. + +They both rowed with all their strength day and night, and their little +boat flew so swiftly that they reached the old King before the others +did. He was astonished when he saw them come alone, and asked what +had happened to them. When he learnt the wickedness of his daughter +he said, "I cannot believe that she has behaved so ill, but the truth +will soon come to light," and bade both go into a secret chamber and +keep themselves hidden from every one. Soon afterwards the great ship +came sailing in, and the godless woman appeared before her father with a +troubled countenance. He said, "Why dost thou come back alone? Where is +thy husband?" "Ah, dear father," she replied, "I come home again in great +grief; during the voyage, my husband became suddenly ill and died, and if +the good skipper had not given me his help, it would have gone ill with +me. He was present at his death, and can tell you all." The King said, +"I will make the dead alive again," and opened the chamber, and bade +the two come out. When the woman saw her husband, she was thunderstruck, +and fell on her knees and begged for mercy. The King said, "There is no +mercy. He was ready to die with thee and restored thee to life again, +but thou hast murdered him in his sleep, and shalt receive the reward +that thou deservest." Then she was placed with her accomplice in a ship +which had been pierced with holes, and sent out to sea, where they soon +sank amid the waves. + + + +17 The White Snake + +A long time ago there lived a king who was famed for his wisdom through +all the land. Nothing was hidden from him, and it seemed as if news of +the most secret things was brought to him through the air. But he had +a strange custom; every day after dinner, when the table was cleared, +and no one else was present, a trusty servant had to bring him one more +dish. It was covered, however, and even the servant did not know what +was in it, neither did anyone know, for the King never took off the +cover to eat of it until he was quite alone. + +This had gone on for a long time, when one day the servant, who took +away the dish, was overcome with such curiosity that he could not help +carrying the dish into his room. When he had carefully locked the door, +he lifted up the cover, and saw a white snake lying on the dish. But +when he saw it he could not deny himself the pleasure of tasting it, +so he cut off a little bit and put it into his mouth. No sooner had it +touched his tongue than he heard a strange whispering of little voices +outside his window. He went and listened, and then noticed that it was +the sparrows who were chattering together, and telling one another of +all kinds of things which they had seen in the fields and woods. Eating +the snake had given him power of understanding the language of animals. + +Now it so happened that on this very day the Queen lost her most beautiful +ring, and suspicion of having stolen it fell upon this trusty servant, +who was allowed to go everywhere. The King ordered the man to be brought +before him, and threatened with angry words that unless he could before +the morrow point out the thief, he himself should be looked upon as guilty +and executed. In vain he declared his innocence; he was dismissed with +no better answer. + +In his trouble and fear he went down into the courtyard and took +thought how to help himself out of his trouble. Now some ducks were +sitting together quietly by a brook and taking their rest; and, whilst +they were making their feathers smooth with their bills, they were +having a confidential conversation together. The servant stood by and +listened. They were telling one another of all the places where they had +been waddling about all the morning, and what good food they had found, +and one said in a pitiful tone, "Something lies heavy on my stomach; +as I was eating in haste I swallowed a ring which lay under the Queen's +window." The servant at once seized her by the neck, carried her to +the kitchen, and said to the cook, "Here is a fine duck; pray, kill +her." "Yes," said the cook, and weighed her in his hand; "she has spared +no trouble to fatten herself, and has been waiting to be roasted long +enough." So he cut off her head, and as she was being dressed for the +spit, the Queen's ring was found inside her. + +The servant could now easily prove his innocence; and the King, to make +amends for the wrong, allowed him to ask a favor, and promised him the +best place in the court that he could wish for. The servant refused +everything, and only asked for a horse and some money for traveling, +as he had a mind to see the world and go about a little. + +When his request was granted he set out on his way, and one day came +to a pond, where he saw three fishes caught in the reeds and gasping +for water. Now, though it is said that fishes are dumb, he heard them +lamenting that they must perish so miserably, and, as he had a kind +heart, he got off his horse and put the three prisoners back into the +water. They quivered with delight, put out their heads, and cried to him, +"We will remember you and repay you for saving us!" + +He rode on, and after a while it seemed to him that he heard a voice +in the sand at his feet. He listened, and heard an ant-king complain, +"Why cannot folks, with their clumsy beasts, keep off our bodies? That +stupid horse, with his heavy hoofs, has been treading down my people +without mercy!" So he turned on to a side path and the ant-king cried +out to him, "We will remember you---one good turn deserves another!" + +The path led him into a wood, and here he saw two old ravens standing by +their nest, and throwing out their young ones. "Out with you, you idle, +good-for-nothing creatures!" cried they; "we cannot find food for you +any longer; you are big enough, and can provide for yourselves." But the +poor young ravens lay upon the ground, flapping their wings, and crying, +"Oh, what helpless chicks we are! We must shift for ourselves, and yet +we cannot fly! What can we do, but lie here and starve?" So the good +young fellow alighted and killed his horse with his sword, and gave it to +them for food. Then they came hopping up to it, satisfied their hunger, +and cried, "We will remember you---one good turn deserves another!" + +And now he had to use his own legs, and when he had walked a long way, he +came to a large city. There was a great noise and crowd in the streets, +and a man rode up on horseback, crying aloud, "The King's daughter +wants a husband; but whoever sues for her hand must perform a hard task, +and if he does not succeed he will forfeit his life." Many had already +made the attempt, but in vain; nevertheless when the youth saw the King's +daughter he was so overcome by her great beauty that he forgot all danger, +went before the King, and declared himself a suitor. + +So he was led out to the sea, and a gold ring was thrown into it, in his +sight; then the King ordered him to fetch this ring up from the bottom of +the sea, and added, "If you come up again without it you will be thrown in +again and again until you perish amid the waves." All the people grieved +for the handsome youth; then they went away, leaving him alone by the sea. + +He stood on the shore and considered what he should do, when suddenly +he saw three fishes come swimming towards him, and they were the very +fishes whose lives he had saved. The one in the middle held a mussel in +its mouth, which it laid on the shore at the youth's feet, and when he +had taken it up and opened it, there lay the gold ring in the shell. Full +of joy he took it to the King, and expected that he would grant him the +promised reward. + +But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal in birth, +she scorned him, and required him first to perform another task. She +went down into the garden and strewed with her own hands ten sacks-full +of millet-seed on the grass; then she said, "To-morrow morning before +sunrise these must be picked up, and not a single grain be wanting." + +The youth sat down in the garden and considered how it might be possible +to perform this task, but he could think of nothing, and there he sat +sorrowfully awaiting the break of day, when he should be led to death. But +as soon as the first rays of the sun shone into the garden he saw all the +ten sacks standing side by side, quite full, and not a single grain was +missing. The ant-king had come in the night with thousands and thousands +of ants, and the grateful creatures had by great industry picked up all +the millet-seed and gathered them into the sacks. + +Presently the King's daughter herself came down into the garden, +and was amazed to see that the young man had done the task she had +given him. But she could not yet conquer her proud heart, and said, +"Although he has performed both the tasks, he shall not be my husband +until he has brought me an apple from the Tree of Life." + +The youth did not know where the Tree of Life stood, but he set out, +and would have gone on for ever, as long as his legs would carry him, +though he had no hope of finding it. After he had wandered through three +kingdoms, he came one evening to a wood, and lay down under a tree to +sleep. But he heard a rustling in the branches, and a golden apple fell +into his hand. At the same time three ravens flew down to him, perched +themselves upon his knee, and said, "We are the three young ravens +whom you saved from starving; when we had grown big, and heard that you +were seeking the Golden Apple, we flew over the sea to the end of the +world, where the Tree of Life stands, and have brought you the apple." +The youth, full of joy, set out homewards, and took the Golden Apple to +the King's beautiful daughter, who had no more excuses left to make. They +cut the Apple of Life in two and ate it together; and then her heart +became full of love for him, and they lived in undisturbed happiness to +a great age. + + + +18 The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean + +In a village dwelt a poor old woman, who had gathered together a dish of +beans and wanted to cook them. So she made a fire on her hearth, and that +it might burn the quicker, she lighted it with a handful of straw. When +she was emptying the beans into the pan, one dropped without her observing +it, and lay on the ground beside a straw, and soon afterwards a burning +coal from the fire leapt down to the two. Then the straw began and +said, "Dear friends, from whence do you come here?" The coal replied, +"I fortunately sprang out of the fire, and if I had not escaped by main +force, my death would have been certain,---I should have been burnt to +ashes." The bean said, "I too have escaped with a whole skin, but if +the old woman had got me into the pan, I should have been made into +broth without any mercy, like my comrades." "And would a better fate +have fallen to my lot?" said the straw. "The old woman has destroyed +all my brethren in fire and smoke; she seized sixty of them at once, +and took their lives. I luckily slipped through her fingers." + +"But what are we to do now?" said the coal. + +"I think," answered the bean, "that as we have so fortunately escaped +death, we should keep together like good companions, and lest a new +mischance should overtake us here, we should go away together, and repair +to a foreign country." + +The proposition pleased the two others, and they set out on their way in +company. Soon, however, they came to a little brook, and as there was no +bridge or foot-plank, they did not know how they were to get over it. The +straw hit on a good idea, and said, "I will lay myself straight across, +and then you can walk over on me as on a bridge." The straw therefore +stretched itself from one bank to the other, and the coal, who was of +an impetuous disposition, tripped quite boldly on to the newly-built +bridge. But when she had reached the middle, and heard the water rushing +beneath her, she was, after all, afraid, and stood still, and ventured no +farther. The straw, however, began to burn, broke in two pieces, and fell +into the stream. The coal slipped after her, hissed when she got into the +water, and breathed her last. The bean, who had prudently stayed behind +on the shore, could not but laugh at the event, was unable to stop, and +laughed so heartily that she burst. It would have been all over with her, +likewise, if, by good fortune, a tailor who was traveling in search of +work, had not sat down to rest by the brook. As he had a compassionate +heart he pulled out his needle and thread, and sewed her together. The +bean thanked him most prettily, but as the tailor used black thread, +all beans since then have a black seam. + + + +19 The Fisherman and His Wife + +There was once on a time a Fisherman who lived with his wife in a +miserable hovel close by the sea, and every day he went out fishing. And +once as he was sitting with his rod, looking at the clear water, +his line suddenly went down, far down below, and when he drew it up +again he brought out a large Flounder. Then the Flounder said to him, +"Hark, you Fisherman, I pray you, let me live, I am no Flounder really, +but an enchanted prince. What good will it do you to kill me? I should +not be good to eat, put me in the water again, and let me go." "Come," +said the Fisherman, "there is no need for so many words about it---a fish +that can talk I should certainly let go, anyhow," with that he put him +back again into the clear water, and the Flounder went to the bottom, +leaving a long streak of blood behind him. Then the Fisherman got up +and went home to his wife in the hovel. + +"Husband," said the woman, "have you caught nothing to-day?" "No," said +the man, "I did catch a Flounder, who said he was an enchanted prince, +so I let him go again." "Did you not wish for anything first?" said the +woman. "No," said the man; "what should I wish for?" "Ah," said the woman, +"it is surely hard to have to live always in this dirty hovel; you might +have wished for a small cottage for us. Go back and call him. Tell him +we want to have a small cottage, he will certainly give us that." "Ah," +said the man, "why should I go there again?" "Why," said the woman, +"you did catch him, and you let him go again; he is sure to do it. Go +at once." The man still did not quite like to go, but did not like to +oppose his wife, and went to the sea. + +When he got there the sea was all green and yellow, and no longer so +smooth; so he stood still and said, + + + "Flounder, flounder in the sea, + Come, I pray thee, here to me; + + For my wife, good Ilsabil, + Wills not as I'd have her will." + +Then the Flounder came swimming to him and said, "Well what does she +want, then?" "Ah," said the man, "I did catch you, and my wife says I +really ought to have wished for something. She does not like to live +in a wretched hovel any longer. She would like to have a cottage." "Go, +then," said the Flounder, "she has it already." + +When the man went home, his wife was no longer in the hovel, but instead +of it there stood a small cottage, and she was sitting on a bench before +the door. Then she took him by the hand and said to him, "Just come +inside, look, now isn't this a great deal better?" So they went in, +and there was a small porch, and a pretty little parlor and bedroom, +and a kitchen and pantry, with the best of furniture, and fitted up +with the most beautiful things made of tin and brass, whatsoever was +wanted. And behind the cottage there was a small yard, with hens and +ducks, and a little garden with flowers and fruit. "Look," said the wife, +"is not that nice!" "Yes," said the husband, "and so we must always think +it, -- now we will live quite contented." "We will think about that," +said the wife. With that they ate something and went to bed. + +Everything went well for a week or a fortnight, and then the woman +said, "Hark you, husband, this cottage is far too small for us, and +the garden and yard are little; the Flounder might just as well have +given us a larger house. I should like to live in a great stone castle; +go to the Flounder, and tell him to give us a castle." "Ah, wife," +said the man, "the cottage is quite good enough; why should we live in a +castle?" "What!" said the woman; "just go there, the Flounder can always +do that." "No, wife," said the man, "the Flounder has just given us the +cottage, I do not like to go back so soon, it might make him angry." "Go," +said the woman, "he can do it quite easily, and will be glad to do it; +just you go to him." + +The man's heart grew heavy, and he would not go. He said to himself, +"It is not right," and yet he went. And when he came to the sea the water +was quite purple and dark-blue, and grey and thick, and no longer so +green and yellow, but it was still quiet. And he stood there and said--- + + + "Flounder, flounder in the sea, + Come, I pray thee, here to me; + + For my wife, good Ilsabil, + Wills not as I'd have her will." + +"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said the +man, half scared, "she wants to live in a great stone castle." "Go to it, +then, she is standing before the door," said the Flounder. + +Then the man went away, intending to go home, but when he got there, +he found a great stone palace, and his wife was just standing on the +steps going in, and she took him by the hand and said, "Come in." So he +went in with her, and in the castle was a great hall paved with marble, +and many servants, who flung wide the doors; And the walls were all +bright with beautiful hangings, and in the rooms were chairs and tables +of pure gold, and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and all +the rooms and bed-rooms had carpets, and food and wine of the very best +were standing on all the tables, so that they nearly broke down beneath +it. Behind the house, too, there was a great court-yard, with stables for +horses and cows, and the very best of carriages; there was a magnificent +large garden, too, with the most beautiful flowers and fruit-trees, +and a park quite half a mile long, in which were stags, deer, and hares, +and everything that could be desired. "Come," said the woman, "isn't that +beautiful?" "Yes, indeed," said the man, "now let it be; and we will live +in this beautiful castle and be content." "We will consider about that," +said the woman, "and sleep upon it;" thereupon they went to bed. + +Next morning the wife awoke first, and it was just daybreak, and from +her bed she saw the beautiful country lying before her. Her husband was +still stretching himself, so she poked him in the side with her elbow, +and said, "Get up, husband, and just peep out of the window. Look you, +couldn't we be the King over all that land? Go to the Flounder, we will +be the King." "Ah, wife," said the man, "why should we be King? I do not +want to be King." "Well," said the wife, "if you won't be King, I will; +go to the Flounder, for I will be King." "Ah, wife," said the man, "why do +you want to be King? I do not like to say that to him." "Why not?" said +the woman; "go to him this instant; I must be King!" So the man went, and +was quite unhappy because his wife wished to be King. "It is not right; +it is not right," thought he. He did not wish to go, but yet he went. + +And when he came to the sea, it was quite dark-grey, and the water heaved +up from below, and smelt putrid. Then he went and stood by it, and said, + + + "Flounder, flounder in the sea, + Come, I pray thee, here to me; + + For my wife, good Ilsabil, + Wills not as I'd have her will" + +"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said the man, +"she wants to be King." "Go to her; she is King already." + +So the man went, and when he came to the palace, the castle had become +much larger, and had a great tower and magnificent ornaments, and +the sentinel was standing before the door, and there were numbers of +soldiers with kettle-drums and trumpets. And when he went inside the +house, everything was of real marble and gold, with velvet covers and +great golden tassels. Then the doors of the hall were opened, and there +was the court in all its splendour, and his wife was sitting on a high +throne of gold and diamonds, with a great crown of gold on her head, +and a sceptre of pure gold and jewels in her hand, and on both sides of +her stood her maids-in-waiting in a row, each of them always one head +shorter than the last. + +Then he went and stood before her, and said, "Ah, wife, and now you +are King." "Yes," said the woman, "now I am King." So he stood and +looked at her, and when he had looked at her thus for some time, he +said, "And now that you are King, let all else be, now we will wish +for nothing more." "Nay, husband," said the woman, quite anxiously, +"I find time pass very heavily, I can bear it no longer; go to the +Flounder---I am King, but I must be Emperor, too." "Alas, wife, why do +you wish to be Emperor?" "Husband," said she, "go to the Flounder. I will +be Emperor." "Alas, wife," said the man, "he cannot make you Emperor; +I may not say that to the fish. There is only one Emperor in the land. An +Emperor the Flounder cannot make you! I assure you he cannot." + +"What!" said the woman, "I am the King, and you are nothing but my +husband; will you go this moment? go at once! If he can make a King he +can make an emperor. I will be Emperor; go instantly." So he was forced +to go. As the man went, however, he was troubled in mind, and thought +to himself, "It will not end well; it will not end well! Emperor is too +shameless! The Flounder will at last be tired out." + +With that he reached the sea, and the sea was quite black and thick, +and began to boil up from below, so that it threw up bubbles, and such +a sharp wind blew over it that it curdled, and the man was afraid. Then +he went and stood by it, and said, + + + "Flounder, flounder in the sea, + Come, I pray thee, here to me; + + For my wife, good Ilsabil, + Wills not as I'd have her will." + +"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas, Flounder," +said he, "my wife wants to be Emperor." "Go to her," said the Flounder; +"she is Emperor already." + +So the man went, and when he got there the whole palace was made of +polished marble with alabaster figures and golden ornaments, and soldiers +were marching before the door blowing trumpets, and beating cymbals and +drums; and in the house, barons, and counts, and dukes were going about as +servants. Then they opened the doors to him, which were of pure gold. And +when he entered, there sat his wife on a throne, which was made of one +piece of gold, and was quite two miles high; and she wore a great golden +crown that was three yards high, and set with diamonds and carbuncles, +and in one hand she had the sceptre, and in the other the imperial orb; +and on both sides of her stood the yeomen of the guard in two rows, +each being smaller than the one before him, from the biggest giant, +who was two miles high, to the very smallest dwarf, just as big as my +little finger. And before it stood a number of princes and dukes. + +Then the man went and stood among them, and said, "Wife, are you Emperor +now?" "Yes," said she, "now I am Emperor." Then he stood and looked at +her well, and when he had looked at her thus for some time, he said, +"Ah, wife, be content, now that you are Emperor." "Husband," said she, +"why are you standing there? Now, I am Emperor, but I will be Pope too; +go to the Flounder." "Alas, wife," said the man, "what will you not wish +for? You cannot be Pope. There is but one in Christendom. He cannot +make you Pope." "Husband," said she, "I will be Pope; go immediately, +I must be Pope this very day." "No, wife," said the man, "I do not like +to say that to him; that would not do, it is too much; the Flounder +can't make you Pope." "Husband," said she, "what nonsense! If he can +make an emperor he can make a pope. Go to him directly. I am Emperor, +and you are nothing but my husband; will you go at once?" + +Then he was afraid and went; but he was quite faint, and shivered and +shook, and his knees and legs trembled. And a high wind blew over the +land, and the clouds flew, and towards evening all grew dark, and the +leaves fell from the trees, and the water rose and roared as if it were +boiling, and splashed upon the shore. And in the distance he saw ships +which were firing guns in their sore need, pitching and tossing on the +waves. And yet in the midst of the sky there was still a small bit of +blue, though on every side it was as red as in a heavy storm. So, full +of despair, he went and stood in much fear and said, + +"Flounder, flounder in the sea, Come, I pray thee, here to me;" For my +wife, good Ilsabil, Wills not as I'd have her will. + +"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said +the man, "she wants to be Pope." "Go to her then," said the Flounder; +"she is Pope already." + +So he went, and when he got there, he saw what seemed to be a large church +surrounded by palaces. He pushed his way through the crowd. Inside, +however, everything was lighted up with thousands and thousands of +candles, and his wife was clad in gold, and she was sitting on a much +higher throne, and had three great golden crowns on, and round about +her there was much ecclesiastical splendour; and on both sides of +her was a row of candles the largest of which was as tall as the very +tallest tower, down to the very smallest kitchen candle, and all the +emperors and kings were on their knees before her, kissing her shoe. +"Wife," said the man, and looked attentively at her, "are you now +Pope?" "Yes," said she, "I am Pope." So he stood and looked at her, +and it was just as if he was looking at the bright sun. When he had +stood looking at her thus for a short time, he said, "Ah, wife, if you +are Pope, do let well alone!" But she looked as stiff as a post, and +did not move or show any signs of life. Then said he, "Wife, now that +you are Pope, be satisfied, you cannot become anything greater now." +"I will consider about that," said the woman. Thereupon they both went +to bed, but she was not satisfied, and greediness let her have no sleep, +for she was continually thinking what there was left for her to be. + +The man slept well and soundly, for he had run about a great deal during +the day; but the woman could not fall asleep at all, and flung herself +from one side to the other the whole night through, thinking always what +more was left for her to be, but unable to call to mind anything else. At +length the sun began to rise, and when the woman saw the red of dawn, +she sat up in bed and looked at it. And when, through the window, she saw +the sun thus rising, she said, "Cannot I, too, order the sun and moon +to rise?" "Husband," she said, poking him in the ribs with her elbows, +"wake up! go to the Flounder, for I wish to be even as God is." The man +was still half asleep, but he was so horrified that he fell out of bed. He +thought he must have heard amiss, and rubbed his eyes, and said, "Alas, +wife, what are you saying?" "Husband," said she, "if I can't order the +sun and moon to rise, and have to look on and see the sun and moon rising, +I can't bear it. I shall not know what it is to have another happy hour, +unless I can make them rise myself." Then she looked at him so terribly +that a shudder ran over him, and said, "Go at once; I wish to be like +unto God." "Alas, wife," said the man, falling on his knees before her, +"the Flounder cannot do that; he can make an emperor and a pope; I beseech +you, go on as you are, and be Pope." Then she fell into a rage, and her +hair flew wildly about her head, and she cried, "I will not endure this, +I'll not bear it any longer; wilt thou go?" Then he put on his trousers +and ran away like a madman. But outside a great storm was raging, and +blowing so hard that he could scarcely keep his feet; houses and trees +toppled over, the mountains trembled, rocks rolled into the sea, the sky +was pitch black, and it thundered and lightened, and the sea came in with +black waves as high as church-towers and mountains, and all with crests +of white foam at the top. Then he cried, but could not hear his own words, + + + "Flounder, flounder in the sea, + Come, I pray thee, here to me; + + For my wife, good Ilsabil, + Wills not as I'd have her will." + +"Well, what does she want, then?" said the Flounder. "Alas," said he, "she +wants to be like unto God." "Go to her, and you will find her back again +in the dirty hovel." And there they are living still at this very time. + + + +20 The Valiant Little Tailor + +One summer's morning a little tailor was sitting on his table by the +window; he was in good spirits, and sewed with all his might. Then came +a peasant woman down the street crying, "Good jams, cheap! Good jams, +cheap!" This rang pleasantly in the tailor's ears; he stretched his +delicate head out of the window, and called, "Come up here, dear woman; +here you will get rid of your goods." The woman came up the three steps +to the tailor with her heavy basket, and he made her unpack the whole +of the pots for him. He inspected all of them, lifted them up, put his +nose to them, and at length said, "The jam seems to me to be good, so +weigh me out four ounces, dear woman, and if it is a quarter of a pound +that is of no consequence." The woman who had hoped to find a good sale, +gave him what he desired, but went away quite angry and grumbling. "Now, +God bless the jam to my use," cried the little tailor, "and give me +health and strength;" so he brought the bread out of the cupboard, cut +himself a piece right across the loaf and spread the jam over it. "This +won't taste bitter," said he, "but I will just finish the jacket before +I take a bite." He laid the bread near him, sewed on, and in his joy, +made bigger and bigger stitches. In the meantime the smell of the sweet +jam ascended so to the wall, where the flies were sitting in great +numbers, that they were attracted and descended on it in hosts. "Hola! +who invited you?" said the little tailor, and drove the unbidden guests +away. The flies, however, who understood no German, would not be turned +away, but came back again in ever-increasing companies. The little tailor +at last lost all patience, and got a bit of cloth from the hole under +his work-table, and saying, "Wait, and I will give it to you," struck +it mercilessly on them. When he drew it away and counted, there lay +before him no fewer than seven, dead and with legs stretched out. "Art +thou a fellow of that sort?" said he, and could not help admiring his +own bravery. "The whole town shall know of this!" And the little tailor +hastened to cut himself a girdle, stitched it, and embroidered on it in +large letters, "Seven at one stroke!" "What, the town!" he continued, +"The whole world shall hear of it!" and his heart wagged with joy like +a lamb's tail. The tailor put on the girdle, and resolved to go forth +into the world, because he thought his workshop was too small for his +valour. Before he went away, he sought about in the house to see if there +was anything which he could take with him; however, he found nothing +but an old cheese, and that he put in his pocket. In front of the door +he observed a bird which had caught itself in the thicket. It had to +go into his pocket with the cheese. Now he took to the road boldly, +and as he was light and nimble, he felt no fatigue. The road led him +up a mountain, and when he had reached the highest point of it, there +sat a powerful giant looking about him quite comfortably. The little +tailor went bravely up, spoke to him, and said, "Good day, comrade, so +thou art sitting there overlooking the wide-spread world! I am just on +my way thither, and want to try my luck. Hast thou any inclination to +go with me?" The giant looked contemptuously at the tailor, and said, +"Thou ragamuffin! Thou miserable creature!" + +"Oh, indeed?" answered the little tailor, and unbuttoned his coat, and +showed the giant the girdle, "There mayst thou read what kind of a man +I am!" The giant read, "Seven at one stroke," and thought that they had +been men whom the tailor had killed, and began to feel a little respect +for the tiny fellow. Nevertheless, he wished to try him first, and took +a stone in his hand and squeezed it together so that water dropped out +of it. "Do that likewise," said the giant, "if thou hast strength?" "Is +that all?" said the tailor, "that is child's play with us!" and put his +hand into his pocket, brought out the soft cheese, and pressed it until +the liquid ran out of it. "Faith," said he, "that was a little better, +wasn't it?" The giant did not know what to say, and could not believe +it of the little man. Then the giant picked up a stone and threw it so +high that the eye could scarcely follow it. "Now, little mite of a man, +do that likewise." "Well thrown," said the tailor, "but after all the +stone came down to earth again; I will throw you one which shall never +come back at all." And he put his hand into his pocket, took out the +bird, and threw it into the air. The bird, delighted with its liberty, +rose, flew away and did not come back. "How does that shot please you, +comrade?" asked the tailor. "Thou canst certainly throw," said the giant, +"but now we will see if thou art able to carry anything properly." He +took the little tailor to a mighty oak tree which lay there felled on the +ground, and said, "If thou art strong enough, help me to carry the tree +out of the forest." "Readily," answered the little man; "take thou the +trunk on thy shoulders, and I will raise up the branches and twigs; after +all, they are the heaviest." The giant took the trunk on his shoulder, +but the tailor seated himself on a branch, and the giant who could not +look round, had to carry away the whole tree, and the little tailor into +the bargain: he behind, was quite merry and happy, and whistled the song, +"Three tailors rode forth from the gate," as if carrying the tree were +child's play. The giant, after he had dragged the heavy burden part +of the way, could go no further, and cried, "Hark you, I shall have +to let the tree fall!" The tailor sprang nimbly down, seized the tree +with both arms as if he had been carrying it, and said to the giant, +"Thou art such a great fellow, and yet canst not even carry the tree!" + +They went on together, and as they passed a cherry-tree, the giant +laid hold of the top of the tree where the ripest fruit was hanging, +bent it down, gave it into the tailor's hand, and bade him eat. But the +little tailor was much too weak to hold the tree, and when the giant +let it go, it sprang back again, and the tailor was hurried into the air +with it. When he had fallen down again without injury, the giant said, +"What is this? Hast thou not strength enough to hold the weak twig?" +"There is no lack of strength," answered the little tailor. "Dost thou +think that could be anything to a man who has struck down seven at one +blow? I leapt over the tree because the huntsmen are shooting down there +in the thicket. Jump as I did, if thou canst do it." The giant made the +attempt, but could not get over the tree, and remained hanging in the +branches, so that in this also the tailor kept the upper hand. + +The giant said, "If thou art such a valiant fellow, come with me into +our cavern and spend the night with us." The little tailor was willing, +and followed him. When they went into the cave, other giants were sitting +there by the fire, and each of them had a roasted sheep in his hand and +was eating it. The little tailor looked round and thought, "It is much +more spacious here than in my workshop." The giant showed him a bed, +and said he was to lie down in it and sleep. The bed, however, was too +big for the little tailor; he did not lie down in it, but crept into +a corner. When it was midnight, and the giant thought that the little +tailor was lying in a sound sleep, he got up, took a great iron bar, cut +through the bed with one blow, and thought he had given the grasshopper +his finishing stroke. With the earliest dawn the giants went into the +forest, and had quite forgotten the little tailor, when all at once he +walked up to them quite merrily and boldly. The giants were terrified, +they were afraid that he would strike them all dead, and ran away in a +great hurry. + +The little tailor went onwards, always following his own pointed +nose. After he had walked for a long time, he came to the courtyard of +a royal palace, and as he felt weary, he lay down on the grass and fell +asleep. Whilst he lay there, the people came and inspected him on all +sides, and read on his girdle, "Seven at one stroke." "Ah," said they, +"What does the great warrior here in the midst of peace? He must be a +mighty lord." They went and announced him to the King, and gave it as +their opinion that if war should break out, this would be a weighty and +useful man who ought on no account to be allowed to depart. The counsel +pleased the King, and he sent one of his courtiers to the little tailor to +offer him military service when he awoke. The ambassador remained standing +by the sleeper, waited until he stretched his limbs and opened his eyes, +and then conveyed to him this proposal. "For this very reason have I come +here," the tailor replied, "I am ready to enter the King's service." He +was therefore honorably received and a special dwelling was assigned him. + +The soldiers, however, were set against the little tailor, and wished +him a thousand miles away. "What is to be the end of this?" they said +amongst themselves. "If we quarrel with him, and he strikes about him, +seven of us will fall at every blow; not one of us can stand against +him." They came therefore to a decision, betook themselves in a body to +the King, and begged for their dismissal. "We are not prepared," said +they, "to stay with a man who kills seven at one stroke." The King was +sorry that for the sake of one he should lose all his faithful servants, +wished that he had never set eyes on the tailor, and would willingly have +been rid of him again. But he did not venture to give him his dismissal, +for he dreaded lest he should strike him and all his people dead, and +place himself on the royal throne. He thought about it for a long time, +and at last found good counsel. He sent to the little tailor and caused +him to be informed that as he was such a great warrior, he had one request +to make to him. In a forest of his country lived two giants who caused +great mischief with their robbing, murdering, ravaging, and burning, and +no one could approach them without putting himself in danger of death. If +the tailor conquered and killed these two giants, he would give him his +only daughter to wife, and half of his kingdom as a dowry, likewise +one hundred horsemen should go with him to assist him. "That would +indeed be a fine thing for a man like me!" thought the little tailor. +"One is not offered a beautiful princess and half a kingdom every day +of one's life!" "Oh, yes," he replied, "I will soon subdue the giants, +and do not require the help of the hundred horsemen to do it; he who +can hit seven with one blow has no need to be afraid of two." + +The little tailor went forth, and the hundred horsemen followed him. When +he came to the outskirts of the forest, he said to his followers, "Just +stay waiting here, I alone will soon finish off the giants." Then he +bounded into the forest and looked about right and left. After a while he +perceived both giants. They lay sleeping under a tree, and snored so that +the branches waved up and down. The little tailor, not idle, gathered +two pocketsful of stones, and with these climbed up the tree. When he +was half-way up, he slipped down by a branch, until he sat just above the +sleepers, and then let one stone after another fall on the breast of one +of the giants. For a long time the giant felt nothing, but at last he +awoke, pushed his comrade, and said, "Why art thou knocking me?" "Thou +must be dreaming," said the other, "I am not knocking thee." They laid +themselves down to sleep again, and then the tailor threw a stone down on +the second. "What is the meaning of this?" cried the other. "Why art thou +pelting me?" "I am not pelting thee," answered the first, growling. They +disputed about it for a time, but as they were weary they let the matter +rest, and their eyes closed once more. The little tailor began his game +again, picked out the biggest stone, and threw it with all his might on +the breast of the first giant. "That is too bad!" cried he, and sprang +up like a madman, and pushed his companion against the tree until it +shook. The other paid him back in the same coin, and they got into such +a rage that they tore up trees and belabored each other so long, that at +last they both fell down dead on the ground at the same time. Then the +little tailor leapt down. "It is a lucky thing," said he, "that they +did not tear up the tree on which I was sitting, or I should have had +to spring on to another like a squirrel; but we tailors are nimble." +He drew out his sword and gave each of them a couple of thrusts in the +breast, and then went out to the horsemen and said, "The work is done; +I have given both of them their finishing stroke, but it was hard +work! They tore up trees in their sore need, and defended themselves +with them, but all that is to no purpose when a man like myself comes, +who can kill seven at one blow." "But are you not wounded?" asked the +horsemen. "You need not concern yourself about that," answered the tailor, +"They have not bent one hair of mine." The horsemen would not believe +him, and rode into the forest; there they found the giants swimming in +their blood, and all round about lay the torn-up trees. + +The little tailor demanded of the King the promised reward; he, however, +repented of his promise, and again bethought himself how he could get +rid of the hero. "Before thou receivest my daughter, and the half of my +kingdom," said he to him, "thou must perform one more heroic deed. In +the forest roams a unicorn which does great harm, and thou must catch +it first." "I fear one unicorn still less than two giants. Seven at one +blow, is my kind of affair." He took a rope and an axe with him, went +forth into the forest, and again bade those who were sent with him to +wait outside. He had to seek long. The unicorn soon came towards him, +and rushed directly on the tailor, as if it would spit him on his horn +without more ceremony. "Softly, softly; it can't be done as quickly as +that," said he, and stood still and waited until the animal was quite +close, and then sprang nimbly behind the tree. The unicorn ran against +the tree with all its strength, and struck its horn so fast in the trunk +that it had not strength enough to draw it out again, and thus it was +caught. "Now, I have got the bird," said the tailor, and came out from +behind the tree and put the rope round its neck, and then with his axe +he hewed the horn out of the tree, and when all was ready he led the +beast away and took it to the King. + +The King still would not give him the promised reward, and made a third +demand. Before the wedding the tailor was to catch him a wild boar that +made great havoc in the forest, and the huntsmen should give him their +help. "Willingly," said the tailor, "that is child's play!" He did not +take the huntsmen with him into the forest, and they were well pleased +that he did not, for the wild boar had several times received them in +such a manner that they had no inclination to lie in wait for him. When +the boar perceived the tailor, it ran on him with foaming mouth and +whetted tusks, and was about to throw him to the ground, but the active +hero sprang into a chapel which was near, and up to the window at once, +and in one bound out again. The boar ran in after him, but the tailor ran +round outside and shut the door behind it, and then the raging beast, +which was much too heavy and awkward to leap out of the window, was +caught. The little tailor called the huntsmen thither that they might see +the prisoner with their own eyes. The hero, however went to the King, +who was now, whether he liked it or not, obliged to keep his promise, +and gave him his daughter and the half of his kingdom. Had he known that +it was no warlike hero, but a little tailor who was standing before him, +it would have gone to his heart still more than it did. The wedding was +held with great magnificence and small joy, and out of a tailor a king +was made. + +After some time the young Queen heard her husband say in his dreams at +night, "Boy, make me the doublet, and patch the pantaloons, or else I +will rap the yard-measure over thine ears." Then she discovered in what +state of life the young lord had been born, and next morning complained +of her wrongs to her father, and begged him to help her to get rid of +her husband, who was nothing else but a tailor. The King comforted her +and said, "Leave thy bed-room door open this night, and my servants +shall stand outside, and when he has fallen asleep shall go in, bind +him, and take him on board a ship which shall carry him into the wide +world." The woman was satisfied with this; but the King's armour-bearer, +who had heard all, was friendly with the young lord, and informed him of +the whole plot. "I'll put a screw into that business," said the little +tailor. At night he went to bed with his wife at the usual time, and +when she thought that he had fallen asleep, she got up, opened the door, +and then lay down again. The little tailor, who was only pretending to be +asleep, began to cry out in a clear voice, "Boy, make me the doublet and +patch me the pantaloons, or I will rap the yard-measure over thine ears. I +smote seven at one blow. I killed two giants, I brought away one unicorn +and caught a wild boar, and am I to fear those who are standing outside +the room." When these men heard the tailor speaking thus, they were +overcome by a great dread, and ran as if the wild huntsman were behind +them, and none of them would venture anything further against him. So +the little tailor was a king and remained one, to the end of his life. + + + +21 Cinderella + +The wife of a rich man fell sick, and as she felt that her end was drawing +near, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said, "Dear child, +be good and pious, and then the good God will always protect thee, +and I will look down on thee from heaven and be near thee." Thereupon +she closed her eyes and departed. Every day the maiden went out to her +mother's grave, and wept, and she remained pious and good. When winter +came the snow spread a white sheet over the grave, and when the spring +sun had drawn it off again, the man had taken another wife. + +The woman had brought two daughters into the house with her, who were +beautiful and fair of face, but vile and black of heart. Now began a bad +time for the poor step-child. "Is the stupid goose to sit in the parlour +with us?" said they. "He who wants to eat bread must earn it; out with +the kitchen-wench." They took her pretty clothes away from her, put an old +grey bedgown on her, and gave her wooden shoes. "Just look at the proud +princess, how decked out she is!" they cried, and laughed, and led her +into the kitchen. There she had to do hard work from morning till night, +get up before daybreak, carry water, light fires, cook and wash. Besides +this, the sisters did her every imaginable injury -- they mocked her +and emptied her peas and lentils into the ashes, so that she was forced +to sit and pick them out again. In the evening when she had worked till +she was weary she had no bed to go to, but had to sleep by the fireside +in the ashes. And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty, +they called her Cinderella. It happened that the father was once going to +the fair, and he asked his two step-daughters what he should bring back +for them. "Beautiful dresses," said one, "Pearls and jewels," said the +second. "And thou, Cinderella," said he, "what wilt thou have?" "Father, +break off for me the first branch which knocks against your hat on +your way home." So he bought beautiful dresses, pearls and jewels for +his two step-daughters, and on his way home, as he was riding through +a green thicket, a hazel twig brushed against him and knocked off his +hat. Then he broke off the branch and took it with him. When he reached +home he gave his step-daughters the things which they had wished for, +and to Cinderella he gave the branch from the hazel-bush. Cinderella +thanked him, went to her mother's grave and planted the branch on it, +and wept so much that the tears fell down on it and watered it. And it +grew, however, and became a handsome tree. Thrice a day Cinderella went +and sat beneath it, and wept and prayed, and a little white bird always +came on the tree, and if Cinderella expressed a wish, the bird threw +down to her what she had wished for. + +It happened, however, that the King appointed a festival which was to last +three days, and to which all the beautiful young girls in the country +were invited, in order that his son might choose himself a bride. When +the two step-sisters heard that they too were to appear among the number, +they were delighted, called Cinderella and said, "Comb our hair for us, +brush our shoes and fasten our buckles, for we are going to the festival +at the King's palace." Cinderella obeyed, but wept, because she too would +have liked to go with them to the dance, and begged her step-mother to +allow her to do so. "Thou go, Cinderella!" said she; "Thou art dusty +and dirty and wouldst go to the festival? Thou hast no clothes and +shoes, and yet wouldst dance!" As, however, Cinderella went on asking, +the step-mother at last said, "I have emptied a dish of lentils into +the ashes for thee, if thou hast picked them out again in two hours, +thou shalt go with us." The maiden went through the back-door into the +garden, and called, "You tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you +birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick + + + "The good into the pot, + The bad into the crop." + +Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen-window, and afterwards the +turtle-doves, and at last all the birds beneath the sky, came whirring +and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the pigeons nodded +with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the rest began +also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good grains into the +dish. Hardly had one hour passed before they had finished, and all +flew out again. Then the girl took the dish to her step-mother, and +was glad, and believed that now she would be allowed to go with them to +the festival. But the step-mother said, "No, Cinderella, thou hast no +clothes and thou canst not dance; thou wouldst only be laughed at." And +as Cinderella wept at this, the step-mother said, "If thou canst pick +two dishes of lentils out of the ashes for me in one hour, thou shalt +go with us." And she thought to herself, "That she most certainly cannot +do." When the step-mother had emptied the two dishes of lentils amongst +the ashes, the maiden went through the back-door into the garden and +cried, You tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds under heaven, +come and help me to pick + + + "The good into the pot, + The bad into the crop." + +Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen-window, and afterwards the +turtle-doves, and at length all the birds beneath the sky, came whirring +and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the doves nodded with +their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the others began also +pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good seeds into the dishes, +and before half an hour was over they had already finished, and all +flew out again. Then the maiden carried the dishes to the step-mother +and was delighted, and believed that she might now go with them to +the festival. But the step-mother said, "All this will not help thee; +thou goest not with us, for thou hast no clothes and canst not dance; +we should be ashamed of thee!" On this she turned her back on Cinderella, +and hurried away with her two proud daughters. + +As no one was now at home, Cinderella went to her mother's grave beneath +the hazel-tree, and cried, + + + "Shiver and quiver, little tree, + Silver and gold throw down over me." + +Then the bird threw a gold and silver dress down to her, and slippers +embroidered with silk and silver. She put on the dress with all speed, +and went to the festival. Her step-sisters and the step-mother however did +not know her, and thought she must be a foreign princess, for she looked +so beautiful in the golden dress. They never once thought of Cinderella, +and believed that she was sitting at home in the dirt, picking lentils +out of the ashes. The prince went to meet her, took her by the hand and +danced with her. He would dance with no other maiden, and never left +loose of her hand, and if any one else came to invite her, he said, +"This is my partner." + +She danced till it was evening, and then she wanted to go home. But +the King's son said, "I will go with thee and bear thee company," for he +wished to see to whom the beautiful maiden belonged. She escaped from him, +however, and sprang into the pigeon-house. The King's son waited until her +father came, and then he told him that the stranger maiden had leapt into +the pigeon-house. The old man thought, "Can it be Cinderella?" and they +had to bring him an axe and a pickaxe that he might hew the pigeon-house +to pieces, but no one was inside it. And when they got home Cinderella +lay in her dirty clothes among the ashes, and a dim little oil-lamp +was burning on the mantle-piece, for Cinderella had jumped quickly down +from the back of the pigeon-house and had run to the little hazel-tree, +and there she had taken off her beautiful clothes and laid them on the +grave, and the bird had taken them away again, and then she had placed +herself in the kitchen amongst the ashes in her grey gown. + +Next day when the festival began afresh, and her parents and the +step-sisters had gone once more, Cinderella went to the hazel-tree +and said--- + + + "Shiver and quiver, my little tree, + Silver and gold throw down over me." + +Then the bird threw down a much more beautiful dress than on the preceding +day. And when Cinderella appeared at the festival in this dress, every +one was astonished at her beauty. The King's son had waited until she +came, and instantly took her by the hand and danced with no one but +her. When others came and invited her, he said, "She is my partner." When +evening came she wished to leave, and the King's son followed her and +wanted to see into which house she went. But she sprang away from him, +and into the garden behind the house. Therein stood a beautiful tall +tree on which hung the most magnificent pears. She clambered so nimbly +between the branches like a squirrel that the King's son did not know +where she was gone. He waited until her father came, and said to him, +"The stranger-maiden has escaped from me, and I believe she has climbed +up the pear-tree." The father thought, "Can it be Cinderella?" and had an +axe brought and cut the tree down, but no one was on it. And when they got +into the kitchen, Cinderella lay there amongst the ashes, as usual, for +she had jumped down on the other side of the tree, had taken the beautiful +dress to the bird on the little hazel-tree, and put on her grey gown. + +On the third day, when the parents and sisters had gone away, Cinderella +went once more to her mother's grave and said to the little tree--- + + + "Shiver and quiver, my little tree, + Silver and gold throw down over me." + +And now the bird threw down to her a dress which was more splendid and +magnificent than any she had yet had, and the slippers were golden. And +when she went to the festival in the dress, no one knew how to speak +for astonishment. The King's son danced with her only, and if any one +invited her to dance, he said, "She is my partner." + +When evening came, Cinderella wished to leave, and the King's son was +anxious to go with her, but she escaped from him so quickly that he could +not follow her. The King's son had, however, used a strategem, and had +caused the whole staircase to be smeared with pitch, and there, when she +ran down, had the maiden's left slipper remained sticking. The King's son +picked it up, and it was small and dainty, and all golden. Next morning, +he went with it to the father, and said to him, "No one shall be my wife +but she whose foot this golden slipper fits." Then were the two sisters +glad, for they had pretty feet. The eldest went with the shoe into her +room and wanted to try it on, and her mother stood by. But she could +not get her big toe into it, and the shoe was too small for her. Then +her mother gave her a knife and said, "Cut the toe off; when thou art +Queen thou wilt have no more need to go on foot." The maiden cut the +toe off, forced the foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went +out to the King's son. Then he took her on his his horse as his bride +and rode away with her. They were, however, obliged to pass the grave, +and there, on the hazel-tree, sat the two pigeons and cried, + + + "Turn and peep, turn and peep, + There's blood within the shoe, + + The shoe it is too small for her, + The true bride waits for you." + +Then he looked at her foot and saw how the blood was streaming from it. He +turned his horse round and took the false bride home again, and said +she was not the true one, and that the other sister was to put the shoe +on. Then this one went into her chamber and got her toes safely into the +shoe, but her heel was too large. So her mother gave her a knife and said, +"Cut a bit off thy heel; when thou art Queen thou wilt have no more need +to go on foot." The maiden cut a bit off her heel, forced her foot into +the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the King's son. He took +her on his horse as his bride, and rode away with her, but when they +passed by the hazel-tree, two little pigeons sat on it and cried, + + + "Turn and peep, turn and peep, + There's blood within the shoe + + The shoe it is too small for her, + The true bride waits for you." + +He looked down at her foot and saw how the blood was running out of +her shoe, and how it had stained her white stocking. Then he turned +his horse and took the false bride home again. "This also is not the +right one," said he, "have you no other daughter?" "No," said the man, +"There is still a little stunted kitchen-wench which my late wife left +behind her, but she cannot possibly be the bride." The King's son said +he was to send her up to him; but the mother answered, "Oh, no, she is +much too dirty, she cannot show herself!" He absolutely insisted on it, +and Cinderella had to be called. She first washed her hands and face +clean, and then went and bowed down before the King's son, who gave +her the golden shoe. Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot +out of the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fitted +like a glove. And when she rose up and the King's son looked at her face +he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, +"That is the true bride!" The step-mother and the two sisters were +terrified and became pale with rage; he, however, took Cinderella on +his horse and rode away with her. As they passed by the hazel-tree, +the two white doves cried--- + + + "Turn and peep, turn and peep, + No blood is in the shoe, + The shoe is not too small for her, + The true bride rides with you," + +and when they had cried that, the two came flying down and placed +themselves on Cinderella's shoulders, one on the right, the other on +the left, and remained sitting there. + +When the wedding with the King's son had to be celebrated, the two false +sisters came and wanted to get into favour with Cinderella and share her +good fortune. When the betrothed couple went to church, the elder was at +the right side and the younger at the left, and the pigeons pecked out +one eye of each of them. Afterwards as they came back, the elder was +at the left, and the younger at the right, and then the pigeons pecked +out the other eye of each. And thus, for their wickedness and falsehood, +they were punished with blindness as long as they lived. + + + +22 The Riddle + +There was once a King's son who was seized with a desire to travel +about the world, and took no one with him but a faithful servant. One +day he came to a great forest, and when darkness overtook him he could +find no shelter, and knew not where to pass the night. Then he saw a +girl who was going towards a small house, and when he came nearer, he +saw that the maiden was young and beautiful. He spoke to her, and said, +"Dear child, can I and my servant find shelter for the night in the little +house?" "Oh, yes," said the girl in a sad voice, "that you certainly can, +but I do not advise you to venture it. Do not go in." "Why not?" asked +the King's son. The maiden sighed and said, "My step-mother practises +wicked arts; she is ill-disposed toward strangers." Then he saw very +well that he had come to the house of a witch, but as it was dark, and he +could not go farther, and also was not afraid, he entered. The old woman +was sitting in an armchair by the fire, and looked at the stranger with +her red eyes. "Good evening," growled she, and pretended to be quite +friendly. "Take a seat and rest yourselves." She blew up the fire on +which she was cooking something in a small pot. The daughter warned the +two to be prudent, to eat nothing, and drink nothing, for the old woman +brewed evil drinks. They slept quietly until early morning. When they were +making ready for their departure, and the King's son was already seated +on his horse, the old woman said, "Stop a moment, I will first hand you +a parting draught." Whilst she fetched it, the King's son rode away, +and the servant who had to buckle his saddle tight, was the only one +present when the wicked witch came with the drink. "Take that to your +master," said she. But at that instant the glass broke and the poison +spirted on the horse, and it was so strong that the animal immediately +fell down dead. The servant ran after his master and told him what had +happened, but would not leave his saddle behind him, and ran back to +fetch it. When, however, he came to the dead horse a raven was already +sitting on it devouring it. "Who knows whether we shall find anything +better to-day?" said the servant; so he killed the raven, and took it +with him. And now they journeyed onwards into the forest the whole day, +but could not get out of it. By nightfall they found an inn and entered +it. The servant gave the raven to the innkeeper to make ready for +supper. They had, however, stumbled on a den of murderers, and during +the darkness twelve of these came, intending to kill the strangers and +rob them. Before they set about this work, they sat down to supper, +and the innkeeper and the witch sat down with them, and together they +ate a dish of soup in which was cut up the flesh of the raven. Hardly, +however, had they swallowed a couple of mouthfuls, before they all +fell down dead, for the raven had communicated to them the poison from +the horse-flesh. There was no no one else left in the house but the +innkeeper's daughter, who was honest, and had taken no part in their +godless deeds. She opened all doors to the stranger and showed him the +heaped-up treasures. But the King's son said she might keep everything, +he would have none of it, and rode onwards with his servant. + +After they had traveled about for a long time, they came to a town +in which was a beautiful but proud princess, who had caused it to be +proclaimed that whosoever should set her a riddle which she could not +guess, that man should be her husband; but if she guessed it, his head +must be cut off. She had three days to guess it in, but was so clever +that she always found the answer to the riddle given her, before the +appointed time. Nine suitors had already perished in this manner, when +the King's son arrived, and blinded by her great beauty, was willing to +stake his life for it. Then he went to her and laid his riddle before her. +"What is this?" said he, "One slew none, and yet slew twelve." She did not +know what that was, she thought and thought, but she could not find out, +she opened her riddle-books, but it was not in them---in short, her wisdom +was at an end. As she did not know how to help herself, she ordered her +maid to creep into the lord's sleeping-chamber, and listen to his dreams, +and thought that he would perhaps speak in his sleep and discover the +riddle. But the clever servant had placed himself in the bed instead of +his master, and when the maid came there, he tore off from her the mantle +in which she had wrapped herself, and chased her out with rods. The second +night the King's daughter sent her maid-in-waiting, who was to see if she +could succeed better in listening, but the servant took her mantle also +away from her, and hunted her out with rods. Now the master believed +himself safe for the third night, and lay down in his own bed. Then +came the princess herself, and she had put on a misty-grey mantle, and +she seated herself near him. And when she thought that he was asleep +and dreaming, she spoke to him, and hoped that he would answer in his +sleep, as many do, but he was awake, and understood and heard everything +quite well. Then she asked, "One slew none, what is that?" He replied, +"A raven, which ate of a dead and poisoned horse, and died of it." She +inquired further, "And yet slew twelve, what is that?" He answered, +"That means twelve murderers, who ate the raven and died of it." + +When she knew the answer to the riddle she wanted to steal away, but he +held her mantle so fast that she was forced to leave it behind her. Next +morning, the King's daughter announced that she had guessed the riddle, +and sent for the twelve judges and expounded it before them. But the +youth begged for a hearing, and said, "She stole into my room in the +night and questioned me, otherwise she could not have discovered it." The +judges said, "Bring us a proof of this." Then were the three mantles +brought thither by the servant, and when the judges saw the misty-grey +one which the King's daughter usually wore, they said, "Let the mantle be +embroidered with gold and silver, and then it will be your wedding-mantle. + + + +23 The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage + +Once on a time a mouse, a bird, and a sausage became companions, kept +house together, lived well and happily with each other, and wonderfully +increased their possessions. The bird's work was to fly every day into +the forest and bring back wood. The mouse had to carry water, light the +fire, and lay the table, but the sausage had to cook. + +He who is too well off is always longing for something new. One day, +therefore, the bird met with another bird, on the way, to whom it related +its excellent circumstances and boasted of them. The other bird, however, +called it a poor simpleton for his hard work, but said that the two at +home had good times. For when the mouse had made her fire and carried her +water, she went into her little room to rest until they called her to lay +the table. The sausage stayed by the pot, saw that the food was cooking +well, and, when it was nearly time for dinner, it rolled itself once +or twice through the broth or vegetables and then they were buttered, +salted, and ready. When the bird came home and laid his burden down, +they sat down to dinner, and after they had had their meal, they slept +their fill till next morning, and that was a splendid life. + +Next day the bird, prompted by the other bird, would go no more into the +wood, saying that he had been servant long enough, and had been made a +fool of by them, and that they must change about for once, and try to +arrange it in another way. And, though the mouse and the sausage also +begged most earnestly, the bird would have his way, and said it must be +tried. They cast lots about it, and the lot fell on the sausage who was +to carry wood, the mouse became cook, and the bird was to fetch water. + +What happened? The little sausage went out towards the wood, the little +bird lighted the fire, the mouse stayed by the pot and waited alone until +little sausage came home and brought wood for next day. But the little +sausage stayed so long on the road that they both feared something was +amiss, and the bird flew out a little way in the air to meet it. Not +far off, however, it met a dog on the road who had fallen on the poor +sausage as lawful booty, and had seized and swallowed it. The bird +charged the dog with an act of barefaced robbery, but it was in vain +to speak, for the dog said he had found forged letters on the sausage, +on which account its life was forfeited to him. + +The bird sadly took up the wood, flew home, and related what he had +seen and heard. They were much troubled, but agreed to do their best +and remain together. The bird therefore laid the cloth, and the mouse +made ready the food, and wanted to dress it, and to get into the pot +as the sausage used to do, and roll and creep amongst the vegetables +to mix them; but before she got into the midst of them she was stopped, +and lost her skin and hair and life in the attempt. + +When the bird came to carry up the dinner, no cook was there. In its +distress the bird threw the wood here and there, called and searched, +but no cook was to be found! Owing to his carelessness the wood caught +fire, so that a conflagration ensued, the bird hastened to fetch water, +and then the bucket dropped from his claws into the well, and he fell +down with it, and could not recover himself, but had to drown there. + + + +24 Mother Holle + +There was once a widow who had two daughters---one of whom was pretty +and industrious, whilst the other was ugly and idle. But she was much +fonder of the ugly and idle one, because she was her own daughter; +and the other, who was a step-daughter, was obliged to do all the work, +and be the Cinderella of the house. Every day the poor girl had to sit +by a well, in the highway, and spin and spin till her fingers bled. + +Now it happened that one day the shuttle was marked with her blood, +so she dipped it in the well, to wash the mark off; but it dropped out +of her hand and fell to the bottom. She began to weep, and ran to her +step-mother and told her of the mishap. But she scolded her sharply, +and was so merciless as to say, "Since you have let the shuttle fall in, +you must fetch it out again." + +So the girl went back to the well, and did not know what to do; and in +the sorrow of her heart she jumped into the well to get the shuttle. She +lost her senses; and when she awoke and came to herself again, she +was in a lovely meadow where the sun was shining and many thousands +of flowers were growing. Along this meadow she went, and at last came +to a baker's oven full of bread, and the bread cried out, "Oh, take me +out! take me out! or I shall burn; I have been baked a long time!" So +she went up to it, and took out all the loaves one after another with +the bread-shovel. After that she went on till she came to a tree covered +with apples, which called out to her, "Oh, shake me! shake me! we apples +are all ripe!" So she shook the tree till the apples fell like rain, +and went on shaking till they were all down, and when she had gathered +them into a heap, she went on her way. + +At last she came to a little house, out of which an old woman peeped; +but she had such large teeth that the girl was frightened, and was about +to run away. + +But the old woman called out to her, "What are you afraid of, dear +child? Stay with me; if you will do all the work in the house properly, +you shall be the better for it. Only you must take care to make my bed +well, and shake it thoroughly till the feathers fly---for then there is +snow on the earth. I am Mother Holle. + +As the old woman spoke so kindly to her, the girl took courage and agreed +to enter her service. She attended to everything to the satisfaction of +her mistress, and always shook her bed so vigorously that the feathers +flew about like snow-flakes. So she had a pleasant life with her; never +an angry word; and boiled or roast meat every day. + +She stayed some time with Mother Holle, and then she became sad. At first +she did not know what was the matter with her, but found at length that +it was home-sickness: although she was many thousand times better off +here than at home, still she had a longing to be there. At last she +said to the old woman, "I have a longing for home; and however well +off I am down here, I cannot stay any longer; I must go up again to my +own people." Mother Holle said, "I am pleased that you long for your +home again, and as you have served me so truly, I myself will take you +up again." Thereupon she took her by the hand, and led her to a large +door. The door was opened, and just as the maiden was standing beneath +the doorway, a heavy shower of golden rain fell, and all the gold remained +sticking to her, so that she was completely covered over with it. + +"You shall have that because you have been so industrious," said Mother +Holle, and at the same time she gave her back the shuttle which she had +let fall into the well. Thereupon the door closed, and the maiden found +herself up above upon the earth, not far from her mother's house. + +And as she went into the yard the cock was standing by the well-side, +and cried--- + + + "Cock-a-doodle-doo! + Your golden girl's come back to you!" + +So she went in to her mother, and as she arrived thus covered with gold, +she was well received, both by her and her sister. + +The girl told all that had happened to her; and as soon as the mother +heard how she had come by so much wealth, she was very anxious to obtain +the same good luck for the ugly and lazy daughter. She had to seat herself +by the well and spin; and in order that her shuttle might be stained with +blood, she stuck her hand into a thorn bush and pricked her finger. Then +she threw her shuttle into the well, and jumped in after it. + +She came, like the other, to the beautiful meadow and walked along the +very same path. When she got to the oven the bread again cried, "Oh, +take me out! take me out! or I shall burn; I have been baked a long +time!" But the lazy thing answered, "As if I had any wish to make myself +dirty?" and on she went. Soon she came to the apple-tree, which cried, +"Oh, shake me! shake me! we apples are all ripe!" But she answered, +"I like that! one of you might fall on my head," and so went on. + +When she came to Mother Holle's house she was not afraid, for she had +already heard of her big teeth, and she hired herself to her immediately. + +The first day she forced herself to work diligently, and obeyed Mother +Holle when she told her to do anything, for she was thinking of all the +gold that she would give her. But on the second day she began to be lazy, +and on the third day still more so, and then she would not get up in the +morning at all. Neither did she make Mother Holle's bed as she ought, +and did not shake it so as to make the feathers fly up. Mother Holle +was soon tired of this, and gave her notice to leave. The lazy girl +was willing enough to go, and thought that now the golden rain would +come. Mother Holle led her also to the great door; but while she was +standing beneath it, instead of the gold a big kettleful of pitch was +emptied over her. "That is the reward for your service," said Mother +Holle, and shut the door. + +So the lazy girl went home; but she was quite covered with pitch, and +the cock by the well-side, as soon as he saw her, cried out--- + + + "Cock-a-doodle-doo! + Your pitchy girl's come back to you!" + +But the pitch stuck fast to her, and could not be got off as long as +she lived. + + + +25 The Seven Ravens + +There was once a man who had seven sons, and still he had no daughter, +however much he wished for one. At length his wife again gave him hope +of a child, and when it came into the world it was a girl. The joy +was great, but the child was sickly and small, and had to be privately +baptized on account of its weakness. The father sent one of the boys +in haste to the spring to fetch water for the baptism. The other six +went with him, and as each of them wanted to be first to fill it, the +jug fell into the well. There they stood and did not know what to do, +and none of them dared to go home. As they still did not return, the +father grew impatient, and said, "They have certainly forgotten it for +some game, the wicked boys!" He became afraid that the girl would have +to die without being baptized, and in his anger cried, "I wish the boys +were all turned into ravens." Hardly was the word spoken before he heard +a whirring of wings over his head in the air, looked up and saw seven +coal-black ravens flying away. The parents could not recall the curse, +and however sad they were at the loss of their seven sons, they still +to some extent comforted themselves with their dear little daughter, +who soon grew strong and every day became more beautiful. For a long time +she did not know that she had had brothers, for her parents were careful +not to mention them before her, but one day she accidentally heard some +people saying of herself, "that the girl was certainly beautiful, but +that in reality she was to blame for the misfortune which had befallen +her seven brothers." Then she was much troubled, and went to her father +and mother and asked if it was true that she had had brothers, and what +had become of them? The parents now dared keep the secret no longer, +but said that what had befallen her brothers was the will of Heaven, +and that her birth had only been the innocent cause. But the maiden +took it to heart daily, and thought she must deliver her brothers. She +had no rest or peace until she set out secretly, and went forth into the +wide world to trace out her brothers and set them free, let it cost what +it might. She took nothing with her but a little ring belonging to her +parents as a keepsake, a loaf of bread against hunger, a little pitcher of +water against thirst, and a little chair as a provision against weariness. + +And now she went continually onwards, far, far to the very end of +the world. Then she came to the sun, but it was too hot and terrible, +and devoured little children. Hastily she ran away, and ran to the moon, +but it was far too cold, and also awful and malicious, and when it saw +the child, it said, "I smell, I smell the flesh of men." On this she ran +swiftly away, and came to the stars, which were kind and good to her, +and each of them sat on its own particular little chair. But the morning +star arose, and gave her the drumstick of a chicken, and said, "If you +thou hast not that drumstick thou canst not open the Glass mountain, +and in the Glass mountain are thy brothers." + +The maiden took the drumstick, wrapped it carefully in a cloth, and went +onwards again until she came to the Glass mountain. The door was shut, +and she thought she would take out the drumstick; but when she undid the +cloth, it was empty, and she had lost the good star's present. What was +she now to do? She wished to rescue her brothers, and had no key to the +Glass mountain. The good sister took a knife, cut off one of her little +fingers, put it in the door, and succeeded in opening it. When she had +gone inside, a little dwarf came to meet her, who said, "My child, what +are you looking for?" "I am looking for my brothers, the seven ravens," +she replied. The dwarf said, "The lord ravens are not at home, but if +you will wait here until they come, step in." Thereupon the little dwarf +carried the ravens' dinner in, on seven little plates, and in seven +little glasses, and the little sister ate a morsel from each plate, +and from each little glass she took a sip, but in the last little glass +she dropped the ring which she had brought away with her. + +Suddenly she heard a whirring of wings and a rushing through the air, and +then the little dwarf said, "Now the lord ravens are flying home." Then +they came, and wanted to eat and drink, and looked for their little +plates and glasses. Then said one after the other, "Who has eaten +something from my plate? Who has drunk out of my little glass? It was +a human mouth." And when the seventh came to the bottom of the glass, +the ring rolled against his mouth. Then he looked at it, and saw that it +was a ring belonging to his father and mother, and said, "God grant that +our sister may be here, and then we shall be free." When the maiden, who +was standing behind the door watching, heard that wish, she came forth, +and on this all the ravens were restored to their human form again. And +they embraced and kissed each other, and went joyfully home. + + + +26 Little Red-Cap + +Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by every +one who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was +nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a +little cap of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never +wear anything else; so she was always called "Little Red-Cap." + +One day her mother said to her, "Come, Little Red-Cap, here is a piece +of cake and a bottle of wine; take them to your grandmother, she is +ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, +and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the +path, or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother +will get nothing; and when you go into her room, don't forget to say, +'Good-morning,' and don't peep into every corner before you do it." + +"I will take great care," said Little Red-Cap to her mother, and gave +her hand on it. + +The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, +and just as Little Red-Cap entered the wood, a wolf met her. Red-Cap did +not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him. + +"Good-day, Little Red-Cap," said he. + +"Thank you kindly, wolf." + +"Whither away so early, Little Red-Cap?" + +"To my grandmother's." + +"What have you got in your apron?" + +"Cake and wine; yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is +to have something good, to make her stronger." + +"Where does your grandmother live, Little Red-Cap?" + +"A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood; her house stands under +the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just below; you surely must +know it," replied Little Red-Cap. + +The wolf thought to himself, "What a tender young creature! what a nice +plump mouthful---she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must +act craftily, so as to catch both." So he walked for a short time by the +side of Little Red-Cap, and then he said, "See Little Red-Cap, how pretty +the flowers are about here---why do you not look round? I believe, too, +that you do not hear how sweetly the little birds are singing; you walk +gravely along as if you were going to school, while everything else out +here in the wood is merry." + +Little Red-Cap raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams dancing here +and there through the trees, and pretty flowers growing everywhere, she +thought, "Suppose I take grandmother a fresh nosegay; that would please +her too. It is so early in the day that I shall still get there in good +time;" and so she ran from the path into the wood to look for flowers. And +whenever she had picked one, she fancied that she saw a still prettier one +farther on, and ran after it, and so got deeper and deeper into the wood. + +Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother's house and knocked +at the door. + +"Who is there?" + +"Little Red-Cap," replied the wolf. "She is bringing cake and wine; +open the door." + +"Lift the latch," called out the grandmother, "I am too weak, and cannot +get up." + +The wolf lifted the latch, the door flew open, and without saying a word +he went straight to the grandmother's bed, and devoured her. Then he put +on her clothes, dressed himself in her cap, laid himself in bed and drew +the curtains. + +Little Red-Cap, however, had been running about picking flowers, and when +she had gathered so many that she could carry no more, she remembered +her grandmother, and set out on the way to her. + +She was surprised to find the cottage-door standing open, and when +she went into the room, she had such a strange feeling that she said +to herself, "Oh dear! how uneasy I feel to-day, and at other times I +like being with grandmother so much." She called out, "Good morning," +but received no answer; so she went to the bed and drew back the +curtains. There lay her grandmother with her cap pulled far over her face, +and looking very strange. + +"Oh! grandmother," she said, "what big ears you have!" + +"The better to hear you with, my child," was the reply. + +"But, grandmother, what big eyes you have!" she said. + +"The better to see you with, my dear." + +"But, grandmother, what large hands you have!" + +"The better to hug you with." + +"Oh! but, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!" + +"The better to eat you with!" + +And scarcely had the wolf said this, than with one bound he was out of +bed and swallowed up Red-Cap. + +When the wolf had appeased his appetite, he lay down again in the bed, +fell asleep and began to snore very loud. The huntsman was just passing +the house, and thought to himself, "How the old woman is snoring! I must +just see if she wants anything." So he went into the room, and when he +came to the bed, he saw that the wolf was lying in it. "Do I find thee +here, thou old sinner!" said he. "I have long sought thee!" Then just as +he was going to fire at him, it occurred to him that the wolf might have +devoured the grandmother, and that she might still be saved, so he did not +fire, but took a pair of scissors, and began to cut open the stomach of +the sleeping wolf. When he had made two snips, he saw the little Red-Cap +shining, and then he made two snips more, and the little girl sprang out, +crying, "Ah, how frightened I have been! How dark it was inside the wolf;" +and after that the aged grandmother came out alive also, but scarcely able +to breathe. Red-Cap, however, quickly fetched great stones with which +they filled the wolf's body, and when he awoke, he wanted to run away, +but the stones were so heavy that he fell down at once, and fell dead. + +Then all three were delighted. The huntsman drew off the wolf's skin +and went home with it; the grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine +which Red-Cap had brought, and revived, but Red-Cap thought to herself, +"As long as I live, I will never by myself leave the path, to run into +the wood, when my mother has forbidden me to do so." + + + * * * * * * * + +It is also related that once when Red-Cap was again taking cakes to +the old grandmother, another wolf spoke to her, and tried to entice her +from the path. Red-Cap, however, was on her guard, and went straight +forward on her way, and told her grandmother that she had met the wolf, +and that he had said "good-morning" to her, but with such a wicked look +in his eyes, that if they had not been on the public road she was certain +he would have eaten her up. "Well," said the grandmother, "we will shut +the door, that he may not come in." Soon afterwards the wolf knocked, +and cried, "Open the door, grandmother, I am little Red-Cap, and am +fetching you some cakes." But they did not speak, or open the door, so +the grey-beard stole twice or thrice round the house, and at last jumped +on the roof, intending to wait until Red-Cap went home in the evening, +and then to steal after her and devour her in the darkness. But the +grandmother saw what was in his thoughts. In front of the house was a +great stone trough, so she said to the child, "Take the pail, Red-Cap; +I made some sausages yesterday, so carry the water in which I boiled +them to the trough." Red-Cap carried until the great trough was quite +full. Then the smell of the sausages reached the wolf, and he sniffed +and peeped down, and at last stretched out his neck so far that he could +no longer keep his footing and began to slip, and slipped down from the +roof straight into the great trough, and was drowned. But Red-Cap went +joyously home, and never did anything to harm any one. + + + +27 The Bremen Town-Musicians + +A certain man had a donkey, which had carried the corn-sacks to the +mill indefatigably for many a long year; but his strength was going, +and he was growing more and more unfit for work. Then his master began +to consider how he might best save his keep; but the donkey, seeing +that no good wind was blowing, ran away and set out on the road to +Bremen. "There," he thought, "I can surely be town-musician." When he +had walked some distance, he found a hound lying on the road, gasping +like one who had run till he was tired. "What are you gasping so for, +you big fellow?" asked the donkey. + +"Ah," replied the hound, "as I am old, and daily grow weaker, and no +longer can hunt, my master wanted to kill me, so I took to flight; +but now how am I to earn my bread?" + +"I tell you what," said the donkey, "I am going to Bremen, and shall be +town-musician there; go with me and engage yourself also as a musician. I +will play the lute, and you shall beat the kettledrum." + +The hound agreed, and on they went. + +Before long they came to a cat, sitting on the path, with a face like +three rainy days! "Now then, old shaver, what has gone askew with +you?" asked the donkey. + +"Who can be merry when his neck is in danger?" answered the cat. "Because +I am now getting old, and my teeth are worn to stumps, and I prefer to +sit by the fire and spin, rather than hunt about after mice, my mistress +wanted to drown me, so I ran away. But now good advice is scarce. Where +am I to go?" + +"Go with us to Bremen. You understand night-music, you can be a +town-musician." + +The cat thought well of it, and went with them. After this the three +fugitives came to a farm-yard, where the cock was sitting upon the gate, +crowing with all his might. "Your crow goes through and through one," +said the donkey. "What is the matter?" + +"I have been foretelling fine weather, because it is the day on which Our +Lady washes the Christ-child's little shirts, and wants to dry them," said +the cock; "but guests are coming for Sunday, so the housewife has no pity, +and has told the cook that she intends to eat me in the soup to-morrow, +and this evening I am to have my head cut off. Now I am crowing at full +pitch while I can." + +"Ah, but red-comb," said the donkey, "you had better come away with +us. We are going to Bremen; you can find something better than death +everywhere: you have a good voice, and if we make music together it must +have some quality!" + +The cock agreed to this plan, and all four went on together. They could +not, however, reach the city of Bremen in one day, and in the evening +they came to a forest where they meant to pass the night. The donkey and +the hound laid themselves down under a large tree, the cat and the cock +settled themselves in the branches; but the cock flew right to the top, +where he was most safe. Before he went to sleep he looked round on all +four sides, and thought he saw in the distance a little spark burning; +so he called out to his companions that there must be a house not far +off, for he saw a light. The donkey said, "If so, we had better get up +and go on, for the shelter here is bad." The hound thought that a few +bones with some meat on would do him good too! + +So they made their way to the place where the light was, and soon saw it +shine brighter and grow larger, until they came to a well-lighted robber's +house. The donkey, as the biggest, went to the window and looked in. + +"What do you see, my grey-horse?" asked the cock. "What do I +see?" answered the donkey; "a table covered with good things to eat and +drink, and robbers sitting at it enjoying themselves." "That would be +the sort of thing for us," said the cock. "Yes, yes; ah, how I wish we +were there!" said the donkey. + +Then the animals took counsel together how they should manage to drive +away the robbers, and at last they thought of a plan. The donkey was +to place himself with his fore-feet upon the window-ledge, the hound +was to jump on the donkey's back, the cat was to climb upon the dog, +and lastly the cock was to fly up and perch upon the head of the cat. + +When this was done, at a given signal, they began to perform their +music together: the donkey brayed, the hound barked, the cat mewed, +and the cock crowed; then they burst through the window into the room, +so that the glass clattered! At this horrible din, the robbers sprang up, +thinking no otherwise than that a ghost had come in, and fled in a great +fright out into the forest. The four companions now sat down at the table, +well content with what was left, and ate as if they were going to fast +for a month. + +As soon as the four minstrels had done, they put out the light, and each +sought for himself a sleeping-place according to his nature and to what +suited him. The donkey laid himself down upon some straw in the yard, +the hound behind the door, the cat upon the hearth near the warm ashes, +and the cock perched himself upon a beam of the roof; and being tired +from their long walk, they soon went to sleep. + +When it was past midnight, and the robbers saw from afar that the light +was no longer burning in their house, and all appeared quiet, the captain +said, "We ought not to have let ourselves be frightened out of our wits;" +and ordered one of them to go and examine the house. + +The messenger finding all still, went into the kitchen to light a candle, +and, taking the glistening fiery eyes of the cat for live coals, he held +a lucifer-match to them to light it. But the cat did not understand the +joke, and flew in his face, spitting and scratching. He was dreadfully +frightened, and ran to the back-door, but the dog, who lay there sprang +up and bit his leg; and as he ran across the yard by the straw-heap, +the donkey gave him a smart kick with its hind foot. The cock, too, +who had been awakened by the noise, and had become lively, cried down +from the beam, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" + +Then the robber ran back as fast as he could to his captain, and said, +"Ah, there is a horrible witch sitting in the house, who spat on me +and scratched my face with her long claws; and by the door stands a man +with a knife, who stabbed me in the leg; and in the yard there lies a +black monster, who beat me with a wooden club; and above, upon the roof, +sits the judge, who called out, 'Bring the rogue here to me!' so I got +away as well as I could." + +After this the robbers did not trust themselves in the house again; but +it suited the four musicians of Bremen so well that they did not care +to leave it any more. And the mouth of him who last told this story is +still warm. + + + +28 The Singing Bone + +In a certain country there was once great lamentation over a wild boar +that laid waste the farmer's fields, killed the cattle, and ripped +up people's bodies with his tusks. The King promised a large reward +to anyone who would free the land from this plague; but the beast was +so big and strong that no one dared to go near the forest in which it +lived. At last the King gave notice that whosoever should capture or +kill the wild boar should have his only daughter to wife. + +Now there lived in the country two brothers, sons of a poor man, who +declared themselves willing to undertake the hazardous enterprise; +the elder, who was crafty and shrewd, out of pride; the younger, who +was innocent and simple, from a kind heart. The King said, "In order +that you may be the more sure of finding the beast, you must go into +the forest from opposite sides." So the elder went in on the west side, +and the younger on the east. + +When the younger had gone a short way, a little man stepped up to him. He +held in his hand a black spear and said, "I give you this spear because +your heart is pure and good; with this you can boldly attack the wild +boar, and it will do you no harm." + +He thanked the little man, shouldered the spear, and went on fearlessly. + +Before long he saw the beast, which rushed at him; but he held the spear +towards it, and in its blind fury it ran so swiftly against it that its +heart was cloven in twain. Then he took the monster on his back and went +homewards with it to the King. + +As he came out at the other side of the wood, there stood at the entrance +a house where people were making merry with wine and dancing. His elder +brother had gone in here, and, thinking that after all the boar would +not run away from him, was going to drink until he felt brave. But when +he saw his young brother coming out of the wood laden with his booty, +his envious, evil heart gave him no peace. He called out to him, "Come +in, dear brother, rest and refresh yourself with a cup of wine." + +The youth, who suspected no evil, went in and told him about the good +little man who had given him the spear wherewith he had slain the boar. + +The elder brother kept him there until the evening, and then they went +away together, and when in the darkness they came to a bridge over +a brook, the elder brother let the other go first; and when he was +half-way across he gave him such a blow from behind that he fell down +dead. He buried him beneath the bridge, took the boar, and carried it to +the King, pretending that he had killed it; whereupon he obtained the +King's daughter in marriage. And when his younger brother did not come +back he said, "The boar must have killed him," and every one believed it. + +But as nothing remains hidden from God, so this black deed also was to +come to light. + +Years afterwards a shepherd was driving his herd across the bridge, and +saw lying in the sand beneath, a snow-white little bone. He thought that +it would make a good mouth-piece, so he clambered down, picked it up, +and cut out of it a mouth-piece for his horn. But when he blew through +it for the first time, to his great astonishment, the bone began of its +own accord to sing: + + + "Ah, friend, thou blowest upon my bone! + Long have I lain beside the water; + My brother slew me for the boar, + And took for his wife the King's young daughter." + +"What a wonderful horn!" said the shepherd; "it sings by itself; I must +take it to my lord the King." And when he came with it to the King the +horn again began to sing its little song. The King understood it all, +and caused the ground below the bridge to be dug up, and then the whole +skeleton of the murdered man came to light. The wicked brother could not +deny the deed, and was sewn up in a sack and drowned. But the bones of +the murdered man were laid to rest in a beautiful tomb in the churchyard. + + + +29 The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs + +There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a little son; and as he came +into the world with a caul on, it was predicted that in his fourteenth +year he would have the King's daughter for his wife. It happened that +soon afterwards the King came into the village, and no one knew that +he was the King, and when he asked the people what news there was, they +answered, "A child has just been born with a caul on; whatever any one +so born undertakes turns out well. It is prophesied, too, that in his +fourteenth year he will have the King's daughter for his wife." + +The King, who had a bad heart, and was angry about the prophecy, went +to the parents, and, seeming quite friendly, said, "You poor people, let +me have your child, and I will take care of it." At first they refused, +but when the stranger offered them a large amount of gold for it, and +they thought, "It is a luck-child, and everything must turn out well +for it," they at last consented, and gave him the child. + +The King put it in a box and rode away with it until he came to a deep +piece of water; then he threw the box into it and thought, "I have freed +my daughter from her unlooked-for suitor." + +The box, however, did not sink, but floated like a boat, and not a drop +of water made its way into it. And it floated to within two miles of the +King's chief city, where there was a mill, and it came to a stand-still +at the mill-dam. A miller's boy, who by good luck was standing there, +noticed it and pulled it out with a hook, thinking that he had found a +great treasure, but when he opened it there lay a pretty boy inside, quite +fresh and lively. He took him to the miller and his wife, and as they +had no children they were glad, and said, "God has given him to us." They +took great care of the foundling, and he grew up in all goodness. + +It happened that once in a storm, the King went into the mill, and he +asked the mill-folk if the tall youth was their son. "No," answered they, +"he's a foundling. Fourteen years ago he floated down to the mill-dam +in a box, and the mill-boy pulled him out of the water." + +Then the King knew that it was none other than the luck-child which he +had thrown into the water, and he said, "My good people, could not the +youth take a letter to the Queen; I will give him two gold pieces as a +reward?" "Just as the King commands," answered they, and they told the +boy to hold himself in readiness. Then the King wrote a letter to the +Queen, wherein he said, "As soon as the boy arrives with this letter, +let him be killed and buried, and all must be done before I come home." + +The boy set out with this letter; but he lost his way, and in the +evening came to a large forest. In the darkness he saw a small light; +he went towards it and reached a cottage. When he went in, an old woman +was sitting by the fire quite alone. She started when she saw the boy, +and said, "Whence do you come, and whither are you going?" "I come from +the mill," he answered, "and wish to go to the Queen, to whom I am taking +a letter; but as I have lost my way in the forest I should like to stay +here over night." "You poor boy," said the woman, "you have come into a +den of thieves, and when they come home they will kill you." "Let them +come," said the boy, "I am not afraid; but I am so tired that I cannot +go any farther:" and he stretched himself upon a bench and fell asleep. + +Soon afterwards the robbers came, and angrily asked what strange boy was +lying there? "Ah," said the old woman, "it is an innocent child who has +lost himself in the forest, and out of pity I have let him come in; he has +to take a letter to the Queen." The robbers opened the letter and read it, +and in it was written that the boy as soon as he arrived should be put +to death. Then the hard-hearted robbers felt pity, and their leader tore +up the letter and wrote another, saying, that as soon as the boy came, +he should be married at once to the King's daughter. Then they let him +lie quietly on the bench until the next morning, and when he awoke they +gave him the letter, and showed him the right way. + +And the Queen, when she had received the letter and read it, did as was +written in it, and had a splendid wedding-feast prepared, and the King's +daughter was married to the luck-child, and as the youth was handsome +and agreeable she lived with him in joy and contentment. + +After some time the King returned to his palace and saw that the prophecy +was fulfilled, and the luck-child married to his daughter. "How has that +come to pass?" said he; "I gave quite another order in my letter." + +So the Queen gave him the letter, and said that he might see for himself +what was written in it. The King read the letter and saw quite well +that it had been exchanged for the other. He asked the youth what had +become of the letter entrusted to him, and why he had brought another +instead of it. "I know nothing about it," answered he; "it must have +been changed in the night, when I slept in the forest." The King said +in a passion, "You shall not have everything quite so much your own way; +whosoever marries my daughter must fetch me from hell three golden hairs +from the head of the devil; bring me what I want, and you shall keep my +daughter." In this way the King hoped to be rid of him for ever. But the +luck-child answered, "I will fetch the golden hairs, I am not afraid of +the Devil;" thereupon he took leave of them and began his journey. + +The road led him to a large town, where the watchman by the gates asked +him what his trade was, and what he knew. "I know everything," answered +the luck-child. "Then you can do us a favour," said the watchman, "if +you will tell us why our market-fountain, which once flowed with wine +has become dry, and no longer gives even water?" "That you shall know," +answered he; "only wait until I come back." + +Then he went farther and came to another town, and there also the +gatekeeper asked him what was his trade, and what he knew. "I know +everything," answered he. "Then you can do us a favour and tell us why +a tree in our town which once bore golden apples now does not even put +forth leaves?" "You shall know that," answered he; "only wait until I +come back." + +Then he went on and came to a wide river over which he must go. The +ferryman asked him what his trade was, and what he knew. "I know +everything," answered he. "Then you can do me a favour," said the +ferryman, "and tell me why I must always be rowing backwards and forwards, +and am never set free?" "You shall know that," answered he; "only wait +until I come back." + +When he had crossed the water he found the entrance to Hell. It was black +and sooty within, and the Devil was not at home, but his grandmother +was sitting in a large arm-chair. "What do you want?" said she to him, +but she did not look so very wicked. "I should like to have three +golden hairs from the devil's head," answered he, "else I cannot keep +my wife." "That is a good deal to ask for," said she; "if the devil +comes home and finds you, it will cost you your life; but as I pity you, +I will see if I cannot help you." + +She changed him into an ant and said, "Creep into the folds of my +dress, you will be safe there." "Yes," answered he, "so far, so good; +but there are three things besides that I want to know: why a fountain +which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no longer gives even +water; why a tree which once bore golden apples does not even put forth +leaves; and why a ferry-man must always be going backwards and forwards, +and is never set free?" + +"Those are difficult questions," answered she, "but only be silent and +quiet and pay attention to what the devil says when I pull out the three +golden hairs." + +As the evening came on, the devil returned home. No sooner had he entered +than he noticed that the air was not pure. "I smell man's flesh," said he; +"all is not right here." Then he pried into every corner, and searched, +but could not find anything. His grandmother scolded him. "It has just +been swept," said she, "and everything put in order, and now you are +upsetting it again; you have always got man's flesh in your nose. Sit +down and eat your supper." + +When he had eaten and drunk he was tired, and laid his head in his +grandmother's lap, and before long he was fast asleep, snoring and +breathing heavily. Then the old woman took hold of a golden hair, +pulled it out, and laid it down near her. "Oh!" cried the devil, "what +are you doing?" "I have had a bad dream," answered the grandmother, +"so I seized hold of your hair." "What did you dream then?" said the +devil. "I dreamed that a fountain in a market-place from which wine once +flowed was dried up, and not even water would flow out of it; what is +the cause of it?" "Oh, ho! if they did but know it," answered the devil; +"there is a toad sitting under a stone in the well; if they killed it, +the wine would flow again." + +He went to sleep again and snored until the windows shook. Then she +pulled the second hair out. "Ha! what are you doing?" cried the devil +angrily. "Do not take it ill," said she, "I did it in a dream." "What have +you dreamt this time?" asked he. "I dreamt that in a certain kingdom +there stood an apple-tree which had once borne golden apples, but now +would not even bear leaves. What, think you, was the reason?" "Oh! if +they did but know," answered the devil. "A mouse is gnawing at the root; +if they killed this they would have golden apples again, but if it gnaws +much longer the tree will wither altogether. But leave me alone with +your dreams: if you disturb me in my sleep again you will get a box on +the ear." + +The grandmother spoke gently to him until he fell asleep again and +snored. Then she took hold of the third golden hair and pulled it out. The +devil jumped up, roared out, and would have treated her ill if she had +not quieted him once more and said, "Who can help bad dreams?" "What +was the dream, then?" asked he, and was quite curious. "I dreamt of a +ferry-man who complained that he must always ferry from one side to the +other, and was never released. What is the cause of it?" "Ah! the fool," +answered the devil; "when any one comes and wants to go across he must +put the oar in his hand, and the other man will have to ferry and he will +be free." As the grandmother had plucked out the three golden hairs, +and the three questions were answered, she let the old serpent alone, +and he slept until daybreak. + +When the devil had gone out again the old woman took the ant out of the +folds of her dress, and gave the luck-child his human shape again. "There +are the three golden hairs for you," said she. "What the Devil said +to your three questions, I suppose you heard?" "Yes," answered he, +"I heard, and will take care to remember." "You have what you want," +said she, "and now you can go your way." He thanked the old woman for +helping him in his need, and left hell well content that everything had +turned out so fortunately. + +When he came to the ferry-man he was expected to give the promised answer. +"Ferry me across first," said the luck-child, "and then I will tell +you how you can be set free," and when he reached the opposite shore he +gave him the devil's advice: "Next time any one comes, who wants to be +ferried over, just put the oar in his hand." + +He went on and came to the town wherein stood the unfruitful tree, +and there too the watchman wanted an answer. So he told him what he +had heard from the devil: "Kill the mouse which is gnawing at its root, +and it will again bear golden apples." Then the watchman thanked him, +and gave him as a reward two asses laden with gold, which followed him. + +At last he came to the town whose well was dry. He told the watchman what +the devil had said: "A toad is in the well beneath a stone; you must +find it and kill it, and the well will again give wine in plenty." The +watchman thanked him, and also gave him two asses laden with gold. + +At last the luck-child got home to his wife, who was heartily glad to see +him again, and to hear how well he had prospered in everything. To the +King he took what he had asked for, the devil's three golden hairs, and +when the King saw the four asses laden with gold he was quite content, +and said, "Now all the conditions are fulfilled, and you can keep my +daughter. But tell me, dear son-in-law, where did all that gold come +from? this is tremendous wealth!" "I was rowed across a river," answered +he, "and got it there; it lies on the shore instead of sand." "Can I too +fetch some of it?" said the King; and he was quite eager about it. "As +much as you like," answered he. "There is a ferry-man on the river; let +him ferry you over, and you can fill your sacks on the other side." The +greedy King set out in all haste, and when he came to the river he +beckoned to the ferry-man to put him across. The ferry-man came and bade +him get in, and when they got to the other shore he put the oar in his +hand and sprang out. But from this time forth the King had to ferry, +as a punishment for his sins. Perhaps he is ferrying still? If he is, +it is because no one has taken the oar from him. + + + +30 The Louse and the Flea + +A louse and a flea kept house together and were brewing beer in an +egg-shell. Then the little louse fell in and burnt herself. On this +the little flea began to scream loudly. Then said the little room-door, +"Little flea, why art thou screaming?" "Because the louse has burnt +herself." + +Then the little door began to creak. On this a little broom in the corner +said, "Why art thou creaking, little door?" "Have I not reason to creak?" + + + "The little louse has burnt herself, + The little flea is weeping." + +So the little broom began to sweep frantically. Then a little cart passed +by and said, "Why art thou sweeping, little broom?" "Have I not reason +to sweep?" + + + "The little louse has burnt herself, + The little flea is weeping, + + The little door is creaking." + +So the little cart said, "Then I will run," and began to run wildly. Then +said the ash-heap by which it ran, "Why art thou running so, little +cart?" "Have I not reason to run?" + + + "The little louse has burnt herself, + The little flea is weeping, + + The little door is creaking, + The little broom is sweeping." + +The ash-heap said, "Then I will burn furiously," and began to burn in +clear flames. A little tree stood near the ash-heap and said, "Ash-heap, +why art thou burning?" "Have I not reason to burn?" + + + "The little louse has burnt herself, + The little flea is weeping, + + The little door is creaking, + The little broom is sweeping, + + The little cart is running." + +The little tree said, "Then I will shake myself," and began to shake +herself so that all her leaves fell off; a girl who came up with her +water-pitcher saw that, and said, "Little tree, why art thou shaking +thyself?" "Have I not reason to shake myself?" + + + "The little louse has burnt herself, + The little flea is weeping, + + The little door is creaking, + The little broom is sweeping, + + The little cart is running, + The little ash-heap is burning." + + + On this the girl said, "Then I will break my little water-pitcher," +and she broke her little water-pitcher. Then said the little spring from +which ran the water, "Girl, why art thou breaking thy water-jug?" "Have +I not reason to break my water-jug?" + + + "The little louse has burnt herself, + The little flea is weeping, + + The little door is creaking, + The little broom is sweeping, + + The little cart is running, + The little ash-heap is burning, + + The little tree is shaking itself." + +"Oh, ho!" said the spring, "then I will begin to flow," and began to +flow violently. And in the water everything was drowned, the girl, +the little tree, the little ash-heap, the little cart, the broom, the +little door, the little flea, the little louse, all together. + + + +31 The Girl Without Hands + +A certain miller had little by little fallen into poverty, and had nothing +left but his mill and a large apple-tree behind it. Once when he had gone +into the forest to fetch wood, an old man stepped up to him whom he had +never seen before, and said, "Why dost thou plague thyself with cutting +wood, I will make thee rich, if thou wilt promise me what is standing +behind thy mill?" "What can that be but my apple-tree?" thought the +miller, and said, "Yes," and gave a written promise to the stranger. He, +however, laughed mockingly and said, "When three years have passed, +I will come and carry away what belongs to me," and then he went. +When the miller got home, his wife came to meet him and said, "Tell +me, miller, from whence comes this sudden wealth into our house? All +at once every box and chest was filled; no one brought it in, and I +know not how it happened." He answered, "It comes from a stranger who +met me in the forest, and promised me great treasure. I, in return, +have promised him what stands behind the mill; we can very well give +him the big apple-tree for it." "Ah, husband," said the terrified wife, +"that must have been the devil! He did not mean the apple-tree, but our +daughter, who was standing behind the mill sweeping the yard." + +The miller's daughter was a beautiful, pious girl, and lived through +the three years in the fear of God and without sin. When therefore the +time was over, and the day came when the Evil-one was to fetch her, she +washed herself clean, and made a circle round herself with chalk. The +devil appeared quite early, but he could not come near to her. Angrily, he +said to the miller, "Take all water away from her, that she may no longer +be able to wash herself, for otherwise I have no power over her." The +miller was afraid, and did so. The next morning the devil came again, +but she had wept on her hands, and they were quite clean. Again he could +not get near her, and furiously said to the miller, "Cut her hands off, or +else I cannot get the better of her." The miller was shocked and answered, +"How could I cut off my own child's hands?" Then the Evil-one threatened +him and said, "If thou dost not do it thou art mine, and I will take thee +thyself." The father became alarmed, and promised to obey him. So he went +to the girl and said, "My child, if I do not cut off both thine hands, +the devil will carry me away, and in my terror I have promised to do +it. Help me in my need, and forgive me the harm I do thee." She replied, +"Dear father, do with me what you will, I am your child." Thereupon +she laid down both her hands, and let them be cut off. The devil came +for the third time, but she had wept so long and so much on the stumps, +that after all they were quite clean. Then he had to give in, and had +lost all right over her. + +The miller said to her, "I have by means of thee received such great +wealth that I will keep thee most delicately as long as thou livest." But +she replied, "Here I cannot stay, I will go forth, compassionate people +will give me as much as I require." Thereupon she caused her maimed arms +to be bound to her back, and by sunrise she set out on her way, and walked +the whole day until night fell. Then she came to a royal garden, and +by the shimmering of the moon she saw that trees covered with beautiful +fruits grew in it, but she could not enter, for there was much water round +about it. And as she had walked the whole day and not eaten one mouthful, +and hunger tormented her, she thought, "Ah, if I were but inside, that I +might eat of the fruit, else must I die of hunger!" Then she knelt down, +called on God the Lord, and prayed. And suddenly an angel came towards +her, who made a dam in the water, so that the moat became dry and she +could walk through it. And now she went into the garden and the angel +went with her. She saw a tree covered with beautiful pears, but they +were all counted. Then she went to them, and to still her hunger, ate +one with her mouth from the tree, but no more. The gardener was watching; +but as the angel was standing by, he was afraid and thought the maiden was +a spirit, and was silent, neither did he dare to cry out, or to speak to +the spirit. When she had eaten the pear, she was satisfied, and went and +concealed herself among the bushes. The King to whom the garden belonged, +came down to it next morning, and counted, and saw that one of the pears +was missing, and asked the gardener what had become of it, as it was not +lying beneath the tree, but was gone. Then answered the gardener, "Last +night, a spirit came in, who had no hands, and ate off one of the pears +with its mouth." The King said, "How did the spirit get over the water, +and where did it go after it had eaten the pear?" The gardener answered, +"Some one came in a snow-white garment from heaven who made a dam, and +kept back the water, that the spirit might walk through the moat. And as +it must have been an angel, I was afraid, and asked no questions, and did +not cry out. When the spirit had eaten the pear, it went back again." The +King said, "If it be as thou sayest, I will watch with thee to-night." + +When it grew dark the King came into the garden and brought a priest with +him, who was to speak to the spirit. All three seated themselves beneath +the tree and watched. At midnight the maiden came creeping out of the +thicket, went to the tree, and again ate one pear off it with her mouth, +and beside her stood the angel in white garments. Then the priest went +out to them and said, "Comest thou from heaven or from earth? Art thou a +spirit, or a human being?" She replied, "I am no spirit, but an unhappy +mortal deserted by all but God." The King said, "If thou art forsaken by +all the world, yet will I not forsake thee." He took her with him into +his royal palace, and as she was so beautiful and good, he loved her +with all his heart, had silver hands made for her, and took her to wife. + +After a year the King had to take the field, so he commended his +young Queen to the care of his mother and said, "If she is brought to +bed take care of her, nurse her well, and tell me of it at once in a +letter." Then she gave birth to a fine boy. So the old mother made haste +to write and announce the joyful news to him. But the messenger rested +by a brook on the way, and as he was fatigued by the great distance, +he fell asleep. Then came the Devil, who was always seeking to injure +the good Queen, and exchanged the letter for another, in which was +written that the Queen had brought a monster into the world. When the +King read the letter he was shocked and much troubled, but he wrote in +answer that they were to take great care of the Queen and nurse her well +until his arrival. The messenger went back with the letter, but rested +at the same place and again fell asleep. Then came the Devil once more, +and put a different letter in his pocket, in which it was written that +they were to put the Queen and her child to death. The old mother was +terribly shocked when she received the letter, and could not believe +it. She wrote back again to the King, but received no other answer, +because each time the Devil substituted a false letter, and in the last +letter it was also written that she was to preserve the Queen's tongue +and eyes as a token that she had obeyed. + +But the old mother wept to think such innocent blood was to be shed, +and had a hind brought by night and cut out her tongue and eyes, and +kept them. Then said she to the Queen, "I cannot have thee killed +as the King commands, but here thou mayst stay no longer. Go forth +into the wide world with thy child, and never come here again." The +poor woman tied her child on her back, and went away with eyes full +of tears. She came into a great wild forest, and then she fell on her +knees and prayed to God, and the angel of the Lord appeared to her and +led her to a little house on which was a sign with the words, "Here all +dwell free." A snow-white maiden came out of the little house and said, +"Welcome, Lady Queen," and conducted her inside. Then they unbound the +little boy from her back, and held him to her breast that he might feed, +and laid him in a beautifully-made little bed. Then said the poor woman, +"From whence knowest thou that I was a queen?" The white maiden answered, +"I am an angel sent by God, to watch over thee and thy child." The Queen +stayed seven years in the little house, and was well cared for, and by +God's grace, because of her piety, her hands which had been cut off, +grew once more. + +At last the King came home again from the war, and his first wish was +to see his wife and the child. Then his aged mother began to weep and +said, "Thou wicked man, why didst thou write to me that I was to take +those two innocent lives?" and she showed him the two letters which +the Evil-one had forged, and then continued, "I did as thou badest me," +and she showed the tokens, the tongue and eyes. Then the King began to +weep for his poor wife and his little son so much more bitterly than +she was doing, that the aged mother had compassion on him and said, +"Be at peace, she still lives; I secretly caused a hind to be killed, +and took these tokens from it; but I bound the child to thy wife's back +and bade her go forth into the wide world, and made her promise never to +come back here again, because thou wert so angry with her." Then spoke +the King, "I will go as far as the sky is blue, and will neither eat +nor drink until I have found again my dear wife and my child, if in the +meantime they have not been killed, or died of hunger." + +Thereupon the King travelled about for seven long years, and sought her +in every cleft of the rocks and in every cave, but he found her not, +and thought she had died of want. During the whole of this time he +neither ate nor drank, but God supported him. At length he came into +a great forest, and found therein the little house whose sign was, +"Here all dwell free." Then forth came the white maiden, took him by the +hand, led him in, and said, "Welcome, Lord King," and asked him from +whence he came. He answered, "Soon shall I have travelled about for +the space of seven years, and I seek my wife and her child, but cannot +find them." The angel offered him meat and drink, but he did not take +anything, and only wished to rest a little. Then he lay down to sleep, +and put a handkerchief over his face. + +Thereupon the angel went into the chamber where the Queen sat with her +son, whom she usually called "Sorrowful," and said to her, "Go out with +thy child, thy husband hath come." So she went to the place where he +lay, and the handkerchief fell from his face. Then said she, "Sorrowful, +pick up thy father's handkerchief, and cover his face again." The child +picked it up, and put it over his face again. The King in his sleep +heard what passed, and had pleasure in letting the handkerchief fall +once more. But the child grew impatient, and said, "Dear mother, how +can I cover my father's face when I have no father in this world? I have +learnt to say the prayer, 'Our Father, which art in Heaven,' thou hast +told me that my father was in Heaven, and was the good God, and how can +I know a wild man like this? He is not my father." When the King heard +that, he got up, and asked who they were. Then said she, "I am thy wife, +and that is thy son, Sorrowful." And he saw her living hands, and said, +"My wife had silver hands." She answered, "The good God has caused my +natural hands to grow again;" and the angel went into the inner room, +and brought the silver hands, and showed them to him. Hereupon he knew +for a certainty that it was his dear wife and his dear child, and he +kissed them, and was glad, and said, "A heavy stone has fallen from +off mine heart." Then the angel of God gave them one meal with her, +and after that they went home to the King's aged mother. There were +great rejoicings everywhere, and the King and Queen were married again, +and lived contentedly to their happy end. + + + +32 Clever Hans + +The mother of Hans said, "Whither away, Hans?" Hans answered, "To +Grethel." "Behave well, Hans." "Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye, +mother." "Good-bye, Hans." Hans comes to Grethel, "Good day, +Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What dost thou bring that is good?" "I bring +nothing, I want to have something given me." Grethel presents Hans with +a needle. Hans says, "Good-bye, Grethel." "Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows the +cart home. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hast +thou been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "Took nothing; +had something given me." "What did Grethel give thee?" "Gave me a +needle." "Where is the needle, Hans?" "Stuck it in the hay-cart." "That +was ill done, Hans. Thou shouldst have stuck the needle in thy +sleeve." "Never mind, I'll do better next time." + +"Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans." "Oh, +I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What +dost thou bring that is good?" "I bring nothing; I want to have +something given to me." Grethel presents Hans with a knife. "Good-bye, +Grethel." "Good-bye Hans." Hans takes the knife, sticks it in his +sleeve, and goes home. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where +hast thou been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "Took her +nothing, she gave me something." "What did Grethel give thee?" "Gave me +a knife." "Where is the knife, Hans?" "Stuck in my sleeve." "That's +ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have put the knife in thy pocket." +"Never mind, will do better next time." "Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, +mother." "Behave well, Hans." "Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." +"Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What +good thing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, I want something +given me." Grethel presents Hans with a young goat. "Good-bye, +Grethel." "Good-bye, Hans." Hans takes the goat, ties its legs, and +puts it in his pocket. When he gets home it is suffocated. "Good evening, +mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hast thou been?" "With Grethel." "What +didst thou take her?" "Took nothing, she gave me something." "What did +Grethel give thee?" "She gave me a goat." "Where is the goat, Hans?" "Put +it in my pocket." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have put a +rope round the goat's neck." "Never mind, will do better next time." + +"Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans." "Oh, +I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans." Hans comes to +Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What good thing dost thou +bring?" "I bring nothing, I want something given me." Grethel presents +Hans with a piece of bacon. "Good-bye, Grethel." "Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans takes the bacon, ties it to a rope, and drags it away behind +him. The dogs come and devour the bacon. When he gets home, he has +the rope in his hand, and there is no longer anything hanging to +it. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans." "Where hast thou +been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "I took her nothing, +she gave me something." "What did Grethel give thee?" "Gave me a bit +of bacon." "Where is the bacon, Hans?" "I tied it to a rope, brought it +home, dogs took it." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have carried +the bacon on thy head." "Never mind, will do better next time." "Whither +away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans." "I'll behave well. +Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans." "What +good thing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, but would have something +given." Grethel presents Hans with a calf. "Good-bye, Grethel." "Good-bye, +Hans." + +Hans takes the calf, puts it on his head, and the calf kicks his +face. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hast thou +been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "I took nothing, but +had something given me." "What did Grethel give thee?" "A calf." "Where +hast thou the calf, Hans?" "I set it on my head and it kicked my +face." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have led the calf, and +put it in the stall." "Never mind, will do better next time." + +"Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans." "I'll +behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans." + +Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What good +thing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, but would have something +given." Grethel says to Hans, "I will go with thee." + +Hans takes Grethel, ties her to a rope, leads her to the rack and binds +her fast. Then Hans goes to his mother. "Good evening, mother." "Good +evening, Hans. Where hast thou been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou +take her?" "I took her nothing." "What did Grethel give thee?" "She +gave me nothing, she came with me." "Where hast thou left Grethel?" "I +led her by the rope, tied her to the rack, and scattered some grass for +her." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have cast friendly eyes +on her." "Never mind, will do better." + +Hans went into the stable, cut out all the calves' and sheep's eyes, +and threw them in Grethel's face. Then Grethel became angry, tore herself +loose and ran away, and became the bride of Hans. + + + +33 The Three Languages + +An aged count once lived in Switzerland, who had an only son, but he was +stupid, and could learn nothing. Then said the father, "Hark thee, my son, +I can get nothing into thy head, let me try as I will. Thou must go from +hence, I will give thee into the care of a celebrated master, who shall +see what he can do with thee." The youth was sent into a strange town, +and remained a whole year with the master. At the end of this time, +he came home again, and his father asked, "Now, my son, what hast thou +learnt?" "Father, I have learnt what the dogs say when they bark." "Lord +have mercy on us!" cried the father; "is that all thou hast learnt? I +will send thee into another town, to another master." The youth was taken +thither, and stayed a year with this master likewise. When he came back +the father again asked, "My son, what hast thou learnt?" He answered, +"Father, I have learnt what the birds say." Then the father fell into a +rage and said, "Oh, thou lost man, thou hast spent the precious time and +learnt nothing; art thou not ashamed to appear before mine eyes? I will +send thee to a third master, but if thou learnest nothing this time also, +I will no longer be thy father." The youth remained a whole year with the +third master also, and when he came home again, and his father inquired, +"My son, what hast thou learnt?" he answered, "Dear father, I have this +year learnt what the frogs croak." Then the father fell into the most +furious anger, sprang up, called his people thither, and said, "This +man is no longer my son, I drive him forth, and command you to take him +out into the forest, and kill him." They took him forth, but when they +should have killed him, they could not do it for pity, and let him go, +and they cut the eyes and the tongue out of a deer that they might carry +them to the old man as a token. + +The youth wandered on, and after some time came to a fortress where he +begged for a night's lodging. "Yes," said the lord of the castle, "if +thou wilt pass the night down there in the old tower, go thither; but I +warn thee, it is at the peril of thy life, for it is full of wild dogs, +which bark and howl without stopping, and at certain hours a man has to +be given to them, whom they at once devour." The whole district was in +sorrow and dismay because of them, and yet no one could do anything to +stop this. The youth, however, was without fear, and said, "Just let me +go down to the barking dogs, and give me something that I can throw to +them; they will do nothing to harm me." As he himself would have it so, +they gave him some food for the wild animals, and led him down to the +tower. When he went inside, the dogs did not bark at him, but wagged their +tails quite amicably around him, ate what he set before them, and did not +hurt one hair of his head. Next morning, to the astonishment of everyone, +he came out again safe and unharmed, and said to the lord of the castle, +"The dogs have revealed to me, in their own language, why they dwell +there, and bring evil on the land. They are bewitched, and are obliged +to watch over a great treasure which is below in the tower, and they +can have no rest until it is taken away, and I have likewise learnt, +from their discourse, how that is to be done." Then all who heard this +rejoiced, and the lord of the castle said he would adopt him as a son +if he accomplished it successfully. He went down again, and as he knew +what he had to do, he did it thoroughly, and brought a chest full of gold +out with him. The howling of the wild dogs was henceforth heard no more; +they had disappeared, and the country was freed from the trouble. + +After some time he took it into his head that he would travel to Rome. On +the way he passed by a marsh, in which a number of frogs were sitting +croaking. He listened to them, and when he became aware of what they +were saying, he grew very thoughtful and sad. At last he arrived in +Rome, where the Pope had just died, and there was great difficulty as +to whom they should appoint as his successor. They at length agreed that +the person should be chosen as pope who should be distinguished by some +divine and miraculous token. And just as that was decided on, the young +count entered into the church, and suddenly two snow-white doves flew on +his shoulders and remained sitting there. The ecclesiastics recognized +therein the token from above, and asked him on the spot if he would be +pope. He was undecided, and knew not if he were worthy of this, but the +doves counselled him to do it, and at length he said yes. Then was he +anointed and consecrated, and thus was fulfilled what he had heard from +the frogs on his way, which had so affected him, that he was to be his +Holiness the Pope. Then he had to sing a mass, and did not know one word +of it, but the two doves sat continually on his shoulders, and said it +all in his ear. + + + +34 Clever Elsie + +There was once a man who had a daughter who was called Clever Elsie. And +when she had grown up her father said, "We will get her married." "Yes," +said the mother; "if only any one would come who would have her." At +length a man came from a distance and wooed her, who was called Hans; +but he stipulated that Clever Elsie should be really wise. "Oh," said +the father, "she's sharp enough;" and the mother said, "Oh, she can see +the wind coming up the street, and hear the flies coughing." "Well," +said Hans, "if she is not really wise, I won't have her." When they were +sitting at dinner and had eaten, the mother said, "Elsie, go into the +cellar and fetch some beer." Then Clever Elsie took the pitcher from +the wall, went into the cellar, and tapped the lid briskly as she went, +so that the time might not appear long. When she was below she fetched +herself a chair, and set it before the barrel so that she had no need to +stoop, and did not hurt her back or do herself any unexpected injury. Then +she placed the can before her, and turned the tap, and while the beer was +running she would not let her eyes be idle, but looked up at the wall, +and after much peering here and there, saw a pick-axe exactly above her, +which the masons had accidentally left there. + +Then Clever Elsie began to weep, and said, "If I get Hans, and we have +a child, and he grows big, and we send him into the cellar here to draw +beer, then the pick-axe will fall on his head and kill him." Then she +sat and wept and screamed with all the strength of her body, over the +misfortune which lay before her. Those upstairs waited for the drink, +but Clever Elsie still did not come. Then the woman said to the servant, +"Just go down into the cellar and see where Elsie is." The maid went +and found her sitting in front of the barrel, screaming loudly. "Elsie, +why weepest thou?" asked the maid. "Ah," she answered, "have I not +reason to weep? If I get Hans, and we have a child, and he grows big, +and has to draw beer here, the pick-axe will perhaps fall on his head, +and kill him." Then said the maid, "What a clever Elsie we have!" and +sat down beside her and began loudly to weep over the misfortune. After +a while, as the maid did not come back, those upstairs were thirsty for +the beer, the man said to the boy, "Just go down into the cellar and +see where Elsie and the girl are." The boy went down, and there sat +Clever Elsie and the girl both weeping together. Then he asked, "Why +are ye weeping?" "Ah," said Elsie, "have I not reason to weep? If I get +Hans, and we have a child, and he grows big, and has to draw beer here, +the pick-axe will fall on his head and kill him." Then said the boy, +"What a clever Elsie we have!" and sat down by her, and likewise began +to howl loudly. Upstairs they waited for the boy, but as he still did +not return, the man said to the woman, "Just go down into the cellar +and see where Elsie is!" The woman went down, and found all three +in the midst of their lamentations, and inquired what was the cause; +then Elsie told her also that her future child was to be killed by the +pick-axe, when it grew big and had to draw beer, and the pick-axe fell +down. Then said the mother likewise, "What a clever Elsie we have!" and +sat down and wept with them. The man upstairs waited a short time, but +as his wife did not come back and his thirst grew ever greater, he said, +"I must go into the cellar myself and see where Elsie is." But when he +got into the cellar, and they were all sitting together crying, and he +heard the reason, and that Elsie's child was the cause, and that Elsie +might perhaps bring one into the world some day, and that it might be +killed by the pick-axe, if it should happen to be sitting beneath it, +drawing beer just at the very time when it fell down, he cried, "Oh, +what a clever Elsie!" and sat down, and likewise wept with them. The +bridegroom stayed upstairs alone for a long time; then as no one would +come back he thought, "They must be waiting for me below; I too must +go there and see what they are about." When he got down, five of them +were sitting screaming and lamenting quite piteously, each out-doing the +other. "What misfortune has happened then?" he asked. "Ah, dear Hans," +said Elsie, "if we marry each other and have a child, and he is big, +and we perhaps send him here to draw something to drink, then the +pick-axe which has been left up there might dash his brains out if it +were to fall down, so have we not reason to weep?" "Come," said Hans, +"more understanding than that is not needed for my household, as thou +art such a clever Elsie, I will have thee," and he seized her hand, +took her upstairs with him, and married her. + +After Hans had had her some time, he said, "Wife, I am going out to work +and earn some money for us; go into the field and cut the corn that we may +have some bread." "Yes, dear Hans, I will do that." After Hans had gone +away, she cooked herself some good broth and took it into the field with +her. When she came to the field she said to herself, "What shall I do; +shall I shear first, or shall I eat first? Oh, I will eat first." Then +she emptied her basin of broth, and when she was fully satisfied, she +once more said, "What shall I do? Shall I shear first, or shall I sleep +first? I will sleep first." Then she lay down among the corn and fell +asleep. Hans had been at home for a long time, but Elsie did not come; +then said he, "What a clever Elsie I have; she is so industrious that +she does not even come home to eat." As, however, she still stayed away, +and it was evening, Hans went out to see what she had cut, but nothing +was cut, and she was lying among the corn asleep. Then Hans hastened home +and brought a fowler's net with little bells and hung it round about her, +and she still went on sleeping. Then he ran home, shut the house-door, +and sat down in his chair and worked. At length, when it was quite dark, +Clever Elsie awoke and when she got up there was a jingling all round +about her, and the bells rang at each step which she took. Then she was +alarmed, and became uncertain whether she really was Clever Elsie or +not, and said, "Is it I, or is it not I?" But she knew not what answer +to make to this, and stood for a time in doubt; at length she thought, +"I will go home and ask if it be I, or if it be not I, they will be sure +to know." She ran to the door of her own house, but it was shut; then +she knocked at the window and cried, "Hans, is Elsie within?" "Yes," +answered Hans, "she is within." Hereupon she was terrified, and said, +"Ah, heavens! Then it is not I," and went to another door; but when the +people heard the jingling of the bells they would not open it, and she +could get in nowhere. Then she ran out of the village, and no one has +seen her since. + + + +35 The Tailor in Heaven + +One very fine day it came to pass that the good God wished to enjoy +himself in the heavenly garden, and took all the apostles and saints +with him, so that no one stayed in heaven but Saint Peter. The Lord had +commanded him to let no one in during his absence, so Peter stood by +the door and kept watch. Before long some one knocked. Peter asked who +was there, and what he wanted? "I am a poor, honest tailor who prays +for admission," replied a smooth voice. "Honest indeed," said Peter, +"like the thief on the gallows! Thou hast been light-fingered and +hast snipped folks' clothes away. Thou wilt not get into heaven. The +Lord hath forbidden me to let any one in while he is out." "Come, +do be merciful," cried the tailor. "Little scraps which fall off the +table of their own accord are not stolen, and are not worth speaking +about. Look, I am lame, and have blisters on my feet with walking here, +I cannot possibly turn back again. Only let me in, and I will do all +the rough work. I will carry the children, and wash their clothes, and +wash and clean the benches on which they have been playing, and patch +all their torn clothes." Saint Peter let himself be moved by pity, and +opened the door of heaven just wide enough for the lame tailor to slip +his lean body in. He was forced to sit down in a corner behind the door, +and was to stay quietly and peaceably there, in order that the Lord, +when he returned, might not observe him and be angry. The tailor obeyed, +but once when Saint Peter went outside the door, he got up, and full of +curiosity, went round about into every corner of heaven, and inspected +the arrangement of every place. At length he came to a spot where many +beautiful and delightful chairs were standing, and in the midst was a +seat all of gold which was set with shining jewels, likewise it was much +higher than the other chairs, and a footstool of gold was before it. It +was, however, the seat on which the Lord sat when he was at home, and +from which he could see everything which happened on earth. The tailor +stood still, and looked at the seat for a long time, for it pleased him +better than all else. At last he could master his curiosity no longer, +and climbed up and seated himself in the chair. Then he saw everything +which was happening on earth, and observed an ugly old woman who was +standing washing by the side of a stream, secretly laying two veils on one +side for herself. The sight of this made the tailor so angry that he laid +hold of the golden footstool, and threw it down to earth through heaven, +at the old thief. As, however, he could not bring the stool back again, +he slipped quietly out of the chair, seated himself in his place behind +the door, and behaved as if he had never stirred from the spot. + +When the Lord and master came back again with his heavenly companions, +he did not see the tailor behind the door, but when he seated himself +on his chair the footstool was missing. He asked Saint Peter what had +become of the stool, but he did not know. Then he asked if he had let +anyone come in. "I know of no one who has been here," answered Peter, +"but a lame tailor, who is still sitting behind the door." Then the +Lord had the tailor brought before him, and asked him if he had taken +away the stool, and where he had put it? "Oh, Lord," answered the tailor +joyously, "I threw it in my anger down to earth at an old woman whom I +saw stealing two veils at the washing." "Oh, thou knave," said the Lord, +"were I to judge as thou judgest, how dost thou think thou couldst have +escaped so long? I should long ago have had no chairs, benches, seats, +nay, not even an oven-fork, but should have thrown everything down at +the sinners. Henceforth thou canst stay no longer in heaven, but must +go outside the door again. Then go where thou wilt. No one shall give +punishment here, but I alone, the Lord." + +Peter was obliged to take the tailor out of heaven again, and as he had +torn shoes, and feet covered with blisters, he took a stick in his hand, +and went to "Wait-a-bit," where the good soldiers sit and make merry. + + + +36 The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack + +There was once upon a time a tailor who had three sons, and only one +goat. But as the goat supported the whole of them with her milk, she was +obliged to have good food, and to be taken every day to pasture. The +sons, therefore, did this, in turn. Once the eldest took her to the +churchyard, where the finest herbs were to be found, and let her eat +and run about there. At night when it was time to go home he asked, +"Goat, hast thou had enough?" The goat answered, + + + "I have eaten so much, + Not a leaf more I'll touch, meh! meh!" + +"Come home, then," said the youth, and took hold of the cord round her +neck, led her into the stable and tied her up securely. "Well," said the +old tailor, "has the goat had as much food as she ought?" "Oh," answered +the son, "she has eaten so much, not a leaf more she'll touch." But the +father wished to satisfy himself, and went down to the stable, stroked +the dear animal and asked, "Goat, art thou satisfied?" The goat answered, + + + "Wherewithal should I be satisfied? + Among the graves I leapt about, + And found no food, so went without, meh! meh!" + +"What do I hear?" cried the tailor, and ran upstairs and said to the +youth, "Hollo, thou liar: thou saidest the goat had had enough, and hast +let her hunger!" and in his anger he took the yard-measure from the wall, +and drove him out with blows. + +Next day it was the turn of the second son, who looked out for a place +in the fence of the garden, where nothing but good herbs grew, and the +goat cleared them all off. At night when he wanted to go home, he asked, +"Goat, art thou satisfied?" The goat answered, + + + "I have eaten so much, + Not a leaf more I'll touch, meh! meh!" + +"Come home, then," said the youth, and led her home, and tied her up in +the stable. "Well," said the old tailor, "has the goat had as much food as +she ought?" "Oh," answered the son, "she has eaten so much, not a leaf +more she'll touch." The tailor would not rely on this, but went down +to the stable and said, "Goat, hast thou had enough?" The goat answered, + + + "Wherewithal should I be satisfied? + Among the graves I leapt about, + And found no food, so went without, meh! meh!" + +"The godless wretch!" cried the tailor, "to let such a good animal +hunger," and he ran up and drove the youth out of doors with the +yard-measure. + +Now came the turn of the third son, who wanted to do the thing well, +and sought out some bushes with the finest leaves, and let the goat +devour them. In the evening when he wanted to go home, he asked, "Goat, +hast thou had enough?" The goat answered, + + + "I have eaten so much, + Not a leaf more I'll touch, meh! meh!" + +"Come home, then," said the youth, and led her into the stable, and tied +her up. "Well," said the old tailor, "has the goat had a proper amount +of food?" "She has eaten so much, not a leaf more she'll touch." The +tailor did not trust to that, but went down and asked, "Goat, hast thou +had enough?" The wicked beast answered, + + + "Wherewithal should I be satisfied? + Among the graves I leapt about, + And found no leaves, so went without, meh! meh!" + +"Oh, the brood of liars!" cried the tailor, "each as wicked and forgetful +of his duty as the other! Ye shall no longer make a fool of me," and +quite beside himself with anger, he ran upstairs and belabored the poor +young fellow so vigorously with the yard-measure that he sprang out of +the house. + +The old tailor was now alone with his goat. Next morning he went down into +the stable, caressed the goat and said, "Come, my dear little animal, +I will take thee to feed myself." He took her by the rope and conducted +her to green hedges, and amongst milfoil, and whatever else goats +like to eat. "There thou mayest for once eat to thy heart's content," +said he to her, and let her browse till evening. Then he asked, "Goat, +art thou satisfied?" She replied, + + + "I have eaten so much, + Not a leaf more I'll touch, meh! meh!" + +"Come home, then," said the tailor, and led her into the stable, and +tied her fast. When he was going away, he turned round again and said, +"Well, art thou satisfied for once?" But the goat did not behave the +better to him, and cried, + + + "Wherewithal should I be satisfied? + Among the graves I leapt about, + And found no leaves, so went without, meh! meh!" + +When the tailor heard that, he was shocked, and saw clearly that he +had driven away his three sons without cause. "Wait, thou ungrateful +creature," cried he, "it is not enough to drive thee forth, I will +mark thee so that thou wilt no more dare to show thyself amongst honest +tailors." In great haste he ran upstairs, fetched his razor, lathered the +goat's head, and shaved her as clean as the palm of his hand. And as the +yard-measure would have been too good for her, he brought the horsewhip, +and gave her such cuts with it that she ran away in violent haste. + +When the tailor was thus left quite alone in his house he fell into +great grief, and would gladly have had his sons back again, but no one +knew whither they were gone. The eldest had apprenticed himself to a +joiner, and learnt industriously and indefatigably, and when the time +came for him to go travelling, his master presented him with a little +table which had no particular appearance, and was made of common wood, +but it had one good property; if anyone set it out, and said, "Little +table, spread thyself," the good little table was at once covered with a +clean little cloth, and a plate was there, and a knife and fork beside +it, and dishes with boiled meats and roasted meats, as many as there +was room for, and a great glass of red wine shone so that it made the +heart glad. The young journeyman thought, "With this thou hast enough +for thy whole life," and went joyously about the world and never troubled +himself at all whether an inn was good or bad, or if anything was to be +found in it or not. When it suited him he did not enter an inn at all, +but either on the plain, in a wood, a meadow, or wherever he fancied, +he took his little table off his back, set it down before him, and said, +"Cover thyself," and then everything appeared that his heart desired. At +length he took it into his head to go back to his father, whose anger +would now be appeased, and who would now willingly receive him with +his wishing-table. It came to pass that on his way home, he came one +evening to an inn which was filled with guests. They bade him welcome, +and invited him to sit and eat with them, for otherwise he would have +difficulty in getting anything. "No," answered the joiner, "I will not +take the few bites out of your mouths; rather than that, you shall be +my guests." They laughed, and thought he was jesting with them; he, +however, placed his wooden table in the middle of the room, and said, +"Little table, cover thyself." Instantly it was covered with food, +so good that the host could never have procured it, and the smell of +it ascended pleasantly to the nostrils of the guests. "Fall to, dear +friends," said the joiner; and the guests when they saw that he meant it, +did not need to be asked twice, but drew near, pulled out their knives +and attacked it valiantly. And what surprised them the most was that +when a dish became empty, a full one instantly took its place of its +own accord. The innkeeper stood in one corner and watched the affair; +he did not at all know what to say, but thought, "Thou couldst easily +find a use for such a cook as that in thy kitchen." The joiner and his +comrades made merry until late into the night; at length they lay down +to sleep, and the young apprentice also went to bed, and set his magic +table against the wall. The host's thoughts, however, let him have +no rest; it occurred to him that there was a little old table in his +lumber-room which looked just like the apprentice's and he brought it +out quite softly, and exchanged it for the wishing-table. Next morning, +the joiner paid for his bed, took up his table, never thinking that he +had got a false one, and went his way. At mid-day he reached his father, +who received him with great joy. "Well, my dear son, what hast thou +learnt?" said he to him. "Father, I have become a joiner." + +"A good trade," replied the old man; "but what hast thou brought back +with thee from thy apprenticeship?" "Father, the best thing which I have +brought back with me is this little table." The tailor inspected it on +all sides and said, "Thou didst not make a masterpiece when thou mad'st +that; it is a bad old table." "But it is a table which furnishes itself," +replied the son. "When I set it out, and tell it to cover itself, the +most beautiful dishes stand on it, and a wine also, which gladdens the +heart. Just invite all our relations and friends, they shall refresh +and enjoy themselves for once, for the table will give them all they +require." When the company was assembled, he put his table in the middle +of the room and said, "Little table, cover thyself," but the little table +did not bestir itself, and remained just as bare as any other table which +did not understand language. Then the poor apprentice became aware that +his table had been changed, and was ashamed at having to stand there like +a liar. The relations, however, mocked him, and were forced to go home +without having eaten or drunk. The father brought out his patches again, +and went on tailoring, but the son went to a master in the craft. + +The second son had gone to a miller and had apprenticed himself to +him. When his years were over, the master said, "As thou hast conducted +thyself so well, I give thee an ass of a peculiar kind, which neither +draws a cart nor carries a sack." "To what use is he put, then?" asked +the young apprentice. "He lets gold drop from his mouth," answered the +miller. "If thou settest him on a cloth and sayest 'Bricklebrit,' the +good animal will drop gold pieces for thee." "That is a fine thing," +said the apprentice, and thanked the master, and went out into the +world. When he had need of gold, he had only to say "Bricklebrit" to his +ass, and it rained gold pieces, and he had nothing to do but pick them +off the ground. Wheresoever he went, the best of everything was good +enough for him, and the dearer the better, for he had always a full +purse. When he had looked about the world for some time, he thought, +"Thou must seek out thy father; if thou goest to him with the gold-ass +he will forget his anger, and receive thee well." It came to pass that +he came to the same public-house in which his brother's table had been +exchanged. He led his ass by the bridle, and the host was about to take +the animal from him and tie him up, but the young apprentice said, +"Don't trouble yourself, I will take my grey horse into the stable, +and tie him up myself too, for I must know where he stands." This struck +the host as odd, and he thought that a man who was forced to look after +his ass himself, could not have much to spend; but when the stranger +put his hand in his pocket and brought out two gold pieces, and said he +was to provide something good for him, the host opened his eyes wide, +and ran and sought out the best he could muster. After dinner the guest +asked what he owed. The host did not see why he should not double the +reckoning, and said the apprentice must give two more gold pieces. He +felt in his pocket, but his gold was just at an end. "Wait an instant, +sir host," said he, "I will go and fetch some money;" but he took the +table-cloth with him. The host could not imagine what this could mean, and +being curious, stole after him, and as the guest bolted the stable-door, +he peeped through a hole left by a knot in the wood. The stranger spread +out the cloth under the animal and cried, "Bricklebrit," and immediately +the beast began to let gold pieces fall, so that it fairly rained down +money on the ground. "Eh, my word," said the host, "ducats are quickly +coined there! A purse like that is not amiss." The guest paid his score, +and went to bed, but in the night the host stole down into the stable, led +away the master of the mint, and tied up another ass in his place. Early +next morning the apprentice travelled away with his ass, and thought that +he had his gold-ass. At mid-day he reached his father, who rejoiced to +see him again, and gladly took him in. "What hast thou made of thyself, +my son?" asked the old man. "A miller," dear father, he answered. "What +hast thou brought back with thee from thy travels?" "Nothing else but +an ass." "There are asses enough here," said the father, "I would rather +have had a good goat." "Yes," replied the son, "but it is no common ass, +but a gold-ass, when I say 'Bricklebrit,' the good beast opens its mouth +and drops a whole sheetful of gold pieces. Just summon all our relations +hither, and I will make them rich folks." "That suits me well," said the +tailor, "for then I shall have no need to torment myself any longer with +the needle," and ran out himself and called the relations together. As +soon as they were assembled, the miller bade them make way, spread out +his cloth, and brought the ass into the room. "Now watch," said he, +and cried, "Bricklebrit," but no gold pieces fell, and it was clear that +the animal knew nothing of the art, for every ass does not attain such +perfection. Then the poor miller pulled a long face, saw that he was +betrayed, and begged pardon of the relatives, who went home as poor as +they came. There was no help for it, the old man had to betake him to +his needle once more, and the youth hired himself to a miller. + +The third brother had apprenticed himself to a turner, and as that is +skilled labour, he was the longest in learning. His brothers, however, +told him in a letter how badly things had gone with them, and how the +innkeeper had cheated them of their beautiful wishing-gifts on the last +evening before they reached home. When the turner had served his time, +and had to set out on his travels, as he had conducted himself so well, +his master presented him with a sack and said, "There is a cudgel in +it." "I can put on the sack," said he, "and it may be of good service +to me, but why should the cudgel be in it? It only makes it heavy." "I +will tell thee why," replied the master; "if any one has done anything +to injure thee, do but say, 'Out of the sack, Cudgel!' and the cudgel +will leap forth among the people, and play such a dance on their backs +that they will not be able to stir or move for a week, and it will not +leave off until thou sayest, 'Into the sack, Cudgel!'" The apprentice +thanked him, and put the sack on his back, and when any one came too near +him, and wished to attack him, he said, "Out of the sack, Cudgel!" and +instantly the cudgel sprang out, and dusted the coat or jacket of one +after the other on their backs, and never stopped until it had stripped +it off them, and it was done so quickly, that before anyone was aware, +it was already his own turn. In the evening the young turner reached +the inn where his brothers had been cheated. He laid his sack on the +table before him, and began to talk of all the wonderful things which +he had seen in the world. "Yes," said he, "people may easily find a +table which will cover itself, a gold-ass, and things of that kind +-- extremely good things which I by no means despise---but these are +nothing in comparison with the treasure which I have won for myself, +and am carrying about with me in my sack there." The inn-keeper pricked +up his ears, "What in the world can that be?" thought he; "the sack must +be filled with nothing but jewels; I ought to get them cheap too, for +all good things go in threes." When it was time for sleep, the guest +stretched himself on the bench, and laid his sack beneath him for a +pillow. When the inn-keeper thought his guest was lying in a sound sleep, +he went to him and pushed and pulled quite gently and carefully at the +sack to see if he could possibly draw it away and lay another in its +place. The turner had, however, been waiting for this for a long time, +and now just as the inn-keeper was about to give a hearty tug, he cried, +"Out of the sack, Cudgel!" Instantly the little cudgel came forth, +and fell on the inn-keeper and gave him a sound thrashing. + +The host cried for mercy; but the louder he cried, so much more heavily +the cudgel beat the time on his back, until at length he fell to the +ground exhausted. Then the turner said, "If thou dost not give back +the table which covers itself, and the gold-ass, the dance shall begin +afresh." "Oh, no," cried the host, quite humbly, "I will gladly produce +everything, only make the accursed kobold creep back into the sack." Then +said the apprentice, "I will let mercy take the place of justice, but +beware of getting into mischief again!" So he cried, "Into the sack, +Cudgel!" and let him have rest. + +Next morning the turner went home to his father with the wishing-table, +and the gold-ass. The tailor rejoiced when he saw him once more, and asked +him likewise what he had learned in foreign parts. "Dear father," said he, +"I have become a turner." "A skilled trade," said the father. "What hast +thou brought back with thee from thy travels?" + +"A precious thing, dear father," replied the son, "a cudgel in the sack." + +"What!" cried the father, "a cudgel! That's worth thy trouble, +indeed! From every tree thou can cut thyself one." "But not one like this, +dear father. If I say, 'Out of the sack, Cudgel!' the cudgel springs out +and leads any one who means ill with me a weary dance, and never stops +until he lies on the ground and prays for fair weather. Look you, with +this cudgel have I got back the wishing-table and the gold-ass which the +thievish inn-keeper took away from my brothers. Now let them both be sent +for, and invite all our kinsmen. I will give them to eat and to drink, +and will fill their pockets with gold into the bargain." The old tailor +would not quite believe, but nevertheless got the relatives together. Then +the turner spread a cloth in the room and led in the gold-ass, and said +to his brother, "Now, dear brother, speak to him." The miller said, +"Bricklebrit," and instantly the gold pieces fell down on the cloth like +a thunder-shower, and the ass did not stop until every one of them had +so much that he could carry no more. (I can see in thy face that thou +also wouldst like to be there.) + +Then the turner brought the little table, and said, "Now dear brother, +speak to it." And scarcely had the carpenter said, "Table, cover +thyself," than it was spread and amply covered with the most exquisite +dishes. Then such a meal took place as the good tailor had never yet +known in his house, and the whole party of kinsmen stayed together till +far in the night, and were all merry and glad. The tailor locked away +needle and thread, yard-measure and goose, in a press, and lived with +his three sons in joy and splendour. (What, however, has become of the +goat who was to blame for the tailor driving out his three sons? That +I will tell thee. She was ashamed that she had a bald head, and ran to +a fox's hole and crept into it. When the fox came home, he was met by +two great eyes shining out of the darkness, and was terrified and ran +away. A bear met him, and as the fox looked quite disturbed, he said, +"What is the matter with thee, brother Fox, why dost thou look like +that?" "Ah," answered Redskin, "a fierce beast is in my cave and stared +at me with its fiery eyes." "We will soon drive him out," said the bear, +and went with him to the cave and looked in, but when he saw the fiery +eyes, fear seized on him likewise; he would have nothing to do with +the furious beast, and took to his heels. The bee met him, and as she +saw that he was ill at ease, she said, "Bear, thou art really pulling a +very pitiful face; what has become of all thy gaiety?" "It is all very +well for thee to talk," replied the bear, "a furious beast with staring +eyes is in Redskin's house, and we can't drive him out." The bee said, +"Bear I pity thee, I am a poor weak creature whom thou wouldst not turn +aside to look at, but still, I believe, I can help thee." She flew into +the fox's cave, lighted on the goat's smoothly-shorn head, and stung her +so violently, that she sprang up, crying "Meh, meh," and ran forth into +the world as if mad, and to this hour no one knows where she has gone.) + + + +37 Thumbling + +There was once a poor peasant who sat in the evening by the hearth and +poked the fire, and his wife sat and span. Then said he, "How sad it is +that we have no children! With us all is so quiet, and in other houses +it is noisy and lively." + +"Yes," replied the wife, and sighed, "even if we had only one, and it were +quite small, and only as big as a thumb, I should be quite satisfied, +and we would still love it with all our hearts." Now it so happened +that the woman fell ill, and after seven months gave birth to a child, +that was perfect in all its limbs, but no longer than a thumb. Then said +they, "It is as we wished it to be, and it shall be our dear child;" +and because of its size, they called it Thumbling. They did not let it +want for food, but the child did not grow taller, but remained as it +had been at the first, nevertheless it looked sensibly out of its eyes, +and soon showed itself to be a wise and nimble creature, for everything +it did turned out well. + +One day the peasant was getting ready to go into the forest to cut wood, +when he said as if to himself, "How I wish that there was any one who +would bring the cart to me!" "Oh father," cried Thumbling, "I will soon +bring the cart, rely on that; it shall be in the forest at the appointed +time." The man smiled and said, "How can that be done, thou art far +too small to lead the horse by the reins?" "That's of no consequence, +father, if my mother will only harness it, I shall sit in the horse's +ear and call out to him how he is to go." "Well," answered the man, +"for once we will try it." + +When the time came, the mother harnessed the horse, and placed Thumbling +in its ear, and then the little creature cried, "Gee up, gee up!" + +Then it went quite properly as if with its master, and the cart went the +right way into the forest. It so happened that just as he was turning +a corner, and the little one was crying, "Gee up," two strange men came +towards him. "My word!" said one of them, "What is this? There is a cart +coming, and a driver is calling to the horse and still he is not to be +seen!" "That can't be right," said the other, "we will follow the cart +and see where it stops." The cart, however, drove right into the forest, +and exactly to the place where the wood had been cut. When Thumbling saw +his father, he cried to him, "Seest thou, father, here I am with the cart; +now take me down." The father got hold of the horse with his left hand +and with the right took his little son out of the ear. Thumbling sat +down quite merrily on a straw, but when the two strange men saw him, +they did not know what to say for astonishment. Then one of them took +the other aside and said, "Hark, the little fellow would make our fortune +if we exhibited him in a large town, for money. We will buy him." They +went to the peasant and said, "Sell us the little man. He shall be well +treated with us." "No," replied the father, "he is the apple of my eye, +and all the money in the world cannot buy him from me." Thumbling, +however, when he heard of the bargain, had crept up the folds of his +father's coat, placed himself on his shoulder, and whispered in his ear, +"Father do give me away, I will soon come back again." Then the father +parted with him to the two men for a handsome bit of money. "Where wilt +thou sit?" they said to him. "Oh just set me on the rim of your hat, and +then I can walk backwards and forwards and look at the country, and still +not fall down." They did as he wished, and when Thumbling had taken leave +of his father, they went away with him. They walked until it was dusk, +and then the little fellow said, "Do take me down, I want to come down." +The man took his hat off, and put the little fellow on the ground by +the wayside, and he leapt and crept about a little between the sods, +and then he suddenly slipped into a mouse-hole which he had sought +out. "Good evening, gentlemen, just go home without me," he cried to +them, and mocked them. They ran thither and stuck their sticks into the +mouse-hole, but it was all lost labour. Thumbling crept still farther in, +and as it soon became quite dark, they were forced to go home with their +vexation and their empty purses. + +When Thumbling saw that they were gone, he crept back out of the +subterranean passage. "It is so dangerous to walk on the ground in the +dark," said he; "how easily a neck or a leg is broken!" Fortunately he +knocked against an empty snail-shell. "Thank God!" said he. "In that I +can pass the night in safety," and got into it. Not long afterwards, +when he was just going to sleep, he heard two men go by, and one +of them was saying, "How shall we contrive to get hold of the rich +pastor's silver and gold?" "I could tell thee that," cried Thumbling, +interrupting them. "What was that?" said one of the thieves in fright, +"I heard some one speaking." They stood still listening, and Thumbling +spoke again, and said, "Take me with you, and I'll help you." + +"But where art thou?" "Just look on the ground, and observe from whence +my voice comes," he replied. There the thieves at length found him, and +lifted him up. "Thou little imp, how wilt thou help us?" they said. "A +great deal," said he, "I will creep into the pastor's room through the +iron bars, and will reach out to you whatever you want to have." "Come +then," they said, "and we will see what thou canst do." When they got to +the pastor's house, Thumbling crept into the room, but instantly cried +out with all his might, "Do you want to have everything that is here?" The +thieves were alarmed, and said, "But do speak softly, so as not to waken +any one!" Thumbling however, behaved as if he had not understood this, +and cried again, "What do you want? Do you want to have everything that +is here?" The cook, who slept in the next room, heard this and sat up +in bed, and listened. The thieves, however, had in their fright run +some distance away, but at last they took courage, and thought, "The +little rascal wants to mock us." They came back and whispered to him, +"Come, be serious, and reach something out to us." Then Thumbling again +cried as loudly as he could, "I really will give you everything, just put +your hands in." The maid who was listening, heard this quite distinctly, +and jumped out of bed and rushed to the door. The thieves took flight, +and ran as if the Wild Huntsman were behind them, but as the maid could +not see anything, she went to strike a light. When she came to the +place with it, Thumbling, unperceived, betook himself to the granary, +and the maid, after she had examined every corner and found nothing, +lay down in her bed again, and believed that, after all, she had only +been dreaming with open eyes and ears. + +Thumbling had climbed up among the hay and found a beautiful place to +sleep in; there he intended to rest until day, and then go home again +to his parents. But he had other things to go through. Truly, there is +much affliction and misery in this world! When day dawned, the maid arose +from her bed to feed the cows. Her first walk was into the barn, where +she laid hold of an armful of hay, and precisely that very one in which +poor Thumbling was lying asleep. He, however, was sleeping so soundly +that he was aware of nothing, and did not awake until he was in the mouth +of the cow, who had picked him up with the hay. "Ah, heavens!" cried he, +"how have I got into the fulling mill?" but he soon discovered where he +was. Then it was necessary to be careful not to let himself go between the +teeth and be dismembered, but he was nevertheless forced to slip down into +the stomach with the hay. "In this little room the windows are forgotten," +said he, "and no sun shines in, neither will a candle be brought." His +quarters were especially unpleasing to him, and the worst was, more +and more hay was always coming in by the door, and the space grew less +and less. Then at length in his anguish, he cried as loud as he could, +"Bring me no more fodder, bring me no more fodder." The maid was just +milking the cow, and when she heard some one speaking, and saw no one, +and perceived that it was the same voice that she had heard in the +night, she was so terrified that she slipped off her stool, and spilt +the milk. She ran in great haste to her master, and said, "Oh heavens, +pastor, the cow has been speaking!" "Thou art mad," replied the pastor; +but he went himself to the byre to see what was there. Hardly, however +had he set his foot inside when Thumbling again cried, "Bring me no more +fodder, bring me no more fodder." Then the pastor himself was alarmed, +and thought that an evil spirit had gone into the cow, and ordered her +to be killed. She was killed, but the stomach, in which Thumbling was, +was thrown on the midden. Thumbling had great difficulty in working +his way; however, he succeeded so far as to get some room, but just +as he was going to thrust his head out, a new misfortune occurred. A +hungry wolf ran thither, and swallowed the whole stomach at one gulp. +Thumbling did not lose courage. "Perhaps," thought he, "the wolf will +listen to what I have got to say," and he called to him from out of his +stomach, "Dear wolf, I know of a magnificent feast for you." + +"Where is it to be had?" said the wolf. + +"In such and such a house; thou must creep into it through the +kitchen-sink, and wilt find cakes, and bacon, and sausages, and as much +of them as thou canst eat," and he described to him exactly his father's +house. The wolf did not require to be told this twice, squeezed himself +in at night through the sink, and ate to his heart's content in the +larder. When he had eaten his fill, he wanted to go out again, but he had +become so big that he could not go out by the same way. Thumbling had +reckoned on this, and now began to make a violent noise in the wolf's +body, and raged and screamed as loudly as he could. "Wilt thou be quiet," +said the wolf, "thou wilt waken up the people!" "Eh, what," replied the +little fellow, "thou hast eaten thy fill, and I will make merry likewise," +and began once more to scream with all his strength. At last his father +and mother were aroused by it, and ran to the room and looked in through +the opening in the door. When they saw that a wolf was inside, they ran +away, and the husband fetched his axe, and the wife the scythe. "Stay +behind," said the man, when they entered the room. "When I have given +him a blow, if he is not killed by it, thou must cut him down and hew +his body to pieces." Then Thumbling heard his parents, voices and cried, +"Dear father, I am here; I am in the wolf's body." Said the father, +full of joy, "Thank God, our dear child has found us again," and bade +the woman take away her scythe, that Thumbling might not be hurt with +it. After that he raised his arm, and struck the wolf such a blow on +his head that he fell down dead, and then they got knives and scissors +and cut his body open and drew the little fellow forth. "Ah," said the +father, "what sorrow we have gone through for thy sake." "Yes father, +I have gone about the world a great deal. Thank heaven, I breathe fresh +air again!" "Where hast thou been, then?" "Ah, father, I have been in a +mouse's hole, in a cow's stomach, and then in a wolf's; now I will stay +with you." "And we will not sell thee again, no, not for all the riches +in the world," said his parents, and they embraced and kissed their dear +Thumbling. They gave him to eat and to drink, and had some new clothes +made for him, for his own had been spoiled on his journey. + + + +38 The Wedding of Mrs. Fox + +FIRST STORY + +There was once on a time an old fox with nine tails, who believed that +his wife was not faithful to him, and wished to try her. He stretched +himself out under the bench, did not move a limb, and behaved as if he +were stone dead. Mrs. Fox went up to her room, shut herself in, and her +maid, Miss Cat, sat by the fire, and did the cooking. When it became known +that the old fox was dead, wooers presented themselves. The maid heard +some one standing at the house-door, knocking. She went and opened it, +and it was a young fox, who said, + + + "What may you be about, Miss Cat? + Do you sleep or do you wake?" + +She answered, + + + "I am not sleeping, I am waking, + Wouldst thou know what I am making? + I am boiling warm beer with butter so nice, + Will the gentleman enter and drink some likewise?" + +"No, thank you, miss," said the fox, "what is Mrs. Fox doing?" The +maid replied, + + + "She sits all alone, + And makes her moan, + Weeping her little eyes quite red, + Because old Mr. Fox is dead." + +"Do just tell her, miss, that a young fox is here, who would like to +woo her." "Certainly, young sir." + + + The cat goes up the stairs trip, trap, + The door she knocks at tap, tap, tap, + "Mistress Fox, are you inside?" + "Oh yes, my little cat," she cried. + "A wooer he stands at the door out there." + + "Tell me what he is like, my dear?" + +"But has he nine as beautiful tails as the late Mr. Fox?" "Oh, no," +answered the cat, "he has only one." + +"Then I will not have him." Miss Cat went downstairs and sent the +wooer away. Soon afterwards there was another knock, and another +fox was at the door who wished to woo Mrs. Fox. He had two tails, +but he did not fare better than the first. After this still more came, +each with one tail more than the other, but they were all turned away, +until at last one came who had nine tails, like old Mr. Fox. When the +widow heard that, she said joyfully to the cat, + + + "Now open the gates and doors all wide, + And carry old Mr. Fox outside." + +But just as the wedding was going to be solemnized, old Mr. Fox stirred +under the bench, and cudgelled all the rabble, and drove them and Mrs. Fox +out of the house. + +SECOND STORY + +When old Mr. Fox was dead, the wolf came as a wooer, and knocked at the +door, and the cat who was servant to Mrs. Fox, opened it for him. The +wolf greeted her, and said, + + + "Good day, Mrs. Cat of Kehrewit, + "How comes it that alone you sit? + What are you making good?" + +The cat replied, + + + "In milk I'm breaking bread so sweet, + Will the gentleman please come in and eat?" + +"No, thank you, Mrs. Cat," answered the wolf. "Is Mrs. Fox not at home?" + +The cat said, + + + "She sits upstairs in her room, + Bewailing her sorrowful doom, + + Bewailing her trouble so sore, + For old Mr. Fox is no more." + +The wolf answered, + + + "If she's in want of a husband now, + Then will it please her to step below?" + The cat runs quickly up the stair, + And lets her tail fly here and there, + Until she comes to the parlour door. + + With her five gold rings at the door she knocks, + "Are you within, good Mistress Fox? + If you're in want of a husband now, + + Then will it please you to step below? + +Mrs. Fox asked, "Has the gentleman red stockings on' and has he a pointed +mouth?" "No," answered the cat. "Then he won't do for me." + +When the wolf was gone, came a dog, a stag, a hare, a bear, a lion, +and all the beasts of the forest, one after the other. But one of the +good points which old Mr. Fox had possessed, was always lacking, and +the cat had continually to send the wooers away. At length came a young +fox. Then Mrs. Fox said, "Has the gentleman red stockings on, and has +he a little pointed mouth?" "Yes," said the cat, "he has." "Then let +him come upstairs," said Mrs. Fox, and ordered the servant to prepare +the wedding-feast. + + + "Sweep me the room as clean as you can, + Up with the window, fling out my old man! + For many a fine fat mouse he brought, + Yet of his wife he never thought, + But ate up every one he caught." + +Then the wedding was solemnized with young Mr. Fox, and there was much +rejoicing and dancing; and if they have not left off, they are dancing +still. + + + +39 The Elves + +FIRST STORY + +A shoemaker, by no fault of his own, had become so poor that at last he +had nothing left but leather for one pair of shoes. So in the evening, +he cut out the shoes which he wished to begin to make the next morning, +and as he had a good conscience, he lay down quietly in his bed, commended +himself to God, and fell asleep. In the morning, after he had said his +prayers, and was just going to sit down to work, the two shoes stood +quite finished on his table. He was astounded, and knew not what to say +to it. He took the shoes in his hands to observe them closer, and they +were so neatly made that there was not one bad stitch in them, just as if +they were intended as a masterpiece. Soon after, a buyer came in, and as +the shoes pleased him so well, he paid more for them than was customary, +and, with the money, the shoemaker was able to purchase leather for two +pairs of shoes. He cut them out at night, and next morning was about to +set to work with fresh courage; but he had no need to do so, for, when +he got up, they were already made, and buyers also were not wanting, +who gave him money enough to buy leather for four pairs of shoes. The +following morning, too, he found the four pairs made; and so it went on +constantly, what he cut out in the evening was finished by the morning, +so that he soon had his honest independence again, and at last became a +wealthy man. Now it befell that one evening not long before Christmas, +when the man had been cutting out, he said to his wife, before going +to bed, "What think you if we were to stay up to-night to see who it is +that lends us this helping hand?" The woman liked the idea, and lighted a +candle, and then they hid themselves in a corner of the room, behind some +clothes which were hanging up there, and watched. When it was midnight, +two pretty little naked men came, sat down by the shoemaker's table, took +all the work which was cut out before them and began to stitch, and sew, +and hammer so skilfully and so quickly with their little fingers that +the shoemaker could not turn away his eyes for astonishment. They did +not stop until all was done, and stood finished on the table, and they +ran quickly away. + +Next morning the woman said, "The little men have made us rich, and we +really must show that we are grateful for it. They run about so, and have +nothing on, and must be cold. I'll tell thee what I'll do: I will make +them little shirts, and coats, and vests, and trousers, and knit both of +them a pair of stockings, and do thou, too, make them two little pairs +of shoes." The man said, "I shall be very glad to do it;" and one night, +when everything was ready, they laid their presents all together on the +table instead of the cut-out work, and then concealed themselves to see +how the little men would behave. At midnight they came bounding in, and +wanted to get to work at once, but as they did not find any leather cut +out, but only the pretty little articles of clothing, they were at first +astonished, and then they showed intense delight. They dressed themselves +with the greatest rapidity, putting the pretty clothes on, and singing, + + + "Now we are boys so fine to see, + Why should we longer cobblers be?" + +Then they danced and skipped and leapt over chairs and benches. At +last they danced out of doors. From that time forth they came no more, +but as long as the shoemaker lived all went well with him, and all his +undertakings prospered. + +SECOND STORY + +There was once a poor servant-girl, who was industrious and cleanly, +and swept the house every day, and emptied her sweepings on the great +heap in front of the door. One morning when she was just going back to +her work, she found a letter on this heap, and as she could not read, +she put her broom in the corner, and took the letter to her master and +mistress, and behold it was an invitation from the elves, who asked +the girl to hold a child for them at its christening. The girl did +not know what to do, but at length, after much persuasion, and as they +told her that it was not right to refuse an invitation of this kind, +she consented. Then three elves came and conducted her to a hollow +mountain, where the little folks lived. Everything there was small, +but more elegant and beautiful than can be described. The baby's mother +lay in a bed of black ebony ornamented with pearls, the coverlids were +embroidered with gold, the cradle was of ivory, the bath of gold. The +girl stood as godmother, and then wanted to go home again, but the little +elves urgently entreated her to stay three days with them. So she stayed, +and passed the time in pleasure and gaiety, and the little folks did all +they could to make her happy. At last she set out on her way home. Then +first they filled her pockets quite full of money, and after that they +led her out of the mountain again. When she got home, she wanted to begin +her work, and took the broom, which was still standing in the corner, in +her hand and began to sweep. Then some strangers came out of the house, +who asked her who she was, and what business she had there? And she had +not, as she thought, been three days with the little men in the mountains, +but seven years, and in the meantime her former masters had died. + +THIRD STORY + +A certain mother's child had been taken away out of its cradle by the +elves, and a changeling with a large head and staring eyes, which would +do nothing but eat and drink, laid in its place. In her trouble she +went to her neighbour, and asked her advice. The neighbour said that +she was to carry the changeling into the kitchen, set it down on the +hearth, light a fire, and boil some water in two egg-shells, which would +make the changeling laugh, and if he laughed, all would be over with +him. The woman did everything that her neighbour bade her. When she put +the egg-shells with water on the fire, the imp said, "I am as old now +as the Wester forest, but never yet have I seen any one boil anything +in an egg-shell!" And he began to laugh at it. Whilst he was laughing, +suddenly came a host of little elves, who brought the right child, +set it down on the hearth, and took the changeling away with them. + + + +40 The Robber Bridegroom + +There was once on a time a miller, who had a beautiful daughter, and +as she was grown up, he wished that she was provided for, and well +married. He thought, "If any good suitor comes and asks for her, I will +give her to him." Not long afterwards, a suitor came, who appeared +to be very rich, and as the miller had no fault to find with him, he +promised his daughter to him. The maiden, however, did not like him +quite so much as a girl should like the man to whom she is engaged, +and had no confidence in him. Whenever she saw, or thought of him, +she felt a secret horror. Once he said to her, "Thou art my betrothed, +and yet thou hast never once paid me a visit." The maiden replied, +"I know not where thy house is." Then said the bridegroom, "My house is +out there in the dark forest." She tried to excuse herself and said +she could not find the way there. The bridegroom said, "Next Sunday +thou must come out there to me; I have already invited the guests, and +I will strew ashes in order that thou mayst find thy way through the +forest." When Sunday came, and the maiden had to set out on her way, +she became very uneasy, she herself knew not exactly why, and to mark +her way she filled both her pockets full of peas and lentils. Ashes were +strewn at the entrance of the forest, and these she followed, but at +every step she threw a couple of peas on the ground. She walked almost +the whole day until she reached the middle of the forest, where it was +the darkest, and there stood a solitary house, which she did not like, +for it looked so dark and dismal. She went inside it, but no one was +within, and the most absolute stillness reigned. Suddenly a voice cried, + + + "Turn back, turn back, young maiden dear, + 'Tis a murderer's house you enter here." + +The maiden looked up, and saw that the voice came from a bird, which +was hanging in a cage on the wall. Again it cried, + + + "Turn back, turn back, young maiden dear, + 'Tis a murderer's house you enter here." + +Then the young maiden went on farther from one room to another, and +walked through the whole house, but it was entirely empty and not one +human being was to be found. At last she came to the the cellar, and +there sat an extremely aged woman, whose head shook constantly. "Can +you not tell me," said the maiden, "if my betrothed lives here?" + +"Alas, poor child," replied the old woman, "whither hast thou come? Thou +art in a murderer's den. Thou thinkest thou art a bride soon to be +married, but thou wilt keep thy wedding with death. Look, I have been +forced to put a great kettle on there, with water in it, and when they +have thee in their power, they will cut thee to pieces without mercy, +will cook thee, and eat thee, for they are eaters of human flesh. If I +do not have compassion on thee, and save thee, thou art lost." + +Thereupon the old woman led her behind a great hogshead where she could +not be seen. "Be as still as a mouse," said she, "do not make a sound, +or move, or all will be over with thee. At night, when the robbers are +asleep, we will escape; I have long waited for an opportunity." Hardly +was this done, than the godless crew came home. They dragged with them +another young girl. They were drunk, and paid no heed to her screams and +lamentations. They gave her wine to drink, three glasses full, one glass +of white wine, one glass of red, and a glass of yellow, and with this +her heart burst in twain. Thereupon they tore off her delicate raiment, +laid her on a table, cut her beautiful body in pieces and strewed salt +thereon. The poor bride behind the cask trembled and shook, for she saw +right well what fate the robbers had destined for her. One of them noticed +a gold ring on the little finger of the murdered girl, and as it would not +come off at once, he took an axe and cut the finger off, but it sprang +up in the air, away over the cask and fell straight into the bride's +bosom. The robber took a candle and wanted to look for it, but could not +find it. Then another of them said, "Hast thou looked behind the great +hogshead?" But the old woman cried, "Come and get something to eat, and +leave off looking till the morning, the finger won't run away from you." + +Then the robbers said, "The old woman is right," and gave up their search, +and sat down to eat, and the old woman poured a sleeping-draught in their +wine, so that they soon lay down in the cellar, and slept and snored. When +the bride heard that, she came out from behind the hogshead, and had to +step over the sleepers, for they lay in rows on the ground, and great was +her terror lest she should waken one of them. But God helped her, and +she got safely over. The old woman went up with her, opened the doors, +and they hurried out of the murderers' den with all the speed in their +power. The wind had blown away the strewn ashes, but the peas and lentils +had sprouted and grown up, and showed them the way in the moonlight. They +walked the whole night, until in the morning they arrived at the mill, +and then the maiden told her father everything exactly as it had happened. + +When the day came when the wedding was to be celebrated, the bridegroom +appeared, and the Miller had invited all his relations and friends. As +they sat at table, each was bidden to relate something. The bride +sat still, and said nothing. Then said the bridegroom to the bride, +"Come, my darling, dost thou know nothing? Relate something to us like +the rest." She replied, "Then I will relate a dream. I was walking alone +through a wood, and at last I came to a house, in which no living soul +was, but on the wall there was a bird in a cage which cried, + + + "Turn back, turn back, young maiden dear, + 'Tis a murderer's house you enter here." + +And this it cried once more. 'My darling, I only dreamt this. Then +I went through all the rooms, and they were all empty, and there was +something so horrible about them! At last I went down into the cellar, +and there sat a very very old woman, whose head shook; I asked her, +'Does my bridegroom live in this house? She answered, 'Alas poor child, +thou hast got into a murderer's den, thy bridegroom does live here, +but he will hew thee in pieces, and kill thee, and then he will cook +thee, and eat thee.' My darling, I only dreamt this. But the old woman +hid me behind a great hogshead, and, scarcely was I hidden, when the +robbers came home, dragging a maiden with them, to whom they gave three +kinds of wine to drink, white, red, and yellow, with which her heart +broke in twain. My darling, I only dreamt this. Thereupon they pulled +off her pretty clothes, and hewed her fair body in pieces on a table, +and sprinkled them with salt. My darling, I only dreamt this. And one +of the robbers saw that there was still a ring on her little finger, +and as it was hard to draw off, he took an axe and cut it off, but the +finger sprang up in the air, and sprang behind the great hogshead, and +fell in my bosom. And there is the finger with the ring!" And with these +words she drew it forth, and showed it to those present. + +The robber, who had during this story become as pale as ashes, leapt up +and wanted to escape, but the guests held him fast, and delivered him +over to justice. Then he and his whole troop were executed for their +infamous deeds. + + + +41 Herr Korbes + +There were once a cock and a hen who wanted to take a journey together. So +the cock built a beautiful carriage, which had four red wheels, and +harnessed four mice to it. The hen seated herself in it with the cock, +and they drove away together. Not long afterwards they met a cat who said, +"Where are you going?" The cock replied, "We are going to the house +of Herr Korbes." "Take me with you," said the cat. The cock answered, +"Most willingly, get up behind, lest you fall off in front. Take great +care not to dirty my little red wheels. And you little wheels, roll on, +and you little mice pipe out, as we go forth on our way to the house of +Herr Korbes." + +After this came a millstone, then an egg, then a duck, then a pin, +and at last a needle, who all seated themselves in the carriage, and +drove with them. When, however, they reached the house of Herr Korbes, +Herr Korbes was not there. The mice drew the carriage into the barn, +the hen flew with the cock upon a perch. The cat sat down by the hearth, +the duck on the well-pole. The egg rolled itself into a towel, the pin +stuck itself into the chair-cushion, the needle jumped on to the bed in +the middle of the pillow, and the millstone laid itself over the door. +Then Herr Korbes came home, went to the hearth, and was about to light +the fire, when the cat threw a quantity of ashes in his face. He ran +into the kitchen in a great hurry to wash it off, and the duck splashed +some water in his face. He wanted to dry it with the towel, but the egg +rolled up against him, broke, and glued up his eyes. He wanted to rest, +and sat down in the chair, and then the pin pricked him. He fell in a +passion, and threw himself on his bed, but as soon as he laid his head on +the pillow, the needle pricked him, so that he screamed aloud, and was +just going to run out into the wide world in his rage, but when he came +to the house-door, the millstone leapt down and struck him dead. Herr +Korbes must have been a very wicked man! + + + +42 The Godfather + +A poor man had so many children that he had already asked every one in +the world to be godfather, and when still another child was born, no +one else was left whom he could invite. He knew not what to do, and, +in his perplexity, he lay down and fell asleep. Then he dreamt that +he was to go outside the gate, and ask the first person who met him +to be godfather. When he awoke, he determined to obey his dream, and +went outside the gate, and asked the first person who came up to him to +be godfather. The stranger presented him with a little glass of water, +and said, "This is a wonderful water, with it thou canst heal the sick, +only thou must see where Death is standing. If he is standing by the +patient's head, give the patient some of the water and he will be healed, +but if Death is standing by his feet, all trouble will be in vain, for +the sick man must die." From this time forth, the man could always say +whether a patient could be saved or not, and became famous for his skill, +and earned a great deal of money. Once he was called in to the child +of the King, and when he entered, he saw death standing by the child's +head and cured it with the water, and he did the same a second time, +but the third time Death was standing by its feet, and then he knew the +child was forced to die. + +Once the man thought he would visit the godfather, and tell him how he +had succeeded with the water. But when he entered the house, it was such +a strange establishment! On the first flight of stairs, the broom and +shovel were disputing, and knocking each other about violently. He asked +them, "Where does the godfather live?" The broom replied, "One flight of +stairs higher up." When he came to the second flight, he saw a heap of +dead fingers lying. He asked, "Where does the godfather live?" One of the +fingers replied, "One flight of stairs higher." On the third flight lay +a heap of dead heads, which again directed him to the flight beyond. On +the fourth flight, he saw fishes on the fire, which frizzled in the pans +and baked themselves. They, too, said, "One flight of stairs higher." +And when he had ascended the fifth, he came to the door of a room and +peeped through the keyhole, and there he saw the godfather who had a +pair of long horns. When he opened the door and went in, the godfather +got into bed in a great hurry and covered himself up. Then said the man, +"Sir godfather, what a strange household you have! When I came to your +first flight of stairs, the shovel and broom were quarreling, and beating +each other violently." + +"How stupid you are!" said the godfather. "That was the boy and the maid +talking to each other." "But on the second flight I saw dead fingers +lying." "Oh, how silly you are! Those were some roots of scorzonera." "On +the third flight lay a heap of dead men's heads." "Foolish man, those +were cabbages." "On the fourth flight, I saw fishes in a pan, which were +hissing and baking themselves." When he had said that, the fishes came +and served themselves up. "And when I got to the fifth flight, I peeped +through the keyhole of a door, and there, godfather, I saw you, and +you had long, long horns." "Oh, that is a lie!" The man became alarmed, +and ran out, and if he had not, who knows what the godfather would have +done to him. + + + +43 Frau Trude + +There was once a little girl who was obstinate and inquisitive, and when +her parents told her to do anything, she did not obey them, so how could +she fare well? One day she said to her parents, "I have heard so much +of Frau Trude, I will go to her some day. People say that everything +about her does look so strange, and that there are such odd things in +her house, that I have become quite curious!" Her parents absolutely +forbade her, and said, "Frau Trude is a bad woman, who does wicked +things, and if thou goest to her; thou art no longer our child." But the +maiden did not let herself be turned aside by her parent's prohibition, +and still went to Frau Trude. And when she got to her, Frau Trude said, +"Why art thou so pale?" "Ah," she replied, and her whole body trembled, +"I have been so terrified at what I have seen." "What hast thou seen?" "I +saw a black man on your steps." "That was a collier." "Then I saw a green +man." "That was a huntsman." "After that I saw a blood-red man." "That +was a butcher." "Ah, Frau Trude, I was terrified; I looked through the +window and saw not you, but, as I verily believe, the devil himself +with a head of fire." "Oho!" said she, "then thou hast seen the witch +in her proper costume. I have been waiting for thee, and wanting thee a +long time already; thou shalt give me some light." Then she changed the +girl into a block of wood, and threw it into the fire. And when it was in +full blaze she sat down close to it, and warmed herself by it, and said, +"That shines bright for once in a way." + + + +44 Godfather Death + +A poor man had twelve children and was forced to work night and day to +give them even bread. When therefore the thirteenth came into the world, +he knew not what to do in his trouble, but ran out into the great highway, +and resolved to ask the first person whom he met to be godfather. The +first to meet him was the good God who already knew what filled his heart, +and said to him, "Poor man, I pity thee. I will hold thy child at its +christening, and will take charge of it and make it happy on earth." The +man said, "Who art thou?" "I am God." "Then I do not desire to have thee +for a godfather," said the man; "thou givest to the rich, and leavest the +poor to hunger." Thus spoke the man, for he did not know how wisely God +apportions riches and poverty. He turned therefore away from the Lord, +and went farther. Then the Devil came to him and said, "What seekest +thou? If thou wilt take me as a godfather for thy child, I will give him +gold in plenty and all the joys of the world as well." The man asked, +"Who art thou?" "I am the Devil." "Then I do not desire to have thee for +godfather," said the man; "thou deceivest men and leadest them astray." He +went onwards, and then came Death striding up to him with withered legs, +and said, "Take me as godfather." The man asked, "Who art thou?" "I am +Death, and I make all equal." Then said the man, "Thou art the right one, +thou takest the rich as well as the poor, without distinction; thou shalt +be godfather." Death answered, "I will make thy child rich and famous, +for he who has me for a friend can lack nothing." The man said, "Next +Sunday is the christening; be there at the right time." Death appeared +as he had promised, and stood godfather quite in the usual way. + +When the boy had grown up, his godfather one day appeared and bade him +go with him. He led him forth into a forest, and showed him a herb which +grew there, and said, "Now shalt thou receive thy godfather's present. I +make thee a celebrated physician. When thou art called to a patient, +I will always appear to thee. If I stand by the head of the sick man, +thou mayst say with confidence that thou wilt make him well again, and +if thou givest him of this herb he will recover; but if I stand by the +patient's feet, he is mine, and thou must say that all remedies are in +vain, and that no physician in the world could save him. But beware of +using the herb against my will, or it might fare ill with thee." + +It was not long before the youth was the most famous physician in +the whole world. "He had only to look at the patient and he knew his +condition at once, and if he would recover, or must needs die." So +they said of him, and from far and wide people came to him, sent for +him when they had any one ill, and gave him so much money that he soon +became a rich man. Now it so befell that the King became ill, and the +physician was summoned, and was to say if recovery were possible. But +when he came to the bed, Death was standing by the feet of the sick man, +and the herb did not grow which could save him. "If I could but cheat +Death for once," thought the physician, "he is sure to take it ill if I +do, but, as I am his godson, he will shut one eye; I will risk it." He +therefore took up the sick man, and laid him the other way, so that now +Death was standing by his head. Then he gave the King some of the herb, +and he recovered and grew healthy again. But Death came to the physician, +looking very black and angry, threatened him with his finger, and said, +"Thou hast overreached me; this time I will pardon it, as thou art my +godson; but if thou venturest it again, it will cost thee thy neck, +for I will take thee thyself away with me." + +Soon afterwards the King's daughter fell into a severe illness. She +was his only child, and he wept day and night, so that he began to +lose the sight of his eyes, and he caused it to be made known that +whosoever rescued her from death should be her husband and inherit the +crown. When the physician came to the sick girl's bed, he saw Death by +her feet. He ought to have remembered the warning given by his godfather, +but he was so infatuated by the great beauty of the King's daughter, +and the happiness of becoming her husband, that he flung all thought to +the winds. He did not see that Death was casting angry glances on him, +that he was raising his hand in the air, and threatening him with his +withered fist. He raised up the sick girl, and placed her head where +her feet had lain. Then he gave her some of the herb, and instantly her +cheeks flushed red, and life stirred afresh in her. + +When Death saw that for a second time he was defrauded of his own +property, he walked up to the physician with long strides, and said, +"All is over with thee, and now the lot falls on thee," and seized him +so firmly with his ice-cold hand, that he could not resist, and led him +into a cave below the earth. There he saw how thousands and thousands of +candles were burning in countless rows, some large, others half-sized, +others small. Every instant some were extinguished, and others again burnt +up, so that the flames seemed to leap hither and thither in perpetual +change. "See," said Death, "these are the lights of men's lives. The large +ones belong to children, the half-sized ones to married people in their +prime, the little ones belong to old people; but children and young folks +likewise have often only a tiny candle." "Show me the light of my life," +said the physician, and he thought that it would be still very tall. Death +pointed to a little end which was just threatening to go out, and said, +"Behold, it is there." "Ah, dear godfather," said the horrified physician, +"light a new one for me, do it for love of me, that I may enjoy my life, +be King, and the husband of the King's beautiful daughter." "I cannot," +answered Death, "one must go out before a new one is lighted." "Then place +the old one on a new one, that will go on burning at once when the old one +has come to an end," pleaded the physician. Death behaved as if he were +going to fulfill his wish, and took hold of a tall new candle; but as he +desired to revenge himself, he purposely made a mistake in fixing it, and +the little piece fell down and was extinguished. Immediately the physician +fell on the ground, and now he himself was in the hands of Death. + + + +45 Thumbling as Journeyman + +A certain tailor had a son, who happened to be small, and no bigger than +a Thumb, and on this account he was always called Thumbling. He had, +however, some courage in him, and said to his father, "Father, I must and +will go out into the world." "That's right, my son," said the old man, +and took a long darning-needle and made a knob of sealing-wax on it at the +candle, "and there is a sword for thee to take with thee on the way." Then +the little tailor wanted to have one more meal with them, and hopped into +the kitchen to see what his lady mother had cooked for the last time. It +was, however, just dished up, and the dish stood on the hearth. Then he +said, "Mother, what is there to eat to-day?" "See for thyself," said his +mother. So Thumbling jumped on to the hearth, and peeped into the dish, +but as he stretched his neck in too far the steam from the food caught +hold of him, and carried him up the chimney. He rode about in the air on +the steam for a while, until at length he sank down to the ground again. +Now the little tailor was outside in the wide world, and he travelled +about, and went to a master in his craft, but the food was not good enough +for him. "Mistress, if you give us no better food," said Thumbling, +"I will go away, and early to-morrow morning I will write with chalk on +the door of your house, 'Too many potatoes, too little meat! Farewell, +Mr. Potato-King.'" "What wouldst thou have forsooth, grasshopper?" said +the mistress, and grew angry, and seized a dishcloth, and was just going +to strike him; but my little tailor crept nimbly under a thimble, peeped +out from beneath it, and put his tongue out at the mistress. She took up +the thimble, and wanted to get hold of him, but little Thumbling hopped +into the cloth, and while the mistress was opening it out and looking +for him, he got into a crevice in the table. "Ho, ho, lady mistress," +cried he, and thrust his head out, and when she began to strike him he +leapt down into the drawer. At last, however, she caught him and drove +him out of the house. + +The little tailor journeyed on and came to a great forest, and there +he fell in with a band of robbers who had a design to steal the King's +treasure. When they saw the little tailor, they thought, "A little +fellow like that can creep through a key-hole and serve as picklock to +us." "Hollo," cried one of them, "thou giant Goliath, wilt thou go to the +treasure-chamber with us? Thou canst slip thyself in and throw out the +money." Thumbling reflected a while, and at length he said, "yes," and +went with them to the treasure-chamber. Then he looked at the doors above +and below, to see if there was any crack in them. It was not long before +he espied one which was broad enough to let him in. He was therefore about +to get in at once, but one of the two sentries who stood before the door, +observed him, and said to the other, "What an ugly spider is creeping +there; I will kill it." "Let the poor creature alone," said the other; +"it has done thee no harm." Then Thumbling got safely through the crevice +into the treasure-chamber, opened the window beneath which the robbers +were standing, and threw out to them one thaler after another. When the +little tailor was in the full swing of his work, he heard the King coming +to inspect his treasure-chamber, and crept hastily into a hiding-place. +The King noticed that several solid thalers were missing, but could not +conceive who could have stolen them, for locks and bolts were in good +condition, and all seemed well guarded. Then he went away again, and said +to the sentries, "Be on the watch, some one is after the money." When +therefore Thumbling recommenced his labours, they heard the money moving, +and a sound of klink, klink, klink. They ran swiftly in to seize the +thief, but the little tailor, who heard them coming, was still swifter, +and leapt into a corner and covered himself with a thaler, so that nothing +could be seen of him, and at the same time he mocked the sentries and +cried, "Here am I!" The sentries ran thither, but as they got there, he +had already hopped into another corner under a thaler, and was crying, +"Ho, ho, here am I!" The watchmen sprang there in haste, but Thumbling +had long ago got into a third corner, and was crying, "Ho, ho, here am +I!" And thus he made fools of them, and drove them so long round about +the treasure-chamber that they were weary and went away. Then by degrees +he threw all the thalers out, dispatching the last with all his might, +then hopped nimbly upon it, and flew down with it through the window. The +robbers paid him great compliments. "Thou art a valiant hero," said they; +"wilt thou be our captain?" + +Thumbling, however, declined, and said he wanted to see the world +first. They now divided the booty, but the little tailor only asked for +a kreuzer because he could not carry more. + +Then he once more buckled on his sword, bade the robbers goodbye, and +took to the road. First, he went to work with some masters, but he had +no liking for that, and at last he hired himself as man-servant in an +inn. The maids, however, could not endure him, for he saw all they did +secretly, without their seeing him, and he told their master and mistress +what they had taken off the plates, and carried away out of the cellar, +for themselves. Then said they, "Wait, and we will pay thee off!" and +arranged with each other to play him a trick. Soon afterwards when one of +the maids was mowing in the garden, and saw Thumbling jumping about and +creeping up and down the plants, she mowed him up quickly with the grass, +tied all in a great cloth, and secretly threw it to the cows. Now amongst +them there was a great black one, who swallowed him down without hurting +him. Down below, however, it pleased him ill, for it was quite dark, +neither was any candle burning. When the cow was being milked he cried, + + + "Strip, strap, strull, + Will the pail soon be full?" + +But the noise of the milking prevented his being understood. After this +the master of the house came into the cow-byre and said, "That cow shall +be killed to-morrow." Then Thumbling was so alarmed that he cried out +in a clear voice, "Let me out first, for I am shut up inside her." The +master heard that quite well, but did not know from whence the voice +came. "Where art thou?" asked he. "In the black one," answered Thumbling, +but the master did not understand what that meant, and went out. + +Next morning the cow was killed. Happily Thumbling did not meet with one +blow at the cutting up and chopping; he got among the sausage-meat. And +when the butcher came in and began his work, he cried out with all his +might, "Don't chop too deep, don't chop too deep, I am amongst it." No +one heard this because of the noise of the chopping-knife. Now poor +Thumbling was in trouble, but trouble sharpens the wits, and he sprang +out so adroitly between the blows that none of them touched him, and he +escaped with a whole skin. But still he could not get away, there was +nothing for it but to let himself be thrust into a black-pudding with +the bits of bacon. His quarters there were rather confined, and besides +that he was hung up in the chimney to be smoked, and there time did hang +terribly heavy on his hands. + +At length in winter he was taken down again, as the black-pudding had +to be set before a guest. When the hostess was cutting it in slices, he +took care not to stretch out his head too far lest a bit of it should be +cut off; at last he saw his opportunity, cleared a passage for himself, +and jumped out. + +The little tailor, however, would not stay any longer in a house where he +fared so ill, so at once set out on his journey again. But his liberty +did not last long. In the open country he met with a fox who snapped +him up in a fit of absence. "Hollo, Mr. Fox," cried the little tailor, +"it is I who am sticking in your throat, set me at liberty again." "Thou +art right," answered the fox. "Thou art next to nothing for me, but if +thou wilt promise me the fowls in thy father's yard I will let thee go." +"With all my heart," replied Thumbling. "Thou shalt have all the +cocks and hens, that I promise thee." Then the fox let him go again, +and himself carried him home. When the father once more saw his dear +son, he willingly gave the fox all the fowls which he had. "For this I +likewise bring thee a handsome bit of money," said Thumbling, and gave +his father the kreuzer which he earned on his travels. + +"But why did the fox get the poor chickens to eat?" "Oh, you goose, your +father would surely love his child far more than the fowls in the yard!" + + + +46 Fitcher's Bird + +There was once a wizard who used to take the form of a poor man, and went +to houses and begged, and caught pretty girls. No one knew whither he +carried them, for they were never seen more. One day he appeared before +the door of a man who had three pretty daughters; he looked like a poor +weak beggar, and carried a basket on his back, as if he meant to collect +charitable gifts in it. He begged for a little food, and when the eldest +daughter came out and was just reaching him a piece of bread, he did +but touch her, and she was forced to jump into his basket. Thereupon he +hurried away with long strides, and carried her away into a dark forest +to his house, which stood in the midst of it. Everything in the house +was magnificent; he gave her whatsoever she could possibly desire, and +said, "My darling, thou wilt certainly be happy with me, for thou hast +everything thy heart can wish for." This lasted a few days, and then +he said, "I must journey forth, and leave thee alone for a short time; +there are the keys of the house; thou mayst go everywhere and look at +everything except into one room, which this little key here opens, and +there I forbid thee to go on pain of death." He likewise gave her an egg +and said, "Preserve the egg carefully for me, and carry it continually +about with thee, for a great misfortune would arise from the loss of it." + +She took the keys and the egg, and promised to obey him in +everything. When he was gone, she went all round the house from the bottom +to the top, and examined everything. The rooms shone with silver and gold, +and she thought she had never seen such great splendour. At length she +came to the forbidden door; she wished to pass it by, but curiosity let +her have no rest. She examined the key, it looked just like any other; +she put it in the keyhole and turned it a little, and the door sprang +open. But what did she see when she went in? A great bloody basin stood +in the middle of the room, and therein lay human beings, dead and hewn +to pieces, and hard by was a block of wood, and a gleaming axe lay +upon it. She was so terribly alarmed that the egg which she held in +her hand fell into the basin. She got it out and washed the blood off, +but in vain, it appeared again in a moment. She washed and scrubbed, +but she could not get it out. + +It was not long before the man came back from his journey, and the first +things which he asked for were the key and the egg. She gave them to him, +but she trembled as she did so, and he saw at once by the red spots that +she had been in the bloody chamber. "Since thou hast gone into the room +against my will," said he, "thou shalt go back into it against thine +own. Thy life is ended." He threw her down, dragged her thither by her +hair, cut her head off on the block, and hewed her in pieces so that her +blood ran on the ground. Then he threw her into the basin with the rest. + +"Now I will fetch myself the second," said the wizard, and again he went +to the house in the shape of a poor man, and begged. Then the second +daughter brought him a piece of bread; he caught her like the first, +by simply touching her, and carried her away. She did not fare better +than her sister. She allowed herself to be led away by her curiosity, +opened the door of the bloody chamber, looked in, and had to atone for +it with her life on the wizard's return. Then he went and brought the +third sister, but she was clever and crafty. When he had given her the +keys and the egg, and had left her, she first put the egg away with +great care, and then she examined the house, and at last went into the +forbidden room. Alas, what did she behold! Both her sisters lay there +in the basin, cruelly murdered, and cut in pieces. But she began to +gather their limbs together and put them in order, head, body, arms and +legs. And when nothing further was wanting the limbs began to move and +unite themselves together, and both the maidens opened their eyes and were +once more alive. Then they rejoiced and kissed and caressed each other. + +On his arrival, the man at once demanded the keys and the egg, and as he +could perceive no trace of any blood on it, he said, "Thou hast stood the +test, thou shalt be my bride." He now had no longer any power over her, +and was forced to do whatsoever she desired. "Oh, very well," said she, +"thou shalt first take a basketful of gold to my father and mother, +and carry it thyself on thy back; in the meantime I will prepare for the +wedding." Then she ran to her sisters, whom she had hidden in a little +chamber, and said, "The moment has come when I can save you. The wretch +shall himself carry you home again, but as soon as you are at home send +help to me." She put both of them in a basket and covered them quite +over with gold, so that nothing of them was to be seen, then she called +in the wizard and said to him, "Now carry the basket away, but I shall +look through my little window and watch to see if thou stoppest on the +way to stand or to rest." + +The wizard raised the basket on his back and went away with it, but +it weighed him down so heavily that the perspiration streamed from his +face. Then he sat down and wanted to rest awhile, but immediately one of +the girls in the basket cried, "I am looking through my little window, +and I see that thou art resting. Wilt thou go on at once?" He thought +it was his bride who was calling that to him; and got up on his legs +again. Once more he was going to sit down, but instantly she cried, "I am +looking through my little window, and I see that thou art resting. Wilt +thou go on directly?" And whenever he stood still, she cried this, and +then he was forced to go onwards, until at last, groaning and out of +breath, he took the basket with the gold and the two maidens into their +parents' house. At home, however, the bride prepared the marriage-feast, +and sent invitations to the friends of the wizard. Then she took a skull +with grinning teeth, put some ornaments on it and a wreath of flowers, +carried it upstairs to the garret-window, and let it look out from +thence. When all was ready, she got into a barrel of honey, and then cut +the feather-bed open and rolled herself in it, until she looked like a +wondrous bird, and no one could recognize her. Then she went out of the +house, and on her way she met some of the wedding-guests, who asked, + + + "O, Fitcher's bird, how com'st thou here?" + "I come from Fitcher's house quite near." + "And what may the young bride be doing?" + "From cellar to garret she's swept all clean, + And now from the window she's peeping, I ween." + +At last she met the bridegroom, who was coming slowly back. He, like +the others, asked, + + + "O, Fitcher's bird, how com'st thou here?" + "I come from Fitcher's house quite near." + "And what may the young bride be doing? + + "From cellar to garret she's swept all clean, + And now from the window she's peeping, I ween." + +The bridegroom looked up, saw the decked-out skull, thought it was his +bride, and nodded to her, greeting her kindly. But when he and his guests +had all gone into the house, the brothers and kinsmen of the bride, +who had been sent to rescue her, arrived. They locked all the doors of +the house, that no one might escape, set fire to it, and the wizard and +all his crew had to burn. + + + +47 The Juniper-Tree + +It is now long ago, quite two thousand years, since there was a rich man +who had a beautiful and pious wife, and they loved each other dearly. They +had, however, no children, though they wished for them very much, and the +woman prayed for them day and night, but still they had none. Now there +was a court-yard in front of their house in which was a juniper-tree, +and one day in winter the woman was standing beneath it, paring herself +an apple, and while she was paring herself the apple she cut her finger, +and the blood fell on the snow. "Ah," said the woman, and sighed right +heavily, and looked at the blood before her, and was most unhappy, "ah, +if I had but a child as red as blood and as white as snow!" And while +she thus spake, she became quite happy in her mind, and felt just as if +that were going to happen. Then she went into the house and a month went +by and the snow was gone, and two months, and then everything was green, +and three months, and then all the flowers came out of the earth, and +four months, and then all the trees in the wood grew thicker, and the +green branches were all closely entwined, and the birds sang until the +wood resounded and the blossoms fell from the trees, then the fifth month +passed away and she stood under the juniper-tree, which smelt so sweetly +that her heart leapt, and she fell on her knees and was beside herself +with joy, and when the sixth month was over the fruit was large and fine, +and then she was quite still, and the seventh month she snatched at the +juniper-berries and ate them greedily, then she grew sick and sorrowful, +then the eighth month passed, and she called her husband to her, and +wept and said, "If I die then bury me beneath the juniper-tree." Then +she was quite comforted and happy until the next month was over, and +then she had a child as white as snow and as red as blood, and when she +beheld it she was so delighted that she died. + +Then her husband buried her beneath the juniper-tree, and he began to +weep sore; after some time he was more at ease, and though he still wept +he could bear it, and after some time longer he took another wife. + +By the second wife he had a daughter, but the first wife's child was +a little son, and he was as red as blood and as white as snow. When +the woman looked at her daughter she loved her very much, but then she +looked at the little boy and it seemed to cut her to the heart, for +the thought came into her mind that he would always stand in her way, +and she was for ever thinking how she could get all the fortune for her +daughter, and the Evil One filled her mind with this till she was quite +wroth with the little boy, and slapped him here and cuffed him there, +until the unhappy child was in continual terror, for when he came out +of school he had no peace in any place. + +One day the woman had gone upstairs to her room, and her little daughter +went up too, and said, "Mother, give me an apple." "Yes, my child," +said the woman, and gave her a fine apple out of the chest, but the +chest had a great heavy lid with a great sharp iron lock. "Mother," +said the little daughter, "is brother not to have one too?" This made +the woman angry, but she said, "Yes, when he comes out of school." And +when she saw from the window that he was coming, it was just as if the +Devil entered into her, and she snatched at the apple and took it away +again from her daughter, and said, "Thou shalt not have one before thy +brother." Then she threw the apple into the chest, and shut it. Then +the little boy came in at the door, and the Devil made her say to him +kindly, "My son, wilt thou have an apple?" and she looked wickedly at +him. "Mother," said the little boy, "how dreadful you look! Yes, give +me an apple." Then it seemed to her as if she were forced to say to him, +"Come with me," and she opened the lid of the chest and said, "Take out +an apple for thyself," and while the little boy was stooping inside, the +Devil prompted her, and crash! she shut the lid down, and his head flew +off and fell among the red apples. Then she was overwhelmed with terror, +and thought, "If I could but make them think that it was not done by +me!" So she went upstairs to her room to her chest of drawers, and took +a white handkerchief out of the top drawer, and set the head on the neck +again, and folded the handkerchief so that nothing could be seen, and she +set him on a chair in front of the door, and put the apple in his hand. + +After this Marlinchen came into the kitchen to her mother, who was +standing by the fire with a pan of hot water before her which she +was constantly stirring round. "Mother," said Marlinchen, "brother is +sitting at the door, and he looks quite white and has an apple in his +hand. I asked him to give me the apple, but he did not answer me, and +I was quite frightened." "Go back to him," said her mother, "and if he +will not answer thee, give him a box on the ear." So Marlinchen went +to him and said, "Brother, give me the apple." But he was silent, and +she gave him a box on the ear, on which his head fell down. Marlinchen +was terrified, and began crying and screaming, and ran to her mother, +and said, "Alas, mother, I have knocked my brother's head off!" and she +wept and wept and could not be comforted. "Marlinchen," said the mother, +"what hast thou done? but be quiet and let no one know it; it cannot be +helped now, we will make him into black-puddings." Then the mother took +the little boy and chopped him in pieces, put him into the pan and made +him into black puddings; but Marlinchen stood by weeping and weeping, +and all her tears fell into the pan and there was no need of any salt. + +Then the father came home, and sat down to dinner and said, "But where +is my son?" And the mother served up a great dish of black-puddings, +and Marlinchen wept and could not leave off. Then the father again said, +"But where is my son?" "Ah," said the mother, "he has gone across the +country to his mother's great uncle; he will stay there awhile." "And +what is he going to do there? He did not even say good-bye to me." + +"Oh, he wanted to go, and asked me if he might stay six weeks, he is well +taken care of there." "Ah," said the man, "I feel so unhappy lest all +should not be right. He ought to have said good-bye to me." With that he +began to eat and said, "Marlinchen, why art thou crying? Thy brother will +certainly come back." Then he said, "Ah, wife, how delicious this food +is, give me some more." And the more he ate the more he wanted to have, +and he said, "Give me some more, you shall have none of it. It seems to +me as if it were all mine." And he ate and ate and threw all the bones +under the table, until he had finished the whole. But Marlinchen went +away to her chest of drawers, and took her best silk handkerchief out +of the bottom drawer, and got all the bones from beneath the table, and +tied them up in her silk handkerchief, and carried them outside the door, +weeping tears of blood. Then the juniper-tree began to stir itself, and +the branches parted asunder, and moved together again, just as if some +one was rejoicing and clapping his hands. At the same time a mist seemed +to arise from the tree, and in the centre of this mist it burned like a +fire, and a beautiful bird flew out of the fire singing magnificently, +and he flew high up in the air, and when he was gone, the juniper-tree +was just as it had been before, and the handkerchief with the bones was +no longer there. Marlinchen, however, was as gay and happy as if her +brother were still alive. And she went merrily into the house, and sat +down to dinner and ate. + +But the bird flew away and lighted on a goldsmith's house, and began +to sing, + + + "My mother she killed me, + My father he ate me, + My sister, little Marlinchen, + Gathered together all my bones, + Tied them in a silken handkerchief, + Laid them beneath the juniper-tree, + + Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!" + +The goldsmith was sitting in his workshop making a gold chain, when he +heard the bird which was sitting singing on his roof, and very beautiful +the song seemed to him. He stood up, but as he crossed the threshold +he lost one of his slippers. But he went away right up the middle +of the street with one shoe on and one sock; he had his apron on, +and in one hand he had the gold chain and in the other the pincers, +and the sun was shining brightly on the street. Then he went right +on and stood still, and said to the bird, "Bird," said he then, "how +beautifully thou canst sing! Sing me that piece again." "No," said the +bird, "I'll not sing it twice for nothing! Give me the golden chain, +and then I will sing it again for thee." "There," said the goldsmith, +"there is the golden chain for thee, now sing me that song again." Then +the bird came and took the golden chain in his right claw, and went and +sat in front of the goldsmith, and sang, + + + "My mother she killed me, + My father he ate me, + My sister, little Marlinchen, + Gathered together all my bones, + Tied them in a silken handkerchief, + Laid them beneath the juniper-tree, + + Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!" + +Then the bird flew away to a shoemaker, and lighted on his roof and sang, + + + "My mother she killed me, + My father he ate me, + My sister, little Marlinchen, + Gathered together all my bones, + Tied them in a silken handkerchief, + Laid them beneath the juniper-tree, + + Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!" + +The shoemaker heard that and ran out of doors in his shirt sleeves, and +looked up at his roof, and was forced to hold his hand before his eyes +lest the sun should blind him. "Bird," said he, "how beautifully thou +canst sing!" Then he called in at his door, "Wife, just come outside, +there is a bird, look at that bird, he just can sing well." Then he +called his daughter and children, and apprentices, boys and girls, and +they all came up the street and looked at the bird and saw how beautiful +he was, and what fine red and green feathers he had, and how like real +gold his neck was, and how the eyes in his head shone like stars. "Bird," +said the shoemaker, "now sing me that song again." "Nay," said the bird, +"I do not sing twice for nothing; thou must give me something." "Wife," +said the man, "go to the garret, upon the top shelf there stands a pair +of red shoes, bring them down." Then the wife went and brought the +shoes. "There, bird," said the man, "now sing me that piece again." Then +the bird came and took the shoes in his left claw, and flew back on the +roof, and sang, + + + "My mother she killed me, + My father he ate me, + My sister, little Marlinchen, + Gathered together all my bones, + Tied them in a silken handkerchief, + Laid them beneath the juniper-tree, + + Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!" + +And when he had sung the whole he flew away. In his right claw he had +the chain and the shoes in his left, and he flew far away to a mill, +and the mill went, "klipp klapp, klipp klapp, klipp klapp," and in the +mill sat twenty miller's men hewing a stone, and cutting, hick hack, +hick hack, hick hack, and the mill went klipp klapp, klipp klapp, klipp +klapp. Then the bird went and sat on a lime-tree which stood in front +of the mill, and sang, + + + "My mother she killed me," + +Then one of them stopped working, + + + "My father he ate me." + +Then two more stopped working and listened to that, + + + "My sister, little Marlinchen," + +Then four more stopped, + + + "Gathered together all my bones, + Tied them in a silken handkerchief," + +Now eight only were hewing, + + + "Laid them beneath" + +Now only five, + + + "The juniper-tree," + +And now only one, + + + "Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!" + +Then the last stopped also, and heard the last words. "Bird," said he, +"how beautifully thou singest! Let me, too, hear that. Sing that once +more for me." + +"Nay," said the bird, "I will not sing twice for nothing. Give me the +millstone, and then I will sing it again." + +"Yes," said he, "if it belonged to me only, thou shouldst have it." + +"Yes," said the others, "if he sings again he shall have it." Then the +bird came down, and the twenty millers all set to work with a beam and +raised the stone up. And the bird stuck his neck through the hole, and +put the stone on as if it were a collar, and flew on to the tree again, +and sang, + + + "My mother she killed me, + My father he ate me, + My sister, little Marlinchen, + Gathered together all my bones, + Tied them in a silken handkerchief, + Laid them beneath the juniper-tree, + + Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!" + +And when he had done singing, he spread his wings, and in his right +claw he had the chain, and in his left the shoes, and round his neck +the millstone, and he flew far away to his father's house. + +In the room sat the father, the mother, and Marlinchen at dinner, and +the father said, "How light-hearted I feel, how happy I am!" "Nay," +said the mother, "I feel so uneasy, just as if a heavy storm were +coming." Marlinchen, however, sat weeping and weeping, and then came the +bird flying, and as it seated itself on the roof the father said, "Ah, +I feel so truly happy, and the sun is shining so beautifully outside, +I feel just as if I were about to see some old friend again." "Nay," +said the woman, "I feel so anxious, my teeth chatter, and I seem to have +fire in my veins." And she tore her stays open, but Marlinchen sat in +a corner crying, and held her plate before her eyes and cried till it +was quite wet. Then the bird sat on the juniper tree, and sang, + + + "My mother she killed me," + +Then the mother stopped her ears, and shut her eyes, and would not see +or hear, but there was a roaring in her ears like the most violent storm, +and her eyes burnt and flashed like lightning, + + + "My father he ate me," + +"Ah, mother," says the man, "that is a beautiful bird! He sings so +splendidly, and the sun shines so warm, and there is a smell just like +cinnamon." + + + "My sister, little Marlinchen," + +Then Marlinchen laid her head on her knees and wept without ceasing, but +the man said, "I am going out, I must see the bird quite close." "Oh, +don't go," said the woman, "I feel as if the whole house were shaking +and on fire." But the man went out and looked at the bird: + + + "Gathered together all my bones, + Tied them in a silken handkerchief, + Laid them beneath the juniper tree, + Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!" + +On this the bird let the golden chain fall, and it fell exactly round +the man's neck, and so exactly round it that it fitted beautifully. Then +he went in and said, "Just look what a fine bird that is, and what +a handsome gold chain he has given me, and how pretty he is!" But the +woman was terrified, and fell down on the floor in the room, and her +cap fell off her head. Then sang the bird once more, + + + "My mother she killed me." + +"Would that I were a thousand feet beneath the earth so as not to +hear that!" + + + "My father he ate me," + +Then the woman fell down again as if dead. + + + "My sister, little Marlinchen," + +"Ah," said Marlinchen, "I too will go out and see if the bird will give +me anything," and she went out. + + + "Gathered together all my bones, + Tied them in a silken handkerchief," + +Then he threw down the shoes to her. + + + "Laid them beneath the juniper-tree, + Kywitt, kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!" + +Then she was light-hearted and joyous, and she put on the new red shoes, +and danced and leaped into the house. "Ah," said she, "I was so sad +when I went out and now I am so light-hearted; that is a splendid bird, +he has given me a pair of red shoes!" "Well," said the woman, and sprang +to her feet and her hair stood up like flames of fire, "I feel as if the +world were coming to an end! I, too, will go out and see if my heart feels +lighter." And as she went out at the door, crash! the bird threw down the +millstone on her head, and she was entirely crushed by it. The father +and Marlinchen heard what had happened and went out, and smoke, flames, +and fire were rising from the place, and when that was over, there stood +the little brother, and he took his father and Marlinchen by the hand, +and all three were right glad, and they went into the house to dinner, +and ate. + + + +48 Old Sultan + +A farmer once had a faithful dog called Sultan, who had grown old, and +lost all his teeth, so that he could no longer hold anything fast. One +day the farmer was standing with his wife before the house-door, and said, +"To-morrow I intend to shoot Old Sultan, he is no longer of any use." + +His wife, who felt pity for the faithful beast, answered, "He has served +us so long, and been so faithful, that we might well give him his keep." + +"Eh! what?" said the man. "You are not very sharp. He has not a tooth +left in his mouth, and not a thief is afraid of him; now he may be +off. If he has served us, he has had good feeding for it." + +The poor dog, who was lying stretched out in the sun not far off, had +heard everything, and was sorry that the morrow was to be his last day. He +had a good friend, the wolf, and he crept out in the evening into the +forest to him, and complained of the fate that awaited him. "Hark ye, +gossip," said the wolf, "be of good cheer, I will help you out of your +trouble. I have thought of something. To-morrow, early in the morning, +your master is going with his wife to make hay, and they will take their +little child with them, for no one will be left behind in the house. They +are wont, during work-time, to lay the child under the hedge in the shade; +you lay yourself there too, just as if you wished to guard it. Then I will +come out of the wood, and carry off the child. You must rush swiftly after +me, as if you would seize it again from me. I will let it fall, and you +will take it back to its parents, who will think that you have saved it, +and will be far too grateful to do you any harm; on the contrary, you will +be in high favor, and they will never let you want for anything again." + +The plan pleased the dog, and it was carried out just as it was +arranged. The father screamed when he saw the Wolf running across the +field with his child, but when Old Sultan brought it back, then he was +full of joy, and stroked him and said, "Not a hair of yours shall be +hurt, you shall eat my bread free as long as you live." And to his wife +he said, "Go home at once and make Old Sultan some bread-sop that he +will not have to bite, and bring the pillow out of my bed, I will give +him that to lie upon." + +Henceforth Old Sultan was as well off as he could wish to be. + +Soon afterwards the wolf visited him, and was pleased that everything +had succeeded so well. "But, gossip," said he, "you will just wink +an eye if when I have a chance, I carry off one of your master's fat +sheep." "Do not reckon upon that," answered the dog; "I will remain true +to my master; I cannot agree to that." The wolf, who thought that this +could not be spoken in earnest, came creeping about in the night and +was going to take away the sheep. But the farmer, to whom the faithful +Sultan had told the wolf's plan, caught him and dressed his hide soundly +with the flail. The wolf had to pack off, but he cried out to the dog, +"Wait a bit, you scoundrel, you shall pay for this." + +The next morning the wolf sent the boar to challenge the dog to come +out into the forest so that they might settle the affair. Old Sultan +could find no one to stand by him but a cat with only three legs, and +as they went out together the poor cat limped along, and at the same +time stretched out her tail into the air with pain. + +The wolf and his friend were already on the spot appointed, but when they +saw their enemy coming they thought that he was bringing a sabre with +him, for they mistook the outstretched tail of the cat for one. And when +the poor beast hopped on its three legs, they could only think every time +that it was picking up a stone to throw at them. So they were both afraid; +the wild boar crept into the under-wood and the wolf jumped up a tree. + +The dog and the cat, when they came up, wondered that there was no one +to be seen. The wild boar, however, had not been able to hide himself +altogether; and one of his ears was still to be seen. Whilst the cat was +looking carefully about, the boar moved his ear; the cat, who thought +it was a mouse moving there, jumped upon it and bit it hard. The boar +made a fearful noise and ran away, crying out, "The guilty one is up in +the tree." The dog and cat looked up and saw the wolf, who was ashamed +of having shown himself so timid, and made friends with the dog. + + + +49 The Six Swans + +Once upon a time, a certain King was hunting in a great forest, and +he chased a wild beast so eagerly that none of his attendants could +follow him. When evening drew near he stopped and looked around him, +and then he saw that he had lost his way. He sought a way out, but +could find none. Then he perceived an aged woman with a head which nodded +perpetually, who came towards him, but she was a witch. "Good woman," said +he to her, "Can you not show me the way through the forest?" "Oh, yes, +Lord King," she answered, "that I certainly can, but on one condition, +and if you do not fulfil that, you will never get out of the forest, +and will die of hunger in it." + +"What kind of condition is it?" asked the King. + +"I have a daughter," said the old woman, "who is as beautiful as any one +in the world, and well deserves to be your consort, and if you will make +her your Queen, I will show you the way out of the forest." In the anguish +of his heart the King consented, and the old woman led him to her little +hut, where her daughter was sitting by the fire. She received the King as +if she had been expecting him, and he saw that she was very beautiful, +but still she did not please him, and he could not look at her without +secret horror. After he had taken the maiden up on his horse, the old +woman showed him the way, and the King reached his royal palace again, +where the wedding was celebrated. + +The King had already been married once, and had by his first wife, seven +children, six boys and a girl, whom he loved better than anything else +in the world. As he now feared that the step-mother might not treat them +well, and even do them some injury, he took them to a lonely castle which +stood in the midst of a forest. It lay so concealed, and the way was +so difficult to find that he himself would not have found it, if a wise +woman had not given him a ball of yarn with wonderful properties. When +he threw it down before him, it unrolled itself and showed him his +path. The King, however, went so frequently away to his dear children +that the Queen observed his absence; she was curious and wanted to know +what he did when he was quite alone in the forest. She gave a great deal +of money to his servants, and they betrayed the secret to her, and told +her likewise of the ball which alone could point out the way. And now she +knew no rest until she had learnt where the King kept the ball of yarn, +and then she made little shirts of white silk, and as she had learnt the +art of witchcraft from her mother, she sewed a charm inside them. And +once when the King had ridden forth to hunt, she took the little shirts +and went into the forest, and the ball showed her the way. The children, +who saw from a distance that some one was approaching, thought that their +dear father was coming to them, and full of joy, ran to meet him. Then +she threw one of the little shirts over each of them, and no sooner +had the shirts touched their bodies than they were changed into swans, +and flew away over the forest. The Queen went home quite delighted, and +thought she had got rid of her step-children, but the girl had not run +out with her brothers, and the Queen knew nothing about her. Next day +the King went to visit his children, but he found no one but the little +girl. "Where are thy brothers?" asked the King. "Alas, dear father," she +answered, "they have gone away and left me alone!" and she told him that +she had seen from her little window how her brothers had flown away over +the forest in the shape of swans, and she showed him the feathers, which +they had let fall in the courtyard, and which she had picked up. The King +mourned, but he did not think that the Queen had done this wicked deed, +and as he feared that the girl would also be stolen away from him, he +wanted to take her away with him. But she was afraid of her step-mother, +and entreated the King to let her stay just this one night more in the +forest castle. + +The poor girl thought, "I can no longer stay here. I will go and seek +my brothers." And when night came, she ran away, and went straight into +the forest. She walked the whole night long, and next day also without +stopping, until she could go no farther for weariness. Then she saw a +forest-hut, and went into it, and found a room with six little beds, +but she did not venture to get into one of them, but crept under one, +and lay down on the hard ground, intending to pass the night there. Just +before sunset, however, she heard a rustling, and saw six swans come +flying in at the window. They alighted on the ground and blew at each +other, and blew all the feathers off, and their swan's skins stripped +off like a shirt. Then the maiden looked at them and recognized her +brothers, was glad and crept forth from beneath the bed. The brothers +were not less delighted to see their little sister, but their joy was of +short duration. "Here canst thou not abide," they said to her. "This is +a shelter for robbers, if they come home and find thee, they will kill +thee." "But can you not protect me?" asked the little sister. "No," they +replied, "only for one quarter of an hour each evening can we lay aside +our swan's skins and have during that time our human form; after that, +we are once more turned into swans." The little sister wept and said, +"Can you not be set free?" "Alas, no," they answered, "the conditions are +too hard! For six years thou mayst neither speak nor laugh, and in that +time thou must sew together six little shirts of starwort for us. And +if one single word falls from thy lips, all thy work will be lost." And +when the brothers had said this, the quarter of an hour was over, and +they flew out of the window again as swans. + +The maiden, however, firmly resolved to deliver her brothers, even if +it should cost her her life. She left the hut, went into the midst of +the forest, seated herself on a tree, and there passed the night. Next +morning she went out and gathered starwort and began to sew. She could +not speak to any one, and she had no inclination to laugh; she sat +there and looked at nothing but her work. When she had already spent +a long time there it came to pass that the King of the country was +hunting in the forest, and his huntsmen came to the tree on which the +maiden was sitting. They called to her and said, "Who art thou?" But +she made no answer. "Come down to us," said they. "We will not do thee +any harm." She only shook her head. As they pressed her further with +questions she threw her golden necklace down to them, and thought to +content them thus. They, however, did not cease, and then she threw her +girdle down to them, and as this also was to no purpose, her garters, +and by degrees everything that she had on that she could do without until +she had nothing left but her shift. The huntsmen, however, did not let +themselves be turned aside by that, but climbed the tree and fetched the +maiden down and led her before the King. The King asked, "Who art thou? +What art thou doing on the tree?" But she did not answer. He put the +question in every language that he knew, but she remained as mute as a +fish. As she was so beautiful, the King's heart was touched, and he was +smitten with a great love for her. He put his mantle on her, took her +before him on his horse, and carried her to his castle. Then he caused +her to be dressed in rich garments, and she shone in her beauty like +bright daylight, but no word could be drawn from her. He placed her by +his side at table, and her modest bearing and courtesy pleased him so +much that he said, "She is the one whom I wish to marry, and no other +woman in the world." And after some days he united himself to her. + +The King, however, had a wicked mother who was dissatisfied with this +marriage and spoke ill of the young Queen. "Who knows," said she, "from +whence the creature who can't speak, comes? She is not worthy of a king!" +After a year had passed, when the Queen brought her first child into the +world, the old woman took it away from her, and smeared her mouth with +blood as she slept. Then she went to the King and accused the Queen of +being a man-eater. The King would not believe it, and would not suffer +any one to do her any injury. She, however, sat continually sewing at +the shirts, and cared for nothing else. The next time, when she again +bore a beautiful boy, the false step-mother used the same treachery, but +the King could not bring himself to give credit to her words. He said, +"She is too pious and good to do anything of that kind; if she were not +dumb, and could defend herself, her innocence would come to light." +But when the old woman stole away the newly-born child for the third +time, and accused the Queen, who did not utter one word of defence, +the King could do no otherwise than deliver her over to justice, and +she was sentenced to suffer death by fire. + +When the day came for the sentence to be executed, it was the last day +of the six years during which she was not to speak or laugh, and she had +delivered her dear brothers from the power of the enchantment. The six +shirts were ready, only the left sleeve of the sixth was wanting. When, +therefore, she was led to the stake, she laid the shirts on her arm, +and when she stood on high and the fire was just going to be lighted, +she looked around and six swans came flying through the air towards +her. Then she saw that her deliverance was near, and her heart leapt with +joy. The swans swept towards her and sank down so that she could throw the +shirts over them, and as they were touched by them, their swan's skins +fell off, and her brothers stood in their own bodily form before her, +and were vigorous and handsome. The youngest only lacked his left arm, +and had in the place of it a swan's wing on his shoulder. They embraced +and kissed each other, and the Queen went to the King, who was greatly +moved, and she began to speak and said, "Dearest husband, now I may +speak and declare to thee that I am innocent, and falsely accused." And +she told him of the treachery of the old woman who had taken away her +three children and hidden them. Then to the great joy of the King they +were brought thither, and as a punishment, the wicked step-mother was +bound to the stake, and burnt to ashes. But the King and the Queen with +their six brothers lived many years in happiness and peace. + + + +50 Briar-Rose + +A long time ago there were a King and Queen who said every day, "Ah, +if only we had a child!" but they never had one. But it happened that +once when the Queen was bathing, a frog crept out of the water on to the +land, and said to her, "Your wish shall be fulfilled; before a year has +gone by, you shall have a daughter." + +What the frog had said came true, and the Queen had a little girl who +was so pretty that the King could not contain himself for joy, and +ordered a great feast. He invited not only his kindred, friends and +acquaintance, but also the Wise Women, in order that they might be kind +and well-disposed towards the child. There were thirteen of them in his +kingdom, but, as he had only twelve golden plates for them to eat out of, +one of them had to be left at home. + +The feast was held with all manner of splendour and when it came to an +end the Wise Women bestowed their magic gifts upon the baby: one gave +virtue, another beauty, a third riches, and so on with everything in +the world that one can wish for. + +When eleven of them had made their promises, suddenly the thirteenth +came in. She wished to avenge herself for not having been invited, +and without greeting, or even looking at any one, she cried with a loud +voice, "The King's daughter shall in her fifteenth year prick herself +with a spindle, and fall down dead." And, without saying a word more, +she turned round and left the room. + +They were all shocked; but the twelfth, whose good wish still remained +unspoken, came forward, and as she could not undo the evil sentence, +but only soften it, she said, "It shall not be death, but a deep sleep +of a hundred years, into which the princess shall fall." + +The King, who would fain keep his dear child from the misfortune, gave +orders that every spindle in the whole kingdom should be burnt. Meanwhile +the gifts of the Wise Women were plenteously fulfilled on the young girl, +for she was so beautiful, modest, good-natured, and wise, that everyone +who saw her was bound to love her. + +It happened that on the very day when she was fifteen years old, the King +and Queen were not at home, and the maiden was left in the palace quite +alone. So she went round into all sorts of places, looked into rooms and +bed-chambers just as she liked, and at last came to an old tower. She +climbed up the narrow winding-staircase, and reached a little door. A +rusty key was in the lock, and when she turned it the door sprang open, +and there in a little room sat an old woman with a spindle, busily +spinning her flax. + +"Good day, old dame," said the King's daughter; "what are you doing +there?" "I am spinning," said the old woman, and nodded her head. "What +sort of thing is that, that rattles round so merrily?" said the girl, +and she took the spindle and wanted to spin too. But scarcely had she +touched the spindle when the magic decree was fulfilled, and she pricked +her finger with it. + +And, in the very moment when she felt the prick, she fell down upon the +bed that stood there, and lay in a deep sleep. And this sleep extended +over the whole palace; the King and Queen who had just come home, +and had entered the great hall, began to go to sleep, and the whole +of the court with them. The horses, too, went to sleep in the stable, +the dogs in the yard, the pigeons upon the roof, the flies on the wall; +even the fire that was flaming on the hearth became quiet and slept, +the roast meat left off frizzling, and the cook, who was just going to +pull the hair of the scullery boy, because he had forgotten something, +let him go, and went to sleep. And the wind fell, and on the trees before +the castle not a leaf moved again. + +But round about the castle there began to grow a hedge of thorns, +which every year became higher, and at last grew close up round the +castle and all over it, so that there was nothing of it to be seen, not +even the flag upon the roof. But the story of the beautiful sleeping +"Briar-rose," for so the princess was named, went about the country, +so that from time to time kings' sons came and tried to get through the +thorny hedge into the castle. + +But they found it impossible, for the thorns held fast together, as if +they had hands, and the youths were caught in them, could not get loose +again, and died a miserable death. + +After long, long years a King's son came again to that country, and +heard an old man talking about the thorn-hedge, and that a castle was +said to stand behind it in which a wonderfully beautiful princess, +named Briar-rose, had been asleep for a hundred years; and that the +King and Queen and the whole court were asleep likewise. He had heard, +too, from his grandfather, that many kings' sons had already come, +and had tried to get through the thorny hedge, but they had remained +sticking fast in it, and had died a pitiful death. Then the youth said, +"I am not afraid, I will go and see the beautiful Briar-rose." The good +old man might dissuade him as he would, he did not listen to his words. + +But by this time the hundred years had just passed, and the day had come +when Briar-rose was to awake again. When the King's son came near to +the thorn-hedge, it was nothing but large and beautiful flowers, which +parted from each other of their own accord, and let him pass unhurt, +then they closed again behind him like a hedge. In the castle-yard he +saw the horses and the spotted hounds lying asleep; on the roof sat the +pigeons with their heads under their wings. And when he entered the house, +the flies were asleep upon the wall, the cook in the kitchen was still +holding out his hand to seize the boy, and the maid was sitting by the +black hen which she was going to pluck. + +He went on farther, and in the great hall he saw the whole of the court +lying asleep, and up by the throne lay the King and Queen. + +Then he went on still farther, and all was so quiet that a breath could +be heard, and at last he came to the tower, and opened the door into the +little room where Briar-rose was sleeping. There she lay, so beautiful +that he could not turn his eyes away; and he stooped down and gave her a +kiss. But as soon as he kissed her, Briar-rose opened her eyes and awoke, +and looked at him quite sweetly. + +Then they went down together, and the King awoke, and the Queen, and +the whole court, and looked at each other in great astonishment. And +the horses in the court-yard stood up and shook themselves; the hounds +jumped up and wagged their tails; the pigeons upon the roof pulled out +their heads from under their wings, looked round, and flew into the open +country; the flies on the wall crept again; the fire in the kitchen burned +up and flickered and cooked the meat; the joint began to turn and frizzle +again, and the cook gave the boy such a box on the ear that he screamed, +and the maid plucked the fowl ready for the spit. + +And then the marriage of the King's son with Briar-rose was celebrated +with all splendour, and they lived contented to the end of their days. + + + +51 Fundevogel (Bird-foundling) + +There was once a forester who went into the forest to hunt, and as +he entered it he heard a sound of screaming as if a little child were +there. He followed the sound, and at last came to a high tree, and at +the top of this a little child was sitting, for the mother had fallen +asleep under the tree with the child, and a bird of prey had seen it in +her arms, had flown down, snatched it away, and set it on the high tree. + +The forester climbed up, brought the child down, and thought to himself, +"Thou wilt take him home with thee, and bring him up with thy Lina." He +took it home, therefore, and the two children grew up together. The one, +however, which he had found on a tree was called Fundevogel, because +a bird had carried it away. Fundevogel and Lina loved each other so +dearly that when they did not see each other they were sad. + +The forester, however, had an old cook, who one evening took two pails +and began to fetch water, and did not go once only, but many times, out +to the spring. Lina saw this and said, "Hark you, old Sanna, why are you +fetching so much water?" "If thou wilt never repeat it to anyone, I will +tell thee why." So Lina said, no, she would never repeat it to anyone, +and then the cook said, "Early to-morrow morning, when the forester is +out hunting, I will heat the water, and when it is boiling in the kettle, +I will throw in Fundevogel, and will boil him in it." + +Betimes next morning the forester got up and went out hunting, and when +he was gone the children were still in bed. Then Lina said to Fundevogel, +"If thou wilt never leave me, I too will never leave thee." Fundevogel +said, "Neither now, nor ever will I leave thee." Then said Lina, "Then +I will tell thee. Last night, old Sanna carried so many buckets of water +into the house that I asked her why she was doing that, and she said that +if I would promise not to tell any one she would tell me, and I said +I would be sure not to tell any one, and she said that early to-morrow +morning when father was out hunting, she would set the kettle full of +water, throw thee into it and boil thee; but we will get up quickly, +dress ourselves, and go away together." + +The two children therefore got up, dressed themselves quickly, and went +away. When the water in the kettle was boiling, the cook went into the +bed-room to fetch Fundevogel and throw him into it. But when she came +in, and went to the beds, both the children were gone. Then she was +terribly alarmed, and she said to herself, "What shall I say now when +the forester comes home and sees that the children are gone? They must +be followed instantly to get them back again." + +Then the cook sent three servants after them, who were to run and +overtake the children. The children, however, were sitting outside +the forest, and when they saw from afar the three servants running, +Lina said to Fundevogel, "Never leave me, and I will never leave +thee." Fundevogel said, "Neither now, nor ever." Then said Lina, +"Do thou become a rose-tree, and I the rose upon it." When the three +servants came to the forest, nothing was there but a rose-tree and +one rose on it, but the children were nowhere. Then said they, "There +is nothing to be done here," and they went home and told the cook that +they had seen nothing in the forest but a little rose-bush with one rose +on it. Then the old cook scolded and said, "You simpletons, you should +have cut the rose-bush in two, and have broken off the rose and brought +it home with you; go, and do it once." They had therefore to go out and +look for the second time. The children, however, saw them coming from a +distance. Then Lina said, "Fundevogel, never leave me, and I will never +leave thee." Fundevogel said, "Neither now, nor ever." Said Lina, "Then +do thou become a church, and I'll be the chandelier in it." So when the +three servants came, nothing was there but a church, with a chandelier +in it. They said therefore to each other, "What can we do here, let us +go home." When they got home, the cook asked if they had not found them; +so they said no, they had found nothing but a church, and that there was +a chandelier in it. And the cook scolded them and said, "You fools! why +did you not pull the church to pieces, and bring the chandelier home +with you?" And now the old cook herself got on her legs, and went with +the three servants in pursuit of the children. The children, however, +saw from afar that the three servants were coming, and the cook waddling +after them. Then said Lina, "Fundevogel, never leave me, and I will never +leave thee." Then said Fundevogel, "Neither now, nor ever." Said Lina, +"Be a fishpond, and I will be the duck upon it." The cook, however, +came up to them, and when she saw the pond she lay down by it, and was +about to drink it up. But the duck swam quickly to her, seized her head +in its beak and drew her into the water, and there the old witch had to +drown. Then the children went home together, and were heartily delighted, +and if they are not dead, they are living still. + + + +52 King Thrushbeard + +A King had a daughter who was beautiful beyond all measure, but so proud +and haughty withal that no suitor was good enough for her. She sent away +one after the other, and ridiculed them as well. + +Once the King made a great feast and invited thereto, from far and +near, all the young men likely to marry. They were all marshalled +in a row according to their rank and standing; first came the kings, +then the grand-dukes, then the princes, the earls, the barons, and the +gentry. Then the King's daughter was led through the ranks, but to every +one she had some objection to make; one was too fat, "The wine-cask," +she said. Another was too tall, "Long and thin has little in." The third +was too short, "Short and thick is never quick." The fourth was too pale, +"As pale as death." The fifth too red, "A fighting-cock." The sixth was +not straight enough, "A green log dried behind the stove." + +So she had something to say against every one, but she made herself +especially merry over a good king who stood quite high up in the row, +and whose chin had grown a little crooked. "Well," she cried and laughed, +"he has a chin like a thrush's beak!" and from that time he got the name +of King Thrushbeard. + +But the old King, when he saw that his daugher did nothing but mock the +people, and despised all the suitors who were gathered there, was very +angry, and swore that she should have for her husband the very first +beggar that came to his doors. + +A few days afterwards a fiddler came and sang beneath the windows, +trying to earn a small alms. When the King heard him he said, "Let him +come up." So the fiddler came in, in his dirty, ragged clothes, and sang +before the King and his daughter, and when he had ended he asked for a +trifling gift. The King said, "Your song has pleased me so well that I +will give you my daughter there, to wife." + +The King's daughter shuddered, but the King said, "I have taken an oath +to give you to the very first beggar-man, and I will keep it." All she +could say was in vain; the priest was brought, and she had to let herself +be wedded to the fiddler on the spot. When that was done the King said, +"Now it is not proper for you, a beggar-woman, to stay any longer in my +palace, you may just go away with your husband." + +The beggar-man led her out by the hand, and she was obliged to walk away +on foot with him. When they came to a large forest she asked, "To whom +does that beautiful forest belong?" "It belongs to King Thrushbeard; +if you had taken him, it would have been yours." "Ah, unhappy girl that +I am, if I had but taken King Thrushbeard!" + +Afterwards they came to a meadow, and she asked again, "To whom does +this beautiful green meadow belong?" "It belongs to King Thrushbeard; +if you had taken him, it would have been yours." "Ah, unhappy girl that +I am, if I had but taken King Thrushbeard!" + +Then they came to a large town, and she asked again, "To whom does +this fine large town belong?" "It belongs to King Thrushbeard; if you +had taken him, it would have been yours." "Ah, unhappy girl that I am, +if I had but taken King Thrushbeard!" + +"It does not please me," said the fiddler, "to hear you always wishing +for another husband; am I not good enough for you?" At last they came +to a very little hut, and she said, "Oh goodness! what a small house; +to whom does this miserable, mean hovel belong?" The fiddler answered, +"That is my house and yours, where we shall live together." + +She had to stoop in order to go in at the low door. "Where are the +servants?" said the King's daughter. "What servants?" answered the +beggar-man; "you must yourself do what you wish to have done. Just make a +fire at once, and set on water to cook my supper, I am quite tired." But +the King's daughter knew nothing about lighting fires or cooking, and the +beggar-man had to lend a hand himself to get anything fairly done. When +they had finished their scanty meal they went to bed; but he forced her +to get up quite early in the morning in order to look after the house. + +For a few days they lived in this way as well as might be, and came to +the end of all their provisions. Then the man said, "Wife, we cannot go +on any longer eating and drinking here and earning nothing. You weave +baskets." He went out, cut some willows, and brought them home. Then +she began to weave, but the tough willows wounded her delicate hands. + +"I see that this will not do," said the man; "you had better spin, +perhaps you can do that better." She sat down and tried to spin, but the +hard thread soon cut her soft fingers so that the blood ran down. "See," +said the man, "you are fit for no sort of work; I have made a bad bargain +with you. Now I will try to make a business with pots and earthenware; +you must sit in the market-place and sell the ware." "Alas," thought she, +"if any of the people from my father's kingdom come to the market and see +me sitting there, selling, how they will mock me?" But it was of no use, +she had to yield unless she chose to die of hunger. + +For the first time she succeeded well, for the people were glad to buy +the woman's wares because she was good-looking, and they paid her what +she asked; many even gave her the money and left the pots with her as +well. So they lived on what she had earned as long as it lasted, then the +husband bought a lot of new crockery. With this she sat down at the corner +of the market-place, and set it out round about her ready for sale. But +suddenly there came a drunken hussar galloping along, and he rode right +amongst the pots so that they were all broken into a thousand bits. She +began to weep, and did now know what to do for fear. "Alas! what will +happen to me?" cried she; "what will my husband say to this?" + +She ran home and told him of the misfortune. "Who would seat herself +at a corner of the market-place with crockery?" said the man; "leave +off crying, I see very well that you cannot do any ordinary work, so +I have been to our King's palace and have asked whether they cannot +find a place for a kitchen-maid, and they have promised me to take you; +in that way you will get your food for nothing." + +The King's daughter was now a kitchen-maid, and had to be at the cook's +beck and call, and do the dirtiest work. In both her pockets she fastened +a little jar, in which she took home her share of the leavings, and upon +this they lived. + +It happened that the wedding of the King's eldest son was to be +celebrated, so the poor woman went up and placed herself by the door of +the hall to look on. When all the candles were lit, and people, each +more beautiful than the other, entered, and all was full of pomp and +splendour, she thought of her lot with a sad heart, and cursed the pride +and haughtiness which had humbled her and brought her to so great poverty. + +The smell of the delicious dishes which were being taken in and out +reached her, and now and then the servants threw her a few morsels of +them: these she put in her jars to take home. + +All at once the King's son entered, clothed in velvet and silk, with gold +chains about his neck. And when he saw the beautiful woman standing by the +door he seized her by the hand, and would have danced with her; but she +refused and shrank with fear, for she saw that it was King Thrushbeard, +her suitor whom she had driven away with scorn. Her struggles were of no +avail, he drew her into the hall; but the string by which her pockets +were hung broke, the pots fell down, the soup ran out, and the scraps +were scattered all about. And when the people saw it, there arose general +laughter and derision, and she was so ashamed that she would rather have +been a thousand fathoms below the ground. She sprang to the door and would +have run away, but on the stairs a man caught her and brought her back; +and when she looked at him it was King Thrushbeard again. He said to her +kindly, "Do not be afraid, I and the fiddler who has been living with you +in that wretched hovel are one. For love of you I disguised myself so; +and I also was the hussar who rode through your crockery. This was all +done to humble your proud spirit, and to punish you for the insolence +with which you mocked me." + +Then she wept bitterly and said, "I have done great wrong, and am not +worthy to be your wife." But he said, "Be comforted, the evil days are +past; now we will celebrate our wedding." Then the maids-in-waiting came +and put on her the most splendid clothing, and her father and his whole +court came and wished her happiness in her marriage with King Thrushbeard, +and the joy now began in earnest. I wish you and I had been there too. + + + +53 Little Snow-white + +Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were +falling like feathers from the sky, a queen sat at a window sewing, +and the frame of the window was made of black ebony. And whilst she +was sewing and looking out of the window at the snow, she pricked her +finger with the needle, and three drops of blood fell upon the snow. And +the red looked pretty upon the white snow, and she thought to herself, +"Would that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as +black as the wood of the window-frame." + +Soon after that she had a little daughter, who was as white as snow, and +as red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony; and she was therefore +called Little Snow-white. And when the child was born, the Queen died. + +After a year had passed the King took to himself another wife. She was a +beautiful woman, but proud and haughty, and she could not bear that anyone +else should surpass her in beauty. She had a wonderful looking-glass, +and when she stood in front of it and looked at herself in it, and said--- + + + "Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, + Who in this land is the fairest of all?" + +the looking-glass answered--- + + + "Thou, O Queen, art the fairest of all!" + +Then she was satisfied, for she knew that the looking-glass spoke +the truth. + +But Snow-white was growing up, and grew more and more beautiful; and +when she was seven years old she was as beautiful as the day, and more +beautiful than the Queen herself. And once when the Queen asked her +looking-glass -- + +"Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, Who in this land is the +fairest of all?" + +it answered--- + + + "Thou art fairer than all who are here, Lady Queen." + But more beautiful still is Snow-white, as I ween." + +Then the Queen was shocked, and turned yellow and green with envy. From +that hour, whenever she looked at Snow-white, her heart heaved in her +breast, she hated the girl so much. + +And envy and pride grew higher and higher in her heart like a weed, +so that she had no peace day or night. She called a huntsman, and said, +"Take the child away into the forest; I will no longer have her in my +sight. Kill her, and bring me back her heart as a token." The huntsman +obeyed, and took her away; but when he had drawn his knife, and was about +to pierce Snow-white's innocent heart, she began to weep, and said, "Ah +dear huntsman, leave me my life! I will run away into the wild forest, +and never come home again." + +And as she was so beautiful the huntsman had pity on her and said, "Run +away, then, you poor child." "The wild beasts will soon have devoured +you," thought he, and yet it seemed as if a stone had been rolled from +his heart since it was no longer needful for him to kill her. And as +a young boar just then came running by he stabbed it, and cut out its +heart and took it to the Queen as proof that the child was dead. The +cook had to salt this, and the wicked Queen ate it, and thought she had +eaten the heart of Snow-white. + +But now the poor child was all alone in the great forest, and so terrified +that she looked at every leaf of every tree, and did not know what to +do. Then she began to run, and ran over sharp stones and through thorns, +and the wild beasts ran past her, but did her no harm. + +She ran as long as her feet would go until it was almost evening; then +she saw a little cottage and went into it to rest herself. Everything +in the cottage was small, but neater and cleaner than can be told. There +was a table on which was a white cover, and seven little plates, and on +each plate a little spoon; moreover, there were seven little knives and +forks, and seven little mugs. Against the wall stood seven little beds +side by side, and covered with snow-white counterpanes. + +Little Snow-white was so hungry and thirsty that she ate some vegetables +and bread from each plate and drank a drop of wine out of each mug, for +she did not wish to take all from one only. Then, as she was so tired, +she laid herself down on one of the little beds, but none of them suited +her; one was too long, another too short, but at last she found that the +seventh one was right, and so she remained in it, said a prayer and went +to sleep. + +When it was quite dark the owners of the cottage came back; they were +seven dwarfs who dug and delved in the mountains for ore. They lit their +seven candles, and as it was now light within the cottage they saw that +someone had been there, for everything was not in the same order in +which they had left it. + +The first said, "Who has been sitting on my chair?" + +The second, "Who has been eating off my plate?" + +The third, "Who has been taking some of my bread?" + +The fourth, "Who has been eating my vegetables?" + +The fifth, "Who has been using my fork?" + +The sixth, "Who has been cutting with my knife?" + +The seventh, "Who has been drinking out of my mug?" + +Then the first looked round and saw that there was a little hole on his +bed, and he said, "Who has been getting into my bed?" The others came +up and each called out, "Somebody has been lying in my bed too." But +the seventh when he looked at his bed saw little Snow-white, who was +lying asleep therein. And he called the others, who came running up, +and they cried out with astonishment, and brought their seven little +candles and let the light fall on little Snow-white. "Oh, heavens! oh, +heavens!" cried they, "what a lovely child!" and they were so glad that +they did not wake her up, but let her sleep on in the bed. And the seventh +dwarf slept with his companions, one hour with each, and so got through +the night. + +When it was morning little Snow-white awoke, and was frightened when she +saw the seven dwarfs. But they were friendly and asked her what her name +was. "My name is Snow-white," she answered. "How have you come to our +house?" said the dwarfs. Then she told them that her step-mother had +wished to have her killed, but that the huntsman had spared her life, +and that she had run for the whole day, until at last she had found their +dwelling. The dwarfs said, "If you will take care of our house, cook, +make the beds, wash, sew, and knit, and if you will keep everything neat +and clean, you can stay with us and you shall want for nothing." "Yes," +said Snow-white, "with all my heart," and she stayed with them. She kept +the house in order for them; in the mornings they went to the mountains +and looked for copper and gold, in the evenings they came back, and +then their supper had to be ready. The girl was alone the whole day, +so the good dwarfs warned her and said, "Beware of your step-mother, +she will soon know that you are here; be sure to let no one come in." + +But the Queen, believing that she had eaten Snow-white's heart, could +not but think that she was again the first and most beautiful of all; +and she went to her looking-glass and said--- + + + "Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, + Who in this land is the fairest of all?" + +and the glass answered -- + + + "Oh, Queen, thou art fairest of all I see, + But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell, + Snow-white is still alive and well, + + And none is so fair as she." + +Then she was astounded, for she knew that the looking-glass never spoke +falsely, and she knew that the huntsman had betrayed her, and that little +Snow-white was still alive. + +And so she thought and thought again how she might kill her, for so +long as she was not the fairest in the whole land, envy let her have no +rest. And when she had at last thought of something to do, she painted +her face, and dressed herself like an old pedler-woman, and no one could +have known her. In this disguise she went over the seven mountains to the +seven dwarfs, and knocked at the door and cried, "Pretty things to sell, +very cheap, very cheap." Little Snow-white looked out of the window and +called out, "Good-day my good woman, what have you to sell?" "Good things, +pretty things," she answered; "stay-laces of all colours," and she pulled +out one which was woven of bright-coloured silk. "I may let the worthy +old woman in," thought Snow-white, and she unbolted the door and bought +the pretty laces. "Child," said the old woman, "what a fright you look; +come, I will lace you properly for once." Snow-white had no suspicion, +but stood before her, and let herself be laced with the new laces. But +the old woman laced so quickly and so tightly that Snow-white lost her +breath and fell down as if dead. "Now I am the most beautiful," said +the Queen to herself, and ran away. + +Not long afterwards, in the evening, the seven dwarfs came home, but +how shocked they were when they saw their dear little Snow-white lying +on the ground, and that she neither stirred nor moved, and seemed to be +dead. They lifted her up, and, as they saw that she was laced too tightly, +they cut the laces; then she began to breathe a little, and after a while +came to life again. When the dwarfs heard what had happened they said, +"The old pedler-woman was no one else than the wicked Queen; take care +and let no one come in when we are not with you." + +But the wicked woman when she had reached home went in front of the +glass and asked--- + + + "Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, + Who in this land is the fairest of all?" + +and it answered as before--- + + + "Oh, Queen, thou art fairest of all I see, + But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell, + Snow-white is still alive and well, + + And none is so fair as she." + +When she heard that, all her blood rushed to her heart with fear, for she +saw plainly that little Snow-white was again alive. "But now," she said, +"I will think of something that shall put an end to you," and by the help +of witchcraft, which she understood, she made a poisonous comb. Then +she disguised herself and took the shape of another old woman. So she +went over the seven mountains to the seven dwarfs, knocked at the door, +and cried, "Good things to sell, cheap, cheap!" Little Snow-white looked +out and said, "Go away; I cannot let any one come in." "I suppose you can +look," said the old woman, and pulled the poisonous comb out and held +it up. It pleased the girl so well that she let herself be beguiled, +and opened the door. When they had made a bargain the old woman said, +"Now I will comb you properly for once." Poor little Snow-white had no +suspicion, and let the old woman do as she pleased, but hardly had she +put the comb in her hair than the poison in it took effect, and the girl +fell down senseless. "You paragon of beauty," said the wicked woman, +"you are done for now," and she went away. + +But fortunately it was almost evening, when the seven dwarfs came +home. When they saw Snow-white lying as if dead upon the ground they at +once suspected the step-mother, and they looked and found the poisoned +comb. Scarcely had they taken it out when Snow-white came to herself, +and told them what had happened. Then they warned her once more to be +upon her guard and to open the door to no one. + +The Queen, at home, went in front of the glass and said--- + + + "Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, + Who in this land is the fairest of all?" + +then it answered as before--- + + + "Oh, Queen, thou art fairest of all I see, + But over the hills, where the seven dwarfs dwell, + Snow-white is still alive and well, + + And none is so fair as she." + +When she heard the glass speak thus she trembled and shook with rage. +"Snow-white shall die," she cried, "even if it costs me my life!" + +Thereupon she went into a quite secret, lonely room, where no one ever +came, and there she made a very poisonous apple. Outside it looked +pretty, white with a red cheek, so that everyone who saw it longed for +it; but whoever ate a piece of it must surely die. + +When the apple was ready she painted her face, and dressed herself up +as a country-woman, and so she went over the seven mountains to the +seven dwarfs. She knocked at the door. Snow-white put her head out +of the window and said, "I cannot let any one in; the seven dwarfs +have forbidden me." "It is all the same to me," answered the woman, +"I shall soon get rid of my apples. There, I will give you one." + +"No," said Snow-white, "I dare not take anything." "Are you afraid +of poison?" said the old woman; "look, I will cut the apple in two +pieces; you eat the red cheek, and I will eat the white." The apple +was so cunningly made that only the red cheek was poisoned. Snow-white +longed for the fine apple, and when she saw that the woman ate part of +it she could resist no longer, and stretched out her hand and took the +poisonous half. But hardly had she a bit of it in her mouth than she +fell down dead. Then the Queen looked at her with a dreadful look, and +laughed aloud and said, "White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony-wood! +this time the dwarfs cannot wake you up again." + +And when she asked of the Looking-glass at home--- + + + "Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, + Who in this land is the fairest of all?" + +it answered at last -- + + + "Oh, Queen, in this land thou art fairest of all." + +Then her envious heart had rest, so far as an envious heart can have rest. + +The dwarfs, when they came home in the evening, found Snow-white lying +upon the ground; she breathed no longer and was dead. They lifted her up, +looked to see whether they could find anything poisonous, unlaced her, +combed her hair, washed her with water and wine, but it was all of no use; +the poor child was dead, and remained dead. They laid her upon a bier, and +all seven of them sat round it and wept for her, and wept three days long. + +Then they were going to bury her, but she still looked as if she were +living, and still had her pretty red cheeks. They said, "We could not +bury her in the dark ground," and they had a transparent coffin of +glass made, so that she could be seen from all sides, and they laid +her in it, and wrote her name upon it in golden letters, and that she +was a king's daughter. Then they put the coffin out upon the mountain, +and one of them always stayed by it and watched it. And birds came too, +and wept for Snow-white; first an owl, then a raven, and last a dove. + +And now Snow-white lay a long, long time in the coffin, and she did not +change, but looked as if she were asleep; for she was as white as snow, +as red as blood, and her hair was as black as ebony. + +It happened, however, that a king's son came into the forest, and went to +the dwarfs' house to spend the night. He saw the coffin on the mountain, +and the beautiful Snow-white within it, and read what was written upon it +in golden letters. Then he said to the dwarfs, "Let me have the coffin, +I will give you whatever you want for it." But the dwarfs answered, +"We will not part with it for all the gold in the world." Then he said, +"Let me have it as a gift, for I cannot live without seeing Snow-white. I +will honour and prize her as my dearest possession." As he spoke in this +way the good dwarfs took pity upon him, and gave him the coffin. + +And now the King's son had it carried away by his servants on their +shoulders. And it happened that they stumbled over a tree-stump, +and with the shock the poisonous piece of apple which Snow-white had +bitten off came out of her throat. And before long she opened her eyes, +lifted up the lid of the coffin, sat up, and was once more alive. "Oh, +heavens, where am I?" she cried. The King's son, full of joy, said, +"You are with me," and told her what had happened, and said, "I love you +more than everything in the world; come with me to my father's palace, +you shall be my wife." + +And Snow-white was willing, and went with him, and their wedding was +held with great show and splendour. But Snow-white's wicked step-mother +was also bidden to the feast. When she had arrayed herself in beautiful +clothes she went before the Looking-glass, and said--- + + + "Looking-glass, Looking-glass, on the wall, + Who in this land is the fairest of all?" + +the glass answered--- + + + "Oh, Queen, of all here the fairest art thou, + But the young Queen is fairer by far as I trow." + +Then the wicked woman uttered a curse, and was so wretched, so utterly +wretched, that she knew not what to do. At first she would not go to +the wedding at all, but she had no peace, and must go to see the young +Queen. And when she went in she knew Snow-white; and she stood still +with rage and fear, and could not stir. But iron slippers had already +been put upon the fire, and they were brought in with tongs, and set +before her. Then she was forced to put on the red-hot shoes, and dance +until she dropped down dead. + + + +54 The Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn + +There were once three brothers who had fallen deeper and deeper into +poverty, and at last their need was so great that they had to endure +hunger, and had nothing to eat or drink. Then said they, "We cannot +go on thus, we had better go into the world and seek our fortune." They +therefore set out, and had already walked over many a long road and many a +blade of grass, but had not yet met with good luck. One day they arrived +in a great forest, and in the midst of it was a hill, and when they came +nearer they saw that the hill was all silver. Then spoke the eldest, +"Now I have found the good luck I wished for, and I desire nothing +more." He took as much of the silver as he could possibly carry, and +then turned back and went home again. But the two others said, "We want +something more from good luck than mere silver," and did not touch it, +but went onwards. After they had walked for two days longer without +stopping, they came to a hill which was all gold. The second brother +stopped, took thought with himself, and was undecided. "What shall I +do?" said he; "shall I take for myself so much of this gold, that I +have sufficient for all the rest of my life, or shall I go farther?" At +length he made a decision, and putting as much into his pockets as would +go in, said farewell to his brother, and went home. But the third said, +"Silver and gold do not move me, I will not renounce my chance of fortune, +perhaps something better still will be given me." He journeyed onwards, +and when he had walked for three days, he got into a forest which was +still larger than the one before, and never would come to an end, and +as he found nothing to eat or to drink, he was all but exhausted. Then +he climbed up a high tree to find out if up there he could see the end +of the forest, but so far as his eye could pierce he saw nothing but +the tops of trees. Then he began to descend the tree again, but hunger +tormented him, and he thought to himself, "If I could but eat my fill +once more!" When he got down he saw with astonishment a table beneath +the tree richly spread with food, the steam of which rose up to meet +him. "This time," said he, "my wish has been fulfilled at the right +moment." And without inquiring who had brought the food, or who had +cooked it, he approached the table, and ate with enjoyment until he had +appeased his hunger. When he was done, he thought, "It would after all be +a pity if the pretty little table-cloth were to be spoilt in the forest +here," and folded it up tidily and put it in his pocket. Then he went +onwards, and in the evening, when hunger once more made itself felt, he +wanted to make a trial of his little cloth, and spread it out and said, +"I wish thee to be covered with good cheer again," and scarcely had the +wish crossed his lips than as many dishes with the most exquisite food +on them stood on the table as there was room for. "Now I perceive," +said he, "in what kitchen my cooking is done. Thou shalt be dearer to +me than the mountains of silver and gold." For he saw plainly that it +was a wishing-cloth. The cloth, however, was still not enough to enable +him to sit down quietly at home; he preferred to wander about the world +and pursue his fortune farther. + +One night he met, in a lonely wood, a dusty, black charcoal-burner, +who was burning charcoal there, and had some potatoes by the fire, on +which he was going to make a meal. "Good evening, blackbird!" said the +youth. "How dost thou get on in thy solitude?" + +"One day is like another," replied the charcoal-burner, "and every +night potatoes! Hast thou a mind to have some, and wilt thou be my +guest?" "Many thanks," replied the traveler, "I won't rob thee of thy +supper; thou didst not reckon on a visitor, but if thou wilt put up with +what I have, thou shalt have an invitation." + +"Who is to prepare it for thee?" said the charcoal-burner. "I see that +thou hast nothing with thee, and there is no one within a two hours' walk +who could give thee anything." "And yet there shall be a meal," answered +the youth, "and better than any thou hast ever tasted." Thereupon he +brought his cloth out of his knapsack, spread it on the ground, and said, +"Little cloth, cover thyself," and instantly boiled meat and baked meat +stood there, and as hot as if it had just come out of the kitchen. The +charcoal-burner stared, but did not require much pressing; he fell to, and +thrust larger and larger mouthfuls into his black mouth. When they had +eaten everything, the charcoal-burner smiled contentedly, and said, "Hark +thee, thy table-cloth has my approval; it would be a fine thing for me in +this forest, where no one ever cooks me anything good. I will propose an +exchange to thee; there in the corner hangs a soldier's knapsack, which +is certainly old and shabby, but in it lie concealed wonderful powers; +but, as I no longer use it, I will give it to thee for the table-cloth." + +"I must first know what these wonderful powers are," answered the youth. + +"That will I tell thee," replied the charcoal-burner; "every time thou +tappest it with thy hand, a corporal comes with six men armed from +head to foot, and they do whatsoever thou commandest them." "So far as +I am concerned," said the youth, "if nothing else can be done, we will +exchange," and he gave the charcoal-burner the cloth, took the knapsack +from the hook, put it on, and bade farewell. When he had walked a while, +he wished to make a trial of the magical powers of his knapsack and +tapped it. Immediately the seven warriors stepped up to him, and the +corporal said, "What does my lord and ruler wish for?" + +"March with all speed to the charcoal-burner, and demand my wishing-cloth +back." They faced to the left, and it was not long before they brought +what he required, and had taken it from the charcoal-burner without +asking many questions. The young man bade them retire, went onwards, +and hoped fortune would shine yet more brightly on him. By sunset he +came to another charcoal-burner, who was making his supper ready by the +fire. "If thou wilt eat some potatoes with salt, but with no dripping, +come and sit down with me," said the sooty fellow. + +"No, he replied, this time thou shalt be my guest," and he spread out his +cloth, which was instantly covered with the most beautiful dishes. They +ate and drank together, and enjoyed themselves heartily. After the meal +was over, the charcoal-burner said, "Up there on that shelf lies a little +old worn-out hat which has strange properties: when any one puts it on, +and turns it round on his head, the cannons go off as if twelve were +fired all together, and they shoot down everything so that no one can +withstand them. The hat is of no use to me, and I will willingly give +it for thy table-cloth." + +"That suits me very well," he answered, took the hat, put it on, +and left his table-cloth behind him. Hardly, however, had he walked +away than he tapped on his knapsack, and his soldiers had to fetch the +cloth back again. "One thing comes on the top of another," thought he, +"and I feel as if my luck had not yet come to an end." Neither had +his thoughts deceived him. After he had walked on for the whole of one +day, he came to a third charcoal-burner, who like the previous ones, +invited him to potatoes without dripping. But he let him also dine with +him from his wishing-cloth, and the charcoal-burner liked it so well, +that at last he offered him a horn for it, which had very different +properties from those of the hat. When any one blew it all the walls and +fortifications fell down, and all towns and villages became ruins. He +certainly gave the charcoal-burner the cloth for it, but he afterwards +sent his soldiers to demand it back again, so that at length he had the +knapsack, hat and horn, all three. "Now," said he, "I am a made man, +and it is time for me to go home and see how my brothers are getting on." + +When he reached home, his brothers had built themselves a handsome house +with their silver and gold, and were living in clover. He went to see +them, but as he came in a ragged coat, with his shabby hat on his head, +and his old knapsack on his back, they would not acknowledge him as their +brother. They mocked and said, "Thou givest out that thou art our brother +who despised silver and gold, and craved for something still better for +himself. He will come in his carriage in full splendour like a mighty +king, not like a beggar," and they drove him out of doors. Then he fell +into a rage, and tapped his knapsack until a hundred and fifty men stood +before him armed from head to foot. He commanded them to surround his +brothers' house, and two of them were to take hazel-sticks with them, +and beat the two insolent men until they knew who he was. A violent +disturbance arose, people ran together, and wanted to lend the two some +help in their need, but against the soldiers they could do nothing. News +of this at length came to the King, who was very angry, and ordered +a captain to march out with his troop, and drive this disturber of +the peace out of the town; but the man with the knapsack soon got a +greater body of men together, who repulsed the captain and his men, +so that they were forced to retire with bloody noses. The King said, +"This vagabond is not brought to order yet," and next day sent a still +larger troop against him, but they could do even less. The youth set +still more men against them, and in order to be done the sooner, he +turned his hat twice round on his head, and heavy guns began to play, +and the king's men were beaten and put to flight. "And now," said he, +"I will not make peace until the King gives me his daughter to wife, and +I govern the whole kingdom in his name." He caused this to be announced +to the King, and the latter said to his daughter, "Necessity is a hard +nut to crack, what remains to me but to do what he desires? If I want +peace and to keep the crown on my head, I must give thee away." + +So the wedding was celebrated, but the King's daughter was vexed that +her husband should be a common man, who wore a shabby hat, and put on +an old knapsack. She wished much to get rid of him, and night and day +studied how she could accomplished this. Then she thought to herself, +"Is it possible that his wonderful powers lie in the knapsack?" and she +dissembled and caressed him, and when his heart was softened, she said, +"If thou wouldst but lay aside that ugly knapsack, it makes disfigures +thee so, that I can't help being ashamed of thee." "Dear child," said he, +"this knapsack is my greatest treasure; as long as I have it, there is no +power on earth that I am afraid of." And he revealed to her the wonderful +virtue with which it was endowed. Then she threw herself in his arms as +if she were going to kiss him, but dexterously took the knapsack off his +shoulders, and ran away with it. As soon as she was alone she tapped it, +and commanded the warriors to seize their former master, and take him out +of the royal palace. They obeyed, and the false wife sent still more men +after him, who were to drive him quite out of the country. Then he would +have been ruined if he had not had the little hat. But his hands were +scarcely at liberty before he turned it twice. Immediately the cannon +began to thunder, and struck down everything, and the King's daughter +herself was forced to come and beg for mercy. As she entreated in such +moving terms, and promised amendment, he allowed himself to be persuaded +and granted her peace. She behaved in a friendly manner to him, and acted +as if she loved him very much, and after some time managed so to befool +him, that he confided to her that even if someone got the knapsack into +his power, he could do nothing against him so long as the old hat was +still his. When she knew the secret, she waited until he was asleep, +and then she took the hat away from him, and had it thrown out into the +street. But the horn still remained to him, and in great anger he blew +it with all his strength. Instantly all walls, fortifications, towns, +and villages, toppled down, and crushed the King and his daughter to +death. And had he not put down the horn and had blown just a little +longer, everything would have been in ruins, and not one stone would +have been left standing on another. Then no one opposed him any longer, +and he made himself King of the whole country. + + + +55 Rumpelstiltskin + +Once there was a miller who was poor, but who had a beautiful +daughter. Now it happened that he had to go and speak to the King, and in +order to make himself appear important he said to him, "I have a daughter +who can spin straw into gold." The King said to the miller, "That is +an art which pleases me well; if your daughter is as clever as you say, +bring her to-morrow to my palace, and I will try what she can do." + +And when the girl was brought to him he took her into a room which was +quite full of straw, gave her a spinning-wheel and a reel, and said, "Now +set to work, and if by to-morrow morning early you have not spun this +straw into gold during the night, you must die." Thereupon he himself +locked up the room, and left her in it alone. So there sat the poor +miller's daughter, and for the life of her could not tell what to do; +she had no idea how straw could be spun into gold, and she grew more +and more miserable, until at last she began to weep. + +But all at once the door opened, and in came a little man, and said, +"Good evening, Mistress Miller; why are you crying so?" "Alas!" answered +the girl, "I have to spin straw into gold, and I do not know how to +do it." "What will you give me," said the manikin, "if I do it for +you?" "My necklace," said the girl. The little man took the necklace, +seated himself in front of the wheel, and "whirr, whirr, whirr," three +turns, and the reel was full; then he put another on, and whirr, whirr, +whirr, three times round, and the second was full too. And so it went +on until the morning, when all the straw was spun, and all the reels +were full of gold. By daybreak the King was already there, and when he +saw the gold he was astonished and delighted, but his heart became only +more greedy. He had the miller's daughter taken into another room full +of straw, which was much larger, and commanded her to spin that also in +one night if she valued her life. The girl knew not how to help herself, +and was crying, when the door again opened, and the little man appeared, +and said, "What will you give me if I spin that straw into gold for +you?" "The ring on my finger," answered the girl. The little man took +the ring, again began to turn the wheel, and by morning had spun all +the straw into glittering gold. + +The King rejoiced beyond measure at the sight, but still he had not +gold enough; and he had the miller's daughter taken into a still larger +room full of straw, and said, "You must spin this, too, in the course +of this night; but if you succeed, you shall be my wife." "Even if she +be a miller's daughter," thought he, "I could not find a richer wife in +the whole world." + +When the girl was alone the manikin came again for the third time, +and said, "What will you give me if I spin the straw for you this time +also?" "I have nothing left that I could give," answered the girl. "Then +promise me, if you should become Queen, your first child." "Who knows +whether that will ever happen?" thought the miller's daughter; and, not +knowing how else to help herself in this strait, she promised the manikin +what he wanted, and for that he once more span the straw into gold. + +And when the King came in the morning, and found all as he had wished, +he took her in marriage, and the pretty miller's daughter became a Queen. + +A year after, she had a beautiful child, and she never gave a thought to +the manikin. But suddenly he came into her room, and said, "Now give me +what you promised." The Queen was horror-struck, and offered the manikin +all the riches of the kingdom if he would leave her the child. But the +manikin said, "No, something that is living is dearer to me than all the +treasures in the world." Then the Queen began to weep and cry, so that +the manikin pitied her. "I will give you three days' time," said he, +"if by that time you find out my name, then shall you keep your child." + +So the Queen thought the whole night of all the names that she had ever +heard, and she sent a messenger over the country to inquire, far and +wide, for any other names that there might be. When the manikin came the +next day, she began with Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar, and said all the +names she knew, one after another; but to every one the little man said, +"That is not my name." On the second day she had inquiries made in the +neighborhood as to the names of the people there, and she repeated to the +manikin the most uncommon and curious. "Perhaps your name is Shortribs, or +Sheepshanks, or Laceleg?" but he always answered, "That is not my name." + +On the third day the messenger came back again, and said, "I have not been +able to find a single new name, but as I came to a high mountain at the +end of the forest, where the fox and the hare bid each other good night, +there I saw a little house, and before the house a fire was burning, +and round about the fire quite a ridiculous little man was jumping: +he hopped upon one leg, and shouted--- + + + "To-day I bake, to-morrow brew, + The next I'll have the young Queen's child. + Ha! glad am I that no one knew + That Rumpelstiltskin I am styled." + +You may think how glad the Queen was when she heard the name! And when +soon afterwards the little man came in, and asked, "Now, Mistress Queen, +what is my name?" at first she said, "Is your name Conrad?" "No." "Is +your name Harry?" "No." + +"Perhaps your name is Rumpelstiltskin?" + +"The devil has told you that! the devil has told you that!" cried the +little man, and in his anger he plunged his right foot so deep into the +earth that his whole leg went in; and then in rage he pulled at his left +leg so hard with both hands that he tore himself in two. + + + +56 Sweetheart Roland + +There was once on a time a woman who was a real witch and had two +daughters, one ugly and wicked, and this one she loved because she was +her own daughter, and one beautiful and good, and this one she hated, +because she was her step-daughter. The step-daughter once had a pretty +apron, which the other fancied so much that she became envious, and told +her mother that she must and would have that apron. "Be quiet, my child," +said the old woman, "and thou shalt have it. Thy step-sister has long +deserved death, to-night when she is asleep I will come and cut her head +off. Only be careful that thou art at the far-side of the bed, and push +her well to the front." It would have been all over with the poor girl if +she had not just then been standing in a corner, and heard everything. All +day long she dared not go out of doors, and when bed-time had come, +the witch's daughter got into bed first, so as to lie at the far side, +but when she was asleep, the other pushed her gently to the front, and +took for herself the place at the back, close by the wall. In the night, +the old woman came creeping in, she held an axe in her right hand, and +felt with her left to see if anyone was lying at the outside, and then +she grasped the axe with both hands, and cut her own child's head off. + +When she had gone away, the girl got up and went to her sweetheart, who +was called Roland, and knocked at his door. When he came out, she said to +him, "Hear me, dearest Roland, we must fly in all haste; my step-mother +wanted to kill me, but has struck her own child. When daylight comes, +and she sees what she has done, we shall be lost." "But," said Roland, +"I counsel thee first to take away her magic wand, or we cannot escape +if she pursues us." The maiden fetched the magic wand, and she took the +dead girl's head and dropped three drops of blood on the ground, one in +front of the bed, one in the kitchen, and one on the stairs. Then she +hurried away with her lover. When the old witch got up next morning, +she called her daughter, and wanted to give her the apron, but she did +not come. Then the witch cried, "Where art thou?" "Here, on the stairs, +I am sweeping," answered the first drop of blood. The old woman went out, +but saw no one on the stairs, and cried again, "Where art thou?" "Here in +the kitchen, I am warming myself," cried the second drop of blood. She +went into the kitchen, but found no one. Then she cried again, "Where +art thou?" "Ah, here in the bed, I am sleeping." cried the third drop of +blood. She went into the room to the bed. What did she see there? Her +own child, whose head she had cut off, bathed in her blood. The witch +fell into a passion, sprang to the window, and as she could look forth +quite far into the world, she perceived her step-daughter hurrying +away with her sweetheart Roland. "That shall not serve you," cried +she, "even if you have got a long way off, you shall still not escape +me." She put on her many league boots, in which went an hour's walk +at every step, and it was not long before she overtook them. The girl, +however, when she saw the old woman striding towards her, changed, with +her magic wand, her sweetheart Roland into a lake, and herself into +a duck swimming in the middle of it. The witch placed herself on the +shore, threw bread-crumbs in, and gave herself every possible trouble +to entice the duck; but the duck did not let herself be enticed, and +the old woman had to go home at night as she had come. On this the girl +and her sweetheart Roland resumed their natural shapes again, and they +walked on the whole night until daybreak. Then the maiden changed herself +into a beautiful flower which stood in the midst of a briar hedge, and +her sweetheart Roland into a fiddler. It was not long before the witch +came striding up towards them, and said to the musician, "Dear musician, +may I pluck that beautiful flower for myself?" "Oh, yes," he replied, +"I will play to you while you do it." As she was hastily creeping into +the hedge and was just going to pluck the flower, for she well knew +who the flower was, he began to play, and whether she would or not, she +was forced to dance, for it was a magical dance. The quicker he played, +the more violent springs was she forced to make, and the thorns tore her +clothes from her body, and pricked her and wounded her till she bled, +and as he did not stop, she had to dance till she lay dead on the ground. + +When they were delivered, Roland said, "Now I will go to my father +and arrange for the wedding." "Then in the meantime I will stay here +and wait for thee," said the girl, "and that no one may recognize me, +I will change myself into a red stone land-mark." Then Roland went away, +and the girl stood like a red land-mark in the field and waited for her +beloved. But when Roland got home, he fell into the snares of another, +who prevailed on him so far that he forgot the maiden. The poor girl +remained there a long time, but at length, as he did not return at all, +she was sad, and changed herself into a flower, and thought, "Some one +will surely come this way, and trample me down." + +It befell, however, that a shepherd kept his sheep in the field, and +saw the flower, and as it was so pretty, plucked it, took it with him, +and laid it away in his chest. From that time forth, strange things +happened in the shepherd's house. When he arose in the morning, all +the work was already done, the room was swept, the table and benches +cleaned, the fire on the hearth was lighted, and the water was fetched, +and at noon, when he came home, the table was laid, and a good dinner +served. He could not conceive how this came to pass, for he never saw +a human being in his house, and no one could have concealed himself +in it. He was certainly pleased with this good attendance, but still +at last he was so afraid that he went to a wise woman and asked for +her advice. The wise woman said, "There is some enchantment behind it, +listen very early some morning if anything is moving in the room, and if +thou seest anything, let it be what it may, throw a white cloth over it, +and then the magic will be stopped." + +The shepherd did as she bade him, and next morning just as day dawned, +he saw the chest open, and the flower come out. Swiftly he sprang towards +it, and threw a white cloth over it. Instantly the transformation came to +an end, and a beautiful girl stood before him, who owned to him that she +had been the flower, and that up to this time she had attended to his +housekeeping. She told him her story, and as she pleased him he asked +her if she would marry him, but she answered, "No," for she wanted to +remain faithful to her sweetheart Roland, although he had deserted her, +but she promised not to go away, but to keep house for the shepherd for +the future. + +And now the time drew near when Roland's wedding was to be celebrated, +and then, according to an old custom in the country, it was announced +that all the girls were to be present at it, and sing in honour of the +bridal pair. When the faithful maiden heard of this, she grew so sad +that she thought her heart would break, and she would not go thither, +but the other girls came and took her. When it came to her turn to +sing, she stepped back, until at last she was the only one left, and +then she could not refuse. But when she began her song, and it reached +Roland's ears, he sprang up and cried, "I know the voice, that is the +true bride, I will have no other!" Everything he had forgotten, and +which had vanished from his mind, had suddenly come home again to his +heart. Then the faithful maiden held her wedding with her sweetheart +Roland, and grief came to an end and joy began. + + + +57 The Golden Bird + +In the olden time there was a king, who had behind his palace a beautiful +pleasure-garden in which there was a tree that bore golden apples. When +the apples were getting ripe they were counted, but on the very next +morning one was missing. This was told to the King, and he ordered that +a watch should be kept every night beneath the tree. + +The King had three sons, the eldest of whom he sent, as soon as night +came on, into the garden; but when midnight came he could not keep +himself from sleeping, and next morning again an apple was gone. + +The following night the second son had to keep watch, it fared no better +with him; as soon as twelve o'clock had struck he fell asleep, and in +the morning an apple was gone. + +Now it came to the turn of the third son to watch; and he was quite ready, +but the King had not much trust in him, and thought that he would be of +less use even than his brothers; but at last he let him go. The youth +lay down beneath the tree, but kept awake, and did not let sleep master +him. When it struck twelve, something rustled through the air, and in +the moonlight he saw a bird coming whose feathers were all shining with +gold. The bird alighted on the tree, and had just plucked off an apple, +when the youth shot an arrow at him. The bird flew off, but the arrow +had struck his plumage, and one of his golden feathers fell down. The +youth picked it up, and the next morning took it to the King and told +him what he had seen in the night. The King called his council together, +and everyone declared that a feather like this was worth more than +the whole kingdom. "If the feather is so precious," declared the King, +"one alone will not do for me; I must and will have the whole bird!" + +The eldest son set out; he trusted to his cleverness, and thought that +he would easily find the Golden Bird. When he had gone some distance he +saw a Fox sitting at the edge of a wood, so he cocked his gun and took +aim at him. The Fox cried, "Do not shoot me! and in return I will give +you some good counsel. You are on the way to the Golden Bird; and this +evening you will come to a village in which stand two inns opposite to +one another. One of them is lighted up brightly, and all goes on merrily +within, but do not go into it; go rather into the other, even though it +seems a bad one." "How can such a silly beast give wise advice?" thought +the King's son, and he pulled the trigger. But he missed the Fox, who +stretched out his tail and ran quickly into the wood. + +So he pursued his way, and by evening came to the village where the two +inns were; in one they were singing and dancing; the other had a poor, +miserable look. "I should be a fool, indeed," he thought, "if I were to +go into the shabby tavern, and pass by the good one." So he went into +the cheerful one, lived there in riot and revel, and forgot the bird +and his father, and all good counsels. + +When some time had passed, and the eldest son for month after month +did not come back home, the second set out, wishing to find the Golden +Bird. The Fox met him as he had met the eldest, and gave him the good +advice of which he took no heed. He came to the two inns, and his brother +was standing at the window of the one from which came the music, and +called out to him. He could not resist, but went inside and lived only +for pleasure. + +Again some time passed, and then the King's youngest son wanted to set off +and try his luck, but his father would not allow it. "It is of no use," +said he, "he will find the Golden Bird still less than his brothers, +and if a mishap were to befall him he knows not how to help himself; +he is a little wanting at the best." But at last, as he had no peace, +he let him go. + +Again the Fox was sitting outside the wood, and begged for his life, +and offered his good advice. The youth was good-natured, and said, +"Be easy, little Fox, I will do you no harm." "You shall not repent it," +answered the Fox; "and that you may get on more quickly, get up behind +on my tail." And scarcely had he seated himself when the Fox began to +run, and away he went over stock and stone till his hair whistled in +the wind. When they came to the village the youth got off; he followed +the good advice, and without looking round turned into the little inn, +where he spent the night quietly. + +The next morning, as soon as he got into the open country, there sat the +Fox already, and said, "I will tell you further what you have to do. Go +on quite straight, and at last you will come to a castle, in front of +which a whole regiment of soldiers is lying, but do not trouble yourself +about them, for they will all be asleep and snoring. Go through the +midst of them straight into the castle, and go through all the rooms, +till at last you will come to a chamber where a Golden Bird is hanging +in a wooden cage. Close by, there stands an empty gold cage for show, +but beware of taking the bird out of the common cage and putting it into +the fine one, or it may go badly with you." With these words the Fox +again stretched out his tail, and the King's son seated himself upon it, +and away he went over stock and stone till his hair whistled in the wind. + +When he came to the castle he found everything as the Fox had said. The +King's son went into the chamber where the Golden Bird was shut up in +a wooden cage, whilst a golden one stood hard by; and the three golden +apples lay about the room. "But," thought he, "it would be absurd if +I were to leave the beautiful bird in the common and ugly cage," so he +opened the door, laid hold of it, and put it into the golden cage. But at +the same moment the bird uttered a shrill cry. The soldiers awoke, rushed +in, and took him off to prison. The next morning he was taken before a +court of justice, and as he confessed everything, was sentenced to death. + +The King, however, said that he would grant him his life on one condition +namely, if he brought him the Golden Horse which ran faster than the +wind; and in that case he should receive, over and above, as a reward, +the Golden Bird. + +The King's son set off, but he sighed and was sorrowful, for how was +he to find the Golden Horse? But all at once he saw his old friend the +Fox sitting on the road. "Look you," said the Fox, "this has happened +because you did not give heed to me. However, be of good courage. I +will give you my help, and tell you how to get to the Golden Horse. You +must go straight on, and you will come to a castle, where in the stable +stands the horse. The grooms will be lying in front of the stable; +but they will be asleep and snoring, and you can quietly lead out the +Golden Horse. But of one thing you must take heed; put on him the common +saddle of wood and leather, and not the golden one, which hangs close +by, else it will go ill with you." Then the Fox stretched out his tail, +the King's son seated himself upon it, and away he went over stock and +stone until his hair whistled in the wind. + +Everything happened just as the Fox had said; the prince came to the +stable in which the Golden Horse was standing, but just as he was going to +put the common saddle upon him, he thought, "It will be a shame to such +a beautiful beast, if I do not give him the good saddle which belongs to +him by right." But scarcely had the golden saddle touched the horse than +he began to neigh loudly. The grooms awoke, seized the youth, and threw +him into prison. The next morning he was sentenced by the court to death; +but the King promised to grant him his life, and the Golden Horse as well, +if he could bring back the beautiful princess from the Golden Castle. + +With a heavy heart the youth set out; yet luckily for him he soon +found the trusty Fox. "I ought only to leave you to your ill-luck," +said the Fox, "but I pity you, and will help you once more out of your +trouble. This road takes you straight to the Golden Castle, you will +reach it by eventide; and at night when everything is quiet the beautiful +princess goes to the bathing-house to bathe. When she enters it, run up +to her and give her a kiss, then she will follow you, and you can take +her away with you; only do not allow her to take leave of her parents +first, or it will go ill with you." + +Then the Fox stretched out his tail, the King's son seated himself upon +it, and away the Fox went, over stock and stone, till his hair whistled +in the wind. + +When he reached the Golden Castle it was just as the Fox had said. He +waited until midnight, when everything lay in deep sleep, and the +beautiful princess was going to the bathing-house. Then he sprang out +and gave her a kiss. She said that she would like to go with him, but she +asked him pitifully, and with tears, to allow her first to take leave of +her parents. At first he withstood her prayer, but when she wept more +and more, and fell at his feet, he at last gave in. But no sooner had +the maiden reached the bedside of her father than he and all the rest +in the castle awoke, and the youth was laid hold of and put into prison. + +The next morning the King said to him, "Your life is forfeited, and you +can only find mercy if you take away the hill which stands in front +of my windows, and prevents my seeing beyond it; and you must finish +it all within eight days. If you do that you shall have my daughter as +your reward." + +The King's son began, and dug and shovelled without leaving off, but +when after seven days he saw how little he had done, and how all his +work was as good as nothing, he fell into great sorrow and gave up all +hope. But on the evening of the seventh day the Fox appeared and said, +"You do not deserve that I should take any trouble about you; but just +go away and lie down to sleep, and I will do the work for you." + +The next morning when he awoke and looked out of the window the hill had +gone. The youth ran, full of joy, to the King, and told him that the task +was fulfilled, and whether he liked it or not, the King had to hold to +his word and give him his daughter. + +So the two set forth together, and it was not long before the trusty Fox +came up with them. "You have certainly got what is best," said he, "but +the Golden Horse also belongs to the maiden of the Golden Castle." "How +shall I get it?" asked the youth. "That I will tell you," answered the +Fox; "first take the beautiful maiden to the King who sent you to the +Golden Castle. There will be unheard-of rejoicing; they will gladly give +you the Golden Horse, and will bring it out to you. Mount it as soon +as possible, and offer your hand to all in farewell; last of all to the +beautiful maiden. And as soon as you have taken her hand swing her up on +to the horse, and gallop away, and no one will be able to bring you back, +for the horse runs faster than the wind." + +All was carried out successfully, and the King's son carried off the +beautiful princess on the Golden Horse. + +The Fox did not remain behind, and he said to the youth, "Now I will +help you to get the Golden Bird. When you come near to the castle where +the Golden Bird is to be found, let the maiden get down, and I will take +her into my care. Then ride with the Golden Horse into the castle-yard; +there will be great rejoicing at the sight, and they will bring out the +Golden Bird for you. As soon as you have the cage in your hand gallop +back to us, and take the maiden away again." + +When the plan had succeeded, and the King's son was about to ride +home with his treasures, the Fox said, "Now you shall reward me for my +help." "What do you require for it?" asked the youth. "When you get into +the wood yonder, shoot me dead, and chop off my head and feet." + +"That would be fine gratitude," said the King's son. "I cannot possibly +do that for you." + +The Fox said, "If you will not do it I must leave you, but before +I go away I will give you a piece of good advice. Be careful about +two things. Buy no gallows'-flesh, and do not sit at the edge of any +well." And then he ran into the wood. + +The youth thought, "That is a wonderful beast, he has strange whims; +who is going to buy gallows'-flesh? and the desire to sit at the edge +of a well it has never yet seized me." + +He rode on with the beautiful maiden, and his road took him again through +the village in which his two brothers had remained. There was a great +stir and noise, and, when he asked what was going on, he was told that +two men were going to be hanged. As he came nearer to the place he saw +that they were his brothers, who had been playing all kinds of wicked +pranks, and had squandered all their wealth. He inquired whether they +could not be set free. "If you will pay for them," answered the people; +"but why should you waste your money on wicked men, and buy them free." He +did not think twice about it, but paid for them, and when they were set +free they all went on their way together. + +They came to the wood where the Fox had first met them, as it was cool +and pleasant within it, the two brothers said, "Let us rest a little by +the well, and eat and drink." He agreed, and whilst they were talking he +forgot himself, and sat down upon the edge of the well without thinking +of any evil. But the two brothers threw him backwards into the well, took +the maiden, the Horse, and the Bird, and went home to their father. "Here +we bring you not only the Golden Bird," said they; "we have won the +Golden Horse also, and the maiden from the Golden Castle." Then was +there great joy; but the Horse would not eat, the Bird would not sing, +and the maiden sat and wept. + +But the youngest brother was not dead. By good fortune the well was +dry, and he fell upon soft moss without being hurt, but he could not +get out again. Even in this strait the faithful Fox did not leave him: +it came and leapt down to him, and upbraided him for having forgotten +its advice. "But yet I cannot give it up so," he said; "I will help you +up again into daylight." He bade him grasp his tail and keep tight hold +of it; and then he pulled him up. + +"You are not out of all danger yet," said the Fox. "Your brothers were +not sure of your death, and have surrounded the wood with watchers, +who are to kill you if you let yourself be seen." But a poor man was +sitting upon the road, with whom the youth changed clothes, and in this +way he got to the King's palace. + +No one knew him, but the Bird began to sing, the Horse began to eat, +and the beautiful maiden left off weeping. The King, astonished, asked, +"What does this mean?" Then the maiden said, "I do not know, but I have +been so sorrowful and now I am so happy! I feel as if my true bridegroom +had come." She told him all that had happened, although the other brothers +had threatened her with death if she were to betray anything. + +The King commanded that all people who were in his castle should be +brought before him; and amongst them came the youth in his ragged +clothes; but the maiden knew him at once and fell upon his neck. The +wicked brothers were seized and put to death, but he was married to the +beautiful maiden and declared heir to the King. + +But how did it fare with the poor Fox? Long afterwards the King's son +was once again walking in the wood, when the Fox met him and said, "You +have everything now that you can wish for, but there is never an end to +my misery, and yet it is in your power to free me," and again he asked +him with tears to shoot him dead and chop off his head and feet. So he +did it, and scarcely was it done when the Fox was changed into a man, +and was no other than the brother of the beautiful princess, who at +last was freed from the magic charm which had been laid upon him. And +now nothing more was wanting to their happiness as long as they lived. + + + +58 The Dog and the Sparrow + +A sheep-dog had not a good master, but, on the contrary, one who let +him suffer hunger. As he could stay no longer with him, he went quite +sadly away. On the road he met a sparrow who said, "Brother dog, why +art thou so sad?" The dog replied, "I am hungry, and have nothing to +eat." Then said the sparrow, "Dear brother, come into the town with me, +and I will satisfy thy hunger." So they went into the town together, +and when they came in front of a butcher's shop the sparrow said to +the dog, "Stay there, and I will pick a bit of meat down for thee," +and he alighted on the stall, looked about him to see that no one +was observing him, and pecked and pulled and tore so long at a piece +which lay on the edge, that it slipped down. Then the dog seized it, +ran into a corner, and devoured it. The sparrow said, "Now come with +me to another shop, and then I will get thee one more piece that thou +mayst be satisfied." When the dog had devoured the second piece as well, +the sparrow asked, "Brother dog, hast thou now had enough?" "Yes, I have +had meat enough," he answered, "but I have had no bread yet." Said the +sparrow, "Thou shalt have that also, come with me." Then he took him to +a baker's shop, and pecked at a couple of little buns till they rolled +down, and as the dog wanted still more, he led him to another stall, +and again got bread for him. When that was consumed, the sparrow said, +"Brother dog, hast thou now had enough?" "Yes," he replied, "now we +will walk awhile outside the town." Then they both went out on to +the highway. It was, however, warm weather, and when they had walked a +little way the dog said, "I am tired, and would like to sleep." "Well, do +sleep," answered the sparrow, "and in the meantime I will seat myself on +a branch." So the dog lay down on the road, and fell fast asleep. Whilst +he lay sleeping there, a waggoner came driving by, who had a cart with +three horses, laden with two barrels of wine. The sparrow, however, +saw that he was not going to turn aside, but was staying in the wheel +track in which the dog was lying, so it cried, "Waggoner, don't do it, +or I will make thee poor." The waggoner, however, growled to himself, +"Thou wilt not make me poor," and cracked his whip and drove the cart +over the dog, and the wheels killed him. Then the sparrow cried, "Thou +hast run over my brother dog and killed him, it shall cost thee thy cart +and horses." "Cart and horses indeed!" said the waggoner. "What harm +canst thou do me?" and drove onwards. Then the sparrow crept under the +cover of the cart, and pecked so long at the same bung-hole that he got +the bung out, and then all the wine ran out without the driver noticing +it. But once when he was looking behind him he saw that the cart was +dripping, and looked at the barrels and saw that one of them was empty. +"Unfortunate fellow that I am," cried he. "Not unfortunate enough yet," +said the sparrow, and flew on to the head of one of the horses and pecked +his eyes out. When the driver saw that, he drew out his axe and wanted to +hit the sparrow, but the sparrow flew into the air, and he hit his horse +on the head, and it fell down dead. "Oh, what an unfortunate man I am," +cried he. "Not unfortunate enough yet," said the sparrow, and when the +driver drove on with the two hoses, the sparrow again crept under the +cover, and pecked the bung out of the second cask, so all the wine was +spilt. When the driver became aware of it, he again cried, "Oh, what an +unfortunate man I am," but the sparrow replied, "Not unfortunate enough +yet," and seated himself on the head of the second horse, and pecked +his eyes out. The driver ran up to it and raised his axe to strike, +but the sparrow flew into the air and the blow struck the horse, which +fell. "Oh, what an unfortunate man I am." "Not unfortunate enough yet," +said the sparrow, and lighted on the third horse's head, and pecked out +his eyes. The driver, in his rage, struck at the sparrow without looking +round, and did not hit him but killed his third horse likewise. "Oh, +what an unfortunate man I am," cried he. "Not unfortunate enough yet," +answered the sparrow. "Now will I make thee unfortunate in thy home," +and flew away. + +The driver had to leave the waggon standing, and full of anger and +vexation went home. "Ah," said he to his wife, "what misfortunes I have +had! My wine has run out, and the horses are all three dead!" "Alas, +husband," she answered, "what a malicious bird has come into the +house! It has gathered together every bird there is in the world, and +they have fallen on our corn up there, and are devouring it." Then he +went upstairs, and thousands and thousands of birds were sitting in the +loft and had eaten up all the corn, and the sparrow was sitting in the +midst of them. Then the driver cried, "Oh, what an unfortunate man I am?" + +"Not unfortunate enough yet!" answered the sparrow; "waggoner, it shall +cost thee thy life as well," and flew out. + +Then the waggoner had lost all his property, and he went downstairs +into the room, sat down behind the stove and was quite furious and +bitter. But the sparrow sat outside in front of the window, and cried, +"Waggoner, it shall cost thee thy life." Then the waggoner snatched the +axe and threw it at the sparrow, but it only broke the window, and did +not hit the bird. The sparrow now hopped in, placed itself on the stove +and cried, "Waggoner, it shall cost thee thy life." The latter, quite mad +and blind with rage, smote the stove in twain, and as the sparrow flew +from one place to another so it fared with all his household furniture, +looking-glass, benches, table, and at last the walls of his house, +and yet he could not hit the bird. At length, however, he caught it +with his hand. Then his wife said, "Shall I kill it?" "No," cried he, +"that would be too merciful. It shall die much more cruelly," and he +took it and swallowed it whole. The sparrow, however, began to flutter +about in his body, and fluttered up again into the man's mouth; then it +stretched out its head, and cried, "Waggoner, it shall still cost thee +thy life." The driver gave the axe to his wife, and said, "Wife, kill +the bird in my mouth for me." The woman struck, but missed her blow, +and hit the waggoner right on his head, so that he fell dead. But the +sparrow flew up and away. + + + +59 Frederick and Catherine + +There was once on a time a man who was called Frederick and a woman called +Catherine, who had married each other and lived together as young married +folks. One day Frederick said, "I will now go and plough, Catherine; +when I come back, there must be some roast meat on the table for hunger, +and a fresh draught for thirst." "Just go, Frederick," answered Kate, +"just go, I will have all ready for you." Therefore when dinner-time +drew near she got a sausage out of the chimney, put it in the frying-pan, +put some butter to it, and set it on the fire. The sausage began to fry +and to hiss, Catherine stood beside it and held the handle of the pan, +and had her own thoughts as she was doing it. Then it occurred to her, +"While the sausage is getting done thou couldst go into the cellar and +draw beer." So she set the frying-pan safely on the fire, took a can, +and went down into the cellar to draw beer. The beer ran into the can +and Kate watched it, and then she thought, "Oh, dear! The dog upstairs +is not fastened up, it might get the sausage out of the pan. Well thought +of." And in a trice she was up the cellar-steps again, but the Spitz had +the sausage in its mouth already, and trailed it away on the ground. But +Catherine, who was not idle, set out after it, and chased it a long way +into the field; the dog, however, was swifter than Catherine and did +not let the sausage journey easily, but skipped over the furrows with +it. "What's gone is gone!" said Kate, and turned round, and as she had +run till she was weary, she walked quietly and comfortably, and cooled +herself. During this time the beer was still running out of the cask, +for Kate had not turned the tap. And when the can was full and there +was no other place for it, it ran into the cellar and did not stop +until the whole cask was empty. As soon as Kate was on the steps she +saw the mischance. "Good gracious!" she cried. "What shall I do now +to stop Frederick knowing it!" She thought for a while, and at last she +remembered that up in the garret was still standing a sack of the finest +wheat flour from the last fair, and she would fetch that down and strew +it over the beer. "Yes," said she, "he who saves a thing when he ought, +has it afterwards when he needs it," and she climbed up to the garret +and carried the sack below, and threw it straight down on the can of +beer, which she knocked over, and Frederick's draught swam also in +the cellar. "It is all right," said Kate, "where the one is the other +ought to be also," and she strewed the meal over the whole cellar. When +it was done she was heartily delighted with her work, and said, "How +clean and wholesome it does look here!" At mid-day home came Frederick: +"Now, wife, what have you ready for me?" "Ah, Freddy," she answered, +"I was frying a sausage for you, but whilst I was drawing the beer to +drink with it, the dog took it away out of the pan, and whilst I was +running after the dog, all the beer ran out, and whilst I was drying up +the beer with the flour, I knocked over the can as well, but be easy, +the cellar is quite dry again." Said Frederick, "Kate, Kate, you should +not have done that! to let the sausage be carried off and the beer run +out of the cask, and throw out all our flour into the bargain!" "Indeed, +Frederick, I did not know that, you should have told me." The man thought, +"If my wife is like this, I must look after things more." Now he had +got together a good number of thalers which he changed into gold, +and said to Catherine, "Look, these are counters for playing games; +I will put them in a pot and bury them in the stable under the cow's +manger, but mind you keep away from them, or it will be the worse for +you." Said she, "Oh, no, Frederick, I certainly will not go." And when +Frederick was gone some pedlars came into the village who had cheap +earthen-bowls and pots, and asked the young woman if there was nothing +she wanted to bargain with them for? "Oh, dear people," said Catherine, +"I have no money and can buy nothing, but if you have any use for yellow +counters I will buy of you." "Yellow counters, why not? But just let +us see them." "Then go into the stable and dig under the cow's manger, +and you will find the yellow counters. I am not allowed to go there." The +rogues went thither, dug and found pure gold. Then they laid hold of it, +ran away, and left their pots and bowls behind in the house. Catherine +though she must use her new things, and as she had no lack in the +kitchen already without these, she knocked the bottom out of every pot, +and set them all as ornaments on the paling which went round about +the house. When Frederick came and saw the new decorations, he said, +"Catherine, what have you been about?" "I have bought them, Frederick, +for the counters which were under the cow's manger. I did not go there +myself, the pedlars had to dig them out for themselves." "Ah, wife," said +Frederick, "what have you done? Those were not counters, but pure gold, +and all our wealth; you should not have done that." "Indeed, Frederick," +said she, "I did not know that, you should have forewarned me." + +Catherine stood for a while and bethought to herself; then she said, +"Listen, Frederick, we will soon get the gold back again, we will run +after the thieves." "Come, then," said Frederick, "we will try it; +but take with you some butter and cheese that we may have something to +eat on the way." "Yes, Frederick, I will take them." They set out, and +as Frederick was the better walker, Catherine followed him. "It is to +my advantage," thought she, "when we turn back I shall be a little way +in advance." Then she came to a hill where there were deep ruts on both +sides of the road. "There one can see," said Catherine, "how they have +torn and skinned and galled the poor earth, it will never be whole again +as long as it lives," and in her heart's compassion she took her butter +and smeared the ruts right and left, that they might not be so hurt by +the wheels, and as she was thus bending down in her charity, one of the +cheeses rolled out of her pocket down the hill. Said Catherine, "I have +made my way once up here, I will not go down again; another may run and +fetch it back." So she took another cheese and rolled it down. But the +cheeses did not come back, so she let a third run down, thinking. "Perhaps +they are waiting for company, and do not like to walk alone." As all +three stayed away she said, "I do not know what that can mean, but it +may perhaps be that the third has not found the way, and has gone wrong, +I will just send the fourth to call it." But the fourth did no better than +the third. Then Catherine was angry, and threw down the fifth and sixth +as well, and these were her last. She remained standing for some time +watching for their coming, but when they still did not come, she said, +"Oh, you are good folks to send in search of death, you stay a fine long +time away! Do you think I will wait any longer for you? I shall go my way, +you may run after me; you have younger legs than I." Catherine went on +and found Frederick, who was standing waiting for her because he wanted +something to eat. "Now just let us have what you have brought with you," +said he. She gave him the dry bread. "Where have you the butter and +the cheeses?" asked the man. "Ah, Freddy," said Catherine, "I smeared +the cart-ruts with the butter and the cheeses will come soon; one ran +away from me, so I sent the others after to call it." Said Frederick, +"You should not have done that, Catherine, to smear the butter on the +road, and let the cheeses run down the hill!" "Really, Frederick, you +should have told me." Then they ate the dry bread together, and Frederick +said, "Catherine, did you make the house safe when you came away?" "No, +Frederick, you should have told me to do it before." "Then go home again, +and make the house safe before we go any farther, and bring with you +something else to eat. I will wait here for you." Catherine went back and +thought, "Frederick wants something more to eat, he does not like butter +and cheese, so I will take with me a handkerchief full of dried pears and +a pitcher of vinegar for him to drink." Then she bolted the upper half +of the door fast, but unhinged the lower door, and took it on her back, +believing that when she had placed the door in security the house must +be well taken care of. Catherine took her time on the way, and thought, +"Frederick will rest himself so much the longer." When she had once +reached him she said, "Here is the house-door for you, Frederick, and +now you can take care of the house yourself." "Oh, heavens," said he, +"what a wise wife I have! She takes the under-door off the hinges that +everything may run in, and bolts the upper one. It is now too late to +go back home again, but since you have brought the door here, you shall +just carry it farther." "I will carry the door, Frederick, but the dried +pears and the vinegar-jug will be too heavy for me, I will hang them on +the door, it may carry them." + +And now they went into the forest, and sought the rogues, but did not find +them. At length as it grew dark they climbed into a tree and resolved to +spend the night there. Scarcely, however, had they sat down at the top of +it than the rascals came thither who carry away with them what does not +want to go, and find things before they are lost. They sat down under the +very tree in which Frederick and Catherine were sitting, lighted a fire, +and were about to share their booty. Frederick got down on the other +side and collected some stones together. Then he climbed up again with +them, and wished to throw them at the thieves and kill them. The stones, +however, did not hit them, and the knaves cried, "It will soon be morning, +the wind is shaking down the fir-apples." Catherine still had the door on +her back, and as it pressed so heavily on her, she thought it was the +fault of the dried pears, and said, "Frederick, I must throw the pears +down." "No, Catherine, not now," he replied, "they might betray us." "Oh, +but, Frederick, I must! They weigh me down far too much." "Do it, then, +and be hanged!" Then the dried pears rolled down between the branches, +and the rascals below said, "The leaves are falling." + +A short time afterwards, as the door was still heavy, Catherine said, +"Ah, Frederick, I must pour out the vinegar." "No, Catherine, you must +not, it might betray us." "Ah, but, Frederick, I must, it weighs me +down far too much." "Then do it and be hanged!" So she emptied out the +vinegar, and it besprinkled the robbers. They said amongst themselves, +"The dew is already falling." At length Catherine thought, "Can it really +be the door which weighs me down so?" and said, "Frederick, I must throw +the door down." "No, not now, Catherine, it might discover us." "Oh, but, +Frederick, I must. It weighs me down far too much." "Oh, no, Catherine, +do hold it fast." "Ah, Frederick, I am letting it fall!" "Let it go, +then, in the devil's name." Then it fell down with a violent clatter, +and the rascals below cried, "The devil is coming down the tree!" and +they ran away and left everything behind them. Early next morning, when +the two came down they found all their gold again, and carried it home. + +When they were once more at home, Frederick said, "And now, Catherine, +you, too, must be industrious and work." "Yes, Frederick, I will soon do +that, I will go into the field and cut corn." When Catherine got into the +field, she said to herself, "Shall I eat before I cut, or shall I sleep +before I cut? Oh, I will eat first." Then Catherine ate and eating made +her sleepy, and she began to cut, and half in a dream cut all her clothes +to pieces, her apron, her gown, and her shift. When Catherine awoke again +after a long sleep she was standing there half-naked, and said to herself, +"Is it I, or is it not I? Alas, it is not I." In the meantime night came, +and Catherine ran into the village, knocked at her husband's window, +and cried, "Frederick." + +"What is the matter?" "I should very much like to know if Catherine is +in?" "Yes, yes," replied Frederick, "she must be in and asleep." + +Said she, "'Tis well, then I am certainly at home already," and ran away. + +Outside Catherine found some vagabonds who were going to steal. Then she +went to them and said, "I will help you to steal." The rascals thought +that she knew the situation of the place, and were willing. Catherine +went in front of the houses, and cried, "Good folks, have you anything? We +want to steal." The thieves thought to themselves, "That's a fine way of +doing things," and wished themselves once more rid of Catherine. Then +they said to her, "Outside the village the pastor has some turnips in +the field. Go there and pull up some turnips for us." Catherine went to +the ground, and began to pull them up, but was so idle that she did not +gather them together. Then a man came by, saw her, and stood still and +thought that it was the devil who was thus rooting amongst the turnips. +He ran away into the village to the pastor, and said, "Mr. Pastor, +the devil is in your turnip-ground, rooting up turnips." "Ah, heavens," +answered the pastor, "I have a lame foot, I cannot go out and drive him +away." Said the man, "Then I will carry you on my back," and he carried +him out on his back. And when they came to the ground, Catherine arose +and stood up her full height. "Ah, the devil!" cried the pastor, and +both hurried away, and in his great fright the pastor could run better +with his lame foot than the man who had carried him on his back could +do with his sound one. + + + +60 The Two Brothers + +There were once upon a time two brothers, one rich and the other +poor. The rich one was a goldsmith and evil-hearted. The poor one +supported himself by making brooms, and was good and honourable. The +poor one had two children, who were twin brothers and as like each other +as two drops of water. The two boys went backwards and forwards to the +rich house, and often got some of the scraps to eat. It happened once +when the poor man was going into the forest to fetch brush-wood, that +he saw a bird which was quite golden and more beautiful than any he had +ever chanced to meet with. He picked up a small stone, threw it at him, +and was lucky enough to hit him, but one golden feather only fell down, +and the bird flew away. The man took the feather and carried it to his +brother, who looked at it and said, "It is pure gold!" and gave him a +great deal of money for it. Next day the man climbed into a birch-tree, +and was about to cut off a couple of branches when the same bird flew +out, and when the man searched he found a nest, and an egg lay inside +it, which was of gold. He took the egg home with him, and carried it +to his brother, who again said, "It is pure gold," and gave him what +it was worth. At last the goldsmith said, "I should indeed like to have +the bird itself." The poor man went into the forest for the third time, +and again saw the golden bird sitting on the tree, so he took a stone and +brought it down and carried it to his brother, who gave him a great heap +of gold for it. "Now I can get on," thought he, and went contentedly home. + +The goldsmith was crafty and cunning, and knew very well what kind of +a bird it was. He called his wife and said, "Roast me the gold bird, +and take care that none of it is lost. I have a fancy to eat it all +myself." The bird, however, was no common one, but of so wondrous a kind +that whosoever ate its heart and liver found every morning a piece of +gold beneath his pillow. The woman made the bird ready, put it on the +spit, and let it roast. Now it happened that while it was at the fire, +and the woman was forced to go out of the kitchen on account of some +other work, the two children of the poor broom-maker ran in, stood by +the spit and turned it round once or twice. And as at that very moment +two little bits of the bird fell down into the dripping-tin, one of the +boys said, "We will eat these two little bits; I am so hungry, and no +one will ever miss them." Then the two ate the pieces, but the woman +came into the kitchen and saw that they were eating something and said, +"What have ye been eating?" "Two little morsels which fell out of the +bird," answered they. "That must have been the heart and the liver," +said the woman, quite frightened, and in order that her husband might +not miss them and be angry, she quickly killed a young cock, took out +his heart and liver, and put them beside the golden bird. When it was +ready, she carried it to the goldsmith, who consumed it all alone, and +left none of it. Next morning, however, when he felt beneath his pillow, +and expected to bring out the piece of gold, no more gold pieces were +there than there had always been. + +The two children did not know what a piece of good-fortune had fallen +to their lot. Next morning when they arose, something fell rattling to +the ground, and when they picked it up there were two gold pieces! They +took them to their father, who was astonished and said, "How can that +have happened?" When next morning they again found two, and so on daily, +he went to his brother and told him the strange story. The goldsmith at +once knew how it had come to pass, and that the children had eaten the +heart and liver of the golden bird, and in order to revenge himself, +and because he was envious and hard-hearted, he said to the father, +"Thy children are in league with the Evil One, do not take the gold, and +do not suffer them to stay any longer in thy house, for he has them in +his power, and may ruin thee likewise." The father feared the Evil One, +and painful as it was to him, he nevertheless led the twins forth into +the forest, and with a sad heart left them there. + +And now the two children ran about the forest, and sought the way home +again, but could not find it, and only lost themselves more and more. At +length they met with a huntsman, who asked, "To whom do you children +belong?" "We are the poor broom-maker's boys," they replied, and they +told him that their father would not keep them any longer in the house +because a piece of gold lay every morning under their pillows. "Come," +said the huntsman, "that is nothing so very bad, if at the same time +you keep honest, and are not idle." As the good man liked the children, +and had none of his own, he took them home with him and said, "I will be +your father, and bring you up till you are big." They learnt huntsmanship +from him, and the piece of gold which each of them found when he awoke, +was kept for them by him in case they should need it in the future. + +When they were grown up, their foster-father one day took them into the +forest with him, and said, "To-day shall you make your trial shot, so that +I may release you from your apprenticeship, and make you huntsmen." They +went with him to lie in wait and stayed there a long time, but no game +appeared. The huntsman, however, looked above him and saw a covey of +wild geese flying in the form of a triangle, and said to one of them, +"Shoot me down one from each corner." He did it, and thus accomplished +his trial shot. Soon after another covey came flying by in the form of +the figure two, and the huntsman bade the other also bring down one +from each corner, and his trial shot was likewise successful. "Now," +said the foster-father, "I pronounce you out of your apprenticeship; +you are skilled huntsmen." Thereupon the two brothers went forth +together into the forest, and took counsel with each other and planned +something. And in the evening when they had sat down to supper, they said +to their foster-father, "We will not touch food, or take one mouthful, +until you have granted us a request." Said he, "What, then, is your +request?" They replied, "We have now finished learning, and we must +prove ourselves in the world, so allow us to go away and travel." Then +spake the old man joyfully, "You talk like brave huntsmen, that which +you desire has been my wish; go forth, all will go well with you." +Thereupon they ate and drank joyously together. + +When the appointed day came, their foster-father presented each of them +with a good gun and a dog, and let each of them take as many of his +saved-up gold pieces as he chose. Then he accompanied them a part of +the way, and when taking leave, he gave them a bright knife, and said, +"If ever you separate, stick this knife into a tree at the place where +you part, and when one of you goes back, he will will be able to see how +his absent brother is faring, for the side of the knife which is turned +in the direction by which he went, will rust if he dies, but will remain +bright as long as he is alive." The two brothers went still farther +onwards, and came to a forest which was so large that it was impossible +for them to get out of it in one day. So they passed the night in it, +and ate what they had put in their hunting-pouches, but they walked all +the second day likewise, and still did not get out. As they had nothing +to eat, one of them said, "We must shoot something for ourselves or we +shall suffer from hunger," and loaded his gun, and looked about him. And +when an old hare came running up towards them, he laid his gun on his +shoulder, but the hare cried, + + + "Dear huntsman, do but let me live, + Two little ones to thee I'll give," + +and sprang instantly into the thicket, and brought two young ones. But the +little creatures played so merrily, and were so pretty, that the huntsmen +could not find it in their hearts to kill them. They therefore kept +them with them, and the little hares followed on foot. Soon after this, +a fox crept past; they were just going to shoot it, but the fox cried, + + + "Dear hunstman, do but let me live, + Two little ones I'll also give." + +He, too, brought two little foxes, and the huntsmen did not like to kill +them either, but gave them to the hares for company, and they followed +behind. It was not long before a wolf strode out of the thicket; the +huntsmen made ready to shoot him, but the wolf cried, + + + "Dear huntsman, do but let me live, + Two little ones I'll likewise give." + +The huntsmen put the two wolves beside the other animals, and they +followed behind them. Then a bear came who wanted to trot about a little +longer, and cried: + + + "Dear huntsman, do but let me live, + Two little ones I, too, will give." + +The two young bears were added to the others, and there were already eight +of them. At length who came? A lion came, and tossed his mane. But the +huntsmen did not let themselves be frightened and aimed at him likewise, +but the lion also said, + + + "Dear huntsman, do but let me live, + Two little ones I, too, will give." + +And he brought his little ones to them, and now the huntsmen had two +lions, two bears, two wolves, two foxes, and two hares, who followed them +and served them. In thu meantime their hunger was not appeased by this, +and they said to the foxes, "Hark ye, cunning fellows, provide us with +something to eat. You are crafty and deep." They replied, "Not far from +here lies a village, from which we have already brought many a fowl; +we will show you the way there." So they went into the village, bought +themselves something to eat, had some food given to their beasts, and +then travelled onwards. The foxes, however, knew their way very well +about the district and where the poultry-yards were, and were able to +guide the huntsmen. + +Now they travelled about for a while, but could find no situations where +they could remain together, so they said, "There is nothing else for it, +we must part." They divided the animals, so that each of them had a +lion, a bear, a wolf, a fox, and a hare, then they took leave of each +other, promised to love each other like brothers till their death, and +stuck the knife which their foster-father had given them, into a tree, +after which one went east, and the other went west. + +The younger, however, arrived with his beasts in a town which was +all hung with black crape. He went into an inn, and asked the host +if he could accommodate his animals. The innkeeper gave him a stable, +where there was a hole in the wall, and the hare crept out and fetched +himself the head of a cabbage, and the fox fetched himself a hen, and +when he had devoured that got the cock as well, but the wolf, the bear, +and the lion could not get out because they were too big. Then the +innkeeper let them be taken to a place where a cow was just then lying +on the grass, that they might eat till they were satisfied. And when the +huntsman had taken care of his animals, he asked the innkeeper why the +town was thus hung with black crape? Said the host, "Because our King's +only daughter is to die to-morrow." The huntsman inquired if she was +"sick unto death?" "No," answered the host, "she is vigorous and healthy, +nevertheless she must die!" "How is that?" asked the huntsman. "There +is a high hill without the town, whereon dwells a dragon who every year +must have a pure virgin, or he lays the whole country waste, and now all +the maidens have already been given to him, and there is no longer anyone +left but the King's daughter, yet there is no mercy for her; she must be +given up to him, and that is to be done to-morrow." Said the huntsman, +"Why is the dragon not killed?" "Ah," replied the host, "so many knights +have tried it, but it has cost all of them their lives. The King has +promised that he who conquers the dragon shall have his daughter to wife, +and shall likewise govern the kingdom after his own death." + +The huntsman said nothing more to this, but next morning took his animals, +and with them ascended the dragon's hill. A little church stood at the +top of it, and on the altar three full cups were standing, with the +inscription, "Whosoever empties the cups will become the strongest man +on earth, and will be able to wield the sword which is buried before +the threshold of the door." The huntsman did not drink, but went out +and sought for the sword in the ground, but was unable to move it from +its place. Then he went in and emptied the cups, and now he was strong +enough to take up the sword, and his hand could quite easily wield it. +When the hour came when the maiden was to be delivered over to the dragon, +the King, the marshal, and courtiers accompanied her. From afar she saw +the huntsman on the dragon's hill, and thought it was the dragon standing +there waiting for her, and did not want to go up to him, but at last, +because otherwise the whole town would have been destroyed, she was +forced to go the miserable journey. The King and courtiers returned +home full of grief; the King's marshal, however, was to stand still, +and see all from a distance. + +When the King's daughter got to the top of the hill, it was not the +dragon which stood there, but the young huntsman, who comforted her, and +said he would save her, led her into the church, and locked her in. It +was not long before the seven-headed dragon came thither with loud +roaring. When he perceived the huntsman, he was astonished and said, +"What business hast thou here on the hill?" The huntsman answered, "I +want to fight with thee." Said the dragon, "Many knights have left their +lives here, I shall soon have made an end of thee too," and he breathed +fire out of seven jaws. The fire was to have lighted the dry grass, and +the huntsman was to have been suffocated in the heat and smoke, but the +animals came running up and trampled out the fire. Then the dragon rushed +upon the huntsman, but he swung his sword until it sang through the air, +and struck off three of his heads. Then the dragon grew right furious, +and rose up in the air, and spat out flames of fire over the huntsman, +and was about to plunge down on him, but the huntsman once more drew out +his sword, and again cut off three of his heads. The monster became faint +and sank down, nevertheless it was just able to rush upon the huntsman, +but he with his last strength smote its tail off, and as he could fight +no longer, called up his animals who tore it in pieces. When the struggle +was ended, the huntsman unlocked the church, and found the King's daughter +lying on the floor, as she had lost her senses with anguish and terror +during the contest. He carried her out, and when she came to herself +once more, and opened her eyes, he showed her the dragon all cut to +pieces, and told her that she was now delivered. She rejoiced and said, +"Now thou wilt be my dearest husband, for my father has promised me +to him who kills the dragon." Thereupon she took off her necklace of +coral, and divided it amongst the animals in order to reward them, and +the lion received the golden clasp. Her pocket-handkerchief, however, +on which was her name, she gave to the huntsman, who went and cut the +tongues out of the dragon's seven heads, wrapped them in the handkerchief, +and preserved them carefully. + +That done, as he was so faint and weary with the fire and the battle, +he said to the maiden, "We are both faint and weary, we will sleep +awhile." Then she said, "yes," and they lay down on the ground, and the +huntsman said to the lion, "Thou shalt keep watch, that no one surprises +us in our sleep," and both fell asleep. The lion lay down beside them to +watch, but he also was so weary with the fight, that he called to the bear +and said, "Lie down near me, I must sleep a little: if anything comes, +waken me." Then the bear lay down beside him, but he also was tired, +and called the wolf and said, "Lie down by me, I must sleep a little, +but if anything comes, waken me." Then the wolf lay down by him, but +he was tired likewise, and called the fox and said, "Lie down by me, +I must sleep a little; if anything comes, waken me." Then the fox lay +down beside him, but he too was weary, and called the hare and said, +"Lie down near me, I must sleep a little, and if anything should come, +waken me." Then the hare sat down by him, but the poor hare was tired +too, and had no one whom he could call there to keep watch, and fell +asleep. And now the King's daughter, the huntsman, the lion, the bear, +the wolf, the fox, and the hare, were all sleeping a sound sleep. The +marshal, however, who was to look on from a distance, took courage when +he did not see the dragon flying away with the maiden, and finding that +all the hill had become quiet, ascended it. There lay the dragon hacked +and hewn to pieces on the ground, and not far from it were the King's +daughter and a huntsman with his animals, and all of them were sunk in +a sound sleep. And as he was wicked and godless he took his sword, cut +off the huntsman's head, and seized the maiden in his arms, and carried +her down the hill. Then she awoke and was terrified, but the marshal +said, "Thou art in my hands, thou shalt say that it was I who killed the +dragon." "I cannot do that," she replied, "for it was a huntsman with his +animals who did it." Then he drew his sword, and threatened to kill her +if she did not obey him, and so compelled her that she promised it. Then +he took her to the King, who did not know how to contain himself for joy +when he once more looked on his dear child in life, whom he had believed +to have been torn to pieces by the monster. The marshal said to him, +"I have killed the dragon, and delivered the maiden and the whole kingdom +as well, therefore I demand her as my wife, as was promised." The King +said to the maiden, "Is what he says true?" "Ah, yes," she answered, +"it must indeed be true, but I will not consent to have the wedding +celebrated until after a year and a day," for she thought in that time +she should hear something of her dear huntsman. + +The animals, however, were still lying sleeping beside their dead master +on the dragon's hill, and there came a great humble-bee and lighted on +the hare's nose, but the hare wiped it off with his paw, and went on +sleeping. The humble-bee came a second time, but the hare again rubbed +it off and slept on. Then it came for the third time, and stung his +nose so that he awoke. As soon as the hare was awake, he roused the fox, +and the fox, the wolf, and the wolf the bear, and the bear the lion. And +when the lion awoke and saw that the maiden was gone, and his master was +dead, he began to roar frightfully and cried, "Who has done that? Bear, +why didst thou not waken me?" The bear asked the wolf, "Why didst thou +not waken me?" and the wolf the fox, "Why didst thou not waken me?" and +the fox the hare, "Why didst thou not waken me?" The poor hare alone +did not know what answer to make, and the blame rested with him. Then +they were just going to fall upon him, but he entreated them and said, +"Kill me not, I will bring our master to life again. I know a mountain +on which a root grows which, when placed in the mouth of any one, cures +him of all illness and every wound. But the mountain lies two hundred +hours journey from here." The lion said, "In four-and-twenty hours must +thou have run thither and have come back, and have brought the root with +thee." Then the hare sprang away, and in four-and-twenty hours he was +back, and brought the root with him. The lion put the huntsman's head +on again, and the hare placed the root in his mouth, and immediately +everything united together again, and his heart beat, and life came +back. Then the huntsman awoke, and was alarmed when he did not see the +maiden, and thought, "She must have gone away whilst I was sleeping, +in order to get rid of me." The lion in his great haste had put his +master's head on the wrong way round, but the huntsman did not observe +it because of his melancholy thoughts about the King's daughter. But +at noon, when he was going to eat something, he saw that his head was +turned backwards and could not understand it, and asked the animals what +had happened to him in his sleep. Then the lion told him that they, too, +had all fallen asleep from weariness, and on awaking, had found him dead +with his head cut off, that the hare had brought the life-giving root, +and that he, in his haste, had laid hold of the head the wrong way, +but that he would repair his mistake. Then he tore the huntsman's head +off again, turned it round, and the hare healed it with the root. + +The huntsman, however, was sad at heart, and travelled about the +world, and made his animals dance before people. It came to pass that +precisely at the end of one year he came back to the same town where he +had delivered the King's daughter from the dragon, and this time the town +was gaily hung with red cloth. Then he said to the host, "What does this +mean? Last year the town was all hung with black crape, what means the +red cloth to-day?" The host answered, "Last year our King's daughter was +to have been delivered over to the dragon, but the marshal fought with +it and killed it, and so to-morrow their wedding is to be solemnized, +and that is why the town was then hung with black crape for mourning, +and is to-day covered with red cloth for joy?" + +Next day when the wedding was to take place, the huntsman said at +mid-day to the inn-keeper, "Do you believe, sir host, that I while with +you here to-day shall eat bread from the King's own table?" "Nay," said +the host, "I would bet a hundred pieces of gold that that will not come +true." The huntsman accepted the wager, and set against it a purse with +just the same number of gold pieces. Then he called the hare and said, +"Go, my dear runner, and fetch me some of the bread which the King is +eating." Now the little hare was the lowest of the animals, and could +not transfer this order to any the others, but had to get on his legs +himself. "Alas!" thought he, "if I bound through the streets thus alone, +the butchers' dogs will all be after me." It happened as he expected, and +the dogs came after him and wanted to make holes in his good skin. But he +sprang away, have you have never seen one running? and sheltered himself +in a sentry-box without the soldier being aware of it. Then the dogs +came and wanted to have him out, but the soldier did not understand a +jest, and struck them with the butt-end of his gun, till they ran away +yelling and howling. As soon as the hare saw that the way was clear, +he ran into the palace and straight to the King's daughter, sat down +under her chair, and scratched at her foot. Then she said, "Wilt thou +get away?" and thought it was her dog. The hare scratched her foot for +the second time, and she again said, "Wilt thou get away?" and thought it +was her dog. But the hare did not let itself be turned from its purpose, +and scratched her for the third time. Then she peeped down, and knew +the hare by its collar. She took him on her lap, carried him into +her chamber, and said, "Dear Hare, what dost thou want?" He answered, +"My master, who killed the dragon, is here, and has sent me to ask for +a loaf of bread like that which the King eats." Then she was full of +joy and had the baker summoned, and ordered him to bring a loaf such +as was eaten by the King. The little hare said, "But the baker must +likewise carry it thither for me, that the butchers' dogs may do no +harm to me." The baker carried if for him as far as the door of the inn, +and then the hare got on his hind legs, took the loaf in his front paws, +and carried it to his master. Then said the huntsman, "Behold, sir host, +the hundred pieces of gold are mine." The host was astonished, but the +huntsman went on to say, "Yes, sir host, I have the bread, but now I +will likewise have some of the King's roast meat." + +The host said, "I should indeed like to see that," but he would make +no more wagers. The huntsman called the fox and said, "My little fox, +go and fetch me some roast meat, such as the King eats." The red fox +knew the bye-ways better, and went by holes and corners without any +dog seeing him, seated himself under the chair of the King's daughter, +and scratched her foot. Then she looked down and recognized the fox +by its collar, took him into her chamber with her and said, "Dear fox, +what dost thou want?" He answered, "My master, who killed the dragon, +is here, and has sent me. I am to ask for some roast meat such as +the King is eating." Then she made the cook come, who was obliged +to prepare a roast joint, the same as was eaten by the King, and to +carry it for the fox as far as the door. Then the fox took the dish, +waved away with his tail the flies which had settled on the meat, and +then carried it to his master. "Behold, sir host," said the huntsman, +"bread and meat are here but now I will also have proper vegetables with +it, such as are eaten by the King." Then he called the wolf, and said, +"Dear Wolf, go thither and fetch me vegetables such as the King eats." +Then the wolf went straight to the palace, as he feared no one, and when +he got to the King's daughter's chamber, he twitched at the back of her +dress, so that she was forced to look round. She recognized him by his +collar, and took him into her chamber with her, and said, "Dear Wolf, +what dost thou want?" He answered, "My master, who killed the dragon, +is here, I am to ask for some vegetables, such as the King eats." Then +she made the cook come, and he had to make ready a dish of vegetables, +such as the King ate, and had to carry it for the wolf as far as the +door, and then the wolf took the dish from him, and carried it to his +master. "Behold, sir host," said the huntsman, "now I have bread and +meat and vegetables, but I will also have some pastry to eat like that +which the King eats." He called the bear, and said, "Dear Bear, thou +art fond of licking anything sweet; go and bring me some confectionery, +such as the King eats." Then the bear trotted to the palace, and every +one got out of his way, but when he went to the guard, they presented +their muskets, and would not let him go into the royal palace. But he +got up on his hind legs, and gave them a few boxes on the ears, right +and left, with his paws, so that the whole watch broke up, and then +he went straight to the King's daughter, placed himself behind her, +and growled a little. Then she looked behind her, knew the bear, and +bade him go into her room with her, and said, "Dear Bear, what dost thou +want?" He answered, "My master, who killed the dragon, is here, and I am +to ask for some confectionery, such as the King eats." Then she summoned +her confectioner, who had to bake confectionery such as the King ate, +and carry it to the door for the bear; then the bear first licked up the +comfits which had rolled down, and then he stood upright, took the dish, +and carried it to his master. "Behold, sir host," said the huntsman, "now +I have bread, meat, vegetables and confectionery, but I will drink wine +also, and such as the King drinks." He called his lion to him and said, +"Dear Lion, thou thyself likest to drink till thou art intoxicated, go and +fetch me some wine, such as is drunk by the King." Then the lion strode +through the streets, and the people fled from him, and when he came to the +watch, they wanted to bar the way against him, but he did but roar once, +and they all ran away. Then the lion went to the royal apartment, and +knocked at the door with his tail. Then the King's daughter came forth, +and was almost afraid of the lion, but she knew him by the golden clasp +of her necklace, and bade him go with her into her chamber, and said, +"Dear Lion, what wilt thou have?" He answered, "My master, who killed +the dragon, is here, and I am to ask for some wine such as is drunk by +the King." Then she bade the cup-bearer be called, who was to give the +lion some wine like that which was drunk by the King. The lion said, "I +will go with him, and see that I get the right wine." Then he went down +with the cup-bearer, and when they were below, the cup-bearer wanted to +draw him some of the common wine that was drunk by the King's servants, +but the lion said, "Stop, I will taste the wine first," and he drew +half a measure, and swallowed it down at one draught. "No," said he, +"that is not right." The cup-bearer looked at him askance, but went on, +and was about to give him some out of another barrel which was for the +King's marshal. The lion said, "Stop, let me taste the wine first," and +drew half a measure and drank it. "That is better, but still not right," +said he. Then the cup-bearer grew angry and said, "How can a stupid +animal like you understand wine?" But the lion gave him a blow behind +the ears, which made him fall down by no means gently, and when he had +got up again, he conducted the lion quite silently into a little cellar +apart, where the King's wine lay, from which no one ever drank. The +lion first drew half a measure and tried the wine, and then he said, +That may possibly be the right sort, and bade the cup-bearer fill six +bottles of it. And now they went upstairs again, but when the lion came +out of the cellar into the open air, he reeled here and there, and was +rather drunk, and the cup-bearer was forced to carry the wine as far as +the door for him, and then the lion took the handle of the basket in his +mouth, and took it to his master. The huntsman said, "Behold, sir host, +here have I bread, meat, vegetables, confectionery and wine such as the +King has, and now I will dine with my animals," and he sat down and ate +and drank, and gave the hare, the fox, the wolf, the bear, and the lion +also to eat and to drink, and was joyful, for he saw that the King's +daughter still loved him. And when he had finished his dinner, he said, +"Sir host, now have I eaten and drunk, as the King eats and drinks, and +now I will go to the King's court and marry the King's daughter." Said +the host, "How can that be, when she already has a betrothed husband, +and when the wedding is to be solemnized to-day?" Then the huntsman drew +forth the handkerchief which the King's daughter had given him on the +dragon's hill, and in which were folded the monster's seven tongues, +and said, "That which I hold in my hand shall help me to do it." Then +the innkeeper looked at the handkerchief, and said, "Whatever I believe, +I do not believe that, and I am willing to stake my house and courtyard +on it." The huntsman, however, took a bag with a thousand gold pieces, +put it on the table, and said, "I stake that on it." + +Now the King said to his daughter, at the royal table, "What did all the +wild animals want, which have been coming to thee, and going in and out +of my palace?" She replied, "I may not tell you, but send and have the +master of these animals brought, and you will do well." The King sent +a servant to the inn, and invited the stranger, and the servant came +just as the huntsman had laid his wager with the innkeeper. Then said he, +"Behold, sir host, now the King sends his servant and invites me, but I do +not go in this way." And he said to the servant, "I request the Lord King +to send me royal clothing, and a carriage with six horses, and servants +to attend me." When the King heard the answer, he said to his daughter, +"What shall I do?" She said, "Cause him to be fetched as he desires to +be, and you will do well." Then the King sent royal apparel, a carriage +with six horses, and servants to wait on him. When the huntsman saw them +coming, he said, "Behold, sir host, now I am fetched as I desired to be," +and he put on the royal garments, took the handkerchief with the dragon's +tongues with him, and drove off to the King. When the King saw him coming, +he said to his daughter, "How shall I receive him?" She answered, "Go to +meet him and you will do well." Then the King went to meet him and led +him in, and his animals followed. The King gave him a seat near himself +and his daughter, and the marshal, as bridegroom, sat on the other side, +but no longer knew the huntsman. And now at this very moment, the seven +heads of the dragon were brought in as a spectacle, and the King said, +"The seven heads were cut off the dragon by the marshal, wherefore +to-day I give him my daughter to wife." The the huntsman stood up, +opened the seven mouths, and said, "Where are the seven tongues of the +dragon?" Then was the marshal terrified, and grew pale and knew not what +answer he should make, and at length in his anguish he said, "Dragons +have no tongues." The huntsman said, "Liars ought to have none, but +the dragon's tongues are the tokens of the victor," and he unfolded the +handkerchief, and there lay all seven inside it. And he put each tongue +in the mouth to which it belonged, and it fitted exactly. Then he took the +handkerchief on which the name of the princess was embroidered, and showed +it to the maiden, and asked to whom she had given it, and she replied, +"To him who killed the dragon." And then he called his animals, and +took the collar off each of them and the golden clasp from the lion, and +showed them to the maiden and asked to whom they belonged. She answered, +"The necklace and golden clasp were mine, but I divided them among the +animals who helped to conquer the dragon." Then spake the huntsman, +"When I, tired with the fight, was resting and sleeping, the marshal +came and cut off my head. Then he carried away the King's daughter, +and gave out that it was he who had killed the dragon, but that he lied +I prove with the tongues, the handkerchief, and the necklace." And then +he related how his animals had healed him by means of a wonderful root, +and how he had travelled about with them for one year, and had at length +again come there and had learnt the treachery of the marshal by the +inn-keeper's story. Then the King asked his daughter, "Is it true that +this man killed the dragon?" And she answered, "Yes, it is true. Now +can I reveal the wicked deed of the marshal, as it has come to light +without my connivance, for he wrung from me a promise to be silent. For +this reason, however, did I make the condition that the marriage should +not be solemnized for a year and a day." Then the King bade twelve +councillors be summoned who were to pronounce judgment on the marshal, +and they sentenced him to be torn to pieces by four bulls. The marshal was +therefore executed, but the King gave his daughter to the huntsman, and +named him his viceroy over the whole kingdom. The wedding was celebrated +with great joy, and the young King caused his father and his foster-father +to be brought, and loaded them with treasures. Neither did he forget the +inn-keeper, but sent for him and said, "Behold, sir host, I have married +the King's daughter, and your house and yard are mine." The host said, +"Yes, according to justice it is so." But the young King said, "It shall +be done according to mercy," and told him that he should keep his house +and yard, and gave him the thousand pieces of gold as well. + +And now the young King and Queen were thoroughly happy, and lived in +gladness together. He often went out hunting because it was a delight to +him, and the faithful animals had to accompany him. In the neighborhood, +however, there was a forest of which it was reported that it was haunted, +and that whosoever did but enter it did not easily get out again. The +young King, however, had a great inclination to hunt in it, and let +the old King have no peace until he allowed him to do so. So he rode +forth with a great following, and when he came to the forest, he saw a +snow-white hart and said to his people, "Wait here until I return, I want +to chase that beautiful creature," and he rode into the forest after it, +followed only by his animals. The attendants halted and waited until +evening, but he did not return, so they rode home, and told the young +Queen that the young King had followed a white hart into the enchanted +forest, and had not come back again. Then she was in the greatest +concern about him. He, however, had still continued to ride on and on +after the beautiful wild animal, and had never been able to overtake it; +when he thought he was near enough to aim, he instantly saw it bound away +into the far distance, and at length it vanished altogether. And now he +perceived that he had penetrated deep into the forest, and blew his horn +but he received no answer, for his attendants could not hear it. And as +night, too, was falling, he saw that he could not get home that day, +so he dismounted from his horse, lighted himself a fire near a tree, +and resolved to spend the night by it. While he was sitting by the fire, +and his animals also were lying down beside him, it seemed to him that he +heard a human voice. He looked round, but could perceived nothing. Soon +afterwards, he again heard a groan as if from above, and then he looked +up, and saw an old woman sitting in the tree, who wailed unceasingly, +"Oh, oh, oh, how cold I am!" Said he, "Come down, and warm thyself if thou +art cold." But she said, "No, thy animals will bite me." He answered, +"They will do thee no harm, old mother, do come down." She, however, +was a witch, and said, "I will throw down a wand from the tree, and if +thou strikest them on the back with it, they will do me no harm." Then +she threw him a small wand, and he struck them with it, and instantly +they lay still and were turned into stone. And when the witch was safe +from the animals, she leapt down and touched him also with a wand, +and changed him to stone. Thereupon she laughed, and dragged him and +the animals into a vault, where many more such stones already lay. + +As, however, the young King did not come back at all, the Queen's anguish +and care grew constantly greater. And it so happened that at this very +time the other brother who had turned to the east when they separated, +came into the kingdom. He had sought a situation, and had found none, +and had then travelled about here and there, and had made his animals +dance. Then it came into his mind that he would just go and look at the +knife that they had thrust in the trunk of a tree at their parting, that +he might learn how his brother was. When he got there his brother's side +of the knife was half rusted, and half bright. Then he was alarmed and +thought, "A great misfortune must have befallen my brother, but perhaps +I can still save him, for half the knife is still bright." He and his +animals travelled towards the west, and when he entered the gate of +the town, the guard came to meet him, and asked if he was to announce +him to his consort the young Queen, who had for a couple of days been +in the greatest sorrow about his staying away, and was afraid he had +been killed in the enchanted forest? The sentries, indeed, thought no +otherwise than that he was the young King himself, for he looked so +like him, and had wild animals running behind him. Then he saw that +they were speaking of his brother, and thought, "It will be better if +I pass myself off for him, and then I can rescue him more easily." So +he allowed himself to be escorted into the castle by the guard, and was +received with the greatest joy. The young Queen indeed thought that he was +her husband, and asked him why he had stayed away so long. He answered, +"I had lost myself in a forest, and could not find my way out again any +sooner." At night he was taken to the royal bed, but he laid a two-edged +sword between him and the young Queen; she did not know what that could +mean, but did not venture to ask. + +He remained in the palace a couple of days, and in the meantime inquired +into everything which related to the enchanted forest, and at last he +said, "I must hunt there once more." The King and the young Queen wanted +to persuade him not to do it, but he stood out against them, and went +forth with a larger following. When he had got into the forest, it fared +with him as with his brother; he saw a white hart and said to his people, +"Stay here, and wait until I return, I want to chase the lovely wild +beast," and then he rode into the forest and his animals ran after him. +But he could not overtake the hart, and got so deep into the forest that +he was forced to pass the night there. And when he had lighted a fire, +he heard some one wailing above him, "Oh, oh, oh, how cold I am!" Then +he looked up, and the self-same witch was sitting in the tree. Said he, +"If thou art cold, come down, little old mother, and warm thyself." She +answered, "No, thy animals will bite me." But he said, "They will +not hurt thee." Then she cried, "I will throw down a wand to thee, +and if thou smitest them with it they will do me no harm." When the +huntsman heard that, he had no confidence in the old woman, and said, +"I will not strike my animals. Come down, or I will fetch thee." Then she +cried, "What dost thou want? Thou shalt not touch me." But he replied, +"If thou dost not come, I will shoot thee." Said she, "Shoot away, I do +not fear thy bullets!" Then he aimed, and fired at her, but the witch +was proof against all leaden bullets, and laughed, and yelled and cried, +"Thou shalt not hit me." The huntsman knew what to do, tore three silver +buttons off his coat, and loaded his gun with them, for against them +her arts were useless, and when he fired she fell down at once with +a scream. Then he set his foot on her and said, Old witch, if thou +dost not instantly confess where my brother is, I will seize thee with +both my hands and throw thee into the fire. She was in a great fright, +begged for mercy and said, He and his animals lie in a vault, turned +to stone. Then he compelled her to go thither with him, threatened her, +and said, Old sea-cat, now shalt thou make my brother and all the human +beings lying here, alive again, or thou shalt go into the fire! She took +a wand and touched the stones, and then his brother with his animals +came to life again, and many others, merchants, artizans, and shepherds, +arose, thanked him for their deliverance, and went to their homes. But +when the twin brothers saw each other again, they kissed each other and +rejoiced with all their hearts. Then they seized the witch, bound her +and laid her on the fire, and when she was burnt the forest opened of +its own accord, and was light and clear, and the King's palace could be +seen at about the distance of a three hours walk. + +Thereupon the two brothers went home together, and on the way told each +other their histories. And when the youngest said that he was ruler +of the whole country in the King's stead, the other observed, "That I +remarked very well, for when I came to the town, and was taken for thee, +all royal honours were paid me; the young Queen looked on me as her +husband, and I had to eat at her side, and sleep in thy bed." When the +other heard that, he became so jealous and angry that he drew his sword, +and struck off his brother's head. But when he saw him lying there dead, +and saw his red blood flowing, he repented most violently: "My brother +delivered me," cried he, "and I have killed him for it," and he bewailed +him aloud. Then his hare came and offered to go and bring some of the root +of life, and bounded away and brought it while yet there was time, and +the dead man was brought to life again, and knew nothing about the wound. + +After this they journeyed onwards, and the youngest said, "Thou lookest +like me, hast royal apparel on as I have, and the animals follow thee as +they do me; we will go in by opposite gates, and arrive at the same time +from the two sides in the aged King's presence." So they separated, and +at the same time came the watchmen from the one door and from the other, +and announced that the young King and the animals had returned from the +chase. The King said, "It is not possible, the gates lie quite a mile +apart." In the meantime, however, the two brothers entered the courtyard +of the palace from opposite sides, and both mounted the steps. Then the +King said to the daughter, "Say which is thy husband. Each of them looks +exactly like the other, I cannot tell." Then she was in great distress, +and could not tell; but at last she remembered the necklace which she +had given to the animals, and she sought for and found her little golden +clasp on the lion, and she cried in her delight, "He who is followed +by this lion is my true husband". Then the young King laughed and said, +"Yes, he is the right one," and they sat down together to table, and ate +and drank, and were merry. At night when the young King went to bed, his +wife said, "Why hast thou for these last nights always laid a two-edged +sword in our bed? I thought thou hadst a wish to kill me." Then he knew +how true his brother had been. + + + +61 The Little Peasant + +There was a certain village wherein no one lived but really rich peasants, +and just one poor one, whom they called the little peasant. He had not +even so much as a cow, and still less money to buy one, and yet he and +his wife did so wish to have one. One day he said to her, "Hark you, +I have a good thought, there is our gossip the carpenter, he shall make +us a wooden calf, and paint it brown, so that it look like any other, +and in time it will certainly get big and be a cow." The woman also +liked the idea, and their gossip the carpenter cut and planed the calf, +and painted it as it ought to be, and made it with its head hanging down +as if it were eating. + +Next morning when the cows were being driven out, the little peasant +called the cow-herd and said, "Look, I have a little calf there, but it is +still small and has still to be carried." The cow-herd said, "All right, +and took it in his arms and carried it to the pasture, and set it among +the grass." The little calf always remained standing like one which was +eating, and the cow-herd said, "It will soon run alone, just look how it +eats already!" At night when he was going to drive the herd home again, +he said to the calf, "If thou canst stand there and eat thy fill, thou +canst also go on thy four legs; I don't care to drag thee home again in +my arms." But the little peasant stood at his door, and waited for his +little calf, and when the cow-herd drove the cows through the village, +and the calf was missing, he inquired where it was. The cow-herd answered, +"It is still standing out there eating. It would not stop and come with +us." But the little peasant said, "Oh, but I must have my beast back +again." Then they went back to the meadow together, but some one had +stolen the calf, and it was gone. The cow-herd said, "It must have run +away." The peasant, however, said, "Don't tell me that," and led the +cow-herd before the mayor, who for his carelessness condemned him to +give the peasant a cow for the calf which had run away. + +And now the little peasant and his wife had the cow for which they had +so long wished, and they were heartily glad, but they had no food for +it, and could give it nothing to eat, so it soon had to be killed. They +salted the flesh, and the peasant went into the town and wanted to sell +the skin there, so that he might buy a new calf with the proceeds. On +the way he passed by a mill, and there sat a raven with broken wings, +and out of pity he took him and wrapped him in the skin. As, however, +the weather grew so bad and there was a storm of rain and wind, he could +go no farther, and turned back to the mill and begged for shelter. The +miller's wife was alone in the house, and said to the peasant, "Lay +thyself on the straw there", and gave him a slice of bread with cheese +on it. The peasant ate it, and lay down with his skin beside him, +and the woman thought, "He is tired and has gone to sleep." In the +meantime came the parson; the miller's wife received him well, and said, +"My husband is out, so we will have a feast." The peasant listened, +and when he heard about feasting he was vexed that he had been forced +to make shift with a slice of bread with cheese on it. Then the woman +served up four different things, roast meat, salad, cakes, and wine. + +Just as they were about to sit down and eat, there was a knocking +outside. The woman said, "Oh, heavens! It is my husband!" She quickly +hid the roast meat inside the tiled stove, the wine under the pillow, +the salad on the bed, the cakes under it, and the parson in the cupboard +in the entrance. Then she opened the door for her husband, and said, +"Thank heaven, thou art back again! There is such a storm, it looks +as if the world were coming to an end." The miller saw the peasant +lying on the straw, and asked, "What is that fellow doing there?" "Ah," +said the wife, "the poor knave came in the storm and rain, and begged +for shelter, so I gave him a bit of bread and cheese, and showed him +where the straw was." The man said, "I have no objection, but be quick +and get me something to eat." The woman said, "But I have nothing but +bread and cheese." "I am contented with anything," replied the husband, +"so far as I am concerned, bread and cheese will do," and looked at +the peasant and said, "Come and eat some more with me." The peasant +did not require to be invited twice, but got up and ate. After this +the miller saw the skin in which the raven was, lying on the ground, +and asked, "What hast thou there?" The peasant answered, "I have +a soothsayer inside it." "Can he foretell anything to me?" said the +miller. "Why not?" answered the peasant, "but he only says four things, +and the fifth he keeps to himself." The miller was curious, and said, +"Let him foretell something for once." Then the peasant pinched the +raven's head, so that he croaked and made a noise like krr, krr. The +miller said, "What did he say?" The peasant answered, "In the first +place, he says that there is some wine hidden under the pillow." +"Bless me!" cried the miller, and went there and found the wine. "Now +go on," said he. The peasant made the raven croak again, and said, +"In the second place, he says that there is some roast meat in the tiled +stove." "Upon my word!" cried the miller, and went thither, and found the +roast meat. The peasant made the raven prophesy still more, and said, +"Thirdly, he says that there is some salad on the bed." "That would be +a fine thing!" cried the miller, and went there and found the salad. At +last the peasant pinched the raven once more till he croaked, and said, +"Fourthly, he says that there are some cakes under the bed." "That would +be a fine thing!" cried the miller, and looked there, and found the cakes. + +And now the two sat down to the table together, but the miller's wife was +frightened to death, and went to bed and took all the keys with her. The +miller would have liked much to know the fifth, but the little peasant +said, "First, we will quickly eat the four things, for the fifth is +something bad." So they ate, and after that they bargained how much the +miller was to give for the fifth prophesy, until they agreed on three +hundred thalers. Then the peasant once more pinched the raven's head +till he croaked loudly. The miller asked, "What did he say?" The peasant +replied, "He says that the Devil is hiding outside there in the cupboard +in the entrance." The miller said, "The Devil must go out," and opened +the house-door; then the woman was forced to give up the keys, and the +peasant unlocked the cupboard. The parson ran out as fast as he could, +and the miller said, "It was true; I saw the black rascal with my own +eyes." The peasant, however, made off next morning by daybreak with the +three hundred thalers. + +At home the small peasant gradually launched out; he built a beautiful +house, and the peasants said, "The small peasant has certainly been to +the place where golden snow falls, and people carry the gold home in +shovels." Then the small peasant was brought before the Mayor, and bidden +to say from whence his wealth came. He answered, "I sold my cow's skin +in the town, for three hundred thalers." When the peasants heard that, +they too wished to enjoy this great profit, and ran home, killed all their +cows, and stripped off their skins in order to sell them in the town to +the greatest advantage. The Mayor, however, said, "But my servant must +go first." When she came to the merchant in the town, he did not give +her more than two thalers for a skin, and when the others came, he did +not give them so much, and said, "What can I do with all these skins?" + +Then the peasants were vexed that the small peasant should have thus +overreached them, wanted to take vengeance on him, and accused him +of this treachery before the Mayor. The innocent little peasant was +unanimously sentenced to death, and was to be rolled into the water, +in a barrel pierced full of holes. He was led forth, and a priest was +brought who was to say a mass for his soul. The others were all obliged +to retire to a distance, and when the peasant looked at the priest, +he recognized the man who had been with the miller's wife. He said to +him, "I set you free from the cupboard, set me free from the barrel." +At this same moment up came, with a flock of sheep, the very shepherd who +as the peasant knew had long been wishing to be Mayor, so he cried with +all his might, "No, I will not do it; if the whole world insists on it, +I will not do it!" The shepherd hearing that, came up to him, and asked, +"What art thou about? What is it that thou wilt not do?" The peasant said, +"They want to make me Mayor, if I will but put myself in the barrel, +but I will not do it." The shepherd said, "If nothing more than that is +needful in order to be Mayor, I would get into the barrel at once." The +peasant said, "If thou wilt get in, thou wilt be Mayor." The shepherd was +willing, and got in, and the peasant shut the top down on him; then he +took the shepherd's flock for himself, and drove it away. The parson went +to the crowd, and declared that the mass had been said. Then they came +and rolled the barrel towards the water. When the barrel began to roll, +the shepherd cried, "I am quite willing to be Mayor." They believed no +otherwise than that it was the peasant who was saying this, and answered, +"That is what we intend, but first thou shalt look about thee a little +down below there," and they rolled the barrel down into the water. + +After that the peasants went home, and as they were entering the village, +the small peasant also came quietly in, driving a flock of sheep and +looking quite contented. Then the peasants were astonished, and said, +"Peasant, from whence comest thou? Hast thou come out of the water?" "Yes, +truly," replied the peasant, "I sank deep, deep down, until at last I +got to the bottom; I pushed the bottom out of the barrel, and crept out, +and there were pretty meadows on which a number of lambs were feeding, +and from thence I brought this flock away with me." Said the peasants, +"Are there any more there?" "Oh, yes," said he, "more than I could do +anything with." Then the peasants made up their minds that they too would +fetch some sheep for themselves, a flock apiece, but the Mayor said, +"I come first." So they went to the water together, and just then there +were some of the small fleecy clouds in the blue sky, which are called +little lambs, and they were reflected in the water, whereupon the peasants +cried, "We already see the sheep down below!" The Mayor pressed forward +and said, "I will go down first, and look about me, and if things promise +well I'll call you." So he jumped in; splash! went the water; he made a +sound as if he were calling them, and the whole crowd plunged in after +him as one man. Then the entire village was dead, and the small peasant, +as sole heir, became a rich man. + + + +62 The Queen Bee + +Two kings' sons once went out in search of adventures, and fell into a +wild, disorderly way of living, so that they never came home again. The +youngest, who was called Simpleton, set out to seek his brothers, but +when at length he found them they mocked him for thinking that he with +his simplicity could get through the world, when they two could not make +their way, and yet were so much cleverer. They all three travelled away +together, and came to an ant-hill. The two elder wanted to destroy it, +to see the little ants creeping about in their terror, and carrying their +eggs away, but Simpleton said, "Leave the creatures in peace; I will not +allow you to disturb them." Then they went onwards and came to a lake, +on which a great number of ducks were swimming. The two brothers wanted +to catch a couple and roast them, but Simpleton would not permit it, +and said, "Leave the creatures in peace, I will not suffer you to kill +them." At length they came to a bee's nest, in which there was so much +honey that it ran out of the trunk of the tree where it was. The two +wanted to make a fire beneath the tree, and suffocate the bees in order +to take away the honey, but Simpleton again stopped them and said, "Leave +the creatures in peace, I will not allow you to burn them." At length +the three brothers arrived at a castle where stone horses were standing +in the stables, and no human being was to be seen, and they went through +all the halls until, quite at the end, they came to a door in which were +three locks. In the middle of the door, however, there was a little pane, +through which they could see into the room. There they saw a little grey +man, who was sitting at a table. They called him, once, twice, but he +did not hear; at last they called him for the third time, when he got up, +opened the locks, and came out. He said nothing, however, but conducted +them to a handsomely-spread table, and when they had eaten and drunk, +he took each of them to a bedroom. Next morning the little grey man came +to the eldest, beckoned to him, and conducted him to a stone table, on +which were inscribed three tasks, by the performance of which the castle +could be delivered. The first was that in the forest, beneath the moss, +lay the princess's pearls, a thousand in number, which must be picked +up, and if by sunset one single pearl was wanting, he who had looked for +them would be turned into stone. The eldest went thither, and sought the +whole day, but when it came to an end, he had only found one hundred, +and what was written on the table came to pass, and he was changed into +stone. Next day, the second brother undertook the adventure; it did not, +however, fare much better with him than with the eldest; he did not find +more than two hundred pearls, and was changed to stone. At last the +turn came to Simpleton also, who sought in the moss. It was, however, +so hard to find the pearls, and he got on so slowly, that he seated +himself on a stone, and wept. And while he was thus sitting, the King +of the ants whose life he had once saved, came with five thousand ants, +and before long the little creatures had got all the pearls together, and +laid them in a heap. The second task, however, was to fetch out of the +lake the key of the King's daughter's bed-chamber. When Simpleton came +to the lake, the ducks which he had saved, swam up to him, dived down, +and brought the key out of the water. But the third task was the most +difficult; from amongst the three sleeping daughters of the King was the +youngest and dearest to be sought out. They, however, resembled each +other exactly, and were only to be distinguished by their having eaten +different sweetmeats before they fell asleep; the eldest a bit of sugar; +the second a little syrup; and the youngest a spoonful of honey. Then +the Queen of the bees, which Simpleton had protected from the fire, +came and tasted the lips of all three, and at last she remained sitting +on the mouth which had eaten honey, and thus the King's son recognized +the right princess. Then the enchantment was at an end; everything was +released from sleep, and those who had been turned to stone received once +more their natural forms. Simpleton married the youngest and sweetest +princess, and after her father's death became King, and his two brothers +received the two other sisters. + + + +63 The Three Feathers + +There was once on a time a King who had three sons, of whom two were +clever and wise, but the third did not speak much, and was simple, +and was called the Simpleton. When the King had become old and weak, +and was thinking of his end, he did not know which of his sons should +inherit the kingdom after him. Then he said to them, "Go forth, +and he who brings me the most beautiful carpet shall be King after my +death." And that there should be no dispute amongst them, he took them +outside his castle, blew three feathers in the air, and said, "You shall +go as they fly." One feather flew to the east, the other to the west, +but the third flew straight up and did not fly far, but soon fell to +the ground. And now one brother went to the right, and the other to +the left, and they mocked Simpleton, who was forced to stay where the +third feather had fallen. He sat down and was sad, then all at once he +saw that there was a trap-door close by the feather. He raised it up, +found some steps, and went down them, and then he came to another door, +knocked at it, and heard somebody inside calling, + + + "Little green maiden small, + Hopping hither and thither; + + Hop to the door, + And quickly see who is there." + +The door opened, and he saw a great, fat toad sitting, and round about her +a crowd of little toads. The fat toad asked what he wanted? He answered, +"I should like to have the prettiest and finest carpet in the world." Then +she called a young one and said, + + + "Little green maiden small, + Hopping hither and thither, + + Hop quickly and bring me + The great box here." + +The young toad brought the box, and the fat toad opened it, and gave +Simpleton a carpet out of it, so beautiful and so fine, that on the +earth above, none could have been woven like it. Then he thanked her, +and ascended again. The two others had, however, looked on their +youngest brother as so stupid that they believed he would find and +bring nothing at all. "Why should we give ourselves a great deal of +trouble to search?" said they, and got some coarse handkerchiefs from +the first shepherds' wives whom they met, and carried them home to +the King. At the same time Simpleton also came back, and brought his +beautiful carpet, and when the King saw it he was astonished, and said, +"If justice be done, the kingdom belongs to the youngest." But the two +others let their father have no peace, and said that it was impossible +that Simpleton, who in everything lacked understanding, should be King, +and entreated him to make a new agreement with them. Then the father said, +"He who brings me the most beautiful ring shall inherit the kingdom," +and led the three brothers out, and blew into the air three feathers, +which they were to follow. Those of the two eldest again went east and +west, and Simpleton's feather flew straight up, and fell down near the +door into the earth. Then he went down again to the fat toad, and told +her that he wanted the most beautiful ring. She at once ordered her +great box to be brought, and gave him a ring out of it, which sparkled +with jewels, and was so beautiful that no goldsmith on earth would have +been able to make it. The two eldest laughed at Simpleton for going to +seek a golden ring. They gave themselves no trouble, but knocked the +nails out of an old carriage-ring, and took it to the King; but when +Simpleton produced his golden ring, his father again said, "The kingdom +belongs to him." The two eldest did not cease from tormenting the King +until he made a third condition, and declared that the one who brought +the most beautiful woman home, should have the kingdom. He again blew +the three feathers into the air, and they flew as before. + +Then Simpleton without more ado went down to the fat toad, and said, +"I am to take home the most beautiful woman!" "Oh," answered the toad, +"the most beautiful woman! She is not at hand at the moment, but still +thou shalt have her." She gave him a yellow turnip which had been +hollowed out, to which six mice were harnessed. Then Simpleton said +quite mournfully, "What am I to do with that?" The toad answered, "Just +put one of my little toads into it." Then he seized one at random out of +the circle, and put her into the yellow coach, but hardly was she seated +inside it than she turned into a wonderfully beautiful maiden, and the +turnip into a coach, and the six mice into horses. So he kissed her, +and drove off quickly with the horses, and took her to the King. His +brothers came afterwards; they had given themselves no trouble at all +to seek beautiful girls, but had brought with them the first peasant +women they chanced to meet. When the King saw them he said, "After +my death the kingdom belongs to my youngest son." But the two eldest +deafened the King's ears afresh with their clamour, "We cannot consent +to Simpleton's being King," and demanded that the one whose wife could +leap through a ring which hung in the centre of the hall should have +the preference. They thought, "The peasant women can do that easily; +they are strong enough, but the delicate maiden will jump herself to +death." The aged King agreed likewise to this. Then the two peasant +women jumped, and jumped through the ring, but were so stout that they +fell, and their coarse arms and legs broke in two. And then the pretty +maiden whom Simpleton had brought with him, sprang, and sprang through +as lightly as a deer, and all opposition had to cease. So he received +the crown, and has ruled wisely for a length of time. + + + +64 The Golden Goose + +There was a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom was called +Dummling, and was despised, mocked, and put down on every occasion. + +It happened that the eldest wanted to go into the forest to hew wood, +and before he went his mother gave him a beautiful sweet cake and a +bottle of wine in order that he might not suffer from hunger or thirst. + +When he entered the forest there met him a little grey-haired old man +who bade him good-day, and said, "Do give me a piece of cake out of +your pocket, and let me have a draught of your wine; I am so hungry and +thirsty." But the prudent youth answered, "If I give you my cake and +wine, I shall have none for myself; be off with you," and he left the +little man standing and went on. + +But when he began to hew down a tree, it was not long before he made a +false stroke, and the axe cut him in the arm, so that he had to go home +and have it bound up. And this was the little grey man's doing. + +After this the second son went into the forest, and his mother gave him, +like the eldest, a cake and a bottle of wine. The little old grey man met +him likewise, and asked him for a piece of cake and a drink of wine. But +the second son, too, said with much reason, "What I give you will be +taken away from myself; be off!" and he left the little man standing +and went on. His punishment, however, was not delayed; when he had made +a few strokes at the tree he struck himself in the leg, so that he had +to be carried home. + +Then Dummling said, "Father, do let me go and cut wood." The father +answered, "Your brothers have hurt themselves with it, leave it alone, +you do not understand anything about it." But Dummling begged so long +that at last he said, "Just go then, you will get wiser by hurting +yourself." His mother gave him a cake made with water and baked in the +cinders, and with it a bottle of sour beer. + +When he came to the forest the little old grey man met him likewise, +and greeting him, said, "Give me a piece of your cake and a drink +out of your bottle; I am so hungry and thirsty." Dummling answered, +"I have only cinder-cake and sour beer; if that pleases you, we will +sit down and eat." So they sat down, and when Dummling pulled out his +cinder-cake, it was a fine sweet cake, and the sour beer had become +good wine. So they ate and drank, and after that the little man said, +"Since you have a good heart, and are willing to divide what you have, +I will give you good luck. There stands an old tree, cut it down, and you +will find something at the roots." Then the little man took leave of him. + +Dummling went and cut down the tree, and when it fell there was a goose +sitting in the roots with feathers of pure gold. He lifted her up, and +taking her with him, went to an inn where he thought he would stay the +night. Now the host had three daughters, who saw the goose and were +curious to know what such a wonderful bird might be, and would have +liked to have one of its golden feathers. + +The eldest thought, "I shall soon find an opportunity of pulling out a +feather," and as soon as Dummling had gone out she seized the goose by +the wing, but her finger and hand remained sticking fast to it. + +The second came soon afterwards, thinking only of how she might get a +feather for herself, but she had scarcely touched her sister than she +was held fast. + +At last the third also came with the like intent, and the others screamed +out, "Keep away; for goodness' sake keep away!" But she did not understand +why she was to keep away. "The others are there," she thought, "I may +as well be there too," and ran to them; but as soon as she had touched +her sister, she remained sticking fast to her. So they had to spend the +night with the goose. + +The next morning Dummling took the goose under his arm and set out, +without troubling himself about the three girls who were hanging on to +it. They were obliged to run after him continually, now left, now right, +just as he was inclined to go. + +In the middle of the fields the parson met them, and when he saw the +procession he said, "For shame, you good-for-nothing girls, why are you +running across the fields after this young man? is that seemly?" At the +same time he seized the youngest by the hand in order to pull her away, +but as soon as he touched her he likewise stuck fast, and was himself +obliged to run behind. + +Before long the sexton came by and saw his master, the parson, running +behind three girls. He was astonished at this and called out, "Hi, +your reverence, whither away so quickly? do not forget that we have a +christening to-day!" and running after him he took him by the sleeve, +but was also held fast to it. + +Whilst the five were trotting thus one behind the other, two labourers +came with their hoes from the fields; the parson called out to them and +begged that they would set him and the sexton free. But they had scarcely +touched the sexton when they were held fast, and now there were seven +of them running behind Dummling and the goose. + +Soon afterwards he came to a city, where a king ruled who had a daughter +who was so serious that no one could make her laugh. So he had put +forth a decree that whosoever should be able to make her laugh should +marry her. When Dummling heard this, he went with his goose and all her +train before the King's daughter, and as soon as she saw the seven people +running on and on, one behind the other, she began to laugh quite loudly, +and as if she would never leave off. Thereupon Dummling asked to have her +for his wife, and the wedding was celebrated. After the King's death, +Dummling inherited the kingdom and lived a long time contentedly with +his wife. + + + +65 Allerleirauh + +There was once on a time a King who had a wife with golden hair, and +she was so beautiful that her equal was not to be found on earth. It +came to pass that she lay ill, and as she felt that she must soon die, +she called the King and said, "If thou wishest to marry again after my +death, take no one who is not quite as beautiful as I am, and who has +not just such golden hair as I have: this thou must promise me." And +after the King had promised her this she closed her eyes and died. + +For a long time the King could not be comforted, and had no thought of +taking another wife. At length his councillors said, "There is no help +for it, the King must marry again, that we may have a Queen." And now +messengers were sent about far and wide, to seek a bride who equalled the +late Queen in beauty. In the whole world, however, none was to be found, +and even if one had been found, still there would have been no one who +had such golden hair. So the messengers came home as they went. + +Now the King had a daughter, who was just as beautiful as her dead mother, +and had the same golden hair. When she was grown up the King looked at her +one day, and saw that in every respect she was like his late wife, and +suddenly felt a violent love for her. Then he spake to his councillors, +"I will marry my daughter, for she is the counterpart of my late wife, +otherwise I can find no bride who resembles her." When the councillors +heard that, they were shocked, and said, "God has forbidden a father to +marry his daughter, no good can come from such a crime, and the kingdom +will be involved in the ruin." + +The daughter was still more shocked when she became aware of her father's +resolution, but hoped to turn him from his design. Then she said to him, +"Before I fulfil your wish, I must have three dresses, one as golden as +the sun, one as silvery as the moon, and one as bright as the stars; +besides this, I wish for a mantle of a thousand different kinds of +fur and hair joined together, and one of every kind of animal in your +kingdom must give a piece of his skin for it." But she thought, "To +get that will be quite impossible, and thus I shall divert my father +from his wicked intentions." The King, however, did not give it up, +and the cleverest maidens in his kingdom had to weave the three dresses, +one as golden as the sun, one as silvery as the moon, and one as bright +as the stars, and his huntsmen had to catch one of every kind of animal +in the whole of his kingdom, and take from it a piece of its skin, and +out of these was made a mantle of a thousand different kinds of fur. At +length, when all was ready, the King caused the mantle to be brought, +spread it out before her, and said, "The wedding shall be to-morrow." + +When, therefore, the King's daughter saw that there was no longer any hope +of turning her father's heart, she resolved to run away from him. In the +night whilst every one was asleep, she got up, and took three different +things from her treasures, a golden ring, a golden spinning-wheel, and a +golden reel. The three dresses of the sun, moon, and stars she put into a +nutshell, put on her mantle of all kinds of fur, and blackened her face +and hands with soot. Then she commended herself to God, and went away, +and walked the whole night until she reached a great forest. And as she +was tired, she got into a hollow tree, and fell asleep. + +The sun rose, and she slept on, and she was still sleeping when it was +full day. Then it so happened that the King to whom this forest belonged, +was hunting in it. When his dogs came to the tree, they sniffed, and ran +barking round about it. The King said to the huntsmen, "Just see what +kind of wild beast has hidden itself in there." The huntsmen obeyed his +order, and when they came back they said, "A wondrous beast is lying in +the hollow tree; we have never before seen one like it. Its skin is fur +of a thousand different kinds, but it is lying asleep." Said the King, +"See if you can catch it alive, and then fasten it to the carriage, +and we will take it with us." When the huntsmen laid hold of the maiden, +she awoke full of terror, and cried to them, "I am a poor child, deserted +by father and mother; have pity on me, and take me with you." Then said +they, "Allerleirauh, thou wilt be useful in the kitchen, come with us, +and thou canst sweep up the ashes." So they put her in the carriage, and +took her home to the royal palace. There they pointed out to her a closet +under the stairs, where no daylight entered, and said, "Hairy animal, +there canst thou live and sleep." Then she was sent into the kitchen, +and there she carried wood and water, swept the hearth, plucked the fowls, +picked the vegetables, raked the ashes, and did all the dirty work. + +Allerleirauh lived there for a long time in great wretchedness. Alas, +fair princess, what is to become of thee now! It happened, however, +that one day a feast was held in the palace, and she said to the cook, +"May I go up-stairs for a while, and look on? I will place myself +outside the door." The cook answered, "Yes, go, but you must be back +here in half-an-hour to sweep the hearth." Then she took her oil-lamp, +went into her den, put off her fur-dress, and washed the soot off her +face and hands, so that her full beauty once more came to light. And +she opened the nut, and took out her dress which shone like the sun, +and when she had done that she went up to the festival, and every one +made way for her, for no one knew her, and thought no otherwise than +that she was a king's daughter. The King came to meet her, gave his +hand to her, and danced with her, and thought in his heart, "My eyes +have never yet seen any one so beautiful!" When the dance was over she +curtsied, and when the King looked round again she had vanished, and +none knew whither. The guards who stood outside the palace were called +and questioned, but no one had seen her. + +She had, however, run into her little den, had quickly taken off her +dress, made her face and hands black again, put on the fur-mantle, +and again was Allerleirauh. And now when she went into the kitchen, +and was about to get to her work and sweep up the ashes, the cook said, +"Leave that alone till morning, and make me the soup for the King; I, +too, will go upstairs awhile, and take a look; but let no hairs fall in, +or in future thou shalt have nothing to eat." So the cook went away, +and Allerleirauh made the soup for the king, and made bread soup and the +best she could, and when it was ready she fetched her golden ring from +her little den, and put it in the bowl in which the soup was served. When +the dancing was over, the King had his soup brought and ate it, and he +liked it so much that it seemed to him he had never tasted better. But +when he came to the bottom of the bowl, he saw a golden ring lying, and +could not conceive how it could have got there. Then he ordered the cook +to appear before him. The cook was terrified when he heard the order, +and said to Allerleirauh, "Thou hast certainly let a hair fall into +the soup, and if thou hast, thou shalt be beaten for it." When he came +before the King the latter asked who had made the soup? The cook replied, +"I made it." But the King said, "That is not true, for it was much better +than usual, and cooked differently." He answered, "I must acknowledge +that I did not make it, it was made by the rough animal." The King said, +"Go and bid it come up here." + +When Allerleirauh came, the King said, "Who art thou?" "I am a poor +girl who no longer has any father or mother." He asked further, "Of what +use art thou in my palace?" She answered, "I am good for nothing but to +have boots thrown at my head." He continued, "Where didst thou get the +ring which was in the soup?" She answered, "I know nothing about the +ring." So the King could learn nothing, and had to send her away again. + +After a while, there was another festival, and then, as before, +Allerleirauh begged the cook for leave to go and look on. He answered, +"Yes, but come back again in half-an-hour, and make the King the bread +soup which he so much likes." Then she ran into her den, washed herself +quickly, and took out of the nut the dress which was as silvery as the +moon, and put it on. Then she went up and was like a princess, and the +King stepped forward to meet her, and rejoiced to see her once more, +and as the dance was just beginning they danced it together. But when +it was ended, she again disappeared so quickly that the King could not +observe where she went. She, however, sprang into her den, and once more +made herself a hairy animal, and went into the kitchen to prepare the +bread soup. When the cook had gone up-stairs, she fetched the little +golden spinning-wheel, and put it in the bowl so that the soup covered +it. Then it was taken to the King, who ate it, and liked it as much as +before, and had the cook brought, who this time likewise was forced to +confess that Allerleirauh had prepared the soup. Allerleirauh again +came before the King, but she answered that she was good for nothing +else but to have boots thrown at her head, and that she knew nothing at +all about the little golden spinning-wheel. + +When, for the third time, the King held a festival, all happened just as +it had done before. The cook said, "Faith rough-skin, thou art a witch, +and always puttest something in the soup which makes it so good that the +King likes it better than that which I cook," but as she begged so hard, +he let her go up at the appointed time. And now she put on the dress +which shone like the stars, and thus entered the hall. Again the King +danced with the beautiful maiden, and thought that she never yet had +been so beautiful. And whilst she was dancing, he contrived, without +her noticing it, to slip a golden ring on her finger, and he had given +orders that the dance should last a very long time. When it was ended, +he wanted to hold her fast by her hands, but she tore herself loose, +and sprang away so quickly through the crowd that she vanished from his +sight. She ran as fast as she could into her den beneath the stairs, +but as she had been too long, and had stayed more than half-an-hour +she could not take off her pretty dress, but only threw over it her +fur-mantle, and in her haste she did not make herself quite black, +but one finger remained white. Then Allerleirauh ran into the kitchen, +and cooked the bread soup for the King, and as the cook was away, put +her golden reel into it. When the King found the reel at the bottom of +it, he caused Allerleirauh to be summoned, and then he espied the white +finger, and saw the ring which he had put on it during the dance. Then +he grasped her by the hand, and held her fast, and when she wanted +to release herself and run away, her mantle of fur opened a little, +and the star-dress shone forth. The King clutched the mantle and tore +it off. Then her golden hair shone forth, and she stood there in full +splendour, and could no longer hide herself. And when she had washed the +soot and ashes from her face, she was more beautiful than anyone who had +ever been seen on earth. But the King said, "Thou art my dear bride, +and we will never more part from each other." Thereupon the marriage +was solemnized, and they lived happily until their death. + + + +66 The Hare's Bride + +There was once a woman and her daughter who lived in a pretty garden +with cabbages; and a little hare came into it, and during the winter +time ate all the cabbages. Then says the mother to the daughter, "Go into +the garden, and chase the hare away." The girl says to the little hare, +"Sh-sh, hare, you are still eating up all our cabbages." Says the hare, +"Come, maiden, and seat yourself on my little hare's tail, and come with +me into my little hare's hut." The girl will not do it. Next day the hare +comes again and eats the cabbages, then says the mother to the daughter, +"Go into the garden, and drive the hare away." The girl says to the hare, +"Sh-sh, little hare, you are still eating all the cabbages." The little +hare says, "Maiden, seat thyself on my little hare's tail, and come with +me into my little hare's hut." The maiden refuses. The third day the +hare comes again, and eats the cabbages. On this the mother says to the +daughter, "Go into the garden, and hunt the hare away." Says the maiden, +"Sh-sh, little hare, you are still eating all our cabbages." Says the +little hare, "Come, maiden, seat thyself on my little hare's tail, and +come with me into my little hare's hut." The girl seats herself on the +little hare's tail, and then the hare takes her far away to his little +hut, and says, "Now cook green cabbage and millet-seed, and I will invite +the wedding-guests." Then all the wedding-guests assembled. (Who were +the wedding-guests?) That I can tell you as another told it to me. They +were all hares, and the crow was there as parson to marry the bride and +bridegroom, and the fox as clerk, and the altar was under the rainbow. + +The girl, however, was sad, for she was all alone. The little hare +comes and says, "Open the doors, open the doors, the wedding-guests are +merry." The bride says nothing, but weeps. The little hare goes away. The +little hare comes back and says, "Take off the lid, take off the lid, the +wedding-guests are hungry." The bride again says nothing, and weeps. The +little hare goes away. The little hare comes back and says, "Take off the +lid, take off the lid, the wedding-guests are waiting." Then the bride +says nothing, and the hare goes away, but she dresses a straw-doll in +her clothes, and gives her a spoon to stir with, and sets her by the pan +with the millet-seed, and goes back to her mother. The little hare comes +once more and says, "Take off the lid, take off the lid," and gets up, +and strikes the doll on the head so that her cap falls off. + +Then the little hare sees that it is not his bride, and goes away and +is sorrowful. + + + +67 The Twelve Huntsmen + +There was once a King's son who was betrothed to a maiden whom he loved +very much. And when he was sitting beside her and very happy, news came +that his father lay sick unto death, and desired to see him once again +before his end. Then he said to his beloved, "I must now go and leave +thee, I give thee a ring as a remembrance of me. When I am King, I will +return and fetch thee." So he rode away, and when he reached his father, +the latter was dangerously ill, and near his death. He said to him, +"Dear son, I wished to see thee once again before my end, promise me +to marry as I wish," and he named a certain King's daughter who was to +be his wife. The son was in such trouble that he did not think what +he was doing, and said, "Yes, dear father, your will shall be done," +and thereupon the King shut his eyes, and died. + +When therefore the son had been proclaimed King, and the time of +mourning was over, he was forced to keep the promise which he had given +his father, and caused the King's daughter to be asked in marriage, +and she was promised to him. His first betrothed heard of this, and +fretted so much about his faithlessness that she nearly died. Then her +father said to her, "Dearest child, why art thou so sad? Thou shalt have +whatsoever thou wilt." She thought for a moment and said, "Dear father, +I wish for eleven girls exactly like myself in face, figure, and size." +The father said, "If it be possible, thy desire shall be fulfilled," +and he caused a search to be made in his whole kingdom, until eleven +young maidens were found who exactly resembled his daughter in face, +figure, and size. + +When they came to the King's daughter, she had twelve suits of huntsmen's +clothes made, all alike, and the eleven maidens had to put on the +huntsmen's clothes, and she herself put on the twelfth suit. Thereupon she +took leave of her father, and rode away with them, and rode to the court +of her former betrothed, whom she loved so dearly. Then she inquired if +he required any huntsmen, and if he would take the whole of them into +his service. The King looked at her and did not know her, but as they +were such handsome fellows, he said, "Yes," and that he would willingly +take them, and now they were the King's twelve huntsmen. + +The King, however, had a lion which was a wondrous animal, for he knew all +concealed and secret things. It came to pass that one evening he said to +the King, "Thou thinkest thou hast twelve huntsmen?" "Yes," said the King, +"they are twelve huntsmen." The lion continued, "Thou art mistaken, they +are twelve girls." The King said, "That cannot be true! How wilt thou +prove that to me?" "Oh, just let some peas be strewn in thy ante-chamber," +answered the lion, "and then thou wilt soon see it. Men have a firm step, +and when they walk over the peas none of them stir, but girls trip and +skip, and drag their feet, and the peas roll about." The King was well +pleased with the counsel, and caused the peas to be strewn. + +There was, however, a servant of the King's who favored the huntsmen, +and when he heard that they were going to be put to this test he went +to them and repeated everything, and said, "The lion wants to make the +King believe that you are girls." Then the King's daughter thanked him, +and said to her maidens, "Put on some strength, and step firmly on the +peas." So next morning when the King had the twelve huntsmen called +before him, and they came into the ante-chamber where the peas were +lying, they stepped so firmly on them, and had such a strong, sure walk, +that not one of the peas either rolled or stirred. Then they went away +again, and the King said to the lion, "Thou hast lied to me, they walk +just like men." The lion said, "They have got to know that they were +going to be put to the test, and have assumed some strength. Just let +twelve spinning-wheels be brought into the ante-chamber some day, and +they will go to them and be pleased with them, and that is what no man +would do." The King liked the advice, and had the spinning-wheels placed +in the ante-chamber. + +But the servant, who was well disposed to the huntsmen, went to them, +and disclosed the project. Then when they were alone the King's daughter +said to her eleven girls, "Put some constraint on yourselves, and do not +look round at the spinning-wheels." And next morning when the King had his +twelve huntsmen summoned, they went through the ante-chamber, and never +once looked at the spinning wheels. Then the King again said to the lion, +"Thou hast deceived me, they are men, for they have not looked at the +spinning-wheels." The lion replied, "They have learnt that they were +going to be put to the test, and have restrained themselves." The King, +however, would no longer believe the lion. + +The twelve huntsmen always followed the King to the chase, and his +liking for them continually increased. Now it came to pass that once +when they were out hunting, news came that the King's betrothed was +approaching. When the true bride heard that, it hurt her so much that +her heart was almost broken, and she fell fainting to the ground. The +King thought something had happened to his dear huntsman, ran up to +him, wanted to help him, and drew his glove off. Then he saw the ring +which he had given to his first bride, and when he looked in her face +he recognized her. Then his heart was so touched that he kissed her, +and when she opened her eyes he said, "Thou art mine, and I am thine, +and no one in the world can alter that." He sent a messenger to the other +bride, and entreated her to return to her own kingdom, for he had a wife +already, and a man who had just found an old dish did not require a new +one. Thereupon the wedding was celebrated, and the lion was again taken +into favour, because, after all, he had told the truth. + + + +68 The Thief and his Master + +Hans wished to put his son to learn a trade, so he went into the church +and prayed to our Lord God to know which would be most advantageous +for him. Then the clerk got behind the altar, and said, "Thieving, +thieving." On this Hans goes back to his son, and tells him he is to +learn thieving, and that the Lord God had said so. So he goes with his +son to seek a man who is acquainted with thieving. They walk a long +time and come into a great forest, where stands a little house with +an old woman in it. Hans says, "Do you know of a man who is acquainted +with thieving?" "You can learn that here quite well," says the woman, +"my son is a master of it." So he speaks with the son, and asks if he +knows thieving really well? The master-thief says, "I will teach him +well. Come back when a year is over, and then if you recognize your son, +I will take no payment at all for teaching him; but if you don't know him, +you must give me two hundred thalers." + +The father goes home again, and the son learns witchcraft and thieving, +thoroughly. When the year is out, the father is full of anxiety to know +how he is to contrive to recognize his son. As he is thus going about +in his trouble, he meets a little dwarf, who says, "Man, what ails you, +that you are always in such trouble?" + +"Oh," says Hans, "a year ago I placed my son with a master-thief who +told me I was to come back when the year was out, and that if I then +did not know my son when I saw him, I was to pay two hundred thalers; +but if I did know him I was to pay nothing, and now I am afraid of not +knowing him and can't tell where I am to get the money." Then the dwarf +tells him to take a small basket of bread with him, and to stand beneath +the chimney. "There on the cross-beam is a basket, out of which a little +bird is peeping, and that is your son." + +Hans goes thither, and throws a little basket full of black bread in +front of the basket with the bird in it, and the little bird comes out, +and looks up. "Hollo, my son, art thou here?" says the father, and the +son is delighted to see his father, but the master-thief says, "The devil +must have prompted you, or how could you have known your son?" "Father, +let us go," said the youth. + +Then the father and son set out homeward. On the way a carriage comes +driving by. Hereupon the son says to his father, "I will change myself +into a large greyhound, and then you can earn a great deal of money +by me." Then the gentleman calls from the carriage, "My man, will +you sell your dog?" "Yes," says the father. "How much do you want for +it?" "Thirty thalers." "Eh, man, that is a great deal, but as it is +such a very fine dog I will have it." The gentleman takes it into his +carriage, but when they have driven a little farther the dog springs +out of the carriage through the window, and goes back to his father, +and is no longer a greyhound. + +They go home together. Next day there is a fair in the neighboring +town, so the youth says to his father, "I will now change myself into +a beautiful horse, and you can sell me; but when you have sold me, +you must take off my bridle, or I cannot become a man again." Then the +father goes with the horse to the fair, and the master-thief comes and +buys the horse for a hundred thalers, but the father forgets, and does +not take off the bridle. So the man goes home with the horse, and puts +it in the stable. When the maid crosses the threshold, the horse says, +"Take off my bridle, take off my bridle." Then the maid stands still, +and says, "What, canst thou speak?" So she goes and takes the bridle +off, and the horse becomes a sparrow, and flies out at the door, and +the wizard becomes a sparrow also, and flies after him. Then they come +together and cast lots, but the master loses, and betakes himself to the +water and is a fish. Then the youth also becomes a fish, and they cast +lots again, and the master loses. So the master changes himself into +a cock, and the youth becomes a fox, and bites the master's head off, +and he died and has remained dead to this day. + + + +69 Jorinda and Joringel + +There was once an old castle in the midst of a large and thick forest, +and in it an old woman who was a witch dwelt all alone. In the day-time +she changed herself into a cat or a screech-owl, but in the evening she +took her proper shape again as a human being. She could lure wild beasts +and birds to her, and then she killed and boiled and roasted them. If any +one came within one hundred paces of the castle he was obliged to stand +still, and could not stir from the place until she bade him be free. But +whenever an innocent maiden came within this circle, she changed her into +a bird, and shut her up in a wicker-work cage, and carried the cage into +a room in the castle. She had about seven thousand cages of rare birds +in the castle. + +Now, there was once a maiden who was called Jorinda, who was fairer than +all other girls. She and a handsome youth named Joringel had promised +to marry each other. They were still in the days of betrothal, and their +greatest happiness was being together. One day in order that they might be +able to talk together in quiet they went for a walk in the forest. "Take +care," said Joringel, "that you do not go too near the castle." + +It was a beautiful evening; the sun shone brightly between the trunks +of the trees into the dark green of the forest, and the turtle-doves +sang mournfully upon the young boughs of the birch-trees. + +Jorinda wept now and then: she sat down in the sunshine and was sorrowful. +Joringel was sorrowful too; they were as sad as if they were about to +die. Then they looked around them, and were quite at a loss, for they +did not know by which way they should go home. The sun was still half +above the mountain and half set. + +Joringel looked through the bushes, and saw the old walls of the castle +close at hand. He was horror-stricken and filled with deadly fear. Jorinda +was singing--- + + + "My little bird, with the necklace red, + Sings sorrow, sorrow, sorrow, + He sings that the dove must soon be dead, + Sings sorrow, sor---jug, jug, jug." + +Joringel looked for Jorinda. She was changed into a nightingale, and sang, +"jug, jug, jug." A screech-owl with glowing eyes flew three times round +about her, and three times cried, "to-whoo, to-whoo, to-whoo!" + +Joringel could not move: he stood there like a stone, and could neither +weep nor speak, nor move hand or foot. + +The sun had now set. The owl flew into the thicket, and directly +afterwards there came out of it a crooked old woman, yellow and lean, +with large red eyes and a hooked nose, the point of which reached to her +chin. She muttered to herself, caught the nightingale, and took it away +in her hand. + +Joringel could neither speak nor move from the spot; the nightingale +was gone. At last the woman came back, and said in a hollow voice, +"Greet thee, Zachiel. If the moon shines on the cage, Zachiel, let him +loose at once." Then Joringel was freed. He fell on his knees before the +woman and begged that she would give him back his Jorinda, but she said +that he should never have her again, and went away. He called, he wept, +he lamented, but all in vain, "Ah, what is to become of me?" + +Joringel went away, and at last came to a strange village; there he +kept sheep for a long time. He often walked round and round the castle, +but not too near to it. At last he dreamt one night that he found a +blood-red flower, in the middle of which was a beautiful large pearl; +that he picked the flower and went with it to the castle, and that +everything he touched with the flower was freed from enchantment; he +also dreamt that by means of it he recovered his Jorinda. + +In the morning, when he awoke, he began to seek over hill and dale if +he could find such a flower. He sought until the ninth day, and then, +early in the morning, he found the blood-red flower. In the middle of +it there was a large dew-drop, as big as the finest pearl. + +Day and night he journeyed with this flower to the castle. When he was +within a hundred paces of it he was not held fast, but walked on to the +door. Joringel was full of joy; he touched the door with the flower, +and it sprang open. He walked in through the courtyard, and listened for +the sound of the birds. At last he heard it. He went on and found the +room from whence it came, and there the witch was feeding the birds in +the seven thousand cages. + +When she saw Joringel she was angry, very angry, and scolded and spat +poison and gall at him, but she could not come within two paces of him. He +did not take any notice of her, but went and looked at the cages with +the birds; but there were many hundred nightingales, how was he to find +his Jorinda again? + +Just then he saw the old woman quietly take away a cage with a bird in +it, and go towards the door. + +Swiftly he sprang towards her, touched the cage with the flower, and also +the old woman. She could now no longer bewitch any one; and Jorinda was +standing there, clasping him round the neck, and she was as beautiful +as ever! + + + +70 The Three Sons of Fortune + +A father once called his three sons before him, and he gave to the first a +cock, to the second a scythe, and to the third a cat. "I am already aged," +said he, "my death is nigh, and I have wished to take thought for you +before my end; money I have not, and what I now give you seems of little +worth, but all depends on your making a sensible use of it. Only seek out +a country where such things are still unknown, and your fortune is made." + +After the father's death the eldest went away with his cock, but wherever +he came the cock was already known; in the towns he saw him from a long +distance, sitting upon the steeples and turning round with the wind, +and in the villages he heard more than one crowing; no one would show +any wonder at the creature, so that it did not look as if he would make +his fortune by it. + +At last, however, it happened that he came to an island where the people +knew nothing about cocks, and did not even understand how to divide their +time. They certainly knew when it was morning or evening, but at night, +if they did not sleep through it, not one of them knew how to find out +the time. + +"Look!" said he, "what a proud creature! it has a ruby-red crown upon +its head, and wears spurs like a knight; it calls you three times +during the night, at fixed hours, and when it calls for the last time, +the sun soon rises. But if it crows by broad daylight, then take notice, +for there will certainly be a change of weather." + +The people were well pleased; for a whole night they did not sleep, and +listened with great delight as the cock at two, four, and six o'clock, +loudly and clearly proclaimed the time. They asked if the creature +were for sale, and how much he wanted for it? "About as much gold as +an ass can carry," answered he. "A ridiculously small price for such a +precious creature!" they cried unanimously, and willingly gave him what +he had asked. + +When he came home with his wealth his brothers were astonished, and the +second said, "Well, I will go forth and see whether I cannot get rid +of my scythe as profitably." But it did not look as if he would, for +labourers met him everywhere, and they had scythes upon their shoulders +as well as he. + +At last, however, he chanced upon an island where the people knew nothing +of scythes. When the corn was ripe there, they took cannon out to the +fields and shot it down. Now this was rather an uncertain affair; many +shot right over it, others hit the ears instead of the stems, and shot +them away, whereby much was lost, and besides all this, it made a terrible +noise. So the man set to work and mowed it down so quietly and quickly +that the people opened their mouths with astonishment. They agreed to +give him what he wanted for the scythe, and he received a horse laden +with as much gold as it could carry. + +And now the third brother wanted to take his cat to the right man. He +fared just like the others; so long as he stayed on the mainland there +was nothing to be done. Every place had cats, and there were so many of +them that new-born kittens were generally drowned in the ponds. + +At last he sailed over to an island, and it luckily happened that no cats +had ever yet been seen there, and that the mice had got the upper hand so +much that they danced upon the tables and benches whether the master were +at home or not. The people complained bitterly of the plague; the King +himself in his palace did not know how to secure himself against them; +mice squeaked in every corner, and gnawed whatever they could lay hold +of with their teeth. But now the cat began her chase, and soon cleared +a couple of rooms, and the people begged the King to buy the wonderful +beast for the country. The King willingly gave what was asked, which +was a mule laden with gold, and the third brother came home with the +greatest treasure of all. + +The cat made herself merry with the mice in the royal palace, and killed +so many that they could not be counted. At last she grew warm with the +work and thirsty, so she stood still, lifted up her head and cried, +"Mew. Mew!" When they heard this strange cry, the King and all his +people were frightened, and in their terror ran all at once out of the +palace. Then the King took counsel what was best to be done; at last it +was determined to send a herald to the cat, and demand that she should +leave the palace, or if not, she was to expect that force would be +used against her. The councillors said, "Rather will we let ourselves +be plagued with the mice, for to that misfortune we are accustomed, +than give up our lives to such a monster as this." A noble youth, +therefore, was sent to ask the cat "whether she would peaceably quit +the castle?" But the cat, whose thirst had become still greater, merely +answered, "Mew! Mew!" The youth understood her to say, "Most certainly +not! most certainly not!" and took this answer to the King. "Then," said +the councillors, "she shall yield to force." Cannon were brought out, and +the palace was soon in flames. When the fire reached the room where the +cat was sitting, she sprang safely out of the window; but the besiegers +did not leave off until the whole palace was shot down to the ground. + + + +71 How Six Men Got on in the World + +There was once a man who understood all kinds of arts; he served in war, +and behaved well and bravely, but when the war was over he received +his dismissal, and three farthings for his expenses on the way. "Stop," +said he, "I shall not be content with this. If I can only meet with the +right people, the King will yet have to give me all the treasure of the +country." Then full of anger he went into the forest, and saw a man +standing therein who had plucked up six trees as if they were blades +of corn. He said to him, "Wilt thou be my servant and go with me?" +"Yes," he answered, "but, first, I will take this little bundle of +sticks home to my mother," and he took one of the trees, and wrapped +it round the five others, lifted the bundle on his back, and carried +it away. Then he returned and went with his master, who said, "We two +ought to be able to get through the world very well," and when they +had walked on for a short while they found a huntsman who was kneeling, +had shouldered his gun, and was about to fire. The master said to him, +"Huntsman, what art thou going to shoot?" He answered, "Two miles from +here a fly is sitting on the branch of an oak-tree, and I want to shoot +its left eye out." "Oh, come with me," said the man, "if we three are +together, we certainly ought to be able to get on in the world!" The +huntsman was ready, and went with him, and they came to seven windmills +whose sails were turning round with great speed, and yet no wind was +blowing either on the right or the left, and no leaf was stirring. Then +said the man, "I know not what is driving the windmills, not a breath of +air is stirring," and he went onwards with his servants, and when they +had walked two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree who was shutting +one nostril, and blowing out of the other. "Good gracious! what are you +doing up there?" He answered, "Two miles from here are seven windmills; +look, I am blowing them till they turn round." "Oh, come with me," +said the man. "If we four are together, we shall carry the whole world +before us!" Then the blower came down and went with him, and after a +while they saw a man who was standing on one leg and had taken off the +other, and laid it beside him. Then the master said, "You have arranged +things very comfortably to have a rest." "I am a runner," he replied, +"and to stop myself running far too fast, I have taken off one of my +legs, for if I run with both, I go quicker than any bird can fly." "Oh, +go with me. If we five are together, we shall carry the whole world before +us." So he went with them, and it was not long before they met a man who +wore a cap, but had put it quite on one ear. Then the master said to him, +"Gracefully, gracefully, don't stick your cap on one ear, you look just +like a tom-fool!" "I must not wear it otherwise," said he, "for if I set +my hat straight, a terrible frost comes on, and all the birds in the air +are frozen, and drop dead on the ground." "Oh, come with me," said the +master. "If we six are together, we can carry the whole world before us." + +Now the six came to a town where the King had proclaimed that whosoever +ran a race with his daughter and won the victory, should be her husband, +but whosoever lost it, must lose his head. Then the man presented +himself and said, "I will, however, let my servant run for me." The +King replied, "Then his life also must be staked, so that his head +and thine are both set on the victory." When that was settled and made +secure, the man buckled the other leg on the runner, and said to him, +"Now be nimble, and help us to win." It was fixed that the one who was +first to bring some water from a far distant well was to be the victor. +The runner received a pitcher, and the King's daughter one too, and +they began to run at the same time, but in an instant, when the King's +daughter had got a very little way, the people who were looking on could +see no more of the runner, and it was just as if the wind had whistled +by. In a short time he reached the well, filled his pitcher with water, +and turned back. Half-way home, however, he was overcome with fatigue, +and set his pitcher down, lay down himself, and fell asleep. He had, +however, made a pillow of a horse's skull which was lying on the ground, +in order that he might lie uncomfortably, and soon wake up again. In +the meantime the King's daughter, who could also run very well quite as +well as any ordinary mortal can had reached the well, and was hurrying +back with her pitcher full of water, and when she saw the runner lying +there asleep, she was glad and said, "My enemy is delivered over into +my hands," emptied his pitcher, and ran on. And now all would have been +lost if by good luck the huntsman had not been standing at the top of the +castle, and had not seen everything with his sharp eyes. Then said he, +"The King's daughter shall still not prevail against us;" and he loaded +his gun, and shot so cleverly, that he shot the horse's skull away from +under the runner's head without hurting him. Then the runner awoke, leapt +up, and saw that his pitcher was empty, and that the King's daughter +was already far in advance. He did not lose heart, however, but ran +back to the well with his pitcher, again drew some water, and was at +home again, ten minutes before the King's daughter. "Behold!" said he, +"I have not bestirred myself till now, it did not deserve to be called +running before." + +But it pained the King, and still more his daughter, that she should be +carried off by a common disbanded soldier like that; so they took counsel +with each other how to get rid of him and his companions. Then said the +King to her, "I have thought of a way; don't be afraid, they shall not +come back again." And he said to them, "You shall now make merry together, +and eat and drink," and he conducted them to a room which had a floor of +iron, and the doors also were of iron, and the windows were guarded with +iron bars. There was a table in the room covered with delicious food, +and the King said to them, "Go in, and enjoy yourselves." And when they +were inside, he ordered the doors to be shut and bolted. Then he sent +for the cook, and commanded him to make a fire under the room until the +iron became red-hot. This the cook did, and the six who were sitting at +table began to feel quite warm, and they thought the heat was caused by +the food; but as it became still greater, and they wanted to get out, and +found that the doors and windows were bolted, they became aware that the +King must have an evil intention, and wanted to suffocate them. "He shall +not succeed, however," said the one with the cap. "I will cause a frost +to come, before which the fire shall be ashamed, and creep away." Then +he put his cap on straight, and immediately there came such a frost that +all heat disappeared, and the food on the dishes began to freeze. When an +hour or two had passed by, and the King believed that they had perished +in the heat, he had the doors opened to behold them himself. But when +the doors were opened, all six were standing there, alive and well, +and said that they should very much like to get out to warm themselves, +for the very food was fast frozen to the dishes with the cold. Then, +full of anger, the King went down to the cook, scolded him, and asked +why he had not done what he had been ordered to do. But the cook replied, +"There is heat enough there, just look yourself." Then the King saw that +a fierce fire was burning under the iron room, and perceived that there +was no getting the better of the six in this way. + +Again the King considered how to get rid of his unpleasant guests, and +caused their chief to be brought and said, "If thou wilt take gold and +renounce my daughter, thou shalt have as much as thou wilt." + +"Oh, yes, Lord King," he answered, "give me as much as my servant can +carry, and I will not ask for your daughter." + +On this the King was satisfied, and the other continued, "In fourteen +days, I will come and fetch it." Thereupon he summoned together all the +tailors in the whole kingdom, and they were to sit for fourteen days and +sew a sack. And when it was ready, the strong one who could tear up trees +had to take it on his back, and go with it to the King. Then said the +King, "Who can that strong fellow be who is carrying a bundle of linen +on his back that is as big as a house?" and he was alarmed and said, +"What a lot of gold he can carry away!" Then he commanded a ton of gold +to be brought; it took sixteen of his strongest men to carry it, but the +strong one snatched it up in one hand, put it in his sack, and said, "Why +don't you bring more at the same time? that hardly covers the bottom!" +Then, little by little, the King caused all his treasure to be brought +thither, and the strong one pushed it into the sack, and still the sack +was not half full with it. "Bring more," cried he, "these few crumbs +don't fill it." Then seven thousand carts with gold had to be gathered +together in the whole kingdom, and the strong one thrust them and the +oxen harnessed to them into his sack. "I will examine it no longer," said +he, "but will just take what comes, so long as the sack is but full." +When all that was inside, there was still room for a great deal more; +Then he said, "I will just make an end of the thing; people do sometimes +tie up a sack even when it is not full." So he took it on his back, and +went away with his comrades. When the King now saw how one single man +was carrying away the entire wealth of the country, he became enraged, +and bade his horsemen mount and pursue the six, and ordered them to take +the sack away from the strong one. Two regiments speedily overtook the +six, and called out, "You are prisoners, put down the sack with the gold, +or you will all be cut to pieces!" "What say you?" cried the blower, +"that we are prisoners! Rather than that should happen, all of you shall +dance about in the air." And he closed one nostril, and with the other +blew on the two regiments. Then they were driven away from each other, +and carried into the blue sky over all the mountains one here, the other +there. One sergeant cried for mercy; he had nine wounds, and was a brave +fellow who did not deserve ill treatment. The blower stopped a little +so that he came down without injury, and then the blower said to him, +"Now go home to thy King, and tell him he had better send some more +horsemen, and I will blow them all into the air." When the King was +informed of this he said, "Let the rascals go. They have the best of +it." Then the six conveyed the riches home, divided it amongst them, +and lived in content until their death. + + + +72 The Wolf and the Man + +Once on a time the fox was talking to the wolf of the strength of man; +how no animal could withstand him, and how all were obliged to employ +cunning in order to preserve themselves from him. Then the wolf answered, +"If I had but the chance of seeing a man for once, I would set on him +notwithstanding." "I can help thee to do that," said the fox. "Come +to me early to-morrow morning, and I will show thee one." The wolf +presented himself betimes, and the fox took him out on the road by which +the huntsmen went daily. First came an old discharged soldier. "Is +that a man?" inquired the wolf. "No," answered the fox, "that was +one." Afterwards came a little boy who was going to school. "Is that +a man?" "No, that is going to be one." At length came a hunter with his +double-barrelled gun at his back, and hanger by his side. Said the fox +to the wolf, "Look, there comes a man, thou must attack him, but I will +take myself off to my hole." The wolf then rushed on the man. When the +huntsman saw him he said, "It is a pity that I have not loaded with a +bullet," aimed, and fired his small shot in his face. The wolf pulled +a very wry face, but did not let himself be frightened, and attacked +him again, on which the huntsman gave him the second barrel. The wolf +swallowed his pain, and rushed on the huntsman, but he drew out his +bright hanger, and gave him a few cuts with it right and left, so that, +bleeding everywhere, he ran howling back to the fox. "Well, brother wolf," +said the fox, "how hast thou got on with man?" "Ah!" replied the wolf, +"I never imagined the strength of man to be what it is! First, he took a +stick from his shoulder, and blew into it, and then something flew into +my face which tickled me terribly; then he breathed once more into the +stick, and it flew into my nose like lightning and hail; when I was +quite close, he drew a white rib out of his side, and he beat me so +with it that I was all but left lying dead." "See what a braggart thou +art!" said the fox. "Thou throwest thy hatchet so far that thou canst +not fetch it back again!" + + + +73 The Wolf and the Fox + +The wolf had the fox with him, and whatsoever the wolf wished, that the +fox was compelled to do, for he was the weaker, and he would gladly have +been rid of his master. It chanced that once as they were going through +the forest, the wolf said, "Red-fox, get me something to eat, or else I +will eat thee thyself." Then the fox answered, "I know a farm-yard where +there are two young lambs; if thou art inclined, we will fetch one of +them." That suited the wolf, and they went thither, and the fox stole +the little lamb, took it to the wolf, and went away. The wolf devoured +it, but was not satisfied with one; he wanted the other as well, and +went to get it. As, however, he did it so awkwardly, the mother of the +little lamb heard him, and began to cry out terribly, and to bleat so +that the farmer came running there. They found the wolf, and beat him +so mercilessly, that he went to the fox limping and howling. "Thou hast +misled me finely," said he; "I wanted to fetch the other lamb, and the +country folks surprised me, and have beaten me to a jelly." The fox +replied, "Why art thou such a glutton?" + +Next day they again went into the country, and the greedy wolf once more +said, "Red-fox, get me something to eat, or I will eat thee thyself." Then +answered the fox, "I know a farm-house where the wife is baking pancakes +to-night; we will get some of them for ourselves." They went there, +and the fox slipped round the house, and peeped and sniffed about until +he discovered where the dish was, and then drew down six pancakes and +carried them to the wolf. "There is something for thee to eat," said he +to him, and then went his way. The wolf swallowed down the pancakes in an +instant, and said, "They make one want more," and went thither and tore +the whole dish down so that it broke in pieces. This made such a great +noise that the woman came out, and when she saw the wolf she called the +people, who hurried there, and beat him as long as their sticks would +hold together, till with two lame legs, and howling loudly, he got back +to the fox in the forest. "How abominably thou hast misled me!" cried he, +"the peasants caught me, and tanned my skin for me." But the fox replied, +"Why art thou such a glutton?" + +On the third day, when they were out together, and the wolf could only +limp along painfully, he again said, "Red-fox, get me something to eat, +or I will eat thee thyself." The fox answered, "I know a man who has +been killing, and the salted meat is lying in a barrel in the cellar; +we will get that." Said the wolf, "I will go when thou dost, that thou +mayest help me if I am not able to get away." "I am willing," said +the fox, and showed him the by-paths and ways by which at length they +reached the cellar. There was meat in abundance, and the wolf attacked +it instantly and thought, "There is plenty of time before I need leave +off!" The fox liked it also, but looked about everywhere, and often ran +to the hole by which they had come in, and tried if his body was still +thin enough to slip through it. The wolf said, "Dear fox, tell me why +thou art running here and there so much, and jumping in and out?" + +"I must see that no one is coming," replied the crafty fellow. "Don't +eat too much!" Then said the wolf, "I shall not leave until the barrel +is empty." In the meantime the farmer, who had heard the noise of the +fox's jumping, came into the cellar. When the fox saw him he was out +of the hole at one bound. The wolf wanted to follow him, but he had +made himself so fat with eating that he could no longer get through, +but stuck fast. Then came the farmer with a cudgel and struck him dead, +but the fox bounded into the forest, glad to be rid of the old glutton. + + + +74 The Fox and His Cousin + +The she-wolf brought forth a young one, and invited the fox to be +godfather. "After all, he is a near relative of ours," said she, "he +has a good understanding, and much talent; he can instruct my little son, +and help him forward in the world." The fox, too, appeared quite honest, +and said, "Worthy Mrs. Gossip, I thank you for the honour which you are +doing me; I will, however, conduct myself in such a way that you shall +be repaid for it." He enjoyed himself at the feast, and made merry; +afterwards he said, "Dear Mrs. Gossip, it is our duty to take care of the +child, it must have good food that it may be strong. I know a sheep-fold +from which we might fetch a nice morsel." The wolf was pleased with the +ditty, and she went out with the fox to the farm-yard. He pointed out the +fold from afar, and said, "You will be able to creep in there without +being seen, and in the meantime I will look about on the other side to +see if I can pick up a chicken." He, however, did not go there, but sat +down at the entrance to the forest, stretched his legs and rested. The +she-wolf crept into the stable. A dog was lying there, and it made such +a noise that the peasants came running out, caught Gossip Wolf, and +poured a strong burning mixture, which had been prepared for washing, +over her skin. At last she escaped, and dragged herself outside. There +lay the fox, who pretended to be full of complaints, and said, "Ah, dear +Mistress Gossip, how ill I have fared, the peasants have fallen on me, +and have broken every limb I have; if you do not want me to lie where +I am and perish, you must carry me away." The she-wolf herself was only +able to go away slowly, but she was in such concern about the fox that she +took him on her back, and slowly carried him perfectly safe and sound to +her house. Then the fox cried to her, "Farewell, dear Mistress Gossip, +may the roasting you have had do you good," laughed heartily at her, +and bounded off. + + + +75 The Fox and the Cat + +It happened that the cat met the fox in a forest, and as she thought +to herself, "He is clever and full of experience, and much esteemed in +the world," she spoke to him in a friendly way. "Good-day, dear Mr. Fox, +how are you? How is all with you? How are you getting through this dear +season?" The fox, full of all kinds of arrogance, looked at the cat from +head to foot, and for a long time did not know whether he would give any +answer or not. At last he said, "Oh, thou wretched beard-cleaner, thou +piebald fool, thou hungry mouse-hunter, what canst thou be thinking +of? Dost thou venture to ask how I am getting on? What hast thou +learnt? How many arts dost thou understand?" "I understand but one," +replied the cat, modestly. "What art is that?" asked the fox. "When the +hounds are following me, I can spring into a tree and save myself." "Is +that all?" said the fox. "I am master of a hundred arts, and have into +the bargain a sackful of cunning. Thou makest me sorry for thee; come +with me, I will teach thee how people get away from the hounds." Just +then came a hunter with four dogs. The cat sprang nimbly up a tree, and +sat down on top of it, where the branches and foliage quite concealed +her. "Open your sack, Mr. Fox, open your sack," cried the cat to him, +but the dogs had already seized him, and were holding him fast. "Ah, +Mr. Fox," cried the cat. "You with your hundred arts are left in the +lurch! Had you been able to climb like me, you would not have lost +your life." + + + +76 The Pink + +There was once on a time a Queen to whom God had given no children. Every +morning she went into the garden and prayed to God in heaven to bestow on +her a son or a daughter. Then an angel from heaven came to her and said, +"Be at rest, thou shalt have a son with the power of wishing, so that +whatsoever in the world he wishes for, that shall he have." Then she went +to the King, and told him the joyful tidings, and when the time was come +she gave birth to a son, and the King was filled with gladness. Every +morning she went with the child to the garden where the wild beasts were +kept, and washed herself there in a clear stream. It happened once when +the child was a little older, that it was lying in her arms and she fell +asleep. Then came the old cook, who knew that the child had the power +of wishing, and stole it away, and he took a hen, and cut it in pieces, +and dropped some of its blood on the Queen's apron and on her dress. Then +he carried the child away to a secret place, where a nurse was obliged to +suckle it, and he ran to the King and accused the Queen of having allowed +her child to be taken from her by the wild beasts. When the King saw the +blood on her apron, he believed this, fell into such a passion that he +ordered a high tower to be built, in which neither sun nor moon could +be seen, and had his wife put into it, and walled up. Here she was to +stay for seven years without meat or drink, and die of hunger. But God +sent two angels from heaven in the shape of white doves, which flew to +her twice a day, and carried her food until the seven years were over. + +The cook, however, thought to himself, "If the child has the power of +wishing, and I am here, he might very easily get me into trouble." So he +left the palace and went to the boy, who was already big enough to speak, +and said to him, "Wish for a beautiful palace for thyself with a garden, +and all else that pertains to it." Scarcely were the words out of the +boy's mouth, when everything was there that he had wished for. After +a while the cook said to him, "It is not well for thee to be so alone, +wish for a pretty girl as a companion." Then the King's son wished for +one, and she immediately stood before him, and was more beautiful than +any painter could have painted her. The two played together, and loved +each other with all their hearts, and the old cook went out hunting like +a nobleman. The thought, however, occurred to him that the King's son +might some day wish to be with his father, and thus bring him into great +peril. So he went out and took the maiden aside, and said, "To-night +when the boy is asleep, go to his bed and plunge this knife into his +heart, and bring me his heart and tongue, and if thou dost not do it, +thou shalt lose thy life." Thereupon he went away, and when he returned +next day she had not done it, and said, "Why should I shed the blood of +an innocent boy who has never harmed any one?" The cook once more said, +"If thou dost not do it, it shall cost thee thy own life." When he had +gone away, she had a little hind brought to her, and ordered her to be +killed, and took her heart and tongue, and laid them on a plate, and when +she saw the old man coming, she said to the boy, "Lie down in thy bed, +and draw the clothes over thee." Then the wicked wretch came in and said, +"Where are the boy's heart and tongue?" The girl reached the plate to +him, but the King's son threw off the quilt, and said, "Thou old sinner, +why didst thou want to kill me? Now will I pronounce thy sentence. Thou +shalt become a black poodle and have a gold collar round thy neck, and +shalt eat burning coals, till the flames burst forth from thy throat." And +when he had spoken these words, the old man was changed into a poodle dog, +and had a gold collar round his neck, and the cooks were ordered to bring +up some live coals, and these he ate, until the flames broke forth from +his throat. The King's son remained there a short while longer, and he +thought of his mother, and wondered if she were still alive. At length +he said to the maiden, "I will go home to my own country; if thou wilt +go with me, I will provide for thee." "Ah," she replied, "the way is +so long, and what shall I do in a strange land where I am unknown?" As +she did not seem quite willing, and as they could not be parted from +each other, he wished that she might be changed into a beautiful pink, +and took her with him. Then he went away to his own country, and the +poodle had to run after him. He went to the tower in which his mother +was confined, and as it was so high, he wished for a ladder which would +reach up to the very top. Then he mounted up and looked inside, and cried, +"Beloved mother, Lady Queen, are you still alive, or are you dead?" She +answered, "I have just eaten, and am still satisfied," for she thought +the angels were there. Said he, "I am your dear son, whom the wild beasts +were said to have torn from your arms; but I am alive still, and will +speedily deliver you." Then he descended again, and went to his father, +and caused himself to be announced as a strange huntsman, and asked if +he could give him a place. The King said yes, if he was skilful and could +get game for him, he should come to him, but that deer had never taken up +their quarters in any part of the district or country. Then the huntsman +promised to procure as much game for him as he could possibly use at the +royal table. So he summoned all the huntsmen together, and bade them go +out into the forest with him. And he went with them and made them form +a great circle, open at one end where he stationed himself, and began to +wish. Two hundred deer and more came running inside the circle at once, +and the huntsmen shot them. Then they were all placed on sixty country +carts, and driven home to the King, and for once he was able to deck +his table with game, after having had none at all for years. + +Now the King felt great joy at this, and commanded that his entire +household should eat with him next day, and made a great feast. When they +were all assembled together, he said to the huntsmen, "As thou art so +clever, thou shalt sit by me." He replied, "Lord King, your majesty must +excuse me, I am a poor huntsman." But the King insisted on it, and said, +"Thou shalt sit by me," until he did it. Whilst he was sitting there, +he thought of his dearest mother, and wished that one of the King's +principal servants would begin to speak of her, and would ask how it was +faring with the Queen in the tower, and if she were alive still, or had +perished. Hardly had he formed the wish than the marshal began, and said, +"Your majesty, we live joyously here, but how is the Queen living in +the tower? Is she still alive, or has she died?" But the King replied, +"She let my dear son be torn to pieces by wild beasts; I will not have +her named." Then the huntsman arose and said, "Gracious lord father, +she is alive still, and I am her son, and I was not carried away by +wild beasts, but by that wretch the old cook, who tore me from her +arms when she was asleep, and sprinkled her apron with the blood of a +chicken." Thereupon he took the dog with the golden collar, and said, +"That is the wretch!" and caused live coals to be brought, and these +the dog was compelled to devour before the sight of all, until flames +burst forth from its throat. On this the huntsman asked the King if he +would like to see the dog in his true shape, and wished him back into +the form of the cook, in the which he stood immediately, with his white +apron, and his knife by his side. When the King saw him he fell into a +passion, and ordered him to be cast into the deepest dungeon. Then the +huntsman spoke further and said, "Father, will you see the maiden who +brought me up so tenderly and who was afterwards to murder me, but did +not do it, though her own life depended on it?" The King replied, "Yes, +I would like to see her." The son said, "Most gracious father, I will +show her to you in the form of a beautiful flower," and he thrust his +hand into his pocket and brought forth the pink, and placed it on the +royal table, and it was so beautiful that the King had never seen one +to equal it. Then the son said, "Now will I show her to you in her own +form," and wished that she might become a maiden, and she stood there +looking so beautiful that no painter could have made her look more so. + +And the King sent two waiting-maids and two attendants into the tower, +to fetch the Queen and bring her to the royal table. But when she was +led in she ate nothing, and said, "The gracious and merciful God who +has supported me in the tower, will speedily deliver me." She lived +three days more, and then died happily, and when she was buried, the two +white doves which had brought her food to the tower, and were angels of +heaven, followed her body and seated themselves on her grave. The aged +King ordered the cook to be torn in four pieces, but grief consumed the +King's own heart, and he soon died. His son married the beautiful maiden +whom he had brought with him as a flower in his pocket, and whether they +are still alive or not, is known to God. + + + +77 Clever Grethel + +There was once a cook named Grethel, who wore shoes with red rosettes, and +when she walked out with them on, she turned herself this way and that, +and thought, "You certainly are a pretty girl!" And when she came home she +drank, in her gladness of heart, a draught of wine, and as wine excites +a desire to eat, she tasted the best of whatever she was cooking until +she was satisfied, and said, "The cook must know what the food is like." + +It came to pass that the master one day said to her, "Grethel, there is +a guest coming this evening; prepare me two fowls very daintily." "I +will see to it, master," answered Grethel. She killed two fowls, +scalded them, plucked them, put them on the spit, and towards evening +set them before the fire, that they might roast. The fowls began to turn +brown, and were nearly ready, but the guest had not yet arrived. Then +Grethel called out to her master, "If the guest does not come, I must +take the fowls away from the fire, but it will be a sin and a shame if +they are not eaten directly, when they are juiciest." The master said, +"I will run myself, and fetch the guest." When the master had turned his +back, Grethel laid the spit with the fowls on one side, and thought, +"Standing so long by the fire there, makes one hot and thirsty; who +knows when they will come? Meanwhile, I will run into the cellar, and +take a drink." She ran down, set a jug, said, "God bless it to thy use, +Grethel," and took a good drink, and took yet another hearty draught. + +Then she went and put the fowls down again to the fire, basted them, and +drove the spit merrily round. But as the roast meat smelt so good, Grethel +thought, "Something might be wrong, it ought to be tasted!" She touched +it with her finger, and said, "Ah! how good fowls are! It certainly is a +sin and a shame that they are not eaten directly!" She ran to the window, +to see if the master was not coming with his guest, but she saw no one, +and went back to the fowls and thought, "One of the wings is burning! I +had better take it off and eat it." So she cut it off, ate it, and enjoyed +it, and when she had done, she thought, "the other must go down too, +or else master will observe that something is missing." When the two +wings were eaten, she went and looked for her master, and did not see +him. It suddenly occurred to her, "Who knows? They are perhaps not coming +at all, and have turned in somewhere." Then she said, "Hallo, Grethel, +enjoy yourself, one fowl has been cut into, take another drink, and eat +it up entirely; when it is eaten you will have some peace, why should +God's good gifts be spoilt?" So she ran into the cellar again, took an +enormous drink and ate up the one chicken in great glee. When one of the +chickens was swallowed down, and still her master did not come, Grethel +looked at the other and said, "Where one is, the other should be likewise, +the two go together; what's right for the one is right for the other; +I think if I were to take another draught it would do me no harm." So she +took another hearty drink, and let the second chicken rejoin the first. + +While she was just in the best of the eating, her master came and +cried, hurry up, "Haste thee, Grethel, the guest is coming directly +after me!" "Yes, sir, I will soon serve up," answered Grethel. Meantime +the master looked to see that the table was properly laid, and took the +great knife, wherewith he was going to carve the chickens, and sharpened +it on the steps. Presently the guest came, and knocked politely and +courteously at the house-door. Grethel ran, and looked to see who was +there, and when she saw the guest, she put her finger to her lips and +said, "Hush! hush! get away as quickly as you can, if my master catches +you it will be the worse for you; he certainly did ask you to supper, +but his intention is to cut off your two ears. Just listen how he is +sharpening the knife for it!" The guest heard the sharpening, and hurried +down the steps again as fast as he could. Grethel was not idle; she ran +screaming to her master, and cried, "You have invited a fine guest!" "Eh, +why, Grethel? What do you mean by that?" "Yes," said she, "he has taken +the chickens which I was just going to serve up, off the dish, and has +run away with them!" "That's a nice trick!" said her master, and lamented +the fine chickens. "If he had but left me one, so that something remained +for me to eat." He called to him to stop, but the guest pretended not to +hear. Then he ran after him with the knife still in his hand, crying, +"Just one, just one," meaning that the guest should leave him just one +chicken, and not take both. The guest, however, thought no otherwise +than that he was to give up one of his ears, and ran as if fire were +burning under him, in order to take them both home with him. + + + +78 The Old Man and His Grandson + +There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his ears +dull of hearing, his knees trembled, and when he sat at table he could +hardly hold the spoon, and spilt the broth upon the table-cloth or let +it run out of his mouth. His son and his son's wife were disgusted at +this, so the old grandfather at last had to sit in the corner behind +the stove, and they gave him his food in an earthenware bowl, and not +even enough of it. And he used to look towards the table with his eyes +full of tears. Once, too, his trembling hands could not hold the bowl, +and it fell to the ground and broke. The young wife scolded him, but he +said nothing and only sighed. Then they bought him a wooden bowl for a +few half-pence, out of which he had to eat. + +They were once sitting thus when the little grandson of four years +old began to gather together some bits of wood upon the ground. "What +are you doing there?" asked the father. "I am making a little trough," +answered the child, "for father and mother to eat out of when I am big." + +The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently began +to cry. Then they took the old grandfather to the table, and henceforth +always let him eat with them, and likewise said nothing if he did spill +a little of anything. + + + +79 The Water-Nix + +A little brother and sister were once playing by a well, and while they +were thus playing, they both fell in. A water-nix lived down below, who +said, "Now I have got you, now you shall work hard for me!" and carried +them off with her. She gave the girl dirty tangled flax to spin, and she +had to fetch water in a bucket with a hole in it, and the boy had to hew +down a tree with a blunt axe, and they got nothing to eat but dumplings +as hard as stones. Then at last the children became so impatient, +that they waited until one Sunday, when the nix was at church, and ran +away. But when church was over, the nix saw that the birds were flown, +and followed them with great strides. The children saw her from afar, +and the girl threw a brush behind her which formed an immense hill of +bristles, with thousands and thousands of spikes, over which the nix +was forced to scramble with great difficulty; at last, however, she +got over. When the children saw this, the boy threw behind him a comb +which made a great hill of combs with a thousand times a thousand teeth, +but the nix managed to keep herself steady on them, and at last crossed +over that. Then the girl threw behind her a looking-glass which formed a +hill of mirrors, and was so slippery that it was impossible for the nix +to cross it. Then she thought, "I will go home quickly and fetch my axe, +and cut the hill of glass in half." Long before she returned, however, and +had hewn through the glass, the children had escaped to a great distance, +and the water-nix was obliged to betake herself to her well again. + + + +80 The Death of the Little Hen + +Once upon a time the little hen went with the little cock to the nut-hill, +and they agreed together that whichsoever of them found a kernel of a nut +should share it with the other. Then the hen found a large, large nut, +but said nothing about it, intending to eat the kernel herself. The +kernel, however, was so large that she could not swallow it, and it +remained sticking in her throat, so that she was alarmed lest she should +be choked. Then she cried, "Cock, I entreat thee to run as fast thou +canst, and fetch me some water, or I shall choke." The little cock did +run as fast as he could to the spring, and said, "Stream, thou art to +give me some water; the little hen is lying on the nut-hill, and she +has swallowed a large nut, and is choking." The well answered, "First +run to the bride, and get her to give thee some red silk." The little +cock ran to the bride and said, "Bride, you are to give me some red silk; +I want to give red silk to the well, the well is to give me some water, +I am to take the water to the little hen who is lying on the nut-hill +and has swallowed a great nut-kernel, and is choking with it." The bride +answered, "First run and bring me my little wreath which is hanging to +a willow." So the little cock ran to the willow, and drew the wreath +from the branch and took it to the bride, and the bride gave him some +water for it. Then the little cock took the water to the hen, but when +he got there the hen had choked in the meantime, and lay there dead and +motionless. Then the cock was so distressed that he cried aloud, and +every animal came to lament the little hen, and six mice built a little +carriage to carry her to her grave, and when the carriage was ready they +harnessed themselves to it, and the cock drove. On the way, however, +they met the fox, who said, "Where art thou going, little cock?" "I am +going to bury my little hen." "May I drive with thee?" "Yes, but seat +thyself at the back of the carriage, for in the front my little horses +could not drag thee." Then the fox seated himself at the back, and after +that the wolf, the bear, the stag, the lion, and all the beasts of the +forest did the same. Then the procession went onwards, and they reached +the stream. "How are we to get over?" said the little cock. A straw was +lying by the stream, and it said, "I will lay myself across, and you +shall drive over me." But when the six mice came to the bridge, the straw +slipped and fell into the water, and the six mice all fell in and were +drowned. Then they were again in difficulty, and a coal came and said, +"I am large enough, I will lay myself across and you shall drive over +me." So the coal also laid itself across the water, but unhappily just +touched it, on which the coal hissed, was extinguished and died. When a +stone saw that, it took pity on the little cock, wished to help him, +and laid itself over the water. Then the cock drew the carriage himself, +but when he got it over and reached the other shore with the dead hen, +and was about to draw over the others who were sitting behind as well, +there were too many of them, the carriage ran back, and they all fell +into the water together, and were drowned. Then the little cock was left +alone with the dead hen, and dug a grave for her and laid her in it, +and made a mound above it, on which he sat down and fretted until he +died too, and then every one was dead. + + + +81 Brother Lustig + +There was one on a time a great war, and when it came to an end, +many soldiers were discharged. Then Brother Lustig also received his +dismissal, and besides that, nothing but a small loaf of contract-bread, +and four kreuzers in money, with which he departed. St. Peter had, +however, placed himself in his way in the shape of a poor beggar, +and when Brother Lustig came up, he begged alms of him. Brother Lustig +replied, "Dear beggar-man, what am I to give you? I have been a soldier, +and have received my dismissal, and have nothing but this little loaf +of contract-bread, and four kreuzers of money; when that is gone, +I shall have to beg as well as you. Still I will give you something." +Thereupon he divided the loaf into four parts, and gave the apostle one +of them, and a kreuzer likewise. St. Peter thanked him, went onwards, +and threw himself again in the soldier's way as a beggar, but in another +shape; and when he came up begged a gift of him as before. Brother +Lustig spoke as he had done before, and again gave him a quarter of +the loaf and one kreuzer. St. Peter thanked him, and went onwards, +but for the third time placed himself in another shape as a beggar on +the road, and spoke to Brother Lustig. Brother Lustig gave him also the +third quarter of bread and the third kreuzer. St. Peter thanked him, +and Brother Lustig went onwards, and had but a quarter of the loaf, and +one kreuzer. With that he went into an inn, ate the bread, and ordered +one kreuzer's worth of beer. When he had had it, he journeyed onwards, +and then St. Peter, who had assumed the appearance of a discharged +soldier, met and spoke to him thus: "Good day, comrade, canst thou not +give me a bit of bread, and a kreuzer to get a drink?" "Where am I to +procure it?" answered Brother Lustig; "I have been discharged, and I +got nothing but a loaf of ammunition-bread and four kreuzers in money. I +met three beggars on the road, and I gave each of them a quarter of my +bread, and one kreuzer. The last quarter I ate in the inn, and had a +drink with the last kreuzer. Now my pockets are empty, and if thou also +hast nothing we can go a-begging together." "No," answered St. Peter, +"we need not quite do that. I know a little about medicine, and I will +soon earn as much as I require by that." "Indeed," said Brother Lustig, +"I know nothing of that, so I must go and beg alone." "Just come with +me," said St. Peter, "and if I earn anything, thou shalt have half of +it." "All right," said Brother Lustig, so they went away together. + +Then they came to a peasant's house inside which they heard loud +lamentations and cries; so they went in, and there the husband was lying +sick unto death, and very near his end, and his wife was crying and +weeping quite loudly. "Stop that howling and crying," said St. Peter, +"I will make the man well again," and he took a salve out of his +pocket, and healed the sick man in a moment, so that he could get up, +and was in perfect health. In great delight the man and his wife said, +"How can we reward you? What shall we give you?" But St. Peter would take +nothing, and the more the peasant folks offered him, the more he refused. +Brother Lustig, however, nudged St. Peter, and said, "Take something; +sure enough we are in need of it." At length the woman brought a lamb and +said to St. Peter that he really must take that, but he would not. Then +Brother Lustig gave him a poke in the side, and said, "Do take it, you +stupid fool; we are in great want of it!" Then St. Peter said at last, +"Well, I will take the lamb, but I won't carry it; if thou wilt insist +on having it, thou must carry it." "That is nothing," said Brother +Lustig. "I will easily carry it," and took it on his shoulder. Then they +departed and came to a wood, but Brother Lustig had begun to feel the +lamb heavy, and he was hungry, so he said to St. Peter, "Look, that's +a good place, we might cook the lamb there, and eat it." "As you like," +answered St. Peter, "but I can't have anything to do with the cooking; +if thou wilt cook, there is a kettle for thee, and in the meantime I will +walk about a little until it is ready. Thou must, however, not begin to +eat until I have come back, I will come at the right time." "Well, go, +then," said Brother Lustig, "I understand cookery, I will manage it." Then +St. Peter went away, and Brother Lustig killed the lamb, lighted a fire, +threw the meat into the kettle, and boiled it. The lamb was, however, +quite ready, and the apostle Peter had not come back, so Brother Lustig +took it out of the kettle, cut it up, and found the heart. "That is said +to be the best part," said he, and tasted it, but at last he ate it all +up. At length St. Peter returned and said, "Thou mayst eat the whole +of the lamb thyself, I will only have the heart, give me that." Then +Brother Lustig took a knife and fork, and pretended to look anxiously +about amongst the lamb's flesh, but not to be able to find the heart, +and at last he said abruptly, "There is none here." "But where can it +be?" said the apostle. "I don't know," replied Brother Lustig, "but look, +what fools we both are, to seek for the lamb's heart, and neither of +us to remember that a lamb has no heart!" "Oh," said St. Peter, "that +is something quite new! Every animal has a heart, why is a lamb to have +none?" "No, be assured, my brother," said Brother Lustig, "that a lamb +has no heart; just consider it seriously, and then you will see that it +really has none." "Well, it is all right," said St. Peter, "if there is +no heart, then I want none of the lamb; thou mayst eat it alone." "What +I can't eat now, I will carry away in my knapsack," said Brother Lustig, +and he ate half the lamb, and put the rest in his knapsack. + +They went farther, and then St. Peter caused a great stream of water +to flow right across their path, and they were obliged to pass through +it. Said St. Peter, "Do thou go first." "No," answered Brother Lustig, +"thou must go first," and he thought, "if the water is too deep I will +stay behind." Then St. Peter strode through it, and the water just +reached to his knee. So Brother Lustig began to go through also, but the +water grew deeper and reached to his throat. Then he cried, "Brother, +help me!" St. Peter said, "Then wilt thou confess that thou hast eaten +the lamb's heart?" "No," said he, "I have not eaten it." Then the water +grew deeper still and rose to his mouth. "Help me, brother," cried the +soldier. St. Peter said, "Then wilt thou confess that thou hast eaten +the lamb's heart?" "No," he replied, "I have not eaten it." St. Peter, +however, would not let him be drowned, but made the water sink and helped +him through it. + +Then they journeyed onwards, and came to a kingdom where they heard +that the King's daughter lay sick unto death. "Hollo, brother!" said +the soldier to St. Peter, "this is a chance for us; if we can heal +her we shall be provided for, for life!" But St. Peter was not half +quick enough for him, "Come, lift your legs, my dear brother," said he, +"that we may get there in time." But St. Peter walked slower and slower, +though Brother Lustig did all he could to drive and push him on, and +at last they heard that the princess was dead. "Now we are done for!" +said Brother Lustig; "that comes of thy sleepy way of walking!" "Just +be quiet," answered St. Peter, "I can do more than cure sick people; +I can bring dead ones to life again." "Well, if thou canst do that," +said Brother Lustig, "it's all right, but thou shouldst earn at least +half the kingdom for us by that." Then they went to the royal palace, +where every one was in great grief, but St. Peter told the King that he +would restore his daughter to life. He was taken to her, and said, "Bring +me a kettle and some water," and when that was brought, he bade everyone +go out, and allowed no one to remain with him but Brother Lustig. Then +he cut off all the dead girl's limbs, and threw them in the water, +lighted a fire beneath the kettle, and boiled them. And when the flesh +had fallen away from the bones, he took out the beautiful white bones, +and laid them on a table, and arranged them together in their natural +order. When he had done that, he stepped forward and said three times, +"In the name of the holy Trinity, dead woman, arise." And at the third +time, the princess arose, living, healthy and beautiful. Then the King +was in the greatest joy, and said to St. Peter, "Ask for thy reward; even +if it were half my kingdom, I would give it thee." But St. Peter said, +"I want nothing for it." "Oh, thou tomfool!" thought Brother Lustig to +himself, and nudged his comrade's side, and said, "Don't be so stupid! If +thou hast no need of anything, I have." St. Peter, however, would have +nothing, but as the King saw that the other would very much like to have +something, he ordered his treasurer to fill Brother Lustig's knapsack +with gold. Then they went on their way, and when they came to a forest, +St. Peter said to Brother Lustig, "Now, we will divide the gold." "Yes," +he replied, "we will." So St. Peter divided the gold, and divided it +into three heaps. Brother Lustig thought to himself, "What craze has +he got in his head now? He is making three shares, and there are only +two of us!" But St. Peter said, "I have divided it exactly; there is +one share for me, one for thee, and one for him who ate the lamb's heart." + +"Oh, I ate that!" replied Brother Lustig, and hastily swept up the +gold. "You may trust what I say." "But how can that be true," said +St. Peter, "when a lamb has no heart?" "Eh, what, brother, what can you +be thinking of? Lambs have hearts like other animals, why should only they +have none?" "Well, so be it," said St. Peter, "keep the gold to yourself, +but I will stay with you no longer; I will go my way alone." "As you like, +dear brother," answered Brother Lustig. "Farewell." + +Then St. Peter went a different road, but Brother Lustig thought, +"It is a good thing that he has taken himself off, he is certainly a +strange saint, after all." Then he had money enough, but did not know +how to manage it, squandered it, gave it away, and and when some time +had gone by, once more had nothing. Then he arrived in a certain country +where he heard that a King's daughter was dead. "Oh, ho!" thought he, +"that may be a good thing for me; I will bring her to life again, and see +that I am paid as I ought to be." So he went to the King, and offered +to raise the dead girl to life again. Now the King had heard that a +discharged soldier was traveling about and bringing dead persons to +life again, and thought that Brother Lustig was the man; but as he had +no confidence in him, he consulted his councillors first, who said that +he might give it a trial as his daughter was dead. Then Brother Lustig +ordered water to be brought to him in a kettle, bade every one go out, +cut the limbs off, threw them in the water and lighted a fire beneath, +just as he had seen St. Peter do. The water began to boil, the flesh fell +off, and then he took the bones out and laid them on the table, but he did +not know the order in which to lay them, and placed them all wrong and in +confusion. Then he stood before them and said, "In the name of the most +holy Trinity, dead maiden, I bid thee arise," and he said this thrice, +but the bones did not stir. So he said it thrice more, but also in vain: +"Confounded girl that you are, get up!" cried he, "Get up, or it shall +be worse for you!" When he had said that, St. Peter suddenly appeared in +his former shape as a discharged soldier; he entered by the window and +said, "Godless man, what art thou doing? How can the dead maiden arise, +when thou hast thrown about her bones in such confusion?" "Dear brother, +I have done everything to the best of my ability," he answered. "This +once, I will help thee out of thy difficulty, but one thing I tell thee, +and that is that if ever thou undertakest anything of the kind again, it +will be the worse for thee, and also that thou must neither demand nor +accept the smallest thing from the King for this!" Thereupon St. Peter +laid the bones in their right order, said to the maiden three times, +"In the name of the most holy Trinity, dead maiden, arise," and the +King's daughter arose, healthy and beautiful as before. Then St. Peter +went away again by the window, and Brother Lustig was rejoiced to find +that all had passed off so well, but was very much vexed to think that +after all he was not to take anything for it. "I should just like to +know," thought he, "what fancy that fellow has got in his head, for +what he gives with one hand he takes away with the other there is no +sense whatever in it!" Then the King offered Brother Lustig whatsoever +he wished to have, but he did not dare to take anything; however, by +hints and cunning, he contrived to make the King order his knapsack to +be filled with gold for him, and with that he departed. When he got out, +St. Peter was standing by the door, and said, "Just look what a man thou +art; did I not forbid thee to take anything, and there thou hast thy +knapsack full of gold!" "How can I help that," answered Brother Lustig, +"if people will put it in for me?" "Well, I tell thee this, that if +ever thou settest about anything of this kind again thou shalt suffer +for it!" "Eh, brother, have no fear, now I have money, why should I +trouble myself with washing bones?" "Faith," said St. Peter, "the gold +will last a long time! In order that after this thou mayst never tread +in forbidden paths, I will bestow on thy knapsack this property, namely, +that whatsoever thou wishest to have inside it, shall be there. Farewell, +thou wilt now never see me more." "Good-bye," said Brother Lustig, and +thought to himself, "I am very glad that thou hast taken thyself off, +thou strange fellow; I shall certainly not follow thee." But of the +magical power which had been bestowed on his knapsack, he thought no more. + +Brother Lustig travelled about with his money, and squandered and wasted +what he had as before. When at last he had no more than four kreuzers, +he passed by an inn and thought, "The money must go," and ordered three +kreuzers' worth of wine and one kreuzer's worth of bread for himself. As +he was sitting there drinking, the smell of roast goose made its way to +his nose. Brother Lustig looked about and peeped, and saw that the host +had two geese standing in the oven. Then he remembered that his comrade +had said that whatsoever he wished to have in his knapsack should be +there, so he said, "Oh, ho! I must try that with the geese." So he +went out, and when he was outside the door, he said, "I wish those two +roasted geese out of the oven and in my knapsack," and when he had said +that, he unbuckled it and looked in, and there they were inside it. "Ah, +that's right!" said he, "now I am a made man!" and went away to a meadow +and took out the roast meat. When he was in the midst of his meal, +two journeymen came up and looked at the second goose, which was not +yet touched, with hungry eyes. Brother Lustig thought to himself, "One +is enough for me," and called the two men up and said, "Take the goose, +and eat it to my health." They thanked him, and went with it to the inn, +ordered themselves a half bottle of wine and a loaf, took out the goose +which had been given them, and began to eat. The hostess saw them and +said to her husband, "Those two are eating a goose; just look and see +if it is not one of ours, out of the oven." The landlord ran thither, +and behold the oven was empty! "What!" cried he, "you thievish crew, +you want to eat goose as cheap as that? Pay for it this moment; or I will +wash you well with green hazel-sap." The two said, "We are no thieves, a +discharged soldier gave us the goose, outside there in the meadow." "You +shall not throw dust in my eyes that way! the soldier was here but he +went out by the door, like an honest fellow. I looked after him myself; +you are the thieves and shall pay!" But as they could not pay, he took +a stick, and cudgeled them out of the house. + +Brother Lustig went his way and came to a place where there was a +magnificent castle, and not far from it a wretched inn. He went to +the inn and asked for a night's lodging, but the landlord turned him +away, and said, "There is no more room here, the house is full of noble +guests." "It surprises me that they should come to you and not go to that +splendid castle," said Brother Lustig. "Ah, indeed," replied the host, +"but it is no slight matter to sleep there for a night; no one who has +tried it so far, has ever come out of it alive." + +"If others have tried it," said Brother Lustig, "I will try it too." + +"Leave it alone," said the host, "it will cost you your neck." "It won't +kill me at once," said Brother Lustig, "just give me the key, and some +good food and wine." So the host gave him the key, and food and wine, +and with this Brother Lustig went into the castle, enjoyed his supper, +and at length, as he was sleepy, he lay down on the ground, for there was +no bed. He soon fell asleep, but during the night was disturbed by a great +noise, and when he awoke, he saw nine ugly devils in the room, who had +made a circle, and were dancing around him. Brother Lustig said, "Well, +dance as long as you like, but none of you must come too close." But the +devils pressed continually nearer to him, and almost stepped on his face +with their hideous feet. "Stop, you devils' ghosts," said he, but they +behaved still worse. Then Brother Lustig grew angry, and cried, "Hola! but +I will soon make it quiet," and got the leg of a chair and struck out into +the midst of them with it. But nine devils against one soldier were still +too many, and when he struck those in front of him, the others seized him +behind by the hair, and tore it unmercifully. "Devils' crew," cried he, +"it is getting too bad, but wait. Into my knapsack, all nine of you!" In +an instant they were in it, and then he buckled it up and threw it into +a corner. After this all was suddenly quiet, and Brother Lustig lay down +again, and slept till it was bright day. Then came the inn-keeper, and the +nobleman to whom the castle belonged, to see how he had fared; but when +they perceived that he was merry and well they were astonished, and asked, +"Have the spirits done you no harm, then?" "The reason why they have not," +answered Brother Lustig, "is because I have got the whole nine of them +in my knapsack! You may once more inhabit your castle quite tranquilly, +none of them will ever haunt it again." The nobleman thanked him, made +him rich presents, and begged him to remain in his service, and he would +provide for him as long as he lived. "No," replied Brother Lustig, "I +am used to wandering about, I will travel farther." Then he went away, +and entered into a smithy, laid the knapsack, which contained the nine +devils on the anvil, and asked the smith and his apprentices to strike +it. So they smote with their great hammers with all their strength, +and the devils uttered howls which were quite pitiable. When he opened +the knapsack after this, eight of them were dead, but one which had been +lying in a fold of it, was still alive, slipped out, and went back again +to hell. Thereupon Brother Lustig travelled a long time about the world, +and those who know them can tell many a story about him, but at last he +grew old, and thought of his end, so he went to a hermit who was known +to be a pious man, and said to him, "I am tired of wandering about, +and want now to behave in such a manner that I shall enter into the +kingdom of Heaven." The hermit replied, "There are two roads, one is +broad and pleasant, and leads to hell, the other is narrow and rough, +and leads to heaven." "I should be a fool," thought Brother Lustig, +"if I were to take the narrow, rough road." So he set out and took +the broad and pleasant road, and at length came to a great black door, +which was the door of Hell. Brother Lustig knocked, and the door-keeper +peeped out to see who was there. But when he saw Brother Lustig, he was +terrified, for he was the very same ninth devil who had been shut up in +the knapsack, and had escaped from it with a black eye. So he pushed the +bolt in again as quickly as he could, ran to the devil's lieutenant, and +said, "There is a fellow outside with a knapsack, who wants to come in, +but as you value your lives don't allow him to enter, or he will wish the +whole of hell into his knapsack. He once gave me a frightful hammering +when I was inside it." So they called out to Brother Lustig that he was +to go away again, for he should not get in there! "If they won't have me +here," thought he, "I will see if I can find a place for myself in heaven, +for I must be somewhere." So he turned about and went onwards until he +came to the door of Heaven, where he knocked. St. Peter was sitting hard +by as door-keeper. Brother Lustig recognised him at once, and thought, +"Here I find an old friend, I shall get on better." But St. Peter said, +"I really believe that thou wantest to come into Heaven." "Let me in, +brother; I must get in somewhere; if they would have taken me into +Hell, I should not have come here." "No," said St. Peter, "thou shalt +not enter." "Then if thou wilt not let me in, take thy knapsack back, +for I will have nothing at all from thee." "Give it here, then," said +St. Peter. Then Brother Lustig gave him the knapsack into Heaven through +the bars, and St. Peter took it, and hung it beside his seat. Then said +Brother Lustig, "And now I wish myself inside my knapsack," and in a +second he was in it, and in Heaven, and St. Peter was forced to let him +stay there. + + + +82 Gambling Hansel + +Once upon a time there was a man who did nothing but gamble, and for +that reason people never called him anything but Gambling Hansel, and +as he never ceased to gamble, he played away his house and all that he +had. Now the very day before his creditors were to take his house from +him, came the Lord and St. Peter, and asked him to give them shelter +for the night. Then Gambling Hansel said, "For my part, you may stay +the night, but I cannot give you a bed or anything to eat." So the Lord +said he was just to take them in, and they themselves would buy something +to eat, to which Gambling Hansel made no objection. Thereupon St. Peter +gave him three groschen, and said he was to go to the baker's and fetch +some bread. So Gambling Hansel went, but when he reached the house where +the other gambling vagabonds were gathered together, they, although they +had won all that he had, greeted him clamorously, and said, "Hansel, do +come in." "Oh," said he, "do you want to win the three groschen too?" On +this they would not let him go. So he went in, and played away the three +groschen also. Meanwhile St. Peter and the Lord were waiting, and as he +was so long in coming, they set out to meet him. When Gambling Hansel +came, however, he pretended that the money had fallen into the gutter, +and kept raking about in it all the while to find it, but our Lord already +knew that he had lost it in play. St. Peter again gave him three groschen, +and now he did not allow himself to be led away once more, but fetched +them the loaf. Our Lord then inquired if he had no wine, and he said, +"Alack, sir, the casks are all empty!" But the Lord said he was to go +down into the cellar, for the best wine was still there. For a long time +he would not believe this, but at length he said, "Well, I will go down, +but I know that there is none there." When he turned the tap, however, +lo and behold, the best of wine ran out! So he took it to them, and the +two passed the night there. Early next day our Lord told Gambling Hansel +that he might beg three favours. The Lord expected that he would ask to +go to Heaven; but Gambling Hansel asked for a pack of cards with which +he could win everything, for dice with which he would win everything, +and for a tree whereon every kind of fruit would grow, and from which +no one who had climbed up, could descend until he bade him do so. The +Lord gave him all that he had asked, and departed with St. Peter. + +And now Gambling Hansel at once set about gambling in real earnest, +and before long he had gained half the world. Upon this St. Peter said +to the Lord, "Lord, this thing must not go on, he will win, and thou +lose, the whole world. We must send Death to him." When Death appeared, +Gambling Hansel had just seated himself at the gaming-table, and Death +said, "Hansel, come out a while." But Gambling Hansel said, "Just wait +a little until the game is done, and in the meantime get up into that +tree out there, and gather a little fruit that we may have something +to munch on our way." Thereupon Death climbed up, but when he wanted +to come down again, he could not, and Gambling Hansel left him up there +for seven years, during which time no one died. + +So St. Peter said to the Lord, "Lord, this thing must not go on. People +no longer die; we must go ourselves." And they went themselves, and the +Lord commanded Hansel to let Death come down. So Hansel went at once +to Death and said to him, "Come down," and Death took him directly and +put an end to him. They went away together and came to the next world, +and then Gambling Hansel made straight for the door of Heaven, and +knocked at it. "Who is there?" "Gambling Hansel." "Ah, we will have +nothing to do with him! Begone!" So he went to the door of Purgatory, +and knocked once more. "Who is there?" "Gambling Hansel." "Ah, there +is quite enough weeping and wailing here without him. We do not want to +gamble, just go away again." Then he went to the door of Hell, and there +they let him in. There was, however, no one at home but old Lucifer +and the crooked devils who had just been doing their evil work in the +world. And no sooner was Hansel there than he sat down to gamble again. +Lucifer, however, had nothing to lose, but his mis-shapen devils, and +Gambling Hansel won them from him, as with his cards he could not fail +to do. And now he was off again with his crooked devils, and they went +to Hohenfuert and pulled up a hop-pole, and with it went to Heaven and +began to thrust the pole against it, and Heaven began to crack. So again +St. Peter said, "Lord, this thing cannot go on, we must let him in, or +he will throw us down from Heaven." And they let him in. But Gambling +Hansel instantly began to play again, and there was such a noise and +confusion that there was no hearing what they themselves were saying. +Therefore St. Peter once more said, "Lord, this cannot go on, we must +throw him down, or he will make all Heaven rebellious." So they went +to him at once, and threw him down, and his soul broke into fragments, +and went into the gambling vagabonds who are living this very day. + + + +83 Hans in Luck + +Hans had served his master for seven years, so he said to him, "Master, +my time is up; now I should be glad to go back home to my mother; give +me my wages." The master answered, "You have served me faithfully and +honestly; as the service was so shall the reward be;" and he gave Hans +a piece of gold as big as his head. Hans pulled his handkerchief out of +his pocket, wrapped up the lump in it, put it on his shoulder, and set +out on the way home. + +As he went on, always putting one foot before the other, he saw a horseman +trotting quickly and merrily by on a lively horse. "Ah!" said Hans quite +loud, "what a fine thing it is to ride! There you sit as on a chair; +you stumble over no stones, you save your shoes, and get on, you don't +know how." + +The rider, who had heard him, stopped and called out, "Hollo! Hans, +why do you go on foot, then?" + +"I must," answered he, "for I have this lump to carry home; it is true +that it is gold, but I cannot hold my head straight for it, and it hurts +my shoulder." + +"I will tell you what," said the rider, "we will exchange: I will give +you my horse, and you can give me your lump." + +"With all my heart," said Hans, "but I can tell you, you will have to +crawl along with it." + +The rider got down, took the gold, and helped Hans up; then gave him the +bridle tight in his hands and said, "If you want to go at a really good +pace, you must click your tongue and call out, "Jup! Jup!" + +Hans was heartily delighted as he sat upon the horse and rode away so bold +and free. After a little while he thought that it ought to go faster, +and he began to click with his tongue and call out, "Jup! Jup!" The +horse put himself into a sharp trot, and before Hans knew where he was, +he was thrown off and lying in a ditch which separated the field from the +highway. The horse would have gone off too if it had not been stopped by +a countryman, who was coming along the road and driving a cow before him. + +Hans got his limbs together and stood up on his legs again, but he was +vexed, and said to the countryman, "It is a poor joke, this riding, +especially when one gets hold of a mare like this, that kicks and throws +one off, so that one has a chance of breaking one's neck. Never again +will I mount it. Now I like your cow, for one can walk quietly behind +her, and have, over and above, one's milk, butter and cheese every day +without fail. What would I not give to have such a cow." "Well," said +the countryman, "if it would give you so much pleasure, I do not mind +giving the cow for the horse." Hans agreed with the greatest delight; +the countryman jumped upon the horse, and rode quickly away. + +Hans drove his cow quietly before him, and thought over his lucky +bargain. "If only I have a morsel of bread---and that can hardly fail +me---I can eat butter and cheese with it as often as I like; if I am +thirsty, I can milk my cow and drink the milk. Good heart, what more +can I want?" + +When he came to an inn he made a halt, and in his great content ate up +what he had with him---his dinner and supper---and all he had, and with +his last few farthings had half a glass of beer. Then he drove his cow +onwards along the road to his mother's village. + +As it drew nearer mid-day, the heat was more oppressive, and Hans found +himself upon a moor which it took about an hour to cross. He felt it +very hot and his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth with thirst. "I +can find a cure for this," thought Hans; "I will milk the cow now and +refresh myself with the milk." He tied her to a withered tree, and as +he had no pail he put his leather cap underneath; but try as he would, +not a drop of milk came. And as he set himself to work in a clumsy way, +the impatient beast at last gave him such a blow on his head with its +hind foot, that he fell on the ground, and for a long time could not +think where he was. + +By good fortune a butcher just then came along the road with a +wheel-barrow, in which lay a young pig. "What sort of a trick is +this?" cried he, and helped the good Hans up. Hans told him what had +happened. The butcher gave him his flask and said, "Take a drink and +refresh yourself. The cow will certainly give no milk, it is an old beast; +at the best it is only fit for the plough, or for the butcher." "Well, +well," said Hans, as he stroked his hair down on his head, "who would +have thought it? Certainly it is a fine thing when one can kill a beast +like that at home; what meat one has! But I do not care much for beef, +it is not juicy enough for me. A young pig like that now is the thing +to have, it tastes quite different; and then there are the sausages!" + +"Hark ye, Hans," said the butcher, "out of love for you I will exchange, +and will let you have the pig for the cow." "Heaven repay you for your +kindness!" said Hans as he gave up the cow, whilst the pig was unbound +from the barrow, and the cord by which it was tied was put in his hand. + +Hans went on, and thought to himself how everything was going just +as he wished; if he did meet with any vexation it was immediately +set right. Presently there joined him a lad who was carrying a fine +white goose under his arm. They said good morning to each other, +and Hans began to tell of his good luck, and how he had always made +such good bargains. The boy told him that he was taking the goose to a +christening-feast. "Just lift her," added he, and laid hold of her by the +wings; "how heavy she is---she has been fattened up for the last eight +weeks. Whoever has a bit of her when she is roasted will have to wipe +the fat from both sides of his mouth." "Yes," said Hans, as he weighed +her in one hand, "she is a good weight, but my pig is no bad one." + +Meanwhile the lad looked suspiciously from one side to the other, +and shook his head. "Look here," he said at length, "it may not be all +right with your pig. In the village through which I passed, the Mayor +himself had just had one stolen out of its sty. I fear---I fear that you +have got hold of it there. They have sent out some people and it would +be a bad business if they caught you with the pig; at the very least, +you would be shut up in the dark hole." + +The good Hans was terrified. "Goodness!" he said, "help me out of this +fix; you know more about this place than I do, take my pig and leave me +your goose." "I shall risk something at that game," answered the lad, +"but I will not be the cause of your getting into trouble." So he took +the cord in his hand, and drove away the pig quickly along a by-path. + +The good Hans, free from care, went homewards with the goose under +his arm. "When I think over it properly," said he to himself, "I have +even gained by the exchange; first there is the good roast-meat, then +the quantity of fat which will drip from it, and which will give me +dripping for my bread for a quarter of a year, and lastly the beautiful +white feathers; I will have my pillow stuffed with them, and then indeed +I shall go to sleep without rocking. How glad my mother will be!" + +As he was going through the last village, there stood a scissors-grinder +with his barrow; as his wheel whirred he sang--- + + + "I sharpen scissors and quickly grind, + My coat blows out in the wind behind." + +Hans stood still and looked at him; at last he spoke to him and said, +"All's well with you, as you are so merry with your grinding." "Yes," +answered the scissors-grinder, "the trade has a golden foundation. A +real grinder is a man who as often as he puts his hand into his pocket +finds gold in it. But where did you buy that fine goose?" + +"I did not buy it, but exchanged my pig for it." + +"And the pig?" + +"That I got for a cow." + +"And the cow?" + +"I took that instead of a horse." + +"And the horse?" + +"For that I gave a lump of gold as big as my head." + +"And the gold?" + +"Well, that was my wages for seven years' service." + +"You have known how to look after yourself each time," said the +grinder. "If you can only get on so far as to hear the money jingle in +your pocket whenever you stand up, you will have made your fortune." + +"How shall I manage that?" said Hans. "You must be a grinder, as I am; +nothing particular is wanted for it but a grindstone, the rest finds +itself. I have one here; it is certainly a little worn, but you need +not give me anything for it but your goose; will you do it?" + +"How can you ask?" answered Hans. "I shall be the luckiest fellow on +earth; if I have money whenever I put my hand in my pocket, what need +I trouble about any longer?" and he handed him the goose and received +the grindstone in exchange. "Now," said the grinder, as he took up an +ordinary heavy stone that lay by him, "here is a strong stone for you +into the bargain; you can hammer well upon it, and straighten your old +nails. Take it with you and keep it carefully." + +Hans loaded himself with the stones, and went on with a contented heart; +his eyes shone with joy. "I must have been born with a caul," he cried; +"everything I want happens to me just as if I were a Sunday-child." + +Meanwhile, as he had been on his legs since daybreak, he began to feel +tired. Hunger also tormented him, for in his joy at the bargain by which +he got the cow he had eaten up all his store of food at once. At last +he could only go on with great trouble, and was forced to stop every +minute; the stones, too, weighed him down dreadfully. Then he could not +help thinking how nice it would be if he had not to carry them just then. + +He crept like a snail to a well in a field, and there he thought that +he would rest and refresh himself with a cool draught of water, but in +order that he might not injure the stones in sitting down, he laid them +carefully by his side on the edge of the well. Then he sat down on it, and +was to stoop and drink, when he made a slip, pushed against the stones, +and both of them fell into the water. When Hans saw them with his own +eyes sinking to the bottom, he jumped for joy, and then knelt down, and +with tears in his eyes thanked God for having shown him this favour also, +and delivered him in so good a way, and without his having any need to +reproach himself, from those heavy stones which had been the only things +that troubled him. + +"There is no man under the sun so fortunate as I," he cried out. With a +light heart and free from every burden he now ran on until he was with +his mother at home. + + + +84 Hans Married + +There was once upon a time a young peasant named Hans, whose uncle wanted +to find him a rich wife. He therefore seated Hans behind the stove, and +had it made very hot. Then he fetched a pot of milk and plenty of white +bread, gave him a bright newly-coined farthing in his hand, and said, +"Hans, hold that farthing fast, crumble the white bread into the milk, +and stay where you are, and do not stir from that spot till I come +back." "Yes," said Hans, "I will do all that." Then the wooer put on a +pair of old patched trousers, went to a rich peasant's daughter in the +next village, and said, "Won't you marry my nephew Hans---you will get an +honest and sensible man who will suit you?" The covetous father asked, +"How is it with regard to his means? Has he bread to break?" "Dear +friend," replied the wooer, "my young nephew has a snug berth, a nice +bit of money in hand, and plenty of bread to break, besides he has quite +as many patches as I have," (and as he spoke, he slapped the patches +on his trousers, but in that district small pieces of land were called +patches also.) "If you will give yourself the trouble to go home with me, +you shall see at once that all is as I have said." Then the miser did +not want to lose this good opportunity, and said, "If that is the case, +I have nothing further to say against the marriage." + +So the wedding was celebrated on the appointed day, and when the young +wife went out of doors to see the bridegroom's property, Hans took off +his Sunday coat and put on his patched smock-frock and said, "I might +spoil my good coat." Then together they went out and wherever a boundary +line came in sight, or fields and meadows were divided from each other, +Hans pointed with his finger and then slapped either a large or a small +patch on his smock-frock, and said, "That patch is mine, and that too, +my dearest, just look at it," meaning thereby that his wife should not +stare at the broad land, but look at his garment, which was his own. + +"Were you indeed at the wedding?" "Yes, indeed I was there, and in +full dress. My head-dress was of snow; then the sun came out, and it +was melted. My coat was of cobwebs, and I had to pass by some thorns +which tore it off me, my shoes were of glass, and I pushed against a +stone and they said, "Klink," and broke in two. + + + +85 The Gold-Children + +There was once a poor man and a poor woman who had nothing but a little +cottage, and who earned their bread by fishing, and always lived from +hand to mouth. But it came to pass one day when the man was sitting by +the water-side, and casting his net, that he drew out a fish entirely +of gold. As he was looking at the fish, full of astonishment, it began +to speak and said, "Hark you, fisherman, if you will throw me back +again into the water, I will change your little hut into a splendid +castle." Then the fisherman answered, "Of what use is a castle to me, +if I have nothing to eat?" The gold fish continued, "That shall be +taken care of, there will be a cupboard in the castle in which, when +you open it, shall be dishes of the most delicate meats, and as many +of them as you can desire." "If that be true," said the man, "then I +can well do you a favour." "Yes," said the fish, "there is, however, +the condition that you shall disclose to no one in the world, whosoever +he may be, whence your good luck has come, if you speak but one single +word, all will be over." Then the man threw the wonderful fish back +again into the water, and went home. But where his hovel had formerly +stood, now stood a great castle. He opened wide his eyes, entered, and +saw his wife dressed in beautiful clothes, sitting in a splendid room, +and she was quite delighted, and said, "Husband, how has all this come +to pass? It suits me very well." "Yes," said the man, "it suits me too, +but I am frightfully hungry, just give me something to eat." Said the +wife, "But I have got nothing and don't know where to find anything +in this new house." "There is no need of your knowing," said the man, +"for I see yonder a great cupboard, just unlock it." When she opened it, +there stood cakes, meat, fruit, wine, quite a bright prospect. + +Then the woman cried joyfully, "What more can you want, my dear?" and +they sat down, and ate and drank together. When they had had enough, +the woman said, "But husband, whence come all these riches?" "Alas," +answered he, "do not question me about it, for I dare not tell you +anything; if I disclose it to any one, then all our good fortune will +fly." "Very good," said she, "if I am not to know anything, then I do +not want to know anything." However, she was not in earnest; she never +rested day or night, and she goaded her husband until in his impatience +he revealed that all was owing to a wonderful golden fish which he had +caught, and to which in return he had given its liberty. And as soon as +the secret was out, the splendid castle with the cupboard immediately +disappeared, they were once more in the old fisherman's hut, and the man +was obliged to follow his former trade and fish. But fortune would so +have it, that he once more drew out the golden fish. "Listen," said the +fish, "if you will throw me back into the water again, I will once more +give you the castle with the cupboard full of roast and boiled meats; +only be firm, for your life's sake don't reveal from whom you have it, +or you will lose it all again!" "I will take good care," answered the +fisherman, and threw the fish back into the water. Now at home everything +was once more in its former magnificence, and the wife was overjoyed +at their good fortune, but curiosity left her no peace, so that after a +couple of days she began to ask again how it had come to pass, and how +he had managed to secure it. The man kept silence for a short time, +but at last she made him so angry that he broke out, and betrayed the +secret. In an instant the castle disappeared, and they were back again +in their old hut. "Now you have got what you want," said he; "and we can +gnaw at a bare bone again." "Ah," said the woman, "I had rather not have +riches if I am not to know from whom they come, for then I have no peace." + +The man went back to fish, and after a while he chanced to draw out the +gold fish for a third time. "Listen," said the fish, "I see very well +that I am fated to fall into your hands, take me home and cut me into six +pieces; give your wife two of them to eat, two to your horse and bury +two of them in the ground, then they will bring you a blessing." The +fisherman took the fish home with him, and did as it had bidden him. It +came to pass, however, that from the two pieces that were buried in the +ground two golden lilies sprang up, that the horse had two golden foals, +and the fisherman's wife bore two children who were made entirely of +gold. The children grew up, became tall and handsome, and the lilies +and horses grew likewise. Then they said, "Father, we want to mount our +golden steeds and travel out in the world." But he answered sorrowfully, +"How shall I bear it if you go away, and I know not how it fares with +you?" Then they said, "The two golden lilies remain here. By them you +can see how it is with us; if they are fresh, then we are in health; +if they are withered, we are ill; if they perish, then we are dead." So +they rode forth and came to an inn, in which were many people, and when +they perceived the gold-children they began to laugh, and jeer. When one +of them heard the mocking he felt ashamed and would not go out into the +world, but turned back and went home again to his father. But the other +rode forward and reached a great forest. As he was about to enter it, +the people said, It is not safe for you to ride through, the wood is +full of robbers who would treat you badly. You will fare ill, and when +they see that you are all of gold, and your horse likewise, they will +assuredly kill you.' + +But he would not allow himself to be frightened, and said, "I must and +will ride through it." Then he took bear-skins and covered himself and +his horse with them, so that the gold was no more to be seen, and rode +fearlessly into the forest. When he had ridden onward a little he heard +a rustling in the bushes, and heard voices speaking together. From one +side came cries of, "There is one," but from the other, "Let him go, +'tis an idle fellow, as poor and bare as a church-mouse, what should we +gain from him?" + +So the gold-child rode joyfully through the forest, and no evil befell +him. One day he entered a village wherein he saw a maiden, who was +so beautiful that he did not believe that any more beautiful than she +existed in the world. And as such a mighty love took possession of him, +he went up to her and said, "I love thee with my whole heart, wilt thou be +my wife?" He, too, pleased the maiden so much that she agreed and said, +"Yes, I will be thy wife, and be true to thee my whole life long." Then +they were married, and just as they were in the greatest happiness, +home came the father of the bride, and when he saw that his daughter's +wedding was being celebrated, he was astonished, and said, "Where is the +bridegroom?" They showed him the gold-child, who, however, still wore his +bear-skins. Then the father said wrathfully, "A vagabond shall never have +my daughter!" and was about to kill him. Then the bride begged as hard +as she could, and said, "He is my husband, and I love him with all my +heart!" until at last he allowed himself to be appeased. Nevertheless the +idea never left his thoughts, so that next morning he rose early, wishing +to see whether his daughter's husband was a common ragged beggar. But +when he peeped in, he saw a magnificent golden man in the bed, and the +cast-off bear-skins lying on the ground. Then he went back and thought, +"What a good thing it was that I restrained my anger! I should have +committed a great crime." But the gold-child dreamed that he rode out +to hunt a splendid stag, and when he awoke in the morning, he said to +his wife, "I must go out hunting." She was uneasy, and begged him to +stay there, and said, "You might easily meet with a great misfortune," +but he answered, "I must and will go." + +Thereupon he got up, and rode forth into the forest, and it was not long +before a fine stag crossed his path exactly according to his dream. He +aimed and was about to shoot it, when the stag ran away. He gave chase +over hedges and ditches for the whole day without feeling tired, but in +the evening the stag vanished from his sight, and when the gold-child +looked round him, he was standing before a little house, wherein +was a witch. He knocked, and a little old woman came out and asked, +"What are you doing so late in the midst of the great forest?" "Have +you not seen a stag?" "Yes," answered she, "I know the stag well," and +thereupon a little dog which had come out of the house with her, barked +at the man violently. "Wilt thou be silent, thou odious toad," said he, +"or I will shoot thee dead." Then the witch cried out in a passion, +"What! will you slay my little dog?" and immediately transformed him, so +that he lay like a stone, and his bride awaited him in vain and thought, +"That which I so greatly dreaded, which lay so heavily on my heart, +has come upon him!" But at home the other brother was standing by the +gold-lilies, when one of them suddenly drooped. "Good heavens!" said he, +"my brother has met with some great misfortune! I must away to see if +I can possibly rescue him." Then the father said, "Stay here, if I lose +you also, what shall I do?" But he answered, "I must and will go forth!" + +Then he mounted his golden horse, and rode forth and entered the great +forest, where his brother lay turned to stone. The old witch came out of +her house and called him, wishing to entrap him also, but he did not go +near her, and said, "I will shoot you, if you will not bring my brother +to life again." She touched the stone, though very unwillingly, with her +forefinger, and he was immediately restored to his human shape. But the +two gold-children rejoiced when they saw each other again, kissed and +caressed each other, and rode away together out of the forest, the one +home to his bride, and the other to his father. The father then said, +"I knew well that you had rescued your brother, for the golden lily +suddenly rose up and blossomed out again." Then they lived happily, +and all prospered with them until their death. + + + +86 The Fox and the Geese + +The fox once came to a meadow in which was a flock of fine fat geese, on +which he smiled and said, "I come in the nick of time, you are sitting +together quite beautifully, so that I can eat you up one after the +other." The geese cackled with terror, sprang up, and began to wail and +beg piteously for their lives. But the fox would listen to nothing, and +said, "There is no mercy to be had! You must die." At length one of them +took heart and said, "If we poor geese are to yield up our vigorous young +lives, show us the only possible favour and allow us one more prayer, +that we may not die in our sins, and then we will place ourselves in +a row, so that you can always pick yourself out the fattest." "Yes," +said the fox, "that is reasonable, and a pious request. Pray away, I +will wait till you are done." Then the first began a good long prayer, +for ever saying, "Ga! Ga!" and as she would make no end, the second did +not wait until her turn came, but began also, "Ga! Ga!" The third and +fourth followed her, and soon they were all cackling together. + +When they have done praying, the story shall be continued further, +but at present they are still praying without stopping." + + + +87 The Poor Man and the Rich Man + +In olden times, when the Lord himself still used to walk about on this +earth amongst men, it once happened that he was tired and overtaken by +the darkness before he could reach an inn. Now there stood on the road +before him two houses facing each other; the one large and beautiful, +the other small and poor. The large one belonged to a rich man, and the +small one to a poor man. + +Then the Lord thought, "I shall be no burden to the rich man, I will stay +the night with him." When the rich man heard some one knocking at his +door, he opened the window and asked the stranger what he wanted. The +Lord answered, "I only ask for a night's lodging." + +Then the rich man looked at the traveler from head to foot, and as the +Lord was wearing common clothes, and did not look like one who had much +money in his pocket, he shook his head, and said, "No, I cannot take you +in, my rooms are full of herbs and seeds; and if I were to lodge everyone +who knocked at my door, I might very soon go begging myself. Go somewhere +else for a lodging," and with this he shut down the window and left the +Lord standing there. + +So the Lord turned his back on the rich man, and went across to the +small house and knocked. He had hardly done so when the poor man opened +the little door and bade the traveler come in. "Pass the night with me, +it is already dark," said he; "you cannot go any further to-night." This +pleased the Lord, and he went in. The poor man's wife shook hands with +him, and welcomed him, and said he was to make himself at home and put +up with what they had got; they had not much to offer him, but what they +had they would give him with all their hearts. Then she put the potatoes +on the fire, and while they were boiling, she milked the goat, that they +might have a little milk with them. When the cloth was laid, the Lord +sat down with the man and his wife, and he enjoyed their coarse food, +for there were happy faces at the table. When they had had supper and +it was bed-time, the woman called her husband apart and said, "Hark you, +dear husband, let us make up a bed of straw for ourselves to-night, and +then the poor traveler can sleep in our bed and have a good rest, for he +has been walking the whole day through, and that makes one weary." "With +all my heart," he answered, "I will go and offer it to him;" and he +went to the stranger and invited him, if he had no objection, to sleep +in their bed and rest his limbs properly. But the Lord was unwilling +to take their bed from the two old folks; however, they would not be +satisfied, until at length he did it and lay down in their bed, while +they themselves lay on some straw on the ground. + +Next morning they got up before daybreak, and made as good a breakfast as +they could for the guest. When the sun shone in through the little window, +and the Lord had got up, he again ate with them, and then prepared to +set out on his journey. + +But as he was standing at the door he turned round and said, "As you +are so kind and good, you may wish three things for yourselves and I +will grant them." Then the man said, "What else should I wish for but +eternal happiness, and that we two, as long as we live, may be healthy +and have every day our daily bread; for the third wish, I do not know +what to have." And the Lord said to him, "Will you wish for a new house +instead of this old one?" "Oh, yes," said the man; "if I can have that, +too, I should like it very much." And the Lord fulfilled his wish, and +changed their old house into a new one, again gave them his blessing, +and went on. + +The sun was high when the rich man got up and leaned out of his window +and saw, on the opposite side of the way, a new clean-looking house with +red tiles and bright windows where the old hut used to be. He was very +much astonished, and called his wife and said to her, "Tell me, what +can have happened? Last night there was a miserable little hut standing +there, and to-day there is a beautiful new house. Run over and see how +that has come to pass." + +So his wife went and asked the poor man, and he said to her, "Yesterday +evening a traveler came here and asked for a night's lodging, and this +morning when he took leave of us he granted us three wishes---eternal +happiness, health during this life and our daily bread as well, and +besides this, a beautiful new house instead of our old hut." + +When the rich man's wife heard this, she ran back in haste and told +her husband how it had happened. The man said, "I could tear myself to +pieces! If I had but known that! That traveler came to our house too, +and wanted to sleep here, and I sent him away." "Quick!" said his wife, +"get on your horse. You can still catch the man up, and then you must +ask to have three wishes granted to you." + +The rich man followed the good counsel and galloped away on his horse, +and soon came up with the Lord. He spoke to him softly and pleasantly, +and begged him not to take it amiss that he had not let him in directly; +he was looking for the front-door key, and in the meantime the stranger +had gone away, if he returned the same way he must come and stay +with him. "Yes," said the Lord; "if I ever come back again, I will do +so." Then the rich man asked if might not wish for three things too, +as his neighbor had done? "Yes," said the Lord, he might, but it would +not be to his advantage, and he had better not wish for anything; but the +rich man thought that he could easily ask for something which would add +to his happiness, if he only knew that it would be granted. So the Lord +said to him, "Ride home, then, and three wishes which you shall form, +shall be fulfilled." + +The rich man had now gained what he wanted, so he rode home, and began +to consider what he should wish for. As he was thus thinking he let +the bridle fall, and the horse began to caper about, so that he was +continually disturbed in his meditations, and could not collect his +thoughts at all. He patted its neck, and said, "Gently, Lisa," but the +horse only began new tricks. Then at last he was angry, and cried quite +impatiently, "I wish your neck was broken!" Directly he had said the +words, down the horse fell on the ground, and there it lay dead and never +moved again. And thus was his first wish fulfilled. As he was miserly +by nature, he did not like to leave the harness lying there; so he cut +it off, and put it on his back; and now he had to go on foot. "I have +still two wishes left," said he, and comforted himself with that thought. + +And now as he was walking slowly through the sand, and the sun was burning +hot at noon-day, he grew quite hot-tempered and angry. The saddle hurt +his back, and he had not yet any idea what to wish for. "If I were to +wish for all the riches and treasures in the world," said he to himself, +"I should still to think of all kinds of other things later on, I know +that, beforehand. But I will manage so that there is nothing at all left +me to wish for afterwards." Then he sighed and said, "Ah, if I were but +that Bavarian peasant, who likewise had three wishes granted to him, +and knew quite well what to do, and in the first place wished for a great +deal of beer, and in the second for as much beer as he was able to drink, +and in the third for a barrel of beer into the bargain." + +Many a time he thought he had found it, but then it seemed to him to be, +after all, too little. Then it came into his mind, what an easy life his +wife had, for she stayed at home in a cool room and enjoyed herself. This +really did vex him, and before he was aware, he said, "I just wish she +was sitting there on this saddle, and could not get off it, instead of +my having to drag it along on my back." And as the last word was spoken, +the saddle disappeared from his back, and he saw that his second wish +had been fulfilled. Then he really did feel warm. He began to run and +wanted to be quite alone in his own room at home, to think of something +really large for his last wish. But when he arrived there and opened the +parlour-door, he saw his wife sitting in the middle of the room on the +saddle, crying and complaining, and quite unable to get off it. So he +said, "Do bear it, and I will wish for all the riches on earth for thee, +only stay where thou art." She, however, called him a fool, and said, +"What good will all the riches on earth do me, if I am to sit on this +saddle? Thou hast wished me on it, so thou must help me off." So whether +he would or not, he was forced to let his third wish be that she should +be quit of the saddle, and able to get off it, and immediately the wish +was fulfilled. So he got nothing by it but vexation, trouble, abuse, +and the loss of his horse; but the poor people lived happily, quietly, +and piously until their happy death. + + + +88 The Singing, Springing Lark + +There was once on a time a man who was about to set out on a long journey, +and on parting he asked his three daughters what he should bring back with +him for them. Whereupon the eldest wished for pearls, the second wished +for diamonds, but the third said, "Dear father, I should like a singing, +soaring lark." The father said, "Yes, if I can get it, you shall have +it," kissed all three, and set out. Now when the time had come for him +to be on his way home again, he had brought pearls and diamonds for the +two eldest, but he had sought everywhere in vain for a singing, soaring +lark for the youngest, and he was very unhappy about it, for she was his +favorite child. Then his road lay through a forest, and in the midst of +it was a splendid castle, and near the castle stood a tree, but quite +on the top of the tree, he saw a singing, soaring lark. "Aha, you come +just at the right moment!" he said, quite delighted, and called to his +servant to climb up and catch the little creature. But as he approached +the tree, a lion leapt from beneath it, shook himself, and roared till the +leaves on the trees trembled. "He who tries to steal my singing, soaring +lark," he cried, "will I devour." Then the man said, "I did not know +that the bird belonged to thee. I will make amends for the wrong I have +done and ransom myself with a large sum of money, only spare my life." +The lion said, "Nothing can save thee, unless thou wilt promise to give +me for mine own what first meets thee on thy return home; and if thou +wilt do that, I will grant thee thy life, and thou shalt have the bird +for thy daughter, into the bargain." But the man hesitated and said, +"That might be my youngest daughter, she loves me best, and always runs to +meet me on my return home." The servant, however, was terrified and said, +"Why should your daughter be the very one to meet you, it might as easily +be a cat, or dog?" Then the man allowed himself to be over-persuaded, +took the singing, soaring lark, and promised to give the lion whatsoever +should first meet him on his return home. + +When he reached home and entered his house, the first who met him was +no other than his youngest and dearest daughter, who came running up, +kissed and embraced him, and when she saw that he had brought with him +a singing, soaring lark, she was beside herself with joy. The father, +however, could not rejoice, but began to weep, and said, "My dearest +child, I have bought the little bird dear. In return for it, I have +been obliged to promise thee to a savage lion, and when he has thee he +will tear thee in pieces and devour thee," and he told her all, just as +it had happened, and begged her not to go there, come what might. But +she consoled him and said, "Dearest father, indeed your promise must be +fulfilled. I will go thither and soften the lion, so that I may return +to thee safely." Next morning she had the road pointed out to her, took +leave, and went fearlessly out into the forest. The lion, however, was +an enchanted prince and was by day a lion, and all his people were lions +with him, but in the night they resumed their natural human shapes. On +her arrival she was kindly received and led into the castle. When +night came, the lion turned into a handsome man, and their wedding +was celebrated with great magnificence. They lived happily together, +remained awake at night, and slept in the daytime. One day he came and +said, "To-morrow there is a feast in thy father's house, because your +eldest sister is to be married, and if thou art inclined to go there, +my lions shall conduct thee." She said, "Yes, I should very much like to +see my father again," and went thither, accompanied by the lions. There +was great joy when she arrived, for they had all believed that she had +been torn in pieces by the lion, and had long ceased to live. But she +told them what a handsome husband she had, and how well off she was, +remained with them while the wedding-feast lasted, and then went back +again to the forest. When the second daughter was about to be married, +and she was again invited to the wedding, she said to the lion, "This +time I will not be alone, thou must come with me." The lion, however, +said that it was too dangerous for him, for if when there a ray from +a burning candle fell on him, he would be changed into a dove, and for +seven years long would have to fly about with the doves. She said, "Ah, +but do come with me, I will take great care of thee, and guard thee from +all light." So they went away together, and took with them their little +child as well. She had a chamber built there, so strong and thick that no +ray could pierce through it; in this he was to shut himself up when the +candles were lit for the wedding-feast. But the door was made of green +wood which warped and left a little crack which no one noticed. The +wedding was celebrated with magnificence, but when the procession with +all its candles and torches came back from church, and passed by this +apartment, a ray about the breadth of a hair fell on the King's son, and +when this ray touched him, he was transformed in an instant, and when +she came in and looked for him, she did not see him, but a white dove was +sitting there. The dove said to her, "For seven years must I fly about the +world, but at every seventh step that you take I will let fall a drop of +red blood and a white feather, and these will show thee the way, and if +thou followest the trace thou canst release me." Thereupon the dove flew +out at the door, and she followed him, and at every seventh step a red +drop of blood and a little white feather fell down and showed her the way. + +So she went continually further and further in the wide world, never +looking about her or resting, and the seven years were almost past; then +she rejoiced and thought that they would soon be delivered, and yet they +were so far from it! Once when they were thus moving onwards, no little +feather and no drop of red blood fell, and when she raised her eyes the +dove had disappeared. And as she thought to herself, "In this no man can +help thee," she climbed up to the sun, and said to him, "Thou shinest +into every crevice, and over every peak, hast thou not seen a white dove +flying?" "No," said the sun, "I have seen none, but I present thee with a +casket, open it when thou art in sorest need." Then she thanked the sun, +and went on until evening came and the moon appeared; she then asked her, +"Thou shinest the whole night through, and on every field and forest, +hast thou not seen a white dove flying?" "No," said the moon, "I have +seen no dove, but here I give thee an egg, break it when thou art in +great need." She thanked the moon, and went on until the night wind came +up and blew on her, then she said to it, "Thou blowest over every tree +and under every leaf, hast thou not seen a white dove flying?" "No," said +the night wind, "I have seen none, but I will ask the three other winds, +perhaps they have seen it." The east wind and the west wind came, and had +seen nothing, but the south wind said, "I have seen the white dove, it +has flown to the Red Sea, where it has become a lion again, for the seven +years are over, and the lion is there fighting with a dragon; the dragon, +however, is an enchanted princess." The night wind then said to her, +"I will advise thee; go to the Red Sea, on the right bank are some tall +reeds, count them, break off the eleventh, and strike the dragon with +it, then the lion will be able to subdue it, and both then will regain +their human form. After that, look round and thou wilt see the griffin +which is by the Red Sea; swing thyself, with thy beloved, on to his back, +and the bird will carry you over the sea to your own home. Here is a nut +for thee, when thou are above the center of the sea, let the nut fall, +it will immediately shoot up, and a tall nut-tree will grow out of the +water on which the griffin may rest; for if he cannot rest, he will not +be strong enough to carry you across, and if thou forgettest to throw +down the nut, he will let you fall into the sea." + +Then she went thither, and found everything as the night wind had +said. She counted the reeds by the sea, and cut off the eleventh, struck +the dragon therewith, whereupon the lion overcame it, and immediately +both of them regained their human shapes. But when the princess, who +had before been the dragon, was delivered from enchantment, she took the +youth by the arm, seated herself on the griffin, and carried him off with +her. There stood the poor maiden who had wandered so far and was again +forsaken. She sat down and cried, but at last she took courage and said, +"Still I will go as far as the wind blows and as long as the cock crows, +until I find him," and she went forth by long, long roads, until at +last she came to the castle where both of them were living together; +there she heard that soon a feast was to be held, in which they would +celebrate their wedding, but she said, "God still helps me," and opened +the casket that the sun had given her. A dress lay therein as brilliant +as the sun itself. So she took it out and put it on, and went up into +the castle, and everyone, even the bride herself, looked at her with +astonishment. The dress pleased the bride so well that she thought it +might do for her wedding-dress, and asked if it was for sale? "Not for +money or land," answered she, "but for flesh and blood." The bride asked +her what she meant by that, so she said, "Let me sleep a night in the +chamber where the bridegroom sleeps." The bride would not, yet wanted +very much to have the dress; at last she consented, but the page was +to give the prince a sleeping-draught. When it was night, therefore, +and the youth was already asleep, she was led into the chamber; she +seated herself on the bed and said, "I have followed after thee for +seven years. I have been to the sun and the moon, and the four winds, +and have enquired for thee, and have helped thee against the dragon; +wilt thou, then quite forget me?" But the prince slept so soundly that +it only seemed to him as if the wind were whistling outside in the +fir-trees. When therefore day broke, she was led out again, and had +to give up the golden dress. And as that even had been of no avail, +she was sad, went out into a meadow, sat down there, and wept. While she +was sitting there, she thought of the egg which the moon had given her; +she opened it, and there came out a clucking hen with twelve chickens +all of gold, and they ran about chirping, and crept again under the old +hen's wings; nothing more beautiful was ever seen in the world! Then +she arose, and drove them through the meadow before her, until the bride +looked out of the window. The little chickens pleased her so much that +she immediately came down and asked if they were for sale. "Not for +money or land, but for flesh and blood; let me sleep another night +in the chamber where the bridegroom sleeps." The bride said, "Yes," +intending to cheat her as on the former evening. But when the prince +went to bed he asked the page what the murmuring and rustling in the +night had been? On this the page told all; that he had been forced to +give him a sleeping-draught, because a poor girl had slept secretly in +the chamber, and that he was to give him another that night. The prince +said, "Pour out the draught by the bed-side." At night, she was again +led in, and when she began to relate how ill all had fared with her, +he immediately recognized his beloved wife by her voice, sprang up and +cried, "Now I really am released! I have been as it were in a dream, +for the strange princess has bewitched me so that I have been compelled +to forget thee, but God has delivered me from the spell at the right +time." Then they both left the castle secretly in the night, for they +feared the father of the princess, who was a sorcerer, and they seated +themselves on the griffin which bore them across the Red Sea, and when +they were in the midst of it, she let fall the nut. Immediately a tall +nut-tree grew up, whereon the bird rested, and then carried them home, +where they found their child, who had grown tall and beautiful, and they +lived thenceforth happily until their death. + + + +89 The Goose-Girl + +THERE was once upon a time an old Queen whose husband had been dead for +many years, and she had a beautiful daughter. When the princess grew up +she was betrothed to a prince who lived at a great distance. When the time +came for her to be married, and she had to journey forth into the distant +kingdom, the aged Queen packed up for her many costly vessels of silver +and gold, and trinkets also of gold and silver; and cups and jewels, +in short, everything which appertained to a royal dowry, for she loved +her child with all her heart. She likewise sent her maid in waiting, who +was to ride with her, and hand her over to the bridegroom, and each had +a horse for the journey, but the horse of the King's daughter was called +Falada, and could speak. So when the hour of parting had come, the aged +mother went into her bedroom, took a small knife and cut her finger with +it until it bled, then she held a white handkerchief to it into which she +let three drops of blood fall, gave it to her daughter and said, "Dear +child, preserve this carefully, it will be of service to you on your way." + +So they took a sorrowful leave of each other; the princess put the piece +of cloth in her bosom, mounted her horse, and then went away to her +bridegroom. After she had ridden for a while she felt a burning thirst, +and said to her waiting-maid, "Dismount, and take my cup which thou +hast brought with thee for me, and get me some water from the stream, +for I should like to drink." "If you are thirsty," said the waiting-maid, +"get off your horse yourself, and lie down and drink out of the water, +I don't choose to be your servant." So in her great thirst the princess +alighted, bent down over the water in the stream and drank, and was not +allowed to drink out of the golden cup. Then she said, "Ah, Heaven!" and +the three drops of blood answered, "If thy mother knew, her heart would +break." But the King's daughter was humble, said nothing, and mounted +her horse again. She rode some miles further, but the day was warm, +the sun scorched her, and she was thirsty once more, and when they came +to a stream of water, she again cried to her waiting-maid, "Dismount, +and give me some water in my golden cup," for she had long ago forgotten +the girl's ill words. But the waiting-maid said still more haughtily, +"If you wish to drink, drink as you can, I don't choose to be your +maid." Then in her great thirst the King's daughter alighted, bent over +the flowing stream, wept and said, "Ah, Heaven!" and the drops of blood +again replied, "If thy mother knew this, her heart would break." And as +she was thus drinking and leaning right over the stream, the handkerchief +with the three drops of blood fell out of her bosom, and floated away +with the water without her observing it, so great was her trouble. The +waiting-maid, however, had seen it, and she rejoiced to think that she +had now power over the bride, for since the princess had lost the drops +of blood, she had become weak and powerless. So now when she wanted to +mount her horse again, the one that was called Falada, the waiting-maid +said, "Falada is more suitable for me, and my nag will do for thee" +and the princess had to be content with that. Then the waiting-maid, +with many hard words, bade the princess exchange her royal apparel for +her own shabby clothes; and at length she was compelled to swear by the +clear sky above her, that she would not say one word of this to any one +at the royal court, and if she had not taken this oath she would have +been killed on the spot. But Falada saw all this, and observed it well. + +The waiting-maid now mounted Falada, and the true bride the bad horse, +and thus they traveled onwards, until at length they entered the royal +palace. There were great rejoicings over her arrival, and the prince +sprang forward to meet her, lifted the waiting-maid from her horse, +and thought she was his consort. She was conducted upstairs, but the +real princess was left standing below. Then the old King looked out +of the window and saw her standing in the courtyard, and how dainty +and delicate and beautiful she was, and instantly went to the royal +apartment, and asked the bride about the girl she had with her who +was standing down below in the courtyard, and who she was? "I picked +her up on my way for a companion; give the girl something to work at, +that she may not stand idle." But the old King had no work for her, +and knew of none, so he said, "I have a little boy who tends the geese, +she may help him." The boy was called Conrad, and the true bride had to +help him to tend the geese. Soon afterwards the false bride said to the +young King, "Dearest husband, I beg you to do me a favour." He answered, +"I will do so most willingly." "Then send for the knacker, and have the +head of the horse on which I rode here cut off, for it vexed me on the +way." In reality, she was afraid that the horse might tell how she had +behaved to the King's daughter. Then she succeeded in making the King +promise that it should be done, and the faithful Falada was to die; +this came to the ears of the real princess, and she secretly promised to +pay the knacker a piece of gold if he would perform a small service for +her. There was a great dark-looking gateway in the town, through which +morning and evening she had to pass with the geese: would he be so good +as to nail up Falada's head on it, so that she might see him again, more +than once. The knacker's man promised to do that, and cut off the head, +and nailed it fast beneath the dark gateway. + +Early in the morning, when she and Conrad drove out their flock beneath +this gateway, she said in passing, + + + "Alas, Falada, hanging there!" + +Then the head answered, + + + "Alas, young Queen, how ill you fare! + If this your tender mother knew, + Her heart would surely break in two." + +Then they went still further out of the town, and drove their geese +into the country. And when they had come to the meadow, she sat down and +unbound her hair which was like pure gold, and Conrad saw it and delighted +in its brightness, and wanted to pluck out a few hairs. Then she said, + + + "Blow, blow, thou gentle wind, I say, + Blow Conrad's little hat away, + And make him chase it here and there, + Until I have braided all my hair, + And bound it up again." + +And there came such a violent wind that it blew Conrad's hat far away +across country, and he was forced to run after it. When he came back she +had finished combing her hair and was putting it up again, and he could +not get any of it. Then Conrad was angry, and would not speak to her, and +thus they watched the geese until the evening, and then they went home. + +Next day when they were driving the geese out through the dark gateway, +the maiden said, + + + "Alas, Falada, hanging there!" + +Falada answered, + + + "Alas, young Queen, how ill you fare! + If this your tender mother knew, + Her heart would surely break in two." + +And she sat down again in the field and began to comb out her hair, +and Conrad ran and tried to clutch it, so she said in haste, + + + "Blow, blow, thou gentle wind, I say, + Blow Conrad's little hat away, + And make him chase it here and there, + Until I have braided all my hair, + And bound it up again." + +Then the wind blew, and blew his little hat off his head and far away, +and Conrad was forced to run after it, and when he came back, her hair +had been put up a long time, and he could get none of it, and so they +looked after their geese till evening came. + +But in the evening after they had got home, Conrad went to the old King, +and said, "I won't tend the geese with that girl any longer!" "Why +not?" inquired the aged King. "Oh, because she vexes me the whole day +long." Then the aged King commanded him to relate what it was that she +did to him. And Conrad said, "In the morning when we pass beneath the +dark gateway with the flock, there is a sorry horse's head on the wall, +and she says to it, + + + "Alas, Falada, hanging there!" + +And the head replies, + + + "Alas, young Queen how ill you fare! + If this your tender mother knew, + Her heart would surely break in two." + +And Conrad went on to relate what happened on the goose pasture, and +how when there he had to chase his hat. + +The aged King commanded him to drive his flock out again next day, and +as soon as morning came, he placed himself behind the dark gateway, and +heard how the maiden spoke to the head of Falada, and then he too went +into the country, and hid himself in the thicket in the meadow. There +he soon saw with his own eyes the goose-girl and the goose-boy bringing +their flock, and how after a while she sat down and unplaited her hair, +which shone with radiance. And soon she said, + + + "Blow, blow, thou gentle wind, I say, + Blow Conrad's little hat away, + And make him chase it here and there, + Until I have braided all my hair, + And bound it up again." + +Then came a blast of wind and carried off Conrad's hat, so that he had to +run far away, while the maiden quietly went on combing and plaiting her +hair, all of which the King observed. Then, quite unseen, he went away, +and when the goose-girl came home in the evening, he called her aside, +and asked why she did all these things. "I may not tell you that, and I +dare not lament my sorrows to any human being, for I have sworn not to +do so by the heaven which is above me; if I had not done that, I should +have lost my life." He urged her and left her no peace, but he could draw +nothing from her. Then said he, "If thou wilt not tell me anything, tell +thy sorrows to the iron-stove there," and he went away. Then she crept +into the iron-stove, and began to weep and lament, and emptied her whole +heart, and said, "Here am I deserted by the whole world, and yet I am a +King's daughter, and a false waiting-maid has by force brought me to such +a pass that I have been compelled to put off my royal apparel, and she has +taken my place with my bridegroom, and I have to perform menial service +as a goose-girl. If my mother did but know that, her heart would break." + +The aged King, however, was standing outside by the pipe of the stove, +and was listening to what she said, and heard it. Then he came back again, +and bade her come out of the stove. And royal garments were placed on +her, and it was marvellous how beautiful she was! The aged King summoned +his son, and revealed to him that he had got the false bride who was +only a waiting-maid, but that the true one was standing there, as the +sometime goose-girl. The young King rejoiced with all his heart when +he saw her beauty and youth, and a great feast was made ready to which +all the people and all good friends were invited. At the head of the +table sat the bridegroom with the King's daughter at one side of him, +and the waiting-maid on the other, but the waiting-maid was blinded, +and did not recognize the princess in her dazzling array. When they had +eaten and drunk, and were merry, the aged King asked the waiting-maid +as a riddle, what a person deserved who had behaved in such and such +a way to her master, and at the same time related the whole story, +and asked what sentence such an one merited? Then the false bride said, +"She deserves no better fate than to be stripped entirely naked, and put +in a barrel which is studded inside with pointed nails, and two white +horses should be harnessed to it, which will drag her along through one +street after another, till she is dead." "It is thou," said the aged King, +"and thou hast pronounced thine own sentence, and thus shall it be done +unto thee." And when the sentence had been carried out, the young King +married his true bride, and both of them reigned over their kingdom in +peace and happiness. + + + +90 The Young Giant + +Once on a time a countryman had a son who was as big as a thumb, and +did not become any bigger, and during several years did not grow one +hair's breadth. Once when the father was going out to plough, the +little one said, "Father, I will go out with you." "Thou wouldst go +out with me?" said the father. "Stay here, thou wilt be of no use out +there, besides thou mightest get lost!" Then Thumbling began to cry, +and for the sake of peace his father put him in his pocket, and took +him with him. When he was outside in the field, he took him out again, +and set him in a freshly-cut furrow. Whilst he was there, a great giant +came over the hill. "Do thou see that great bogie?" said the father, for +he wanted to frighten the little fellow to make him good; "he is coming +to fetch thee." The giant, however, had scarcely taken two steps with +his long legs before he was in the furrow. He took up little Thumbling +carefully with two fingers, examined him, and without saying one word +went away with him. His father stood by, but could not utter a sound +for terror, and he thought nothing else but that his child was lost, +and that as long as he lived he should never set eyes on him again. + +The giant, however, carried him home, suckled him, and Thumbling grew +and became tall and strong after the manner of giants. When two years +had passed, the old giant took him into the forest, wanted to try him, +and said, "Pull up a stick for thyself." Then the boy was already so +strong that he tore up a young tree out of the earth by the roots. But +the giant thought, "We must do better than that," took him back again, +and suckled him two years longer. When he tried him, his strength had +increased so much that he could tear an old tree out of the ground. +That was still not enough for the giant; he again suckled him for +two years, and when he then went with him into the forest and said, +"Now just tear up a proper stick for me," the boy tore up the strongest +oak-tree from the earth, so that it split, and that was a mere trifle to +him. "Now that will do," said the giant, "thou art perfect," and took +him back to the field from whence he had brought him. His father was +there following the plough. The young giant went up to him, and said, +"Does my father see what a fine man his son has grown into?" + +The farmer was alarmed, and said, "No, thou art not my son; I don't +want thee leave me!" "Truly I am your son; allow me to do your work, +I can plough as well as you, nay better." "No, no, thou art not my son; +and thou canst not plough go away!" However, as he was afraid of this +great man, he left go of the plough, stepped back and stood at one side +of the piece of land. Then the youth took the plough, and just pressed +it with one hand, but his grasp was so strong that the plough went deep +into the earth. The farmer could not bear to see that, and called to him, +"If thou art determined to plough, thou must not press so hard on it, +that makes bad work." The youth, however, unharnessed the horses, +and drew the plough himself, saying, "Just go home, father, and bid +my mother make ready a large dish of food, and in the meantime I will +go over the field." Then the farmer went home, and ordered his wife to +prepare the food; but the youth ploughed the field which was two acres +large, quite alone, and then he harnessed himself to the harrow, and +harrowed the whole of the land, using two harrows at once. When he had +done it, he went into the forest, and pulled up two oak-trees, laid them +across his shoulders, and hung on them one harrow behind and one before, +and also one horse behind and one before, and carried all as if it had +been a bundle of straw, to his parents' house. When he entered the yard, +his mother did not recognize him, and asked, "Who is that horrible tall +man?" The farmer said, "That is our son." She said, "No that cannot be +our son, we never had such a tall one, ours was a little thing." She +called to him, "Go away, we do not want thee!" The youth was silent, +but led his horses to the stable, gave them some oats and hay, and all +that they wanted. When he had done this, he went into the parlour, sat +down on the bench and said, "Mother, now I should like something to eat, +will it soon be ready?" Then she said, "Yes," and brought in two immense +dishes full of food, which would have been enough to satisfy herself and +her husband for a week. The youth, however, ate the whole of it himself, +and asked if she had nothing more to set before him. "No," she replied, +"that is all we have." "But that was only a taste, I must have more." She +did not dare to oppose him, and went and put a huge caldron full of food +on the fire, and when it was ready, carried it in. "At length come a few +crumbs," said he, and ate all there was, but it was still not sufficient +to appease his hunger. Then said he, "Father, I see well that with you I +shall never have food enough; if you will get me an iron staff which is +strong, and which I cannot break against my knees, I will go out into +the world." The farmer was glad, put his two horses in his cart, and +fetched from the smith a staff so large and thick, that the two horses +could only just bring it away. The youth laid it across his knees, and +snap! he broke it in two in the middle like a bean-stalk, and threw it +away. The father then harnessed four horses, and brought a bar which was +so long and thick, that the four horses could only just drag it. The son +snapped this also in twain against his knees, threw it away, and said, +"Father, this can be of no use to me, you must harness more horses, +and bring a stronger staff." So the father harnessed eight horses, and +brought one which was so long and thick, that the eight horses could only +just carry it. When the son took it in his hand, he broke off a bit from +the top of it also, and said, "Father, I see that you will not be able +to procure me any such staff as I want, I will remain no longer with you." + +So he went away, and gave out that he was a smith's apprentice. He +arrived at a village, wherein lived a smith who was a greedy fellow, who +never did a kindness to any one, but wanted everything for himself. The +youth went into the smithy and asked if he needed a journeyman. "Yes," +said the smith, and looked at him, and thought, "That is a strong fellow +who will strike out well, and earn his bread." So he asked, "How much +wages dost thou want?" "I don't want any at all," he replied, "only every +fortnight, when the other journeymen are paid, I will give thee two blows, +and thou must bear them." The miser was heartily satisfied, and thought +he would thus save much money. Next morning, the strange journeyman was +to begin to work, but when the master brought the glowing bar, and the +youth struck his first blow, the iron flew asunder, and the anvil sank +so deep into the earth, that there was no bringing it out again. Then +the miser grew angry, and said, "Oh, but I can't make any use of you, +you strike far too powerfully; what will you have for the one blow?" + +Then said he, "I will only give you quite a small blow, that's all." And +he raised his foot, and gave him such a kick that he flew away over four +loads of hay. Then he sought out the thickest iron bar in the smithy +for himself, took it as a stick in his hand and went onwards. + +When he had walked for some time, he came to a small farm, and asked the +bailiff if he did not require a head-servant. "Yes," said the bailiff, +"I can make use of one; you look a strong fellow who can do something, +how much a year do you want as wages?" He again replied that he wanted +no wages at all, but that every year he would give him three blows, +which he must bear. Then the bailiff was satisfied, for he, too, was +a covetous fellow. Next morning all the servants were to go into the +wood, and the others were already up, but the head-servant was still +in bed. Then one of them called to him, "Get up, it is time; we are +going into the wood, and thou must go with us." "Ah," said he quite +roughly and surlily, "you may just go, then; I shall be back again +before any of you." Then the others went to the bailiff, and told him +that the head-man was still lying in bed, and would not go into the +wood with them. The bailiff said they were to awaken him again, and +tell him to harness the horses. The head-man, however, said as before, +"Just go there, I shall be back again before any of you." And then he +stayed in bed two hours longer. At length he arose from the feathers, +but first he got himself two bushels of peas from the loft, made himself +some broth with them, ate it at his leisure, and when that was done, +went and harnessed the horses, and drove into the wood. Not far from the +wood was a ravine through which he had to pass, so he first drove the +horses on, and then stopped them, and went behind the cart, took trees +and brushwood, and made a great barricade, so that no horse could get +through. When he was entering the wood, the others were just driving out +of it with their loaded carts to go home; then said he to them, "Drive on, +I will still get home before you do." He did not drive far into the wood, +but at once tore two of the very largest trees of all out of the earth, +threw them on his cart, and turned round. When he came to the barricade, +the others were still standing there, not able to get through. "Don't +you see," said he, "that if you had stayed with me, you would have got +home just as quickly, and would have had another hour's sleep?" He now +wanted to drive on, but his horses could not work their way through, +so he unharnessed them, laid them on the top of the cart, took the +shafts in his own hands, and pulled it all through, and he did this just +as easily as if it had been laden with feathers. When he was over, he +said to the others, "There, you see, I have got over quicker than you," +and drove on, and the others had to stay where they were. In the yard, +however, he took a tree in his hand, showed it to the bailiff, and said, +"Isn't that a fine bundle of wood?" Then said the bailiff to his wife, +"The servant is a good one, if he does sleep long, he is still home before +the others." So he served the bailiff for a year, and when that was over, +and the other servants were getting their wages, he said it was time +for him to take his too. The bailiff, however, was afraid of the blows +which he was to receive, and earnestly entreated him to excuse him from +having them; for rather than that, he himself would be head-servant, and +the youth should be bailiff. "No," said he, "I will not be a bailiff, I +am head-servant, and will remain so, but I will administer that which we +agreed on." The bailiff was willing to give him whatsoever he demanded, +but it was of no use, the head-servant said no to everything. Then the +bailiff did not know what to do, and begged for a fortnight's delay, +for he wanted to find some way of escape. The head-servant consented +to this delay. The bailiff summoned all his clerks together, and they +were to think the matter over, and give him advice. The clerks pondered +for a long time, but at last they said that no one was sure of his life +with the head-servant, for he could kill a man as easily as a midge, +and that the bailiff ought to make him get into the well and clean it, +and when he was down below, they would roll up one of the mill-stones +which was lying there, and throw it on his head; and then he would never +return to daylight. The advice pleased the bailiff, and the head-servant +was quite willing to go down the well. When he was standing down below +at the bottom, they rolled down the largest mill-stone and thought they +had broken his skull, but he cried, "Chase away those hens from the well, +they are scratching in the sand up there, and throwing the grains into my +eyes, so that I can't see." So the bailiff cried, "Sh-sh," and pretended +to frighten the hens away. When the head-servant had finished his work, +he climbed up and said, "Just look what a beautiful neck-tie I have on," +and behold it was the mill-stone which he was wearing round his neck. The +head-servant now wanted to take his reward, but the bailiff again begged +for a fortnight's delay. The clerks met together and advised him to send +the head-servant to the haunted mill to grind corn by night, for from +thence as yet no man had ever returned in the morning alive. The proposal +pleased the bailiff, he called the head-servant that very evening, and +ordered him to take eight bushels of corn to the mill, and grind it that +night, for it was wanted. So the head-servant went to the loft, and put +two bushels in his right pocket, and two in his left, and took four in +a wallet, half on his back, and half on his breast, and thus laden went +to the haunted mill. The miller told him that he could grind there very +well by day, but not by night, for the mill was haunted, and that up +to the present time whosoever had gone into it at night had been found +in the morning lying dead inside. He said, "I will manage it, just you +go away to bed." Then he went into the mill, and poured out the corn. +About eleven o'clock he went into the miller's room, and sat down on +the bench. When he had sat there a while, a door suddenly opened, and +a large table came in, and on the table, wine and roasted meats placed +themselves, and much good food besides, but everything came of itself, +for no one was there to carry it. After this the chairs pushed themselves +up, but no people came, until all at once he beheld fingers, which handled +knives and forks, and laid food on the plates, but with this exception he +saw nothing. As he was hungry, and saw the food, he, too, place himself +at the table, ate with those who were eating and enjoyed it. When he +had had enough, and the others also had quite emptied their dishes, he +distinctly heard all the candles being suddenly snuffed out, and as it +was now pitch dark, he felt something like a box on the ear. Then he said, +"If anything of that kind comes again, I shall strike out in return." And +when he had received a second box on the ear, he, too struck out. And so +it continued the whole night. He took nothing without returning it, but +repaid everything with interest, and did not lay about him in vain. At +daybreak, however, everything ceased. When the miller had got up, he +wanted to look after him, and wondered if he were still alive. Then +the youth said, "I have eaten my fill, have received some boxes on the +ears, but I have given some in return." The miller rejoiced, and said +that the mill was now released from the spell, and wanted to give him +much money as a reward. But he said, "Money, I will not have, I have +enough of it." So he took his meal on his back, went home, and told +the bailiff that he had done what he had been told to do, and would now +have the reward agreed on. When the bailiff heard that, he was seriously +alarmed and quite beside himself; he walked backwards and forwards in +the room, and drops of perspiration ran down from his forehead. Then he +opened the window to get some fresh air, but before he was aware, the +head-servant had given him such a kick that he flew through the window +out into the air, and so far away that no one ever saw him again. Then +said the head-servant to the bailiff's wife, "If he does not come back, +you must take the other blow." She cried, "No, no I cannot bear it," +and opened the other window, because drops of perspiration were running +down her forehead. Then he gave her such a kick that she, too, flew out, +and as she was lighter she went much higher than her husband. Her husband +cried, "Do come to me," but she replied, "Come thou to me, I cannot come +to thee." And they hovered about there in the air, and could not get to +each other, and whether they are still hovering about, or not, I do not +know, but the young giant took up his iron bar, and went on his way. + + + +91 The Gnome + +There was once upon a time a rich King who had three daughters, who daily +went to walk in the palace garden, and the King was a great lover of all +kinds of fine trees, but there was one for which he had such an affection, +that if anyone gathered an apple from it he wished him a hundred fathoms +underground. And when harvest time came, the apples on this tree were +all as red as blood. The three daughters went every day beneath the tree, +and looked to see if the wind had not blown down an apple, but they never +by any chance found one, and the tree was so loaded with them that it was +almost breaking, and the branches hung down to the ground. Then the King's +youngest child had a great desire for an apple, and said to her sisters, +"Our father loves us far too much to wish us underground, it is my belief +that he would only do that to people who were strangers." And while she +was speaking, the child plucked off quite a large apple, and ran to her +sisters, saying, "Just taste, my dear little sisters, for never in my +life have I tasted anything so delightful." Then the two other sisters +also ate some of the apple, whereupon all three sank deep down into the +earth, where they could hear no cock crow. + +When mid-day came, the King wished to call them to come to dinner, +but they were nowhere to be found. He sought them everywhere in the +palace and garden, but could not find them. Then he was much troubled, +and made known to the whole land that whosoever brought his daughters +back again should have one of them to wife. Hereupon so many young men +went about the country in search, that there was no counting them, for +every one loved the three children because they were so kind to all, and +so fair of face. Three young huntsmen also went out, and when they had +travelled about for eight days, they arrived at a great castle, in which +were beautiful apartments, and in one room a table was laid on which +were delicate dishes which were still so warm that they were smoking, +but in the whole of the castle no human being was either to be seen or +heard. They waited there for half a day, and the food still remained warm +and smoking, and at length they were so hungry that they sat down and ate, +and agreed with each other that they would stay and live in that castle, +and that one of them, who should be chosen by casting lots, should remain +in the house, and the two others seek the King's daughters. They cast +lots, and the lot fell on the eldest; so next day the two younger went +out to seek, and the eldest had to stay home. At mid-day came a small, +small mannikin and begged for a piece of bread, then the huntsman took +the bread which he had found there, and cut a round off the loaf and was +about to give it to him, but whilst he was giving it to the mannikin, +the latter let it fall, and asked the huntsman to be so good as to give +him that piece again. The huntsman was about to do so and stooped, on +which the mannikin took a stick, seized him by the hair, and gave him +a good beating. Next day, the second stayed at home, and he fared no +better. When the two others returned in the evening, the eldest said, +"Well, how have you got on?" + +"Oh, very badly," said he, and then they lamented their misfortune +together, but they said nothing about it to the youngest, for they did +not like him at all, and always called him Stupid Hans, because he did +not exactly belong to the forest. On the third day, the youngest stayed +at home, and again the little mannikin came and begged for a piece of +bread. When the youth gave it to him, the elf let it fall as before, and +asked him to be so good as to give him that piece again. Then said Hans +to the little mannikin, "What! canst thou not pick up that piece thyself? +If thou wilt not take as much trouble as that for thy daily bread, thou +dost not deserve to have it." Then the mannikin grew very angry and said +he was to do it, but the huntsman would not, and took my dear mannikin, +and gave him a thorough beating. Then the mannikin screamed terribly, +and cried, "Stop, stop, and let me go, and I will tell thee where +the King's daughters are." When Hans heard that, he left off beating +him and the mannikin told him that he was an earth mannikin, and that +there were more than a thousand like him, and that if he would go with +him he would show him where the King's daughters were. Then he showed +him a deep well, but there was no water in it. And the elf said that +he knew well that the companions Hans had with him did not intend to +deal honourably with him, therefore if he wished to deliver the King's +children, he must do it alone. The two other brothers would also be +very glad to recover the King's daughters, but they did not want to +have any trouble or danger. Hans was therefore to take a large basket, +and he must seat himself in it with his hanger and a bell, and be let +down. Below were three rooms, and in each of them was a princess, with +a many-headed dragon, whose heads she was to comb and trim, but he must +cut them off. And having said all this, the elf vanished. When it was +evening the two brothers came and asked how he had got on, and he said, +"pretty well so far," and that he had seen no one except at mid-day +when a little mannikin had come and begged for a piece of bread, that +he had given some to him, but that the mannikin had let it fall and had +asked him to pick it up again; but as he did not choose to do that, +the elf had begun to lose his temper, and that he had done what he +ought not, and had given the elf a beating, on which he had told him +where the King's daughters were. Then the two were so angry at this +that they grew green and yellow. Next morning they went to the well +together, and drew lots who should first seat himself in the basket, +and again the lot fell on the eldest, and he was to seat himself in it, +and take the bell with him. Then he said, "If I ring, you must draw +me up again immediately." When he had gone down for a short distance, +he rang, and they at once drew him up again. Then the second seated +himself in the basket, but he did just the same as the first, and then +it was the turn of the youngest, but he let himself be lowered quite +to the bottom. When he had got out of the basket, he took his hanger, +and went and stood outside the first door and listened, and heard the +dragon snoring quite loudly. He opened the door slowly, and one of the +princesses was sitting there, and had nine dragon's heads lying upon her +lap, and was combing them. Then he took his hanger and hewed at them, +and the nine fell off. The princess sprang up, threw her arms round his +neck, embraced and kissed him repeatedly, and took her stomacher, which +was made of pure gold, and hung it round his neck. Then he went to the +second princess, who had a dragon with five heads to comb, and delivered +her also, and to the youngest, who had a dragon with four heads, he went +likewise. And they all rejoiced, and embraced him and kissed him without +stopping. Then he rang very loud, so that those above heard him, and he +placed the princesses one after the other in the basket, and had them all +drawn up, but when it came to his own turn he remembered the words of the +elf, who had told him that his comrades did not mean well by him. So he +took a great stone which was lying there, and placed it in the basket, +and when it was about half way up, his false brothers above cut the rope, +so that the basket with the stone fell to the ground, and they thought +that he was dead, and ran away with the three princesses, making them +promise to tell their father that it was they who had delivered them, +and then they went to the King, and each demanded a princess in marriage. + +In the meantime the youngest huntsman was wandering about the three +chambers in great trouble, fully expecting to have to end his days there, +when he saw, hanging on the wall, a flute; then said he, "Why dost thou +hang there, no one can be merry here?" He looked at the dragons, heads +likewise and said, "You too cannot help me now." He walked backwards +and forwards for such a long time that he made the surface of the ground +quite smooth. But at last other thoughts came to his mind, and he took +the flute from the wall, and played a few notes on it, and suddenly +a number of elves appeared, and with every note that he sounded one +more came. Then he played until the room was entirely filled. They all +asked what he desired, so he said he wished to get above ground back to +daylight, on which they seized him by every hair that grew on his head, +and thus they flew with him onto the earth again. When he was above +ground, he at once went to the King's palace, just as the wedding +of one princess was about to be celebrated, and he went to the room +where the King and his three daughters were. When the princesses saw +him they fainted. Hereupon the King was angry, and ordered him to be +put in prison at once, because he thought he must have done some injury +to the children. When the princesses came to themselves, however, they +entreated the King to set him free again. The King asked why, and they +said that they were not allowed to tell that, but their father said +that they were to tell it to the stove. And he went out, listened at +the door, and heard everything. Then he caused the two brothers to be +hanged on the gallows, and to the third he gave his youngest daughter, +and on that occasion I wore a pair of glass shoes, and I struck them +against a stone, and they said, "Klink," and were broken. + + + +92 The King of the Golden Mountain + +There was a certain merchant who had two children, a boy and a girl; +they were both young, and could not walk. And two richly-laden ships of +his sailed forth to sea with all his property on board, and just as he +was expecting to win much money by them, news came that they had gone to +the bottom, and now instead of being a rich man he was a poor one, and +had nothing left but one field outside the town. In order to drive his +misfortune a little out of his thoughts, he went out to this field, and as +he was walking forwards and backwards in it, a little black mannikin stood +suddenly by his side, and asked why he was so sad, and what he was taking +so much to heart. Then said the merchant, "If thou couldst help me I would +willingly tell thee." "Who knows?" replied the black dwarf. "Perhaps, +I can help thee." Then the merchant told him that all he possessed had +gone to the bottom of the sea, and that he had nothing left but this +field. "Do not trouble thyself," said the dwarf. "If thou wilt promise +to give me the first thing that rubs itself against thy leg when thou +art at home again, and to bring it here to this place in twelve years' +time, thou shalt have as much money as thou wilt." The merchant thought, +"What can that be but my dog?" and did not remember his little boy, so he +said yes, gave the black man a written and sealed promise, and went home. + +When he reached home, his little boy was so delighted that he held by a +bench, tottered up to him and seized him fast by the legs. The father +was shocked, for he remembered his promise, and now knew what he had +pledged himself to do; as however, he still found no money in his chest, +he thought the dwarf had only been jesting. A month afterwards he went +up to the garret, intending to gather together some old tin and to sell +it, and saw a great heap of money lying. Then he was happy again, made +purchases, became a greater merchant than before, and felt that this +world was well-governed. In the meantime the boy grew tall, and at the +same time sharp and clever. But the nearer the twelfth year approached +the more anxious grew the merchant, so that his distress might be seen +in his face. One day his son asked what ailed him, but the father would +not say. The boy, however, persisted so long, that at last he told him +that without being aware of what he was doing, he had promised him to a +black dwarf, and had received much money for doing so. He said likewise +that he had set his hand and seal to this, and that now when twelve +years had gone by he would have to give him up. Then said the son, +"Oh, father, do not be uneasy, all will go well. The black man has no +power over me." The son had himself blessed by the priest, and when the +time came, father and son went together to the field, and the son made a +circle and placed himself inside it with his father. Then came the black +dwarf and said to the old man, "Hast thou brought with thee that which +thou hast promised me?" He was silent, but the son asked, "What dost +thou want here?" Then said the black dwarf, "I have to speak with thy +father, and not with thee." The son replied, "Thou hast betrayed and +misled my father, give back the writing." "No," said the black dwarf, +"I will not give up my rights." They spoke together for a long time +after this, but at last they agreed that the son, as he did not belong +to the enemy of mankind, nor yet to his father, should seat himself in a +small boat, which should lie on water which was flowing away from them, +and that the father should push it off with his own foot, and then the +son should remain given up to the water. So he took leave of his father, +placed himself in a little boat, and the father had to push it off with +his own foot. The boat capsized so that the keel was uppermost, and the +father believed his son was lost, and went home and mourned for him. + +The boat, however, did not sink, but floated quietly away, and the boy +sat safely inside it, and it floated thus for a long time, until at last +it stopped by an unknown shore. Then he landed and saw a beautiful castle +before him, and set out to go to it. But when he entered it, he found that +it was bewitched. He went through every room, but all were empty until he +reached the last, where a snake lay coiled in a ring. The snake, however, +was an enchanted maiden, who rejoiced to see him, and said, "Hast thou +come, oh, my deliverer? I have already waited twelve years for thee; this +kingdom is bewitched, and thou must set it free." "How can I do that?" he +inquired. "To-night come twelve black men, covered with chains who will +ask what thou art doing here; keep silent; give them no answer, and let +them do what they will with thee; they will torment thee, beat thee, +stab thee; let everything pass, only do not speak; at twelve o'clock, +they must go away again. On the second night twelve others will come; +on the third, four-and-twenty, who will cut off thy head, but at twelve +o'clock their power will be over, and then if thou hast endured all, and +hast not spoken the slightest word, I shall be released. I will come to +thee, and will have, in a bottle, some of the water of life. I will rub +thee with that, and then thou wilt come to life again, and be as healthy +as before." Then said he, "I will gladly set thee free." And everything +happened just as she had said; the black men could not force a single word +from him, and on the third night the snake became a beautiful princess, +who came with the water of life and brought him back to life again. So +she threw herself into his arms and kissed him, and there was joy and +gladness in the whole castle. After this their marriage was celebrated, +and he was King of the Golden Mountain. + +They lived very happily together, and the Queen bore a fine boy. Eight +years had already gone by, when the King bethought him of his father; +his heart was moved, and he wished to visit him. The Queen, however, +would not let him go away, and said, "I know beforehand that it will +cause my unhappiness;" but he suffered her to have no rest until she +consented. At their parting she gave him a wishing-ring, and said, +"Take this ring and put it on thy finger, and then thou wilt immediately +be transported whithersoever thou wouldst be, only thou must promise me +not to use it in wishing me away from this place and with thy father." +That he promised her, put the ring on his finger, and wished himself +at home, just outside the town where his father lived. Instantly he +found himself there, and made for the town, but when he came to the +gate, the sentries would not let him in, because he wore such strange +and yet such rich and magnificent clothing. Then he went to a hill +where a shepherd was watching his sheep, changed clothes with him, +put on his old shepherd's-coat, and then entered the town without +hindrance. When he came to his father, he made himself known to him, +but he did not at all believe that the shepherd was his son, and said +he certainly had had a son, but that he was dead long ago; however, +as he saw he was a poor, needy shepherd, he would give him something to +eat. Then the shepherd said to his parents, "I am verily your son. Do +you know of no mark on my body by which you could recognize me?" "Yes," +said his mother, "our son had a raspberry mark under his right arm." He +slipped back his shirt, and they saw the raspberry under his right arm, +and no longer doubted that he was their son. Then he told them that he +was King of the Golden Mountain, and a king's daughter was his wife, +and that they had a fine son of seven years old. Then said the father, +"That is certainly not true; it is a fine kind of a king who goes about +in a ragged shepherd's-coat." On this the son fell in a passion, and +without thinking of his promise, turned his ring round, and wished both +his wife and child with him. They were there in a second, but the Queen +wept, and reproached him, and said that he had broken his word, and had +brought misfortune upon her. He said, "I have done it thoughtlessly, +and not with evil intention," and tried to calm her, and she pretended +to believe this; but she had mischief in her mind. + +Then he led her out of the town into the field, and showed her the +stream where the little boat had been pushed off, and then he said, +"I am tired; sit down, I will sleep awhile on thy lap." And he laid his +head on her lap, and fell asleep. When he was asleep, she first drew the +ring from his finger, then she drew away the foot which was under him, +leaving only the slipper behind her, and she took her child in her arms, +and wished herself back in her own kingdom. When he awoke, there he lay +quite deserted, and his wife and child were gone, and so was the ring +from his finger, the slipper only was still there as a token. "Home to +thy parents thou canst not return," thought he, "they would say that +thou wast a wizard; thou must be off, and walk on until thou arrivest +in thine own kingdom." So he went away and came at length to a hill +by which three giants were standing, disputing with each other because +they did not know how to divide their father's property. When they saw +him passing by, they called to him and said little men had quick wits, +and that he was to divide their inheritance for them. The inheritance, +however, consisted of a sword, which had this property that if any one +took it in his hand, and said, "All heads off but mine," every head would +lie on the ground; secondly, of a cloak which made any one who put it on +invisible; thirdly, of a pair of boots which could transport the wearer +to any place he wished in a moment. He said, "Give me the three things +that I may see if they are still in good condition." They gave him the +cloak, and when he had put it on, he was invisible and changed into a +fly. Then he resumed his own form and said, "The cloak is a good one, +now give me the sword." They said, "No, we will not give thee that; if +thou were to say, All heads off but mine,' all our heads would be off, +and thou alone wouldst be left with thine." Nevertheless they gave it to +him with the condition that he was only to try it against a tree. This +he did, and the sword cut in two the trunk of a tree as if it had been a +blade of straw. Then he wanted to have the boots likewise, but they said, +"No, we will not give them; if thou hadst them on thy feet and wert to +wish thyself at the top of the hill, we should be left down here with +nothing." "Oh, no," said he, "I will not do that." So they gave him +the boots as well. And now when he had got all these things, he thought +of nothing but his wife and his child, and said as though to himself, +"Oh, if I were but on the Golden Mountain," and at the same moment he +vanished from the sight of the giants, and thus their inheritance was +divided. When he was near his palace, he heard sounds of joy, and fiddles, +and flutes, and the people told him that his wife was celebrating her +wedding with another. Then he fell into a rage, and said, "False woman, +she betrayed and deserted me whilst I was asleep!" So he put on his cloak, +and unseen by all went into the palace. When he entered the dining-hall +a great table was spread with delicious food, and the guests were eating +and drinking, and laughing, and jesting. She sat on a royal seat in the +midst of them in splendid apparel, with a crown on her head. He placed +himself behind her, and no one saw him. When she put a piece of meat on a +plate for herself, he took it away and ate it, and when she poured out a +glass of wine for herself, he took it away and drank it. She was always +helping herself to something, and yet she never got anything, for plate +and glass disappeared immediately. Then dismayed and ashamed, she arose +and went to her chamber and wept, but he followed her there. She said, +"Has the devil power over me, or did my deliverer never come?" Then he +struck her in the face, and said, "Did thy deliverer never come? It is +he who has thee in his power, thou traitor. Have I deserved this from +thee?" Then he made himself visible, went into the hall, and cried, "The +wedding is at an end, the true King has returned." The kings, princes, and +councillors who were assembled there, ridiculed and mocked him, but he did +not trouble to answer them, and said, "Will you go away, or not?" On this +they tried to seize him and pressed upon him, but he drew his sword and +said, "All heads off but mine," and all the heads rolled on the ground, +and he alone was master, and once more King of the Golden Mountain. + + + +93 The Raven + +There was once upon a time a Queen who had a little daughter who was +still so young that she had to be carried. One day the child was naughty, +and the mother might say what she liked, but the child would not be +quiet. Then she became impatient, and as the ravens were flying about +the palace, she opened the window and said, "I wish you were a raven +and would fly away, and then I should have some rest." Scarcely had she +spoken the words, before the child was changed into a raven, and flew +from her arms out of the window. It flew into a dark forest, and stayed +in it a long time, and the parents heard nothing of their child. Then one +day a man was on his way through this forest and heard the raven crying, +and followed the voice, and when he came nearer, the bird said, "I am a +king's daughter by birth, and am bewitched, but thou canst set me free." +"What am I to do," asked he. She said, "Go further into the forest, +and thou wilt find a house, wherein sits an aged woman, who will offer +thee meat and drink, but you must accept nothing, for if you eatest and +drinkest anything, thou wilt fall into a sleep, and then thou wilt not be +able to deliver me. In the garden behind the house there is a great heap +of tan, and on this thou shalt stand and wait for me. For three days I +will come every afternoon at two o'clock in a carriage. On the first day +four white horses will be harnessed to it, then four chestnut horses, +and lastly four black ones; but if thou art not awake, but sleeping, +I shall not be set free." The man promised to do everything that she +desired, but the raven said, alas, "I know already that thou wilt not +deliver me; thou wilt accept something from the woman." Then the man once +more promised that he would certainly not touch anything either to eat +or to drink. But when he entered the house the old woman came to him and +said, "Poor man, how faint you are; come and refresh yourself; eat and +drink." "No," said the man, "I will not eat or drink." She, however, +let him have no peace, and said, "If you will not eat, take one drink +out of the glass; one is nothing." Then he let himself be persuaded, +and drank. Shortly before two o'clock in the afternoon he went into the +garden to the tan heap to wait for the raven. As he was standing there, +his weariness all at once became so great that he could not struggle +against it, and lay down for a short time, but he was determined not to +go to sleep. Hardly, however, had he lain down, than his eyes closed of +their own accord, and he fell asleep and slept so soundly that nothing in +the world could have aroused him. At two o'clock the raven came driving +up with four white horses, but she was already in deep grief and said, +"I know he is asleep." And when she came into the garden, he was indeed +lying there asleep on the heap of tan. She alighted from the carriage, +went to him, shook him, and called him, but he did not awake. Next day +about noon, the old woman came again and brought him food and drink, but +he would not take any of it. But she let him have no rest and persuaded +him until at length he again took one drink out of the glass. Towards two +o'clock he went into the garden to the tan heap to wait for the raven, +but all at once felt such a great weariness that his limbs would no longer +support him. He could not help himself, and was forced to lie down, and +fell into a heavy sleep. When the raven drove up with four brown horses, +she was already full of grief, and said, "I know he is asleep." She +went to him, but there he lay sleeping, and there was no wakening +him. Next day the old woman asked what was the meaning of this? He was +neither eating nor drinking anything; did he want to die? He replied, +"I am not allowed to eat or drink, and will not do so." But she set a +dish with food, and a glass with wine before him, and when he smelt it +he could not resist, and swallowed a deep draught. When the time came, +he went out into the garden to the heap of tan, and waited for the King's +daughter; but he became still more weary than on the day before, and lay +down and slept as soundly as if he had been a stone. At two o'clock the +raven came with four black horses, and the coachman and everything else +was black. She was already in the deepest grief, and said, "I know that +he is asleep and cannot deliver me." When she came to him, there he was +lying fast asleep. She shook him and called him, but she could not waken +him. Then she laid a loaf beside him, and after that a piece of meat, +and thirdly a bottle of wine, and he might consume as much of all of +them as he liked, but they would never grow less. After this she took +a gold ring from her finger, and put it on his, and her name was graven +on it. Lastly, she laid a letter beside him wherein was written what she +had given him, and that none of the things would ever grow less; and in +it was also written, "I see right well that here you will never be able +to deliver me, but if thou art still willing to deliver me, come to the +golden castle of Stromberg; it lies in thy power, of that I am certain." +And when she had given him all these things, she seated herself in her +carriage, and drove to the golden castle of Stromberg. + +When the man awoke and saw that he had slept, he was sad at heart, and +said, "She has certainly driven by, and I have not set her free." Then +he perceived the things which were lying beside him, and read the letter +wherein was written how everything had happened. So he arose and went +away, intending to go to the golden castle of Stromberg, but he did not +know where it was. After he had walked about the world for a long time, he +entered into a dark forest, and walked for fourteen days, and still could +not find his way out. Then it was once more evening, and he was so tired +that he lay down in a thicket and fell asleep. Next day he went onwards, +and in the evening, as he was again about to lie down beneath some bushes, +he heard such a howling and crying that he could not go to sleep. And at +the time when people light the candles, he saw one glimmering, and arose +and went towards it. Then he came to a house which seemed very small, +for in front of it a great giant was standing. He thought to himself, +"If I go in, and the giant sees me, it will very likely cost me my life." + +At length he ventured it and went in. When the giant saw him, he said, +"It is well that thou comest, for it is long since I have eaten; I will +at once eat thee for my supper." "I'd rather you would leave that alone," +said the man, "I do not like to be eaten; but if thou hast any desire +to eat, I have quite enough here to satisfy thee." "If that be true," +said the giant, "thou mayst be easy, I was only going to devour thee +because I had nothing else." Then they went, and sat down to the table, +and the man took out the bread, wine, and meat which would never come to +an end. "This pleases me well," said the giant, and ate to his heart's +content. Then the man said to him, "Canst thou tell me where the golden +castle of Stromberg is?" The giant said, "I will look at my map; all the +towns, and villages, and houses are to be found on it." He brought out +the map which he had in the room and looked for the castle, but it was not +to be found on it. "It's no matter!" said he, "I have some still larger +maps in my cupboard upstairs, and we will look in them." But there, too, +it was in vain. The man now wanted to go onwards, but the giant begged him +to wait a few days longer until his brother, who had gone out to bring +some provisions, came home. When the brother came home they inquired +about the golden castle of Stromberg. He replied, "When I have eaten and +have had enough, I will look in the map." Then he went with them up to +his chamber, and they searched in his map, but could not find it. Then +he brought out still older maps, and they never rested until they found +the golden castle of Stromberg, but it was many thousand miles away. "How +am I to get there?" asked the man. The giant said, "I have two hours' +time, during which I will carry you into the neighbourhood, but after +that I must be at home to suckle the child that we have." So the giant +carried the man to about a hundred leagues from the castle, and said, +"Thou canst very well walk the rest of the way alone." And he turned +back, but the man went onwards day and night, until at length he came to +the golden castle of Stromberg. It stood on a glass-mountain, and the +bewitched maiden drove in her carriage round the castle, and then went +inside it. He rejoiced when he saw her and wanted to climb up to her, +but when he began to do so he always slipped down the glass again. And +when he saw that he could not reach her, he was filled with trouble, and +said to himself, "I will stay down here below, and wait for her." So he +built himself a hut and stayed in it for a whole year, and every day saw +the King's daughter driving about above, but never could go to her. Then +one day he saw from his hut three robbers who were beating each other, +and cried to them, "God be with ye!" They stopped when they heard the +cry, but as they saw no one, they once more began to beat each other, +and that too most dangerously. So he again cried, "God be with ye!" +Again they stopped, looked round about, but as they saw no one they +went on beating each other. Then he cried for the third time, "God be +with ye," and thought, "I must see what these three are about," and went +thither and asked why they were beating each other so furiously. One of +them said that he found a stick, and that when he struck a door with it, +that door would spring open. The next said that he had found a mantle, +and that whenever he put it on, he was invisible, but the third said +he had found a horse on which a man could ride everywhere, even up the +glass-mountain. And now they did not know whether they ought to have these +things in common, or whether they ought to divide them. Then the man said, +"I will give you something in exchange for these three things. Money +indeed have I not, but I have other things of more value; but first I +must try yours to see if you have told the truth." Then they put him +on the horse, threw the mantle round him, and gave him the stick in his +hand, and when he had all these things they were no longer able to see +him. So he gave them some vigorous blows and cried, "Now, vagabonds, +you have got what you deserve, are you satisfied?" And he rode up the +glass-mountain, but when he came in front of the castle at the top, it +was shut. Then he struck the door with his stick, and it sprang open +immediately. He went in and ascended the stairs until he came to the +hall where the maiden was sitting with a golden cup full of wine before +her. She, however, could not see him because he had the mantle on. And +when he came up to her, he drew from his finger the ring which she had +given him, and threw it into the cup so that it rang. Then she cried, +"That is my ring, so the man who is to set me free must be here." They +searched the whole castle and did not find him, but he had gone out, +and had seated himself on the horse and thrown off the mantle. When they +came to the door, they saw him and cried aloud in their delight.* Then +he alighted and took the King's daughter in his arms, but she kissed him +and said, "Now hast thou set me free, and to-morrow we will celebrate +our wedding." + + + +94 The Peasant's Wise Daughter + +There was once a poor peasant who had no land, but only a small house, and +one daughter. Then said the daughter, "We ought to ask our lord the King +for a bit of newly-cleared land." When the King heard of their poverty, +he presented them with a piece of land, which she and her father dug up, +and intended to sow with a little corn and grain of that kind. When they +had dug nearly the whole of the field, they found in the earth a mortar +made of pure gold. "Listen," said the father to the girl, "as our lord +the King has been so gracious and presented us with the field, we ought +to give him this mortar in return for it." The daughter, however, would +not consent to this, and said, "Father, if we have the mortar without +having the pestle as well, we shall have to get the pestle, so you had +much better say nothing about it." He would, however, not obey her, but +took the mortar and carried it to the King, said that he had found it in +the cleared land, and asked if he would accept it as a present. The King +took the mortar, and asked if he had found nothing besides that? "No," +answered the countryman. Then the King said that he must now bring him +the pestle. The peasant said they had not found that, but he might just as +well have spoken to the wind; he was put in prison, and was to stay there +until he produced the pestle. The servants had daily to carry him bread +and water, which is what people get in prison, and they heard how the man +cried out continually, "Ah! if I had but listened to my daughter! Alas, +alas, if I had but listened to my daughter!" and would neither eat nor +drink. So he commanded the servants to bring the prisoner before him, +and then the King asked the peasant why he was always crying, "Ah! if +I had but listened to my daughter!" and what it was that his daughter +had said. "She told me that I ought not to take the mortar to you, for +I should have to produce the pestle as well." "If you have a daughter +who is as wise as that, let her come here." She was therefore obliged +to appear before the King, who asked her if she really was so wise, and +said he would set her a riddle, and if she could guess that, he would +marry her. She at once said yes, she would guess it. Then said the King, +"Come to me not clothed, not naked, not riding, not walking, not in +the road, and not out of the road, and if thou canst do that I will +marry thee." So she went away, put off everything she had on, and then +she was not clothed, and took a great fishing net, and seated herself +in it and wrapped it entirely round and round her, so that she was not +naked, and she hired an ass, and tied the fisherman's net to its tail, +so that it was forced to drag her along, and that was neither riding +nor walking. The ass had also to drag her in the ruts, so that she only +touched the ground with her great toe, and that was neither being in the +road nor out of the road. And when she arrived in that fashion, the King +said she had guessed the riddle and fulfilled all the conditions. Then +he ordered her father to be released from the prison, took her to wife, +and gave into her care all the royal possessions. + +Now when some years had passed, the King was once drawing up his troops +on parade, when it happened that some peasants who had been selling wood +stopped with their waggons before the palace; some of them had oxen yoked +to them, and some horses. There was one peasant who had three horses, +one of which was delivered of a young foal, and it ran away and lay down +between two oxen which were in front of the waggon. When the peasants +came together, they began to dispute, to beat each other and make a +disturbance, and the peasant with the oxen wanted to keep the foal, +and said one of the oxen had given birth to it, and the other said his +horse had had it, and that it was his. The quarrel came before the King, +and he give the verdict that the foal should stay where it had been found, +and so the peasant with the oxen, to whom it did not belong, got it. Then +the other went away, and wept and lamented over his foal. Now he had heard +how gracious his lady the Queen was because she herself had sprung from +poor peasant folks, so he went to her and begged her to see if she could +not help him to get his foal back again. Said she, "Yes, I will tell you +what to do, if thou wilt promise me not to betray me. Early to-morrow +morning, when the King parades the guard, place thyself there in the +middle of the road by which he must pass, take a great fishing-net and +pretend to be fishing; go on fishing, too, and empty out the net as if +thou hadst got it full" and then she told him also what he was to say if +he was questioned by the King. The next day, therefore, the peasant stood +there, and fished on dry ground. When the King passed by, and saw that, +he sent his messenger to ask what the stupid man was about? He answered, +"I am fishing." The messenger asked how he could fish when there was no +water there? The peasant said, "It is as easy for me to fish on dry land +as it is for an ox to have a foal." The messenger went back and took the +answer to the King, who ordered the peasant to be brought to him and +told him that this was not his own idea, and he wanted to know whose +it was? The peasant must confess this at once. The peasant, however, +would not do so, and said always, God forbid he should! the idea was +his own. They laid him, however, on a heap of straw, and beat him and +tormented him so long that at last he admitted that he had got the idea +from the Queen. + +When the King reached home again, he said to his wife, "Why hast thou +behaved so falsely to me? I will not have thee any longer for a wife; +thy time is up, go back to the place from whence thou camest to thy +peasant's hut." One favour, however, he granted her; she might take with +her the one thing that was dearest and best in her eyes; and thus was +she dismissed. She said, "Yes, my dear husband, if you command this, +I will do it," and she embraced him and kissed him, and said she would +take leave of him. Then she ordered a powerful sleeping draught to be +brought, to drink farewell to him; the King took a long draught, but +she took only a little. He soon fell into a deep sleep, and when she +perceived that, she called a servant and took a fair white linen cloth +and wrapped the King in it, and the servant was forced to carry him into +a carriage that stood before the door, and she drove with him to her own +little house. She laid him in her own little bed, and he slept one day and +one night without awakening, and when he awoke he looked round and said, +"Good God! where am I?" He called his attendants, but none of them were +there. At length his wife came to his bedside and said, "My dear lord and +King, you told me I might bring away with me from the palace that which +was dearest and most precious in my eyes I have nothing more precious +and dear than yourself, so I have brought you with me." Tears rose to +the King's eyes and he said, "Dear wife, thou shalt be mine and I will be +thine," and he took her back with him to the royal palace and was married +again to her, and at the present time they are very likely still living. + + + +95 Old Hildebrand + +Once upon a time lived a peasant and his wife, and the parson of the +village had a fancy for the wife, and had wished for a long while +to spend a whole day happily with her. The peasant woman, too, was +quite willing. One day, therefore, he said to the woman, "Listen, +my dear friend, I have now thought of a way by which we can for once +spend a whole day happily together. I'll tell you what; on Wednesday, +you must take to your bed, and tell your husband you are ill, and if +you only complain and act being ill properly, and go on doing so until +Sunday when I have to preach, I will then say in my sermon that whosoever +has at home a sick child, a sick husband, a sick wife, a sick father, +a sick mother, a sick brother or whosoever else it may be, and makes a +pilgrimage to the Göckerli hill in Italy, where you can get a peck of +laurel-leaves for a kreuzer, the sick child, the sick husband, the sick +wife, the sick father, or sick mother, the sick sister, or whosoever +else it may be, will be restored to health immediately." + +"I will manage it," said the woman promptly. Now therefore on the +Wednesday, the peasant woman took to her bed, and complained and lamented +as agreed on, and her husband did everything for her that he could think +of, but nothing did her any good, and when Sunday came the woman said, +"I feel as ill as if I were going to die at once, but there is one thing +I should like to do before my end I should like to hear the parson's +sermon that he is going to preach to-day." On that the peasant said, +"Ah, my child, do not do it---thou mightest make thyself worse if thou +wert to get up. Look, I will go to the sermon, and will attend to it +very carefully, and will tell thee everything the parson says." + +"Well," said the woman, "go, then, and pay great attention, and repeat +to me all that thou hearest." So the peasant went to the sermon, and the +parson began to preach and said, if any one had at home a sick child, +a sick husband, a sick wife, a sick father a sick mother, a sick sister, +brother or any one else, and would make a pilgrimage to the Göckerli hill +in Italy, where a peck of laurel-leaves costs a kreuzer, the sick child, +sick husband, sick wife, sick father, sick mother, sick sister, brother, +or whosoever else it might be, would be restored to health instantly, +and whosoever wished to undertake the journey was to go to him after the +service was over, and he would give him the sack for the laurel-leaves +and the kreuzer. + +Then no one was more rejoiced than the peasant, and after the service +was over, he went at once to the parson, who gave him the bag for the +laurel-leaves and the kreuzer. After that he went home, and even at the +house door he cried, "Hurrah! dear wife, it is now almost the same thing +as if thou wert well! The parson has preached to-day that whosoever had +at home a sick child, a sick husband, a sick wife, a sick father, a sick +mother, a sick sister, brother or whoever it might be, and would make a +pilgrimage to the Göckerli hill in Italy, where a peck of laurel-leaves +costs a kreuzer, the sick child, sick husband, sick wife, sick father, +sick mother, sick sister, brother, or whosoever else it was, would be +cured immediately, and now I have already got the bag and the kreuzer +from the parson, and will at once begin my journey so that thou mayst +get well the faster," and thereupon he went away. He was, however, +hardly gone before the woman got up, and the parson was there directly. + +But now we will leave these two for a while, and follow the peasant, +who walked on quickly without stopping, in order to get the sooner to +the Göckerli hill, and on his way he met his gossip. His gossip was an +egg-merchant, and was just coming from the market, where he had sold +his eggs. "May you be blessed," said the gossip, "where are you off to +so fast?" + +"To all eternity, my friend," said the peasant, "my wife is ill, and +I have been to-day to hear the parson's sermon, and he preached that +if any one had in his house a sick child, a sick husband, a sick wife, +a sick father, a sick mother, a sick sister, brother or any one else, +and made a pilgrimage to the Göckerli hill in Italy, where a peck of +laurel-leaves costs a kreuzer, the sick child, the sick husband, the +sick wife, the sick father, the sick mother, the sick sister, brother or +whosoever else it was, would be cured immediately, and so I have got the +bag for the laurel-leaves and the kreuzer from the parson, and now I am +beginning my pilgrimage." "But listen, gossip," said the egg-merchant to +the peasant, "are you, then, stupid enough to believe such a thing as +that? Don't you know what it means? The parson wants to spend a whole +day alone with your wife in peace, so he has given you this job to do +to get you out of the way." + +"My word!" said the peasant. "How I'd like to know if that's true!" + +"Come, then," said the gossip, "I'll tell you what to do. Get into +my egg-basket and I will carry you home, and then you will see for +yourself." So that was settled, and the gossip put the peasant into his +egg-basket and carried him home. + +When they got to the house, hurrah! but all was going merry there! The +woman had already had nearly everything killed that was in the farmyard, +and had made pancakes, and the parson was there, and had brought his +fiddle with him. The gossip knocked at the door, and woman asked who was +there. "It is I, gossip," said the egg-merchant, "give me shelter this +night; I have not sold my eggs at the market, so now I have to carry them +home again, and they are so heavy that I shall never be able to do it, +for it is dark already." + +"Indeed, my friend," said the woman, "thou comest at a very inconvenient +time for me, but as thou art here it can't be helped, come in, and take +a seat there on the bench by the stove." Then she placed the gossip and +the basket which he carried on his back on the bench by the stove. The +parson, however, and the woman, were as merry as possible. At length +the parson said, "Listen, my dear friend, thou canst sing beautifully; +sing something to me." "Oh," said the woman, "I cannot sing now, in my +young days indeed I could sing well enough, but that's all over now." + +"Come," said the parson once more, "do sing some little song." + +On that the woman began and sang, + + + "I've sent my husband away from me + To the Göckerli hill in Italy." + +Thereupon the parson sang, + + + "I wish 'twas a year before he came back, + I'd never ask himfor the laurel-leaf sack." + +Hallelujah. + +Then the gossip who was in the background began to sing (but I ought to +tell you the peasant was called Hildebrand), so the gossip sang, + + + "What art thou doing, my Hildebrand dear, + There on the bench by the stove so near?" + +Hallelujah. + +And then the peasant sang from his basket, + + + "All singing I ever shall hate from this day, + And here in this basket no longer I'll stay." + +Hallelujah. + +And he got out of the basket, and cudgelled the parson out of the house. + + + +96 The Three Little Birds + +About a thousand or more years ago, there were in this country nothing +but small kings, and one of them who lived on the Keuterberg was very fond +of hunting. Once on a time when he was riding forth from his castle with +his huntsmen, three girls were watching their cows upon the mountain, and +when they saw the King with all his followers, the eldest girl pointed +to him, and called to the two other girls, "If I do not get that one, +I will have none." Then the second girl answered from the other side +of the hill, and pointed to the one who was on the King's right hand, +"Hilloa! hilloa! If I do not get him, I will have no one." These, however, +were the two ministers. The King heard all this, and when he had come back +from the chase, he caused the three girls to be brought to him, and asked +them what they had said yesterday on the mountain. This they would not +tell him, so the King asked the eldest if she really would take him for +her husband? Then she said, "Yes," and the two ministers married the two +sisters, for they were all three fair and beautiful of face, especially +the Queen, who had hair like flax. But the two sisters had no children, +and once when the King was obliged to go from home he invited them to +come to the Queen in order to cheer her, for she was about to bear a +child. She had a little boy who brought a bright red star into the world +with him. Then the two sisters said to each other that they would throw +the beautiful boy into the water. When they had thrown him in (I believe +it was into the Weser) a little bird flew up into the air, which sang, + + + "To thy death art thou sped, + Until God's word be said. + + In the white lily bloom, + Brave boy, is thy tomb." + +When the two heard that, they were frightened to death, and ran away in +great haste. When the King came home they told him that the Queen had +been delivered of a dog. Then the King said, "What God does, is well +done!" But a fisherman who dwelt near the water fished the little boy +out again while he was still alive, and as his wife had no children, +they reared him. When a year had gone by, the King again went away, +and the Queen had another little boy, whom the false sisters likewise +took and threw into the water. Then up flew a little bird again and sang, + + + "To thy death art thou sped, + Until God's word be said. + + In the white lily bloom, + Brave boy, is thy tomb." + +And when the King came back, they told him that the Queen had once +more given birth to a dog, and he again said, "What God does, is well +done." The fisherman, however, fished this one also out of the water, +and reared him. + +Then the King again journeyed forth, and the Queen had a little girl, +whom also the false sisters threw into the water. Then again a little +bird flew up on high and sang, + + + "To thy death art thou sped + Until God's word be said. + + In the white lily bloom, + Bonny girl, is thy tomb." + +And when the King came home they told him that the Queen had been +delivered of a cat. Then the King grew angry, and ordered his wife to +be cast into prison, and therein was she shut up for many long years. + +In the meantime the children had grown up. Then eldest once went out with +some other boys to fish, but the other boys would not have him with them, +and said, "Go thy way, foundling." + +Hereupon he was much troubled, and asked the old fisherman if that +was true? The fisherman told him that once when he was fishing he had +drawn him out of the water. So the boy said he would go forth and seek +his father. The fisherman, however, entreated him to stay, but he would +not let himself be hindered, and at last the fisherman consented. Then +the boy went on his way and walked for many days, and at last he came +to a great piece of water by the side of which stood an old woman +fishing. "Good day, mother," said the boy. + +"Many thanks," said she. + +"Thou wilt fish long enough before thou catchest anything." + +"And thou wilt seek long enough before thou findest thy father. How wilt +thou get over the water?" said the woman. + +"God knows." + +Then the old woman took him up on her back and carried him through it, +and he sought for a long time, but could not find his father. + +When a year had gone by, the second boy set out to seek his brother. He +came to the water, and all fared with him just as with his brother. And +now there was no one at home but the daughter, and she mourned for +her brothers so much that at last she also begged the fisherman to let +her set forth, for she wished to go in search of her brothers. Then she +likewise came to the great piece of water, and she said to the old woman, +"Good day, mother." + +"Many thanks," replied the old woman. + +"May God help you with your fishing," said the maiden. When the old woman +heard that, she became quite friendly, and carried her over the water, +gave her a wand, and said to her, "Go, my daughter, ever onwards by this +road, and when you come to a great black dog, you must pass it silently +and boldly, without either laughing or looking at it. Then you will come +to a great high castle, on the threshold of which you must let the wand +fall, and go straight through the castle, and out again on the other +side. There you will see an old fountain out of which a large tree +has grown, whereon hangs a bird in a cage which you must take down. +Take likewise a glass of water out of the fountain, and with these +two things go back by the same way. Pick up the wand again from the +threshold and take it with you, and when you again pass by the dog, +strike him in the face with it, but be sure that you hit him, and then +just come back here to me." The maiden found everything exactly as the old +woman had said, and on her way back she found her two brothers who had +sought each other over half the world. They went together to the place +where the black dog was lying on the road; she struck it in the face, +and it turned into a handsome prince who went with them to the river. +There the old woman was still standing. She rejoiced much to see them +again, and carried them all over the water, and then she too went away, +for now she was freed. The others, however, went to the old fisherman, +and all were glad that they had found each other again, but they hung +the bird on the wall. + +But the second son could not settle at home, and took his cross-bow and +went a-hunting. When he was tired he took his flute, and made music. The +King was hunting too, and heard that and went thither, and when he met +the youth, he said, "Who has given thee leave to hunt here?" + +"Oh, no one." + +"To whom dost thou belong, then?" + +"I am the fisherman's son." + +"But he has no children." + +"If thou wilt not believe, come with me." + +That the King did, and questioned the fisherman, who told everything to +him, and the little bird on the wall began to sing, + + + "The mother sits alone + There in the prison small, + O King of royal blood, + These are thy children all. + The sisters twain so false, + They wrought the children woe, + There in the waters deep + Where the fishermen come and go." + +Then they were all terrified, and the King took the bird, the fisherman +and the three children back with him to the castle, and ordered the +prison to be opened and brought his wife out again. She had, however, +grown quite ill and weak. Then the daughter gave her some of the water +of the fountain to drink, and she became strong and healthy. But the +two false sisters were burnt, and the daughter married the prince. + + + +97 The Water of Life + +There was once a King who had an illness, and no one believed that +he would come out of it with his life. He had three sons who were much +distressed about it, and went down into the palace-garden and wept. There +they met an old man who inquired as to the cause of their grief. They +told him that their father was so ill that he would most certainly die, +for nothing seemed to cure him. Then the old man said, "I know of one more +remedy, and that is the water of life; if he drinks of it he will become +well again; but it is hard to find." The eldest said, "I will manage +to find it," and went to the sick King, and begged to be allowed to go +forth in search of the water of life, for that alone could save him. "No," +said the King, "the danger of it is too great. I would rather die." But he +begged so long that the King consented. The prince thought in his heart, +"If I bring the water, then I shall be best beloved of my father, and +shall inherit the kingdom." So he set out, and when he had ridden forth +a little distance, a dwarf stood there in the road who called to him +and said, "Whither away so fast?" "Silly shrimp," said the prince, very +haughtily, "it is nothing to do with you," and rode on. But the little +dwarf had grown angry, and had wished an evil wish. Soon after this the +prince entered a ravine, and the further he rode the closer the mountains +drew together, and at last the road became so narrow that he could not +advance a step further; it was impossible either to turn his horse or to +dismount from the saddle, and he was shut in there as if in prison. The +sick King waited long for him, but he came not. Then the second son said, +"Father, let me go forth to seek the water," and thought to himself, +"If my brother is dead, then the kingdom will fall to me." At first +the King would not allow him to go either, but at last he yielded, +so the prince set out on the same road that his brother had taken, and +he too met the dwarf, who stopped him to ask, whither he was going in +such haste? "Little shrimp," said the prince, "that is nothing to thee," +and rode on without giving him another look. But the dwarf bewitched him, +and he, like the other, rode into a ravine, and could neither go forwards +nor backwards. So fare haughty people. + +As the second son also remained away, the youngest begged to be allowed +to go forth to fetch the water, and at last the King was obliged to +let him go. When he met the dwarf and the latter asked him whither he +was going in such haste, he stopped, gave him an explanation, and said, +"I am seeking the water of life, for my father is sick unto death." "Dost +thou know, then, where that is to be found?" "No," said the prince. "As +thou hast borne thyself as is seemly, and not haughtily like thy false +brothers, I will give thee the information and tell thee how thou mayst +obtain the water of life. It springs from a fountain in the courtyard +of an enchanted castle, but thou wilt not be able to make thy way to it, +if I do not give thee an iron wand and two small loaves of bread. Strike +thrice with the wand on the iron door of the castle and it will spring +open: inside lie two lions with gaping jaws, but if thou throwest a +loaf to each of them, they will be quieted. Then hasten to fetch some +of the water of life before the clock strikes twelve, else the door +will shut again, and thou wilt be imprisoned." The prince thanked him, +took the wand and the bread, and set out on his way. When he arrived, +everything was as the dwarf had said. The door sprang open at the third +stroke of the wand, and when he had appeased the lions with the bread, +he entered the castle, and came to a large and splendid hall, wherein +sat some enchanted princes whose rings he drew off their fingers. A sword +and a loaf of bread were lying there, which he carried away. After this, +he entered a chamber, in which was a beautiful maiden who rejoiced when +she saw him, kissed him, and told him that he had delivered her, and +should have the whole of her kingdom, and that if he would return in a +year their wedding should be celebrated; likewise she told him where the +spring of the water of life was, and that he was to hasten and draw some +of it before the clock struck twelve. Then he went onwards, and at last +entered a room where there was a beautiful newly-made bed, and as he was +very weary, he felt inclined to rest a little. So he lay down and fell +asleep. When he awoke, it was striking a quarter to twelve. He sprang +up in a fright, ran to the spring, drew some water in a cup which stood +near, and hastened away. But just as he was passing through the iron +door, the clock struck twelve, and the door fell to with such violence +that it carried away a piece of his heel. He, however, rejoicing at +having obtained the water of life, went homewards, and again passed +the dwarf. When the latter saw the sword and the loaf, he said, "With +these thou hast won great wealth; with the sword thou canst slay whole +armies, and the bread will never come to an end." But the prince would +not go home to his father without his brothers, and said, "Dear dwarf, +canst thou not tell me where my two brothers are? They went out before +I did in search of the water of life, and have not returned." "They are +imprisoned between two mountains," said the dwarf. "I have condemned them +to stay there, because they were so haughty." Then the prince begged +until the dwarf released them; but he warned him, however, and said, +"Beware of them, for they have bad hearts." When his brothers came, +he rejoiced, and told them how things had gone with him, that he had +found the water of life and had brought a cupful away with him, and had +rescued a beautiful princess, who was willing to wait a year for him, +and then their wedding was to be celebrated and he would obtain a great +kingdom. After that they rode on together, and chanced upon a land where +war and famine reigned, and the King already thought he must perish, +for the scarcity was so great. Then the prince went to him and gave him +the loaf, wherewith he fed and satisfied the whole of his kingdom, and +then the prince gave him the sword also wherewith he slew the hosts of +his enemies, and could now live in rest and peace. The prince then took +back his loaf and his sword, and the three brothers rode on. But after +this they entered two more countries where war and famine reigned and +each time the prince gave his loaf and his sword to the Kings, and had +now delivered three kingdoms, and after that they went on board a ship +and sailed over the sea. During the passage, the two eldest conversed +apart and said, "The youngest has found the water of life and not we, for +that our father will give him the kingdom the kingdom which belongs to us, +and he will rob us of all our fortune." They then began to seek revenge, +and plotted with each other to destroy him. They waited until they found +him fast asleep, then they poured the water of life out of the cup, and +took it for themselves, but into the cup they poured salt sea-water. Now +therefore, when they arrived home, the youngest took his cup to the sick +King in order that he might drink out of it, and be cured. But scarcely +had he drunk a very little of the salt sea-water than he became still +worse than before. And as he was lamenting over this, the two eldest +brothers came, and accused the youngest of having intended to poison him, +and said that they had brought him the true water of life, and handed it +to him. He had scarcely tasted it, when he felt his sickness departing, +and became strong and healthy as in the days of his youth. After that +they both went to the youngest, mocked him, and said, "You certainly +found the water of life, but you have had the pain, and we the gain; +you should have been sharper, and should have kept your eyes open. We +took it from you whilst you were asleep at sea, and when a year is over, +one of us will go and fetch the beautiful princess. But beware that you do +not disclose aught of this to our father; indeed he does not trust you, +and if you say a single word, you shall lose your life into the bargain, +but if you keep silent, you shall have it as a gift." + +The old King was angry with his youngest son, and thought he had +plotted against his life. So he summoned the court together and had +sentence pronounced upon his son, that he should be secretly shot. And +once when the prince was riding forth to the chase, suspecting no evil, +the King's huntsman had to go with him, and when they were quite alone in +the forest, the huntsman looked so sorrowful that the prince said to him, +"Dear huntsman, what ails you?" The huntsman said, "I cannot tell you, +and yet I ought." Then the prince said, "Say openly what it is, I will +pardon you." "Alas!" said the huntsman, "I am to shoot you dead, the +King has ordered me to do it." Then the prince was shocked, and said, +"Dear huntsman, let me live; there, I give you my royal garments; give me +your common ones in their stead." The huntsman said, "I will willingly +do that, indeed I should not have been able to shoot you." Then they +exchanged clothes, and the huntsman returned home; the prince, however, +went further into the forest. After a time three waggons of gold and +precious stones came to the King for his youngest son, which were sent +by the three Kings who had slain their enemies with the prince's sword, +and maintained their people with his bread, and who wished to show +their gratitude for it. The old King then thought, "Can my son have been +innocent?" and said to his people, "Would that he were still alive, how +it grieves me that I have suffered him to be killed!" "He still lives," +said the huntsman, "I could not find it in my heart to carry out your +command," and told the King how it had happened. Then a stone fell from +the King's heart, and he had it proclaimed in every country that his +son might return and be taken into favour again. + +The princess, however, had a road made up to her palace which was +quite bright and golden, and told her people that whosoever came +riding straight along it to her, would be the right wooer and was to +be admitted, and whoever rode by the side of it, was not the right +one, and was not to be admitted. As the time was now close at hand, +the eldest thought he would hasten to go to the King's daughter, and +give himself out as her deliverer, and thus win her for his bride, +and the kingdom to boot. Therefore he rode forth, and when he arrived +in front of the palace, and saw the splendid golden road, he thought, +it would be a sin and a shame if he were to ride over that, and turned +aside, and rode on the right side of it. But when he came to the door, +the servants told him that he was not the right man, and was to go away +again. Soon after this the second prince set out, and when he came to +the golden road, and his horse had put one foot on it, he thought, it +would be a sin and a shame to tread a piece of it off, and he turned +aside and rode on the left side of it, and when he reached the door, +the attendants told him he was not the right one, and he was to go +away again. When at last the year had entirely expired, the third son +likewise wished to ride out of the forest to his beloved, and with her +forget his sorrows. So he set out and thought of her so incessantly, +and wished to be with her so much, that he never noticed the golden road +at all. So his horse rode onwards up the middle of it, and when he came +to the door, it was opened and the princess received him with joy, and +said he was her deliverer, and lord of the kingdom, and their wedding +was celebrated with great rejoicing. When it was over she told him that +his father invited him to come to him, and had forgiven him. So he rode +thither, and told him everything; how his brothers had betrayed him, +and how he had nevertheless kept silence. The old King wished to punish +them, but they had put to sea, and never came back as long as they lived. + + + +98 Doctor Knowall + +There was once on a time a poor peasant called Crabb, who drove with +two oxen a load of wood to the town, and sold it to a doctor for two +thalers. When the money was being counted out to him, it so happened that +the doctor was sitting at table, and when the peasant saw how daintily +he ate and drank, his heart desired what he saw, and he would willingly +have been a doctor too. So he remained standing a while, and at length +inquired 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 the +first place buy thyself an A B C book of the kind which has a cock on the +frontispiece: in the second, turn thy cart and thy two oxen into money, +and get thyself some clothes, and whatsoever else pertains to medicine; +thirdly, have a sign painted for thyself with the words, "I am Doctor +Knowall," and have that nailed up above thy house-door." The peasant +did everything that he had been told to do. When he had doctored people +awhile, but not long, a rich and great lord had some money stolen. Then +he was told about Doctor Knowall who lived in such and such a village, and +must know what had become of the money. So the lord had the horses put in +his carriage, drove out to the village, and asked Crabb if he were Doctor +Knowall? Yes, he was, he said. Then he was to go with him and bring +back the stolen money. "Oh, yes, but Grethe, my wife, must go too." The +lord was willing and let both of them have a seat in the carriage, and +they all drove away together. When they came to the nobleman's castle, +the table was spread, and Crabb was told to sit down and eat. "Yes, but +my wife, Grethe, too," said he, and he seated himself with her at the +table. And when the first servant came with a dish of delicate fare, +the peasant nudged his wife, and said, "Grethe, that was the first," +meaning that was the servant who brought the first dish. The servant, +however, thought he intended by that to say, "That is the first thief," +and as he actually was so, he was terrified, and said to his comrade +outside, "The doctor knows all: we shall fare ill, he said I was the +first." The second did not want to go in at all, but was forced. So +when he went in with his dish, the peasant nudged his wife, and said, +"Grethe, that is the second." This servant was just as much alarmed, and +he got out. The third did not fare better, for the peasant again said, +"Grethe, that is the third." The fourth had to carry in a dish that was +covered, and the lord told the doctor that he was to show his skill, +and guess what was beneath the cover. The doctor looked at the dish, +had no idea what to say, and cried, "Ah, poor Crabb." When the lord +heard that, he cried, "There! he knows it, he knows who has the money!" + +On this the servants looked terribly uneasy, and made a sign to the +doctor that they wished him to step outside for a moment. When therefore +he went out, all four of them confessed to him that they had stolen +the money, and said that they would willingly restore it and give him +a heavy sum into the bargain, if he would not denounce them, for if he +did they would be hanged. They led him to the spot where the money was +concealed. 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 book +where the gold is hidden." The fifth servant, however, crept into the +stove to hear if the doctor knew still more. The Doctor, however, sat +still and opened his A B C book, turned the pages backwards and forwards, +and looked for the cock. As he could not find it immediately he said, +"I know you are there, so you had better show yourself." Then the fellow +in the stove thought that the doctor meant him, and full of terror, +sprang out, crying, "That man knows everything!" Then Dr. Knowall showed +the count where the money was, but did not say who had stolen it, and +received from both sides much money in reward, and became a renowned man. + + + +99 The Spirit in the Bottle + +There was once a poor woodcutter who toiled from early morning till +late night. When at last he had laid by some money he said to his boy, +"You are my only child, I will spend the money which I have earned with +the sweat of my brow on your education; if you learn some honest trade +you can support me in my old age, when my limbs have grown stiff and +I am obliged to stay at home." Then the boy went to a High School and +learned diligently so that his masters praised him, and he remained there +a long time. When he had worked through two classes, but was still not yet +perfect in everything, the little pittance which the father had earned +was all spent, and the boy was obliged to return home to him. "Ah," +said the father, sorrowfully, "I can give you no more, and in these +hard times I cannot earn a farthing more than will suffice for our +daily bread." "Dear father," answered the son, "don't trouble yourself +about it, if it is God's will, it will turn to my advantage I shall soon +accustom myself to it." When the father wanted to go into the forest to +earn money by helping to pile and stack wood ans also chop it, the son +said, "I will go with you and help you." "Nay, my son," said the father, +"that would be hard for you; you are not accustomed to rough work, and +will not be able to bear it, besides I have only one axe and no money +left wherewith to buy another." "Just go to the neighbour," answered the +son, "he will lend you his axe until I have earned one for myself." The +father then borrowed an axe of the neighbour, and next morning at break +of day they went out into the forest together. The son helped his father +and was quite merry and brisk about it. But when the sun was right over +their heads, the father said, "We will rest, and have our dinner, and +then we shall work as well again." The son took his bread in his hands, +and said, "Just you rest, father, I am not tired; I will walk up and +down a little in the forest, and look for birds' nests." "Oh, you fool," +said the father, "why should you want to run about there? Afterwards you +will be tired, and no longer able to raise your arm; stay here, and sit +down beside me." The son, however, went into the forest, ate his bread, +was very merry and peered in among the green branches to see if he could +discover a bird's nest anywhere. So he went up and down to see if he could +find a bird's nest until at last he came to a great dangerous-looking oak, +which certainly was already many hundred years old, and which five men +could not have spanned. He stood still and looked at it, and thought, +"Many a bird must have built its nest in that." Then all at once it +seemed to him that he heard a voice. He listened and became aware that +someone was crying in a very smothered voice, "Let me out, let me out!" He +looked around, but could discover nothing; nevertheless, he fancied that +the voice came out of the ground. Then he cried, "Where art thou?" The +voice answered, "I am down here amongst the roots of the oak-tree. Let me +out! Let me out!" The scholar began to loosen the earth under the tree, +and search among the roots, until at last he found a glass bottle in a +little hollow. He lifted it up and held it against the light, and then +saw a creature shaped like a frog, springing up and down in it. "Let +me out! Let me out!" it cried anew, and the scholar thinking no evil, +drew the cork out of the bottle. Immediately a spirit ascended from it, +and began to grow, and grew so fast that in a very few moments he stood +before the scholar, a terrible fellow as big as half the tree by which +he was standing. "Knowest thou," he cried in an awful voice, "what thy +wages are for having let me out?" "No," replied the scholar fearlessly, +"how should I know that?" "Then I will tell thee," cried the spirit; +"I must strangle thee for it." "Thou shouldst have told me that sooner," +said the scholar, "for I should then have left thee shut up, but my +head shall stand fast for all thou canst do; more persons than one must +be consulted about that." "More persons here, more persons there," +said the spirit. "Thou shalt have the wages thou hast earned. Dost thou +think that I was shut up there for such a long time as a favour. No, it +was a punishment for me. I am the mighty Mercurius. Whoso releases me, +him must I strangle." "Softly," answered the scholar, "not so fast. I +must first know that thou really wert shut up in that little bottle, +and that thou art the right spirit. If, indeed, thou canst get in again, +I will believe and then thou mayst do as thou wilt with me." The spirit +said haughtily, "that is a very trifling feat," drew himself together, +and made himself as small and slender as he had been at first, so that +he crept through the same opening, and right through the neck of the +bottle in again. Scarcely was he within than the scholar thrust the cork +he had drawn back into the bottle, and threw it among the roots of the +oak into its old place, and the spirit was betrayed. + +And now the scolar was about to return to his father, but the spirit +cried very piteously, "Ah, do let me out! ah, do let me out!" "No," +answered the scholar, "not a second time! He who has once tried to take my +life shall not be set free by me, now that I have caught him again." "If +thou wilt set me free," said the spirit, "I will give thee so much that +thou wilt have plenty all the days of thy life." "No," answered the boy, +"thou wouldst cheat me as thou didst the first time." "Thou art playing +away with thy own good luck," said the spirit; "I will do thee no harm +but will reward thee richly." The scholar thought, "I will venture it, +perhaps he will keep his word, and anyhow he shall not get the better +of me." Then he took out the cork, and the spirit rose up from the +bottle as he had done before, stretched himself out and became as big +as a giant. "Now thou shalt have thy reward," said he, and handed the +scholar a little bag just like a plaster, and said, "If thou spreadest +one end of this over a wound it will heal, and if thou rubbest steel or +iron with the other end it will be changed into silver." "I must just +try that," said the scholar, and went to a tree, tore off the bark with +his axe, and rubbed it with one end of the plaster. It immediately closed +together and was healed. "Now, it is all right," he said to the spirit, +"and we can part." The spirit thanked him for his release, and the boy +thanked the spirit for his present, and went back to his father. + +"Where hast thou been racing about?" said the father; "why hast thou +forgotten thy work? I said at once that thou wouldst never get on with +anything." "Be easy, father, I will make it up." "Make it up indeed," +said the father angrily, "there's no art in that." "Take care, father, +I will soon hew that tree there, so that it will split." Then he +took his plaster, rubbed the axe with it, and dealt a mighty blow, +but as the iron had changed into silver, the edge turned; "Hollo, +father, just look what a bad axe you've given me, it has become quite +crooked." The father was shocked and said, "Ah, what hast thou done? now +I shall have to pay for that, and have not the wherewithal, and that is +all the good I have got by thy work." "Don't get angry," said the son, +"I will soon pay for the axe." "Oh, thou blockhead," cried the father, +"wherewith wilt thou pay for it? Thou hast nothing but what I give +thee. These are students' tricks that are sticking in thy head, but +thou hast no idea of wood-cutting." After a while the scholar said, +"Father, I can really work no more, we had better take a holiday." "Eh, +what!" answered he, "Dost thou think I will sit with my hands lying in +my lap like thee? I must go on working, but thou mayst take thyself off +home." "Father, I am here in this wood for the first time, I don't know +my way alone. Do go with me." As his anger had now abated, the father at +last let himself be persuaded and went home with him. Then he said to the +son, "Go and sell thy damaged axe, and see what thou canst get for it, +and I must earn the difference, in order to pay the neighbour." The son +took the axe, and carried it into town to a goldsmith, who tested it, +laid it in the scales, and said, "It is worth four hundred thalers, I +have not so much as that by me." The son said, "Give me what thou hast, +I will lend you the rest." The goldsmith gave him three hundred thalers, +and remained a hundred in his debt. The son thereupon went home and said, +"Father, I have got the money, go and ask the neighbour what he wants +for the axe." "I know that already," answered the old man, "one thaler, +six groschen." "Then give him him two thalers, twelve groschen, that +is double and enough; see, I have money in plenty," and he gave the +father a hundred thalers, and said, "You shall never know want, live as +comfortably as you like." "Good heavens!" said the father, "how hast +thou come by these riches?" The scholar then told how all had come to +pass, and how he, trusting in his luck, had made such a good hit. But +with the money that was left, he went back to the High School and went +on learning more, and as he could heal all wounds with his plaster, +he became the most famous doctor in the whole world. + + + +100 The Devil's Sooty Brother + +A disbanded soldier had nothing to live on, and did not know how to get +on. So he went out into the forest and when he had walked for a short +time, he met a little man who was, however, the Devil. The little +man said to him, "What ails you, you seem so very sorrowful?" Then +the soldier said, "I am hungry, but have no money." The Devil said, +"If you will hire yourself to me, and be my serving-man, you shall have +enough for all your life? You shall serve me for seven years, and after +that you shall again be free. But one thing I must tell you, and that is, +you must not wash, comb, or trim yourself, or cut your hair or nails, or +wipe the water from your eyes." The soldier said, "All right, if there +is no help for it," and went off with the little man, who straightway +led him down into hell. Then he told him what he had to do. He was to +poke the fire under the kettles wherein the hell-broth was stewing, keep +the house clean, drive all the sweepings behind the doors, and see that +everything was in order, but if he once peeped into the kettles, it would +go ill with him. The soldier said, "Good, I will take care." And then +the old Devil went out again on his wanderings, and the soldier entered +upon his new duties, made the fire, and swept the dirt well behind the +doors, just as he had been bidden. When the old Devil came back again, +he looked to see if all had been done, appeared satisfied, and went +forth a second time. The soldier now took a good look on every side; +the kettles were standing all round hell with a mighty fire below them, +and inside they were boiling and sputtering. He would have given anything +to look inside them, if the Devil had not so particularly forbidden him: +at last, he could no longer restrain himself, slightly raised the lid +of the first kettle, and peeped in, and there he saw his former corporal +shut in. "Aha, old bird!" said he, "Do I meet you here? You once had me in +your power, now I have you," and he quickly let the lid fall, poked the +fire, and added a fresh log. After that, he went to the second kettle, +raised its lid also a little, and peeped in; his former ensign was in +that. "Aha, old bird, so I find you here! you once had me in your power, +now I have you." He closed the lid again, and fetched yet another log +to make it really hot. Then he wanted to see who might be sitting up +in the third kettle it was actually be but a general. "Aha, old bird, +do I meet you here? Once you had me in your power, now I have you." +And he fetched the bellows and made hell-fire blaze right under him. So +he did his work seven years in hell, did not wash, comb, or trim himself, +or cut his hair or nails, or wash the water out of his eyes, and the +seven years seemed so short to him that he thought he had only been half +a year. Now when the time had fully gone by, the Devil came and said, +"Well Hans, what have you done?" "I poked the fire under the kettles, +and I have swept all the dirt well behind the doors." + +"But you have peeped into the kettles as well; it is lucky for you +that you added fresh logs to them, or else your life would have been +forfeited; now that your time is up, will you go home again?" "Yes," +said the soldier, "I should very much like to see what my father is +doing at home." The Devil said, "In order that you may receive the +wages you have earned, go and fill your knapsack full of the sweepings, +and take it home with you. You must also go unwashed and uncombed, with +long hair on your head and beard, and with uncut nails and dim eyes, +and when you are asked whence you come, you must say, "From hell," +and when you are asked who you are, you are to say, "The Devil's sooty +brother, and my King as well." The soldier held his peace, and did as +the Devil bade him, but he was not at all satisfied with his wages. Then +as soon as he was up in the forest again, he took his knapsack from +his back, to empty it, but on opening it, the sweepings had become +pure gold. "I should never have expected that," said he, and was well +pleased, and entered the town. The landlord was standing in front of +the inn, and when he saw the soldier approaching, he was terrified, +because Hans looked so horrible, worse than a scare-crow. He called to +him and asked, "Whence comest thou?" "From hell." "Who art thou?" "The +Devil's sooty brother, and my King as well." Then the host would not +let him enter, but when Hans showed him the gold, he came and unlatched +the door himself. Hans then ordered the best room and attendance, ate, +and drank his fill, but neither washed nor combed himself as the Devil +had bidden him, and at last lay down to sleep. But the knapsack full of +gold remained before the eyes of the landlord, and left him no peace, and +during the night he crept in and stole it away. Next morning, however, +when Hans got up and wanted to pay the landlord and travel further, +behold his knapsack was gone! But he soon composed himself and thought, +"Thou hast been unfortunate from no fault of thine own," and straightway +went back again to hell, complained of his misfortune to the old Devil, +and begged for his help. The Devil said, "Seat yourself, I will wash, +comb, and trim you, cut your hair and nails, and wash your eyes for you," +and when he had done with him, he gave him the knapsack back again full +of sweepings, and said, "Go and tell the landlord that he must return +you your money, or else I will come and fetch him, and he shall poke the +fire in your place." Hans went up and said to the landlord, "Thou hast +stolen my money; if thou dost not return it, thou shalt go down to hell +in my place, and wilt look as horrible as I." Then the landlord gave +him the money, and more besides, only begging him to keep it secret, +and Hans was now a rich man. + +He set out on his way home to his father, bought himself a shabby +smock-frock to wear, and strolled about making music, for he had learned +to do that while he was with the Devil in hell. There was however, an +old King in that country, before whom he had to play, and the King was +so delighted with his playing, that he promised him his eldest daughter +in marriage. But when she heard that she was to be married to a common +fellow in a smock-frock, she said, "Rather than do that, I would go +into the deepest water." Then the King gave him the youngest, who was +quite willing to do it to please her father, and thus the Devil's sooty +brother got the King's daughter, and when the aged King died, the whole +kingdom likewise. + + + +101 Bearskin + +THERE was once a young fellow who enlisted as a soldier, conducted himself +bravely, and was always the foremost when it rained bullets. So long as +the war lasted, all went well, but when peace was made, he received his +dismissal, and the captain said he might go where he liked. His parents +were dead, and he had no longer a home, so he went to his brothers and +begged them to take him in, and keep him until war broke out again. The +brothers, however, were hard-hearted and said, "What can we do with +thee? thou art of no use to us; go and make a living for thyself." The +soldier had nothing left but his gun; he took that on his shoulder, and +went forth into the world. He came to a wide heath, on which nothing +was to be seen but a circle of trees; under these he sat sorrowfully +down, and began to think over his fate. "I have no money," thought he, +"I have learnt no trade but that of fighting, and now that they have made +peace they don't want me any longer; so I see beforehand that I shall +have to starve." All at once he heard a rustling, and when he looked +round, a strange man stood before him, who wore a green coat and looked +right stately, but had a hideous cloven foot. "I know already what thou +art in need of," said the man; "gold and possessions shall thou have, +as much as thou canst make away with do what thou wilt, but first I +must know if thou art fearless, that I may not bestow my money in vain." +"A soldier and fear -- how can those two things go together?" he answered; +"thou canst put me to the proof." "Very well, then," answered the man, +"look behind thee." The soldier turned round, and saw a large bear, +which came growling towards him. "Oho!" cried the soldier, "I will tickle +thy nose for thee, so that thou shalt soon lose thy fancy for growling," +and he aimed at the bear and shot it through the muzzle; it fell down and +never stirred again. "I see quite well," said the stranger, "that thou art +not wanting in courage, but there is still another condition which thou +wilt have to fulfil." "If it does not endanger my salvation," replied +the soldier, who knew very well who was standing by him. "If it does, +I'll have nothing to do with it." "Thou wilt look to that for thyself," +answered Greencoat; "thou shalt for the next seven years neither wash +thyself, nor comb thy beard, nor thy hair, nor cut thy nails, nor say +one paternoster. I will give thee a coat and a cloak, which during this +time thou must wear. If thou diest during these seven years, thou art +mine; if thou remainest alive, thou art free, and rich to boot, for all +the rest of thy life." The soldier thought of the great extremity in +which he now found himself, and as he so often had gone to meet death, +he resolved to risk it now also, and agreed to the terms. The Devil took +off his green coat, gave it to the soldier, and said, "If thou hast this +coat on thy back and puttest thy hand into the pocket, thou wilt always +find it full of money." Then he pulled the skin off the bear and said, +"This shall be thy cloak, and thy bed also, for thereon shalt thou sleep, +and in no other bed shalt thou lie, and because of this apparel shalt +thou be called Bearskin." After this the Devil vanished. + +The soldier put the coat on, felt at once in the pocket, and found that +the thing was really true. Then he put on the bearskin and went forth +into the world, and enjoyed himself, refraining from nothing that did +him good and his money harm. During the first year his appearance was +passable, but during the second he began to look like a monster. His +hair covered nearly the whole of his face, his beard was like a piece +of coarse felt, his fingers had claws, and his face was so covered +with dirt that if cress had been sown on it, it would have come up. +Whosoever saw him, ran away, but as he everywhere gave the poor money +to pray that he might not die during the seven years, and as he paid +well for everything he still always found shelter. In the fourth year, +he entered an inn where the landlord would not receive him, and would +not even let him have a place in the stable, because he was afraid the +horses would be scared. But as Bearskin thrust his hand into his pocket +and pulled out a handful of ducats, the host let himself be persuaded +and gave him a room in an outhouse. Bearskin was, however, obliged to +promise not to let himself be seen, lest the inn should get a bad name. + +As Bearskin was sitting alone in the evening, and wishing from the bottom +of his heart that the seven years were over, he heard a loud lamenting in +a neighboring room. He had a compassionate heart, so he opened the door, +and saw an old man weeping bitterly, and wringing his hands. Bearskin +went nearer, but the man sprang to his feet and tried to escape from +him. At last when the man perceived that Bearskin's voice was human he +let himself be prevailed on, and by kind words bearskin succeeded so +far that the old man revealed the cause of his grief. His property had +dwindled away by degrees, he and his daughters would have to starve, +and he was so poor that he could not pay the innkeeper, and was to be +put in prison. "If that is your only trouble," said Bearskin, "I have +plenty of money." He caused the innkeeper to be brought thither, paid +him and put a purse full of gold into the poor old man's pocket besides. + +When the old man saw himself set free from all his troubles he did not +know how to be grateful enough. "Come with me," said he to Bearskin; +"my daughters are all miracles of beauty, choose one of them for thyself +as a wife. When she hears what thou hast done for me, she will not refuse +thee. Thou dost in truth look a little strange, but she will soon put thee +to rights again." This pleased Bearskin well, and he went. When the eldest +saw him she was so terribly alarmed at his face that she screamed and ran +away. The second stood still and looked at him from head to foot, but then +she said, "How can I accept a husband who no longer has a human form? The +shaven bear that once was here and passed itself off for a man pleased me +far better, for at any rate it wore a hussar's dress and white gloves. If +it were nothing but ugliness, I might get used to that." The youngest, +however, said, "Dear father, that must be a good man to have helped you +out of your trouble, so if you have promised him a bride for doing it, +your promise must be kept." It was a pity that Bearskin's face was covered +with dirt and with hair, for if not they might have seen how delighted he +was when he heard these words. He took a ring from his finger, broke it +in two, and gave her one half, the other he kept for himself. He wrote +his name, however, on her half, and hers on his, and begged her to keep +her piece carefully, and then he took his leave and said, "I must still +wander about for three years, and if I do not return then, thou art free, +for I shall be dead. But pray to God to preserve my life." + +The poor betrothed bride dressed herself entirely in black, and when she +thought of her future bridegroom, tears came into her eyes. Nothing but +contempt and mockery fell to her lot from her sisters. "Take care," said +the eldest, "if thou givest him thy hand, he will strike his claws into +it." "Beware!" said the second. "Bears like sweet things, and if he takes +a fancy to thee, he will eat thee up." "Thou must always do as he likes," +began the elder again, "or else he will growl." And the second continued, +"But the wedding will be a merry one, for bears dance well." The bride +was silent, and did not let them vex her. Bearskin, however, travelled +about the world from one place to another, did good where he was able, +and gave generously to the poor that they might pray for him. + +At length, as the last day of the seven years dawned, he went once more +out on to the heath, and seated himself beneath the circle of trees. It +was not long before the wind whistled, and the Devil stood before him +and looked angrily at him; then he threw Bearskin his old coat, and +asked for his own green one back. "We have not got so far as that yet," +answered Bearskin, "thou must first make me clean." Whether the Devil +liked it or not, he was forced to fetch water, and wash Bearskin, comb +his hair, and cut his nails. After this, he looked like a brave soldier, +and was much handsomer than he had ever been before. + +When the Devil had gone away, Bearskin was quite lighthearted. He went +into the town, put on a magnificent velvet coat, seated himself in a +carriage drawn by four white horses, and drove to his bride's house. No +one recognized him, the father took him for a distinguished general, +and led him into the room where his daughters were sitting. He was +forced to place himself between the two eldest, they helped him to +wine, gave him the best pieces of meat, and thought that in all the +world they had never seen a handsomer man. The bride, however, sat +opposite to him in her black dress, and never raised her eyes, nor +spoke a word. When at length he asked the father if he would give him +one of his daughters to wife, the two eldest jumped up, ran into their +bedrooms to put on splendid dresses, for each of them fancied she was +the chosen one. The stranger, as soon as he was alone with his bride, +brought out his half of the ring, and threw it in a glass of wine which +he reached across the table to her. She took the wine, but when she had +drunk it, and found the half ring lying at the bottom, her heart began to +beat. She got the other half, which she wore on a ribbon round her neck, +joined them, and saw that the two pieces fitted exactly together. Then +said he, "I am thy betrothed bridegroom, whom thou sawest as Bearskin, +but through God's grace I have again received my human form, and have +once more become clean." He went up to her, embraced her, and gave +her a kiss. In the meantime the two sisters came back in full dress, +and when they saw that the handsome man had fallen to the share of the +youngest, and heard that he was Bearskin, they ran out full of anger and +rage. One of them drowned herself in the well, the other hanged herself +on a tree. In the evening, some one knocked at the door, and when the +bridegroom opened it, it was the Devil in his green coat, who said, +"Seest thou, I have now got two souls in the place of thy one!" + + + +102 The Willow-Wren and the Bear + +ONCE in summer-time the bear and the wolf were walking in the forest, +and the bear heard a bird singing so beautifully that he said, "Brother +wolf, what bird is it that sings so well?" "That is the King of birds," +said the wolf, "before whom we must bow down." It was, however, in +reality the willow-wren (Zaunkönig). "If that's the case," said the +bear, "I should very much like to see his royal palace; come, take me +thither." "That is not done quite as you seem to think," said the wolf; +"you must wait until the Queen comes." Soon afterwards, the Queen arrived +with some food in her beak, and the lord King came too, and they began +to feed their young ones. The bear would have liked to go at once, +but the wolf held him back by the sleeve, and said, "No, you must wait +until the lord and lady Queen have gone away again." So they observed +the hole in which was the nest, and trotted away. The bear, however, +could not rest until he had seen the royal palace, and when a short time +had passed, again went to it. The King and Queen had just flown out, +so he peeped in and saw five or six young ones lying in it. "Is that the +royal palace?" cried the bear; "it is a wretched palace, and you are not +King's children, you are disreputable children!" When the young wrens +heard that, they were frightfully angry, and screamed, "No, that we are +not! Our parents are honest people! Bear, thou wilt have to pay for that!" + +The bear and the wolf grew uneasy, and turned back and went into their +holes. The young willow-wrens, however, continued to cry and scream, and +when their parents again brought food they said, "We will not so much as +touch one fly's leg, no, not if we were dying of hunger, until you have +settled whether we are respectable children or not; the bear has been +here and has insulted us!" Then the old King said, "Be easy, he shall +be punished," and he at once flew with the Queen to the bear's cave, +and called in, "Old Growler, why hast thou insulted my children? Thou +shalt suffer for it we will punish thee by a bloody war." Thus war was +announced to the Bear, and all four-footed animals were summoned to +take part in it, oxen, asses, cows, deer, and every other animal the +earth contained. And the willow-wren summoned everything which flew +in the air, not only birds, large and small, but midges, and hornets, +bees and flies had to come. + +When the time came for the war to begin, the willow-wren sent out spies +to discover who was the enemy's commander-in-chief. The gnat, who was +the most crafty, flew into the forest where the enemy was assembled, +and hid herself beneath a leaf of the tree where the watchword was to be +given. There stood the bear, and he called the fox before him and said, +"Fox, thou art the most cunning of all animals, thou shalt be general +and lead us." "Good," said the fox, "but what signal shall we agree +upon?" No one knew that, so the fox said, "I have a fine long bushy tail, +which almost looks like a plume of red feathers. When I lift my tail up +quite high, all is going well, and you must charge; but if I let it hang +down, run away as fast as you can." When the gnat had heard that, she +flew away again, and revealed everything, with the greatest minuteness, +to the willow-wren. When day broke, and the battle was to begin, all +the four-footed animals came running up with such a noise that the earth +trembled. The willow-wren also came flying through the air with his army +with such a humming, and whirring, and swarming that every one was uneasy +and afraid, and on both sides they advanced against each other. But the +willow-wren sent down the hornet, with orders to get beneath the fox's +tail, and sting with all his might. When the fox felt the first sting, +he started so that he drew up one leg, with the pain, but he bore it, +and still kept his tail high in the air; at the second sting, he was +forced to put it down for a moment; at the third, he could hold out no +longer, and screamed out and put his tail between his legs. When the +animals saw that, they thought all was lost, and began to fly, each into +his hole and the birds had won the battle. + +Then the King and Queen flew home to their children and cried, +"Children, rejoice, eat and drink to your heart's content, we have won +the battle!" But the young wrens said, "We will not eat yet, the bear +must come to the nest, and beg for pardon and say that we are honorable +children, before we will do that." Then the willow-wren flew to the bear's +hole and cried, "Growler, thou art to come to the nest to my children, +and beg their pardon, or else every rib of thy body shall be broken." So +the bear crept thither in the greatest fear, and begged their pardon. And +now at last the young wrens were satisfied, and sat down together and +ate and drank, and made merry till quite late into the night. + + + +103 Sweet Porridge + +THERE was a poor but good little girl who lived alone with her mother, +and they no longer had anything to eat. So the child went into the +forest, and there an aged woman met her who was aware of her sorrow, +and presented her with a little pot, which when she said, "Cook, little +pot, cook," would cook good, sweet porridge, and when she said, "Stop, +little pot," it ceased to cook. The girl took the pot home to her mother, +and now they were freed from their poverty and hunger, and ate sweet +porridge as often as they chose. Once on a time when the girl had gone +out, her mother said, "Cook, little pot, cook." And it did cook and she +ate till she was satisfied, and then she wanted the pot to stop cooking, +but did not know the word. So it went on cooking and the porridge rose +over the edge, and still it cooked on until the kitchen and whole house +were full, and then the next house, and then the whole street, just as +if it wanted to satisfy the hunger of the whole world, and there was +the greatest distress, but no one knew how to stop it. At last when +only one single house remained, the child came home and just said, +"Stop, little pot," and it stopped and gave up cooking, and whosoever +wished to return to the town had to eat his way back. + + + +104 Wise Folks + +ONE day a peasant took his good hazel-stick out of the corner and said +to his wife, "Trina, I am going across country, and shall not return +for three days. If during that time the cattle-dealer should happen to +call and want to buy our three cows, you may strike a bargain at once, +but not unless you can get two hundred thalers for them; nothing less, +do you hear?" "For heaven's sake just go in peace," answered the woman, +"I will manage that." "You, indeed," said the man. "You once fell on +your head when you were a little child, and that affects you even now; +but let me tell you this, if you do anything foolish, I will make your +back black and blue, and not with paint, I assure you, but with the +stick which I have in my hand, and the colouring shall last a whole year, +you may rely on that." And having said that, the man went on his way. + +Next morning the cattle-dealer came, and the woman had no need to say many +words to him. When he had seen the cows and heard the price, he said, +"I am quite willing to give that, honestly speaking, they are worth +it. I will take the beasts away with me at once." He unfastened their +chains and drove them out of the byre, but just as he was going out of +the yard-door, the woman clutched him by the sleeve and said, "You must +give me the two hundred thalers now, or I cannot let the cows go." "True," +answered the man, "but I have forgotten to buckle on my money-belt. Have +no fear, however, you shall have security for my paying. I will take two +cows with me and leave one, and then you will have a good pledge." The +woman saw the force of this, and let the man go away with the cows, +and thought to herself, "How pleased Hans will be when he finds how +cleverly I have managed it!" The peasant came home on the third day as +he had said he would, and at once inquired if the cows were sold? "Yes, +indeed, dear Hans," answered the woman, "and as you said, for two hundred +thalers. They are scarcely worth so much, but the man took them without +making any objection." "Where is the money?" asked the peasant. "Oh, I +have not got the money," replied the woman; "he had happened to forget his +money-belt, but he will soon bring it, and he left good security behind +him." "What kind of security?" asked the man. "One of the three cows, +which he shall not have until he has paid for the other two. I have +managed very cunningly, for I have kept the smallest, which eats the +least." The man was enraged and lifted up his stick, and was just going +to give her the beating he had promised her. Suddenly he let the stick +fail and said, "You are the stupidest goose that ever waddled on God's +earth, but I am sorry for you. I will go out into the highways and wait +for three days to see if I find anyone who is still stupider than you. If +I succeed in doing so, you shall go scot-free, but if I do not find him, +you shall receive your well-deserved reward without any discount." + +He went out into the great highways, sat down on a stone, and waited for +what would happen. Then he saw a peasant's waggon coming towards him, +and a woman was standing upright in the middle of it, instead of sitting +on the bundle of straw which was lying beside her, or walking near the +oxen and leading them. The man thought to himself, "That is certainly +one of the kind I am in search of," and jumped up and ran backwards and +forwards in front of the waggon like one who is not very wise. "What do +you want, my friend?" said the woman to him; "I don't know you, where +do you come from?" "I have fallen down from heaven," replied the man, +"and don't know how to get back again, couldn't you drive me up?" "No," +said the woman, "I don't know the way, but if you come from heaven you can +surely tell me how my husband, who has been there these three years is. +You must have seen him?" "Oh, yes, I have seen him, but all men can't +get on well. He keeps sheep, and the sheep give him a great deal to +do. They run up the mountains and lose their way in the wilderness, +and he has to run after them and drive them together again. His clothes +are all torn to pieces too, and will soon fall off his body. There is +no tailor there, for Saint Peter won't let any of them in, as you know +by the story." "Who would have thought it?" cried the woman, "I tell you +what, I will fetch his Sunday coat which is still hanging at home in the +cupboard, he can wear that and look respectable. You will be so kind as +to take it with you." "That won't do very well," answered the peasant; +"people are not allowed to take clothes into Heaven, they are taken +away from one at the gate." "Then hark you," said the woman, "I sold +my fine wheat yesterday and got a good lot of money for it, I will send +that to him. If you hide the purse in your pocket, no one will know that +you have it." "If you can't manage it any other way," said the peasant, +"I will do you that favor." "Just sit still where you are," said she, +"and I will drive home and fetch the purse, I shall soon be back again. I +do not sit down on the bundle of straw, but stand up in the waggon, +because it makes it lighter for the cattle." She drove her oxen away, +and the peasant thought, "That woman has a perfect talent for folly, +if she really brings the money, my wife may think herself fortunate, +for she will get no beating." It was not long before she came in a great +hurry with the money, and with her own hands put it in his pocket. Before +she went away, she thanked him again a thousand times for his courtesy. + +When the woman got home again, she found her son who had come in from +the field. She told him what unlooked-for things had befallen her, +and then added, "I am truly delighted at having found an opportunity +of sending something to my poor husband. Who would ever have imagined +that he could be suffering for want of anything up in heaven?" The son +was full of astonishment. "Mother," said he, "it is not every day that +a man comes from Heaven in this way, I will go out immediately, and see +if he is still to be found; he must tell me what it is like up there, +and how the work is done." He saddled the horse and rode off with all +speed. He found the peasant who was sitting under a willow-tree, and was +just going to count the money in the purse. "Have you seen the man who +has fallen down from Heaven?" cried the youth to him. "Yes," answered +the peasant, "he has set out on his way back there, and has gone up +that hill, from whence it will be rather nearer; you could still catch +him up, if you were to ride fast." "Alas," said the youth, "I have been +doing tiring work all day, and the ride here has completely worn me out; +you know the man, be so kind as to get on my horse, and go and persuade +him to come here." "Aha!" thought the peasant, "here is another who has +no wick in his lamp!" "Why should I not do you this favor?" said he, +and mounted the horse and rode off in a quick trot. The youth remained +sitting there till night fell, but the peasant never came back. "The +man from Heaven must certainly have been in a great hurry, and would +not turn back," thought he, "and the peasant has no doubt given him the +horse to take to my father." He went home and told his mother what had +happened, and that he had sent his father the horse so that he might not +have to be always running about. "Thou hast done well," answered she, +"thy legs are younger than his, and thou canst go on foot." + +When the peasant got home, he put the horse in the stable beside the +cow which he had as a pledge, and then went to his wife and said, +"Trina, as your luck would have it, I have found two who are still +sillier fools than you; this time you escape without a beating, I will +store it up for another occasion." Then he lighted his pipe, sat down +in his grandfather's chair, and said, "It was a good stroke of business +to get a sleek horse and a great purse full of money into the bargain, +for two lean cows. If stupidity always brought in as much as that, +I would be quite willing to hold it in honor." So thought the peasant, +but you no doubt prefer the simple folks. + + + +105 Stories about Snakes + +First Story. + +There was once a little child whose mother gave her every afternoon a +small bowl of milk and bread, and the child seated herself in the yard +with it. When she began to eat however, a snake came creeping out of a +crevice in the wall, dipped its little head in the dish, and ate with +her. The child had pleasure in this, and when she was sitting there with +her little dish and the snake did not come at once, she cried, + + + "Snake, snake, come swiftly + Hither come, thou tiny thing, + + Thou shalt have thy crumbs of bread, + Thou shalt refresh thyself with milk." + +Then the snake came in haste, and enjoyed its food. Moreover it showed +gratitude, for it brought the child all kinds of pretty things from its +hidden treasures, bright stones, pearls, and golden playthings. The snake, +however, only drank the milk, and left the bread-crumbs alone. Then one +day the child took its little spoon and struck the snake gently on its +head with it, and said, "Eat the bread-crumbs as well, little thing." The +mother, who was standing in the kitchen, heard the child talking to +someone, and when she saw that she was striking a snake with her spoon, +ran out with a log of wood, and killed the good little creature. + +From that time forth, a change came over the child. As long as the snake +had eaten with her, she had grown tall and strong, but now she lost her +pretty rosy cheeks and wasted away. It was not long before the funeral +bird began to cry in the night, and the redbreast to collect little +branches and leaves for a funeral garland, and soon afterwards the child +lay on her bier. + +Second Story. + +An orphan child was sitting on the town walls spinning, when she saw +a snake coming out of a hole low down in the wall. Swiftly she spread +out beside this one of the blue silk handkerchiefs which snakes have +such a strong liking for, and which are the only things they will +creep on. As soon as the snake saw it, it went back, then returned, +bringing with it a small golden crown, laid it on the handkerchief, +and then went away again. The girl took up the crown, it glittered and +was of delicate golden filagree work. It was not long before the snake +came back for the second time, but when it no longer saw the crown, it +crept up to the wall, and in its grief smote its little head against it +as long as it had strength to do so, until at last it lay there dead. If +the girl had but left the crown where it was, the snake would certainly +have brought still more of its treasures out of the hole. + +Third Story. + +A snake cries, "Huhu, huhu." A child says, "Come out." The snake comes +out, then the child inquires about her little sister: "Hast thou not seen +little Red-stockings?" The snake says, "No." "Neither have I." "Then I +am like you. Huhu, huhu, huhu." + + + +106 The Poor Miller's Boy and the Cat + +In a certain mill lived an old miller who had neither wife nor child, +and three apprentices served under him. As they had been with him +several years, he one day said to them, "I am old, and want to sit in +the chimney-corner, go out, and whichsoever of you brings me the best +horse home, to him will I give the mill, and in return for it he shall +take care of me till my death." The third of the boys was, however, +the drudge, who was looked on as foolish by the others; they begrudged +the mill to him, and afterwards he would not have it. Then all three +went out together, and when they came to the village, the two said to +stupid Hans, "Thou mayst just as well stay here, as long as thou livest +thou wilt never get a horse." Hans, however, went with them, and when +it was night they came to a cave in which they lay down to sleep. The +two sharp ones waited until Hans had fallen asleep, then they got up, +and went away leaving him where he was. And they thought they had done +a very clever thing, but it was certain to turn out ill for them. When +the sun arose, and Hans woke up, he was lying in a deep cavern. He looked +around on every side and exclaimed, "Oh, heavens, where am I?" Then he +got up and clambered out of the cave, went into the forest, and thought, +"Here I am quite alone and deserted, how shall I obtain a horse now?" +Whilst he was thus walking full of thought, he met a small tabby-cat +which said quite kindly, "Hans, where are you going?" "Alas, thou canst +not help me." "I well know your desire," said the cat. "You wish to have a +beautiful horse. Come with me, and be my faithful servant for seven years +long, and then I will give you one more beautiful than any you have ever +seen in your whole life." "Well, this is a wonderful cat!" thought Hans, +"but I am determined to see if she is telling the truth." So she took him +with her into her enchanted castle, where there were nothing but cats +who were her servants. They leapt nimbly upstairs and downstairs, and +were merry and happy. In the evening when they sat down to dinner, three +of them had to make music. One played the bassoon, the other the fiddle, +and the third put the trumpet to his lips, and blew out his cheeks as much +as he possibly could. When they had dined, the table was carried away, +and the cat said, "Now, Hans, come and dance with me." "No," said he, +"I won't dance with a pussy cat. I have never done that yet." "Then +take him to bed," said she to the cats. So one of them lighted him to +his bed-room, one pulled his shoes off, one his stockings, and at last +one of them blew out the candle. Next morning they returned and helped +him out of bed, one put his stockings on for him, one tied his garters, +one brought his shoes, one washed him, and one dried his face with +her tail. "That feels very soft!" said Hans. He, however, had to serve +the cat, and chop some wood every day, and to do that, he had an axe of +silver, and the wedge and saw were of silver and the mallet of copper. So +he chopped the wood small; stayed there in the house and had good meat +and drink, but never saw anyone but the tabby-cat and her servants. Once +she said to him, "Go and mow my meadow, and dry the grass," and gave him +a scythe of silver, and a whetstone of gold, but bade him deliver them +up again carefully. So Hans went thither, and did what he was bidden, +and when he had finished the work, he carried the scythe, whetstone, +and hay to the house, and asked if it was not yet time for her to give +him his reward. "No," said the cat, "you must first do something more +for me of the same kind. There is timber of silver, carpenter's axe, +square, and everything that is needful, all of silver, with these build +me a small house." Then Hans built the small house, and said that he +had now done everything, and still he had no horse. Nevertheless the +seven years had gone by with him as if they were six months. The cat +asked him if he would like to see her horses? "Yes," said Hans. Then she +opened the door of the small house, and when she had opened it, there +stood twelve horses, such horses, so bright and shining, that his heart +rejoiced at the sight of them. And now she gave him to eat and drink, +and said, "Go home, I will not give thee thy horse away with thee; but +in three days' time I will follow thee and bring it." So Hans set out, +and she showed him the way to the mill. She had, however, never once +given him a new coat, and he had been obliged to keep on his dirty old +smock-frock, which he had brought with him, and which during the seven +years had everywhere become too small for him. When he reached home, +the two other apprentices were there again as well, and each of them +certainly had brought a horse with him, but one of them was a blind one, +and the other lame. They asked Hans where his horse was. "It will follow +me in three days' time." Then they laughed and said, "Indeed, stupid Hans, +where wilt thou get a horse?" "It will be a fine one!" Hans went into +the parlour, but the miller said he should not sit down to table, for +he was so ragged and torn, that they would all be ashamed of him if any +one came in. So they gave him a mouthful of food outside, and at night, +when they went to rest, the two others would not let him have a bed, +and at last he was forced to creep into the goose-house, and lie down +on a little hard straw. In the morning when he awoke, the three days +had passed, and a coach came with six horses and they shone so bright +that it was delightful to see them! and a servant brought a seventh as +well, which was for the poor miller's boy. And a magnificent princess +alighted from the coach and went into the mill, and this princess was +the little tabby-cat whom poor Hans had served for seven years. She asked +the miller where the miller's boy and drudge was? Then the miller said, +"We cannot have him here in the mill, for he is so ragged; he is lying +in the goose-house." Then the King's daughter said that they were to +bring him immediately. So they brought him out, and he had to hold his +little smock-frock together to cover himself. The servants unpacked +splendid garments, and washed him and dressed him, and when that was +done, no King could have looked more handsome. Then the maiden desired +to see the horses which the other apprentices had brought home with +them, and one of them was blind and the other lame. So she ordered the +servant to bring the seventh horse, and when the miller saw it, he said +that such a horse as that had never yet entered his yard. "And that is +for the third miller's boy," said she. "Then he must have the mill," +said the miller, but the King's daughter said that the horse was there, +and that he was to keep his mill as well, and took her faithful Hans +and set him in the coach, and drove away with him. They first drove to +the little house which he had built with the silver tools, and behold +it was a great castle, and everything inside it was of silver and gold; +and then she married him, and he was rich, so rich that he had enough +for all the rest of his life. After this, let no one ever say that anyone +who is silly can never become a person of importance. + + + +107 The Two Travellers + +Hill and vale do not come together, but the children of men do, good and +bad. In this way a shoemaker and a tailor once met with each other in +their travels. The tailor was a handsome little fellow who was always +merry and full of enjoyment. He saw the shoemaker coming towards him +from the other side, and as he observed by his bag what kind of a trade +he plied, he sang a little mocking song to him, + + + "Sew me the seam, + Draw me the thread, + Spread it over with pitch, + Knock the nail on the head." + +The shoemaker, however, could not endure a joke; he pulled a face as if +he had drunk vinegar, and made a gesture as if he were about to seize +the tailor by the throat. But the little fellow began to laugh, reached +him his bottle, and said, "No harm was meant, take a drink, and swallow +your anger down." The shoemaker took a very hearty drink, and the storm +on his face began to clear away. He gave the bottle back to the tailor, +and said, "I spoke civilly to you; one speaks well after much drinking, +but not after much thirst. Shall we travel together?" "All right," +answered the tailor, "if only it suits you to go into a big town where +there is no lack of work." "That is just where I want to go," answered the +shoemaker. "In a small nest there is nothing to earn, and in the country, +people like to go barefoot." They travelled therefore onwards together, +and always set one foot before the other like a weasel in the snow. + +Both of them had time enough, but little to bite and to break. When they +reached a town they went about and paid their respects to the tradesmen, +and because the tailor looked so lively and merry, and had such pretty +red cheeks, every one gave him work willingly, and when luck was good +the master's daughters gave him a kiss beneath the porch, as well. When +he again fell in with the shoemaker, the tailor had always the most in +his bundle. The ill-tempered shoemaker made a wry face, and thought, +"The greater the rascal the more the luck," but the tailor began to laugh +and to sing, and shared all he got with his comrade. If a couple of pence +jingled in his pockets, he ordered good cheer, and thumped the table in +his joy till the glasses danced, and it was lightly come, lightly go, +with him. + +When they had travelled for some time, they came to a great forest +through which passed the road to the capital. Two foot-paths, however, +led through it, one of which was a seven days' journey, and the other only +two, but neither of the travellers knew which way was the short one. They +seated themselves beneath an oak-tree, and took counsel together how they +should forecast, and for how many days they should provide themselves +with bread. The shoemaker said, "One must look before one leaps, I will +take with me bread for a week." "What!" said the tailor, "drag bread for +seven days on one's back like a beast of burden, and not be able to look +about. I shall trust in God, and not trouble myself about anything! The +money I have in my pocket is as good in summer as in winter, but in hot +weather bread gets dry, and mouldy into the bargain; even my coat does +not go as far as it might. Besides, why should we not find the right +way? Bread for two days, and that's enough." Each, therefore, bought +his own bread, and then they tried their luck in the forest. + +It was as quiet there as in a church. No wind stirred, no brook murmured, +no bird sang, and through the thickly-leaved branches no sunbeam forced +its way. The shoemaker spoke never a word, the heavy bread weighed +down his back until the perspiration streamed down his cross and gloomy +face. The tailor, however, was quite merry, he jumped about, whistled +on a leaf, or sang a song, and thought to himself, "God in heaven must +be pleased to see me so happy." + +This lasted two days, but on the third the forest would not come to +an end, and the tailor had eaten up all his bread, so after all his +heart sank down a yard deeper. In the meantime he did not lose courage, +but relied on God and on his luck. On the third day he lay down in the +evening hungry under a tree, and rose again next morning hungry still; +so also passed the fourth day, and when the shoemaker seated himself on a +fallen tree and devoured his dinner, the tailor was only a looker-on. If +he begged for a little piece of bread the other laughed mockingly, and +said, "Thou hast always been so merry, now thou canst try for once what +it is to be sad: the birds which sing too early in the morning are struck +by the hawk in the evening," In short he was pitiless. But on the fifth +morning the poor tailor could no longer stand up, and was hardly able to +utter one word for weakness; his cheeks were white, and his eyes red. Then +the shoemaker said to him, "I will give thee a bit of bread to-day, but +in return for it, I will put out thy right eye." The unhappy tailor who +still wished to save his life, could not do it in any other way; he wept +once more with both eyes, and then held them out, and the shoemaker, +who had a heart of stone, put out his right eye with a sharp knife. +The tailor called to remembrance what his mother had formerly said to +him when he had been eating secretly in the pantry. "Eat what one can, +and suffer what one must." When he had consumed his dearly-bought bread, +he got on his legs again, forgot his misery and comforted himself with +the thought that he could always see enough with one eye. But on the sixth +day, hunger made itself felt again, and gnawed him almost to the heart. In +the evening he fell down by a tree, and on the seventh morning he could +not raise himself up for faintness, and death was close at hand. Then +said the shoemaker, "I will show mercy and give thee bread once more, but +thou shalt not have it for nothing, I shall put out thy other eye for it." +And now the tailor felt how thoughtless his life had been, prayed to God +for forgiveness, and said, "Do what thou wilt, I will bear what I must, +but remember that our Lord God does not always look on passively, and +that an hour will come when the evil deed which thou hast done to me, +and which I have not deserved of thee, will be requited. When times were +good with me, I shared what I had with thee. My trade is of that kind +that each stitch must always be exactly like the other. If I no longer +have my eyes and can sew no more I must go a-begging. At any rate do +not leave me here alone when I am blind, or I shall die of hunger." +The shoemaker, however, who had driven God out of his heart, took the +knife and put out his left eye. Then he gave him a bit of bread to eat, +held out a stick to him, and drew him on behind him. + +When the sun went down, they got out of the forest, and before them +in the open country stood the gallows. Thither the shoemaker guided +the blind tailor, and then left him alone and went his way. Weariness, +pain, and hunger made the wretched man fall asleep, and he slept the +whole night. When day dawned he awoke, but knew not where he lay. Two +poor sinners were hanging on the gallows, and a crow sat on the head of +each of them. Then one of the men who had been hanged began to speak, +and said, "Brother, art thou awake?" "Yes, I am awake," answered the +second. "Then I will tell thee something," said the first; "the dew which +this night has fallen down over us from the gallows, gives every one who +washes himself with it his eyes again. If blind people did but know this, +how many would regain their sight who do not believe that to be possible." + +When the tailor heard that, he took his pocket-handkerchief, pressed it +on the grass, and when it was moist with dew, washed the sockets of his +eyes with it. Immediately was fulfilled what the man on the gallows had +said, and a couple of healthy new eyes filled the sockets. It was not +long before the tailor saw the sun rise behind the mountains; in the +plain before him lay the great royal city with its magnificent gates +and hundred towers, and the golden balls and crosses which were on the +spires began to shine. He could distinguish every leaf on the trees, saw +the birds which flew past, and the midges which danced in the air. He +took a needle out of his pocket, and as he could thread it as well as +ever he had done, his heart danced with delight. He threw himself on his +knees, thanked God for the mercy he had shown him, and said his morning +prayer. He did not forget also to pray for the poor sinners who were +hanging there swinging against each other in the wind like the pendulums +of clocks. Then he took his bundle on his back and soon forgot the pain +of heart he had endured, and went on his way singing and whistling. + +The first thing he met was a brown foal running about the fields at +large. He caught it by the mane, and wanted to spring on it and ride +into the town. The foal, however, begged to be set free. "I am still +too young," it said, "even a light tailor such as thou art would break +my back in two let me go till I have grown strong. A time may perhaps +come when I may reward thee for it." "Run off," said the tailor, "I see +thou art still a giddy thing." He gave it a touch with a switch over its +back, whereupon it kicked up its hind legs for joy, leapt over hedges +and ditches, and galloped away into the open country. + +But the little tailor had eaten nothing since the day before. "The +sun to be sure fills my eyes," said he, "but the bread does not fill +my mouth. The first thing that comes across me and is even half edible +will have to suffer for it." In the meantime a stork stepped solemnly +over the meadow towards him. "Halt, halt!" cried the tailor, and +seized him by the leg. "I don't know if thou art good to eat or not, +but my hunger leaves me no great choice. I must cut thy head off, and +roast thee." "Don't do that," replied the stork; "I am a sacred bird +which brings mankind great profit, and no one does me an injury. Leave +me my life, and I may do thee good in some other way." "Well, be off, +Cousin Longlegs," said the tailor. The stork rose up, let its long legs +hang down, and flew gently away. + +"What's to be the end of this?" said the tailor to himself at last, +"my hunger grows greater and greater, and my stomach more and more +empty. Whatsoever comes in my way now is lost." At this moment he saw a +couple of young ducks which were on a pond come swimming towards him. "You +come just at the right moment," said he, and laid hold of one of them +and was about to wring its neck. On this an old duck which was hidden +among the reeds, began to scream loudly, and swam to him with open beak, +and begged him urgently to spare her dear children. "Canst thou not +imagine," said she, "how thy mother would mourn if any one wanted to +carry thee off, and give thee thy finishing stroke?" "Only be quiet," +said the good-tempered tailor, "thou shalt keep thy children," and put +the prisoner back into the water. + +When he turned round, he was standing in front of an old tree which was +partly hollow, and saw some wild bees flying in and out of it. "There +I shall at once find the reward of my good deed," said the tailor, +"the honey will refresh me." But the Queen-bee came out, threatened +him and said, "If thou touchest my people, and destroyest my nest, our +stings shall pierce thy skin like ten thousand red-hot needles. But if +thou wilt leave us in peace and go thy way, we will do thee a service +for it another time." + +The little tailor saw that here also nothing was to be done. "Three +dishes empty and nothing on the fourth is a bad dinner!" He dragged +himself therefore with his starved-out stomach into the town, and as it +was just striking twelve, all was ready-cooked for him in the inn, and he +was able to sit down at once to dinner. When he was satisfied he said, +"Now I will get to work." He went round the town, sought a master, and +soon found a good situation. As, however, he had thoroughly learnt his +trade, it was not long before he became famous, and every one wanted to +have his new coat made by the little tailor, whose importance increased +daily. "I can go no further in skill," said he, "and yet things improve +every day." At last the King appointed him court-tailor. + +But how things do happen in the world! On the very same day his former +comrade the shoemaker also became court-shoemaker. When the latter caught +sight of the tailor, and saw that he had once more two healthy eyes, +his conscience troubled him. "Before he takes revenge on me," thought +he to himself, "I must dig a pit for him." He, however, who digs a pit +for another, falls into it himself. In the evening when work was over +and it had grown dusk, he stole to the King and said, "Lord King, the +tailor is an arrogant fellow and has boasted that he will get the gold +crown back again which was lost in ancient times." "That would please me +very much," said the King, and he caused the tailor to be brought before +him next morning, and ordered him to get the crown back again, or to +leave the town for ever. "Oho!" thought the tailor, "a rogue gives more +than he has got. If the surly King wants me to do what can be done by no +one, I will not wait till morning, but will go out of the town at once, +to-day." He packed up his bundle, therefore, but when he was without the +gate he could not help being sorry to give up his good fortune, and turn +his back on the town in which all had gone so well with him. He came to +the pond where he had made the acquaintance of the ducks; at that very +moment the old one whose young ones he had spared, was sitting there by +the shore, pluming herself with her beak. She knew him again instantly, +and asked why he was hanging his head so? "Thou wilt not be surprised +when thou hearest what has befallen me," replied the tailor, and told +her his fate. "If that be all," said the duck, "we can help thee. The +crown fell into the water, and lies down below at the bottom; we will +soon bring it up again for thee. In the meantime just spread out thy +handkerchief on the bank." She dived down with her twelve young ones, +and in five minutes she was up again and sat with the crown resting on +her wings, and the twelve young ones were swimming round about and had +put their beaks under it, and were helping to carry it. They swam to +the shore and put the crown on the handkerchief. No one can imagine how +magnificent the crown was; when the sun shone on it, it gleamed like a +hundred thousand carbuncles. The tailor tied his handkerchief together +by the four corners, and carried it to the King, who was full of joy, +and put a gold chain round the tailor's neck. + +When the shoemaker saw that one stroke had failed, he contrived a second, +and went to the King and said, "Lord King, the tailor has become insolent +again; he boasts that he will copy in wax the whole of the royal palace, +with everything that pertains to it, loose or fast, inside and out." The +King sent for the tailor and ordered him to copy in wax the whole of the +royal palace, with everything that pertained to it, movable or immovable, +within and without, and if he did not succeed in doing this, or if so +much as one nail on the wall were wanting, he should be imprisoned for +his whole life under ground. + +The tailor thought, "It gets worse and worse! No one can endure that?" and +threw his bundle on his back, and went forth. When he came to the hollow +tree, he sat down and hung his head. The bees came flying out, and the +Queen-bee asked him if he had a stiff neck, since he held his head so +awry? "Alas, no," answered the tailor, "something quite different weighs +me down," and he told her what the King had demanded of him. The bees +began to buzz and hum amongst themselves, and the Queen-bee said, "Just +go home again, but come back to-morrow at this time, and bring a large +sheet with you, and then all will be well." So he turned back again, but +the bees flew to the royal palace and straight into it through the open +windows, crept round about into every corner, and inspected everything +most carefully. Then they hurried back and modelled the palace in wax +with such rapidity that any one looking on would have thought it was +growing before his eyes. By the evening all was ready, and when the +tailor came next morning, the whole of the splendid building was there, +and not one nail in the wall or tile of the roof was wanting, and it +was delicate withal, and white as snow, and smelt sweet as honey. The +tailor wrapped it carefully in his cloth and took it to the King, who +could not admire it enough, placed it in his largest hall, and in return +for it presented the tailor with a large stone house. + +The shoemaker, however, did not give up, but went for the third time to +the King and said, "Lord King, it has come to the tailor's ears that no +water will spring up in the court-yard of the castle, and he has boasted +that it shall rise up in the midst of the court-yard to a man's height +and be clear as crystal." Then the King ordered the tailor to be brought +before him and said, "If a stream of water does not rise in my court-yard +by to-morrow as thou hast promised, the executioner shall in that very +place make thee shorter by the head." The poor tailor did not take long +to think about it, but hurried out to the gate, and because this time it +was a matter of life and death to him, tears rolled down his face. Whilst +he was thus going forth full of sorrow, the foal to which he had formerly +given its liberty, and which had now become a beautiful chestnut horse, +came leaping towards him. "The time has come," it said to the tailor, +"when I can repay thee for thy good deed. I know already what is needful +to thee, but thou shalt soon have help; get on me, my back can carry +two such as thou." The tailor's courage came back to him; he jumped up +in one bound, and the horse went full speed into the town, and right +up to the court-yard of the castle. It galloped as quick as lightning +thrice round it, and at the third time it fell violently down. At the +same instant, however, there was a terrific clap of thunder, a fragment +of earth in the middle of the court-yard sprang like a cannon-ball into +the air, and over the castle, and directly after it a jet of water rose +as high as a man on horseback, and the water was as pure as crystal, +and the sunbeams began to dance on it. When the King saw that he arose +in amazement, and went and embraced the tailor in the sight of all men. + +But good fortune did not last long. The King had daughters in plenty, +one still prettier than the other, but he had no son. So the malicious +shoemaker betook himself for the fourth time to the King, and said, +"Lord King, the tailor has not given up his arrogance. He has now boasted +that if he liked, he could cause a son to be brought to the Lord king +through the air." The King commanded the tailor to be summoned, and +said, "If thou causest a son to be brought to me within nine days, thou +shalt have my eldest daughter to wife." "The reward is indeed great," +thought the little tailor; "one would willingly do something for it, +but the cherries grow too high for me, if I climb for them, the bough +will break beneath me, and I shall fall." + +He went home, seated himself cross-legged on his work-table, and thought +over what was to be done. "It can't be managed," cried he at last, +"I will go away; after all I can't live in peace here." He tied up +his bundle and hurried away to the gate. When he got to the meadow, +he perceived his old friend the stork, who was walking backwards and +forwards like a philosopher. Sometimes he stood still, took a frog into +close consideration, and at length swallowed it down. The stork came to +him and greeted him. "I see," he began, "that thou hast thy pack on thy +back. Why art thou leaving the town?" The tailor told him what the King +had required of him, and how he could not perform it, and lamented his +misfortune. "Don't let thy hair grow grey about that," said the stork, +"I will help thee out of thy difficulty. For a long time now, I have +carried the children in swaddling-clothes into the town, so for once +in a way I can fetch a little prince out of the well. Go home and be +easy. In nine days from this time repair to the royal palace, and there +will I come." The little tailor went home, and at the appointed time +was at the castle. It was not long before the stork came flying thither +and tapped at the window. The tailor opened it, and cousin Longlegs +came carefully in, and walked with solemn steps over the smooth marble +pavement. He had, moreover, a baby in his beak that was as lovely as an +angel, and stretched out its little hands to the Queen. The stork laid +it in her lap, and she caressed it and kissed it, and was beside herself +with delight. Before the stork flew away, he took his travelling bag +off his back and handed it over to the Queen. In it there were little +paper parcels with colored sweetmeats, and they were divided amongst +the little princesses. The eldest, however, had none of them, but got +the merry tailor for a husband. "It seems to me," said he, "just as if I +had won the highest prize. My mother was if right after all, she always +said that whoever trusts in God and only has good luck, can never fail." + +The shoemaker had to make the shoes in which the little tailor danced +at the wedding festival, after which he was commanded to quit the town +for ever. The road to the forest led him to the gallows. Worn out with +anger, rage, and the heat of the day, he threw himself down. When he +had closed his eyes and was about to sleep, the two crows flew down from +the heads of the men who were hanging there, and pecked his eyes out. In +his madness he ran into the forest and must have died there of hunger, +for no one has ever either seen him again or heard of him. + + + +108 Hans the Hedgehog + +THERE was once a countryman who had money and land in plenty, but how rich +soever he was, one thing was still wanting in his happiness he had no +children. Often when he went into the town with the other peasants they +mocked him and asked why he had no children. At last he became angry, +and when he got home he said, "I will have a child, even if it be a +hedgehog." Then his wife had a child, that was a hedgehog in the upper +part of his body, and a boy in the lower, and when she saw the child, +she was terrified, and said, "See, there thou hast brought ill-luck on +us." Then said the man, "What can be done now? The boy must be christened, +but we shall not be able to get a godfather for him." The woman said, +"And we cannot call him anything else but Hans the Hedgehog." + +When he was christened, the parson said, "He cannot go into any ordinary +bed because of his spikes." So a little straw was put behind the stove, +and Hans the Hedgehog was laid on it. His mother could not suckle him, +for he would have pricked her with his quills. So he lay there behind +the stove for eight years, and his father was tired of him and thought, +"If he would but die!" He did not die, however, but remained lying +there. Now it happened that there was a fair in the town, and the peasant +was about to go to it, and asked his wife what he should bring back with +him for her. "A little meat and a couple of white rolls which are wanted +for the house," said she. Then he asked the servant, and she wanted a +pair of slippers and some stockings with clocks. At last he said also, +"And what wilt thou have, Hans my Hedgehog?" "Dear father," he said, +"do bring me bagpipes." When, therefore, the father came home again, +he gave his wife what he had bought for her; meat and white rolls, +and then he gave the maid the slippers, and the stockings with clocks; +and, lastly, he went behind the stove, and gave Hans the Hedgehog the +bagpipes. And when Hans the Hedgehog had the bagpipes, he said, "Dear +father, do go to the forge and get the cock shod, and then I will ride +away, and never come back again." On this, the father was delighted to +think that he was going to get rid of him, and had the cock shod for him, +and when it was done, Hans the Hedgehog got on it, and rode away, but took +swine and asses with him which he intended to keep in the forest. When +they got there he made the cock fly on to a high tree with him, and there +he sat for many a long year, and watched his asses and swine until the +herd was quite large, and his father knew nothing about him. While he was +sitting in the tree, however, he played his bagpipes, and made music which +was very beautiful. Once a King came travelling by who had lost his way +and heard the music. He was astonished at it, and sent his servant forth +to look all round and see from whence this music came. He spied about, +but saw nothing but a little animal sitting up aloft on the tree, which +looked like a cock with a hedgehog on it which made this music. Then the +King told the servant he was to ask why he sat there, and if he knew the +road which led to his kingdom. So Hans the Hedgehog descended from the +tree, and said he would show the way if the King would write a bond and +promise him whatever he first met in the royal courtyard as soon as he +arrived at home. Then the King thought, "I can easily do that, Hans the +Hedgehog understands nothing, and I can write what I like." So the King +took pen and ink and wrote something, and when he had done it, Hans the +Hedgehog showed him the way, and he got safely home. But his daughter, +when she saw him from afar, was so overjoyed that she ran to meet him, +and kissed him. Then he remembered Hans the Hedgehog, and told her what +had happened, and that he had been forced to promise whatsoever first met +him when he got home, to a very strange animal which sat on a cock as if +it were a horse, and made beautiful music, but that instead of writing +that he should have what he wanted, he had written that he should not +have it. Thereupon the princess was glad, and said he had done well, +for she never would have gone away with the Hedgehog. + +Hans the Hedgehog, however, looked after his asses and pigs, and was +always merry and sat on the tree and played his bagpipes. + +Now it came to pass that another King came journeying by with his +attendants and runners, and he also had lost his way, and did not know +how to get home again because the forest was so large. He likewise heard +the beautiful music from a distance, and asked his runner what that could +be, and told him to go and see. Then the runner went under the tree, +and saw the cock sitting at the top of it, and Hans the Hedgehog on the +cock. The runner asked him what he was about up there? "I am keeping +my asses and my pigs; but what is your desire?" The messenger said that +they had lost their way, and could not get back into their own kingdom, +and asked if he would not show them the way. Then Hans the Hedgehog got +down the tree with the cock, and told the aged King that he would show +him the way, if he would give him for his own whatsoever first met him +in front of his royal palace. The King said, "Yes," and wrote a promise +to Hans the Hedgehog that he should have this. That done, Hans rode on +before him on the cock, and pointed out the way, and the King reached his +kingdom again in safety. When he got to the courtyard, there were great +rejoicings. Now he had an only daughter who was very beautiful; she ran +to meet him, threw her arms round his neck, and was delighted to have +her old father back again. She asked him where in the world he had been +so long. So he told her how he had lost his way, and had very nearly not +come back at all, but that as he was travelling through a great forest, +a creature, half hedgehog, half man, who was sitting astride a cock in +a high tree, and making music, had shown him the way and helped him to +get out, but that in return he had promised him whatsoever first met +him in the royal court-yard, and how that was she herself, which made +him unhappy now. But on this she promised that, for love of her father, +she would willingly go with this Hans if he came. + +Hans the Hedgehog, however, took care of his pigs, and the pigs +multiplied until they became so many in number that the whole forest +was filled with them. Then Hans the Hedgehog resolved not to live in the +forest any longer, and sent word to his father to have every stye in the +village emptied, for he was coming with such a great herd that all might +kill who wished to do so. When his father heard that, he was troubled, +for he thought Hans the Hedgehog had died long ago. Hans the Hedgehog, +however, seated himself on the cock, and drove the pigs before him into +the village, and ordered the slaughter to begin. Ha! but there was a +killing and a chopping that might have been heard two miles off! After +this Hans the Hedgehog said, "Father, let me have the cock shod once more +at the forge, and then I will ride away and never come back as long as +I live." Then the father had the cock shod once more, and was pleased +that Hans the Hedgehog would never return again. + +Hans the Hedgehog rode away to the first kingdom. There the King had +commanded that whosoever came mounted on a cock and had bagpipes with him +should be shot at, cut down, or stabbed by everyone, so that he might not +enter the palace. When, therefore, Hans the Hedgehog came riding thither, +they all pressed forward against him with their pikes, but he spurred +the cock and it flew up over the gate in front of the King's window +and lighted there, and Hans cried that the King must give him what he +had promised, or he would take both his life and his daughter's. Then +the King began to speak his daughter fair, and to beg her to go away +with Hans in order to save her own life and her father's. So she dressed +herself in white, and her father gave her a carriage with six horses and +magnificent attendants together with gold and possessions. She seated +herself in the carriage, and placed Hans the Hedgehog beside her with the +cock and the bagpipes, and then they took leave and drove away, and the +King thought he should never see her again. He was however, deceived in +his expectation, for when they were at a short distance from the town, +Hans the Hedgehog took her pretty clothes off, and pierced her with his +hedgehog's skin until she bled all over. "That is the reward of your +falseness," said he, "go your way, I will not have you!" and on that he +chased her home again, and she was disgraced for the rest of her life. + +Hans the Hedgehog, however, rode on further on the cock, with his +bagpipes, to the dominions of the second King to whom he had shown the +way. This one, however, had arranged that if any one resembling Hans the +Hedgehog should come, they were to present arms, give him safe conduct, +cry long life to him, and lead him to the royal palace. + +But when the King's daughter saw him she was terrified, for he looked +quite too strange. She remembered however, that she could not change +her mind, for she had given her promise to her father. So Hans the +Hedgehog was welcomed by her, and married to her, and had to go with +her to the royal table, and she seated herself by his side, and they +ate and drank. When the evening came and they wanted to go to sleep, +she was afraid of his quills, but he told her she was not to fear, +for no harm would befall her, and he told the old King that he was +to appoint four men to watch by the door of the chamber, and light a +great fire, and when he entered the room and was about to get into bed, +he would creep out of his hedgehog's skin and leave it lying there by +the bedside, and that the men were to run nimbly to it, throw it in the +fire, and stay by it until it was consumed. When the clock struck eleven, +he went into the chamber, stripped off the hedgehog's skin, and left it +lying by the bed. Then came the men and fetched it swiftly, and threw +it in the fire; and when the fire had consumed it, he was delivered, +and lay there in bed in human form, but he was coal-black as if he had +been burnt. The King sent for his physician who washed him with precious +salves, and anointed him, and he became white, and was a handsome young +man. When the King's daughter saw that she was glad, and the next morning +they arose joyfully, ate and drank, and then the marriage was properly +solemnized, and Hans the Hedgehog received the kingdom from the aged King. + +When several years had passed he went with his wife to his father, +and said that he was his son. The father, however, declared he had no +son he had never had but one, and he had been born like a hedgehog with +spikes, and had gone forth into the world. Then Hans made himself known, +and the old father rejoiced and went with him to his kingdom. + + + My tale is done, + And away it has run + To little August's house. + + + +109 The Shroud + +There was once a mother who had a little boy of seven years old, who was +so handsome and lovable that no one could look at him without liking him, +and she herself worshipped him above everything in the world. Now it +so happened that he suddenly became ill, and God took him to himself; +and for this the mother could not be comforted, and wept both day and +night. But soon afterwards, when the child had been buried, it appeared by +night in the places where it had sat and played during its life, and if +the mother wept, it wept also, and when morning came it disappeared. As, +however, the mother would not stop crying, it came one night, in the +little white shroud in which it had been laid in its coffin, and with +its wreath of flowers round its head, and stood on the bed at her feet, +and said, "Oh, mother, do stop crying, or I shall never fall asleep in +my coffin, for my shroud will not dry because of all thy tears, which +fall upon it." The mother was afraid when she heard that, and wept no +more. The next night the child came again, and held a little light in +its hand, and said, "Look, mother, my shroud is nearly dry, and I can +rest in my grave." Then the mother gave her sorrow into God's keeping, +and bore it quietly and patiently, and the child came no more, but slept +in its little bed beneath the earth. + + + +110 The Jew Among Thorns + +There was once a rich man, who had a servant who served him diligently +and honestly: He was every morning the first out of bed, and the last to +go to rest at night; and, whenever there was a difficult job to be done, +which nobody cared to undertake, he was always the first to set himself +to it. Moreover, he never complained, but was contented with everything, +and always merry. + +When a year was ended, his master gave him no wages, for he said to +himself, "That is the cleverest way; for I shall save something, and +he will not go away, but stay quietly in my service." The servant said +nothing, but did his work the second year as he had done it the first; +and when at the end of this, likewise, he received no wages, he made +himself happy, and still stayed on. + +When the third year also was past, the master considered, put his hand +in his pocket, but pulled nothing out. Then at last the servant said, +"Master, for three years I have served you honestly, be so good as to +give me what I ought to have, for I wish to leave, and look about me a +little more in the world." + +"Yes, my good fellow," answered the old miser; "you have served me +industriously, and, therefore, you shall be cheerfully rewarded;" And +he put his hand into his pocket, but counted out only three farthings, +saying, "There, you have a farthing for each year; that is large and +liberal pay, such as you would have received from few masters." + +The honest servant, who understood little about money, put his fortune +into his pocket, and thought, "Ah! now that I have my purse full, why need +I trouble and plague myself any longer with hard work!" So on he went, +up hill and down dale; and sang and jumped to his heart's content. Now +it came to pass that as he was going by a thicket a little man stepped +out, and called to him, "Whither away, merry brother? I see you do +not carry many cares." "Why should I be sad?" answered the servant; +"I have enough; three years' wages are jingling in my pocket." "How +much is your treasure?" the dwarf asked him. "How much? Three farthings +sterling, all told." "Look here," said the dwarf, "I am a poor needy man, +give me your three farthings; I can work no longer, but you are young, +and can easily earn your bread." + +And as the servant had a good heart, and felt pity for the old man, he +gave him the three farthings, saying, "Take them in the name of Heaven, +I shall not be any the worse for it." + +Then the little man said, "As I see you have a good heart I grant you +three wishes, one for each farthing, they shall all be fulfilled." + +"Aha?" said the servant, "you are one of those who can work wonders! Well, +then, if it is to be so, I wish, first, for a gun, which shall hit +everything that I aim at; secondly, for a fiddle, which when I play +on it, shall compel all who hear it to dance; thirdly, that if I ask a +favor of any one he shall not be able to refuse it." + +"All that shall you have," said the dwarf; and put his hand into the bush, +and only think, there lay a fiddle and gun, all ready, just as if they +had been ordered. These he gave to the servant, and then said to him, +"Whatever you may ask at any time, no man in the world shall be able to +deny you." + +"Heart alive! What can one desire more?" said the servant to himself, +and went merrily onwards. Soon afterwards he met a Jew with a long +goat's-beard, who was standing listening to the song of a bird which +was sitting up at the top of a tree. "Good heavens," he was exclaiming, +"that such a small creature should have such a fearfully loud voice! If +it were but mine! If only someone would sprinkle some salt upon its tail!" + +"If that is all," said the servant, "the bird shall soon be down here;" +And taking aim he pulled the trigger, and down fell the bird into the +thorn-bushes. "Go, you rogue," he said to the Jew, "and fetch the bird +out for yourself!" + +"Oh!" said the Jew, "leave out the rogue, my master, and I will do it +at once. I will get the bird out for myself, as you really have hit +it." Then he lay down on the ground, and began to crawl into the thicket. + +When he was fast among the thorns, the good servant's humor so tempted +him that he took up his fiddle and began to play. In a moment the Jew's +legs began to move, and to jump into the air, and the more the servant +fiddled the better went the dance. But the thorns tore his shabby coat +from him, combed his beard, and pricked and plucked him all over the +body. "Oh dear," cried the Jew, "what do I want with your fiddling? Leave +the fiddle alone, master; I do not want to dance." + +But the servant did not listen to him, and thought, "You have fleeced +people often enough, now the thorn-bushes shall do the same to you;" +and he began to play over again, so that the Jew had to jump higher +than ever, and scraps of his coat were left hanging on the thorns. "Oh, +woe's me! cried the Jew; I will give the gentleman whatsoever he asks +if only he leaves off fiddling a purse full of gold." "If you are so +liberal," said the servant, "I will stop my music; but this I must say +to your credit, that you dance to it so well that it is quite an art;" +and having taken the purse he went his way. + +The Jew stood still and watched the servant quietly until he was far +off and out of sight, and then he screamed out with all his might, +"You miserable musician, you beer-house fiddler! wait till I catch +you alone, I will hunt you till the soles of your shoes fall off! You +ragamuffin! just put five farthings in your mouth, and then you may be +worth three halfpence!" and went on abusing him as fast as he could +speak. As soon as he had refreshed himself a little in this way, and +got his breath again, he ran into the town to the justice. + +"My lord judge," he said, "I have come to make a complaint; see how +a rascal has robbed and ill-treated me on the public highway! a stone +on the ground might pity me; my clothes all torn, my body pricked and +scratched, my little all gone with my purse, good ducats, each piece +better than the last; for God's sake let the man be thrown into prison!" + +"Was it a soldier," said the judge, "who cut you thus with his +sabre?" "Nothing of the sort!" said the Jew; "it was no sword that he had, +but a gun hanging at his back, and a fiddle at his neck; the wretch may +easily be known." + +So the judge sent his people out after the man, and they found the good +servant, who had been going quite slowly along, and they found, too, +the purse with the money upon him. As soon as he was taken before the +judge he said, "I did not touch the Jew, nor take his money; he gave it +to me of his own free will, that I might leave off fiddling because he +could not bear my music." "Heaven defend us!" cried the Jew, "his lies +are as thick as flies upon the wall." + +But the judge also did not believe his tale, and said, "This is a bad +defence, no Jew would do that." And because he had committed robbery on +the public highway, he sentenced the good servant to be hanged. As he was +being led away the Jew again screamed after him, "You vagabond! you dog +of a fiddler! now you are going to receive your well-earned reward!" The +servant walked quietly with the hangman up the ladder, but upon the last +step he turned round and said to the judge, "Grant me just one request +before I die." + +"Yes, if you do not ask your life," said the judge. "I do not ask for +life," answered the servant, "but as a last favor let me play once more +upon my fiddle." The Jew raised a great cry of "Murder! murder! for +goodness' sake do not allow it! Do not allow it!" But the judge said, +"Why should I not let him have this short pleasure? it has been granted +to him, and he shall have it." However, he could not have refused on +account of the gift which had been bestowed on the servant. + +Then the Jew cried, "Oh! woe's me! tie me, tie me fast!" while the good +servant took his fiddle from his neck, and made ready. As he gave the +first scrape, they all began to quiver and shake, the judge, his clerk, +and the hangman and his men, and the cord fell out of the hand of the +one who was going to tie the Jew fast. At the second scrape all raised +their legs, and the hangman let go his hold of the good servant, and +made himself ready to dance. At the third scrape they all leaped up +and began to dance; the judge and the Jew being the best at jumping. +Soon all who had gathered in the market-place out of curiosity were +dancing with them; old and young, fat and lean, one with another. The +dogs, likewise, which had run there got up on their hind legs and capered +about; and the longer he played, the higher sprang the dancers, so that +they knocked against each other's heads, and began to shriek terribly. + +At length the judge cried, quite out of breath, "I will give you your life +if you will only stop fiddling." The good servant thereupon had compassion, +took his fiddle and hung it round his neck again, and stepped down the +ladder. Then he went up to the Jew, who was lying upon the ground panting +for breath, and said, "You rascal, now confess, whence you got the money, +or I will take my fiddle and begin to play again." "I stole it, I stole +it!" cried he; "but you have honestly earned it." So the judge had the +Jew taken to the gallows and hanged as a thief. + + + +111 The Skilful Huntsman + +THERE was once a young fellow who had learnt the trade of locksmith, +and told his father he would now go out into the world and seek his +fortune. "Very well," said the father, "I am quite content with that," +and gave him some money for his journey. So he travelled about and looked +for work. After a time he resolved not to follow the trade of locksmith +any more, for he no longer liked it, but he took a fancy for hunting. Then +there met him in his rambles a huntsman dressed in green, who asked whence +he came and whither he was going? The youth said he was a locksmith's +apprentice, but that the trade no longer pleased him, and he had a liking +for huntsmanship, would he teach it to him? "Oh, yes," said the huntsman, +"if thou wilt go with me." Then the young fellow went with him, bound +himself to him for some years, and learnt the art of hunting. After this +he wished to try his luck elsewhere, and the huntsman gave him nothing +in the way of payment but an air-gun, which had, however, this property, +that it hit its mark without fail whenever he shot with it. Then he set +out and found himself in a very large forest, which he could not get to +the end of in one day. When evening came he seated himself in a high tree +in order to escape from the wild beasts. Towards midnight, it seemed to +him as if a tiny little light glimmered in the distance. Then he looked +down through the branches towards it, and kept well in his mind where +it was. But in the first place he took off his hat and threw it down in +the direction of the light, so that he might go to the hat as a mark when +he had descended. Then he got down and went to his hat, put it on again +and went straight forwards. The farther he went, the larger the light +grew, and when he got close to it he saw that it was an enormous fire, and +that three giants were sitting by it, who had an ox on the spit, and were +roasting it. Presently one of them said, "I must just taste if the meat +will soon be fit to eat," and pulled a piece off, and was about to put it +in his mouth when the huntsman shot it out of his hand. "Well, really," +said the giant, "if the wind has not blown the bit out of my hand!" and +helped himself to another. But when he was just about to bite into it, +the huntsman again shot it away from him. On this the giant gave the one +who was sitting next him a box on the ear, and cried angrily, "Why art +thou snatching my piece away from me?" "I have not snatched it away," +said the other, "a sharpshooter must have shot it away from thee." The +giant took another piece, but could not, however, keep it in his hand, +for the huntsman shot it out. Then the giant said, "That must be a good +shot to shoot the bit out of one's very mouth, such an one would be useful +to us." And he cried aloud, "Come here, thou sharpshooter, seat thyself +at the fire beside us and eat thy fill, we will not hurt thee; but if +thou wilt not come, and we have to bring thee by force, thou art a lost +man!" On this the youth went up to them and told them he was a skilled +huntsman, and that whatever he aimed at with his gun, he was certain to +hit. Then they said if he would go with them he should be well treated, +and they told him that outside the forest there was a great lake, behind +which stood a tower, and in the tower was imprisoned a lovely princess, +whom they wished very much to carry off. "Yes," said he, "I will soon +get her for you." Then they added, "But there is still something else, +there is a tiny little dog, which begins to bark directly any one goes +near, and as soon as it barks every one in the royal palace wakens up, +and for this reason we cannot get there; canst thou undertake to shoot +it dead?" "Yes," said he, "that will be a little bit of fun for me." +After this he got into a boat and rowed over the lake, and as soon as he +landed, the little dog came running out, and was about to bark, but the +huntsman took his air-gun and shot it dead. When the giants saw that, they +rejoiced, and thought they already had the King's daughter safe, but the +huntsman wished first to see how matters stood, and told them that they +must stay outside until he called them. Then he went into the castle, +and all was perfectly quiet within, and every one was asleep. When he +opened the door of the first room, a sword was hanging on the wall which +was made of pure silver, and there was a golden star on it, and the name +of the King, and on a table near it lay a sealed letter which he broke +open, and inside it was written that whosoever had the sword could kill +everything which opposed him. So he took the sword from the wall, hung it +at his side and went onwards: then he entered the room where the King's +daughter was lying sleeping, and she was so beautiful that he stood +still and, holding his breath, looked at her. He thought to himself, +"How can I give an innocent maiden into the power of the wild giants, +who have evil in their minds?" He looked about further, and under the +bed stood a pair of slippers, on the right one was her father's name with +a star, and on the left her own name with a star. She wore also a great +neck-kerchief of silk embroidered with gold, and on the right side was +her father's name, and on the left her own, all in golden letters. Then +the huntsman took a pair of scissors and cut the right corner off, and +put it in his knapsack, and then he also took the right slipper with the +King's name, and thrust that in. Now the maiden still lay sleeping, and +she was quite sewn into her night-dress, and he cut a morsel from this +also, and thrust it in with the rest, but he did all without touching +her. Then he went forth and left her lying asleep undisturbed, and +when he came to the gate again, the giants were still standing outside +waiting for him, and expecting that he was bringing the princess. But +he cried to them that they were to come in, for the maiden was already +in their power, that he could not open the gate to them, but there was +a hole through which they must creep. Then the first approached, and +the huntsman wound the giant's hair round his hand, pulled the head in, +and cut it off at one stroke with his sword, and then drew the rest of +him in. He called to the second and cut his head off likewise, and then +he killed the third also, and he was well pleased that he had freed the +beautiful maiden from her enemies, and he cut out their tongues and put +them in his knapsack. Then thought he, "I will go home to my father and +let him see what I have already done, and afterwards I will travel about +the world; the luck which God is pleased to grant me will easily find me." + +But when the King in the castle awoke, he saw the three giants lying +there dead. So he went into the sleeping-room of his daughter, awoke her, +and asked who could have killed the giants? Then said she, "Dear father, +I know not, I have been asleep." But when she arose and would have put +on her slippers, the right one was gone, and when she looked at her +neck-kerchief it was cut, and the right corner was missing, and when she +looked at her night-dress a piece was cut out of it. The King summoned +his whole court together, soldiers and every one else who was there, and +asked who had set his daughter at liberty, and killed the giants? Now +it happened that he had a captain, who was one-eyed and a hideous man, +and he said that he had done it. Then the old King said that as he had +accomplished this, he should marry his daughter. But the maiden said, +"Rather than marry him, dear father, I will go away into the world as far +as my legs can carry me." But the King said that if she would not marry +him she should take off her royal garments and wear peasant's clothing, +and go forth, and that she should go to a potter, and begin a trade in +earthen vessels. So she put off her royal apparel, and went to a potter +and borrowed crockery enough for a stall, and she promised him also that +if she had sold it by the evening, she would pay for it. Then the King +said she was to seat herself in a corner with it and sell it, and he +arranged with some peasants to drive over it with their carts, so that +everything should be broken into a thousand pieces. When therefore the +King's daughter had placed her stall in the street, by came the carts, +and broke all she had into tiny fragments. She began to weep and said, +"Alas, how shall I ever pay for the pots now?" The King had, however, +wished by this to force her to marry the captain; but instead of that, +she again went to the potter, and asked him if he would lend to her once +more. He said, "No," she must first pay for the things she had already +had. Then she went to her father and cried and lamented, and said she +would go forth into the world. Then said he, "I will have a little hut +built for thee in the forest outside, and in it thou shalt stay all +thy life long and cook for every one, but thou shalt take no money for +it." When the hut was ready, a sign was hung on the door whereon was +written, "To-day given, to-morrow sold." There she remained a long +time, and it was rumored about the world that a maiden was there who +cooked without asking for payment, and that this was set forth on a sign +outside her door. The huntsman heard it likewise, and thought to himself, +"That would suit thee. Thou art poor, and hast no money." So he took his +air-gun and his knapsack, wherein all the things which he had formerly +carried away with him from the castle as tokens of his truthfulness were +still lying, and went into the forest, and found the hut with the sign, +"To-day given, to-morrow sold." He had put on the sword with which he +had cut off the heads of the three giants, and thus entered the hut, +and ordered something to eat to be given to him. He was charmed with +the beautiful maiden, who was indeed as lovely as any picture. She +asked him whence he came and whither he was going, and he said, "I am +roaming about the world." Then she asked him where he had got the sword, +for that truly her father's name was on it. He asked her if she were +the King's daughter. "Yes," answered she. "With this sword," said he, +"did I cut off the heads of three giants." And he took their tongues out +of his knapsack in proof. Then he also showed her the slipper, and the +corner of the neck-kerchief, and the bit of the night-dress. Hereupon she +was overjoyed, and said that he was the one who had delivered her. On +this they went together to the old King, and fetched him to the hut, +and she led him into her room, and told him that the huntsman was the +man who had really set her free from the giants. And when the aged King +saw all the proofs of this, he could no longer doubt, and said that he +was very glad he knew how everything had happened, and that the huntsman +should have her to wife, on which the maiden was glad at heart. Then she +dressed the huntsman as if he were a foreign lord, and the King ordered +a feast to be prepared. When they went to table, the captain sat on the +left side of the King's daughter, but the huntsman was on the right, and +the captain thought he was a foreign lord who had come on a visit. When +they had eaten and drunk, the old King said to the captain that he would +set before him something which he must guess. "Supposing any one said +that he had killed the three giants and he were asked where the giants' +tongues were, and he were forced to go and look, and there were none in +their heads, how could that happen?" The captain said, "Then they cannot +have had any." "Not so," said the King. "Every animal has a tongue," +and then he likewise asked what any one would deserve who made such an +answer? The captain replied, "He ought to be torn in pieces." Then the +King said he had pronounced his own sentence, and the captain was put +in prison and then torn in four pieces; but the King's daughter was +married to the huntsman. After this he brought his father and mother, +and they lived with their son in happiness, and after the death of the +old King he received the kingdom. + + + +112 The Flail From Heaven + +A countryman was once going out to plough with a pair of oxen. When he got +to the field, both the animals' horns began to grow, and went on growing, +and when he wanted to go home they were so big that the oxen could not get +through the gateway for them. By good luck a butcher came by just then, +and he delivered them over to him, and made the bargain in this way, that +he should take the butcher a measure of turnip-seed, and then the butcher +was to count him out a Brabant thaler for every seed. I call that well +sold! The peasant now went home, and carried the measure of turnip-seed +to him on his back. On the way, however, he lost one seed out of the +bag. The butcher paid him justly as agreed on, and if the peasant had not +lost the seed, he would have had one thaler the more. In the meantime, +when he went on his way back, the seed had grown into a tree which reached +up to the sky. Then thought the peasant, "As thou hast the chance, thou +must just see what the angels are doing up there above, and for once +have them before thine eyes." So he climbed up, and saw that the angels +above were threshing oats, and he looked on. While he was thus watching +them, he observed that the tree on which he was standing, was beginning +to totter; he peeped down, and saw that someone was just going to cut +it down. "If I were to fall down from hence it would be a bad thing," +thought he, and in his necessity he did not know how to save himself +better than by taking the chaff of the oats which lay there in heaps, +and twisting a rope of it. He likewise snatched a hoe and a flail which +were lying about in heaven, and let himself down by the rope. But he +came down on the earth exactly in the middle of a deep, deep hole. So it +was a real piece of luck that he had brought the hoe, for he hoed himself +a flight of steps with it, and mounted up, and took the flail with him +as a token of his truth, so that no one could have any doubt of his story. + + + +113 The Two Kings' Children + +There was once on a time a King who had a little boy of whom it had been +foretold that he should be killed by a stag when he was sixteen years of +age, and when he had reached that age the huntsmen once went hunting with +him. In the forest, the King's son was separated from the others, and +all at once he saw a great stag which he wanted to shoot, but could not +hit. At length he chased the stag so far that they were quite out of the +forest, and then suddenly a great tall man was standing there instead of +the stag, and said, "It is well that I have thee. I have already ruined +six pairs of glass skates with running after thee, and have not been +able to get thee." Then he took the King's son with him, and dragged him +through a great lake to a great palace, and then he had to sit down to +table with him and eat something. When they had eaten something together +the King said, "I have three daughters, thou must keep watch over the +eldest for one night, from nine in the evening till six in the morning, +and every time the clock strikes, I will come myself and call, and if thou +then givest me no answer, to-morrow morning thou shall be put to death, +but if thou always givest me an answer, thou shalt have her to wife." + +When the young folks went to the bed-room there stood a stone image of St. +Christopher, and the King's daughter said to it, "My father will come +at nine o'clock, and every hour till it strikes three; when he calls, +give him an answer instead of the King's son." Then the stone image of +St. Christopher nodded its head quite quickly, and then more and more +slowly till at last it stood still. The next morning the King said to +him, "Thou hast done the business well, but I cannot give my daughter +away. Thou must now watch a night by my second daughter, and then I will +consider with myself, whether thou canst have my eldest daughter to wife, +but I shall come every hour myself, and when I call thee, answer me, +and if I call thee and thou dost not reply, thy blood shall flow." Then +they both went into the sleeping-room, and there stood a still larger +stone image of St. Christopher, and the King's daughter said to it, +"If my father calls, do you answer him." Then the great stone image of +St. Christopher again nodded its head quite quickly and then more and +more slowly, until at last it stood still again. And the King's son lay +down on the threshold, put his hand under his head and slept. The next +morning the King said to him, "Thou hast done the business really well, +but I cannot give my daughter away; thou must now watch a night by the +youngest princess, and then I will consider with myself whether thou canst +have my second daughter to wife, but I shall come every hour myself, and +when I call thee answer me, and if I call thee and thou answerest not, +thy blood shall flow for me." + +Then they once more went to the sleeping-room together, and there was +a much greater and much taller image of St. Christopher than the two +first had been. The King's daughter said to it, "When my father calls, do +thou answer." Then the great tall stone image of St. Christopher nodded +quite half an hour with its head, until at length the head stood still +again. And the King's son laid himself down on the threshold of the door +and slept. The next morning the King said, "Thou hast indeed watched well, +but I cannot give thee my daughter now; I have a great forest, if thou +cuttest it down for me between six o'clock this morning and six at night, +I will think about it." Then he gave him a glass axe, a glass wedge, +and a glass mallet. When he got into the wood, he began at once to cut, +but the axe broke in two, then he took the wedge, and struck it once +with the mallet, and it became as short and as small as sand. Then he was +much troubled and believed he would have to die, and sat down and wept. + +Now when it was noon the King said, "One of you girls must take him +something to eat." "No," said the two eldest, "We will not take it to +him; the one by whom he last watched, can take him something." Then the +youngest was forced to go and take him something to eat. When she got +into the forest, she asked him how he was getting on? "Oh," said he, +"I am getting on very badly." Then she said he was to come and just eat +a little. "Nay," said he, "I cannot do that, I shall still have to die, +so I will eat no more." Then she spoke so kindly to him and begged him +just to try, that he came and ate something. When he had eaten something +she said, "I will comb thy hair a while, and then thou wilt feel happier." + +So she combed his hair, and he became weary and fell asleep, and then +she took her handkerchief and made a knot in it, and struck it three +times on the earth, and said, "Earth-workers, come forth." In a moment, +numbers of little earth-men came forth, and asked what the King's daughter +commanded? Then said she, "In three hours' time the great forest must +be cut down, and the whole of the wood laid in heaps." So the little +earth-men went about and got together the whole of their kindred to +help them with the work. They began at once, and when the three hours +were over, all was done, and they came back to the King's daughter +and told her so. Then she took her white handkerchief again and said, +"Earth-workers, go home." On this they all disappeared. When the King's +son awoke, he was delighted, and she said, "Come home when it has struck +six o'clock." He did as she told him, and then the King asked, "Hast thou +made away with the forest?" "Yes," said the King's son. When they were +sitting at table, the King said, "I cannot yet give thee my daughter to +wife, thou must still do something more for her sake." So he asked what +it was to be, then? "I have a great fish-pond," said the King. "Thou must +go to it to-morrow morning and clear it of all mud until it is as bright +as a mirror, and fill it with every kind of fish." The next morning +the King gave him a glass shovel and said, "The fish-pond must be done +by six o'clock." So he went away, and when he came to the fish-pond he +stuck his shovel in the mud and it broke in two, then he stuck his hoe +in the mud, and broke it also. Then he was much troubled. At noon the +youngest daughter brought him something to eat, and asked him how he +was getting on? So the King's son said everything was going very ill +with him, and he would certainly have to lose his head. "My tools have +broken to pieces again." "Oh," said she, "thou must just come and eat +something, and then thou wilt be in another frame of mind." "No," said he, +"I cannot eat, I am far too unhappy for that!" Then she gave him many +good words until at last he came and ate something. Then she combed his +hair again, and he fell asleep, so once more she took her handkerchief, +tied a knot in it, and struck the ground thrice with the knot, and said, +"Earth-workers, come forth." In a moment a great many little earth-men +came and asked what she desired, and she told them that in three hours' +time, they must have the fish-pond entirely cleaned out, and it must be so +clear that people could see themselves reflected in it, and every kind of +fish must be in it. The little earth-men went away and summoned all their +kindred to help them, and in two hours it was done. Then they returned to +her and said, "We have done as thou hast commanded." The King's daughter +took the handkerchief and once more struck thrice on the ground with it, +and said, "Earth-workers, go home again." Then they all went away. + +When the King's son awoke the fish-pond was done. Then the King's daughter +went away also, and told him that when it was six he was to come to +the house. When he arrived at the house the King asked, "Hast thou got +the fish-pond done?" "Yes," said the King's son. That was very good. + +When they were again sitting at table the King said, "Thou hast certainly +done the fish-pond, but I cannot give thee my daughter yet; thou must +just do one thing more." "What is that, then?" asked the King's son. The +King said he had a great mountain on which there was nothing but briars +which must all be cut down, and at the top of it the youth must build up a +great castle, which must be as strong as could be conceived, and all the +furniture and fittings belonging to a castle must be inside it. And when +he arose next morning the King gave him a glass axe and a glass gimlet +with him, and he was to have all done by six o'clock. As he was cutting +down the first briar with the axe, it broke off short, and so small +that the pieces flew all round about, and he could not use the gimlet +either. Then he was quite miserable, and waited for his dearest to see +if she would not come and help him in his need. When it was mid-day she +came and brought him something to eat. He went to meet her and told her +all, and ate something, and let her comb his hair and fell asleep. Then +she once more took the knot and struck the earth with it, and said, +"Earth-workers, come forth!" Then came once again numbers of earth-men, +and asked what her desire was. Then said she, "In the space of three hours +they must cut down the whole of the briars, and a castle must be built on +the top of the mountain that must be as strong as any one could conceive, +and all the furniture that pertains to a castle must be inside it." They +went away, and summoned their kindred to help them and when the time was +come, all was ready. Then they came to the King's daughter and told her +so, and the King's daughter took her handkerchief and struck thrice on +the earth with it, and said, "Earth-workers, go home," on which they all +disappeared. When therefore the King's son awoke and saw everything done, +he was as happy as a bird in air. + +When it had struck six, they went home together. Then said the King, +"Is the castle ready?" "Yes," said the King's son. When they sat down to +table, the King said, "I cannot give away my youngest daughter until the +two eldest are married." Then the King's son and the King's daughter were +quite troubled, and the King's son had no idea what to do. But he went by +night to the King's daughter and ran away with her. When they had got a +little distance away, the King's daughter peeped round and saw her father +behind her. "Oh," said she, "what are we to do? My father is behind us, +and will take us back with him. I will at once change thee into a briar, +and myself into a rose, and I will shelter myself in the midst of the +bush." When the father reached the place, there stood a briar with one +rose on it, then he was about to gather the rose, when the thorn came +and pricked his finger so that he was forced to go home again. His wife +asked why he had not brought their daughter back with him? So he said he +had nearly got up to her, but that all at once he had lost sight of her, +and a briar with one rose was growing on the spot. + +Then said the Queen, "If thou hadst but gathered the rose, the briar +would have been forced to come too." So he went back again to fetch +the rose, but in the meantime the two were already far over the plain, +and the King ran after them. Then the daughter once more looked round +and saw her father coming, and said, "Oh, what shall we do now? I will +instantly change thee into a church and myself into a priest, and I will +stand up in the pulpit, and preach." When the King got to the place, +there stood a church, and in the pulpit was a priest preaching. So he +listened to the sermon, and then went home again. + +Then the Queen asked why he had not brought their daughter with him, +and he said, "Nay, I ran a long time after her, and just as I thought I +should soon overtake her, a church was standing there and a priest was +in the pulpit preaching." "Thou shouldst just have brought the priest," +said his wife, "and then the church would soon have come. It is no use to +send thee, I must go there myself." When she had walked for some time, +and could see the two in the distance, the King's daughter peeped round +and saw her mother coming, and said, "Now we are undone, for my mother +is coming herself: I will immediately change thee into a fish-pond and +myself into a fish. + +When the mother came to the place, there was a large fish-pond, and in +the midst of it a fish was leaping about and peeping out of the water, +and it was quite merry. She wanted to catch the fish, but she could +not. Then she was very angry, and drank up the whole pond in order to +catch the fish, but it made her so ill that she was forced to vomit, +and vomited the whole pond out again. Then she cried, "I see very well +that nothing can be done now," and said that now they might come back +to her. Then the King's daughter went back again, and the Queen gave +her daughter three walnuts, and said, "With these thou canst help +thyself when thou art in thy greatest need." So the young folks went +once more away together. And when they had walked quite ten miles, they +arrived at the castle from whence the King's son came, and close by it +was a village. When they reached it, the King's son said, "Stay here, +my dearest, I will just go to the castle, and then will I come with a +carriage and with attendants to fetch thee." + +When he got to the castle they all rejoiced greatly at having the +King's son back again, and he told them he had a bride who was now in +the village, and they must go with the carriage to fetch her. Then they +harnessed the horses at once, and many attendants seated themselves +outside the carriage. When the King's son was about to get in, his +mother gave him a kiss, and he forgot everything which had happened, +and also what he was about to do. On this his mother ordered the horses +to be taken out of the carriage again, and everyone went back into the +house. But the maiden sat in the village and watched and watched, and +thought he would come and fetch her, but no one came. Then the King's +daughter took service in the mill which belonged to the castle, and was +obliged to sit by the pond every afternoon and clean the tubs. + +And the Queen came one day on foot from the castle, and went walking +by the pond, and saw the well-grown maiden sitting there, and said, +"What a fine strong girl that is! She pleases me well!" Then she and +all with her looked at the maid, but no one knew her. So a long time +passed by during which the maiden served the miller honorably and +faithfully. In the meantime, the Queen had sought a wife for her son, +who came from quite a distant part of the world. When the bride came, +they were at once to be married. And many people hurried together, all +of whom wanted to see everything. Then the girl said to the miller that +he might be so good as to give her leave to go also. So the miller said, +"Yes, do go there." When she was about to go, she opened one of the +three walnuts, and a beautiful dress lay inside it. She put it on, and +went into the church and stood by the altar. Suddenly came the bride and +bridegroom, and seated themselves before the altar, and when the priest +was just going to bless them, the bride peeped half round and saw the +maiden standing there. Then she stood up again, and said she would not be +given away until she also had as beautiful a dress as that lady there. +So they went back to the house again, and sent to ask the lady if she +would sell that dress. No, she would not sell it, but the bride might +perhaps earn it. Then the bride asked her how she was to do this? Then +the maiden said if she might sleep one night outside the King's son's +door, the bride might have what she wanted. So the bride said, "Yes, +she was willing to do that." But the servants were ordered to give the +King's son a sleeping-drink, and then the maiden laid herself down on the +threshold and lamented all night long. She had had the forest cut down +for him, she had had the fish-pond cleaned out for him, she had had the +castle built for him, she had changed him into a briar, and then into a +church, and at last into a fish-pond, and yet he had forgotten her so +quickly. The King's son did not hear one word of it, but the servants +had been awakened, and had listened to it, and had not known what it +could mean. The next morning when they were all up, the bride put on the +dress, and went away to the church with the bridegroom. In the meantime +the maiden opened the second walnut, and a still more beautiful dress +was inside it. She put it on, and went and stood by the altar in the +church, and everything happened as it had happened the time before. +And the maiden again lay all night on the threshold which led to the +chamber of the King's son, and the servant was once more to give him a +sleeping-drink. The servant, however, went to him and gave him something +to keep him awake, and then the King's son went to bed, and the miller's +maiden bemoaned herself as before on the threshold of the door, and told +of all that she had done. All this the King's son heard, and was sore +troubled, and what was past came back to him. Then he wanted to go to +her, but his mother had locked the door. The next morning, however, he +went at once to his beloved, and told her everything which had happened +to him, and prayed her not to be angry with him for having forgotten +her. Then the King's daughter opened the third walnut, and within it +was a still more magnificent dress, which she put on, and went with her +bridegroom to church, and numbers of children came who gave them flowers, +and offered them gay ribbons to bind about their feet, and they were +blessed by the priest, and had a merry wedding. But the false mother +and the bride had to depart. And the mouth of the person who last told +all this is still warm. + + + +114 The Cunning Little Tailor + +There was once on a time a princess who was extremely proud. If a wooer +came she gave him some riddle to guess, and if he could not find it +out, he was sent contemptuously away. She let it be made known also +that whosoever solved her riddle should marry her, let him be who he +might. At length, therefore, three tailors fell in with each other, +the two eldest of whom thought they had done so many dexterous bits of +work successfully that they could not fail to succeed in this also; the +third was a little useless land-louper, who did not even know his trade, +but thought he must have some luck in this venture, for where else was +it to come from? Then the two others said to him, "Just stay at home; +thou canst not do much with thy little bit of understanding." The little +tailor, however, did not let himself be discouraged, and said he had set +his head to work about this for once, and he would manage well enough, +and he went forth as if the whole world were his. + +They all three announced themselves to the princess, and said she was to +propound her riddle to them, and that the right persons were now come, who +had understandings so fine that they could be threaded in a needle. Then +said the princess, "I have two kinds of hair on my head, of what color +is it?" "If that be all," said the first, "it must be black and white, +like the cloth which is called pepper and salt." The princess said, +"Wrongly guessed; let the second answer." Then said the second, "If +it be not black and white, then it is brown and red, like my father's +company coat." "Wrongly guessed," said the princess, "let the third +give the answer, for I see very well he knows it for certain." Then +the little tailor stepped boldly forth and said, "The princess has a +silver and a golden hair on her head, and those are the two different +colors." When the princess heard that, she turned pale and nearly fell +down with terror, for the little tailor had guessed her riddle, and she +had firmly believed that no man on earth could discover it. When her +courage returned she said, "Thou hast not won me yet by that; there is +still something else that thou must do. Below, in the stable is a bear +with which thou shalt pass the night, and when I get up in the morning +if thou art still alive, thou shalt marry me." She expected, however, +she should thus get rid of the tailor, for the bear had never yet left +any one alive who had fallen into his clutches. The little tailor did +not let himself be frightened away, but was quite delighted, and said, +"Boldly ventured is half won." + +When therefore the evening came, our little tailor was taken down to +the bear. The bear was about to set at the little fellow at once, and +give him a hearty welcome with his paws: "Softly, softly," said the little +tailor, "I will soon make thee quiet." Then quite composedly, and as if +he had not an anxiety in the world, he took some nuts out of his pocket, +cracked them, and ate the kernels. When the bear saw that, he was seized +with a desire to have some nuts too. The tailor felt in his pockets, and +reached him a handful; they were, however, not nuts, but pebbles. The bear +put them in his mouth, but could get nothing out of them, let him bite as +he would. "Eh!" thought he, "what a stupid blockhead I am! I cannot even +crack a nut!" and then he said to the tailor, "Here, crack me the nuts." +"There, see what a stupid fellow thou art!" said the little tailor, +"to have such a great mouth, and not be able to crack a small nut!" Then +he took the pebble and nimbly put a nut in his mouth in the place of it, +and crack, it was in two! "I must try the thing again," said the bear; +"when I watch you, I then think I ought to be able to do it too." So the +tailor once more gave him a pebble, and the bear tried and tried to bite +into it with all the strength of his body. But no one will imagine that +he accomplished it. When that was over, the tailor took out a violin from +beneath his coat, and played a piece of it to himself. When the bear heard +the music, he could not help beginning to dance, and when he had danced a +while, the thing pleased him so well that he said to the little tailor, +"Hark you, is the fiddle heavy?" "Light enough for a child. Look, with +the left hand I lay my fingers on it, and with the right I stroke it with +the bow, and then it goes merrily, hop sa sa vivallalera!" "So," said the +bear; "fiddling is a thing I should like to understand too, that I might +dance whenever I had a fancy. What dost thou think of that? Wilt thou +give me lessons?" "With all my heart," said the tailor, "if thou hast a +talent for it. But just let me see thy claws, they are terribly long, +I must cut thy nails a little." Then a vise was brought, and the bear +put his claws in it, and the little tailor screwed it tight, and said, +"Now wait until I come with the scissors," and he let the bear growl as he +liked, and lay down in the corner on a bundle of straw, and fell asleep. + +When the princess heard the bear growling so fiercely during the night, +she believed nothing else but that he was growling for joy, and had +made an end of the tailor. In the morning she arose careless and happy, +but when she peeped into the stable, the tailor stood gaily before her, +and was as healthy as a fish in water. Now she could not say another word +against the wedding because she had given a promise before every one, +and the King ordered a carriage to be brought in which she was to drive +to church with the tailor, and there she was to be married. When they +had got into the carriage, the two other tailors, who had false hearts +and envied him his good fortune, went into the stable and unscrewed the +bear again. The bear in great fury ran after the carriage. The princess +heard him snorting and growling; she was terrified, and she cried, +"Ah, the bear is behind us and wants to get thee!" The tailor was quick +and stood on his head, stuck his legs out of the window, and cried, +"Dost thou see the vise? If thou dost not be off thou shalt be put into +it again." When the bear saw that, he turned round and ran away. The +tailor drove quietly to church, and the princess was married to him at +once, and he lived with her as happy as a woodlark. Whosoever does not +believe this, must pay a thaler. + + + +115 The Bright Sun Brings It to Light + +A tailor's apprentice was travelling about the world in search of work, +and at one time he could find none, and his poverty was so great that +he had not a farthing to live on. Presently he met a Jew on the road, +and as he thought he would have a great deal of money about him, the +tailor thrust God out of his heart, fell on the Jew, and said, "Give +me thy money, or I will strike thee dead." Then said the Jew, "Grant +me my life, I have no money but eight farthings." But the tailor said, +"Money thou hast; and it shall be produced," and used violence and beat +him until he was near death. And when the Jew was dying, the last words +he said were, "The bright sun will bring it to light," and thereupon he +died. The tailor's apprentice felt in his pockets and sought for money, +but he found nothing but eight farthings, as the Jew had said. Then he +took him up and carried him behind a clump of trees, and went onwards +to seek work. After he had traveled about a long while, he got work in a +town with a master who had a pretty daughter, with whom he fell in love, +and he married her, and lived in good and happy wedlock. + +After a long time when he and his wife had two children, the wife's father +and mother died, and the young people kept house alone. One morning, +when the husband was sitting on the table before the window, his wife +brought him his coffee, and when he had poured it out into the saucer, +and was just going to drink, the sun shone on it and the reflection +gleamed hither and thither on the wall above, and made circles on +it. Then the tailor looked up and said, "Yes, it would like very much +to bring it to light, and cannot!" The woman said, "Oh, dear husband, +and what is that, then?" "What dost thou mean by that?" He answered, +"I must not tell thee." But she said, "If thou lovest me, thou must +tell me," and used her most affectionate words, and said that no one +should ever know it, and left him no rest. Then he told her how years +ago, when he was travelling about seeking work and quite worn out and +penniless, he had killed a Jew, and that in the last agonies of death, +the Jew had spoken the words, "The bright sun will bring it to light." And +now, the sun had just wanted to bring it to light, and had gleamed and +made circles on the wall, but had not been able to do it. After this, +he again charged her particularly never to tell this, or he would lose +his life, and she did promise. When however, he had sat down to work +again, she went to her great friend and confided the story to her, +but she was never to repeat it to any human being, but before two days +were over, the whole town knew it, and the tailor was brought to trial, +and condemned. And thus, after all, the bright sun did bring it to light. + + + +116 The Blue Light + +There was once on a time a soldier who for many years had served the +King faithfully, but when the war came to an end could serve no longer +because of the many wounds which he had received. The King said to him, +"Thou mayst return to thy home, I need thee no longer, and thou wilt +not receive any more money, for he only receives wages who renders +me service for them." Then the soldier did not know how to earn a +living, went away greatly troubled, and walked the whole day, until +in the evening he entered a forest. When darkness came on, he saw a +light, which he went up to, and came to a house wherein lived a witch. +"Do give me one night's lodging, and a little to eat and drink," said +he to her, "or I shall starve." "Oho!" she answered, "who gives anything +to a run-away soldier? Yet will I be compassionate, and take you in, if +you will do what I wish." "What do you wish?" said the soldier. "That you +should dig all round my garden for me, tomorrow." The soldier consented, +and next day labored with all his strength, but could not finish it by the +evening. "I see well enough," said the witch, "that you can do no more +to-day, but I will keep you yet another night, in payment for which you +must to-morrow chop me a load of wood, and make it small." The soldier +spent the whole day in doing it, and in the evening the witch proposed +that he should stay one night more. "To-morrow, you shall only do me a +very trifling piece of work. Behind my house, there is an old dry well, +into which my light has fallen, it burns blue, and never goes out, and +you shall bring it up again for me." Next day the old woman took him +to the well, and let him down in a basket. He found the blue light, and +made her a signal to draw him up again. She did draw him up, but when he +came near the edge, she stretched down her hand and wanted to take the +blue light away from him. "No," said he, perceiving her evil intention, +"I will not give thee the light until I am standing with both feet upon +the ground." The witch fell into a passion, let him down again into the +well, and went away. + +The poor soldier fell without injury on the moist ground, and the blue +light went on burning, but of what use was that to him? He saw very well +that he could not escape death. He sat for a while very sorrowfully, +then suddenly he felt in his pocket and found his tobacco pipe, which +was still half full. "This shall be my last pleasure," thought he, +pulled it out, lit it at the blue light and began to smoke. When the +smoke had circled about the cavern, suddenly a little black dwarf stood +before him, and said, "Lord, what are thy commands?" "What commands +have I to give thee?" replied the soldier, quite astonished. "I must +do everything thou biddest me," said the little man. "Good," said the +soldier; "then in the first place help me out of this well." The little +man took him by the hand, and led him through an underground passage, +but he did not forget to take the blue light with him. On the way the +dwarf showed him the treasures which the witch had collected and hidden +there, and the soldier took as much gold as he could carry. When he was +above, he said to the little man, "Now go and bind the old witch, and +carry her before the judge." In a short time she, with frightful cries, +came riding by, as swift as the wind on a wild tom-cat, nor was it long +after that before the little man re-appeared. "It is all done," said he, +"and the witch is already hanging on the gallows. What further commands +has my lord?" inquired the dwarf. "At this moment, none," answered the +soldier; "Thou canst return home, only be at hand immediately, if I +summon thee." "Nothing more is needed than that thou shouldst light thy +pipe at the blue light, and I will appear before thee at once." Thereupon +he vanished from his sight. + +The soldier returned to the town from which he had come. He went to the +best inn, ordered himself handsome clothes, and then bade the landlord +furnish him a room as handsomely as possible. When it was ready and the +soldier had taken possession of it, he summoned the little black mannikin +and said, "I have served the King faithfully, but he has dismissed me, +and left me to hunger, and now I want to take my revenge." "What am I +to do?" asked the little man. "Late at night, when the King's daughter +is in bed, bring her here in her sleep, she shall do servant's work for +me." The mannikin said, "That is an easy thing for me to do, but a very +dangerous thing for you, for if it is discovered, you will fare ill." When +twelve o'clock had struck, the door sprang open, and the mannikin carried +in the princess. "Aha! art thou there?" cried the soldier, "get to thy +work at once! Fetch the broom and sweep the chamber." When she had done +this, he ordered her to come to his chair, and then he stretched out his +feet and said, "Pull off my boots for me," and then he threw them in her +face, and made her pick them up again, and clean and brighten them. She, +however, did everything he bade her, without opposition, silently and +with half-shut eyes. When the first cock crowed, the mannikin carried +her back to the royal palace, and laid her in her bed. + +Next morning when the princess arose, she went to her father, and told +him that she had had a very strange dream. "I was carried through the +streets with the rapidity of lightning," said she, "and taken into a +soldier's room, and I had to wait upon him like a servant, sweep his room, +clean his boots, and do all kinds of menial work. It was only a dream, +and yet I am just as tired as if I really had done everything." "The +dream may have been true," said the King, "I will give thee a piece +of advice. Fill thy pocket full of peas, and make a small hole in it, +and then if thou art carried away again, they will fall out and leave a +track in the streets." But unseen by the King, the mannikin was standing +beside him when he said that, and heard all. At night when the sleeping +princess was again carried through the streets, some peas certainly did +fall out of her pocket, but they made no track, for the crafty mannikin +had just before scattered peas in every street there was. And again the +princess was compelled to do servant's work until cock-crow. + +Next morning the King sent his people out to seek the track, but it was +all in vain, for in every street poor children were sitting, picking up +peas, and saying, "It must have rained peas, last night." "We must think +of something else," said the King; "keep thy shoes on when thou goest to +bed, and before thou comest back from the place where thou art taken, +hide one of them there, I will soon contrive to find it." The black +mannikin heard this plot, and at night when the soldier again ordered +him to bring the princess, revealed it to him, and told him that he knew +of no expedient to counteract this stratagem, and that if the shoe were +found in the soldier's house it would go badly with him. "Do what I bid +thee," replied the soldier, and again this third night the princess was +obliged to work like a servant, but before she went away, she hid her +shoe under the bed. + +Next morning the King had the entire town searched for his daughter's +shoe. It was found at the soldier's, and the soldier himself, who at the +entreaty of the dwarf had gone outside the gate, was soon brought back, +and thrown into prison. In his flight he had forgotten the most valuable +things he had, the blue light and the gold, and had only one ducat in +his pocket. And now loaded with chains, he was standing at the window of +his dungeon, when he chanced to see one of his comrades passing by. The +soldier tapped at the pane of glass, and when this man came up, said to +him, "Be so kind as to fetch me the small bundle I have left lying in the +inn, and I will give you a ducat for doing it." His comrade ran thither +and brought him what he wanted. As soon as the soldier was alone again, +he lighted his pipe and summoned the black mannikin. "Have no fear," +said the latter to his master. "Go wheresoever they take you, and let +them do what they will, only take the blue light with you." Next day +the soldier was tried, and though he had done nothing wicked, the judge +condemned him to death. When he was led forth to die, he begged a last +favor of the King. "What is it?" asked the King. "That I may smoke one +more pipe on my way." "Thou mayst smoke three," answered the King, "but +do not imagine that I will spare thy life." Then the soldier pulled out +his pipe and lighted it at the blue light, and as soon as a few wreaths +of smoke had ascended, the mannikin was there with a small cudgel in +his hand, and said, "What does my lord command?" "Strike down to earth +that false judge there, and his constable, and spare not the King who +has treated me so ill." Then the mannikin fell on them like lightning, +darting this way and that way, and whosoever was so much as touched by +his cudgel fell to earth, and did not venture to stir again. The King +was terrified; he threw himself on the soldier's mercy, and merely to +be allowed to live at all, gave him his kingdom for his own, and the +princess to wife. + + + +117 The Wilful Child + +Once upon a time there was a child who was willful, and would not do +at her mother wished. For this reason God had no pleasure in her, and +let her become ill, and no doctor could do her any good, and in a short +time she lay on her death-bed. When she had been lowered into her grave, +and the earth was spread over her, all at once her arm came out again, +and stretched upwards, and when they had put it in and spread fresh +earth over it, it was all to no purpose, for the arm always came out +again. Then the mother herself was obliged to go to the grave, and +strike the arm with a rod, and when she had done that, it was drawn in, +and then at last the child had rest beneath the ground. + + + +118 The Three Army-Surgeons + +Three army-surgeons who thought they knew their art perfectly, were +travelling about the world, and they came to an inn where they wanted to +pass the night. The host asked whence they came, and whither they were +going? "We are roaming about the world and practising our art." "Just +show me for once in a way what you can do," said the host. Then the +first said he would cut off his hand, and put it on again early next +morning; the second said he would tear out his heart, and replace +it next morning; the third said he would cut out his eyes and heal +them again next morning. "If you can do that," said the innkeeper, +"you have learnt everything." They, however, had a salve, with which +they rubbed themselves, which joined parts together, and they carried +the little bottle in which it was, constantly with them. Then they cut +the hand, heart and eyes from their bodies as they had said they would, +and laid them all together on a plate, and gave it to the innkeeper. The +innkeeper gave it to a servant who was to set it in the cupboard, and +take good care of it. The girl, however, had a lover in secret, who +was a soldier. When therefore the innkeeper, the three army-surgeons, +and everyone else in the house were asleep, the soldier came and wanted +something to eat. The girl opened the cupboard and brought him some food, +and in her love forgot to shut the cupboard-door again; She seated herself +at the table by her lover, and they chattered away together. While she sat +so contentedly there, thinking of no ill luck, the cat came creeping in, +found the cupboard open, took the hand and heart and eyes of the three +army-surgeons, and ran off with them. When the soldier had done eating, +and the girl was taking away the things and going to shut the cupboard +she saw that the plate which the innkeeper had given her to take care of, +was empty. Then she said in a fright to her lover, "Ah, miserable girl, +what shall I do? The hand is gone, the heart and the eyes are gone too, +what will become of me in the morning?" "Be easy," said he, "I will help +thee out of thy trouble there is a thief hanging outside on the gallows, +I will cut off his hand. Which hand was it?" "The right one." Then the +girl gave him a sharp knife, and he went and cut the poor sinner's right +hand off, and brought it to her. After this he caught the cat and cut +its eyes out, and now nothing but the heart was wanting. "Have you not +been killing, and are not the dead pigs in the cellar?" said he. "Yes," +said the girl. "That's well," said the soldier, and he went down and +fetched a pig's heart. The girl placed all together on the plate, and +put it in the cupboard, and when after this her lover took leave of her, +she went quietly to bed. + +In the morning when the three army-surgeons got up, they told the girl +she was to bring them the plate on which the hand, heart, and eyes were +lying. Then she brought it out of the cupboard, and the first fixed the +thief's hand on and smeared it with his salve, and it grew to his arm +directly. The second took the cat's eyes and put them in his own head. The +third fixed the pig's heart firm in the place where his own had been, +and the innkeeper stood by, admired their skill, and said he had never yet +seen such a thing as that done, and would sing their praises and recommend +them to everyone. Then they paid their bill, and travelled farther. + +As they were on their way, the one with the pig's heart did not stay with +them at all, but wherever there was a corner he ran to it, and rooted +about in it with his nose as pigs do. The others wanted to hold him back +by the tail of his coat, but that did no good; he tore himself loose, +and ran wherever the dirt was thickest. The second also behaved very +strangely; he rubbed his eyes, and said to the others, "Comrades, what +is the matter? I don't see at all. Will one of you lead me, so that I +do not fall." Then with difficulty they travelled on till evening, when +they reached another inn. They went into the bar together, and there at +a table in the corner sat a rich man counting money. The one with the +thief's hand walked round about him, made a sudden movement twice with +his arm, and at last when the stranger turned away, he snatched at the +pile of money, and took a handful from it. One of them saw this, and said, +"Comrade, what art thou about? Thou must not steal shame on thee!" "Eh," +said he, "but how can I stop myself? My hand twitches, and I am forced +to snatch things whether I will or not." + +After this, they lay down to sleep, and while they were lying there it +was so dark that no one could see his own hand. All at once the one +with the cat's eyes awoke, aroused the others, and said. "Brothers, +just look up, do you see the white mice running about there?" The two +sat up, but could see nothing. Then said he, "Things are not right +with us, we have not got back again what is ours. We must return to +the innkeeper, he has deceived us." They went back therefore, the next +morning, and told the host they had not got what was their own again; +that the first had a thief's hand, the second cat's eyes, and the third +a pig's heart. The innkeeper said that the girl must be to blame for +that, and was going to call her, but when she had seen the three coming, +she had run out by the backdoor, and not come back. Then the three said +he must give them a great deal of money, or they would set his house on +fire. He gave them what he had, and whatever he could get together, and +the three went away with it. It was enough for the rest of their lives, +but they would rather have had their own proper organs. + + + +119 The Seven Swabians + +Seven Swabians were once together. The first was Master Schulz; the +second, Jackli; the third, Marli; the fourth, Jergli; the fifth, Michal; +the sixth, Hans; the seventh, Veitli: all seven had made up their minds to +travel about the world to seek adventures, and perform great deeds. But +in order that they might go in security and with arms in their hands, +they thought it would be advisable that they should have one solitary, +but very strong, and very long spear made for them. This spear all +seven of them took in their hands at once; in front walked the boldest +and bravest, and that was Master Schulz; all the others followed in +a row, and Veitli was the last. Then it came to pass one day in the +hay-making month (July), when they had walked a long distance, and +still had a long way to go before they reached the village where they +were to pass the night, that as they were in a meadow in the twilight +a great beetle or hornet flew by them from behind a bush, and hummed +in a menacing manner. Master Schulz was so terrified that he all but +dropped the spear, and a cold perspiration broke out over his whole +body. "Hark! hark!" cried he to his comrades, "Good heavens! I hear a +drum." Jackli, who was behind him holding the spear, and who perceived +some kind of a smell, said, "Something is most certainly going on, for +I taste powder and matches." At these words Master Schulz began to take +to flight, and in a trice jumped over a hedge, but as he just happened +to jump on to the teeth of a rake which had been left lying there after +the hay-making, the handle of it struck against his face and gave him +a tremendous blow. "Oh dear! Oh dear!" screamed Master Schulz. "Take me +prisoner; I surrender! I surrender!" The other six all leapt over, one on +the top of the other, crying, "If you surrender, I surrender too! If you +surrender, I surrender too!" At length, as no enemy was there to bind and +take them away, they saw that they had been mistaken, and in order that +the story might not be known, and they be treated as fools and ridiculed, +they all swore to each other to hold their peace about it until one of +them accidentally spoke of it. Then they journeyed onwards. The second +danger which they survived cannot be compared with the first. Some days +afterwards, their path led them through a fallow-field where a hare was +sitting sleeping in the sun. Her ears were standing straight up, and her +great glassy eyes were wide open. All of them were alarmed at the sight +of the horrible wild beast, and they consulted together as to what it +would be the least dangerous to do. For if they were to run away, they +knew that the monster would pursue and swallow them whole. So they said, +"We must go through a great and dangerous struggle. Boldly ventured, +is half won," and all seven grasped the spear, Master Schulz in front, +and Veitli behind. Master Schulz was always trying to keep the spear +back, but Veitli had become quite brave while behind, and wanted to dash +forward and cried, + + + "Strike home, in every Swabian's name, + Or else I wish ye may be lame." + +But Hans knew how to meet this, and said, + + + "Thunder and lightning, it's fine to prate, + But for dragon-hunting thou'rt aye too late." + +Michal cried, + + + "Nothing is wanting, not even a hair, + Be sure the Devil himself is there." + +Then it was Jergli's turn to speak, + + + "If it be not, it's at least his mother, + Or else it's the Devil's own step-brother." + +And now Marli had a bright thought, and said to Veitli, + + + "Advance, Veitli, advance, advance, + And I behind will hold the lance." + +Veitli, however, did not attend to that, and Jackli said, + + + "Tis Schulz's place the first to be, + No one deserves that honor but he." + +Then Master Schulz plucked up his courage, and said, gravely, + + + "Then let us boldly advance to the fight, + And thus we shall show our valour and might." + +Hereupon they all together set on the dragon. Master Schulz crossed +himself and prayed for God's assistance, but as all this was of no +avail, and he was getting nearer and nearer to the enemy, he screamed +"Oho! oho! ho! ho! ho!" in the greatest anguish. This awakened the hare, +which in great alarm darted swiftly away. When Master Schulz saw her +thus flying from the field of battle, he cried in his joy. + + + "Quick, Veitli, quick, look there, look there, + The monster's nothing but a hare!" + +But the Swabian allies went in search of further adventures, and came +to the Moselle, a mossy, quiet, deep river, over which there are few +bridges, and which in many places people have to cross in boats. As the +seven Swabians did not know this, they called to a man who was working +on the opposite side of the river, to know how people contrived to get +across. The distance and their way of speaking made the man unable to +understand what they wanted, and he said "What? what?" in the way people +speak in the neighborhood of Treves. Master Schulz thought he was saying, +"Wade, wade through the water," and as he was the first, began to set +out and went into the moselle. It was not long before he sank in the mud +and the deep waves which drove against him, but his hat was blown on the +opposite shore by the wind, and a frog sat down beside it, and croaked +"Wat, wat, wat." The other six on the opposite side heard that, and said, +"Oho, comrades, Master Schulz is calling us; if he can wade across, why +cannot we?" So they all jumped into the water together in a great hurry, +and were drowned, and thus one frog took the lives of all six of them, +and not one of the Swabian allies ever reached home again. + + + +120 The Three Apprentices + +There were once three apprentices, who had agreed to keep always together +while travelling, and always to work in the same town. At one time, +however, their masters had no more work to give them, so that at last +they were in rags, and had nothing to live on. Then one of them said, +"What shall we do? We cannot stay here any longer, we will travel once +more, and if we do not find any work in the town we go to, we will +arrange with the innkeeper there, that we are to write and tell him +where we are staying, so that we can always have news of each other, +and then we will separate." And that seemed best to the others also. +They went forth, and met on the way a richly-dressed man who asked +who they were. "We are apprentices looking for work; Up to this time +we have kept together, but if we cannot find anything to do we are +going to separate." "There is no need for that," said the man, "if you +will do what I tell you, you shall not want for gold or for work; nay, +you shall become great lords, and drive in your carriages!" One of them +said, "If our souls and salvation be not endangered, we will certainly +do it." "They will not," replied the man, "I have no claim on you." +One of the others had, however, looked at his feet, and when he saw a +horse's foot and a man's foot, he did not want to have anything to do +with him. The Devil, however, said, "Be easy, I have no designs on you, +but on another soul, which is half my own already, and whose measure shall +but run full." As they were now secure, they consented, and the Devil +told them what he wanted. The first was to answer, "All three of us," +to every question; the second was to say, "For money," and the third, +"And quite right too!" They were always to say this, one after the other, +but they were not to say one word more, and if they disobeyed this order, +all their money would disappear at once, but so long as they observed it, +their pockets would always be full. As a beginning, he at once gave them +as much as they could carry, and told them to go to such and such an inn +when they got to the town. They went to it, and the innkeeper came to meet +them, and asked if they wished for anything to eat? The first replied, +"All three of us." "Yes," said the host, "that is what I mean." The +second said, "For money." "Of course," said the host. The third said, +"And quite right too!" "Certainly it is right," said the host. + +Good meat and drink were now brought to them, and they were well waited +on. After the dinner came the payment, and the innkeeper gave the bill +to the one who said, "All three of us," the second said, "For money," and +the third, "and quite right too!" "Indeed it is right," said the host, +"all three pay, and without money I can give nothing." They, however, +paid still more than he had asked. The lodgers, who were looking on, +said, "These people must be mad." "Yes, indeed they are," said the host, +"they are not very wise." So they stayed some time in the inn, and said +nothing else but, "All three of us," "For money," and "And quite right +too!" But they saw and knew all that was going on. It so happened that a +great merchant came with a large sum of money, and said, "Sir host, take +care of my money for me, here are three crazy apprentices who might steal +it from me." The host did as he was asked. As he was carrying the trunk +into his room, he felt that it was heavy with gold. Thereupon he gave the +three apprentices a lodging below, but the merchant came up-stairs into +a separate apartment. When it was midnight, and the host thought that +all were asleep, he came with his wife, and they had an axe and struck +the rich merchant dead; and after they had murdered him they went to bed +again. When it was day there was a great outcry; the merchant lay dead +in bed bathed in blood. All the guests ran at once but the host said, +"The three crazy apprentices have done this;" the lodgers confirmed +it, and said, "It can have been no one else." The innkeeper, however, +had them called, and said to them, "Have you killed the merchant?" +"All three of us," said the first, "For money," said the second; and the +third added, "And quite right too!" "There now, you hear," said the host, +"they confess it themselves." They were taken to prison, therefore, and +were to be tried. When they saw that things were going so seriously, +they were after all afraid, but at night the Devil came and said, +"Bear it just one day longer, and do not play away your luck, not one +hair of your head shall be hurt." + +The next morning they were led to the bar, and the judge said, "Are you +the murderers?" "All three of us." "Why did you kill the merchant?" "For +money." "You wicked wretches, you have no horror of your sins?" "And +quite right too!" "They have confessed, and are still stubborn," said +the judge, "lead them to death instantly." So they were taken out, and the +host had to go with them into the circle. When they were taken hold of by +the executioner's men, and were just going to be led up to the scaffold +where the headsman was standing with naked sword, a coach drawn by four +blood-red chestnut horses came up suddenly, driving so fast that fire +flashed from the stones, and someone made signs from the window with +a white handkerchief. Then said the headsman, "It is a pardon coming," +and "Pardon! pardon!" was called from the carriage also. Then the Devil +stepped out as a very noble gentleman, beautifully dressed, and said, +"You three are innocent; you may now speak, make known what you have +seen and heard." Then said the eldest, "We did not kill the merchant, +the murderer is standing there in the circle," and he pointed to the +innkeeper. "In proof of this, go into his cellar, where many others whom +he has killed are still hanging." Then the judge sent the executioner's +men thither, and they found it was as the apprentices said, and when +they had informed the judge of this, he caused the innkeeper to be +led up, and his head was cut off. Then said the Devil to the three, +"Now I have got the soul which I wanted to have, and you are free, +and have money for the rest of your lives." + + + +121 The King's Son Who Feared Nothing + +There was once a King's son, who was no longer content to stay at home +in his father's house, and as he had no fear of anything, he thought, +"I will go forth into the wide world, there the time will not seem long +to me, and I shall see wonders enough." So he took leave of his parents, +and went forth, and on and on from morning till night, and whichever +way his path led it was the same to him. It came to pass that he got to +the house of a giant, and as he was so tired he sat down by the door and +rested. And as he let his eyes roam here and there, he saw the giant's +playthings lying in the yard. These were a couple of enormous balls, +and nine-pins as tall as a man. After a while he had a fancy to set the +nine-pins up and then rolled the balls at them, and screamed and cried +out when the nine-pins fell, and had a merry time of it. The giant heard +the noise, stretched his head out of the window, and saw a man who was +not taller than other men, and yet played with his nine-pins. "Little +worm," cried he, "why art thou playing with my balls? Who gave thee +strength to do it?" The King's son looked up, saw the giant, and said, +"Oh, thou blockhead, thou thinkest indeed that thou only hast strong arms, +I can do everything I want to do." The giant came down and watched the +bowling with great admiration, and said, "Child of man, if thou art one of +that kind, go and bring me an apple of the tree of life." "What dost thou +want with it?" said the King's son. "I do not want the apple for myself," +answered the giant, "but I have a betrothed bride who wishes for it. I +have travelled far about the world and cannot find the tree." "I will +soon find it," said the King's son, "and I do not know what is to prevent +me from getting the apple down." The giant said, "Thou really believest +it to be so easy! The garden in which the tree stands is surrounded by +an iron railing, and in front of the railing lie wild beasts, each close +to the other, and they keep watch and let no man go in." "They will be +sure to let me in," said the King's son. "Yes, but even if thou dost get +into the garden, and seest the apple hanging to the tree, it is still +not thine; a ring hangs in front of it, through which any one who wants +to reach the apple and break it off, must put his hand, and no one has +yet had the luck to do it." "That luck will be mine," said the King's son. + +Then he took leave of the giant, and went forth over mountain and valley, +and through plains and forests, until at length he came to the wondrous +garden. + +The beasts lay round about it, but they had put their heads down and +were asleep. Moreover, they did not awake when he went up to them, +so he stepped over them, climbed the fence, and got safely into the +garden. There, in the very middle of it, stood the tree of life, and the +red apples were shining upon the branches. He climbed up the trunk to the +top, and as he was about to reach out for an apple, he saw a ring hanging +before it; but he thrust his hand through that without any difficulty, +and gathered the apple. The ring closed tightly on his arm, and all at +once he felt a prodigious strength flowing through his veins. When he had +come down again from the tree with the apple, he would not climb over the +fence, but grasped the great gate, and had no need to shake it more than +once before it sprang open with a loud crash. Then he went out, and the +lion which had been lying down before, was awake and sprang after him, +not in rage and fierceness, but following him humbly as its master. + +The King's son took the giant the apple he had promised him, and said, +"Seest thou, I have brought it without difficulty." The giant was glad +that his desire had been so soon satisfied, hastened to his bride, +and gave her the apple for which she had wished. She was a beautiful +and wise maiden, and as she did not see the ring on his arm, she said, +"I shall never believe that thou hast brought the apple, until I see the +ring on thine arm." The giant said, "I have nothing to do but go home +and fetch it," and thought it would be easy to take away by force from +the weak man, what he would not give of his own free will. He therefore +demanded the ring from him, but the King's son refused it. "Where the +apple is, the ring must be also," said the giant; "if thou wilt not give +it of thine own accord, thou must fight with me for it." + +They wrestled with each other for a long time, but the giant could not +get the better of the King's son, who was strengthened by the magical +power of the ring. Then the giant thought of a stratagem, and said, +"I have got warm with fighting, and so hast thou. We will bathe in +the river, and cool ourselves before we begin again." The King's son, +who knew nothing of falsehood, went with him to the water, and pulled +off with his clothes the ring also from his arm, and sprang into the +river. The giant instantly snatched the ring, and ran away with it, +but the lion, which had observed the theft, pursued the giant, tore the +ring out of his hand, and brought it back to its master. Then the giant +placed himself behind an oak-tree, and while the King's son was busy +putting on his clothes again, surprised him, and put both his eyes out. + +And now the unhappy King's son stood there, and was blind and knew not +how to help himself. Then the giant came back to him, took him by the +hand as if he were someone who wanted to guide him, and led him to the +top of a high rock. There he left him standing, and thought, "Just two +steps more, and he will fall down and kill himself, and I can take the +ring from him." But the faithful lion had not deserted its master; it +held him fast by the clothes, and drew him gradually back again. When +the giant came and wanted to rob the dead man, he saw that his cunning +had been in vain. "Is there no way, then, of destroying a weak child of +man like that?" said he angrily to himself, and seized the King's son and +led him back again to the precipice by another way, but the lion which +saw his evil design, helped its master out of danger here also. When +they had got close to the edge, the giant let the blind man's hand drop, +and was going to leave him behind alone, but the lion pushed the giant +so that he was thrown down and fell, dashed to pieces, on the ground. + +The faithful animal again drew its master back from the precipice, +and guided him to a tree by which flowed a clear brook. The King's son +sat down there, but the lion lay down, and sprinkled the water in his +face with its paws. Scarcely had a couple of drops wetted the sockets +of his eyes, than he was once more able to see something, and remarked +a little bird flying quite close by, which wounded itself against the +trunk of a tree. On this it went down to the water and bathed itself +therein, and then it soared upwards and swept between the trees without +touching them, as if it had recovered its sight again. Then the King's +son recognized a sign from God and stooped down to the water, and washed +and bathed his face in it. And when he arose he had his eyes once more, +brighter and clearer than they had ever been. + +The King's son thanked God for his great mercy, and travelled with his +lion onwards through the world. And it came to pass that he arrived before +a castle which was enchanted. In the gateway stood a maiden of beautiful +form and fine face, but she was quite black. She spoke to him and said, +"Ah, if thou couldst but deliver me from the evil spell which is thrown +over me." "What shall I do?" said the King's son. The maiden answered, +"Thou must pass three nights in the great hall of this enchanted castle, +but thou must let no fear enter thy heart. When they are doing their worst +to torment thee, if thou bearest it without letting a sound escape thee, +I shall be free. Thy life they dare not take." Then said the King's son, +"I have no fear; with God's help I will try it." So he went gaily into +the castle, and when it grew dark he seated himself in the large hall +and waited. Everything was quiet, however, till midnight, when all at +once a great tumult began, and out of every hole and corner came little +devils. They behaved as if they did not see him, seated themselves +in the middle of the room, lighted a fire, and began to gamble. When +one of them lost, he said, "It is not right; some one is here who does +not belong to us; it is his fault that I am losing." "Wait, you fellow +behind the stove, I am coming," said another. The screaming became still +louder, so that no one could have heard it without terror. The King's son +stayed sitting quite quietly, and was not afraid; but at last the devils +jumped up from the ground, and fell on him, and there were so many of +them that he could not defend himself from them. They dragged him about +on the floor, pinched him, pricked him, beat him, and tormented him, +but no sound escaped from him. Towards morning they disappeared, +and he was so exhausted that he could scarcely move his limbs, but +when day dawned the black maiden came to him. She bore in her hand a +little bottle wherein was the water of life wherewith she washed him, +and he at once felt all pain depart and new strength flow through his +veins. She said, "Thou hast held out successfully for one night, but two +more lie before thee." Then she went away again, and as she was going, +he observed that her feet had become white. The next night the devils +came and began their gambols anew. They fell on the King's son, and beat +him much more severely than the night before, until his body was covered +with wounds. But as he bore all quietly, they were forced to leave him, +and when dawn appeared, the maiden came and healed him with the water +of life. And when she went away, he saw with joy that she had already +become white to the tips of her fingers. And now he had only one night +more to go through, but it was the worst. The hob-goblins came again: +"Art thou there still?" cried they, "thou shalt be tormented till thy +breath stops." They pricked him and beat him, and threw him here and +there, and pulled him by the arms and legs as if they wanted to tear him +to pieces, but he bore everything, and never uttered a cry. At last the +devils vanished, but he lay fainting there, and did not stir, nor could +he raise his eyes to look at the maiden who came in, and sprinkled and +bathed him with the water of life. But suddenly he was freed from all +pain, and felt fresh and healthy as if he had awakened from sleep, and +when he opened his eyes he saw the maiden standing by him, snow-white, +and fair as day. "Rise," said she, "and swing thy sword three times over +the stairs, and then all will be delivered." And when he had done that, +the whole castle was released from enchantment, and the maiden was a rich +King's daughter. The servants came and said that the table was already +set in the great hall, and dinner served up. Then they sat down and ate +and drank together, and in the evening the wedding was solemnized with +great rejoicings. + + + +122 Donkey Cabbages + +There was once a young huntsman who went into the forest to lie in +wait. He had a fresh and joyous heart, and as he was going thither, +whistling upon a leaf, an ugly old crone came up, who spoke to him and +said, "Good-day, dear huntsman, truly you are merry and contented, but I +am suffering from hunger and thirst, do give me an alms." The huntsman +had compassion on the poor old creature, felt in his pocket, and gave +her what he could afford. He was then about to go further, but the old +woman stopped him and said, "Listen, dear huntsman, to what I tell you; +I will make you a present in return for your kindness. Go on your way +now, but in a little while you will come to a tree, whereon nine birds +are sitting which have a cloak in their claws, and are plucking at it; +take your gun and shoot into the midst of them, they will let the cloak +fall down to you, but one of the birds will be hurt, and will drop down +dead. Carry away the cloak, it is a wishing-cloak; when you throw it +over your shoulders, you only have to wish to be in a certain place, and +you will be there in the twinkling of an eye. Take out the heart of the +dead bird and swallow it whole, and every morning early, when you get up, +you will find a gold piece under your pillow." The huntsman thanked the +wise woman, and thought to himself, "Those are fine things that she has +promised me, if all does but come true." And verily when he had walked +about a hundred paces, he heard in the branches above him such a screaming +and twittering that he looked up and saw there a crowd of birds who were +tearing a piece of cloth about with their beaks and claws, and tugging +and fighting as if each wanted to have it all to himself. "Well," said +the huntsman, "this is wonderful, it has really come to pass just as the +old wife foretold!" and he took the gun from his shoulder, aimed and fired +right into the midst of them, so that the feathers flew about. The birds +instantly took to flight with loud outcries, but one dropped down dead, +and the cloak fell at the same time. Then the huntsman did as the old +woman had directed him, cut open the bird, sought the heart, swallowed +it down, and took the cloak home with him. + +Next morning, when he awoke, the promise occurred to him, and he wished +to see if it also had been fulfilled. When he lifted up the pillow, +the gold piece shone in his eyes, and next day he found another, and so +it went on, every time he got up. He gathered together a heap of gold, +but at last he thought, "Of what use is all my gold to me if I stay at +home? I will go forth and see the world." + +He then took leave of his parents, buckled on his huntsman's pouch +and gun, and went out into the world. It came to pass, that one day he +travelled through a dense forest, and when he came to the end of it, in +the plain before him stood a fine castle. An old woman was standing with +a wonderfully beautiful maiden, looking out of one of the windows. The +old woman, however, was a witch and said to the maiden, "There comes +one out of the forest, who has a wonderful treasure in his body, we +must filch it from him, my dear daughter, it is more suitable for us +than for him. He has a bird's heart about him, by means of which a gold +piece lies every morning under his pillow." She told her what she was +to do to get it, and what part she had to play, and finally threatened +her, and said with angry eyes, "And if you do not attend to what I say, +it will be the worse for you." Now when the huntsman came nearer he +descried the maiden, and said to himself, "I have travelled about for +such a long time, I will take a rest for once, and enter that beautiful +castle. I have certainly money enough." Nevertheless, the real reason +was that he had caught sight of the pretty girl. + +He entered the house, and was well received and courteously entertained. +Before long he was so much in love with the young witch that he no +longer thought of anything else, and only saw things as she saw them, +and did what she desired. The old woman then said, "Now we must have +the bird's heart, he will never miss it." She prepared a drink, and +when it was ready, poured it into a cup and gave it to the maiden, who +was to present it to the huntsman. She did so, saying, "Now, my dearest, +drink to me." So he took the cup, and when he had swallowed the draught, +he brought up the heart of the bird. The girl had to take it away +secretly and swallow it herself, for the old woman would have it so. +Thenceforward he found no more gold under his pillow, but it lay instead +under that of the maiden, from whence the old woman fetched it away every +morning; but he was so much in love and so befooled, that he thought of +nothing else but of passing his time with the girl. + +Then the old witch said, "We have the bird's heart, but we must also +take the wishing-cloak away from him." The girl answered, "We will leave +him that, he has lost his wealth." The old woman was angry and said, +"Such a mantle is a wonderful thing, and is seldom to be found in this +world. I must and will have it!" She gave the girl several blows, and +said that if she did not obey, it should fare ill with her. So she did +the old woman's bidding, placed herself at the window and looked on the +distant country, as if she were very sorrowful. The huntsman asked, "Why +dost thou stand there so sorrowfully?" "Ah, my beloved," was her answer, +"over yonder lies the Garnet Mountain, where the precious stones grow. +I long for them so much that when I think of them, I feel quite sad, +but who can get them? Only the birds; they fly and can reach them, +but a man never." "Hast thou nothing else to complain of?" said the +huntsman. "I will soon remove that burden from thy heart." With that he +drew her under his mantle, wished himself on the Garnet Mountain, and +in the twinkling of an eye they were sitting on it together. Precious +stones were glistening on every side so that it was a joy to see them, +and together they gathered the finest and costliest of them. Now, +the old woman had, through her sorceries, contrived that the eyes of +the huntsman should become heavy. He said to the maiden, "We will sit +down and rest awhile, I am so tired that I can no longer stand on my +feet." Then they sat down, and he laid his head in her lap, and fell +asleep. When he was asleep, she unfastened the mantle from his shoulders, +and wrapped herself in it, picked up the garnets and stones, and wished +herself back at home with them. + +But when the huntsman had had his sleep out and awoke, and perceived that +his sweetheart had betrayed him, and left him alone on the wild mountain, +he said, "Oh, what treachery there is in the world!" and sat down there +in care and sorrow, not knowing what to do. But the mountain belonged +to some wild and monstrous giants who dwelt thereon and lived their +lives there, and he had not sat long before he saw three of them coming +towards him, so he lay down as if he were sunk in a deep sleep. Then +the giants came up, and the first kicked him with his foot and said, +"What sort of an earth-worm is lying curled up here?" The second said, +"Step upon him and kill him." But the third said, "That would indeed be +worth your while; just let him live, he cannot remain here; and when he +climbs higher, toward the summit of of the mountain, the clouds will +lay hold of him and bear him away." So saying they passed by. But the +huntsman had paid heed to their words, and as soon as they were gone, +he rose and climbed up to the summit of the mountain, and when he had +sat there a while, a cloud floated towards him, caught him up, carried +him away, and travelled about for a long time in the heavens. Then it +sank lower, and let itself down on a great cabbage-garden, girt round +by walls, so that he came softly to the ground on cabbages and vegetables. + +Then the huntsman looked about him and said, "If I had but something +to eat! I am so hungry, and my hunger will increase in course of time; +but I see here neither apples nor pears, nor any other sort of fruit, +everywhere nothing but cabbages," but at length he thought, "At a pinch +I can eat some of the leaves, they do not taste particularly good, but +they will refresh me." With that he picked himself out a fine head of +cabbage, and ate it, but scarcely had he swallowed a couple of mouthfuls +than he felt very strange and quite different. + +Four legs grew on him, a large head and two thick ears, and he saw with +horror that he was changed into an ass. Still as his hunger increased +every minute, and as the juicy leaves were suitable to his present nature, +he went on eating with great zest. At last he arrived at a different kind +of cabbage, but as soon as he had swallowed it, he again felt a change, +and reassumed his former human shape. + +Then the huntsman lay down and slept off his fatigue. When he awoke +next morning, he broke off one head of the bad cabbages and another of +the good ones, and thought to himself, "This shall help me to get my +own again and punish treachery." Then he took the cabbages with him, +climbed over the wall, and went forth to seek for the castle of his +sweetheart. After wandering about for a couple of days he was lucky enough +to find it again. He dyed his face brown, so that his own mother would +not have known him; and begged for shelter: "I am so tired," said he, +"that I can go no further." The witch asked, "Who are you, countryman, +and what is your business?" "I am a King's messenger, and was sent out +to seek the most delicious salad which grows beneath the sun. I have +even been so fortunate as to find it, and am carrying it about with me; +but the heat of the sun is so intense that the delicate cabbage threatens +to wither, and I do not know if I can carry it any further." + +When the old woman heard of the exquisite salad, she was greedy, and +said, "Dear countryman, let me just taste this wonderful salad." "Why +not?" answered he, "I have brought two heads with me, and will give you +one of them," and he opened his pouch and handed her the bad cabbage. The +witch suspected nothing amiss, and her mouth watered so for this new +dish that she herself went into the kitchen and dressed it. When it +was prepared she could not wait until it was set on the table, but +took a couple of leaves at once, and put them in her mouth, but hardly +had she swallowed them than she was deprived of her human shape, and +she ran out into the courtyard in the form of an ass. Presently the +maid-servant entered the kitchen, saw the salad standing there ready +prepared, and was about to carry it up; but on the way, according to +habit, she was seized by the desire to taste, and she ate a couple of +leaves. Instantly the magic power showed itself, and she likewise became +an ass and ran out to the old woman, and the dish of salad fell to the +ground. Meantime the messenger sat beside the beautiful girl, and as +no one came with the salad and she also was longing for it, she said, +"I don't know what has become of the salad." The huntsman thought, +"The salad must have already taken effect," and said, "I will go to +the kitchen and inquire about it." As he went down he saw the two +asses running about in the courtyard; the salad, however, was lying on +the ground. "All right," said he, "the two have taken their portion," +and he picked up the other leaves, laid them on the dish, and carried +them to the maiden. "I bring you the delicate food myself," said he, +"in order that you may not have to wait longer." Then she ate of it, +and was, like the others, immediately deprived of her human form, and +ran out into the courtyard in the shape of an ass. + +After the huntsman had washed his face, so that the transformed ones +could recognize him, he went down into the courtyard, and said, "Now you +shall receive the wages of your treachery," and bound them together, all +three with one rope, and drove them along until he came to a mill. He +knocked at the window, the miller put out his head, and asked what he +wanted. "I have three unmanageable beasts," answered he, "which I don't +want to keep any longer. Will you take them in, and give them food and +stable room, and manage them as I tell you, and then I will pay you what +you ask." The miller said, "Why not? But how am I to manage them?" The +huntsman then said that he was to give three beatings and one meal daily +to the old donkey, and that was the witch; one beating and three meals +to the younger one, which was the servant-girl; and to the youngest, +which was the maiden, no beatings and three meals, for he could not +bring himself to have the maiden beaten. After that he went back into +the castle, and found therein everything he needed. + +After a couple of days, the miller came and said he must inform him that +the old ass which had received three beatings and only one meal daily +was dead; "the two others," he continued, "are certainly not dead, +and are fed three times daily, but they are so sad that they cannot +last much longer." The huntsman was moved to pity, put away his anger, +and told the miller to drive them back again to him. And when they came, +he gave them some of the good salad, so that they became human again. The +beautiful girl fell on her knees before him, and said, "Ah, my beloved, +forgive me for the evil I have done you; my mother drove me to it; +it was done against my will, for I love you dearly. Your wishing-cloak +hangs in a cupboard, and as for the bird's-heart I will take a vomiting +potion." But he thought otherwise, and said, "Keep it; it is all the same, +for I will take thee for my true wife." So the wedding was celebrated, +and they lived happily together until their death. + + + +123 The Old Woman in the Wood + +A poor servant-girl was once travelling with the family with which she +was in service, through a great forest, and when they were in the midst +of it, robbers came out of the thicket, and murdered all they found. All +perished together except the girl, who had jumped out of the carriage +in a fright, and hidden herself behind a tree. When the robbers had gone +away with their booty, she came out and beheld the great disaster. Then +she began to weep bitterly, and said, "What can a poor girl like me do +now? I do not know how to get out of the forest, no human being lives in +it, so I must certainly starve." She walked about and looked for a road, +but could find none. When it was evening she seated herself under a tree, +gave herself into God's keeping, and resolved to sit waiting there and +not go away, let what might happen. When, however, she had sat there +for a while, a white dove came flying to her with a little golden key in +its mouth. It put the little key in her hand, and said, "Dost thou see +that great tree, therein is a little lock, it opens with the tiny key, +and there thou wilt find food enough, and suffer no more hunger." Then +she went to the tree and opened it, and found milk in a little dish, +and white bread to break into it, so that she could eat her fill. When +she was satisfied, she said, "It is now the time when the hens at home go +to roost, I am so tired I could go to bed too." Then the dove flew to her +again, and brought another golden key in its bill, and said, "Open that +tree there, and thou willt find a bed." So she opened it, and found a +beautiful white bed, and she prayed God to protect her during the night, +and lay down and slept. In the morning the dove came for the third time, +and again brought a little key, and said, "Open that tree there, and thou +wilt find clothes." And when she opened it, she found garments beset with +gold and with jewels, more splendid than those of any king's daughter. +So she lived there for some time, and the dove came every day and provided +her with all she needed, and it was a quiet good life. + +Once, however, the dove came and said, "Wilt thou do something for my +sake?" "With all my heart," said the girl. Then said the little dove, +"I will guide thee to a small house; enter it, and inside it, an old +woman will be sitting by the fire and will say, 'Good-day.' But on thy +life give her no answer, let her do what she will, but pass by her on +the right side; further on, there is a door, which open, and thou wilt +enter into a room where a quantity of rings of all kinds are lying, +amongst which are some magnificent ones with shining stones; leave them, +however, where they are, and seek out a plain one, which must likewise +be amongst them, and bring it here to me as quickly as thou canst." The +girl went to the little house, and came to the door. There sat an old +woman who stared when she saw her, and said, "Good-day my child." The +girl gave her no answer, and opened the door. "Whither away," cried the +old woman, and seized her by the gown, and wanted to hold her fast, +saying, "That is my house; no one can go in there if I choose not to +allow it." But the girl was silent, got away from her, and went straight +into the room. Now there lay on the table an enormous quantity of rings, +which gleamed and glittered before her eyes. She turned them over and +looked for the plain one, but could not find it. While she was seeking, +she saw the old woman and how she was stealing away, and wanting to get +off with a bird-cage which she had in her hand. So she went after her +and took the cage out of her hand, and when she raised it up and looked +into it, a bird was inside which had the plain ring in its bill. Then +she took the ring, and ran quite joyously home with it, and thought the +little white dove would come and get the ring, but it did not. Then she +leant against a tree and determined to wait for the dove, and, as she +thus stood, it seemed just as if the tree was soft and pliant, and was +letting its branches down. And suddenly the branches twined around her, +and were two arms, and when she looked round, the tree was a handsome man, +who embraced and kissed her heartily, and said, "Thou hast delivered me +from the power of the old woman, who is a wicked witch. She had changed +me into a tree, and every day for two hours I was a white dove, and so +long as she possessed the ring I could not regain my human form." Then +his servants and his horses, who had likewise been changed into trees, +were freed from the enchantment also, and stood beside him. And he led +them forth to his kingdom, for he was a King's son, and they married, +and lived happily. + + + +124 The Three Brothers + +There was once a man who had three sons, and nothing else in the world +but the house in which he lived. Now each of the sons wished to have +the house after his father's death; but the father loved them all alike, +and did not know what to do; he did not wish to sell the house, because +it had belonged to his forefathers, else he might have divided the money +amongst them. At last a plan came into his head, and he said to his sons, +"Go into the world, and try each of you to learn a trade, and, when you +all come back, he who makes the best masterpiece shall have the house." + +The sons were well content with this, and the eldest determined to be a +blacksmith, the second a barber, and the third a fencing-master. They +fixed a time when they should all come home again, and then each went +his way. + +It chanced that they all found skilful masters, who taught them their +trades well. The blacksmith had to shoe the King's horses, and he +thought to himself, "The house is mine, without doubt." The barber +only shaved great people, and he too already looked upon the house as +his own. The fencing-master got many a blow, but he only bit his lip, +and let nothing vex him; "for," said he to himself, "If you are afraid +of a blow, you'll never win the house." + +When the appointed time had gone by, the three brothers came back home +to their father; but they did not know how to find the best opportunity +for showing their skill, so they sat down and consulted together. As they +were sitting thus, all at once a hare came running across the field. "Ah, +ha, just in time!" said the barber. So he took his basin and soap, and +lathered away until the hare came up; then he soaped and shaved off the +hare's whiskers whilst he was running at the top of his speed, and did +not even cut his skin or injure a hair on his body. "Well done!" said +the old man. "Your brothers will have to exert themselves wonderfully, +or the house will be yours." + +Soon after, up came a nobleman in his coach, dashing along at full +speed. "Now you shall see what I can do, father," said the blacksmith; +so away he ran after the coach, took all four shoes off the feet of one of +the horses whilst he was galloping, and put him on four new shoes without +stopping him. "You are a fine fellow, and as clever as your brother," +said his father; "I do not know to which I ought to give the house." + +Then the third son said, "Father, let me have my turn, if you please;" +and, as it was beginning to rain, he drew his sword, and flourished it +backwards and forwards above his head so fast that not a drop fell upon +him. It rained still harder and harder, till at last it came down in +torrents; but he only flourished his sword faster and faster, and remained +as dry as if he were sitting in a house. When his father saw this he +was amazed, and said, "This is the master-piece, the house is yours!" + +His brothers were satisfied with this, as was agreed beforehand; and, +as they loved one another very much, they all three stayed together in +the house, followed their trades, and, as they had learnt them so well +and were so clever, they earned a great deal of money. Thus they lived +together happily until they grew old; and at last, when one of them +fell sick and died, the two others grieved so sorely about it that they +also fell ill, and soon after died. And because they had been so clever, +and had loved one another so much, they were all laid in the same grave. + + + +125 The Devil and his Grandmother + +There was a great war, and the King had many soldiers, but gave them +small pay, so small that they could not live upon it, so three of them +agreed among themselves to desert. One of them said to the others, +"If we are caught we shall be hanged on the gallows; how shall we +manage it?" Another said, "Look at that great cornfield, if we were to +hide ourselves there, no one could find us; the troops are not allowed +to enter it, and to-morrow they are to march away." They crept into +the corn, only the troops did not march away, but remained lying all +round about it. They stayed in the corn for two days and two nights, +and were so hungry that they all but died, but if they had come out, +their death would have been certain. Then said they, "What is the +use of our deserting if we have to perish miserably here?" But now a +fiery dragon came flying through the air, and it came down to them, +and asked why they had concealed themselves there? They answered, +"We are three soldiers who have deserted because the pay was so bad, +and now we shall have to die of hunger if we stay here, or to dangle +on the gallows if we go out." "If you will serve me for seven years," +said the dragon, "I will convey you through the army so that no one +shall seize you." "We have no choice and are compelled to accept," +they replied. Then the dragon caught hold of them with his claws, and +carried them away through the air over the army, and put them down again +on the earth far from it; but the dragon was no other than the Devil. He +gave them a small whip and said, "Whip with it and crack it, and then as +much gold will spring up round about as you can wish for; then you can +live like great lords, keep horses, and drive your carriages, but when +the seven years have come to an end, you are my property." Then he put +before them a book which they were all three forced to sign. "I will, +however, then set you a riddle," said he, "and if you can guess that, +you shall be free, and released from my power." Then the dragon flew +away from them, and they went away with their whip, had gold in plenty, +ordered themselves rich apparel, and travelled about the world. Wherever +they were they lived in pleasure and magnificence, rode on horseback, +drove in carriages, ate and drank, but did nothing wicked. The time +slipped quickly away, and when the seven years were coming to an end, +two of them were terribly anxious and alarmed; but the third took the +affair easily, and said, "Brothers, fear nothing, my head is sharp +enough, I shall guess the riddle." They went out into the open country +and sat down, and the two pulled sorrowful faces. Then an aged woman came +up to them who inquired why they were so sad? "Alas!" said they, "how +can that concern you? After all, you cannot help us." "Who knows?" said +she. "Confide your trouble to me." So they told her that they had been +the Devil's servants for nearly seven years, and that he had provided +them with gold as plentifully as if it had been blackberries, but that +they had sold themselves to him, and were forfeited to him, if at the +end of the seven years they could not guess a riddle. The old woman +said, "If you are to be saved, one of you must go into the forest, +there he will come to a fallen rock which looks like a little house, +he must enter that, and then he will obtain help." The two melancholy +ones thought to themselves, "That will still not save us," and stayed +where they were, but the third, the merry one, got up and walked on in +the forest until he found the rock-house. In the little house, however, +a very aged woman was sitting, who was the Devil's grandmother, and asked +the soldier where he came from, and what he wanted there? He told her +everything that had happened, and as he pleased her well, she had pity +on him, and said she would help him. She lifted up a great stone which +lay above a cellar, and said, "Conceal thyself there, thou canst hear +everything that is said here; only sit still, and do not stir. When the +dragon comes, I will question him about the riddle, he tells everything +to me, so listen carefully to his answer." At twelve o'clock at night, +the dragon came flying thither, and asked for his dinner. The grandmother +laid the table, and served up food and drink, so that he was pleased, +and they ate and drank together. In the course of conversation, she +asked him what kind of a day he had had, and how many souls he had got? +"Nothing went very well to-day," he answered, "but I have laid hold +of three soldiers, I have them safe." "Indeed! three soldiers, that's +something like, but they may escape you yet." The Devil said mockingly, +"They are mine! I will set them a riddle, which they will never in this +world be able to guess!" "What riddle is that?" she inquired. "I will tell +you. In the great North Sea lies a dead dog-fish, that shall be your roast +meat, and the rib of a whale shall be your silver spoon, and a hollow +old horse's hoof shall be your wine-glass." When the Devil had gone to +bed, the old grandmother raised up the stone, and let out the soldier. +"Hast thou paid particular attention to everything?" "Yes," said he, +"I know enough, and will contrive to save myself." Then he had to go +back another way, through the window, secretly and with all speed to +his companions. He told them how the Devil had been overreached by +the old grandmother, and how he had learned the answer to the riddle +from him. Then they were all joyous, and of good cheer, and took the +whip and whipped so much gold for themselves that it ran all over the +ground. When the seven years had fully gone by, the Devil came with the +book, showed the signatures, and said, "I will take you with me to hell. +There you shall have a meal! If you can guess what kind of roast meat +you will have to eat, you shall be free and released from your bargain, +and may keep the whip as well." Then the first soldier began and said, +"In the great North Sea lies a dead dog-fish, that no doubt is the roast +meat." The Devil was angry, and began to mutter, "Hm! hm! hm!" And asked +the second, "But what will your spoon be?" "The rib of a whale, that +is to be our silver spoon." The Devil made a wry face, again growled, +"Hm! hm! hm!" and said to the third, "And do you also know what your +wine-glass is to be?" "An old horse's hoof is to be our wineglass." Then +the Devil flew away with a loud cry, and had no more power over them, +but the three kept the whip, whipped as much money for themselves with +it as they wanted, and lived happily to their end. + + + +126 Ferdinand the Faithful + +Once on a time lived a man and a woman who so long as they were rich had +no children, but when they were poor they had a little boy. They could, +however, find no godfather for him, so the man said he would just go to +another place to see if he could get one there. As he went, a poor man +met him, who asked him where he was going. He said he was going to see +if he could get a godfather, that he was poor, so no one would stand as +godfather for him. "Oh," said the poor man, "you are poor, and I am poor; +I will be godfather for you, but I am so ill off I can give the child +nothing. Go home and tell the nurse that she is to come to the church +with the child." + +When they all got to the church together, the beggar was already there, +and he gave the child the name of Ferdinand the Faithful. + +When he was going out of the church, the beggar said, "Now go home, I +can give you nothing, and you likewise ought to give me nothing." But +he gave a key to the nurse, and told her when she got home she was to +give it to the father, who was to take care of it until the child was +fourteen years old, and then he was to go on the heath where there was +a castle which the key would fit, and that all which was therein should +belong to him. Now when the child was seven years old and had grown very +big, he once went to play with some other boys, and each of them boasted +that he had got more from his godfather than the other; but the child +could say nothing, and was vexed, and went home and said to his father, +"Did I get nothing at all, then, from my godfather?" "Oh, yes," said the +father, "thou hadst a key if there is a castle standing on the heath, +just go to it and open it." Then the boy went thither, but no castle +was to be seen, or heard of. + +After seven years more, when he was fourteen years old, he again went +thither, and there stood the castle. When he had opened it, there was +nothing within but a horse, a white one. Then the boy was so full of joy +because he had a horse, that he mounted on it and galloped back to his +father. "Now I have a white horse, and I will travel," said he. So he +set out, and as he was on his way, a pen was lying on the road. At first +he thought he would pick it up, but then again he thought to himself, +"Thou shouldst leave it lying there; thou wilt easily find a pen where +thou art going, if thou hast need of one." As he was thus riding away, +a voice called after him, "Ferdinand the Faithful, take it with thee." He +looked around, but saw no one, then he went back again and picked it +up. When he had ridden a little way farther, he passed by a lake, and a +fish was lying on the bank, gasping and panting for breath, so he said, +"Wait, my dear fish, I will help thee get into the water," and he took +hold of it by the tail, and threw it into the lake. Then the fish put its +head out of the water and said, "As thou hast helped me out of the mud I +will give thee a flute; when thou art in any need, play on it, and then +I will help thee, and if ever thou lettest anything fall in the water, +just play and I will reach it out to thee." Then he rode away, and there +came to him a man who asked him where he was going. "Oh, to the next +place." Then what his name was? "Ferdinand the Faithful." "So! then we +have got almost the same name, I am called Ferdinand the Unfaithful." And +they both set out to the inn in the nearest place. + +Now it was unfortunate that Ferdinand the Unfaithful knew everything +that the other had ever thought and everything he was about to do; +he knew it by means of all kinds of wicked arts. There was, however, +in the inn an honest girl, who had a bright face and behaved very +prettily. She fell in love with Ferdinand the Faithful because he was +a handsome man, and she asked him whither he was going. "Oh, I am just +travelling round about," said he. Then she said he ought to stay there, +for the King of that country wanted an attendant or an outrider, and he +ought to enter his service. He answered he could not very well go to any +one like that and offer himself. Then said the maiden, "Oh, but I will +soon do that for you." And so she went straight to the King, and told +him that she knew of an excellent servant for him. He was well pleased +with that, and had Ferdinand the Faithful brought to him, and wanted +to make him his servant. He, however, liked better to be an outrider, +for where his horse was, there he also wanted to be, so the King made +him an outrider. When Ferdinand the Unfaithful learnt that, he said to +the girl, "What! Dost thou help him and not me?" "Oh," said the girl, +"I will help thee too." She thought, "I must keep friends with that man, +for he is not to be trusted." She went to the King, and offered him as +a servant, and the King was willing. + +Now when the King met his lords in the morning, he always lamented and +said, "Oh, if I had but my love with me." Ferdinand the Unfaithful was, +however, always hostile to Ferdinand the Faithful. So once, when the King +was complaining thus, he said, "You have the outrider, send him away to +get her, and if he does not do it, his head must be struck off." Then +the King sent for Ferdinand the Faithful, and told him that there was, +in this place or in that place, a girl he loved, and that he was to +bring her to him, and if he did not do it he should die. + +Ferdinand the Faithful went into the stable to his white horse, and +complained and lamented, "Oh, what an unhappy man I am!" Then someone +behind him cried, "Ferdinand the Faithful, why weepest thou?" He looked +round but saw no one, and went on lamenting; "Oh, my dear little white +horse, now must I leave thee; now must I die." Then some one cried once +more, "Ferdinand the Faithful, why weepest thou?" Then for the first +time he was aware that it was his little white horse who was putting +that question. "Dost thou speak, my little white horse; canst thou do +that?" And again, he said, "I am to go to this place and to that, and +am to bring the bride; canst thou tell me how I am to set about it?" +Then answered the little white horse, "Go thou to the King, and say if +he will give thou what thou must have, thou wilt get her for him. If he +will give thee a ship full of meat, and a ship full of bread, it will +succeed. Great giants dwell on the lake, and if thou takest no meat with +thee for them, they will tear thee to pieces, and there are the large +birds which would pick the eyes out of thy head if thou hadst no bread +for them." Then the King made all the butchers in the land kill, and all +the bakers bake, that the ships might be filled. When they were full, +the little white horse said to Ferdinand the Faithful, "Now mount me, +and go with me into the ship, and then when the giants come, say, + + + "Peace, peace, my dear little giants, + I have had thought of ye, + + Something I have brought for ye;" + +and when the birds come, thou shalt again say, + + + "Peace, peace, my dear little birds, + I have had thought of ye, + + Something I have brought for ye;" + +then they will do nothing to thee, and when thou comest to the castle, +the giants will help thee. Then go up to the castle, and take a couple of +giants with thee. There the princess lies sleeping; thou must, however, +not awaken her, but the giants must lift her up, and carry her in her +bed to the ship." And now everything took place as the little white horse +had said, and Ferdinand the Faithful gave the giants and the birds what +he had brought with him for them, and that made the giants willing, and +they carried the princess in her bed to the King. And when she came to +the King, she said she could not live, she must have her writings, they +had been left in her castle. Then by the instigation of Ferdinand the +Unfaithful, Ferdinand the Faithful was called, and the King told him he +must fetch the writings from the castle, or he should die. Then he went +once more into the stable, and bemoaned himself and said, "Oh, my dear +little white horse, now I am to go away again, how am I to do it?" Then +the little white horse said he was just to load the ships full again. So +it happened again as it had happened before, and the giants and the birds +were satisfied, and made gentle by the meat. When they came to the castle, +the white horse told Ferdinand the Faithful that he must go in, and that +on the table in the princess's bed-room lay the writings. And Ferdinand +the Faithful went in, and fetched them. When they were on the lake, he +let his pen fall into the water; then said the white horse, "Now I cannot +help thee at all." But he remembered his flute, and began to play on it, +and the fish came with the pen in its mouth, and gave it to him. So he +took the writings to the castle, where the wedding was celebrated. + +The Queen, however, did not love the King because he had no nose, but she +would have much liked to love Ferdinand the Faithful. Once, therefore, +when all the lords of the court were together, the Queen said she could +do feats of magic, that she could cut off any one's head and put it +on again, and that one of them ought just to try it. But none of them +would be the first, so Ferdinand the Faithful, again at the instigation +of Ferdinand the Unfaithful, undertook it and she hewed off his head, +and put it on again for him, and it healed together directly, so that +it looked as if he had a red thread round his throat. Then the King +said to her, "My child, and where hast thou learnt that?" "Yes," she +said, "I understand the art; shall I just try it on thee also?" "Oh, +yes," said he. But she cut off his head, and did not put it on again; +but pretended that she could not get it on, and that it would not keep +fixed. Then the King was buried, but she married Ferdinand the Faithful. + +He, however, always rode on his white horse, and once when he was seated +on it, it told him that he was to go on to the heath which he knew, +and gallop three times round it. And when he had done that, the white +horse stood up on its hind legs, and was changed into a King's son. + + + +127 The Iron Stove + +In the days when wishing was still of some use, a King's son was bewitched +by an old witch, and shut up in an iron stove in a forest. There he passed +many years, and no one could deliver him. Then a King's daughter came +into the forest, who had lost herself, and could not find her father's +kingdom again. After she had wandered about for nine days, she at length +came to the iron stove. Then a voice came forth from it, and asked her, +"Whence comest thou, and whither goest, thou?" She answered, "I have lost +my father's kingdom, and cannot get home again." Then a voice inside the +iron stove said, "I will help thee to get home again, and that indeed +most swiftly, if thou wilt promise to do what I desire of thee. I am +the son of a far greater King than thy father, and I will marry thee." + +Then was she afraid, and thought, "Good heavens! What can I do with +an iron stove?" But as she much wished to get home to her father, she +promised to do as he desired. But he said, "Thou shalt return here, +and bring a knife with thee, and scrape a hole in the iron." Then he +gave her a companion who walked near her, but did not speak, but in +two hours he took her home; there was great joy in the castle when the +King's daughter came home, and the old King fell on her neck and kissed +her. She, however, was sorely troubled, and said, "Dear father, what +I have suffered! I should never have got home again from the great wild +forest, if I had not come to an iron stove, but I have been forced to give +my word that I will go back to it, set it free, and marry it." Then the +old King was so terrified that he all but fainted, for he had but this +one daughter. They therefore resolved they would send, in her place, +the miller's daughter, who was very beautiful. They took her there, +gave her a knife, and said she was to scrape at the iron stove. So +she scraped at it for four-and-twenty hours, but could not bring off +the least morsel of it. When day dawned, a voice in the stove said, +"It seems to me it is day outside." Then she answered, "It seems so to +me too; I fancy I hear the noise of my father's mill." + +"So thou art a miller's daughter! Then go thy way at once, and let +the King's daughter come here." Then she went away at once, and told +the old King that the man outside there, would have none of her he +wanted the King's daughter. They, however, still had a swine-herd's +daughter, who was even prettier than the miller's daughter, and they +determined to give her a piece of gold to go to the iron stove instead +of the King's daughter. So she was taken thither, and she also had to +scrape for four-and-twenty hours. She, however, made nothing of it. +When day broke, a voice inside the stove cried, "It seems to me it is +day outside!" Then answered she, "So it seems to me also; I fancy I hear +my father's horn blowing." + +"Then thou art a swine-herd's daughter! Go away at once, and tell the +King's daughter to come, and tell her all must be done as promised, +and if she does not come, everything in the kingdom shall be ruined and +destroyed, and not one stone be left standing on another." When the King's +daughter heard that she began to weep, but now there was nothing for it +but to keep her promise. So she took leave of her father, put a knife in +her pocket, and went forth to the iron stove in the forest. When she got +there, she began to scrape, and the iron gave way, and when two hours were +over, she had already scraped a small hole. Then she peeped in, and saw +a youth so handsome, and so brilliant with gold and with precious jewels, +that her very soul was delighted. Now, therefore, she went on scraping, +and made the hole so large that he was able to get out. Then said he, +"Thou art mine, and I am thine; thou art my bride, and hast released me." +He wanted to take her away with him to his kingdom, but she entreated him +to let her go once again to her father, and the King's son allowed her +to do so, but she was not to say more to her father than three words, +and then she was to come back again. So she went home, but she spoke +more than three words, and instantly the iron stove disappeared, and +was taken far away over glass mountains and piercing swords; but the +King's son was set free, and no longer shut up in it. After this she +bade good-bye to her father, took some money with her, but not much, +and went back to the great forest, and looked for the iron stove, but +it was nowhere to be found. For nine days she sought it, and then her +hunger grew so great that she did not know what to do, for she could no +longer live. When it was evening, she seated herself in a small tree, +and made up her mind to spend the night there, as she was afraid of wild +beasts. When midnight drew near she saw in the distance a small light, +and thought, "Ah, there I should be saved!" She got down from the tree, +and went towards the light, but on the way she prayed. Then she came to +a little old house, and much grass had grown all about it, and a small +heap of wood lay in front of it. She thought, "Ah, whither have I come," +and peeped in through the window, but she saw nothing inside but toads, +big and little, except a table well covered with wine and roast meat, +and the plates and glasses were of silver. Then she took courage, and +knocked at the door. The fat toad cried, + + + "Little green waiting-maid, + Waiting-maid with the limping leg, + Little dog of the limping leg, + Hop hither and thither, + + And quickly see who is without:" + +and a small toad came walking by and opened the door to her. When she +entered, they all bade her welcome, and she was forced to sit down. They +asked, "Where hast thou come from, and whither art thou going?" Then she +related all that had befallen her, and how because she had transgressed +the order which had been given her not to say more than three words, +the stove, and the King's son also, had disappeared, and now she was +about to seek him over hill and dale until she found him. Then the old +fat one said, + + + "Little green waiting-maid, + Waiting-maid with the limping leg, + Little dog of the limping leg, + Hop hither and thither, + + And bring me the great box." + +Then the little one went and brought the box. After this they gave her +meat and drink, and took her to a well-made bed, which felt like silk +and velvet, and she laid herself therein, in God's name, and slept. When +morning came she arose, and the old toad gave her three needles out +of the great box which she was to take with her; they would be needed +by her, for she had to cross a high glass mountain, and go over three +piercing swords and a great lake. If she did all this she would get her +lover back again. Then she gave her three things, which she was to take +the greatest care of, namely, three large needles, a plough-wheel, and +three nuts. With these she travelled onwards, and when she came to the +glass mountain which was so slippery, she stuck the three needles first +behind her feet and then before them, and so got over it, and when she +was over it, she hid them in a place which she marked carefully. After +this she came to the three piercing swords, and then she seated herself +on her plough-wheel, and rolled over them. At last she arrived in front +of a great lake, and when she had crossed it, she came to a large and +beautiful castle. She went and asked for a place; she was a poor girl, +she said, and would like to be hired. She knew, however, that the King's +son whom she had released from the iron stove in the great forest was +in the castle. Then she was taken as a scullery-maid at low wages. But, +already the King's son had another maiden by his side whom he wanted to +marry, for he thought that she had long been dead. + +In the evening, when she had washed up and was done, she felt in her +pocket and found the three nuts which the old toad had given her. She +cracked one with her teeth, and was going to eat the kernel when lo and +behold there was a stately royal garment in it! But when the bride heard +of this she came and asked for the dress, and wanted to buy it, and said, +"It is not a dress for a servant-girl." But she said no, she would not +sell it, but if the bride would grant her one thing she should have it, +and that was, leave to sleep one night in her bridegroom's chamber. The +bride gave her permission because the dress was so pretty, and she had +never had one like it. When it was evening she said to her bridegroom, +"That silly girl will sleep in thy room." "If thou art willing so am I," +said he. She, however, gave him a glass of wine in which she had poured +a sleeping-draught. So the bridegroom and the scullery-maid went to +sleep in the room, and he slept so soundly that she could not waken him. + +She wept the whole night and cried, "I set thee free when thou wert in +an iron stove in the wild forest, I sought thee, and walked over a glass +mountain, and three sharp swords, and a great lake before I found thee, +and yet thou wilt not hear me!" + +The servants sat by the chamber-door, and heard how she thus wept the +whole night through, and in the morning they told it to their lord. And +the next evening when she had washed up, she opened the second nut, and +a far more beautiful dress was within it, and when the bride beheld it, +she wished to buy that also. But the girl would not take money, and +begged that she might once again sleep in the bridegroom's chamber. The +bride, however, gave him a sleeping-drink, and he slept so soundly that +he could hear nothing. But the scullery-maid wept the whole night long, +and cried, "I set thee free when thou wert in an iron stove in the wild +forest, I sought thee, and walked over a glass mountain, and over three +sharp swords and a great lake before I found thee, and yet thou wilt not +hear me!" The servants sat by the chamber-door and heard her weeping the +whole night through, and in the morning informed their lord of it. And +on the third evening, when she had washed up, she opened the third nut, +and within it was a still more beautiful dress which was stiff with pure +gold. When the bride saw that she wanted to have it, but the maiden only +gave it up on condition that she might for the third time sleep in the +bridegroom's apartment. The King's son was, however, on his guard, and +threw the sleeping-draught away. Now, therefore, when she began to weep +and to cry, "Dearest love, I set thee free when thou wert in the iron +stove in the terrible wild forest," the King's son leapt up and said, +"Thou art the true one, thou art mine, and I am thine." Thereupon, while +it was still night, he got into a carriage with her, and they took away +the false bride's clothes so that she could not get up. When they came +to the great lake, they sailed across it, and when they reached the +three sharp-cutting swords they seated themselves on the plough-wheel, +and when they got to the glass mountain they thrust the three needles in +it, and so at length they got to the little old house; but when they went +inside that, it was a great castle, and the toads were all disenchanted, +and were King's children, and full of happiness. Then the wedding was +celebrated, and the King's son and the princess remained in the castle, +which was much larger than the castles of their fathers. As, however, +the old King grieved at being left alone, they fetched him away, and +brought him to live with them, and they had two kingdoms, and lived in +happy wedlock. + + + A mouse did run, + This story is done. + + + +128 The Lazy Spinner + +In a certain village there once lived a man and his wife, and the wife +was so idle that she would never work at anything; whatever her husband +gave her to spin, she did not get done, and what she did spin she did not +wind, but let it all remain entangled in a heap. If the man scolded her, +she was always ready with her tongue, and said, "Well, how should I wind +it, when I have no reel? Just you go into the forest and get me one." "If +that is all," said the man, "then I will go into the forest, and get some +wood for making reels." Then the woman was afraid that if he had the wood +he would make her a reel of it, and she would have to wind her yarn off, +and then begin to spin again. She bethought herself a little, and then +a lucky idea occurred to her, and she secretly followed the man into the +forest, and when he had climbed into a tree to choose and cut the wood, +she crept into the thicket below where he could not see her, and cried, + + + "He who cuts wood for reels shall die, + And he who winds, shall perish." + +The man listened, laid down his axe for a moment, and began to consider +what that could mean. "Hollo," he said at last, "what can that have been; +my ears must have been singing, I won't alarm myself for nothing." So +he again seized the axe, and began to hew, then again there came a cry +from below: + + + "He who cuts wood for reels shall die, + And he who winds, shall perish." + +He stopped, and felt afraid and alarmed, and pondered over the +circumstance. But when a few moments had passed, he took heart again, +and a third time he stretched out his hand for the axe, and began to +cut. But some one called out a third time, and said loudly, + + + "He who cuts wood for reels shall die, + And he who winds, shall perish." + +That was enough for him, and all inclination had departed from him, so he +hastily descended the tree, and set out on his way home. The woman ran as +fast as she could by by-ways so as to get home first. So when he entered +the parlour, she put on an innocent look as if nothing had happened, +and said, "Well, have you brought a nice piece of wood for reels?" "No," +said he, "I see very well that winding won't do," and told her what had +happened to him in the forest, and from that time forth left her in peace +about it. Neverthless after some time, the man again began to complain of +the disorder in the house. "Wife," said he, "it is really a shame that +the spun yarn should lie there all entangled!" "I'll tell you what," +said she, "as we still don't come by any reel, go you up into the loft, +and I will stand down below, and will throw the yarn up to you, and you +will throw it down to me, and so we shall get a skein after all." "Yes, +that will do," said the man. So they did that, and when it was done, +he said, "The yarn is in skeins, now it must be boiled." The woman was +again distressed; She certainly said, "Yes, we will boil it next morning +early." but she was secretly contriving another trick. + +Early in the morning she got up, lighted a fire, and put the kettle on, +only instead of the yarn, she put in a lump of tow, and let it boil. After +that she went to the man who was still lying in bed, and said to him, +"I must just go out, you must get up and look after the yarn which is +in the kettle on the fire, but you must be at hand at once; mind that, +for if the cock should happen to crow, and you are not attending to the +yarn, it will become tow." The man was willing and took good care not +to loiter. He got up as quickly as he could, and went into the kitchen. +But when he reached the kettle and peeped in, he saw, to his horror, +nothing but a lump of tow. Then the poor man was as still as a mouse, +thinking he had neglected it, and was to blame, and in future said +no more about yarn and spinning. But you yourself must own she was an +odious woman! + + + +129 The Four Skilful Brothers + +There was once a poor man who had four sons, and when they were grown up, +he said to them, "My dear children, you must now go out into the world, +for I have nothing to give you, so set out, and go to some distance and +learn a trade, and see how you can make your way." So the four brothers +took their sticks, bade their father farewell, and went through the +town-gate together. When they had travelled about for some time, they +came to a cross-way which branched off in four different directions. Then +said the eldest, "Here we must separate, but on this day four years, +we will meet each other again at this spot, and in the meantime we will +seek our fortunes." + +Then each of them went his way, and the eldest met a man who asked +him where he was going, and what he was intending to do? "I want to +learn a trade," he replied. Then the other said, "Come with me, and be +a thief." "No," he answered, "that is no longer regarded as a reputable +trade, and the end of it is that one has to swing on the gallows." "Oh," +said the man, "you need not be afraid of the gallows; I will only teach +you to get such things as no other man could ever lay hold of, and no +one will ever detect you." So he allowed himself to be talked into it, +and while with the man became an accomplished thief, and so dexterous +that nothing was safe from him, if he once desired to have it. The second +brother met a man who put the same question to him what he wanted to +learn in the world. "I don't know yet," he replied. "Then come with me, +and be an astronomer; there is nothing better than that, for nothing is +hid from you." He liked the idea, and became such a skillful astronomer +that when he had learnt everything, and was about to travel onwards, +his master gave him a telescope and said to him, "With that you canst +thou see whatsoever takes place either on earth or in heaven, and nothing +can remain concealed from thee." A huntsman took the third brother into +training, and gave him such excellent instruction in everything which +related to huntsmanship, that he became an experienced hunter. When he +went away, his master gave him a gun and said, "It will never fail you; +whatsoever you aim at, you are certain to hit." The youngest brother also +met a man who spoke to him, and inquired what his intentions were. "Would +you not like to be a tailor?" said he. "Not that I know of," said the +youth; "sitting doubled up from morning till night, driving the needle +and the goose backwards and forwards, is not to my taste." "Oh, but you +are speaking in ignorance," answered the man; "with me you would learn +a very different kind of tailoring, which is respectable and proper, +and for the most part very honorable." So he let himself be persuaded, +and went with the man, and learnt his art from the very beginning. +When they parted, the man gave the youth a needle, and said, "With this +you can sew together whatever is given you, whether it is as soft as +an egg or as hard as steel; and it will all become one piece of stuff, +so that no seam will be visible." + +When the appointed four years were over, the four brothers arrived +at the same time at the cross-roads, embraced and kissed each other, +and returned home to their father. "So now," said he, quite delighted, +"the wind has blown you back again to me." They told him of all that had +happened to them, and that each had learnt his own trade. Now they were +sitting just in front of the house under a large tree, and the father +said, "I will put you all to the test, and see what you can do." Then he +looked up and said to his second son, "Between two branches up at the top +of this tree, there is a chaffinch's nest, tell me how many eggs there are +in it?" The astronomer took his glass, looked up, and said, "There are +five." Then the father said to the eldest, "Fetch the eggs down without +disturbing the bird which is sitting hatching them." The skillful thief +climbed up, and took the five eggs from beneath the bird, which never +observed what he was doing, and remained quietly sitting where she was, +and brought them down to his father. The father took them, and put one of +them on each corner of the table, and the fifth in the middle, and said +to the huntsman, "With one shot thou shalt shoot me the five eggs in two, +through the middle." The huntsman aimed, and shot the eggs, all five as +the father had desired, and that at one shot. He certainly must have had +some of the powder for shooting round corners. "Now it's your turn," said +the father to the fourth son; "you shall sew the eggs together again, +and the young birds that are inside them as well, and you must do it +so that they are not hurt by the shot." The tailor brought his needle, +and sewed them as his father wished. When he had done this the thief had +to climb up the tree again, and carry them to the nest, and put them back +again under the bird without her being aware of it. The bird sat her full +time, and after a few days the young ones crept out, and they had a red +line round their necks where they had been sewn together by the tailor. + +"Well," said the old man to his sons, "I begin to think you are worth more +than breen clover; you have used your time well, and learnt something +good. I can't say which of you deserves the most praise. That will be +proved if you have but an early opportunity of using your talents." Not +long after this, there was a great uproar in the country, for the King's +daughter was carried off by a dragon. The King was full of trouble +about it, both by day and night, and caused it to be proclaimed that +whosoever brought her back should have her to wife. The four brothers +said to each other, "This would be a fine opportunity for us to show +what we can do!" and resolved to go forth together and liberate the +King's daughter. "I will soon know where she is," said the astronomer, +and looked through his telescope and said, "I see her already, she is +far away from here on a rock in the sea, and the dragon is beside her +watching her." Then he went to the King, and asked for a ship for himself +and his brothers, and sailed with them over the sea until they came to +the rock. There the King's daughter was sitting, and the dragon was lying +asleep on her lap. The huntsman said, "I dare not fire, I should kill +the beautiful maiden at the same time." "Then I will try my art," said +the thief, and he crept thither and stole her away from under the dragon, +so quietly and dexterously, that the monster never remarked it, but went +on snoring. Full of joy, they hurried off with her on board ship, and +steered out into the open sea; but the dragon, who when he awoke had found +no princess there, followed them, and came snorting angrily through the +air. Just as he was circling above the ship, and about to descend on it, +the huntsman shouldered his gun, and shot him to the heart. The monster +fell down dead, but was so large and powerful that his fall shattered the +whole ship. Fortunately, however, they laid hold of a couple of planks, +and swam about the wide sea. Then again they were in great peril, but +the tailor, who was not idle, took his wondrous needle, and with a few +stitches sewed the planks together, and they seated themselves upon them, +and collected together all the fragments of the vessel. Then he sewed +these so skilfully together, that in a very short time the ship was once +more seaworthy, and they could go home again in safety. + +When the King once more saw his daughter, there were great rejoicings. He +said to the four brothers, "One of you shall have her to wife, but +which of you it is to be you must settle among yourselves." Then a warm +contest arose among them, for each of them preferred his own claim. The +astronomer said, "If I had not seen the princess, all your arts would +have been useless, so she is mine." The thief said, "What would have been +the use of your seeing, if I had not got her away from the dragon? so +she is mine." The huntsman said, "You and the princess, and all of you, +would have been torn to pieces by the dragon if my ball had not hit him, +so she is mine." The tailor said, "And if I, by my art, had not sewn the +ship together again, you would all of you have been miserably drowned, +so she is mine." Then the King uttered this saying, "Each of you has +an equal right, and as all of you cannot have the maiden, none of you +shall have her, but I will give to each of you, as a reward, half a +kingdom." The brothers were pleased with this decision, and said, "It is +better thus than that we should be at variance with each other." Then +each of them received half a kingdom, and they lived with their father +in the greatest happiness as long as it pleased God. + + + +130 One-eye, Two-eyes, and Three-eyes + +THERE was once a woman who had three daughters, the eldest of whom +was called One-eye, because she had only one eye in the middle of her +forehead, and the second, Two-eyes, because she had two eyes like other +folks, and the youngest, Three-eyes, because she had three eyes; and her +third eye was also in the centre of her forehead. However, as Two-eyes +saw just as other human beings did, her sisters and her mother could not +endure her. They said to her, "Thou, with thy two eyes, art no better than +the common people; thou dost not belong to us!" They pushed her about, and +threw old clothes to her, and gave her nothing to eat but what they left, +and did everything that they could to make her unhappy. It came to pass +that Two-eyes had to go out into the fields and tend the goat, but she +was still quite hungry, because her sisters had given her so little to +eat. So she sat down on a ridge and began to weep, and so bitterly that +two streams ran down from her eyes. And once when she looked up in her +grief, a woman was standing beside her, who said, "Why art thou weeping, +little Two-eyes?" Two-Eyes answered, "Have I not reason to weep, when I +have two eyes like other people, and my sisters and mother hate me for +it, and push me from one corner to another, throw old clothes at me, and +give me nothing to eat but the scraps they leave? To-day they have given +me so little that I am still quite hungry." Then the wise woman said, +"Wipe away thy tears, Two-eyes, and I will tell thee something to stop +thee ever suffering from hunger again; just say to thy goat, + + + "Bleat, my little goat, bleat, + Cover the table with something to eat," + +and then a clean well-spread little table will stand before thee, with +the most delicious food upon it of which thou mayst eat as much as thou +art inclined for, and when thou hast had enough, and hast no more need +of the little table, just say, + + + "Bleat, bleat, my little goat, I pray, + And take the table quite away," + +and then it will vanish again from thy sight." Hereupon the wise woman +departed. But Two-eyes thought, "I must instantly make a trial, and +see if what she said is true, for I am far too hungry," and she said, + + + "Bleat, my little goat, bleat, + Cover the table with something to eat," + +and scarcely had she spoken the words than a little table, covered with +a white cloth, was standing there, and on it was a plate with a knife and +fork, and a silver spoon; and the most delicious food was there also, warm +and smoking as if it had just come out of the kitchen. Then Two-eyes said +the shortest prayer she knew, "Lord God, be with us always, Amen," and +helped herself to some food, and enjoyed it. And when she was satisfied, +she said, as the wise woman had taught her, + + + "Bleat, bleat, my little goat, I pray, + And take the table quite away," + +and immediately the little table and everything on it was gone +again. "That is a delightful way of keeping house!" thought Two-eyes, +and was quite glad and happy. + +In the evening, when she went home with her goat, she found a small +earthenware dish with some food, which her sisters had set ready for her, +but she did not touch it. Next day she again went out with her goat, +and left the few bits of broken bread which had been handed to her, lying +untouched. The first and second time that she did this, her sisters did +not remark it at all, but as it happened every time, they did observe it, +and said, "There is something wrong about Two-eyes, she always leaves +her food untasted, and she used to eat up everything that was given her; +she must have discovered other ways of getting food." In order that they +might learn the truth, they resolved to send One-eye with Two-eyes when +she went to drive her goat to the pasture, to observe what Two-eyes did +when she was there, and whether any one brought her anything to eat and +drink. So when Two-eyes set out the next time, One-eye went to her and +said, "I will go with you to the pasture, and see that the goat is well +taken care of, and driven where there is food." But Two-eyes knew what +was in One-eye's mind, and drove the goat into high grass and said, "Come, +One-eye, we will sit down, and I will sing something to you." One-eye sat +down and was tired with the unaccustomed walk and the heat of the sun, +and Two-eyes sang constantly, + + + "One eye, wakest thou? + One eye, sleepest thou?" + +until One-eye shut her one eye, and fell asleep, and as soon as Two-eyes +saw that One-eye was fast asleep, and could discover nothing, she said, + + + "Bleat, my little goat, bleat, + Cover the table with something to eat," + +and seated herself at her table, and ate and drank until she was +satisfied, and then she again cried, + + + "Bleat, bleat, my little goat, I pray, + And take the table quite away," + +and in an instant all was gone. Two-eyes now awakened One-eye, and said, +"One-eye, you want to take care of the goat, and go to sleep while +you are doing it, and in the meantime the goat might run all over +the world. Come, let us go home again." So they went home, and again +Two-eyes let her little dish stand untouched, and One-eye could not +tell her mother why she would not eat it, and to excuse herself said, +"I fell asleep when I was out." + +Next day the mother said to Three-eyes, "This time thou shalt go and +observe if Two-eyes eats anything when she is out, and if any one +fetches her food and drink, for she must eat and drink in secret." So +Three-eyes went to Two-eyes, and said, "I will go with you and see if +the goat is taken proper care of, and driven where there is food." But +Two-eyes knew what was in Three-eyes' mind, and drove the goat into high +grass and said, "We will sit down, and I will sing something to you, +Three-eyes." Three-eyes sat down and was tired with the walk and with +the heat of the sun, and Two-eyes began the same song as before, and sang, + + + "Three eyes, are you waking?" + +but then, instead of singing, + + + "Three eyes, are you sleeping?" + +as she ought to have done, she thoughtlessly sang, + + + "Two eyes, are you sleeping?" + +and sang all the time, + + + "Three eyes, are you waking? + Two eyes, are you sleeping?" + +Then two of the eyes which Three-eyes had, shut and fell asleep, but the +third, as it had not been named in the song, did not sleep. It is true +that Three-eyes shut it, but only in her cunning, to pretend it was asleep +too, but it blinked, and could see everything very well. And when Two-eyes +thought that Three-eyes was fast asleep, she used her little charm, + + + "Bleat, my little goat, bleat, + Cover the table with something to eat," + +and ate and drank as much as her heart desired, and then ordered the +table to go away again, + + + "Bleat, bleat, my little goat, I pray, + And take the table quite away," + +and Three-eyes had seen everything. Then Two-eyes came to her, waked her +and said, "Have you been asleep, Three-eyes? You are a good care-taker! +Come, we will go home." And when they got home, Two-eyes again did not +eat, and Three-eyes said to the mother, "Now, I know why that high-minded +thing there does not eat. When she is out, she says to the goat, + + + "Bleat, my little goat, bleat, + Cover the table with something to eat," + +and then a little table appears before her covered with the best of food, +much better than any we have here, and when she has eaten all she wants, +she says, + + + "Bleat, bleat, my little goat, I pray, + And take the table quite away," + +and all disappears. I watched everything closely. She put two of my +eyes to sleep by using a certain form of words, but luckily the one in +my forehead kept awake." Then the envious mother cried, "Dost thou want +to fare better than we do? The desire shall pass away," and she fetched +a butcher's knife, and thrust it into the heart of the goat, which fell +down dead. + +When Two-eyes saw that, she went out full of trouble, seated herself +on the ridge of grass at the edge of the field, and wept bitter +tears. Suddenly the wise woman once more stood by her side, and said, +"Two-eyes, why art thou weeping?" "Have I not reason to weep?" she +answered. "The goat which covered the table for me every day when I spoke +your charm, has been killed by my mother, and now I shall again have to +bear hunger and want." The wise woman said, "Two-eyes, I will give thee +a piece of good advice; ask thy sisters to give thee the entrails of the +slaughtered goat, and bury them in the ground in front of the house, +and thy fortune will be made." Then she vanished, and Two-eyes went +home and said to her sisters, "Dear sisters, do give me some part of my +goat; I don't wish for what is good, but give me the entrails." Then +they laughed and said, "If that's all you want, you can have it." So +Two-eyes took the entrails and buried them quietly in the evening, +in front of the house-door, as the wise woman had counselled her to do. + +Next morning, when they all awoke, and went to the house-door, there +stood a strangely magnificent tree with leaves of silver, and fruit of +gold hanging among them, so that in all the wide world there was nothing +more beautiful or precious. They did not know how the tree could have +come there during the night, but Two-eyes saw that it had grown up out of +the entrails of the goat, for it was standing on the exact spot where she +had buried them. Then the mother said to One-eye, "Climb up, my child, +and gather some of the fruit of the tree for us." One-eye climbed up, +but when she was about to get hold of one of the golden apples, the branch +escaped from her hands, and that happened each time, so that she could +not pluck a single apple, let her do what she might. Then said the mother, +"Three-eyes, do you climb up; you with your three eyes can look about you +better than One-eye." One-eye slipped down, and Three-eyes climbed up. +Three-eyes was not more skilful, and might search as she liked, but the +golden apples always escaped her. At length the mother grew impatient, and +climbed up herself, but could get hold of the fruit no better than One-eye +and Three-eyes, for she always clutched empty air. Then said Two-eyes, +"I will just go up, perhaps I may succeed better." The sisters cried, +"You indeed, with your two eyes, what can you do?" But Two-eyes climbed +up, and the golden apples did get out of her way, but came into her hand +of their own accord, so that she could pluck them one after the other, +and brought a whole apronful down with her. The mother took them away +from her, and instead of treating poor Two-eyes any better for this, +she and One-eye and Three-eyes were only envious, because Two-eyes alone +had been able to get the fruit, and they treated her still more cruelly. + +It so befell that once when they were all standing together by the tree, +a young knight came up. "Quick, Two-eyes," cried the two sisters, "creep +under this, and don't disgrace us!" and with all speed they turned an +empty barrel which was standing close by the tree over poor Two-eyes, +and they pushed the golden apples which she had been gathering, under it +too. When the knight came nearer he was a handsome lord, who stopped and +admired the magnificent gold and silver tree, and said to the two sisters, +"To whom does this fine tree belong? Any one who would bestow one branch +of it on me might in return for it ask whatsoever he desired." Then +One-eye and Three-eyes replied that the tree belonged to them, and that +they would give him a branch. They both took great trouble, but they +were not able to do it, for the branches and fruit both moved away +from them every time. Then said the knight, "It is very strange that +the tree should belong to you, and that you should still not be able +to break a piece off." They again asserted that the tree was their +property. Whilst they were saying so, Two-eyes rolled out a couple of +golden apples from under the barrel to the feet of the knight, for she +was vexed with One-eye and Three-eyes, for not speaking the truth. When +the knight saw the apples he was astonished, and asked where they came +from. One-eye and Three-eyes answered that they had another sister, +who was not allowed to show herself, for she had only two eyes like +any common person. The knight, however, desired to see her, and cried, +"Two-eyes, come forth." Then Two-eyes, quite comforted, came from beneath +the barrel, and the knight was surprised at her great beauty, and said, +"Thou, Two-eyes, canst certainly break off a branch from the tree for +me." "Yes," replied Two-eyes, "that I certainly shall be able to do, +for the tree belongs to me." And she climbed up, and with the greatest +ease broke off a branch with beautiful silver leaves and golden fruit, +and gave it to the knight. Then said the knight, "Two-eyes, what shall I +give thee for it?" "Alas!" answered Two-eyes, "I suffer from hunger and +thirst, grief and want, from early morning till late night; if you would +take me with you, and deliver me from these things, I should be happy." +So the knight lifted Two-eyes on to his horse, and took her home with him +to his father's castle, and there he gave her beautiful clothes, and meat +and drink to her heart's content, and as he loved her so much he married +her, and the wedding was solemnized with great rejoicing. When Two-eyes +was thus carried away by the handsome knight, her two sisters grudged +her good fortune in downright earnest. "The wonderful tree, however, +still remains with us," thought they, "and even if we can gather no fruit +from it, still every one will stand still and look at it, and come to us +and admire it. Who knows what good things may be in store for us?" But +next morning, the tree had vanished, and all their hopes were at an end. +And when Two-eyes looked out of the window of her own little room, to her +great delight it was standing in front of it, and so it had followed her. + +Two-eyes lived a long time in happiness. Once two poor women came to +her in her castle, and begged for alms. She looked in their faces, and +recognized her sisters, One-eye, and Three-eyes, who had fallen into +such poverty that they had to wander about and beg their bread from door +to door. Two-eyes, however, made them welcome, and was kind to them, +and took care of them, so that they both with all their hearts repented +the evil that they had done their sister in their youth. + + + +131 Fair Katrinelje and Pif-Paf-Poltrie + +"Good-day, Father Hollenthe." "Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." "May I be +allowed to have your daughter?" "Oh, yes, if Mother Malcho (Milch-cow), +Brother High-and-Mighty, Sister Käsetraut, and fair Katrinelje are +willing, you can have her." + +"Where is Mother Malcho, then?" "She is in the cow-house, milking +the cow." + +"Good-day, Mother Malcho." "Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." "May I be +allowed to have your daughter?" "Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Brother +High-and-Mighty, Sister Käsetraut, and fair Katrinelje are willing, +you can have her." "Where is Brother High-and-Mighty, then?" "He is in +the room chopping some wood." "Good-day, Brother High-and-Mighty." "Many +thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." "May I be allowed to have your sister?" "Oh, +yes, if Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Sister Käsetraut, and fair +Katrinelje are willing, you can have her." "Where is Sister Käsetraut, +then?" "She is in the garden cutting cabbages." "Good-day, sister +Käsetraut." "Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." "May I be allowed to have your +sister?" "Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Brother High-and- +Mighty, and fair Katrinelje are willing, you may have her." "Where is fair +Katrinelje, then?" "She is in the room counting out her farthings." "Good +day, fair Katrinelje." "Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." "Wilt thou +be my bride?" "Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Brother +High-and-Mighty, and Sister Käsetraut are willing, I am ready." + +"Fair Katrinelje, how much dowry do hast thou?" "Fourteen farthings +in ready money, three and a half groschen owing to me, half a pound of +dried apples, a handful of fried bread, and a handful of spices. + + And many other things are mine, + Have I not a dowry fine? + +"Pif-paf-poltrie, what is thy trade? Art thou a tailor?" "Something +better." "A shoemaker?" "Something better." "A husbandman?" "Something +better." "A joiner?" "Something better." "A smith?" "Something better." "A +miller?" "Something better." "Perhaps a broom-maker?" "Yes, that's what +I am, is it not a fine trade?" + + + +132 The Fox and the Horse + +A peasant had a faithful horse which had grown old and could do no more +work, so his master would no longer give him anything to eat and said, +"I can certainly make no more use of thee, but still I mean well by thee; +if thou provest thyself still strong enough to bring me a lion here, +I will maintain thee, but now take thyself away out of my stable," +and with that he chased him into the open country. The horse was sad, +and went to the forest to seek a little protection there from the +weather. Then the fox met him and said, "Why dost thou hang thy head +so, and go about all alone?" "Alas," replied the horse, "avarice and +fidelity do not dwell together in one house. My master has forgotten what +services I have performed for him for so many years, and because I can +no longer plough well, he will give me no more food, and has driven me +out." "Without giving thee a chance?" asked the fox. "The chance was a +bad one. He said, if I were still strong enough to bring him a lion, he +would keep me, but he well knows that I cannot do that." The fox said, +"I will help thee, just lay thyself down, stretch thyself out, as if +thou wert dead, and do not stir." The horse did as the fox desired, +and the fox went to the lion, who had his den not far off, and said, +"A dead horse is lying outside there, just come with me, thou canst have +a rich meal." The lion went with him, and when they were both standing +by the horse the fox said, "After all, it is not very comfortable for +thee here I tell thee what I will fasten it to thee by the tail, and +then thou canst drag it into thy cave, and devour it in peace." + +This advice pleased the lion: he lay down, and in order that the fox +might tie the horse fast to him, he kept quite quiet. But the fox tied +the lion's legs together with the horse's tail, and twisted and fastened +all so well and so strongly that no strength could break it. When he had +finished his work, he tapped the horse on the shoulder and said, "Pull, +white horse, pull." Then up sprang the horse at once, and drew the lion +away with him. The lion began to roar so that all the birds in the forest +flew out in terror, but the horse let him roar, and drew him and dragged +him over the country to his master's door. When the master saw the lion, +he was of a better mind, and said to the horse, "Thou shalt stay with +me and fare well," and he gave him plenty to eat until he died. + + + +133 The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces + +THERE was once upon a time a King who had twelve daughters, each one +more beautiful than the other. They all slept together in one chamber, +in which their beds stood side by side, and every night when they were +in them the King locked the door, and bolted it. But in the morning +when he unlocked the door, he saw that their shoes were worn out with +dancing, and no one could find out how that had come to pass. Then the +King caused it to be proclaimed that whosoever could discover where +they danced at night, should choose one of them for his wife and be King +after his death, but that whosoever came forward and had not discovered +it within three days and nights, should have forfeited his life. It was +not long before a King's son presented himself, and offered to undertake +the enterprise. He was well received, and in the evening was led into +a room adjoining the princesses' sleeping-chamber. His bed was placed +there, and he was to observe where they went and danced, and in order +that they might do nothing secretly or go away to some other place, +the door of their room was left open. + +But the eyelids of the prince grew heavy as lead, and he fell asleep, +and when he awoke in the morning, all twelve had been to the dance, for +their shoes were standing there with holes in the soles. On the second and +third nights it fell out just the same, and then his head was struck off +without mercy. Many others came after this and undertook the enterprise, +but all forfeited their lives. Now it came to pass that a poor soldier, +who had a wound, and could serve no longer, found himself on the road to +the town where the King lived. There he met an old woman, who asked him +where he was going. "I hardly know myself," answered he, and added in +jest, "I had half a mind to discover where the princesses danced their +shoes into holes, and thus become King." "That is not so difficult," +said the old woman, "you must not drink the wine which will be brought +to you at night, and must pretend to be sound asleep." With that she gave +him a little cloak, and said, "If you put on that, you will be invisible, +and then you can steal after the twelve." When the soldier had received +this good advice, he went into the thing in earnest, took heart, went to +the King, and announced himself as a suitor. He was as well received as +the others, and royal garments were put upon him. He was conducted that +evening at bed-time into the ante-chamber, and as he was about to go to +bed, the eldest came and brought him a cup of wine, but he had tied a +sponge under his chin, and let the wine run down into it, without drinking +a drop. Then he lay down and when he had lain a while, he began to snore, +as if in the deepest sleep. The twelve princesses heard that, and laughed, +and the eldest said, "He, too, might as well have saved his life." With +that they got up, opened wardrobes, presses, cupboards, and brought out +pretty dresses; dressed themselves before the mirrors, sprang about, +and rejoiced at the prospect of the dance. Only the youngest said, +"I know not how it is; you are very happy, but I feel very strange; +some misfortune is certainly about to befall us." "Thou art a goose, +who art always frightened," said the eldest. "Hast thou forgotten how +many Kings' sons have already come here in vain? I had hardly any need +to give the soldier a sleeping-draught, in any case the clown would +not have awakened." When they were all ready they looked carefully at +the soldier, but he had closed his eyes and did not move or stir, so +they felt themselves quite secure. The eldest then went to her bed and +tapped it; it immediately sank into the earth, and one after the other +they descended through the opening, the eldest going first. The soldier, +who had watched everything, tarried no longer, put on his little cloak, +and went down last with the youngest. Half-way down the steps, he just +trod a little on her dress; she was terrified at that, and cried out, +"What is that? who is pulling my dress?" "Don't be so silly!" said the +eldest, "you have caught it on a nail." Then they went all the way down, +and when they were at the bottom, they were standing in a wonderfully +pretty avenue of trees, all the leaves of which were of silver, and shone +and glistened. The soldier thought, "I must carry a token away with me," +and broke off a twig from one of them, on which the tree cracked with +a loud report. The youngest cried out again. "Something is wrong, did +you hear the crack?" But the eldest said, "It is a gun fired for joy, +because we have got rid of our prince so quickly." After that they +came into an avenue where all the leaves were of gold, and lastly into +a third where they were of bright diamonds; he broke off a twig from +each, which made such a crack each time that the youngest started back +in terror, but the eldest still maintained that they were salutes. They +went on and came to a great lake whereon stood twelve little boats, +and in every boat sat a handsome prince, all of whom were waiting for +the twelve, and each took one of them with him, but the soldier seated +himself by the youngest. Then her prince said, "I can't tell why the boat +is so much heavier to-day; I shall have to row with all my strength, +if I am to get it across." "What should cause that," said the youngest, +"but the warm weather? I feel very warm too." On the opposite side of +the lake stood a splendid, brightly-lit castle, from whence resounded +the joyous music of trumpets and kettle-drums. They rowed over there, +entered, and each prince danced with the girl he loved, but the soldier +danced with them unseen, and when one of them had a cup of wine in her +hand he drank it up, so that the cup was empty when she carried it to her +mouth; the youngest was alarmed at this, but the eldest always made her +be silent. They danced there till three o'clock in the morning when all +the shoes were danced into holes, and they were forced to leave off; +the princes rowed them back again over the lake, and this time the +soldier seated himself by the eldest. On the shore they took leave +of their princes, and promised to return the following night. When +they reached the stairs the soldier ran on in front and lay down in +his bed, and when the twelve had come up slowly and wearily, he was +already snoring so loudly that they could all hear him, and they said, +"So far as he is concerned, we are safe." They took off their beautiful +dresses, laid them away, put the worn-out shoes under the bed, and lay +down. Next morning the soldier was resolved not to speak, but to watch +the wonderful goings on, and again went with them. Then everything was +done just as it had been done the first time, and each time they danced +until their shoes were worn to pieces. But the third time he took a +cup away with him as a token. When the hour had arrived for him to +give his answer, he took the three twigs and the cup, and went to the +King, but the twelve stood behind the door, and listened for what he +was going to say. When the King put the question, "Where have my twelve +daughters danced their shoes to pieces in the night?" he answered, "In an +underground castle with twelve princes," and related how it had come to +pass, and brought out the tokens. The King then summoned his daughters, +and asked them if the soldier had told the truth, and when they saw +that they were betrayed, and that falsehood would be of no avail, they +were obliged to confess all. Thereupon the King asked which of them he +would have to wife? He answered, "I am no longer young, so give me the +eldest." Then the wedding was celebrated on the self-same day, and the +kingdom was promised him after the King's death. But the princes were +bewitched for as many days as they had danced nights with the twelve. + + + +134 The Six Servants + +IN former times there lived an aged Queen who was a sorceress, and her +daughter was the most beautiful maiden under the sun. The old woman, +however, had no other thought than how to lure mankind to destruction, +and when a wooer appeared, she said that whosoever wished to have her +daughter, must first perform a task, or die. Many had been dazzled by +the daughter's beauty, and had actually risked this, but they never could +accomplish what the old woman enjoined them to do, and then no mercy was +shown; they had to kneel down, and their heads were struck off. A certain +King's son who had also heard of the maiden's beauty, said to his father, +"Let me go there, I want to demand her in marriage." "Never," answered the +King; "if you were to go, it would be going to your death." On this the +son lay down and was sick unto death, and for seven years he lay there, +and no physician could heal him. When the father perceived that all hope +was over, with a heavy heart he said to him, "Go thither, and try your +luck, for I know no other means of curing you." When the son heard that, +he rose from his bed and was well again, and joyfully set out on his way. + +And it came to pass that as he was riding across a heath, he saw from +afar something like a great heap of hay lying on the ground, and when he +drew nearer, he could see that it was the stomach of a man, who had laid +himself down there, but the stomach looked like a small mountain. When +the fat man saw the traveller, he stood up and said, "If you are in +need of any one, take me into your service." The prince answered, +"What can I do with such a great big man?" "Oh," said the Stout One, +"this is nothing, when I stretch myself out well, I am three thousand +times fatter." "If that's the case," said the prince, "I can make use +of thee, come with me." So the Stout One followed the prince, and after +a while they found another man who was lying on the ground with his +ear laid to the turf. "What art thou doing there?" asked the King's +son. "I am listening," replied the man. "What art thou listening to so +attentively?" "I am listening to what is just going on in the world, +for nothing escapes my ears; I even hear the grass growing." "Tell me," +said the prince, "what thou hearest at the court of the old Queen who +has the beautiful daughter." Then he answered, "I hear the whizzing of +the sword that is striking off a wooer's head." The King's son said, +"I can make use of thee, come with me." They went onwards, and then saw +a pair of feet lying and part of a pair of legs, but could not see the +rest of the body. When they had walked on for a great distance, they came +to the body, and at last to the head also. "Why," said the prince, "what +a tall rascal thou art!" "Oh," replied the Tall One, "that is nothing at +all yet; when I really stretch out my limbs, I am three thousand times as +tall, and taller than the highest mountain on earth. I will gladly enter +your service, if you will take me." "Come with me," said the prince, +"I can make use of thee." They went onwards and found a man sitting by +the road who had bound up his eyes. The prince said to him, "Hast thou +weak eyes, that thou canst not look at the light?" "No," replied the man, +"but I must not remove the bandage, for whatsoever I look at with my +eyes, splits to pieces, my glance is so powerful. If you can use that, +I shall be glad to serve you." "Come with me," replied the King's son, +"I can make use of thee." They journeyed onwards and found a man who +was lying in the hot sunshine, trembling and shivering all over his +body, so that not a limb was still. "How canst thou shiver when the +sun is shining so warm?" said the King's son. "Alack," replied the man, +"I am of quite a different nature. The hotter it is, the colder I am, +and the frost pierces through all my bones; and the colder it is, the +hotter I am. In the midst of ice, I cannot endure the heat, nor in the +midst of fire, the cold." "Thou art a strange fellow," said the prince, +"but if thou wilt enter my service, follow me." They travelled onwards, +and saw a man standing who made a long neck and looked about him, +and could see over all the mountains. "What art thou looking at so +eagerly?" said the King's son. The man replied, "I have such sharp +eyes that I can see into every forest and field, and hill and valley, +all over the world." The prince said, "Come with me if thou wilt, for +I am still in want of such an one." + +And now the King's son and his six servants came to the town where the +aged Queen dwelt. He did not tell her who he was, but said, "If you will +give me your beautiful daughter, I will perform any task you set me." The +sorceress was delighted to get such a handsome youth as this into her net, +and said, "I will set thee three tasks, and if thou art able to perform +them all, thou shalt be husband and master of my daughter." "What is the +first to be?" "Thou shalt fetch me my ring which I have dropped into the +Red Sea." So the King's son went home to his servants and said, "The +first task is not easy. A ring is to be got out of the Red Sea. Come, +find some way of doing it." Then the man with the sharp sight said, "I +will see where it is lying," and looked down into the water and said, "It +is sticking there, on a pointed stone." The Tall One carried them thither, +and said, "I would soon get it out, if I could only see it." "Oh, is that +all!" cried the Stout One, and lay down and put his mouth to the water, +on which all the waves fell into it just as if it had been a whirlpool, +and he drank up the whole sea till it was as dry as a meadow. The Tall +One stooped down a little, and brought out the ring with his hand. Then +the King's son rejoiced when he had the ring, and took it to the old +Queen. She was astonished, and said, "Yes, it is the right ring. Thou +hast safely performed the first task, but now comes the second. Dost thou +see the meadow in front of my palace? Three hundred fat oxen are feeding +there, and these must thou eat, skin, hair, bones, horns and all, and +down below in my cellar lie three hundred casks of wine, and these thou +must drink up as well, and if one hair of the oxen, or one little drop +of the wine is left, thy life will be forfeited to me." "May I invite +no guests to this repast?" inquired the prince, "no dinner is good +without some company." The old woman laughed maliciously, and replied, +"Thou mayst invite one for the sake of companionship, but no more." + +The King's son went to his servants and said to the Stout One, "Thou +shalt be my guest to-day, and shalt eat thy fill." Hereupon the Stout +One stretched himself out and ate the three hundred oxen without leaving +one single hair, and then he asked if he was to have nothing but his +breakfast. He drank the wine straight from the casks without feeling any +need of a glass, and he licked the last drop from his finger-nails. When +the meal was over, the prince went to the old woman, and told her that +the second task also was performed. She wondered at this and said, +"No one has ever done so much before, but one task still remains," and +she thought to herself, "Thou shalt not escape me, and wilt not keep thy +head on thy shoulders! This night," said she, "I will bring my daughter +to thee in thy chamber, and thou shalt put thine arms round her, but when +you are sitting there together, beware of falling asleep. When twelve +o'clock is striking, I will come, and if she is then no longer in thine +arms, thou art lost." The prince thought, "The task is easy, I will most +certainly keep my eyes open." Nevertheless he called his servants, told +them what the old woman had said, and remarked, "Who knows what treachery +lurks behind this? Foresight is a good thing keep watch, and take care +that the maiden does not go out of my room again." When night fell, the +old woman came with her daughter, and gave her into the princes's arms, +and then the Tall One wound himself round the two in a circle, and the +Stout One placed himself by the door, so that no living creature could +enter. There the two sat, and the maiden spake never a word, but the moon +shone through the window on her face, and the prince could behold her +wondrous beauty. He did nothing but gaze at her, and was filled with love +and happiness, and his eyes never felt weary. This lasted until eleven +o'clock, when the old woman cast such a spell over all of them that they +fell asleep, and at the self-same moment the maiden was carried away. + +Then they all slept soundly until a quarter to twelve, when the magic +lost its power, and all awoke again. "Oh, misery and misfortune!" cried +the prince, "now I am lost!" The faithful servants also began to lament, +but the Listener said, "Be quiet, I want to listen." Then he listened for +an instant and said, "She is on a rock, three hundred leagues from hence, +bewailing her fate. Thou alone, Tall One, canst help her; if thou wilt +stand up, thou wilt be there in a couple of steps." + +"Yes," answered the Tall One, "but the one with the sharp eyes must go +with me, that we may destroy the rock." Then the Tall One took the one +with bandaged eyes on his back, and in the twinkling of an eye they were +on the enchanted rock. The Tall One immediately took the bandage from +the other's eyes, and he did but look round, and the rock shivered into +a thousand pieces. Then the Tall One took the maiden in his arms, carried +her back in a second, then fetched his companion with the same rapidity, +and before it struck twelve they were all sitting as they had sat before, +quite merrily and happily. When twelve struck, the aged sorceress came +stealing in with a malicious face, which seemed to say, "Now he is +mine!" for she believed that her daughter was on the rock three hundred +leagues off. But when she saw her in the prince's arms, she was alarmed, +and said, "Here is one who knows more than I do!" She dared not make any +opposition, and was forced to give him her daughter. But she whispered +in her ear, "It is a disgrace to thee to have to obey common people, +and that thou art not allowed to choose a husband to thine own liking." + +On this the proud heart of the maiden was filled with anger, and she +meditated revenge. Next morning she caused three hundred great bundles +of wood to be got together, and said to the prince that though the three +tasks were performed, she would still not be his wife until some one was +ready to seat himself in the midst of the wood, and bear the fire. She +thought that none of his servants would let themselves be burnt for him, +and that out of love for her, he himself would place himself upon it, +and then she would be free. But the servants said, "Every one of us has +done something except the Frosty One, he must set to work," and they +put him in the middle of the pile, and set fire to it. Then the fire +began to burn, and burnt for three days until all the wood was consumed, +and when the flames had burnt out, the Frosty One was standing amid the +ashes, trembling like an aspen leaf, and saying, "I never felt such a +frost during the whole course of my life; if it had lasted much longer, +I should have been benumbed!" + +As no other pretext was to be found, the beautiful maiden was now forced +to take the unknown youth as a husband. But when they drove away to +church, the old woman said, "I cannot endure the disgrace," and sent +her warriors after them with orders to cut down all who opposed them, +and bring back her daughter. But the Listener had sharpened his ears, +and heard the secret discourse of the old woman. "What shall we do?" said +he to the Stout One. But he knew what to do, and spat out once or twice +behind the carriage some of the sea-water which he had drunk, and a +great sea arose in which the warriors were caught and drowned. When the +sorceress perceived that, she sent her mailed knights; but the Listener +heard the rattling of their armour, and undid the bandage from one eye +of Sharp-eyes, who looked for a while rather fixedly at the enemy's +troops, on which they all sprang to pieces like glass. Then the youth +and the maiden went on their way undisturbed, and when the two had been +blessed in church, the six servants took leave, and said to their master, +"Your wishes are now satisfied, you need us no longer, we will go our +way and seek our fortunes." + +Half a league from the palace of the prince's father was a village +near which a swineherd tended his herd, and when they came thither the +prince said to his wife, "Do you know who I really am? I am no prince, +but a herder of swine, and the man who is there with that herd, is my +father. We two shall have to set to work also, and help him." Then he +alighted with her at the inn, and secretly told the innkeepers to take +away her royal apparel during the night. So when she awoke in the morning, +she had nothing to put on, and the innkeeper's wife gave her an old gown +and a pair of worsted stockings, and at the same time seemed to consider +it a great present, and said, "If it were not for the sake of your husband +I should have given you nothing at all!" Then the princess believed that +he really was a swineherd, and tended the herd with him, and thought to +herself, "I have deserved this for my haughtiness and pride." This lasted +for a week, and then she could endure it no longer, for she had sores on +her feet. And now came a couple of people who asked if she knew who her +husband was. "Yes," she answered, "he is a swineherd, and has just gone +out with cords and ropes to try to drive a little bargain." But they said, +"Just come with us, and we will take you to him," and they took her up +to the palace, and when she entered the hall, there stood her husband in +kingly raiment. But she did not recognize him until he took her in his +arms, kissed her, and said, "I suffered much for thee and now thou, too, +hast had to suffer for me." And then the wedding was celebrated, and he +who has told you all this, wishes that he, too, had been present at it. + + + +135 The White Bride and the Black One + +A WOMAN was going about the unenclosed land with her daughter and +her step-daughter cutting fodder, when the Lord came walking towards +them in the form of a poor man, and asked, "Which is the way into the +village?" "If you want to know," said the mother, "seek it for yourself," +and the daughter added, "If you are afraid you will not find it, take a +guide with you." But the step-daughter said, "Poor man, I will take you +there, come with me." Then God was angry with the mother and daughter, +and turned his back on them, and wished that they should become as +black as night and as ugly as sin. To the poor step-daughter, however, +God was gracious, and went with her, and when they were near the village, +he said a blessing over her, and spake, "Choose three things for thyself, +and I will grant them to thee." Then said the maiden, "I should like to +be as beautiful and fair as the sun," and instantly she was white and +fair as day. "Then I should like to have a purse of money which would +never grow empty." That the Lord gave her also, but he said, "Do not +forget what is best of all." Said she, "For my third wish, I desire, +after my death, to inhabit the eternal kingdom of Heaven." That also +was granted unto her, and then the Lord left her. When the step-mother +came home with her daughter, and they saw that they were both as black +as coal and ugly, but that the step-daughter was white and beautiful, +wickedness increased still more in their hearts, and they thought of +nothing else but how they could do her an injury. The step-daughter, +however, had a brother called Reginer, whom she loved much, and she +told him all that had happened. Once on a time Reginer said to her, +"Dear sister, I will take thy likeness, that I may continually see thee +before mine eyes, for my love for thee is so great that I should like +always to look at thee." Then she answered, "But, I pray thee, let no +one see the picture." So he painted his sister and hung up the picture +in his room; he, however, dwelt in the King's palace, for he was his +coachman. Every day he went and stood before the picture, and thanked God +for the happiness of having such a dear sister. Now it happened that the +King whom he served, had just lost his wife, who had been so beautiful +that no one could be found to compare with her, and on this account +the King was in deep grief. The attendants about the court, however, +remarked that the coachman stood daily before this beautiful picture, +and they were jealous of him, so they informed the King. Then the latter +ordered the picture to be brought to him, and when he saw that it was like +his lost wife in every respect, except that it was still more beautiful, +he fell mortally in love with it. He caused the coachman to be brought +before him, and asked whom the portrait represented? The coachman said it +was his sister, so the King resolved to take no one but her as his wife, +and gave him a carriage and horses and splendid garments of cloth of gold, +and sent him forth to fetch his chosen bride. When Reginer came on this +errand, his sister was glad, but the black maiden was jealous of her +good fortune, and grew angry above all measure, and said to her mother, +"Of what use are all your arts to us now when you cannot procure such +a piece of luck for me?" "Be quiet," said the old woman, "I will soon +divert it to you," and by her arts of witchcraft, she so troubled the eyes +of the coachman that he was half-blind, and she stopped the ears of the +white maiden so that she was half-deaf. Then they got into the carriage, +first the bride in her noble royal apparel, then the step-mother with +her daughter, and Reginer sat on the box to drive. When they had been +on the way for some time the coachman cried, + +"Cover thee well, my sister dear, That the rain may not wet thee, That the +wind may not load thee with dust, That thou may'st be fair and beautiful +When thou appearest before the King." + +The bride asked, "What is my dear brother saying?" "Ah," said the old +woman, "he says that you ought to take off your golden dress and give it +to your sister." Then she took it off, and put it on the black maiden, +who gave her in exchange for it a shabby grey gown. They drove onwards, +and a short time afterwards, the brother again cried, + +"Cover thee well, my sister dear, That the rain may not wet thee, That the +wind may not load thee with dust, That thou may'st be fair and beautiful +When thou appearest before the King." + +The bride asked, "What is my dear brother saying?" "Ah," said the old +woman, "he says that you ought to take off your golden hood and give +it to your sister." So she took off the hood and put it on her sister, +and sat with her own head uncovered. And they drove on farther. After +a while, the brother once more cried, + +"Cover thee well, my sister dear, That the rain may not wet thee, That the +wind may not load thee with dust, That thou may'st be fair and beautiful +When thou appearest before the King." + +The bride asked, "What is my dear brother saying?" "Ah," said the old +woman, "he says you must look out of the carriage." They were, however, +just on a bridge, which crossed deep water. When the bride stood up and +leant forward out of the carriage, they both pushed her out, and she +fell into the middle of the water. At the same moment that she sank, a +snow-white duck arose out of the mirror-smooth water, and swam down the +river. The brother had observed nothing of it, and drove the carriage +on until they reached the court. Then he took the black maiden to the +King as his sister, and thought she really was so, because his eyes were +dim, and he saw the golden garments glittering. When the King saw the +boundless ugliness of his intended bride, he was very angry, and ordered +the coachman to be thrown into a pit which was full of adders and nests +of snakes. The old witch, however, knew so well how to flatter the King +and deceive his eyes by her arts, that he kept her and her daughter +until she appeared quite endurable to him, and he really married her. + +One evening when the black bride was sitting on the King's knee, +a white duck came swimming up the gutter to the kitchen, and said to +the kitchen-boy, "Boy, light a fire, that I may warm my feathers." The +kitchen-boy did it, and lighted a fire on the hearth. Then came the +duck and sat down by it, and shook herself and smoothed her feathers to +rights with her bill. While she was thus sitting and enjoying herself, +she asked, "What is my brother Reginer doing?" The scullery-boy replied, +"He is imprisoned in the pit with adders and with snakes." Then she +asked, "What is the black witch doing in the house?" The boy answered, +"She is loved by the King and happy." + +"May God have mercy on him," said the duck, and swam forth by the sink. + +The next night she came again and put the same questions, and the third +night also. Then the kitchen-boy could bear it no longer, and went to +the King and discovered all to him. The King, however, wanted to see it +for himself, and next evening went thither, and when the duck thrust her +head in through the sink, he took his sword and cut through her neck, +and suddenly she changed into a most beautiful maiden, exactly like the +picture, which her brother had made of her. The King was full of joy, and +as she stood there quite wet, he caused splendid apparel to be brought +and had her clothed in it. Then she told how she had been betrayed by +cunning and falsehood, and at last thrown down into the water, and her +first request was that her brother should be brought forth from the pit +of snakes, and when the King had fulfilled this request, he went into the +chamber where the old witch was, and asked, What does she deserve who does +this and that? and related what had happened. Then was she so blinded that +she was aware of nothing and said, "She deserves to be stripped naked, +and put into a barrel with nails, and that a horse should be harnessed +to the barrel, and the horse sent all over the world." All of which was +done to her, and to her black daughter. But the King married the white +and beautiful bride, and rewarded her faithful brother, and made him a +rich and distinguished man. + + + +136 Iron John + +THERE was once on a time a King who had a great forest near his palace, +full of all kinds of wild animals. One day he sent out a huntsman to shoot +him a roe, but he did not come back. "Perhaps some accident has befallen +him," said the King, and the next day he sent out two more huntsmen who +were to search for him, but they too stayed away. Then on the third day, +he sent for all his huntsmen, and said, "Scour the whole forest through, +and do not give up until ye have found all three." But of these also, +none came home again, and of the pack of hounds which they had taken with +them, none were seen more. From that time forth, no one would any longer +venture into the forest, and it lay there in deep stillness and solitude, +and nothing was seen of it, but sometimes an eagle or a hawk flying over +it. This lasted for many years, when a strange huntsman announced himself +to the King as seeking a situation, and offered to go into the dangerous +forest. The King, however, would not give his consent, and said, "It is +not safe in there; I fear it would fare with thee no better than with +the others, and thou wouldst never come out again." The huntsman replied, +"Lord, I will venture it at my own risk, of fear I know nothing." + +The huntsman therefore betook himself with his dog to the forest. It was +not long before the dog fell in with some game on the way, and wanted +to pursue it; but hardly had the dog run two steps when it stood before +a deep pool, could go no farther, and a naked arm stretched itself out +of the water, seized it, and drew it under, When the huntsman saw that, +he went back and fetched three men to come with buckets and bale out the +water. When they could see to the bottom there lay a wild man whose body +was brown like rusty iron, and whose hair hung over his face down to his +knees. They bound him with cords, and led him away to the castle. There +was great astonishment over the wild man; the King, however, had him put +in an iron cage in his court-yard, and forbade the door to be opened +on pain of death, and the Queen herself was to take the key into her +keeping. And from this time forth every one could again go into the +forest with safety. + +The King had a son of eight years, who was once playing in the court-yard, +and while he was playing, his golden ball fell into the cage. The boy ran +thither and said, "Give me my ball out." "Not till thou hast opened the +door for me," answered the man. "No," said the boy, "I will not do that; +the King has forbidden it," and ran away. The next day he again went and +asked for his ball; the wild man said, "Open my door," but the boy would +not. On the third day the King had ridden out hunting, and the boy went +once more and said, "I cannot open the door even if I wished, for I have +not the key." Then the wild man said, "It lies under thy mother's pillow, +thou canst get it there." The boy, who wanted to have his ball back, +cast all thought to the winds, and brought the key. The door opened with +difficulty, and the boy pinched his fingers. When it was open the wild +man stepped out, gave him the golden ball, and hurried away. The boy had +become afraid; he called and cried after him, "Oh, wild man, do not go +away, or I shall be beaten!" The wild man turned back, took him up, set +him on his shoulder, and went with hasty steps into the forest. When the +King came home, he observed the empty cage, and asked the Queen how that +had happened? She knew nothing about it, and sought the key, but it was +gone. She called the boy, but no one answered. The King sent out people +to seek for him in the fields, but they did not find him. Then he could +easily guess what had happened, and much grief reigned in the royal court. + +When the wild man had once more reached the dark forest, he took the boy +down from his shoulder, and said to him, "Thou wilt never see thy father +and mother again, but I will keep thee with me, for thou hast set me free, +and I have compassion on thee. If thou dost all I bid thee, thou shalt +fare well. Of treasure and gold have I enough, and more than anyone +in the world." He made a bed of moss for the boy on which he slept, +and the next morning the man took him to a well, and said, "Behold, +the gold well is as bright and clear as crystal, thou shalt sit beside +it, and take care that nothing falls into it, or it will be polluted. I +will come every evening to see if thou hast obeyed my order." The boy +placed himself by the margin of the well, and often saw a golden fish +or a golden snake show itself therein, and took care that nothing fell +in. As he was thus sitting, his finger hurt him so violently that he +involuntarily put it in the water. He drew it quickly out again, but saw +that it was quite gilded, and whatsoever pains he took to wash the gold +off again, all was to no purpose. In the evening Iron John came back, +looked at the boy, and said, "What has happened to the well?" "Nothing, +nothing," he answered, and held his finger behind his back, that the +man might not see it. But he said, "Thou hast dipped thy finger into +the water, this time it may pass, but take care thou dost not again let +anything go in." By daybreak the boy was already sitting by the well and +watching it. His finger hurt him again and he passed it over his head, +and then unhappily a hair fell down into the well. He took it quickly out, +but it was already quite gilded. Iron John came, and already knew what +had happened. "Thou hast let a hair fall into the well," said he. "I will +allow thee to watch by it once more, but if this happens for the third +time then the well is polluted, and thou canst no longer remain with me." + +On the third day, the boy sat by the well, and did not stir his finger, +however much it hurt him. But the time was long to him, and he looked +at the reflection of his face on the surface of the water. And as he +still bent down more and more while he was doing so, and trying to look +straight into the eyes, his long hair fell down from his shoulders into +the water. He raised himself up quickly, but the whole of the hair of +his head was already golden and shone like the sun. You may imagine how +terrified the poor boy was! He took his pocket-handkerchief and tied it +round his head, in order that the man might not see it. When he came he +already knew everything, and said, "Take the handkerchief off." Then the +golden hair streamed forth, and let the boy excuse himself as he might, +it was of no use. "Thou hast not stood the trial, and canst stay here +no longer. Go forth into the world, there thou wilt learn what poverty +is. But as thou hast not a bad heart, and as I mean well by thee, there +is one thing I will grant thee; if thou fallest into any difficulty, +come to the forest and cry, 'Iron John,' and then I will come and help +thee. My power is great, greater than thou thinkest, and I have gold +and silver in abundance." + +Then the King's son left the forest, and walked by beaten and unbeaten +paths ever onwards until at length he reached a great city. There he +looked for work, but could find none, and he had learnt nothing by which +he could help himself. At length he went to the palace, and asked if +they would take him in. The people about court did not at all know what +use they could make of him, but they liked him, and told him to stay. At +length the cook took him into his service, and said he might carry wood +and water, and rake the cinders together. Once when it so happened that +no one else was at hand, the cook ordered him to carry the food to the +royal table, but as he did not like to let his golden hair be seen, he +kept his little cap on. Such a thing as that had never yet come under +the King's notice, and he said, "When thou comest to the royal table +thou must take thy hat off." He answered, "Ah, Lord, I cannot; I have +a bad sore place on my head." Then the King had the cook called before +him and scolded him, and asked how he could take such a boy as that into +his service; and that he was to turn him off at once. The cook, however, +had pity on him, and exchanged him for the gardener's boy. + +And now the boy had to plant and water the garden, hoe and dig, and bear +the wind and bad weather. Once in summer when he was working alone in +the garden, the day was so warm he took his little cap off that the air +might cool him. As the sun shone on his hair it glittered and flashed so +that the rays fell into the bed-room of the King's daughter, and up she +sprang to see what that could be. Then she saw the boy, and cried to him, +"Boy, bring me a wreath of flowers." He put his cap on with all haste, +and gathered wild field-flowers and bound them together. When he was +ascending the stairs with them, the gardener met him, and said, "How +canst thou take the King's daughter a garland of such common flowers? Go +quickly, and get another, and seek out the prettiest and rarest." "Oh, +no," replied the boy, "the wild ones have more scent, and will please her +better." When he got into the room, the King's daughter said, "Take thy +cap off, it is not seemly to keep it on in my presence." He again said, +"I may not, I have a sore head." She, however, caught at his cap and +pulled it off, and then his golden hair rolled down on his shoulders, +and it was splendid to behold. He wanted to run out, but she held him +by the arm, and gave him a handful of ducats. With these he departed, +but he cared nothing for the gold pieces. He took them to the gardener, +and said, "I present them to thy children, they can play with them." The +following day the King's daughter again called to him that he was to +bring her a wreath of field-flowers, and when he went in with it, she +instantly snatched at his cap, and wanted to take it away from him, +but he held it fast with both hands. She again gave him a handful of +ducats, but he would not keep them, and gave them to the gardener for +playthings for his children. On the third day things went just the same; +she could not get his cap away from him, and he would not have her money. + +Not long afterwards, the country was overrun by war. The King gathered +together his people, and did not know whether or not he could offer +any opposition to the enemy, who was superior in strength and had a +mighty army. Then said the gardener's boy, "I am grown up, and will go +to the wars also, only give me a horse." The others laughed, and said, +"Seek one for thyself when we are gone, we will leave one behind us in +the stable for thee." When they had gone forth, he went into the stable, +and got the horse out; it was lame of one foot, and limped hobblety jig, +hobblety jig; nevertheless he mounted it, and rode away to the dark +forest. When he came to the outskirts, he called "Iron John," three +times so loudly that it echoed through the trees. Thereupon the wild +man appeared immediately, and said, "What dost thou desire?" "I want a +strong steed, for I am going to the wars." "That thou shalt have, and +still more than thou askest for." Then the wild man went back into the +forest, and it was not long before a stable-boy came out of it, who led +a horse that snorted with its nostrils, and could hardly be restrained, +and behind them followed a great troop of soldiers entirely equipped +in iron, and their swords flashed in the sun. The youth made over his +three-legged horse to the stable-boy, mounted the other, and rode at the +head of the soldiers. When he got near the battle-field a great part of +the King's men had already fallen, and little was wanting to make the +rest give way. Then the youth galloped thither with his iron soldiers, +broke like a hurricane over the enemy, and beat down all who opposed +him. They began to fly, but the youth pursued, and never stopped, +until there was not a single man left. Instead, however, of returning +to the King, he conducted his troop by bye-ways back to the forest, +and called forth Iron John. "What dost thou desire?" asked the wild +man. "Take back thy horse and thy troops, and give me my three-legged +horse again." All that he asked was done, and soon he was riding on his +three-legged horse. When the King returned to his palace, his daughter +went to meet him, and wished him joy of his victory. "I am not the one +who carried away the victory," said he, "but a stranger knight who came +to my assistance with his soldiers." The daughter wanted to hear who the +strange knight was, but the King did not know, and said, "He followed +the enemy, and I did not see him again." She inquired of the gardener +where his boy was, but he smiled, and said, "He has just come home on his +three-legged horse, and the others have been mocking him, and crying, +"Here comes our hobblety jig back again!" They asked, too, "Under what +hedge hast thou been lying sleeping all the time?" He, however, said, +"I did the best of all, and it would have gone badly without me." And +then he was still more ridiculed." + +The King said to his daughter, "I will proclaim a great feast that shall +last for three days, and thou shalt throw a golden apple. Perhaps the +unknown will come to it." When the feast was announced, the youth went +out to the forest, and called Iron John. "What dost thou desire?" asked +he. "That I may catch the King's daughter's golden apple." "It is as +safe as if thou hadst it already," said Iron John. "Thou shalt likewise +have a suit of red armour for the occasion, and ride on a spirited +chestnut-horse." When the day came, the youth galloped to the spot, took +his place amongst the knights, and was recognized by no one. The King's +daughter came forward, and threw a golden apple to the knights, but none +of them caught it but he, only as soon as he had it he galloped away. + +On the second day Iron John equipped him as a white knight, and gave +him a white horse. Again he was the only one who caught the apple, and +he did not linger an instant, but galloped off with it. The King grew +angry, and said, "That is not allowed; he must appear before me and tell +his name." He gave the order that if the knight who caught the apple, +should go away again they should pursue him, and if he would not come +back willingly, they were to cut him down and stab him. + +On the third day, he received from Iron John a suit of black armour and +a black horse, and again he caught the apple. But when he was riding off +with it, the King's attendants pursued him, and one of them got so near +him that he wounded the youth's leg with the point of his sword. The +youth nevertheless escaped from them, but his horse leapt so violently +that the helmet fell from the youth's head, and they could see that he +had golden hair. They rode back and announced this to the King. + +The following day the King's daughter asked the gardener about his +boy. "He is at work in the garden; the queer creature has been at the +festival too, and only came home yesterday evening; he has likewise +shown my children three golden apples which he has won." + +The King had him summoned into his presence, and he came and again had +his little cap on his head. But the King's daughter went up to him and +took it off, and then his golden hair fell down over his shoulders, +and he was so handsome that all were amazed. "Art thou the knight who +came every day to the festival, always in different colours, and who +caught the three golden apples?" asked the King. "Yes," answered he, +"and here the apples are," and he took them out of his pocket, and +returned them to the King. "If you desire further proof, you may see the +wound which your people gave me when they followed me. But I am likewise +the knight who helped you to your victory over your enemies." "If thou +canst perform such deeds as that, thou art no gardener's boy; tell me, +who is thy father?" "My father is a mighty King, and gold have I in +plenty as great as I require." "I well see," said the King, "that I owe +thanks to thee; can I do anything to please thee?" "Yes," answered he, +"that indeed you can. Give me your daughter to wife." The maiden laughed, +and said, "He does not stand much on ceremony, but I have already seen +by his golden hair that he was no gardener's boy," and then she went +and kissed him. His father and mother came to the wedding, and were +in great delight, for they had given up all hope of ever seeing their +dear son again. And as they were sitting at the marriage-feast, the +music suddenly stopped, the doors opened, and a stately King came in +with a great retinue. He went up to the youth, embraced him and said, +"I am Iron John, and was by enchantment a wild man, but thou hast set +me free; all the treasures which I possess, shall be thy property." + + + +137 The Three Black Princesses + +EAST INDIA was besieged by an enemy who would not retire until he +had received six hundred dollars. Then the townsfolk caused it to be +proclaimed by beat of drum that whosoever was able to procure the money +should be burgomaster. Now there was a poor fisherman who fished on the +lake with his son, and the enemy came and took the son prisoner, and gave +the father six hundred dollars for him. So the father went and gave them +to the great men of the town, and the enemy departed, and the fisherman +became burgomaster. Then it was proclaimed that whosoever did not say, +"Mr. Burgomaster," should be put to death on the gallows. + +The son got away again from the enemy, and came to a great forest on a +high mountain. The mountain opened, and he went into a great enchanted +castle, wherein chairs, tables, and benches were all hung with black. Then +came three young princesses who were entirely dressed in black, but had +a little white on their faces; they told him he was not to be afraid, +they would not hurt him, and that he could deliver them. He said he +would gladly do that, if he did but know how. At this, they told him he +must for a whole year not speak to them and also not look at them, and +what he wanted to have he was just to ask for, and if they dared give +him an answer they would do so. When he had been there for a long while +he said he should like to go to his father, and they told him he might +go. He was to take with him this purse with money, put on this coat, +and in a week he must be back there again. + +Then he was caught up, and was instantly in East India. He could no +longer find his father in the fisherman's hut, and asked the people where +the poor fisherman could be, and they told him he must not say that, +or he would come to the gallows. Then he went to his father and said, +"Fisherman, how hast thou got here?" Then the father said, "Thou must +not say that, if the great men of the town knew of that, thou wouldst +come to the gallows." He, however, would not stop, and was brought to the +gallows. When he was there, he said, "O, my masters, just give me leave +to go to the old fisherman's hut." Then he put on his old smock-frock, +and came back to the great men, and said, "Do ye not now see? Am I not +the son of the poor fisherman? Did I not earn bread for my father and +mother in this dress?" Hereupon his father knew him again, and begged +his pardon, and took him home with him, and then he related all that had +happened to him, and how he had got into a forest on a high mountain, +and the mountain had opened and he had gone into an enchanted castle, +where all was black, and three young princesses had come to him who +were black except a little white on their faces. And they had told him +not to fear, and that he could deliver them. Then his mother said that +might very likely not be a good thing to do, and that he ought to take +a holy-water vessel with him, and drop some boiling water on their faces. + +He went back again, and he was in great fear, and he dropped the water on +their faces as they were sleeping, and they all turned half-white. Then +all the three princesses sprang up, and said, "Thou accursed dog, our +blood shall cry for vengeance on thee! Now there is no man born in the +world, nor will any ever be born who can set us free! We have still +three brothers who are bound by seven chains they shall tear thee to +pieces." Then there was a loud shrieking all over the castle, and he +sprang out of the window, and broke his leg, and the castle sank into +the earth again, the mountain shut to again, and no one knew where the +castle had stood. + + + +138 Knoist and his Three Sons + +Between Werrel and Soist there lived a man whose name was Knoist, +and he had three sons. One was blind, the other lame, and the third +stark-naked. Once on a time they went into a field, and there they saw a +hare. The blind one shot it, the lame one caught it, the naked one put it +in his pocket. Then they came to a mighty big lake, on which there were +three boats, one sailed, one sank, the third had no bottom to it. They +all three got into the one with no bottom to it. Then they came to a +mighty big forest in which there was a mighty big tree; in the tree was +a mighty big chapel in the chapel was a sexton made of beech-wood and +a box-wood parson, who dealt out holy-water with cudgels. + +"How truly happy is that one Who can from holy water run!" + + + +139 The Maid of Brakel + +A girl from Brakel once went to St. Anne's Chapel at the foot of the +Hinnenberg, and as she wanted to have a husband, and thought there was +no one else in the chapel, she sang, + +"Oh, holy Saint Anne! Help me soon to a man. Thou know'st him right +well, By Suttmer gate does he dwell, His hair it is golden, Thou know'st +him right well." + +The clerk, however, was standing behind the altar and heard that, so he +cried in a very gruff voice, "Thou shalt not have him! Thou shalt not +have him!" The maiden thought that the child Mary who stood by her mother +Anne had called out that to her, and was angry, and cried, "Fiddle de dee, +conceited thing, hold your tongue, and let your mother speak!" + + + +140 Domestic Servants + +"Whither goest thou?" "To Walpe." "I to Walpe, thou to Walpe, so, so, +together we'll go." + +"Hast thou a man? What is his name?" "Cham." "My man Cham, thy man Cham; +I to Walpe, thou to Walpe; so, so, together we'll go." "Hast thou a child; +how is he styled?" "Wild." "My child Wild, thy child Wild; my man Cham, +thy man Cham; I to Walpe, thou to Walpe, so, so, together we'll go." "Hast +thou a cradle? How callest thou thy cradle?" "Hippodadle." "My cradle +Hippodadle, my child Wild, thy child Wild, my man Cham, thy man Cham; +I to Walpe, thou to Walpe, so, so, together we'll go." + +"Hast thou also a drudge? what name has thy drudge?" "From-thy-work- +do-not-budge." "My drudge, From-thy-work-do-not-budge: my child Wild, +thy child Wild; my man Cham, thy man Cham; I to Walpe, thou to Walpe; +so, so, together we'll go." + + + +141 The Lambkin and the Little Fish + +THERE were once a little brother and a little sister, who loved each other +with all their hearts. Their own mother was, however, dead, and they had +a step-mother, who was not kind to them, and secretly did everything +she could to hurt them. It so happened that the two were playing with +other children in a meadow before the house, and there was a pond in the +meadow which came up to one side of the house. The children ran about it, +and caught each other, and played at counting out. + +"Eneke Beneke, let me live, And I to thee my bird will give. The little +bird, it straw shall seek, The straw I'll give to the cow to eat. +The pretty cow shall give me milk, The milk I'll to the baker take. +The baker he shall bake a cake, The cake I'll give unto the cat. The cat +shall catch some mice for that, The mice I'll hang up in the smoke, +And then you'll see the snow." + +They stood in a circle while they played this, and the one to whom +the word snow fell, had to run away and all the others ran after him +and caught him. As they were running about so merrily the step-mother +watched them from the window, and grew angry. And as she understood arts +of witchcraft she bewitched them both, and changed the little brother +into a fish, and the little sister into a lamb. Then the fish swam here +and there about the pond and was very sad, and the lambkin walked up and +down the meadow, and was miserable, and could not eat or touch one blade +of grass. Thus passed a long time, and then strangers came as visitors to +the castle. The false step-mother thought, "This is a good opportunity," +and called the cook and said to him, "Go and fetch the lamb from the +meadow and kill it, we have nothing else for the visitors." Then the +cook went away and got the lamb, and took it into the kitchen and tied +its feet, and all this it bore patiently. When he had drawn out his +knife and was whetting it on the door-step to kill the lamb, he noticed +a little fish swimming backwards and forwards in the water, in front of +the kitchen-sink and looking up at him. This, however, was the brother, +for when the fish saw the cook take the lamb away, it followed them and +swam along the pond to the house; then the lamb cried down to it, + +"Ah, brother, in the pond so deep, How sad is my poor heart! Even now +the cook he whets his knife To take away my tender life." + +The little fish answered, + + "Ah, little sister, up on high + How sad is my poor heart + While in this pond I lie." + +When the cook heard that the lambkin could speak and said such sad words +to the fish down below, he was terrified and thought this could be no +common lamb, but must be bewitched by the wicked woman in the house. Then +said he, "Be easy, I will not kill thee," and took another sheep and made +it ready for the guests, and conveyed the lambkin to a good peasant woman, +to whom he related all that he had seen and heard. + +The peasant was, however, the very woman who had been foster-mother to +the little sister, and she suspected at once who the lamb was, and went +with it to a wise woman. Then the wise woman pronounced a blessing over +the lambkin and the little fish, by means of which they regained their +human forms, and after this she took them both into a little hut in a +great forest, where they lived alone, but were contented and happy. + + + +142 Simeli Mountain + +There were once two brothers, the one rich, the other poor. The rich one, +however, gave nothing to the poor one, and he gained a scanty living by +trading in corn, and often did so badly that he had no bread for his wife +and children. Once when he was wheeling a barrow through the forest he +saw, on one side of him, a great, bare, naked-looking mountain, and as he +had never seen it before, he stood still and stared at it with amazement. + +While he was thus standing he saw a twelve great, wild men coming towards +him, and as he believed they were robbers he pushed his barrow into the +thicket, climbed up a tree, and waited to see what would happen. The +twelve men, however, went to the mountain and cried, "Semsi mountain, +Semsi mountain, open," and immediately the barren mountain opened down +the middle, and the twelve went into it, and as soon as they were within, +it shut. After a short time, however, it opened again, and the men came +forth carrying heavy sacks on their shoulders, and when they were all +once more in the daylight they said, "Semsi mountain, Semsi mountain, +shut thyself;" then the mountain closed together, and there was no longer +any entrance to be seen to it, and the twelve went away. + +When they were quite out of sight the poor man got down from the tree, and +was curious to know what really was secretly hidden in the mountain. So he +went up to it and said, "Semsi mountain, Semsi mountain, open," and the +mountain opened to him also. The he went inside, and the whole mountain +was a cavern full of silver and gold, and behind lay great piles of pearls +and sparkling jewels, heaped up like corn. The poor man hardly knew what +to do, and whether he might take any of these treasures for himself or +not; but at last he filled his pockets with gold, but he left the pearls +and precious stones where they were. When he came out again he also said, +"Semsi mountain, Semsi mountain, shut thyself;" and the mountain closed +itself, and he went home with his barrow. + +And now he had no more cause for anxiety, but could buy bread for his +wife and children with his gold, and wine into the bargain. He lived +joyously and uprightly, gave help to the poor, and did good to every +one. When, however, the money came to an end he went to his brother, +borrowed a measure that held a bushel, and brought himself some more, +but did not touch any of the most valuable things. When for the third +time he wanted to fetch something, he again borrowed the measure of his +brother. The rich man had, however, long been envious of his brother's +possessions, and of the handsome way of living which he had set on foot, +and could not understand from whence the riches came, and what his brother +wanted with the measure. Then he thought of a cunning trick, and covered +the bottom of the measure with pitch, and when he got the measure back +a piece of money was sticking in it. He at once went to his brother and +asked him, "What hast thou been measuring in the bushel measure?" "Corn +and barley," said the other. Then he showed him the piece of money, and +threatened that if he did not tell the truth he would accuse him before +a court of justice. The poor man then told him everything, just as it +happened. The rich man, however, ordered his carriage to be made ready, +and drove away, resolved to use the opportunity better than his brother +had done, and to bring back with him quite different treasures. + +When he came to the mountain he cried, "Semsi mountain, Semsi mountain, +open." The mountain opened, and he went inside it. There lay the treasures +all before him, and for a long time he did not know which to clutch at +first. At length he loaded himself with as many precious stones as he +could carry. He wished to carry his burden outside, but, as his heart and +soul were entirely full of the treasures, he had forgotten the name of +the mountain, and cried, "Simeli mountain, Simeli mountain, open." That, +however, was not the right name, and the mountain never stirred, but +remained shut. Then he was alarmed, but the longer he thought about +it the more his thoughts confused themselves, and his treasures were +no more of any use to him. In the evening the mountain opened, and the +twelve robbers came in, and when they saw him they laughed, and cried out, +"Bird, have we caught thee at last! Didst thou think we had never noticed +that thou hadst been in here twice? We could not catch thee then; this +third time thou shalt not get out again!" Then he cried, "It was not I, +it was my brother," but let him beg for his life and say what he would, +they cut his head off. + + + +143 Going A-Travelling + +There was once a poor woman who had a son, who much wished to travel, +but his mother said, "How canst thou travel? We have no money at all +for thee to take away with thee." Then said the son, "I will manage very +well for myself; I will always say, Not much, not much, not much." + +So he walked for a long time and always said, "Not much, not much, +not much." Then he passed by a company of fishermen and said, "God +speed you! not much, not much, not much." "What sayst thou churl, 'not +much?"' And when the net was drawn out they had not caught much fish. So +one of them fell on the youth with a stick and said, "Hast thou never +seen me threshing?" "What ought I to say, then?" asked the youth. "Thou +must say, 'Get it full, get it full.'" After this he again walked a long +time, and said, "Get it full, get it full," until he came to the gallows, +where they had got a poor sinner whom they were about to hang. Then +said he, "Good morning; get it full, get it full." "What sayst thou, +knave, get it full? Dost thou want to make out that there are still more +wicked people in the world is not this enough?" And he again got some +blows on his back. "What am I to say, then?" said he. "Thou must say, +may God have pity on the poor soul." + +Again the youth walked on for a long while and said, "May God have pity +on the poor soul!" Then he came to a pit by which stood a knacker who +was cutting up a horse. The youth said, "Good morning; God have pity +on the poor soul!" "What dost thou say, thou ill-tempered knave?" and +the knacker gave him such a box on the ear, that he could not see out +of his eyes. "What am I to say, then?" "Thou must say, 'There lies the +carrion in the pit!'" + +So he walked on, and always said, "There lies the carrion in the pit, +there lies the carrion in the pit." And he came to a cart full of people, +so he said, "Good morning, there lies the carrion in the pit!" Then the +cart pushed him into a hole, and the driver took his whip and cracked +it upon the youth, till he was forced to crawl back to his mother, +and as long as he lived he never went out a-travelling again. + + + +144 The Donkey + +Once on a time there lived a King and a Queen, who were rich, and had +everything they wanted, but no children. The Queen lamented over this +day and night, and said, "I am like a field on which nothing grows." At +last God gave her her wish, but when the child came into the world, +it did not look like a human child, but was a little donkey. When the +mother saw that, her lamentations and outcries began in real earnest; she +said she would far rather have had no child at all than have a donkey, +and that they were to throw it into the water that the fishes might +devour it. But the King said, "No, since God has sent him he shall be my +son and heir, and after my death sit on the royal throne, and wear the +kingly crown." The donkey, therefore, was brought up and grew bigger, +and his ears grew up beautifully high and straight. He was, however, of +a merry disposition, jumped about, played and had especial pleasure in +music, so that he went to a celebrated musician and said, "Teach me thine +art, that I may play the lute as well as thou dost." "Ah, dear little +master," answered the musician, "that would come very hard to you, your +fingers are certainly not suited to it, and are far too big. I am afraid +the strings would not last." No excuses were of any use. The donkey +was determined to play the lute; he was persevering and industrious, +and at last learnt to do it as well as the master himself. The young +lordling once went out walking full of thought and came to a well, he +looked into it and in the mirror-clear water saw his donkey's form. He +was so distressed about it, that he went out into the wide world and +only took with him one faithful companion. They travelled up and down, +and at last they came into a kingdom where an old King reigned who had +an only but wonderfully beautiful daughter. The donkey said, "Here we +will stay," knocked at the gate, and cried, "A guest is without open, +that he may enter." As, however, the gate was not opened, he sat down, +took his lute and played it in the most delightful manner with his two +fore-feet. Then the door-keeper opened his eyes most wonderfully wide, +and ran to the King and said, "Outside by the gate sits a young donkey +which plays the lute as well as an experienced master!" "Then let the +musician come to me," said the King. When, however, a donkey came in, +every one began to laugh at the lute-player. And now the donkey was asked +to sit down and eat with the servants. He, however, was unwilling, and +said, "I am no common stable-ass, I am a noble one." Then they said, "If +that is what thou art, seat thyself with the men of war." "No," said he, +"I will sit by the King." The King smiled, and said good-humouredly, +"Yes, it shall be as thou wilt, little ass, come here to me." Then +he asked, "Little ass, how does my daughter please thee?" The donkey +turned his head towards her, looked at her, nodded and said, "I like +her above measure, I have never yet seen anyone so beautiful as she +is." "Well, then, thou shalt sit next her too," said the King. "That +is exactly what I wish," said the donkey, and he placed himself by +her side, ate and drank, and knew how to behave himself daintily and +cleanly. When the noble beast had stayed a long time at the King's court, +he thought, "What good does all this do me, I shall still have to go home +again?" let his head hang sadly, and went to the King and asked for his +dismissal. But the King had grown fond of him, and said, "Little ass, +what ails thee? Thou lookest as sour as a jug of vinegar, I will give +thee what thou wantest. Dost thou want gold?" "No," said the donkey, +and shook his head. "Dost thou want jewels and rich dress?" "No." "Dost +thou wish for half my kingdom?" "Indeed, no." Then said the King, "if +I did but know what would make thee content. Wilt thou have my pretty +daughter to wife?" "Ah, yes," said the ass, "I should indeed like her," +and all at once he became quite merry and full of happiness, for that +was exactly what he was wishing for. So a great and splendid wedding +was held. In the evening, when the bride and bridegroom were led into +their bed-room, the King wanted to know if the ass would behave well, and +ordered a servant to hide himself there. When they were both within, the +bridegroom bolted the door, looked around, and as he believed that they +were quite alone, he suddenly threw off his ass's skin, and stood there in +the form of a handsome royal youth. "Now," said he, "thou seest who I am, +and seest also that I am not unworthy of thee." Then the bride was glad, +and kissed him, and loved him dearly. When morning came, he jumped up, +put his animal's skin on again, and no one could have guessed what kind of +a form was hidden beneath it. Soon came the old King, "Ah," cried he, "is +the little ass merry? But surely thou art sad?" said he to his daughter, +"that thou hast not got a proper man for thy husband?" "Oh, no, dear +father, I love him as well as if he were the handsomest in the world, +and I will keep him as long as I live." The King was surprised, but the +servant who had concealed himself came and revealed everything to him. The +King said, "That cannot be true." "Then watch yourself the next night, +and you will see it with your own eyes; and hark you, lord King, if you +were to take his skin away and throw it in the fire, he would be forced +to show himself in his true shape." "Thy advice is good," said the King, +and at night when they were asleep, he stole in, and when he got to the +bed he saw by the light of the moon a noble-looking youth lying there, +and the skin lay stretched on the ground. So he took it away, and had a +great fire lighted outside, and threw the skin into it, and remained by +it himself until it was all burnt to ashes. As, however, he was anxious +to know how the robbed man would behave himself, he stayed awake the +whole night and watched. When the youth had slept his sleep out, he got +up by the first light of morning, and wanted to put on the ass's skin, +but it was not to be found. On this he was alarmed, and, full of grief +and anxiety, said, "Now I shall have to contrive to escape." But when he +went out, there stood the King, who said, "My son, whither away in such +haste? what hast thou in mind? Stay here, thou art such a handsome man, +thou shalt not go away from me. I will now give thee half my kingdom, +and after my death thou shalt have the whole of it." "Then I hope that +what begins so well may end well, and I will stay with you," said the +youth. And the old man gave him half the kingdom, and in a year's time, +when he died, the youth had the whole, and after the death of his father +he had another kingdom as well, and lived in all magnificence. + + + +145 The Ungrateful Son + +A man and his wife were once sitting by the door of their house, and +they had a roasted chicken set before them, and were about to eat it +together. Then the man saw that his aged father was coming, and hastily +took the chicken and hid it, for he would not permit him to have any of +it. The old man came, took a drink, and went away. Now the son wanted +to put the roasted chicken on the table again, but when he took it up, +it had become a great toad, which jumped into his face and sat there and +never went away again, and if any one wanted to take it off, it looked +venomously at him as if it would jump in his face, so that no one would +venture to touch it. And the ungrateful son was forced to feed the toad +every day, or else it fed itself on his face; and thus he went about +the world without knowing rest. + + + +146 The Turnip + +THERE were once two brothers who both served as soldiers; one of them +was rich, and the other poor. Then the poor one, to escape from his +poverty, put off his soldier's coat, and turned farmer. He dug and +hoed his bit of land, and sowed it with turnip-seed. The seed came up, +and one turnip grew there which became large and vigorous, and visibly +grew bigger and bigger, and seemed as if it would never stop growing, +so that it might have been called the princess of turnips, for never +was such an one seen before, and never will such an one be seen again. + +At length it was so enormous that by itself it filled a whole cart, +and two oxen were required to draw it, and the farmer had not the least +idea what he was to do with the turnip, or whether it would be a fortune +to him or a misfortune. At last he thought, "If thou sellest it, what +wilt thou get for it that is of any importance, and if thou eatest +it thyself, why, the small turnips would do thee just as much good; +it would be better to take it to the King, and make him a present of it." + +So he placed it on a cart, harnessed two oxen, took it to the palace, +and presented it to the King. "What strange thing is this?" said the +King. "Many wonderful things have come before my eyes, but never such +a monster as this! From what seed can this have sprung, or are you a +luck-child and have met with it by chance?" "Ah, no!" said the farmer, +"no luck-child am I. I am a poor soldier, who because he could no longer +support himself hung his soldier's coat on a nail and took to farming +land. I have a brother who is rich and well known to you, Lord King, +but I, because I have nothing, am forgotten by every one." + +Then the King felt compassion for him, and said, "Thou shalt be raised +from thy poverty, and shalt have such gifts from me that thou shalt be +equal to thy rich brother." Then he bestowed on him much gold, and lands, +and meadows, and herds, and made him immensely rich, so that the wealth of +the other brother could not be compared with his. When the rich brother +heard what the poor one had gained for himself with one single turnip, +he envied him, and thought in every way how he also could get hold of a +similar piece of luck. He would, however, set about it in a much wiser +way, and took gold and horses and carried them to the King, and made +certain the King would give him a much larger present in return. If his +brother had got so much for one turnip, what would he not carry away with +him in return for such beautiful things as these? The King accepted his +present, and said he had nothing to give him in return that was more rare +and excellent than the great turnip. So the rich man was obliged to put +his brother's turnip in a cart and have it taken to his home. When there +he did not know on whom to vent his rage and anger, until bad thoughts +came to him, and he resolved to kill his brother. He hired murderers, +who were to lie in ambush, and then he went to his brother and said, +"Dear brother, I know of a hidden treasure, we will dig it up together, +and divide it between us." The other agreed to this, and accompanied him +without suspicion. While they were on their way, however, the murderers +fell on him, bound him, and would have hanged him to a tree. But just as +they were doing this, loud singing and the sound of a horse's feet were +heard in the distance. On this their hearts were filled with terror, +and they pushed their prisoner head first into the sack, hung it on a +branch, and took to flight. He, however, worked up there until he had +made a hole in the sack through which he could put his head. The man who +was coming by was no other than a travelling student, a young fellow +who rode on his way through the wood joyously singing his song. When +he who was aloft saw that someone was passing below him, he cried, +"Good day! You have come at a lucky time." The student looked round on +every side, but did not know whence the voice came. At last he said, +"Who calls me?" Then an answer came from the top of the tree, "Raise +your eyes; here I sit aloft in the Sack of Wisdom. In a short time have I +learnt great things; compared with this all schools are a jest; in a very +short time I shall have learnt everything, and shall descend wiser than +all other men. I understand the stars, and the signs of the Zodiac, and +the tracks of the winds, the sand of the sea, the healing of illness, and +the virtues of all herbs, birds, and stones. If you were once within it +you would feel what noble things issue forth from the Sack of Knowledge." + +The student, when he heard all this, was astonished, and said, "Blessed +be the hour in which I have found thee! May not I also enter the sack +for a while?" He who was above replied as if unwillingly, "For a short +time I will let you get into it, if you reward me and give me good words; +but you must wait an hour longer, for one thing remains which I must learn +before I do it." When the student had waited a while he became impatient, +and begged to be allowed to get in at once, his thirst for knowledge was +so very great. So he who was above pretended at last to yield, and said, +"In order that I may come forth from the house of knowledge you must +let it down by the rope, and then you shall enter it." So the student +let the sack down, untied it, and set him free, and then cried, "Now +draw me up at once," and was about to get into the sack. "Halt!" said +the other, "that won't do," and took him by the head and put him upside +down into the sack, fastened it, and drew the disciple of wisdom up the +tree by the rope. Then he swung him in the air and said, "How goes it +with thee, my dear fellow? Behold, already thou feelest wisdom coming, +and art gaining valuable experience. Keep perfectly quiet until thou +becomest wiser." Thereupon he mounted the student's horse and rode away, +but in an hour's time sent some one to let the student out again. + + + +147 The Old Man Made Young Again + +In the time when our Lord still walked this earth, he and St. Peter +stopped one evening at a smith's and received free quarters. Then it +came to pass that a poor beggar, hardly pressed by age and infirmity, +came to this house and begged alms of the smith. St. Peter had compassion +on him and said, "Lord and master, if it please thee, cure his torments +that he may be able to win his own bread." The Lord said kindly, "Smith, +lend me thy forge, and put on some coals for me, and then I will make this +ailing old man young again." The smith was quite willing, and St. Peter +blew the bellows, and when the coal fire sparkled up large and high +our Lord took the little old man, pushed him in the forge in the midst +of the red-hot fire, so that he glowed like a rose-bush, and praised +God with a loud voice. After that the Lord went to the quenching tub, +put the glowing little man into it so that the water closed over him, +and after he had carefully cooled him, gave him his blessing, when behold +the little man sprang nimbly out, looking fresh, straight, healthy, and +as if he were but twenty. The smith, who had watched everything closely +and attentively, invited them all to supper. He, however, had an old +half-blind crooked, mother-in-law who went to the youth, and with great +earnestness asked if the fire had burnt him much. He answered that he had +never felt more comfortable, and that he had sat in the red heat as if +he had been in cool dew. The youth's words echoed in the ears of the old +woman all night long, and early next morning, when the Lord had gone on +his way again and had heartily thanked the smith, the latter thought he +might make his old mother-in-law young again likewise, as he had watched +everything so carefully, and it lay in the province of his trade. So +he called to ask her if she, too, would like to go bounding about like +a girl of eighteen. She said, "With all my heart, as the youth has come +out of it so well." So the smith made a great fire, and thrust the old +woman into it, and she writhed about this way and that, and uttered +terrible cries of murder. "Sit still; why art thou screaming and jumping +about so?" cried he, and as he spoke he blew the bellows again until all +her rags were burnt. The old woman cried without ceasing, and the smith +thought to himself, "I have not quite the right art," and took her out +and threw her into the cooling-tub. Then she screamed so loudly that the +smith's wife upstairs and her daughter-in-law heard, and they both ran +downstairs, and saw the old woman lying in a heap in the quenching-tub, +howling and screaming, with her face wrinkled and shrivelled and all out +of shape. Thereupon the two, who were both with child, were so terrified +that that very night two boys were born who were not made like men but +apes, and they ran into the woods, and from them sprang the race of apes. + + + +148 The Lord's Animals and the Devil's + +The Lord God had created all animals, and had chosen out the wolf to +be his dog, but he had forgotten the goat. Then the Devil made ready +and began to create also, and created goats with fine long tails. Now +when they went to pasture, they generally remained caught in the hedges +by their tails, then the Devil had to go there and disentangle them, +with a great deal of trouble. This enraged him at last, and he went +and bit off the tail of every goat, as may be seen to this day by the +stump. Then he let them go to pasture alone, but it came to pass that the +Lord God perceived how at one time they gnawed away at a fruitful tree, +at another injured the noble vines, or destroyed other tender plants. This +distressed him, so that in his goodness and mercy he summoned his wolves, +who soon tore in pieces the goats that went there. When the devil observed +this, he went before the Lord and said, "Thy creatures have destroyed +mine." The Lord answered, "Why didst thou create things to do harm?" The +Devil said, "I was compelled to do it: inasmuch as my thoughts run on +evil, what I create can have no other nature, and thou must pay me heavy +damages." "I will pay thee as soon as the oak leaves fall; come then, thy +money will then be ready counted out." When the oak-leaves had fallen, +the Devil came and demanded what was due to him. But the Lord said, +"In the church of Constantinople stands a tall oak-tree which still has +all its leaves." With raging and curses, the Devil departed, and went +to seek the oak, wandered in the wilderness for six months before he +found it, and when he returned, all the oaks had in the meantime covered +themselves again with green leaves. Then he had to forfeit his indemnity, +and in his rage he put out the eyes of all the remaining goats, and put +his own in instead. + +This is why all goats have devil's eyes, and their tails bitten off, +and why he likes to assume their shape. + + + +149 The Beam + +There was once an enchanter who was standing in the midst of a great crowd +of people performing his wonders. He had a cock brought in, which lifted +a heavy beam and carried it as if it were as light as a feather. But +a girl was present who had just found a bit of four-leaved clover, and +had thus become so wise that no deception could stand out against her, +and she saw that the beam was nothing but a straw. So she cried, "You +people, do you not see that it is a straw that the cock is carrying, +and no beam?" Immediately the enchantment vanished, and the people saw +what it was, and drove the magician away in shame and disgrace. He, +however, full of inward anger, said, "I will soon revenge myself?" + +After some time the girl's wedding-day came, and she was decked out, +and went in a great procession over the fields to the place where the +church was. All at once she came to a stream which was very much swollen, +and there was no bridge and no plank to cross it. Then the bride nimbly +took her clothes up, and wanted to wade through it. And just as she +was thus standing in the water, a man, and it was the enchanter, cried +mockingly close beside her, "Aha! Where are thine eyes that thou takest +that for water?" Then her eyes were opened, and she saw that she was +standing with her clothes lifted up in the middle of a field that was +blue with the flowers of blue flax. Then all the people saw it likewise, +and chased her away with ridicule and laughter. + + + +150 The Old Beggar-Woman + +There was once an old woman, but thou hast surely seen an old woman +go a-begging before now? This woman begged likewise, and when she got +anything she said, "May God reward you." The beggar-woman came to a door, +and there by the fire a friendly rogue of a boy was standing warming +himself. The boy said kindly to the poor old woman as she was standing +shivering thus by the door, "Come, old mother, and warm yourself." She +came in, but stood too near the fire, so that her old rags began to +burn, and she was not aware of it. The boy stood and saw that, but he +ought to have put the flames out. Is it not true that he ought to have +put them out? And if he had not any water, then should he have wept all +the water in his body out of his eyes, and that would have supplied two +pretty streams with which to extinguish them. + + + +151 The Three Sluggards + +A certain King had three sons who were all equally dear to him, and he +did not know which of them to appoint as his successor after his own +death. When the time came when he was about to die, he summoned them to +his bedside and said, "Dear children, I have been thinking of something +which I will declare unto you; whichsoever of you is the laziest shall +have the kingdom." The eldest said, "Then, father, the kingdom is mine, +for I am so idle that if I lie down to rest, and a drop falls in my +eye, I will not open it that I may sleep." The second said; "Father, +the kingdom belongs to me, for I am so idle that when I am sitting by +the fire warming myself, I would rather let my heel be burnt off than +draw back my leg." The third said, "Father, the kingdom is mine, for I +am so idle that if I were going to be hanged, and had the rope already +round my neck, and any one put a sharp knife into my hand with which +I might cut the rope, I would rather let myself be hanged than raise +my hand to the rope." When the father heard that, he said, "Thou hast +carried it the farthest, and shalt be King." + + + +151* The Twelve Idle Servants + +Twelve servants who had done nothing all the day would not exert +themselves at night either, but laid themselves on the grass and boasted +of their idleness. The first said, "What is your laziness to me, I have +to concern myself about mine own? The care of my body is my principal +work, I eat not a little and drink still more. When I have had four +meals, I fast a short time until I feel hunger again, and that suits me +best. To rise betimes is not for me; when it is getting near mid-day, +I already seek out a resting-place for myself. If the master call, I do +exactly as if I had not heard him, and if he call for the second time, +I wait awhile before I get up, and go to him very slowly. In this way +life is endurable." + +The second said, "I have a horse to look after, but I leave the bit in +his mouth, and if I do not want to do it, I give him no food, and I say +he has had it already. I, however, lay myself in the oat-chest and sleep +for four hours. After this I stretch out one foot and move it a couple +of times over the horse's body, and then he is combed and cleaned. Who +is going to make a great business of that? Nevertheless service is too +toilsome for me." + +The third said, "Why plague oneself with work? Nothing comes of it! I +laid myself in the sun, and fell asleep. It began to rain a little, +but why should I get up? I let it rain on in God's name. At last came +a splashing shower, so heavy indeed, that it pulled the hair out of my +head and washed it away, and I got a hole in the skull; I put a plaster +on it, and then it was all right. I have already had several injuries +of that kind." + +The fourth said, "If I am to undertake a piece of work, I first loiter +about for an hour that I may save up my strength. After that I begin +quite slowly, and ask if no one is there who could help me. Then I let +him do the chief of the work, and in reality only look on; but that also +is still too much for me." + +The fifth said, "What does that matter? Just think, I am to take away the +manure from the horse's stable, and load the cart with it. I let it go +on slowly, and if I have taken anything on the fork, I only half-raise +it up, and then I rest just a quarter of an hour until I quite throw it +in. It is enough and to spare if I take out a cartful in the day. I have +no fancy for killing myself with work." + +The sixth said, "Shame on ye; I am afraid of no work, but I lie down +for three weeks, and never once take my clothes off. What is the use +of buckling your shoes on? For aught I care they may fall off my feet, +it is no matter. If I am going up some steps, I drag one foot slowly +after the other on to the first step, and then I count the rest of them +that I may know where I must rest." + +The seventh said, "That will not do with me; my master looks after my +work, only he is not at home the whole day. But I neglect nothing, I +run as fast as it is possible to do when one crawls. If I am to get on, +four sturdy men must push me with all their might. I came where six men +were lying sleeping on a bed beside each other. I lay down by them and +slept too. There was no wakening me again, and when they wanted to have +me home, they had to carry me." The eighth said, "I see plainly that I am +the only active fellow; if a stone lie before me, I do not give myself +the trouble to raise my legs and step over it. I lay myself down on the +ground, and if I am wet and covered with mud and dirt, I stay lying until +the sun has dried me again. At the very most, I only turn myself so that +it can shine on me." The ninth said, "That is the right way! To-day the +bread was before me, but I was too idle to take it, and nearly died of +hunger! Moreover a jug stood by it, but it was so big and heavy that I +did not like to lift it up, and preferred bearing thirst. Just to turn +myself round was too much for me, I remained lying like a log the whole +day." The tenth said, "Laziness has brought misfortune on me, a broken leg +and swollen calf. Three of us were lying in the road, and I had my legs +stretched out. Some one came with a cart, and the wheels went over me. I +might indeed have drawn my legs back, but I did not hear the cart coming, +for the midges were humming about my ears, and creeping in at my nose and +out again at my mouth; who can take the trouble to drive the vermin away?" + +The eleventh said, "I gave up my place yesterday. I had no fancy for +carrying the heavy books to my master any longer or fetching them away +again. There was no end of it all day long. But to tell the truth, he +gave me my dismissal, and would not keep me any longer, for his clothes, +which I had left lying in the dust, were all moth-eaten, and I am very +glad of it." + +The twelfth said, "To-day I had to drive the cart into the country, and +made myself a bed of straw on it, and had a good sleep. The reins slipped +out of my hand, and when I awoke, the horse had nearly torn itself loose, +the harness was gone, the strap which fastened the horse to the shafts was +gone, and so were the collar, the bridle and bit. Some one had come by, +who had carried all off. Besides this, the cart had got into a quagmire +and stuck fast. I left it standing, and stretched myself on the straw +again. At last the master came himself, and pushed the cart out, and if +he had not come I should not be lying here but there, and sleeping in +full tranquillity." + + + +152 The Shepherd Boy + +There was once on a time a shepherd boy whose fame spread far and wide +because of the wise answers which he gave to every question. The King +of the country heard of it likewise, but did not believe it, and sent +for the boy. Then he said to him, "If thou canst give me an answer to +three questions which I will ask thee, I will look on thee as my own +child, and thou shalt dwell with me in my royal palace." The boy said, +"What are the three questions?" The King said, "The first is, how many +drops of water are there in the ocean?" The shepherd boy answered, +"Lord King, if you will have all the rivers on earth dammed up so that +not a single drop runs from them into the sea until I have counted it, +I will tell you how many drops there are in the sea." The King said, +"The next question is, how many stars are there in the sky?" The shepherd +boy said, "Give me a great sheet of white paper," and then he made so +many fine points on it with a pen that they could scarcely be seen, +and it was all but impossible to count them; any one who looked at +them would have lost his sight. Then he said, "There are as many stars +in the sky as there are points on the paper; just count them." But no +one was able to do it. The King said, "The third question is, how many +seconds of time are there in eternity." Then said the shepherd boy, +"In Lower Pomerania is the Diamond Mountain, which is two miles and a +half high, two miles and a half wide, and two miles and a half in depth; +every hundred years a little bird comes and sharpens its beak on it, +and when the whole mountain is worn away by this, then the first second +of eternity will be over." + +The King said, "Thou hast answered the three questions like a wise man, +and shalt henceforth dwell with me in my royal palace, and I will regard +thee as my own child." + + + +153 The Star-Money + +There was once on a time a little girl whose father and mother were dead, +and she was so poor that she no longer had any little room to live in, +or bed to sleep in, and at last she had nothing else but the clothes she +was wearing and a little bit of bread in her hand which some charitable +soul had given her. She was, however, good and pious. And as she was +thus forsaken by all the world, she went forth into the open country, +trusting in the good God. Then a poor man met her, who said, "Ah, give +me something to eat, I am so hungry!" She reached him the whole of +her piece of bread, and said, "May God bless it to thy use," and went +onwards. Then came a child who moaned and said, "My head is so cold, +give me something to cover it with." So she took off her hood and gave +it to him; and when she had walked a little farther, she met another +child who had no jacket and was frozen with cold. Then she gave it her +own; and a little farther on one begged for a frock, and she gave away +that also. At length she got into a forest and it had already become +dark, and there came yet another child, and asked for a little shirt, +and the good little girl thought to herself, "It is a dark night and +no one sees thee, thou canst very well give thy little shirt away," +and took it off, and gave away that also. And as she so stood, and had +not one single thing left, suddenly some stars from heaven fell down, +and they were nothing else but hard smooth pieces of money, and although +she had just given her little shirt away, she had a new one which was of +the very finest linen. Then she gathered together the money into this, +and was rich all the days of her life. + + + +154 The Stolen Farthings + +A father was one day sitting at dinner with his wife and his children, +and a good friend who had come on a visit was with them. And as they +thus sat, and it was striking twelve o'clock, the stranger saw the door +open, and a very pale child dressed in snow-white clothes came in. It +did not look around, and it did not speak; but went straight into +the next room. Soon afterwards it came back, and went out at the door +again in the same quiet manner. On the second and on the third day, +it came also exactly in the same way. At last the stranger asked the +father to whom the beautiful child that went into the next room every +day at noon belonged? "I have never seen it," said he, neither did +he know to whom it could belong. The next day when it again came, the +stranger pointed it out to the father, who however did not see it, and +the mother and the children also all saw nothing. On this the stranger +got up, went to the room door, opened it a little, and peeped in. Then +he saw the child sitting on the ground, and digging and seeking about +industriously amongst the crevices between the boards of the floor, +but when it saw the stranger, it disappeared. He now told what he had +seen and described the child exactly, and the mother recognized it, and +said, "Ah, it is my dear child who died a month ago." They took up the +boards and found two farthings which the child had once received from its +mother that it might give them to a poor man; it, however, had thought, +"Thou canst buy thyself a biscuit for that," and had kept the farthings, +and hidden them in the openings between the boards; and therefore it +had had no rest in its grave, and had come every day at noon to seek +for these farthings. The parents gave the money at once to a poor man, +and after that the child was never seen again. + + + +155 Brides On Their Trial + +There was once a young shepherd who wished much to marry, and was +acquainted with three sisters who were all equally pretty, so that it +was difficult to him to make a choice, and he could not decide to give +the preference to any one of them. Then he asked his mother for advice, +and she said, "Invite all three, and set some cheese before them, and +watch how they eat it." The youth did so; the first, however, swallowed +the cheese with the rind on; the second hastily cut the rind off the +cheese, but she cut it so quickly that she left much good cheese with +it, and threw that away also; the third peeled the rind off carefully, +and cut neither too much nor too little. The shepherd told all this +to his mother, who said, "Take the third for thy wife." This he did, +and lived contentedly and happily with her. + + + +156 Odds And Ends + +There was once on a time a maiden who was pretty, but idle and +negligent. When she had to spin she was so out of temper that if there +was a little knot in the flax, she at once pulled out a whole heap of +it, and strewed it about on the ground beside her. Now she had a servant +who was industrious, and gathered together the bits of flax which were +thrown away, cleaned them, span them fine, and had a beautiful gown made +out of them for herself. A young man had wooed the lazy girl, and the +wedding was to take place. On the eve of the wedding, the industrious +one was dancing merrily about in her pretty dress, and the bride said,-- + +"Ah, how that girl does jump about, dressed in my odds and ends." + +The bridegroom heard that, and asked the bride what she meant by it? Then +she told him that the girl was wearing a dress make of the flax which +she had thrown away. When the bridegroom heard that, and saw how idle +she was, and how industrious the poor girl was, he gave her up and went +to the other, and chose her as his wife. + + + +157 The Sparrow And His Four Children + +A sparrow had four young ones in a swallow's nest. When they were fledged, +some naughty boys pulled out the nest, but fortunately all the birds +got safely away in the high wind. Then the old bird was grieved that +as his sons had all gone out into the world, he had not first warned +them of every kind of danger, and given them good instruction how to +deal with each. In the autumn a great many sparrows assembled together +in a wheatfield, and there the old bird met his four children again, +and full of joy took them home with him. "Ah, my dear sons, what pain I +have been in about you all through the summer, because you got away in +the wind without my teaching; listen to my words, obey your father, and +be well on your guard. Little birds have to encounter great dangers!" And +then he asked the eldest where he had spent the summer, and how he had +supported himself? "I stayed in the gardens, and looked for caterpillars +and small worms, until the cherries got ripe." "Ah, my son," said the +father, "tit-bits are not bad, but there is great risk about them; on +that account take great care of thyself henceforth, and particularly +when people are going about the gardens who carry long green poles which +are hollow inside and have a little hole at the top." "Yes, father, +but what if a little green leaf is stuck over the hole with wax?" said +the son. "Where hast thou seen that?" "In a merchant's garden," said +the youngster. "Oh, my son, merchant folks are quick folks," said the +father. "If thou hast been among the children of the world, thou hast +learned worldly shiftiness enough, only see that thou usest it well, and +do not be too confident." After this he asked the next, "Where hast thou +passed thy time?" "At court," said the son. "Sparrows and silly little +birds are of no use in that place---there one finds much gold, velvet, +silk, armour, harnesses, sparrow-hawks, screech-owls and hen-harriers; +keep to the horses' stable where they winnow oats, or thresh, and then +fortune may give thee thy daily grain of corn in peace." "Yes, father," +said the son, "but when the stable-boys make traps and fix their gins +and snares in the straw, many a one is caught fast." "Where hast thou seen +that?" said the old bird. "At court, among the stable-boys." "Oh, my son, +court boys are bad boys! If thou hast been to court and among the lords, +and hast left no feathers there, thou hast learnt a fair amount, and +wilt know very well how to go about the world, but look around thee and +above thee, for the wolves devour the wisest dogs." The father examined +the third also: "Where didst thou seek thy safety?" "I have broken up +tubs and ropes on the cart-roads and highways, and sometimes met with a +grain of corn or barley." "That is indeed dainty fare," said the father, +"but take care what thou art about and look carefully around, especially +when thou seest any one stooping and about to pick up a stone, there +is not much time to stay then." "That is true," said the son, "but what +if any one should carry a bit of rock, or ore, ready beforehand in his +breast or pocket?" "Where hast thou seen that?" "Among the mountaineers, +dear father; when they go out, they generally take little bits of ore with +them." "Mountain folks are working folks, and clever folks. If thou hast +been among mountain lads, thou hast seen and learnt something, but when +thou goest thither beware, for many a sparrow has been brought to a bad +end by a mountain boy." At length the father came to the youngest son: +"Thou, my dear chirping nestling, wert always the silliest and weakest; +stay with me, the world has many rough, wicked birds which have crooked +beaks and long claws, and lie in wait for poor little birds and swallow +them. Keep with those of thine own kind, and pick up little spiders and +caterpillars from the trees, or the house, and then thou wilt live long +in peace." "My dear father, he who feeds himself without injury to other +people fares well, and no sparrow-hawk, eagle, or kite will hurt him if +he specially commits himself and his lawful food, evening and morning, +faithfully to God, who is the Creator and Preserver of all forest and +village birds, who likewise heareth the cry and prayer of the young +ravens, for no sparrow or wren ever falls to the ground except by his +will." "Where hast thou learnt this?" The son answered, "When the great +blast of wind tore me away from thee I came to a church, and there during +the summer I have picked up the flies and spiders from the windows, and +heard this discourse preached. The Father of all sparrows fed me all the +summer through, and kept me from all mischance and from ferocious birds." + +"In sooth, my dear son, if thou takest refuge in the churches and +helpest to clear away spiders and buzzing flies, and criest unto God +like the young ravens, and commendest thyself to the eternal Creator, +all will be well with thee, and that even if the whole world were full +of wild malicious birds." + +"He who to God commits his ways, In silence suffers, waits, and prays, +Preserves his faith and conscience pure, He is of God's protection sure." + + + +158 The Story of Schlauraffen Land + +In the time of Schlauraffen I went there, and saw Rome and the Lateran +hanging by a small silken thread, and a man without feet who outran a +swift horse, and a keen sharp sword that cut through a bridge. There I +saw a young ass with a silver nose which pursued two fleet hares, and a +lime-tree that was very large, on which hot cakes were growing. There I +saw a lean old goat which carried about a hundred cart-loads of fat on his +body, and sixty loads of salt. Have I not told enough lies? There I saw +a plough ploughing without horse or cow, and a child of one year threw +four millstones from Ratisbon to Treves, and from Treves to Strasburg, +and a hawk swam over the Rhine, which he had a perfect right to do. There +I heard some fishes begin to make such a disturbance with each other, +that it resounded as far as heaven, and sweet honey flowed like water +from a deep valley at the top of a high mountain, and these were strange +things. There were two crows which were mowing a meadow, and I saw two +gnats building a bridge, and two doves tore a wolf to pieces; two children +brought forth two kids, and two frogs threshed corn together. There I +saw two mice consecrating a bishop, and two cats scratching out a bear's +tongue. Then a snail came running up and killed two furious lions. There +stood a barber and shaved a woman's beard off; and two sucking-children +bade their mother hold her tongue. There I saw two greyhounds which +brought a mill out of the water; and a sorry old horse was beside it, and +said it was right. And four horses were standing in the yard threshing +corn with all their might, and two goats were heating the stove, and +a red cow shot the bread into the oven. Then a cock crowed, Cock-a- +doodle-doo! The story is all told,--Cock-a-doodle-doo! + + + +159 The Ditmarsch Tale of Wonders + +I will tell you something. I saw two roasted fowls flying; they flew +quickly and had their breasts turned to heaven and their backs to +hell, and an anvil and a mill-stone swam across the Rhine prettily, +slowly, and gently, and a frog sat on the ice at Whitsuntide and ate a +ploughshare. Three fellows who wanted to catch a hare, went on crutches +and stilts; one of them was deaf, the second blind, the third dumb, +and the fourth could not stir a step. Do you want to know how it was +done? First, the blind man saw the hare running across the field, the +dumb one called to the lame one, and the lame one seized it by the neck. + +There were certain men who wished to sail on dry land, and they set their +sails in the wind, and sailed away over great fields. Then they sailed +over a high mountain, and there they were miserably drowned. A crab was +chasing a hare which was running away at full speed, and high up on the +roof lay a cow which had climbed up there. In that country the flies are +as big as the goats are here. Open the window, that the lies may fly out. + + + +160 A Riddling Tale + +Three women were changed into flowers which grew in the field, but one of +them was allowed to be in her own home at night. Then once when day was +drawing near, and she was forced to go back to her companions in the field +and become a flower again, she said to her husband, "If thou wilt come +this afternoon and gather me, I shall be set free and henceforth stay with +thee." And he did so. Now the question is, how did her husband know her, +for the flowers were exactly alike, and without any difference? Answer: +as she was at her home during the night and not in the field, no dew +fell on her as it did on the others, and by this her husband knew her. + + + +161 Snow-White and Rose-Red + +There was once a poor widow who lived in a lonely cottage. In front of +the cottage was a garden wherein stood two rose-trees, one of which bore +white and the other red roses. She had two children who were like the two +rose-trees, and one was called Snow-white, and the other Rose-red. They +were as good and happy, as busy and cheerful as ever two children in +the world were, only Snow-white was more quiet and gentle than Rose- +red. Rose-red liked better to run about in the meadows and fields seeking +flowers and catching butterflies; but Snow-white sat at home with her +mother, and helped her with her house-work, or read to her when there +was nothing to do. + +The two children were so fond of each another that they always held each +other by the hand when they went out together, and when Snow-white said, +"We will not leave each other," Rose-red answered, "Never so long as +we live," and their mother would add, "What one has she must share with +the other." + +They often ran about the forest alone and gathered red berries, and no +beasts did them any harm, but came close to them trustfully. The little +hare would eat a cabbage-leaf out of their hands, the roe grazed by their +side, the stag leapt merrily by them, and the birds sat still upon the +boughs, and sang whatever they knew. + +No mishap overtook them; if they had stayed too late in the forest, +and night came on, they laid themselves down near one another upon the +moss, and slept until morning came, and their mother knew this and had +no distress on their account. + +Once when they had spent the night in the wood and the dawn had roused +them, they saw a beautiful child in a shining white dress sitting near +their bed. He got up and looked quite kindly at them, but said nothing +and went away into the forest. And when they looked round they found that +they had been sleeping quite close to a precipice, and would certainly +have fallen into it in the darkness if they had gone only a few paces +further. And their mother told them that it must have been the angel +who watches over good children. + +Snow-white and Rose-red kept their mother's little cottage so neat that +it was a pleasure to look inside it. In the summer Rose-red took care +of the house, and every morning laid a wreath of flowers by her mother's +bed before she awoke, in which was a rose from each tree. In the winter +Snow-white lit the fire and hung the kettle on the wrekin. The kettle +was of copper and shone like gold, so brightly was it polished. In the +evening, when the snowflakes fell, the mother said, "Go, Snow-white, +and bolt the door," and then they sat round the hearth, and the mother +took her spectacles and read aloud out of a large book, and the two +girls listened as they sat and span. And close by them lay a lamb upon +the floor, and behind them upon a perch sat a white dove with its head +hidden beneath its wings. + +One evening, as they were thus sitting comfortably together, some one +knocked at the door as if he wished to be let in. The mother said, +"Quick, Rose-red, open the door, it must be a traveller who is seeking +shelter." Rose-red went and pushed back the bolt, thinking that it was +a poor man, but it was not; it was a bear that stretched his broad, +black head within the door. + +Rose-red screamed and sprang back, the lamb bleated, the dove fluttered, +and Snow-white hid herself behind her mother's bed. But the bear began +to speak and said, "Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm! I am +half-frozen, and only want to warm myself a little beside you." + +"Poor bear," said the mother, "lie down by the fire, only take care that +you do not burn your coat." Then she cried, "Snow-white, Rose-red, come +out, the bear will do you no harm, he means well." So they both came +out, and by-and-by the lamb and dove came nearer, and were not afraid +of him. The bear said, "Here, children, knock the snow out of my coat a +little;" so they brought the broom and swept the bear's hide clean; and he +stretched himself by the fire and growled contentedly and comfortably. It +was not long before they grew quite at home, and played tricks with their +clumsy guest. They tugged his hair with their hands, put their feet upon +his back and rolled him about, or they took a hazel-switch and beat him, +and when he growled they laughed. But the bear took it all in good part, +only when they were too rough he called out, "Leave me alive, children, + + "Snowy-white, Rosy-red, + Will you beat your lover dead?" + +When it was bed-time, and the others went to bed, the mother said to the +bear, "You can lie there by the hearth, and then you will be safe from +the cold and the bad weather." As soon as day dawned the two children +let him out, and he trotted across the snow into the forest. + +Henceforth the bear came every evening at the same time, laid himself +down by the hearth, and let the children amuse themselves with him as +much as they liked; and they got so used to him that the doors were +never fastened until their black friend had arrived. + +When spring had come and all outside was green, the bear said one morning +to Snow-white, "Now I must go away, and cannot come back for the whole +summer." "Where are you going, then, dear bear?" asked Snow-white. "I +must go into the forest and guard my treasures from the wicked dwarfs. In +the winter, when the earth is frozen hard, they are obliged to stay below +and cannot work their way through; but now, when the sun has thawed and +warmed the earth, they break through it, and come out to pry and steal; +and what once gets into their hands, and in their caves, does not easily +see daylight again." + +Snow-white was quite sorry for his going away, and as she unbolted the +door for him, and the bear was hurrying out, he caught against the bolt +and a piece of his hairy coat was torn off, and it seemed to Snow-white +as if she had seen gold shining through it, but she was not sure about +it. The bear ran away quickly, and was soon out of sight behind the trees. + +A short time afterwards the mother sent her children into the forest +to get fire-wood. There they found a big tree which lay felled on +the ground, and close by the trunk something was jumping backwards and +forwards in the grass, but they could not make out what it was. When they +came nearer they saw a dwarf with an old withered face and a snow-white +beard a yard long. The end of the beard was caught in a crevice of the +tree, and the little fellow was jumping backwards and forwards like a +dog tied to a rope, and did not know what to do. + +He glared at the girls with his fiery red eyes and cried, "Why do you +stand there? Can you not come here and help me?" "What are you about +there, little man?" asked Rose-red. "You stupid, prying goose!" answered +the dwarf; "I was going to split the tree to get a little wood for +cooking. The little bit of food that one of us wants gets burnt up +directly with thick logs; we do not swallow so much as you coarse, +greedy folk. I had just driven the wedge safely in, and everything was +going as I wished; but the wretched wood was too smooth and suddenly +sprang asunder, and the tree closed so quickly that I could not pull out +my beautiful white beard; so now it is tight in and I cannot get away, +and the silly, sleek, milk-faced things laugh! Ugh! how odious you are!" + +The children tried very hard, but they could not pull the beard +out, it was caught too fast. "I will run and fetch some one," said +Rose-red. "You senseless goose!" snarled the dwarf; "why should you +fetch some one? You are already two too many for me; can you not think +of something better?" "Don't be impatient," said Snow-white, "I will +help you," and she pulled her scissors out of her pocket, and cut off +the end of the beard. + +As soon as the dwarf felt himself free he laid hold of a bag which lay +amongst the roots of the tree, and which was full of gold, and lifted +it up, grumbling to himself, "Uncouth people, to cut off a piece of my +fine beard. Bad luck to you!" and then he swung the bag upon his back, +and went off without even once looking at the children. + +Some time after that Snow-white and Rose-red went to catch a dish of +fish. As they came near the brook they saw something like a large +grasshopper jumping towards the water, as if it were going to leap +in. They ran to it and found it was the dwarf. "Where are you going?" said +Rose-red; "you surely don't want to go into the water?" "I am not +such a fool!" cried the dwarf; "don't you see that the accursed fish +wants to pull me in?" The little man had been sitting there fishing, +and unluckily the wind had twisted his beard with the fishing-line; +just then a big fish bit, and the feeble creature had not strength to +pull it out; the fish kept the upper hand and pulled the dwarf towards +him. He held on to all the reeds and rushes, but it was of little good, +he was forced to follow the movements of the fish, and was in urgent +danger of being dragged into the water. + +The girls came just in time; they held him fast and tried to free his +beard from the line, but all in vain, beard and line were entangled +fast together. Nothing was left but to bring out the scissors and cut +the beard, whereby a small part of it was lost. When the dwarf saw that +he screamed out, "Is that civil, you toad-stool, to disfigure one's +face? Was it not enough to clip off the end of my beard? Now you have +cut off the best part of it. I cannot let myself be seen by my people. I +wish you had been made to run the soles off your shoes!" Then he took +out a sack of pearls which lay in the rushes, and without saying a word +more he dragged it away and disappeared behind a stone. + +It happened that soon afterwards the mother sent the two children to +the town to buy needles and thread, and laces and ribbons. The road +led them across a heath upon which huge pieces of rock lay strewn here +and there. Now they noticed a large bird hovering in the air, flying +slowly round and round above them; it sank lower and lower, and at last +settled near a rock not far off. Directly afterwards they heard a loud, +piteous cry. They ran up and saw with horror that the eagle had seized +their old acquaintance the dwarf, and was going to carry him off. + +The children, full of pity, at once took tight hold of the little man, +and pulled against the eagle so long that at last he let his booty go. As +soon as the dwarf had recovered from his first fright he cried with his +shrill voice, "Could you not have done it more carefully! You dragged +at my brown coat so that it is all torn and full of holes, you helpless +clumsy creatures!" Then he took up a sack full of precious stones, and +slipped away again under the rock into his hole. The girls, who by this +time were used to his thanklessness, went on their way and did their +business in the town. + +As they crossed the heath again on their way home they surprised the +dwarf, who had emptied out his bag of precious stones in a clean spot, +and had not thought that anyone would come there so late. The evening +sun shone upon the brilliant stones; they glittered and sparkled with +all colors so beautifully that the children stood still and looked +at them. "Why do you stand gaping there?" cried the dwarf, and his +ashen-gray face became copper-red with rage. He was going on with his +bad words when a loud growling was heard, and a black bear came trotting +towards them out of the forest. The dwarf sprang up in a fright, but he +could not get to his cave, for the bear was already close. Then in the +dread of his heart he cried, "Dear Mr. Bear, spare me, I will give you +all my treasures; look, the beautiful jewels lying there! Grant me my +life; what do you want with such a slender little fellow as I? you would +not feel me between your teeth. Come, take these two wicked girls, they +are tender morsels for you, fat as young quails; for mercy's sake eat +them!" The bear took no heed of his words, but gave the wicked creature +a single blow with his paw, and he did not move again. + +The girls had run away, but the bear called to them, "Snow-white and +Rose-red, do not be afraid; wait, I will come with you." Then they knew +his voice and waited, and when he came up to them suddenly his bearskin +fell off, and he stood there, a handsome man, clothed all in gold. "I am +a King's son," he said, "and I was bewitched by that wicked dwarf, who +had stolen my treasures; I have had to run about the forest as a savage +bear until I was freed by his death. Now he has got his well-deserved +punishment." + +Snow-white was married to him, and Rose-red to his brother, and they +divided between them the great treasure which the dwarf had gathered +together in his cave. The old mother lived peacefully and happily with +her children for many years. She took the two rose-trees with her, and +they stood before her window, and every year bore the most beautiful +roses, white and red. + + + +162 The Wise Servant + +How fortunate is the master, and how well all goes in his house, when +he has a wise servant who listens to his orders and does not obey them, +but prefers following his own wisdom. A clever John of this kind was once +sent out by his master to seek a lost cow. He stayed away a long time, +and the master thought, "Faithful John does not spare any pains over his +work!" As, however, he did not come back at all, the master was afraid +lest some misfortune had befallen him, and set out himself to look for +him. He had to search a long time, but at last he perceived the boy +who was running up and down a large field. "Now, dear John," said the +master when he had got up to him, "hast thou found the cow which I sent +thee to seek?" "No, master," he answered, "I have not found the cow, +but then I have not looked for it." "Then what hast thou looked for, +John?" "Something better, and that luckily I have found." "What is that, +John?" "Three blackbirds," answered the boy. "And where are they?" asked +the master. "I see one of them, I hear the other, and I am running after +the third," answered the wise boy. + +Take example by this, do not trouble yourselves about your masters or +their orders, but rather do what comes into your head and pleases you, +and then you will act just as wisely as prudent John. + + + +163 The Glass Coffin + +Let no one ever say that a poor tailor cannot do great things and win +high honors; all that is needed is that he should go to the right smithy, +and what is of most consequence, that he should have good luck. A civil, +adroit tailor's apprentice once went out travelling, and came into a great +forest, and, as he did not know the way, he lost himself. Night fell, +and nothing was left for him to do, but to seek a bed in this painful +solitude. He might certainly have found a good bed on the soft moss, +but the fear of wild beasts let him have no rest there, and at last he +was forced to make up his mind to spend the night in a tree. He sought +out a high oak, climbed up to the top of it, and thanked God that he +had his goose with him, for otherwise the wind which blew over the top +of the tree would have carried him away. + +After he had spent some hours in the darkness, not without fear and +trembling, he saw at a very short distance the glimmer of a light, and +as he thought that a human habitation might be there, where he would be +better off than on the branches of a tree, he got carefully down and +went towards the light. It guided him to a small hut that was woven +together of reeds and rushes. He knocked boldly, the door opened, and +by the light which came forth he saw a little hoary old man who wore a +coat made of bits of colored stuff sewn together. "Who are you, and what +do you want?" asked the man in a grumbling voice. "I am a poor tailor," +he answered, "whom night has surprised here in the wilderness, and I +earnestly beg you to take me into your hut until morning." "Go your way," +replied the old man in a surly voice, "I will have nothing to do with +runagates; seek for yourself a shelter elsewhere." After these words he +was about to slip into his hut again, but the tailor held him so tightly +by the corner of his coat, and pleaded so piteously, that the old man, +who was not so ill-natured as he wished to appear, was at last softened, +and took him into the hut with him where he gave him something to eat, +and then pointed out to him a very good bed in a corner. + +The weary tailor needed no rocking; but slept sweetly till morning, +but even then would not have thought of getting up, if he had not been +aroused by a great noise. A violent sound of screaming and roaring forced +its way through the thin walls of the hut. The tailor, full of unwonted +courage, jumped up, put his clothes on in haste, and hurried out. Then +close by the hut, he saw a great black bull and a beautiful stag, which +were just preparing for a violent struggle. They rushed at each other with +such extreme rage that the ground shook with their trampling, and the air +resounded with their cries. For a long time it was uncertain which of the +two would gain the victory; at length the stag thrust his horns into his +adversary's body, whereupon the bull fell to the earth with a terrific +roar, and was thoroughly despatched by a few strokes from the stag. + +The tailor, who had watched the fight with astonishment, was still +standing there motionless, when the stag in full career bounded up to +him, and before he could escape, caught him up on his great horns. He +had not much time to collect his thoughts, for it went in a swift race +over stock and stone, mountain and valley, wood and meadow. He held +with both hands to the tops of the horns, and resigned himself to his +fate. It seemed, however, to him just as if he were flying away. At +length the stag stopped in front of a wall of rock, and gently let the +tailor down. The tailor, more dead than alive, required a longer time +than that to come to himself. When he had in some degree recovered, +the stag, which had remained standing by him, pushed its horns with such +force against a door which was in the rock, that it sprang open. Flames +of fire shot forth, after which followed a great smoke, which hid the +stag from his sight. The tailor did not know what to do, or whither +to turn, in order to get out of this desert and back to human beings +again. Whilst he was standing thus undecided, a voice sounded out of +the rock, which cried to him, "Enter without fear, no evil shall befall +you thee." He hesitated, but driven by a mysterious force, he obeyed the +voice and went through the iron-door into a large spacious hall, whose +ceiling, walls and floor were made of shining polished square stones, +on each of which were cut letters which were unknown to him. He looked at +everything full of admiration, and was on the point of going out again, +when he once more heard the voice which said to him, "Step on the stone +which lies in the middle of the hall, and great good fortune awaits thee." + +His courage had already grown so great that he obeyed the order. The +stone began to give way under his feet, and sank slowly down into +the depths. When it was once more firm, and the tailor looked round, +he found himself in a hall which in size resembled the former. Here, +however, there was more to look at and to admire. Hollow places were +cut in the walls, in which stood vases of transparent glass which were +filled with colored spirit or with a bluish vapour. On the floor of the +hall two great glass chests stood opposite to each other, which at once +excited his curiosity. When he went to one of them he saw inside it a +handsome structure like a castle surrounded by farm-buildings, stables +and barns, and a quantity of other good things. Everything was small, +but exceedingly carefully and delicately made, and seemed to be cut out +by a dexterous hand with the greatest exactitude. + +He might not have turned away his eyes from the consideration of this +rarity for some time, if the voice had not once more made itself heard. It +ordered him to turn round and look at the glass chest which was standing +opposite. How his admiration increased when he saw therein a maiden of +the greatest beauty! She lay as if asleep, and was wrapped in her long +fair hair as in a precious mantle. Her eyes were closely shut, but the +brightness of her complexion and a ribbon which her breathing moved to +and fro, left no doubt that she was alive. The tailor was looking at the +beauty with beating heart, when she suddenly opened her eyes, and started +up at the sight of him in joyful terror. "Just Heaven!" cried she, +"my deliverance is at hand! Quick, quick, help me out of my prison; +if thou pushest back the bolt of this glass coffin, then I shall be +free." The tailor obeyed without delay, and she immediately raised up the +glass lid, came out and hastened into the corner of the hall, where she +covered herself with a large cloak. Then she seated herself on a stone, +ordered the young man to come to her, and after she had imprinted a +friendly kiss on his lips, she said, "My long-desired deliverer, kind +Heaven has guided thee to me, and put an end to my sorrows. On the self- +same day when they end, shall thy happiness begin. Thou art the husband +chosen for me by Heaven, and shalt pass thy life in unbroken joy, loved +by me, and rich to overflowing in every earthly possession. Seat thyself, +and listen to the story of my life: + +"I am the daughter of a rich count. My parents died when I was still in my +tender youth, and recommended me in their last will to my elder brother, +by whom I was brought up. We loved each other so tenderly, and were so +alike in our way of thinking and our inclinations, that we both embraced +the resolution never to marry, but to stay together to the end of our +lives. In our house there was no lack of company; neighbors and friends +visited us often, and we showed the greatest hospitality to every one. So +it came to pass one evening that a stranger came riding to our castle, +and, under pretext of not being able to get on to the next place, begged +for shelter for the night. We granted his request with ready courtesy, +and he entertained us in the most agreeable manner during supper by +conversation intermingled with stories. My brother liked the stranger +so much that he begged him to spend a couple of days with us, to which, +after some hesitation, he consented. We did not rise from table until +late in the night, the stranger was shown to room, and I hastened, +as I was tired, to lay my limbs in my soft bed. Hardly had I slept +for a short time, when the sound of faint and delightful music awoke +me. As I could not conceive from whence it came, I wanted to summon +my waiting-maid who slept in the next room, but to my astonishment I +found that speech was taken away from me by an unknown force. I felt as +if a mountain were weighing down my breast, and was unable to make the +very slightest sound. In the meantime, by the light of my night-lamp, +I saw the stranger enter my room through two doors which were fast +bolted. He came to me and said, that by magic arts which were at his +command, he had caused the lovely music to sound in order to awaken me, +and that he now forced his way through all fastenings with the intention +of offering me his hand and heart. My repugnance to his magic arts was, +however, so great, that I vouchsafed him no answer. He remained for a +time standing without moving, apparently with the idea of waiting for +a favorable decision, but as I continued to keep silence, he angrily +declared he would revenge himself and find means to punish my pride, +and left the room. I passed the night in the greatest disquietude, and +only fell asleep towards morning. When I awoke, I hurried to my brother, +but did not find him in his room, and the attendants told me that he +had ridden forth with the stranger to the chase by daybreak. + +"I at once suspected nothing good. I dressed myself quickly, ordered my +palfrey to be saddled, and accompanied only by one servant, rode full +gallop to the forest. The servant fell with his horse, and could not +follow me, for the horse had broken its foot. I pursued my way without +halting, and in a few minutes I saw the stranger coming towards me with +a beautiful stag which he led by a cord. I asked him where he had left +my brother, and how he had come by this stag, out of whose great eyes I +saw tears flowing. Instead of answering me, he began to laugh loudly. I +fell into a great rage at this, pulled out a pistol and discharged it +at the monster; but the ball rebounded from his breast and went into +my horse's head. I fell to the ground, and the stranger muttered some +words which deprived me of consciousness. + +"When I came to my senses again I found myself in this underground cave +in a glass coffin. The magician appeared once again, and said he had +changed my brother into a stag, my castle with all that belonged to it, +diminished in size by his arts, he had shut up in the other glass chest, +and my people, who were all turned into smoke, he had confined in glass +bottles. He told me that if I would now comply with his wish, it was +an easy thing for him to put everything back in its former state, as +he had nothing to do but open the vessels, and everything would return +once more to its natural form. I answered him as little as I had done the +first time. He vanished and left me in my prison, in which a deep sleep +came on me. Amongst the visions which passed before my eyes, that was +the most comforting in which a young man came and set me free, and when +I opened my eyes to-day I saw thee, and beheld my dream fulfilled. Help +me to accomplish the other things which happened in those visions. The +first is that we lift the glass chest in which my castle is enclosed, +on to that broad stone." + +As soon as the stone was laden, it began to rise up on high with the +maiden and the young man, and mounted through the opening of the ceiling +into the upper hall, from whence they then could easily reach the open +air. Here the maiden opened the lid, and it was marvellous to behold +how the castle, the houses, and the farm buildings which were enclosed, +stretched themselves out and grew to their natural size with the greatest +rapidity. After this, the maiden and the tailor returned to the cave +beneath the earth, and had the vessels which were filled with smoke +carried up by the stone. The maiden had scarcely opened the bottles +when the blue smoke rushed out and changed itself into living men, in +whom she recognized her servants and her people. Her joy was still more +increased when her brother, who had killed the magician in the form +of the bull, came out of the forest towards them in his human form, +and on the self-same day the maiden, in accordance with her promise, +gave her hand at the altar to the lucky tailor. + + + +164 Lazy Harry + +Harry was lazy, and although he had nothing else to do but drive his +goat daily to pasture, he nevertheless groaned when he went home after +his day's work was done. "It is indeed a heavy burden," said he, "and +a wearisome employment to drive a goat into the field this way year +after year, till late into the autumn! If one could but lie down and +sleep, but no, one must have one's eyes open lest it hurts the young +trees, or squeezes itself through the hedge into a garden, or runs away +altogether. How can one have any rest, or peace of one's life?" He seated +himself, collected his thoughts, and considered how he could set his +shoulders free from this burden. For a long time all thinking was to no +purpose, but suddenly it was as if scales fell from his eyes. "I know +what I will do," he cried, "I will marry fat Trina who has also a goat, +and can take mine out with hers, and then I shall have no more need to +trouble myself." + +So Harry got up, set his weary legs in motion, and went right across the +street, for it was no farther, to where the parents of fat Trina lived, +and asked for their industrious and virtuous daughter in marriage. The +parents did not reflect long. "Birds of a feather, flock together," +they thought, and consented. + +So fat Trina became Harry's wife, and led out both the goats. Harry had +a good time of it, and had no work that he required to rest from but +his own idleness. He only went out with her now and then, and said, +"I merely do it that I may afterwards enjoy rest more, otherwise one +loses all feeling for it." + +But fat Trina was no less idle. "Dear Harry," said she one day, "why +should we make our lives so toilsome when there is no need for it, and +thus ruin the best days of our youth? Would it not be better for us to +give the two goats which disturb us every morning in our sweetest sleep +with their bleating, to our neighbor, and he will give us a beehive +for them. We will put the beehive in a sunny place behind the house, +and trouble ourselves no more about it. Bees do not require to be taken +care of, or driven into the field; they fly out and find the way home +again for themselves, and collect honey without giving the very least +trouble." "Thou hast spoken like a sensible woman," replied Harry. "We +will carry out thy proposal without delay, and besides all that, honey +tastes better and nourishes one better than goat's milk, and it can be +kept longer too." + +The neighbor willingly gave a beehive for the two goats. The bees flew +in and out from early morning till late evening without ever tiring, +and filled the hive with the most beautiful honey, so that in autumn +Harry was able to take a whole pitcherful out of it. + +They placed the jug on a board which was fixed to the wall of their +bed-room, and as they were afraid that it might be stolen from them, +or that the mice might find it, Trina brought in a stout hazel-stick and +put it beside her bed, so that without unnecessary getting up she might +reach it with her hand, and drive away the uninvited guests. Lazy Harry +did not like to leave his bed before noon. "He who rises early," said he, +"wastes his substance." + +One morning when he was still lying amongst the feathers in broad +daylight, resting after his long sleep, he said to his wife, "Women +are fond of sweet things, and thou art always tasting the honey in +private; it will be better for us to exchange it for a goose with a +young gosling, before thou eatest up the whole of it." "But," answered +Trina, "not before we have a child to take care of them! Am I to worry +myself with the little geese, and spend all my strength on them to no +purpose." "Dost thou think," said Harry, "that the youngster will look +after geese? Now-a-days children no longer obey, they do according to +their own fancy, because they consider themselves cleverer than their +parents, just like that lad who was sent to seek the cow and chased three +blackbirds." "Oh," replied Trina, "this one shall fare badly if he does +not do what I say! I will take a stick and belabour his skin for him +with more blows than I can count. Look, Harry," cried she in her zeal, +and seized the stick which she had to drive the mice away with, "Look, +this is the way I will fall on him!" She reached her arm out to strike, +but unhappily hit the honey-pitcher above the bed. The pitcher struck +against the wall and fell down in fragments, and the fine honey streamed +down on the ground. "There lie the goose and the young gosling," said +Harry, "and want no looking after. But it is lucky that the pitcher +did not fall on my head. We have all reason to be satisfied with our +lot." And then as he saw that there was still some honey in one of +the fragments he stretched out his hand for it, and said quite gaily, +"The remains, my wife, we will still eat with a relish, and we will rest +a little after the fright we have had. What matters if we do get up a +little later the day is always long enough." "Yes," answered Trina, "we +shall always get to the end of it at the proper time. Dost thou know that +the snail was once asked to a wedding and set out to go, but arrived at +the christening. In front of the house it fell over the fence, and said, +'Speed does no good.'" + + + +165 The Griffin + +There was once upon a time a King, but where he reigned and what he was +called, I do not know. He had no son, but an only daughter who had always +been ill, and no doctor had been able to cure her. Then it was foretold +to the King that his daughter should eat herself well with an apple. So +he ordered it to be proclaimed throughout the whole of his kingdom, +that whosoever brought his daughter an apple with which she could eat +herself well, should have her to wife, and be King. This became known to +a peasant who had three sons, and he said to the eldest, "Go out into +the garden and take a basketful of those beautiful apples with the red +cheeks and carry them to the court; perhaps the King's daughter will be +able to eat herself well with them, and then thou wilt marry her and be +King." The lad did so, and set out. + +When he had gone a short way he met a little iron man who asked him what +he had there in the basket, to which replied Uele, for so was he named, +"Frogs' legs." On this the little man said, "Well, so shall it be, +and remain," and went away. At length Uele arrived at the palace, and +made it known that he had brought apples which would cure the King's +daughter if she ate them. This delighted the King hugely, and he caused +Uele to be brought before him; but, alas! when he opened the basket, +instead of having apples in it he had frogs' legs which were still +kicking about. On this the King grew angry, and had him driven out of +the house. When he got home he told his father how it had fared with +him. Then the father sent the next son, who was called Seame, but all went +with him just as it had gone with Uele. He also met the little iron man, +who asked what he had there in the basket. Seame said, "Hogs' bristles," +and the iron man said, "well, so shall it be, and remain." When Seame got +to the King's palace and said he brought apples with which the King's +daughter might eat herself well, they did not want to let him go in, +and said that one fellow had already been there, and had treated them +as if they were fools. Seame, however, maintained that he certainly +had the apples, and that they ought to let him go in. At length they +believed him, and led him to the King. But when he uncovered the basket, +he had but hogs' bristles. This enraged the King most terribly, so he +caused Seame to be whipped out of the house. When he got home he related +all that had befallen him, then the youngest boy, whose name was Hans, +but who was always called Stupid Hans, came and asked his father if he +might go with some apples. "Oh!" said the father, "thou wouldst be just +the right fellow for such a thing! If the clever ones can't manage it, +what canst thou do?" The boy, however, did not believe him, and said, +"Indeed, father, I wish to go." "Just get away, thou stupid fellow, thou +must wait till thou art wiser," said the father to that, and turned his +back. Hans, however, pulled at the back of his smock-frock and said, +"Indeed, father, I wish to go." "Well, then, so far as I am concerned +thou mayst go, but thou wilt soon come home again!" replied the old +man in a spiteful voice. The boy, however, was tremendously delighted +and jumped for joy. "Well, act like a fool! thou growest more stupid +every day!" said the father again. Hans, however, did not care about +that, and did not let it spoil his pleasure, but as it was then night, +he thought he might as well wait until the morrow, for he could not get +to court that day. All night long he could not sleep in his bed, and if +he did doze for a moment, he dreamt of beautiful maidens, of palaces, +of gold, and of silver, and all kinds of things of that sort. Early +in the morning, he went forth on his way, and directly afterwards the +little shabby-looking man in his iron clothes, came to him and asked +what he was carrying in the basket. Hans gave him the answer that he +was carrying apples with which the King's daughter was to eat herself +well. "Then," said the little man, "so shall they be, and remain." But +at the court they would none of them let Hans go in, for they said two +had already been there who had told them that they were bringing apples, +and one of them had frogs' legs, and the other hogs' bristles. Hans, +however, resolutely maintained that he most certainly had no frogs' +legs, but some of the most beautiful apples in the whole kingdom. As he +spoke so pleasantly, the door-keeper thought he could not be telling a +lie, and asked him to go in, and he was right, for when Hans uncovered +his basket in the King's presence, golden-yellow apples came tumbling +out. The King was delighted, and caused some of them to be taken to his +daughter, and then waited in anxious expectation until news should be +brought to him of the effect they had. But before much time had passed +by, news was brought to him: but who do you think it was who came? it +was his daughter herself! As soon as she had eaten of those apples, +she was cured, and sprang out of her bed. The joy the King felt cannot +be described! but now he did not want to give his daughter in marriage +to Hans, and said he must first make him a boat which would go quicker +on dry land than on water. Hans agreed to the conditions, and went home, +and related how it had fared with him. Then the father sent Uele into the +forest to make a boat of that kind. He worked diligently, and whistled +all the time. At mid-day, when the sun was at the highest, came the +little iron man and asked what he was making? Uele gave him for answer, +"Wooden bowls for the kitchen." The iron man said, "So it shall be, +and remain." By evening Uele thought he had now made the boat, but when +he wanted to get into it, he had nothing but wooden bowls. The next day +Seame went into the forest, but everything went with him just as it had +done with Uele. On the third day Stupid Hans went. He worked away most +industriously, so that the whole forest resounded with the heavy strokes, +and all the while he sang and whistled right merrily. At mid-day, when +it was the hottest, the little man came again, and asked what he was +making? "A boat which will go quicker on dry land than on the water," +replied Hans, "and when I have finished it, I am to have the King's +daughter for my wife." "Well," said the little man, "such an one shall +it be, and remain." In the evening, when the sun had turned into gold, +Hans finished his boat, and all that was wanted for it. He got into it +and rowed to the palace. The boat went as swiftly as the wind. The King +saw it from afar, but would not give his daughter to Hans yet, and said +he must first take a hundred hares out to pasture from early morning +until late evening, and if one of them got away, he should not have his +daughter. Hans was contented with this, and the next day went with his +flock to the pasture, and took great care that none of them ran away. + +Before many hours had passed came a servant from the palace, and told +Hans that he must give her a hare instantly, for some visitors had come +unexpectedly. Hans, however, was very well aware what that meant, and +said he would not give her one; the King might set some hare soup before +his guest next day. The maid, however, would not believe in his refusal, +and at last she began to get angry with him. Then Hans said that if the +King's daughter came herself, he would give her a hare. The maid told +this in the palace, and the daughter did go herself. In the meantime, +however, the little man came again to Hans, and asked him what he was +doing there? He said he had to watch over a hundred hares and see that +none of them ran away, and then he might marry the King's daughter and +be King. "Good," said the little man, "there is a whistle for thee, +and if one of them runs away, just whistle with it, and then it will +come back again." When the King's daughter came, Hans gave her a hare +into her apron; but when she had gone about a hundred steps with it, +he whistled, and the hare jumped out of the apron, and before she +could turn round was back to the flock again. When the evening came +the hare-herd whistled once more, and looked to see if all were there, +and then drove them to the palace. The King wondered how Hans had been +able to take a hundred hares to graze without losing any of them; he +would, however, not give him his daughter yet, and said he must now +bring him a feather from the Griffin's tail. Hans set out at once, +and walked straight forwards. In the evening he came to a castle, +and there he asked for a night's lodging, for at that time there were +no inns. The lord of the castle promised him that with much pleasure, +and asked where he was going? Hans answered, "To the Griffin." "Oh! to +the Griffin! They tell me he knows everything, and I have lost the key +of an iron money-chest; so you might be so good as to ask him where it +is." "Yes, indeed," said Hans, "I will do that." Early the next morning +he went onwards, and on his way arrived at another castle in which he +again stayed the night. When the people who lived there learnt that he +was going to the Griffin, they said they had in the house a daughter +who was ill, and that they had already tried every means to cure her, +but none of them had done her any good, and he might be so kind as to +ask the Griffin what would make their daughter healthy again? Hans said +he would willingly do that, and went onwards. Then he came to a lake, +and instead of a ferry-boat, a tall, tall man was there who had to carry +everybody across. The man asked Hans whither he was journeying? "To +the Griffin," said Hans. "Then when you get to him," said the man, +"just ask him why I am forced to carry everybody over the lake." "Yes, +indeed, most certainly I'll do that," said Hans. Then the man took him +up on his shoulders, and carried him across. At length Hans arrived at +the Griffin's house, but the wife only was at home, and not the Griffin +himself. Then the woman asked him what he wanted? Thereupon he told her +everything;--that he had to get a feather out of the Griffin's tail, and +that there was a castle where they had lost the key of their money-chest, +and he was to ask the Griffin where it was?--that in another castle the +daughter was ill, and he was to learn what would cure her?--and then not +far from thence there was a lake and a man beside it, who was forced to +carry people across it, and he was very anxious to learn why the man was +obliged to do it. Then said the woman, "But look here, my good friend, +no Christian can speak to the Griffin; he devours them all; but if +you like, you can lie down under his bed, and in the night, when he is +quite fast asleep, you can reach out and pull a feather out of his tail, +and as for those things which you are to learn, I will ask about them +myself." Hans was quite satisfied with this, and got under the bed. In +the evening, the Griffin came home, and as soon as he entered the room, +said, "Wife, I smell a Christian." "Yes," said the woman, "one was here +to-day, but he went away again;" and on that the Griffin said no more. + +In the middle of the night when the Griffin was snoring loudly, Hans +reached out and plucked a feather from his tail. The Griffin woke up +instantly, and said, "Wife, I smell a Christian, and it seems to me that +somebody was pulling at my tail." His wife said, "Thou hast certainly +been dreaming, and I told thee before that a Christian was here to-day, +but that he went away again. He told me all kinds of things that in one +castle they had lost the key of their money-chest, and could find it +nowhere." "Oh! the fools!" said the Griffin; "the key lies in the wood- +house under a log of wood behind the door." "And then he said that in +another castle the daughter was ill, and they knew no remedy that would +cure her." "Oh! the fools!" said the Griffin; "under the cellar-steps a +toad has made its nest of her hair, and if she got her hair back she would +be well." "And then he also said that there was a place where there was a +lake and a man beside it who was forced to carry everybody across." "Oh, +the fool!" said the Griffin; "if he only put one man down in the middle, +he would never have to carry another across." Early the next morning the +Griffin got up and went out. Then Hans came forth from under the bed, and +he had a beautiful feather, and had heard what the Griffin had said about +the key, and the daughter, and the ferry-man. The Griffin's wife repeated +it all once more to him that he might not forget it, and then he went +home again. First he came to the man by the lake, who asked him what the +Griffin had said, but Hans replied that he must first carry him across, +and then he would tell him. So the man carried him across, and when he +was over Hans told him that all he had to do was to set one person down +in the middle of the lake, and then he would never have to carry over any +more. The man was hugely delighted, and told Hans that out of gratitude +he would take him once more across, and back again. But Hans said no, he +would save him the trouble, he was quite satisfied already, and pursued +his way. Then he came to the castle where the daughter was ill; he took +her on his shoulders, for she could not walk, and carried her down the +cellar-steps and pulled out the toad's nest from beneath the lowest step +and gave it into her hand, and she sprang off his shoulder and up the +steps before him, and was quite cured. Then were the father and mother +beyond measure rejoiced, and they gave Hans gifts of gold and of silver, +and whatsoever else he wished for, that they gave him. And when he got +to the other castle he went at once into the wood-house, and found the +key under the log of wood behind the door, and took it to the lord of +the castle. He also was not a little pleased, and gave Hans as a reward +much of the gold that was in the chest, and all kinds of things besides, +such as cows, and sheep, and goats. When Hans arrived before the King, +with all these things--with the money, and the gold, and the silver +and the cows, sheep and goats, the King asked him how he had come by +them. Then Hans told him that the Griffin gave every one whatsoever he +wanted. So the King thought he himself could make such things useful, +and set out on his way to the Griffin; but when he got to the lake, +it happened that he was the very first who arrived there after Hans, +and the man put him down in the middle of it and went away, and the King +was drowned. Hans, however, married the daughter, and became King. + + + +166 Strong Hans + +There were once a man and a woman who had an only child, and lived quite +alone in a solitary valley. It came to pass that the mother once went +into the wood to gather branches of fir, and took with her little Hans, +who was just two years old. As it was spring-time, and the child took +pleasure in the many-coloured flowers, she went still further onwards +with him into the forest. Suddenly two robbers sprang out of the thicket, +seized the mother and child, and carried them far away into the black +forest, where no one ever came from one year's end to another. The poor +woman urgently begged the robbers to set her and her child free, but +their hearts were made of stone, they would not listen to her prayers +and entreaties, and drove her on farther by force. After they had worked +their way through bushes and briars for about two miles, they came to a +rock where there was a door, at which the robbers knocked and it opened +at once. They had to go through a long dark passage, and at last came +into a great cavern, which was lighted by a fire which burnt on the +hearth. On the wall hung swords, sabres, and other deadly weapons which +gleamed in the light, and in the midst stood a black table at which four +other robbers were sitting gambling, and the captain sat at the head of +it. As soon as he saw the woman he came and spoke to her, and told her to +be at ease and have no fear, they would do nothing to hurt her, but she +must look after the house-keeping, and if she kept everything in order, +she should not fare ill with them. Thereupon they gave her something to +eat, and showed her a bed where she might sleep with her child. + +The woman stayed many years with the robbers, and Hans grew tall and +strong. His mother told him stories, and taught him to read an old book +of tales about knights which she found in the cave. When Hans was nine +years old, he made himself a strong club out of a branch of fir, hid +it behind the bed, and then went to his mother and said, "Dear mother, +pray tell me who is my father; I must and will know." His mother was +silent and would not tell him, that he might not become home-sick; +moreover she knew that the godless robbers would not let him go away, +but it almost broke her heart that Hans should not go to his father. In +the night, when the robbers came home from their robbing expedition, +Hans brought out his club, stood before the captain, and said, "I now +wish to know who is my father, and if thou dost not at once tell me I +will strike thee down." Then the captain laughed, and gave Hans such a +box on the ear that he rolled under the table. Hans got up again, held +his tongue, and thought, "I will wait another year and then try again, +perhaps I shall do better then." When the year was over, he brought out +his club again, rubbed the dust off it, looked at it well, and said, +"It is a stout strong club." At night the robbers came home, drank +one jug of wine after another, and their heads began to be heavy. Then +Hans brought out his club, placed himself before the captain, and asked +him who was his father? But the captain again gave him such a vigorous +box on the ear that Hans rolled under the table, but it was not long +before he was up again, and beat the captain and the robbers so with +his club, that they could no longer move either their arms or their +legs. His mother stood in a corner full of admiration of his bravery and +strength. When Hans had done his work, he went to his mother, and said, +"Now I have shown myself to be in earnest, but now I must also know who +is my father." "Dear Hans," answered the mother, "come, we will go and +seek him until we find him." She took from the captain the key to the +entrance-door, and Hans fetched a great meal-sack and packed into it +gold and silver, and whatsoever else he could find that was beautiful, +until it was full, and then he took it on his back. They left the cave, +but how Hans did open his eyes when he came out of the darkness into +daylight, and saw the green forest, and the flowers, and the birds, and +the morning sun in the sky. He stood there and wondered at everything +just as if he had not been very wise. His mother looked for the way home, +and when they had walked for a couple of hours, they got safely into +their lonely valley and to their little house. The father was sitting +in the doorway. He wept for joy when he recognized his wife and heard +that Hans was his son, for he had long regarded them both as dead. But +Hans, although he was not twelve years old, was a head taller than his +father. They went into the little room together, but Hans had scarcely put +his sack on the bench by the stove, than the whole house began to crack +the bench broke down and then the floor, and the heavy sack fell through +into the cellar. "God save us!" cried the father, "what's that? Now thou +hast broken our little house to pieces!" "Don't grow any grey hairs about +that, dear father," answered Hans; "there, in that sack, is more than is +wanting for a new house." The father and Hans at once began to build a +new house; to buy cattle and land, and to keep a farm. Hans ploughed the +fields, and when he followed the plough and pushed it into the ground, +the bullocks had scarcely any need to draw. The next spring, Hans said, +"Keep all the money and get a walking-stick that weighs a hundred-weight +made for me that I may go a-travelling." When the wished-for stick was +ready, he left his father's house, went forth, and came to a deep, dark +forest. There he heard something crunching and cracking, looked round, +and saw a fir-tree which was wound round like a rope from the bottom to +the top, and when he looked upwards he saw a great fellow who had laid +hold of the tree and was twisting it like a willow-wand. "Hollo!" cried +Hans, "what art thou doing up there?" the fellow replied, "I got some +faggots together yesterday and am twisting a rope for them." "That is +what I like," thought Hans, "he has some strength," and he called to him, +"Leave that alone, and come with me." The fellow came down, and he was +taller by a whole head than Hans, and Hans was not little. "Thy name +is now Fir-twister," said Hans to him. Thereupon they went further and +heard something knocking and hammering with such force that the ground +shook at every stroke. Shortly afterwards they came to a mighty rock, +before which a giant was standing and striking great pieces of it +away with his fist. When Hans asked what he was about, he answered, +"At night, when I want to sleep, bears, wolves, and other vermin of +that kind come, which sniff and snuffle about me and won't let me rest; +so I want to build myself a house and lay myself inside it, so that +I may have some peace." "Oh, indeed," thought Hans, "I can make use +of this one also;" and said to him, "Leave thy house-building alone, +and go with me; thou shalt be called Rock-splitter." The man consented, +and they all three roamed through the forest, and wherever they went the +wild beasts were terrified, and ran away from them. In the evening they +came to an old deserted castle, went up into it, and laid themselves down +in the hall to sleep. The next morning Hans went into the garden. It +had run quite wild, and was full of thorns and bushes. And as he was +thus walking round about, a wild boar rushed at him; he, however, gave +it such a blow with his club that it fell directly. He took it on his +shoulders and carried it in, and they put it on a spit, roasted it, +and enjoyed themselves. Then they arranged that each day, in turn, +two should go out hunting, and one should stay at home, and cook nine +pounds of meat for each of them. Fir-twister stayed at home the first, +and Hans and Rock-splitter went out hunting. When Fir-twister was busy +cooking, a little shrivelled-up old mannikin came to him in the castle, +and asked for some meat. "Be off, sly hypocrite," he answered, "thou +needest no meat." But how astonished Fir-twister was when the little +insignificant dwarf sprang up at him, and belaboured him so with his +fists that he could not defend himself, but fell on the ground and +gasped for breath! The dwarf did not go away until he had thoroughly +vented his anger on him. When the two others came home from hunting, +Fir-twister said nothing to them of the old mannikin and of the blows +which he himself had received, and thought, "When they stay at home, +they may just try their chance with the little scrubbing-brush;" and +the mere thought of that gave him pleasure already. + +The next day Rock-splitter stayed at home, and he fared just as +Fir-twister had done, he was very ill-treated by the dwarf because he +was not willing to give him any meat. When the others came home in the +evening, Fir-twister easily saw what he had suffered, but both kept +silence, and thought, "Hans also must taste some of that soup." + +Hans, who had to stay at home the next day, did his work in the kitchen +as it had to be done, and as he was standing skimming the pan, the dwarf +came and without more ado demanded a bit of meat. Then Hans thought, +"He is a poor wretch, I will give him some of my share, that the +others may not run short," and handed him a bit. When the dwarf had +devoured it, he again asked for some meat, and good-natured Hans gave +it to him, and told him it was a handsome piece, and that he was to be +content with it. But the dwarf begged again for the third time. "Thou +art shameless!" said Hans, and gave him none. Then the malicious dwarf +wanted to spring on him and treat him as he had treated Fir-twister and +Rock-splitter, but he had got to the wrong man. Hans, without exerting +himself much, gave him a couple of blows which made him jump down the +castle steps. Hans was about to run after him, but fell right over him, +for he was so tall. When he rose up again, the dwarf had got the start of +him. Hans hurried after him as far as the forest, and saw him slip into +a hole in the rock. Hans now went home, but he had marked the spot. When +the two others came back, they were surprised that Hans was so well. He +told them what had happened, and then they no longer concealed how it +had fared with them. Hans laughed and said, "It served you quite right; +why were you so greedy with your meat? It is a disgrace that you who are +so big should have let yourselves be beaten by the dwarf." Thereupon +they took a basket and a rope, and all three went to the hole in the +rock into which the dwarf had slipped, and let Hans and his club down in +the basket. When Hans had reached the bottom, he found a door, and when +he opened it a maiden was sitting there who was lovely as any picture, +nay, so beautiful that no words can express it, and by her side sat the +dwarf and grinned at Hans like a sea-cat! She, however, was bound with +chains, and looked so mournfully at him that Hans felt great pity for +her, and thought to himself, "Thou must deliver her out of the power of +the wicked dwarf," and gave him such a blow with his club that he fell +down dead. Immediately the chains fell from the maiden, and Hans was +enraptured with her beauty. She told him she was a King's daughter whom +a savage count had stolen away from her home, and imprisoned there among +the rocks, because she would have nothing to say to him. The count had, +however, set the dwarf as a watchman, and he had made her bear misery +and vexation enough. And now Hans placed the maiden in the basket and had +her drawn up; the basket came down again, but Hans did not trust his two +companions, and thought, "They have already shown themselves to be false, +and told me nothing about the dwarf; who knows what design they may have +against me?" So he put his club in the basket, and it was lucky he did; +for when the basket was half-way up, they let it fall again, and if Hans +had really been sitting in it he would have been killed. But now he did +not know how he was to work his way out of the depths, and when he turned +it over and over in his mind he found no counsel. "It is indeed sad," +said he to himself, "that I have to waste away down here," and as he was +thus walking backwards and forwards, he once more came to the little +chamber where the maiden had been sitting, and saw that the dwarf had +a ring on his finger which shone and sparkled. Then he drew it off and +put it on, and when he turned it round on his finger, he suddenly heard +something rustle over his head. He looked up and saw spirits of the air +hovering above, who told him he was their master, and asked what his +desire might be? Hans was at first struck dumb, but afterwards he said +that they were to carry him above again. They obeyed instantly, and it +was just as if he had flown up himself. When, however, he was above again, +he found no one in sight. Fir-twister and Rock-splitter had hurried away, +and had taken the beautiful maiden with them. But Hans turned the ring, +and the spirits of the air came and told him that the two were on the +sea. Hans ran and ran without stopping, until he came to the sea-shore, +and there far, far out on the water, he perceived a little boat in which +his faithless comrades were sitting; and in fierce anger he leapt, +without thinking what he was doing, club in hand into the water, and +began to swim, but the club, which weighed a hundredweight, dragged him +deep down until he was all but drowned. Then in the very nick of time he +turned his ring, and immediately the spirits of the air came and bore him +as swift as lightning into the boat. He swung his club and gave his wicked +comrades the reward they merited and threw them into the water, and then +he sailed with the beautiful maiden, who had been in the greatest alarm, +and whom he delivered for the second time, home to her father and mother, +and married her, and all rejoiced exceedingly. + + + +167 The Peasant in Heaven + +Once on a time a poor pious peasant died, and arrived before the gate of +heaven. At the same time a very rich, rich lord came there who also wanted +to get into heaven. Then Saint Peter came with the key, and opened the +door, and let the great man in, but apparently did not see the peasant, +and shut the door again. And now the peasant outside, heard how the great +man was received in heaven with all kinds of rejoicing, and how they +were making music, and singing within. At length all became quiet again, +and Saint Peter came and opened the gate of heaven, and let the peasant +in. The peasant, however, expected that they would make music and sing +when he went in also, but all remained quite quiet; he was received with +great affection, it is true, and the angels came to meet him, but no one +sang. Then the peasant asked Saint Peter how it was that they did not +sing for him as they had done when the rich man went in, and said that +it seemed to him that there in heaven things were done with just as much +partiality as on earth. Then said Saint Peter, "By no means, thou art just +as dear to us as any one else, and wilt enjoy every heavenly delight that +the rich man enjoys, but poor fellows like thee come to heaven every day, +but a rich man like this does not come more than once in a hundred years!" + + + +168 Lean Lisa + +Lean Lisa was of a very different way of thinking from lazy Harry and +fat Trina, who never let anything disturb their peace. She scoured +everything with ashes, from morning till evening, and burdened her +husband, Long Laurence, with so much work that he had heavier weights to +carry than an ass with three sacks. It was, however, all to no purpose, +they had nothing and came to nothing. One night as she lay in bed, +and could hardly move one limb for weariness, she still did not allow +her thoughts to go to sleep. She thrust her elbows into her husband's +side, and said, "Listen, Lenz, to what I have been thinking: if I were +to find one florin and one was given to me, I would borrow another to +put to them, and thou too shouldst give me another, and then as soon +as I had got the four florins together, I would buy a young cow." This +pleased the husband right well. "It is true," said he, "that I do not +know where I am to get the florin which thou wantest as a gift from me; +but, if thou canst get the money together, and canst buy a cow with it, +thou wilt do well to carry out thy project. I shall be glad," he added, +"if the cow has a calf, and then I shall often get a drink of milk to +refresh me." "The milk is not for thee," said the woman, "we must let +the calf suck that it may become big and fat, and we may be able to +sell it well." "Certainly," replied the man, "but still we will take +a little milk; that will do no harm." "Who has taught thee to manage +cows?" said the woman; "Whether it does harm or not, I will not allow +it, and even if thou wert to stand on thy head for it, thou shouldst not +have a drop of the milk! Dost thou think, because there is no satisfying +thee, Long Laurence, that thou art to eat up what I earn with so much +difficulty?" "Wife," said the man, "be quiet, or I will give thee a blow +on thy mouth!" "What!" cried she, "thou threatenest me, thou glutton, +thou rascal, thou lazy Harry!" She was just laying hold of his hair, but +long Laurence got up, seized both Lean Lisa's withered arms in one hand, +and with the other he pressed down her head into the pillow, let her +scold, and held her until she fell asleep for very weariness. Whether +she continued to wrangle when she awoke next morning, or whether she +went out to look for the florin which she wanted to find, that I know not. + + + +169 The Hut in the Forest + +A poor wood-cutter lived with his wife and three daughters in a little +hut on the edge of a lonely forest. One morning as he was about to go +to his work, he said to his wife, "Let my dinner be brought into the +forest to me by my eldest daughter, or I shall never get my work done, +and in order that she may not miss her way," he added, "I will take a +bag of millet with me and strew the seeds on the path." When, therefore, +the sun was just above the center of the forest, the girl set out on her +way with a bowl of soup, but the field-sparrows, and wood-sparrows, larks +and finches, blackbirds and siskins had picked up the millet long before, +and the girl could not find the track. Then trusting to chance, she went +on and on, until the sun sank and night began to fall. The trees rustled +in the darkness, the owls hooted, and she began to be afraid. Then in the +distance she perceived a light which glimmered between the trees. "There +ought to be some people living there, who can take me in for the night," +thought she, and went up to the light. It was not long before she came +to a house the windows of which were all lighted up. She knocked, and a +rough voice from inside cried, "Come in." The girl stepped into the dark +entrance, and knocked at the door of the room. "Just come in," cried the +voice, and when she opened the door, an old gray-haired man was sitting +at the table, supporting his face with both hands, and his white beard +fell down over the table almost as far as the ground. By the stove lay +three animals, a hen, a cock, and a brindled cow. The girl told her +story to the old man, and begged for shelter for the night. The man said, + +"Pretty little hen, Pretty little cock, And pretty brindled cow, What +say ye to that?" + +"Duks," answered the animals, and that must have meant, "We are willing," +for the old man said, "Here you shall have shelter and food, go to the +fire, and cook us our supper." The girl found in the kitchen abundance +of everything, and cooked a good supper, but had no thought of the +animals. She carried the full dishes to the table, seated herself by the +gray-haired man, ate and satisfied her hunger. When she had had enough, +she said, "But now I am tired, where is there a bed in which I can lie +down, and sleep?" The animals replied, + +"Thou hast eaten with him, Thou hast drunk with him, Thou hast had no +thought for us, So find out for thyself where thou canst pass the night." + +Then said the old man, "Just go upstairs, and thou wilt find a room with +two beds, shake them up, and put white linen on them, and then I, too, +will come and lie down to sleep." The girl went up, and when she had +shaken the beds and put clean sheets on, she lay down in one of them +without waiting any longer for the old man. After some time, however, +the gray-haired man came, took his candle, looked at the girl and shook +his head. When he saw that she had fallen into a sound sleep, he opened +a trap-door, and let her down into the cellar. + +Late at night the wood-cutter came home, and reproached his wife for +leaving him to hunger all day. "It is not my fault," she replied, "the +girl went out with your dinner, and must have lost herself, but she is +sure to come back to-morrow." The wood-cutter, however, arose before dawn +to go into the forest, and requested that the second daughter should +take him his dinner that day. "I will take a bag with lentils," said +he; "the seeds are larger than millet, the girl will see them better, +and can't lose her way." At dinner-time, therefore, the girl took out +the food, but the lentils had disappeared. The birds of the forest had +picked them up as they had done the day before, and had left none. The +girl wandered about in the forest until night, and then she too reached +the house of the old man, was told to go in, and begged for food and a +bed. The man with the white beard again asked the animals, + +"Pretty little hen, Pretty little cock, And pretty brindled cow, What +say ye to that?" + +The animals again replied "Duks," and everything happened just as it +had happened the day before. The girl cooked a good meal, ate and drank +with the old man, and did not concern herself about the animals, and +when she inquired about her bed they answered, + +"Thou hast eaten with him, Thou hast drunk with him, Thou hast had no +thought for us, To find out for thyself where thou canst pass the night." + +When she was asleep the old man came, looked at her, shook his head, +and let her down into the cellar. + +On the third morning the wood-cutter said to his wife, "Send our youngest +child out with my dinner to-day, she has always been good and obedient, +and will stay in the right path, and not run about after every wild +humble-bee, as her sisters did." The mother did not want to do it, +and said, "Am I to lose my dearest child, as well?" + +"Have no fear," he replied, "the girl will not go astray; she is +too prudent and sensible; besides I will take some peas with me, and +strew them about. They are still larger than lentils, and will show +her the way." But when the girl went out with her basket on her arm, +the wood-pigeons had already got all the peas in their crops, and she +did not know which way she was to turn. She was full of sorrow and +never ceased to think how hungry her father would be, and how her good +mother would grieve, if she did not go home. At length when it grew dark, +she saw the light and came to the house in the forest. She begged quite +prettily to be allowed to spend the night there, and the man with the +white beard once more asked his animals, + +"Pretty little hen, Pretty little cock, And beautiful brindled cow, +What say ye to that?" + +"Duks," said they. Then the girl went to the stove where the animals were +lying, and petted the cock and hen, and stroked their smooth feathers +with her hand, and caressed the brindled cow between her horns, and when, +in obedience to the old man's orders, she had made ready some good soup, +and the bowl was placed upon the table, she said, "Am I to eat as much as +I want, and the good animals to have nothing? Outside is food in plenty, +I will look after them first." So she went and brought some barley and +stewed it for the cock and hen, and a whole armful of sweet-smelling +hay for the cow. "I hope you will like it, dear animals," said she, +"and you shall have a refreshing draught in case you are thirsty." Then +she fetched in a bucketful of water, and the cock and hen jumped on +to the edge of it and dipped their beaks in, and then held up their +heads as the birds do when they drink, and the brindled cow also took a +hearty draught. When the animals were fed, the girl seated herself at the +table by the old man, and ate what he had left. It was not long before +the cock and the hen began to thrust their heads beneath their wings, +and the eyes of the cow likewise began to blink. Then said the girl, +"Ought we not to go to bed?" + +"Pretty little hen, Pretty little cock, And pretty brindled cow, What +say ye to that?" + +The animals answered "Duks," + +"Thou hast eaten with us, Thou hast drunk with us, Thou hast had kind +thought for all of us, We wish thee good-night." + +Then the maiden went upstairs, shook the feather-beds, and laid clean +sheets on them, and when she had done it the old man came and lay down +on one of the beds, and his white beard reached down to his feet. The +girl lay down on the other, said her prayers, and fell asleep. + +She slept quietly till midnight, and then there was such a noise in the +house that she awoke. There was a sound of cracking and splitting in every +corner, and the doors sprang open, and beat against the walls. The beams +groaned as if they were being torn out of their joints, it seemed as if +the staircase were falling down, and at length there was a crash as if +the entire roof had fallen in. As, however, all grew quiet once more, and +the girl was not hurt, she stayed quietly lying where she was, and fell +asleep again. But when she woke up in the morning with the brilliancy of +the sunshine, what did her eyes behold? She was lying in a vast hall, +and everything around her shone with royal splendor; on the walls, +golden flowers grew up on a ground of green silk, the bed was of ivory, +and the canopy of red velvet, and on a chair close by, was a pair of +shoes embroidered with pearls. The girl believed that she was in a dream, +but three richly clad attendants came in, and asked what orders she would +like to give? "If you will go," she replied, "I will get up at once and +make ready some soup for the old man, and then I will feed the pretty +little hen, and the cock, and the beautiful brindled cow." She thought +the old man was up already, and looked round at his bed; he, however, +was not lying in it, but a stranger. And while she was looking at him, +and becoming aware that he was young and handsome, he awoke, sat up in +bed, and said, "I am a King's son, and was bewitched by a wicked witch, +and made to live in this forest, as an old gray-haired man; no one was +allowed to be with me but my three attendants in the form of a cock, +a hen, and a brindled cow. The spell was not to be broken until a girl +came to us whose heart was so good that she showed herself full of love, +not only towards mankind, but towards animals -- and that thou hast done, +and by thee at midnight we were set free, and the old hut in the forest +was changed back again into my royal palace." And when they had arisen, +the King's son ordered the three attendants to set out and fetch the +father and mother of the girl to the marriage feast. "But where are my +two sisters?" inquired the maiden. "I have locked them in the cellar, +and to-morrow they shall be led into the forest, and shall live as +servants to a charcoal-burner, until they have grown kinder, and do not +leave poor animals to suffer hunger." + + + +170 Sharing Joy and Sorrow + +There was once a tailor, who was a quarrelsome fellow, and his wife, +who was good, industrious, and pious, never could please him. Whatever +she did, he was not satisfied, but grumbled and scolded, and knocked +her about and beat her. As the authorities at last heard of it, they had +him summoned, and put in prison in order to make him better. He was kept +for a while on bread and water, and then set free again. He was forced, +however, to promise not to beat his wife any more, but to live with her +in peace, and share joy and sorrow with her, as married people ought to +do. All went on well for a time, but then he fell into his old ways, and +was surly and quarrelsome. And because he dared not beat her, he would +seize her by the hair and tear it out. The woman escaped from him, and +sprang out into the yard, but he ran after her with his yard-measure and +scissors, and chased her about, and threw the yard-measure and scissors +at her, and whatever else came his way. When he hit her he laughed, +and when he missed her, he stormed and swore. This went on so long +that the neighbors came to the wife's assistance. The tailor was again +summoned before the magistrates, and reminded of his promise. "Dear +gentlemen," said he, "I have kept my word, I have not beaten her, but +have shared joy and sorrow with her." "How can that be," said the judge, +"when she continually brings such heavy complaints against you?" "I have +not beaten her, but just because she looked so strange I wanted to comb +her hair with my hand; she, however, got away from me, and left me quite +spitefully. Then I hurried after her, and in order to bring her back to +her duty, I threw at her as a well-meant admonition whatever came readily +to hand. I have shared joy and sorrow with her also, for whenever I hit +her I was full of joy, and she of sorrow, and if I missed her, then she +was joyful, and I sorry." The judges were not satisfied with this answer, +but gave him the reward he deserved. + + + +171 The Willow-Wren + +In former days every sound still had its meaning and application. When +the smith's hammer resounded, it cried, "Strike away! strike away." When +the carpenter's plane grated, it said, "Here goes! here goes." If the +mill wheel began to clack, it said, "Help, Lord God! help, Lord God!" And +if the miller was a cheat and happened to leave the mill, it spoke high +German, and first asked slowly, "Who is there? Who is there?" and then +answered quickly, "The miller! the miller!" and at last quite in a hurry, +"He steals bravely! he steals bravely! three pecks in a bushel." + +At this time the birds also had their own language which every one +understood; now it only sounds like chirping, screeching, and whistling, +and to some like music without words. It came into the bird's mind, +however, that they would no longer be without a ruler, and would choose +one of themselves to be their King. One alone amongst them, the green +plover, was opposed to this. He had lived free, and would die free, and +anxiously flying hither and thither, he cried, "Where shall I go? where +shall I go?" He retired into a solitary and unfrequented marsh, and +showed himself no more among his fellows. + +The birds now wished to discuss the matter, and on a fine May morning they +all gathered together from the woods and fields: eagles and chaffinches, +owls and crows, larks and sparrows, how can I name them all? Even the +cuckoo came, and the hoopoe, his clerk, who is so called because he is +always heard a few days before him, and a very small bird which as yet +had no name, mingled with the band. The hen, which by some accident +had heard nothing of the whole matter, was astonished at the great +assemblage. "What, what, what is going to be done?" she cackled; but the +cock calmed his beloved hen, and said, "Only rich people," and told her +what they had on hand. It was decided, however, that the one who could +fly the highest should be King. A tree-frog which was sitting among the +bushes, when he heard that, cried a warning, "No, no, no! no!" because he +thought that many tears would be shed because of this; but the crow said, +"Caw, caw," and that all would pass off peaceably. It was now determined +that on this fine morning they should at once begin to ascend, so that +hereafter no one should be able to say, "I could easily have flown much +higher, but the evening came on, and I could do no more." On a given +signal, therefore, the whole troop rose up in the air. The dust ascended +from the land, and there was tremendous fluttering and whirring and +beating of wings, and it looked as if a black cloud was rising up. The +little birds were, however, soon left behind. They could go no farther, +and fell back to the ground. The larger birds held out longer, but none +could equal the eagle, who mounted so high that he could have picked the +eyes out of the sun. And when he saw that the others could not get up +to him, he thought, "Why shouldst thou fly still higher, thou art the +King?" and began to let himself down again. The birds beneath him at +once cried to him. "Thou must be our King, no one has flown so high as +thou." "Except me," screamed the little fellow without a name, who had +crept into the breast-feathers of the eagle. And as he was not at all +tired, he rose up and mounted so high that he reached heaven itself. When, +however, he had gone as far as this, he folded his wings together, +and called down with clear and penetrating voice, "I am King! I am King." + +"Thou, our King?" cried the birds angrily. "Thou hast compassed it by +trick and cunning!" So they made another condition. He should be King +who could go down lowest in the ground. How the goose did flap about with +its broad breast when it was once more on the land! How quickly the cock +scratched a hole! The duck came off the worst of all, for she leapt into +a ditch, but sprained her legs, and waddled away to a neighboring pond, +crying, "Cheating, cheating!" The little bird without a name, however, +sought out a mouse-hole, slipped down into it, and cried out of it with +his small voice, "I am King! I am King!" + +"Thou our King!" cried the birds still more angrily. "Dost thou think +thy cunning shall prevail?" They determined to keep him a prisoner in +the hole and starve him out. The owl was placed as sentinel in front +of it, and was not to let the rascal out if she had any value for her +life. When evening was come all the birds were feeling very tired after +exerting their wings so much, so they went to bed with their wives and +children. The owl alone remained standing by the mouse-hole, gazing +steadfastly into it with her great eyes. In the meantime she, too, had +grown tired and thought to herself, "You might certainly shut one eye, +you will still watch with the other, and the little miscreant shall not +come out of his hole." So she shut one eye, and with the other looked +straight at the mouse-hole. The little fellow put his head out and +peeped, and wanted to slip away, but the owl came forward immediately, +and he drew his head back again. Then the owl opened the one eye again, +and shut the other, intending to shut them in turn all through the night. + +But when she next shut the one eye, she forgot to open the other, and +as soon as both her eyes were shut she fell asleep. The little fellow +soon observed that, and slipped away. + +From that day forth, the owl has never dared to show herself by daylight, +for if she does the other birds chase her and pluck her feathers out. She +only flies out by night, but hates and pursues mice because they make +such ugly holes. The little bird, too, is very unwilling to let himself be +seen, because he is afraid it will cost him his life if he is caught. He +steals about in the hedges, and when he is quite safe, he sometimes cries, +"I am King," and for this reason, the other birds call him in mockery, +'King of the hedges' (Zaunkönig). No one, however, was so happy as +the lark at not having to obey the little King. As soon as the sun +appears, she ascends high in the air and cries, "Ah, how beautiful that +is! beautiful that is! beautiful, beautiful! ah, how beautiful that is!" + + + +172 The Sole + +The fishes had for a long time been discontented because no order +prevailed in their kingdom. None of them turned aside for the others, +but all swam to the right or the left as they fancied, or darted between +those who wanted to stay together, or got into their way; and a strong +one gave a weak one a blow with its tail, which drove it away, or else +swallowed it up without more ado. "How delightful it would be," said they, +"if we had a king who enforced law and justice among us!" and they met +together to choose for their ruler, the one who could cleave through +the water most quickly, and give help to the weak ones. + +They placed themselves in rank and file by the shore, and the pike gave +the signal with his tail, on which they all started. Like an arrow, the +pike darted away, and with him the herring, the gudgeon, the perch, the +carp, and all the rest of them. Even the sole swam with them, and hoped +to reach the winning-place. All at once, the cry was heard, "The herring +is first!" "Who is first?" screamed angrily the flat envious sole, who +had been left far behind, "who is first?" "The herring! The herring," +was the answer. "The naked herring?" cried the jealous creature, "the +naked herring?" Since that time the sole's mouth has been at one side +for a punishment. + + + +173 The Bittern and the Hoopoe + +"Where do you like best to feed your flocks?" said a man to an old +cow-herd. "Here, sir, where the grass is neither too rich nor too poor, or +else it is no use." "Why not?" asked the man. "Do you hear that melancholy +cry from the meadow there?" answered the shepherd, "that is the bittern; +he was once a shepherd, and so was the hoopoe also,--I will tell you +the story. The bittern pastured his flocks on rich green meadows where +flowers grew in abundance, so his cows became wild and unmanageable. The +hoopoe drove his cattle on to high barren hills, where the wind plays +with the sand, and his cows became thin, and got no strength. When it +was evening, and the shepherds wanted to drive their cows homewards, +the bittern could not get his together again; they were too high- +spirited, and ran away from him. He called, "Come, cows, come," but it +was of no use; they took no notice of his calling. The hoopoe, however, +could not even get his cows up on their legs, so faint and weak had they +become. "Up, up, up," screamed he, but it was in vain, they remained +lying on the sand. That is the way when one has no moderation. And to +this day, though they have no flocks now to watch, the bittern cries, +"Come, cows, come," and the hoopoe, "Up, up, up." + + + +174 The Owl + +Two or three hundred years ago, when people were far from being so +crafty and cunning as they are now-a-day, an extraordinary event took +place in a little town. By some mischance one of the great owls, called +horned owls, had come from the neighboring woods into the barn of one +of the townsfolk in the night-time, and when day broke did not dare +to venture forth again from her retreat, for fear of the other birds, +which raised a terrible outcry whenever she appeared. In the morning +when the man-servant went into the barn to fetch some straw, he was +so mightily alarmed at the sight of the owl sitting there in a corner, +that he ran away and announced to his master that a monster, the like +of which he had never set eyes on in his life, and which could devour a +man without the slightest difficulty, was sitting in the barn, rolling +its eyes about in its head. "I know you already," said the master, +"you have courage enough to chase a blackbird about the fields, but +when you see a dead hen lying, you have to get a stick before you go +near it. I must go and see for myself what kind of a monster it is," +added the master, and went quite boldly into the granary and looked round +him. When, however, he saw the strange grim creature with his own eyes, +he was no less terrified than the servant had been. With two bounds he +sprang out, ran to his neighbours, and begged them imploringly to lend +him assistance against an unknown and dangerous beast, or else the whole +town might be in danger if it were to break loose out of the barn, where +it was shut up. A great noise and clamour arose in all the streets, the +townsmen came armed with spears, hay-forks, scythes, and axes, as if they +were going out against an enemy; finally, the senators appeared with the +burgomaster at their head. When they had drawn up in the market-place, +they marched to the barn, and surrounded it on all sides. Thereupon one +of the most courageous of them stepped forth and entered with his spear +lowered, but came running out immediately afterwards with a shriek and as +pale as death, and could not utter a single word. Yet two others ventured +in, but they fared no better. At last one stepped forth; a great strong +man who was famous for his warlike deeds, and said, "You will not drive +away the monster by merely looking at him; we must be in earnest here, +but I see that you have all tuned into women, and not one of you dares +to encounter the animal." He ordered them to give him some armour, had +a sword and spear brought, and armed himself. All praised his courage, +though many feared for his life. The two barn-doors were opened, and they +saw the owl, which in the meantime had perched herself on the middle of a +great cross-beam. He had a ladder brought, and when he raised it, and made +ready to climb up, they all cried out to him that he was to bear himself +bravely, and commended him to St. George, who slew the dragon. When he had +just got to the top, and the owl perceived that he had designs on her, +and was also bewildered by the crowd and the shouting, and knew not how +to escape, she rolled her eyes, ruffled her feathers, flapped her wings, +snapped her beak, and cried, "Tuwhit, tuwhoo," in a harsh voice. "Strike +home! strike home!" screamed the crowd outside to the valiant hero. "Any +one who was standing where I am standing," answered he, "would not cry, +strike home!" He certainly did plant his foot one rung higher on the +ladder, but then he began to tremble, and half-fainting, went back again. + +And now there was no one left who dared to put himself in such +danger. "The monster," said they, "has poisoned and mortally wounded +the very strongest man among us, by snapping at him and just breathing +on him! Are we, too, to risk our lives?" They took counsel as to what +they ought to do to prevent the whole town being destroyed. For a long +time everything seemed to be of no use, but at length the burgomaster +found an expedient. "My opinion," said he, "is that we ought, out of +the common purse, to pay for this barn, and whatsoever corn, straw, +or hay it contains, and thus indemnify the owner, and then burn down +the whole building, and the terrible beast with it. Thus no one will +have to endanger his life. This is no time for thinking of expense, and +niggardliness would be ill applied." All agreed with him. So they set +fire to the barn at all four corners, and with it the owl was miserably +burnt. Let any one who will not believe it, go thither and inquire +for himself. + + + +175 The Moon + +In days gone by there was a land where the nights were always dark, +and the sky spread over it like a black cloth, for there the moon never +rose, and no star shone in the obscurity. At the creation of the world, +the light at night had been sufficient. Three young fellows once went +out of this country on a travelling expedition, and arrived in another +kingdom, where, in the evening when the sun had disappeared behind the +mountains, a shining globe was placed on an oak-tree, which shed a soft +light far and wide. By means of this, everything could very well be seen +and distinguished, even though it was not so brilliant as the sun. The +travellers stopped and asked a countryman who was driving past with his +cart, what kind of a light that was. "That is the moon," answered he; "our +mayor bought it for three thalers, and fastened it to the oak-tree. He +has to pour oil into it daily, and to keep it clean, so that it may +always burn clearly. He receives a thaler a week from us for doing it." + +When the countryman had driven away, one of them said, "We could make +some use of this lamp, we have an oak-tree at home, which is just as +big as this, and we could hang it on that. What a pleasure it would be +not to have to feel about at night in the darkness!" "I'll tell you what +we'll do," said the second; "we will fetch a cart and horses and carry +away the moon. The people here may buy themselves another." "I'm a good +climber," said the third, "I will bring it down." The fourth brought a +cart and horses, and the third climbed the tree, bored a hole in the moon, +passed a rope through it, and let it down. When the shining ball lay in +the cart, they covered it over with a cloth, that no one might observe +the theft. They conveyed it safely into their own country, and placed it +on a high oak. Old and young rejoiced, when the new lamp let its light +shine over the whole land, and bed-rooms and sitting-rooms were filled +with it. The dwarfs came forth from their caves in the rocks, and the +tiny elves in their little red coats danced in rings on the meadows. + +The four took care that the moon was provided with oil, cleaned the wick, +and received their weekly thaler, but they became old men, and when one +of them grew ill, and saw that he was about to die, he appointed that +one quarter of the moon, should, as his property, be laid in the grave +with him. When he died, the mayor climbed up the tree, and cut off a +quarter with the hedge-shears, and this was placed in his coffin. The +light of the moon decreased, but still not visibly. When the second died, +the second quarter was buried with him, and the light diminished. It +grew weaker still after the death of the third, who likewise took his +part of it away with him; and when the fourth was borne to his grave, +the old state of darkness recommenced, and whenever the people went out +at night without their lanterns they knocked their heads together. + +When, however, the pieces of the moon had united themselves together +again in the world below, where darkness had always prevailed, it came +to pass that the dead became restless and awoke from their sleep. They +were astonished when they were able to see again; the moonlight was quite +sufficient for them, for their eyes had become so weak that they could +not have borne the brilliance of the sun. They rose up and were merry, +and fell into their former ways of living. Some of them went to the play +and to dance, others hastened to the public-houses, where they asked +for wine, got drunk, brawled, quarreled, and at last took up cudgels, +and belabored each other. The noise became greater and greater, and at +last reached even to heaven. + +Saint Peter who guards the gate of heaven thought the lower world had +broken out in revolt and gathered together the heavenly troops, which are +to drive back the Evil One when he and his associates storm the abode +of the blessed. As these, however, did not come, he got on his horse +and rode through the gate of heaven, down into the world below. There he +reduced the dead to subjection, bade them lie down in their graves again, +took the moon away with him, and hung it up in heaven. + + + +176 The Duration of Life + +When God had created the world and was about to fix the length of +each creature's life, the ass came and asked, "Lord, how long shall +I live?" "Thirty years," replied God; "does that content thee?" "Ah, +Lord," answered the ass, "that is a long time. Think of my painful +existence! To carry heavy burdens from morning to night, to drag sacks of +corn to the mill, that others may eat bread, to be cheered and refreshed +with nothing but blows and kicks. Relieve me of a portion of this long +time." Then God had pity on him and relieved him of eighteen years. The +ass went away comforted, and the dog appeared. "How long wouldst thou +like to live?" said God to him. "Thirty years are too many for the ass, +but thou wilt be satisfied with that." "Lord," answered the dog, "is that +thy will? Consider how I shall have to run, my feet will never hold out +so long, and when I have once lost my voice for barking, and my teeth for +biting, what will be left for me to do but run from one corner to another +and growl?" God saw that he was right, and released him from twelve years +of life. Then came the monkey. "Thou wilt certainly live thirty years +willingly?" said the Lord to him. "Thou hast no need to work as the ass +and the dog have to do, and wilt always enjoy thyself." "Ah! Lord," +he answered, "it may seem as if that were the case, but it is quite +different. When it rains porridge I have no spoon. I am always to play +merry pranks, and make faces which force people to laugh, and if they +give me an apple, and I bite into it, why it is sour! How often sadness +hides itself behind mirth! I shall never be able to hold out for thirty +years." God was gracious and took off ten. + +At last man appeared, joyous, healthy and vigorous, and begged God +to appoint his time for him. "Thirty years shalt thou live," said +the Lord. "Is that enough for thee?" "What a short time," cried man, +"when I have built my house and my fire burns on my own hearth; when I +have planted trees which blossom and bear fruit, and am just intending +to enjoy my life, I am to die! O Lord, lengthen my time." "I will +add to it the ass's eighteen years," said God. "That is not enough," +replied the man. "Thou shalt also have the dog's twelve years." "Still +too little!" "Well, then," said God, "I will give thee the monkey's ten +years also, but more thou shalt not have." The man went away, but was +not satisfied. + +So man lives seventy years. The first thirty are his human years, +which are soon gone; then is he healthy, merry, works with pleasure, +and is glad of his life. Then follow the ass's eighteen years, when one +burden after another is laid on him, he has to carry the corn which feeds +others, and blows and kicks are the reward of his faithful services. Then +come the dog's twelve years, when he lies in the corner, and growls and +has no longer any teeth to bite with, and when this time is over the +monkey's ten years form the end. Then man is weak-headed and foolish, +does silly things, and becomes the jest of the children. + + + +177 Death's Messengers + +In ancient times a giant was once travelling on a great highway, when +suddenly an unknown man sprang up before him, and said, "Halt, not one +step farther!" "What!" cried the giant, "a creature whom I can crush +between my fingers, wants to block my way? Who art thou that thou darest +to speak so boldly?" "I am Death," answered the other. "No one resists me, +and thou also must obey my commands." But the giant refused, and began to +struggle with Death. It was a long, violent battle, at last the giant got +the upper hand, and struck Death down with his fist, so that he dropped +by a stone. The giant went his way, and Death lay there conquered, and +so weak that he could not get up again. "What will be done now," said +he, "if I stay lying here in a corner? No one will die in the world, +and it will get so full of people that they won't have room to stand +beside each other." In the meantime a young man came along the road, +who was strong and healthy, singing a song, and glancing around on every +side. When he saw the half-fainting one, he went compassionately to him, +raised him up, poured a strengthening draught out of his flask for him, +and waited till he came round. "Dost thou know," said the stranger, +whilst he was getting up, "who I am, and who it is whom thou hast helped +on his legs again?" "No," answered the youth, "I do not know thee." "I am +Death," said he. "I spare no one, and can make no exception with thee, +but that thou mayst see that I am grateful, I promise thee that I will +not fall on thee unexpectedly, but will send my messengers to thee before +I come and take thee away." "Well," said the youth, "it is something +gained that I shall know when thou comest, and at any rate be safe from +thee for so long." Then he went on his way, and was light-hearted, and +enjoyed himself, and lived without thought. But youth and health did not +last long, soon came sicknesses and sorrows, which tormented him by day, +and took away his rest by night. "Die, I shall not," said he to himself, +"for Death will send his messengers before that, but I do wish these +wretched days of sickness were over." As soon as he felt himself well +again he began once more to live merrily. Then one day some one tapped him +on the shoulder. He looked round, and Death stood behind him, and said, +"Follow me, the hour of thy departure from this world has come." "What," +replied the man, "wilt thou break thy word? Didst thou not promise me +that thou wouldst send thy messengers to me before coming thyself? I have +seen none!" "Silence!" answered Death. "Have I not sent one messenger to +thee after another? Did not fever come and smite thee, and shake thee, +and cast thee down? Has dizziness not bewildered thy head? Has not +gout twitched thee in all thy limbs? Did not thine ears sing? Did not +tooth-ache bite into thy cheeks? Was it not dark before thine eyes? And +besides all that, has not my own brother Sleep reminded thee every night +of me? Didst thou not lie by night as if thou wert already dead? The man +could make no answer; he yielded to his fate, and went away with Death. + + + +178 Master Pfriem (Master Cobbler's Awl) + +Master Pfriem was a short, thin, but lively man, who never rested a +moment. His face, of which his turned-up nose was the only prominent +feature, was marked with small-pox and pale as death, his hair was gray +and shaggy, his eyes small, but they glanced perpetually about on all +sides. He saw everything, criticised everything, knew everything best, +and was always in the right. When he went into the streets, he moved his +arms about as if he were rowing; and once he struck the pail of a girl, +who was carrying water, so high in the air that he himself was wetted +all over by it. "Stupid thing," cried he to her, while he was shaking +himself, "couldst thou not see that I was coming behind thee?" By trade +he was a shoemaker, and when he worked he pulled his thread out with +such force that he drove his fist into every one who did not keep far +enough off. No apprentice stayed more than a month with him, for he +had always some fault to find with the very best work. At one time it +was that the stitches were not even, at another that one shoe was too +long, or one heel higher than the other, or the leather not cut large +enough. "Wait," said he to his apprentice, "I will soon show thee how we +make skins soft," and he brought a strap and gave him a couple of strokes +across the back. He called them all sluggards. He himself did not turn +much work out of his hands, for he never sat still for a quarter of an +hour. If his wife got up very early in the morning and lighted the fire, +he jumped out of bed, and ran bare-footed into the kitchen, crying, +"Wilt thou burn my house down for me? That is a fire one could roast an +ox by! Does wood cost nothing?" If the servants were standing by their +wash-tubs and laughing, and telling each other all they knew, he scolded +them, and said, "There stand the geese cackling, and forgetting their +work, to gossip! And why fresh soap? Disgraceful extravagance and shameful +idleness into the bargain! They want to save their hands, and not rub the +things properly!" And out he would run and knock a pail full of soap and +water over, so that the whole kitchen was flooded. Someone was building +a new house, so he hurried to the window to look on. "There, they are +using that red sand-stone again that never dries!" cried he. "No one will +ever be healthy in that house! and just look how badly the fellows are +laying the stones! Besides, the mortar is good for nothing! It ought to +have gravel in it, not sand. I shall live to see that house tumble down +on the people who are in it." He sat down, put a couple of stitches in, +and then jumped up again, unfastened his leather-apron, and cried, "I +will just go out, and appeal to those men's consciences." He stumbled +on the carpenters. "What's this?" cried he, "you are not working by +the line! Do you expect the beams to be straight?--one wrong will put +all wrong." He snatched an axe out of a carpenter's hand and wanted to +show him how he ought to cut; but as a cart loaded with clay came by, +he threw the axe away, and hastened to the peasant who was walking by +the side of it: "You are not in your right mind," said he, "who yokes +young horses to a heavily-laden cart? The poor beasts will die on the +spot." The peasant did not give him an answer, and Pfriem in a rage ran +back into his workshop. When he was setting himself to work again, the +apprentice reached him a shoe. "Well, what's that again?" screamed he, +"Haven't I told you you ought not to cut shoes so broad? Who would buy +a shoe like this, which is hardly anything else but a sole? I insist +on my orders being followed exactly." "Master," answered the apprentice, +"you may easily be quite right about the shoe being a bad one, but it is +the one which you yourself cut out, and yourself set to work at. When +you jumped up a while since, you knocked it off the table, and I have +only just picked it up. An angel from heaven, however, would never make +you believe that." + +One night Master Pfriem dreamed he was dead, and on his way to +heaven. When he got there, he knocked loudly at the door. "I wonder," +said he to himself, "that they have no knocker on the door,---one knocks +one's knuckles sore." The apostle Peter opened the door, and wanted to see +who demanded admission so noisily. "Ah, it's you, Master Pfriem;" said he, +"well, I'll let you in, but I warn you that you must give up that habit +of yours, and find fault with nothing you see in heaven, or you may fare +ill." "You might have spared your warning," answered Pfriem. "I know +already what is seemly, and here, God be thanked, everything is perfect, +and there is nothing to blame as there is on earth." So he went in, and +walked up and down the wide expanses of heaven. He looked around him, +to the left and to the right, but sometimes shook his head, or muttered +something to himself. Then he saw two angels who were carrying away +a beam. It was the beam which some one had had in his own eye whilst +he was looking for the splinter in the eye of another. They did not, +however, carry the beam lengthways, but obliquely. "Did any one ever see +such a piece of stupidity?" thought Master Pfriem; but he said nothing, +and seemed satisfied with it. "It comes to the same thing after all, +whichever way they carry the beam, straight or crooked, if they only get +along with it, and truly I do not see them knock against anything." Soon +after this he saw two angels who were drawing water out of a well into +a bucket, but at the same time he observed that the bucket was full +of holes, and that the water was running out of it on every side. They +were watering the earth with rain. "Hang it," he exclaimed; but happily +recollected himself, and thought, "Perhaps it is only a pastime. If it +is an amusement, then it seems they can do useless things of this kind +even here in heaven, where people, as I have already noticed, do nothing +but idle about." He went farther and saw a cart which had stuck fast in +a deep hole. "It's no wonder," said he to the man who stood by it; "who +would load so unreasonably? what have you there?" "Good wishes," replied +the man, "I could not go along the right way with it, but still I have +pushed it safely up here, and they won't leave me sticking here." In fact +an angel did come and harnessed two horses to it. "That's quite right," +thought Pfriem, "but two horses won't get that cart out, it must at +least have four to it." Another angel came and brought two more horses; +she did not, however, harness them in front of it, but behind. That +was too much for Master Pfriem, "Clumsy creature," he burst out with, +"what are you doing there? Has any one ever since the world began seen +a cart drawn in that way? But you, in your conceited arrogance, think +that you know everything best." He was going to say more, but one of +the inhabitants of heaven seized him by the throat and pushed him forth +with irresistible strength. Beneath the gateway Master Pfriem turned +his head round to take one more look at the cart, and saw that it was +being raised into the air by four winged horses. + +At this moment Master Pfriem awoke. "Things are certainly arranged in +heaven otherwise than they are on earth," said he to himself, "and that +excuses much; but who can see horses harnessed both behind and before +with patience; to be sure they had wings, but who could know that? It is, +besides, great folly to fix a pair of wings to a horse that has four legs +to run with already! But I must get up, or else they will make nothing +but mistakes for me in my house. It is a lucky thing for me though, +that I am not really dead." + + + +179 The Goose-Girl at the Well + +There was once upon a time a very old woman, who lived with he flock +of geese in a waste place among the mountains, and there had a little +house. The waste was surrounded by a large forest, and every morning +the old woman took her crutch and hobbled into it. There, however, +the dame was quite active, more so than any one would have thought, +considering her age, and collected grass for her geese, picked all the +wild fruit she could reach, and carried everything home on her back. Any +one would have thought that the heavy load would have weighed her to +the ground, but she always brought it safely home. If any one met her, +she greeted him quite courteously. "Good day, dear countryman, it is a +fine day. Ah! you wonder that I should drag grass about, but every one +must take his burthen on his back." Nevertheless, people did not like to +meet her if they could help it, and took by preference a round-about way, +and when a father with his boys passed her, he whispered to them, "Beware +of the old woman. She has claws beneath her gloves; she is a witch." One +morning, a handsome young man was going through the forest. The sun +shone bright, the birds sang, a cool breeze crept through the leaves, +and he was full of joy and gladness. He had as yet met no one, when he +suddenly perceived the old witch kneeling on the ground cutting grass with +a sickle. She had already thrust a whole load into her cloth, and near it +stood two baskets, which were filled with wild apples and pears. "But, +good little mother," said he, "how canst thou carry all that away?" "I +must carry it, dear sir," answered she, "rich folk's children have +no need to do such things, but with the peasant folk the saying goes, +don't look behind you, you will only see how crooked your back is!" + +"Will you help me?" she said, as he remained standing by her. "You +have still a straight back and young legs, it would be a trifle to +you. Besides, my house is not so very far from here, it stands there on +the heath behind the hill. How soon you would bound up thither." The +young man took compassion on the old woman. "My father is certainly +no peasant," replied he, "but a rich count; nevertheless, that you may +see that it is not only peasants who can carry things, I will take your +bundle." "If you will try it," said she, "I shall be very glad. You will +certainly have to walk for an hour, but what will that signify to you; +only you must carry the apples and pears as well?" It now seemed to the +young man just a little serious, when he heard of an hour's walk, but +the old woman would not let him off, packed the bundle on his back, and +hung the two baskets on his arm. "See, it is quite light," said she. "No, +it is not light," answered the count, and pulled a rueful face. "Verily, +the bundle weighs as heavily as if it were full of cobble stones, and +the apples and pears are as heavy as lead! I can scarcely breathe." He +had a mind to put everything down again, but the old woman would not +allow it. "Just look," said she mockingly, "the young gentleman will not +carry what I, an old woman, have so often dragged along. You are ready +with fine words, but when it comes to be earnest, you want to take to +your heels. Why are you standing loitering there?" she continued. "Step +out. No one will take the bundle off again." As long as he walked on +level ground, it was still bearable, but when they came to the hill +and had to climb, and the stones rolled down under his feet as if they +were alive, it was beyond his strength. The drops of perspiration stood +on his forehead, and ran, hot and cold, down his back. "Dame," said he, +"I can go no farther. I want to rest a little." "Not here," answered the +old woman, "when we have arrived at our journey's end, you can rest; +but now you must go forward. Who knows what good it may do you?" "Old +woman, thou art becoming shameless!" said the count, and tried to throw +off the bundle, but he laboured in vain; it stuck as fast to his back +as if it grew there. He turned and twisted, but he could not get rid of +it. The old woman laughed at this, and sprang about quite delighted on +her crutch. "Don't get angry, dear sir," said she, "you are growing as +red in the face as a turkey-cock! Carry your bundle patiently. I will +give you a good present when we get home." + +What could he do? He was obliged to submit to his fate, and crawl along +patiently behind the old woman. She seemed to grow more and more nimble, +and his burden still heavier. All at once she made a spring, jumped on to +the bundle and seated herself on the top of it; and however withered she +might be, she was yet heavier than the stoutest country lass. The youth's +knees trembled, but when he did not go on, the old woman hit him about +the legs with a switch and with stinging-nettles. Groaning continually, +he climbed the mountain, and at length reached the old woman's house, +when he was just about to drop. When the geese perceived the old woman, +they flapped their wings, stretched out their necks, ran to meet her, +cackling all the while. Behind the flock walked, stick in hand, an old +wench, strong and big, but ugly as night. "Good mother," said she to +the old woman, "has anything happened to you, you have stayed away so +long?" "By no means, my dear daughter," answered she, "I have met with +nothing bad, but, on the contrary, with this kind gentleman, who has +carried my burthen for me; only think, he even took me on his back when I +was tired. The way, too, has not seemed long to us; we have been merry, +and have been cracking jokes with each other all the time." At last the +old woman slid down, took the bundle off the young man's back, and the +baskets from his arm, looked at him quite kindly, and said, "Now seat +yourself on the bench before the door, and rest. You have fairly earned +your wages, and they shall not be wanting." Then she said to the goose- +girl, "Go into the house, my dear daughter, it is not becoming for thee +to be alone with a young gentleman; one must not pour oil on to the fire, +he might fall in love with thee." The count knew not whether to laugh +or to cry. "Such a sweetheart as that," thought he, "could not touch +my heart, even if she were thirty years younger." In the meantime the +old woman stroked and fondled her geese as if they were children, and +then went into the house with her daughter. The youth lay down on the +bench, under a wild apple-tree. The air was warm and mild; on all sides +stretched a green meadow, which was set with cowslips, wild thyme, and +a thousand other flowers; through the midst of it rippled a clear brook +on which the sun sparkled, and the white geese went walking backwards +and forwards, or paddled in the water. "It is quite delightful here," +said he, "but I am so tired that I cannot keep my eyes open; I will +sleep a little. If only a gust of wind does not come and blow my legs +off my body, for they are as rotten as tinder." + +When he had slept a little while, the old woman came and shook him till +he awoke. "Sit up," said she, "thou canst not stay here; I have certainly +treated thee hardly, still it has not cost thee thy life. Of money and +land thou hast no need, here is something else for thee." Thereupon +she thrust a little book into his hand, which was cut out of a single +emerald. "Take great care of it," said she, "it will bring thee good +fortune." The count sprang up, and as he felt that he was quite fresh, +and had recovered his vigor, he thanked the old woman for her present, +and set off without even once looking back at the beautiful daughter. When +he was already some way off, he still heard in the distance the noisy +cry of the geese. + +For three days the count had to wander in the wilderness before he could +find his way out. He then reached a large town, and as no one knew him, +he was led into the royal palace, where the King and Queen were sitting +on their throne. The count fell on one knee, drew the emerald book out +of his pocket, and laid it at the Queen's feet. She bade him rise and +hand her the little book. Hardly, however, had she opened it, and looked +therein, than she fell as if dead to the ground. The count was seized by +the King's servants, and was being led to prison, when the Queen opened +her eyes, and ordered them to release him, and every one was to go out, +as she wished to speak with him in private. + +When the Queen was alone, she began to weep bitterly, and said, "Of what +use to me are the splendours and honours with which I am surrounded; +every morning I awake in pain and sorrow. I had three daughters, the +youngest of whom was so beautiful that the whole world looked on her as a +wonder. She was as white as snow, as rosy as apple-blossom, and her hair +as radiant as sun-beams. When she cried, not tears fell from her eyes, +but pearls and jewels only. When she was fifteen years old, the King +summoned all three sisters to come before his throne. You should have +seen how all the people gazed when the youngest entered, it was just +as if the sun were rising! Then the King spoke, "My daughters, I know +not when my last day may arrive; I will to-day decide what each shall +receive at my death. You all love me, but the one of you who loves me +best, shall fare the best." Each of them said she loved him best. "Can +you not express to me," said the King, "how much you do love me, and +thus I shall see what you mean?" The eldest spoke. "I love my father as +dearly as the sweetest sugar." The second, "I love my father as dearly as +my prettiest dress." But the youngest was silent. Then the father said, +"And thou, my dearest child, how much dost thou love me?" "I do not know, +and can compare my love with nothing." But her father insisted that she +should name something. So she said at last, "The best food does not please +me without salt, therefore I love my father like salt." When the King +heard that, he fell into a passion, and said, "If thou lovest me like +salt, thy love shall also be repaid thee with salt." Then he divided the +kingdom between the two elder, but caused a sack of salt to be bound on +the back of the youngest, and two servants had to lead her forth into +the wild forest. We all begged and prayed for her, said the Queen, +"but the King's anger was not to be appeased. How she cried when she +had to leave us! The whole road was strewn with the pearls which flowed +from her eyes. The King soon afterwards repented of his great severity, +and had the whole forest searched for the poor child, but no one could +find her. When I think that the wild beasts have devoured her, I know +not how to contain myself for sorrow; many a time I console myself with +the hope that she is still alive, and may have hidden herself in a cave, +or has found shelter with compassionate people. But picture to yourself, +when I opened your little emerald book, a pearl lay therein, of exactly +the same kind as those which used to fall from my daughter's eyes; and +then you can also imagine how the sight of it stirred my heart. You +must tell me how you came by that pearl." The count told her that he +had received it from the old woman in the forest, who had appeared very +strange to him, and must be a witch, but he had neither seen nor hear +anything of the Queen's child. The King and the Queen resolved to seek +out the old woman. They thought that there where the pearl had been, +they would obtain news of their daughter. + +The old woman was sitting in that lonely place at her spinning-wheel, +spinning. It was already dusk, and a log which was burning on the hearth +gave a scanty light. All at once there was a noise outside, the geese +were coming home from the pasture, and uttering their hoarse cries. Soon +afterwards the daughter also entered. But the old woman scarcely thanked +her, and only shook her head a little. The daughter sat down beside her, +took her spinning-wheel, and twisted the threads as nimbly as a young +girl. Thus they both sat for two hours, and exchanged never a word. At +last something rustled at the window, and two fiery eyes peered in. It was +an old night-owl, which cried, "Uhu!" three times. The old woman looked +up just a little, then she said, "Now, my little daughter, it is time +for thee to go out and do thy work." She rose and went out, and where did +she go? Over the meadows ever onward into the valley. At last she came to +a well, with three old oak-trees standing beside it; meanwhile the moon +had risen large and round over the mountain, and it was so light that one +could have found a needle. She removed a skin which covered her face, then +bent down to the well, and began to wash herself. When she had finished, +she dipped the skin also in the water, and then laid it on the meadow, +so that it should bleach in the moonlight, and dry again. But how the +maiden was changed! Such a change as that was never seen before! When the +gray mask fell off, her golden hair broke forth like sunbeams, and spread +about like a mantle over her whole form. Her eyes shone out as brightly as +the stars in heaven, and her cheeks bloomed a soft red like apple-blossom. + +But the fair maiden was sad. She sat down and wept bitterly. One tear +after another forced itself out of her eyes, and rolled through her long +hair to the ground. There she sat, and would have remained sitting a long +time, if there had not been a rustling and cracking in the boughs of the +neighbouring tree. She sprang up like a roe which has been overtaken by +the shot of the hunter. Just then the moon was obscured by a dark cloud, +and in an instant the maiden had put on the old skin and vanished, +like a light blown out by the wind. + +She ran back home, trembling like an aspen-leaf. The old woman was +standing on the threshold, and the girl was about to relate what had +befallen her, but the old woman laughed kindly, and said, "I already +know all." She led her into the room and lighted a new log. She did +not, however, sit down to her spinning again, but fetched a broom and +began to sweep and scour, "All must be clean and sweet," she said to the +girl. "But, mother," said the maiden, "why do you begin work at so late an +hour? What do you expect?" "Dost thou know then what time it is?" asked +the old woman. "Not yet midnight," answered the maiden, "but already +past eleven o'clock." "Dost thou not remember," continued the old woman, +"that it is three years to-day since thou camest to me? Thy time is up, +we can no longer remain together." The girl was terrified, and said, +"Alas! dear mother, will you cast me off? Where shall I go? I have no +friends, and no home to which I can go. I have always done as you bade me, +and you have always been satisfied with me; do not send me away." The +old woman would not tell the maiden what lay before her. "My stay here +is over," she said to her, "but when I depart, house and parlour must be +clean: therefore do not hinder me in my work. Have no care for thyself, +thou shalt find a roof to shelter thee, and the wages which I will give +thee shall also content thee." "But tell me what is about to happen," +the maiden continued to entreat. "I tell thee again, do not hinder me +in my work. Do not say a word more, go to thy chamber, take the skin +off thy face, and put on the silken gown which thou hadst on when thou +camest to me, and then wait in thy chamber until I call thee." + +But I must once more tell of the King and Queen, who had journeyed forth +with the count in order to seek out the old woman in the wilderness. The +count had strayed away from them in the wood by night, and had to +walk onwards alone. Next day it seemed to him that he was on the right +track. He still went forward, until darkness came on, then he climbed a +tree, intending to pass the night there, for he feared that he might lose +his way. When the moon illumined the surrounding country he perceived +a figure coming down the mountain. She had no stick in her hand, but +yet he could see that it was the goose-girl, whom he had seen before in +the house of the old woman. "Oho," cried he, "there she comes, and if I +once get hold of one of the witches, the other shall not escape me!" But +how astonished he was, when she went to the well, took off the skin and +washed herself, when her golden hair fell down all about her, and she was +more beautiful than any one whom he had ever seen in the whole world. He +hardly dared to breathe, but stretched his head as far forward through +the leaves as he dared, and stared at her. Either he bent over too far, +or whatever the cause might be, the bough suddenly cracked, and that +very moment the maiden slipped into the skin, sprang away like a roe, and +as the moon was suddenly covered, disappeared from his eyes. Hardly had +she disappeared, before the count descended from the tree, and hastened +after her with nimble steps. He had not been gone long before he saw, +in the twilight, two figures coming over the meadow. It was the King +and Queen, who had perceived from a distance the light shining in the +old woman's little house, and were going to it. The count told them +what wonderful things he had seen by the well, and they did not doubt +that it had been their lost daughter. They walked onwards full of joy, +and soon came to the little house. The geese were sitting all round +it, and had thrust their heads under their wings and were sleeping, +and not one of them moved. The King and Queen looked in at the window, +the old woman was sitting there quite quietly spinning, nodding her head +and never looking round. The room was perfectly clean, as if the little +mist men, who carry no dust on their feet, lived there. Their daughter, +however, they did not see. They gazed at all this for a long time, at +last they took heart, and knocked softly at the window. The old woman +appeared to have been expecting them; she rose, and called out quite +kindly, "Come in,--I know you already." When they had entered the room, +the old woman said, "You might have spared yourself the long walk, if +you had not three years ago unjustly driven away your child, who is so +good and lovable. No harm has come to her; for three years she has had +to tend the geese; with them she has learnt no evil, but has preserved +her purity of heart. You, however, have been sufficiently punished by +the misery in which you have lived." Then she went to the chamber and +called, "Come out, my little daughter." Thereupon the door opened, and +the princess stepped out in her silken garments, with her golden hair +and her shining eyes, and it was as if an angel from heaven had entered. + +She went up to her father and mother, fell on their necks and kissed them; +there was no help for it, they all had to weep for joy. The young count +stood near them, and when she perceived him she became as red in the +face as a moss-rose, she herself did not know why. The King said, "My +dear child, I have given away my kingdom, what shall I give thee?" "She +needs nothing," said the old woman. "I give her the tears that she has +wept on your account; they are precious pearls, finer than those that +are found in the sea, and worth more than your whole kingdom, and I give +her my little house as payment for her services." When the old woman had +said that, she disappeared from their sight. The walls rattled a little, +and when the King and Queen looked round, the little house had changed +into a splendid palace, a royal table had been spread, and the servants +were running hither and thither. + +The story goes still further, but my grandmother, who related it to me, +had partly lost her memory, and had forgotten the rest. I shall always +believe that the beautiful princess married the count, and that they +remained together in the palace, and lived there in all happiness so long +as God willed it. Whether the snow-white geese, which were kept near +the little hut, were verily young maidens (no one need take offence,) +whom the old woman had taken under her protection, and whether they now +received their human form again, and stayed as handmaids to the young +Queen, I do not exactly know, but I suspect it. This much is certain, +that the old woman was no witch, as people thought, but a wise woman, +who meant well. Very likely it was she who, at the princess's birth, +gave her the gift of weeping pearls instead of tears. That does not +happen now-a-days, or else the poor would soon become rich. + + + +180 Eve's Various Children + +When Adam and Eve were driven out of Paradise, they were compelled to +build a house for themselves on unfruitful ground, and eat their bread +in the sweat of their brow. Adam dug up the land, and Eve span. Every +year Eve brought a child into the world; but the children were unlike +each other, some pretty, and some ugly. After a considerable time had +gone by, God sent an angel to them, to announce that he was coming to +inspect their household. Eve, delighted that the Lord should be so +gracious, cleaned her house diligently, decked it with flowers, and +strewed reeds on the floor. Then she brought in her children, but only +the beautiful ones. She washed and bathed them, combed their hair, put +clean raiment on them, and cautioned them to conduct themselves decorously +and modestly in the presence of the Lord. They were to bow down before +him civilly, hold out their hands, and to answer his questions modestly +and sensibly. The ugly children were, however, not to let themselves +be seen. One hid himself beneath the hay, another under the roof, a +third in the straw, the fourth in the stove, the fifth in the cellar, +the sixth under a tub, the seventh beneath the wine-cask, the eighth +under an old fur cloak, the ninth and tenth beneath the cloth out of +which she always made their clothes, and the eleventh and twelfth under +the leather out of which she cut their shoes. She had scarcely got ready, +before there was a knock at the house-door. Adam looked through a chink, +and saw that it was the Lord. Adam opened the door respectfully, and the +Heavenly Father entered. There, in a row, stood the pretty children, +and bowed before him, held out their hands, and knelt down. The Lord, +however, began to bless them, laid his hands on the first, and said, +"Thou shalt be a powerful king;" and to the second, "Thou a prince," to +the third, "Thou a count," to the fourth, "Thou a knight," to the fifth, +"Thou a nobleman," to the sixth, "Thou a burgher," to the seventh, "Thou +a merchant," to the eighth, "Thou a learned man." He bestowed upon them +also all his richest blessings. When Eve saw that the Lord was so mild +and gracious, she thought, "I will bring hither my ill-favoured children +also, it may be that he will bestow his blessing on them likewise." So she +ran and brought them out of the hay, the straw, the stove, and wherever +else she had concealed them. Then came the whole coarse, dirty, shabby, +sooty band. The Lord smiled, looked at them all, and said, "I will bless +these also." He laid his hands on the first, and said to him, "Thou shalt +be a peasant," to the second, "Thou a fisherman," to the third, "Thou a +smith," to the fourth, "Thou a tanner," to the fifth, "Thou a weaver," +to the sixth, "Thou a shoemaker," to the seventh, "Thou a tailor," to the +eighth, "Thou a potter," to the ninth, "Thou a waggoner," to the tenth, +"Thou a sailor," to the eleventh, "Thou an errand-boy," to the twelfth, +"Thou a scullion all the days of thy life." + +When Eve had heard all this she said, "Lord, how unequally thou dividest +thy gifts! After all they are all of them my children, whom I have +brought into the world, thy favours should be given to all alike." But +God answered, "Eve, thou dost not understand. It is right and necessary +that the entire world should be supplied from thy children; if they were +all princes and lords, who would grow corn, thresh it, grind and bake +it? Who would be blacksmiths, weavers, carpenters, masons, labourers, +tailors and seamstresses? Each shall have his own place, so that one +shall support the other, and all shall be fed like the limbs of one +body." Then Eve answered, "Ah, Lord, forgive me, I was too quick in +speaking to thee. Have thy divine will with my children." + + + +181 The Nix of the Mill-Pond + +There was once upon a time a miller who lived with his wife in great +contentment. They had money and land, and their prosperity increased year +by year more and more. But ill-luck comes like a thief in the night, +as their wealth had increased so did it again decrease, year by year, +and at last the miller could hardly call the mill in which he lived, his +own. He was in great distress, and when he lay down after his day's work, +found no rest, but tossed about in his bed, full of care. One morning he +rose before daybreak and went out into the open air, thinking that perhaps +there his heart might become lighter. As he was stepping over the mill- +dam the first sunbeam was just breaking forth, and he heard a rippling +sound in the pond. He turned round and perceived a beautiful woman, +rising slowly out of the water. Her long hair, which she was holding off +her shoulders with her soft hands, fell down on both sides, and covered +her white body. He soon saw that she was the Nix of the Mill-pond, and +in his fright did not know whether he should run away or stay where he +was. But the nix made her sweet voice heard, called him by his name, +and asked him why he was so sad? The miller was at first struck dumb, +but when he heard her speak so kindly, he took heart, and told her +how he had formerly lived in wealth and happiness, but that now he was +so poor that he did not know what to do. "Be easy," answered the nix, +"I will make thee richer and happier than thou hast ever been before, +only thou must promise to give me the young thing which has just been +born in thy house." "What else can that be," thought the miller, "but +a young puppy or kitten?" and he promised her what she desired. The nix +descended into the water again, and he hurried back to his mill, consoled +and in good spirits. He had not yet reached it, when the maid-servant +came out of the house, and cried to him to rejoice, for his wife had +given birth to a little boy. The miller stood as if struck by lightning; +he saw very well that the cunning nix had been aware of it, and had +cheated him. Hanging his head, he went up to his wife's bedside and +when she said, "Why dost thou not rejoice over the fine boy?" he told +her what had befallen him, and what kind of a promise he had given to +the nix. "Of what use to me are riches and prosperity?" he added, "if +I am to lose my child; but what can I do?" Even the relations, who had +come thither to wish them joy, did not know what to say. In the meantime +prosperity again returned to the miller's house. All that he undertook +succeeded, it was as if presses and coffers filled themselves of their +own accord, and as if money multiplied nightly in the cupboards. It was +not long before his wealth was greater than it had ever been before. But +he could not rejoice over it untroubled, for the bargain which he had +made with the nix tormented his soul. Whenever he passed the mill-pond, +he feared she might ascend and remind him of his debt. He never let +the boy himself go near the water. "Beware," he said to him, "if thou +dost but touch the water, a hand will rise, seize thee, and draw thee +down." But as year after year went by and the nix did not show herself +again, the miller began to feel at ease. The boy grew up to be a youth +and was apprenticed to a huntsman. When he had learnt everything, and +had become an excellent huntsman, the lord of the village took him into +his service. In the village lived a beautiful and true-hearted maiden, +who pleased the huntsman, and when his master perceived that, he gave +him a little house, the two were married, lived peacefully and happily, +and loved each other with all their hearts. + +One day the huntsman was chasing a roe; and when the animal turned +aside from the forest into the open country, he pursued it and at last +shot it. He did not notice that he was now in the neighbourhood of the +dangerous mill-pond, and went, after he had disembowelled the stag, to +the water, in order to wash his blood-stained hands. Scarcely, however, +had he dipped them in than the nix ascended, smilingly wound her dripping +arms around him, and drew him quickly down under the waves, which closed +over him. When it was evening, and the huntsman did not return home, his +wife became alarmed. She went out to seek him, and as he had often told +her that he had to be on his guard against the snares of the nix, and +dared not venture into the neighbourhood of the mill-pond, she already +suspected what had happened. She hastened to the water, and when she +found his hunting-pouch lying on the shore, she could no longer have any +doubt of the misfortune. Lamenting her sorrow, and wringing her hands, +she called on her beloved by name, but in vain. She hurried across to the +other side of the pond, and called him anew; she reviled the nix with +harsh words, but no answer followed. The surface of the water remained +calm, only the crescent moon stared steadily back at her. The poor woman +did not leave the pond. With hasty steps, she paced round and round it, +without resting a moment, sometimes in silence, sometimes uttering a loud +cry, sometimes softly sobbing. At last her strength came to an end, she +sank down to the ground and fell into a heavy sleep. Presently a dream +took possession of her. She was anxiously climbing upwards between great +masses of rock; thorns and briars caught her feet, the rain beat in her +face, and the wind tossed her long hair about. When she had reached the +summit, quite a different sight presented itself to her; the sky was blue, +the air soft, the ground sloped gently downwards, and on a green meadow, +gay with flowers of every colour, stood a pretty cottage. She went +up to it and opened the door; there sat an old woman with white hair, +who beckoned to her kindly. At that very moment, the poor woman awoke, +day had already dawned, and she at once resolved to act in accordance +with her dream. She laboriously climbed the mountain; everything was +exactly as she had seen it in the night. The old woman received her +kindly, and pointed out a chair on which she might sit. "Thou must +have met with a misfortune," she said, "since thou hast sought out +my lonely cottage." With tears, the woman related what had befallen +her. "Be comforted," said the old woman, "I will help thee. Here is a +golden comb for thee. Tarry till the full moon has risen, then go to +the mill-pond, seat thyself on the shore, and comb thy long black hair +with this comb. When thou hast done, lay it down on the bank, and thou +wilt see what will happen." The woman returned home, but the time till +the full moon came, passed slowly. At last the shining disc appeared in +the heavens, then she went out to the mill-pond, sat down and combed +her long black hair with the golden comb, and when she had finished, +she laid it down at the water's edge. It was not long before there was a +movement in the depths, a wave rose, rolled to the shore, and bore the +comb away with it. In not more than the time necessary for the comb to +sink to the bottom, the surface of the water parted, and the head of the +huntsman arose. He did not speak, but looked at his wife with sorrowful +glances. At the same instant, a second wave came rushing up, and covered +the man's head. All had vanished, the mill-pond lay peaceful as before, +and nothing but the face of the full moon shone on it. Full of sorrow, +the woman went back, but again the dream showed her the cottage of the +old woman. Next morning she again set out and complained of her woes to +the wise woman. The old woman gave her a golden flute, and said, "Tarry +till the full moon comes again, then take this flute; play a beautiful +air on it, and when thou hast finished, lay it on the sand; then thou +wilt see what will happen." The wife did as the old woman told her. No +sooner was the flute lying on the sand than there was a stirring in the +depths, and a wave rushed up and bore the flute away with it. Immediately +afterwards the water parted, and not only the head of the man, but half +of his body also arose. He stretched out his arms longingly towards her, +but a second wave came up, covered him, and drew him down again. "Alas, +what does it profit me?" said the unhappy woman, "that I should see my +beloved, only to lose him again!" Despair filled her heart anew, but the +dream led her a third time to the house of the old woman. She set out, and +the wise woman gave her a golden spinning-wheel, consoled her and said, +"All is not yet fulfilled, tarry until the time of the full moon, then +take the spinning-wheel, seat thyself on the shore, and spin the spool +full, and when thou hast done that, place the spinning-wheel near the +water, and thou wilt see what will happen." The woman obeyed all she said +exactly; as soon as the full moon showed itself, she carried the golden +spinning-wheel to the shore, and span industriously until the flax came +to an end, and the spool was quite filled with the threads. No sooner was +the wheel standing on the shore than there was a more violent movement +than before in the depths of the pond, and a mighty wave rushed up, and +bore the wheel away with it. Immediately the head and the whole body of +the man rose into the air, in a water-spout. He quickly sprang to the +shore, caught his wife by the hand and fled. But they had scarcely gone +a very little distance, when the whole pond rose with a frightful roar, +and streamed out over the open country. The fugitives already saw death +before their eyes, when the woman in her terror implored the help of the +old woman, and in an instant they were transformed, she into a toad, +he into a frog. The flood which had overtaken them could not destroy +them, but it tore them apart and carried them far away. When the water +had dispersed and they both touched dry land again, they regained their +human form, but neither knew where the other was; they found themselves +among strange people, who did not know their native land. High mountains +and deep valleys lay between them. In order to keep themselves alive, +they were both obliged to tend sheep. For many long years they drove their +flocks through field and forest and were full of sorrow and longing. When +spring had once more broken forth on the earth, they both went out one +day with their flocks, and as chance would have it, they drew near each +other. They met in a valley, but did not recognize each other; yet they +rejoiced that they were no longer so lonely. Henceforth they each day +drove their flocks to the same place; they did not speak much, but they +felt comforted. One evening when the full moon was shining in the sky, +and the sheep were already at rest, the shepherd pulled the flute out +of his pocket, and played on it a beautiful but sorrowful air. When he +had finished he saw that the shepherdess was weeping bitterly. "Why art +thou weeping?" he asked. "Alas," answered she, "thus shone the full moon +when I played this air on the flute for the last time, and the head of my +beloved rose out of the water." He looked at her, and it seemed as if a +veil fell from his eyes, and he recognized his dear wife, and when she +looked at him, and the moon shone in his face she knew him also. They +embraced and kissed each other, and no one need ask if they were happy. + + + +182 The Little Folks' Presents + +A tailor and a goldsmith were travelling together, and one evening when +the sun had sunk behind the mountains, they heard the sound of distant +music, which became more and more distinct. It sounded strange, but +so pleasant that they forgot all their weariness and stepped quickly +onwards. The moon had already arisen when they reached a hill on which +they saw a crowd of little men and women, who had taken each other's +hands, and were whirling round in the dance with the greatest pleasure +and delight. + +They sang to it most charmingly, and that was the music which the +travellers had heard. In the midst of them sat an old man who was rather +taller than the rest. He wore a parti-coloured coat, and his iron-grey +beard hung down over his breast. The two remained standing full of +astonishment, and watched the dance. The old man made a sign that they +should enter, and the little folks willingly opened their circle. The +goldsmith, who had a hump, and like all hunchbacks was brave enough, +stepped in; the tailor felt a little afraid at first, and held back, +but when he saw how merrily all was going, he plucked up his courage, +and followed. The circle closed again directly, and the little folks went +on singing and dancing with the wildest leaps. The old man, however, +took a large knife which hung to his girdle, whetted it, and when it +was sufficiently sharpened, he looked round at the strangers. They were +terrified, but they had not much time for reflection, for the old man +seized the goldsmith and with the greatest speed, shaved the hair of +his head clean off, and then the same thing happened to the tailor. But +their fear left them when, after he had finished his work, the old man +clapped them both on the shoulder in a friendly manner, as much as to +say, they had behaved well to let all that be done to them willingly, +and without any struggle. He pointed with his finger to a heap of coals +which lay at one side, and signified to the travellers by his gestures +that they were to fill their pockets with them. Both of them obeyed, +although they did not know of what use the coals would be to them, and +then they went on their way to seek a shelter for the night. When they +had got into the valley, the clock of the neighbouring monastery struck +twelve, and the song ceased. In a moment all had vanished, and the hill +lay in solitude in the moonlight. + +The two travellers found an inn, and covered themselves up on their +straw-beds with their coats, but in their weariness forgot to take the +coals out of them before doing so. A heavy weight on their limbs awakened +them earlier than usual. They felt in the pockets, and could not believe +their eyes when they saw that they were not filled with coals, but with +pure gold; happily, too, the hair of their heads and beards was there +again as thick as ever. + +They had now become rich folks, but the goldsmith, who, in accordance +with his greedy disposition, had filled his pockets better, was as rich +again as the tailor. A greedy man, even if he has much, still wishes to +have more, so the goldsmith proposed to the tailor that they should wait +another day, and go out again in the evening in order to bring back still +greater treasures from the old man on the hill. The tailor refused, +and said, "I have enough and am content; now I shall be a master, +and marry my dear object (for so he called his sweetheart), and I am +a happy man." But he stayed another day to please him. In the evening +the goldsmith hung a couple of bags over his shoulders that he might be +able to stow away a great deal, and took the road to the hill. He found, +as on the night before, the little folks at their singing and dancing, +and the old man again shaved him clean, and signed to him to take +some coal away with him. He was not slow about sticking as much into +his bags as would go, went back quite delighted, and covered himself +over with his coat. "Even if the gold does weigh heavily," said he, +"I will gladly bear that," and at last he fell asleep with the sweet +anticipation of waking in the morning an enormously rich man. + +When he opened his eyes, he got up in haste to examine his pockets, but +how amazed he was when he drew nothing out of them but black coals, and +that howsoever often he put his hands in them. "The gold I got the night +before is still there for me," thought he, and went and brought it out, +but how shocked he was when he saw that it likewise had again turned +into coal. He smote his forehead with his dusty black hand, and then +he felt that his whole head was bald and smooth, as was also the place +where his beard should have been. But his misfortunes were not yet over; +he now remarked for the first time that in addition to the hump on his +back, a second, just as large, had grown in front on his breast. Then he +recognized the punishment of his greediness, and began to weep aloud. The +good tailor, who was wakened by this, comforted the unhappy fellow as +well as he could, and said, "Thou hast been my comrade in my travelling +time; thou shalt stay with me and share in my wealth." He kept his word, +but the poor goldsmith was obliged to carry the two humps as long as he +lived, and to cover his bald head with a cap. + + + +183 The Giant and the Tailor + +A certain tailor who was great at boasting but ill at doing, took it into +his head to go abroad for a while, and look about the world. As soon +as he could manage it, he left his workshop, and wandered on his way, +over hill and dale, sometimes hither, sometimes thither, but ever on and +on. Once when he was out he perceived in the blue distance a steep hill, +and behind it a tower reaching to the clouds, which rose up out of a +wild dark forest. "Thunder and lightning," cried the tailor, "what is +that?" and as he was strongly goaded by curiosity, he went boldly towards +it. But what made the tailor open his eyes and mouth when he came near it, +was to see that the tower had legs, and leapt in one bound over the steep +hill, and was now standing as an all powerful giant before him. "What +dost thou want here, thou tiny fly's leg?" cried the giant, with a voice +as if it were thundering on every side. The tailor whimpered, "I want +just to look about and see if I can earn a bit of bread for myself, +in this forest." "If that is what thou art after," said the giant, "thou +mayst have a place with me." "If it must be, why not? What wages shall I +receive?" "Thou shalt hear what wages thou shalt have. Every year three +hundred and sixty-five days, and when it is leap-year, one more into +the bargain. Does that suit thee?" "All right," replied the tailor, and +thought, in his own mind, "a man must cut his coat according to his cloth; +I will try to get away as fast as I can." On this the giant said to him, +"Go, little ragamuffin, and fetch me a jug of water." "Had I not better +bring the well itself at once, and the spring too?" asked the boaster, +and went with the pitcher to the water. "What! the well and the spring +too," growled the giant in his beard, for he was rather clownish and +stupid, and began to be afraid. "That knave is not a fool, he has a +wizard in his body. Be on thy guard, old Hans, this is no serving-man for +thee." When the tailor had brought the water, the giant bade him go into +the forest, and cut a couple of blocks of wood and bring them back. "Why +not the whole forest, at once, with one stroke. The whole forest, +young and old, with all that is there, both rough and smooth?" asked +the little tailor, and went to cut the wood. "What! the whole forest, +young and old, with all that is there, both rough and smooth, and the +well and its spring too," growled the credulous giant in his beard, +and was still more terrified. "The knave can do much more than bake +apples, and has a wizard in his body. Be on thy guard, old Hans, this +is no serving-man for thee!" When the tailor had brought the wood, the +giant commanded him to shoot two or three wild boars for supper. "Why +not rather a thousand at one shot, and bring them all here?" inquired +the ostentatious tailor. "What!" cried the timid giant in great terror; +"Let well alone to-night, and lie down to rest." + +The giant was so terribly alarmed that he could not close an eye all +night long for thinking what would be the best way to get rid of this +accursed sorcerer of a servant. Time brings counsel. Next morning the +giant and the tailor went to a marsh, round which stood a number of +willow-trees. Then said the giant, "Hark thee, tailor, seat thyself +on one of the willow-branches, I long of all things to see if thou art +big enough to bend it down." All at once the tailor was sitting on it, +holding his breath, and making himself so heavy that the bough bent +down. When, however, he was compelled to draw breath, it hurried him +(for unfortunately he had not put his goose in his pocket) so high into +the air that he never was seen again, and this to the great delight of +the giant. If the tailor has not fallen down again, he must be hovering +about in the air. + + + +184 The Nail + +A merchant had done good business at the fair; he had sold his wares, +and lined his money-bags with gold and silver. Then he wanted to travel +homewards, and be in his own house before nightfall. So he packed his +trunk with the money on his horse, and rode away. + +At noon he rested in a town, and when he wanted to go farther the +stable-boy brought out his horse and said, "A nail is wanting, sir, in the +shoe of its left hind foot." "Let it be wanting," answered the merchant; +"the shoe will certainly stay on for the six miles I have still to go. I +am in a hurry." + +In the afternoon, when he once more alighted and had his horse fed, +the stable-boy went into the room to him and said, "Sir, a shoe +is missing from your horse's left hind foot. Shall I take him to the +blacksmith?" "Let it still be wanting," answered the man; "the horse can +very well hold out for the couple of miles which remain. I am in haste." + +He rode forth, but before long the horse began to limp. It had not limped +long before it began to stumble, and it had not stumbled long before it +fell down and broke its leg. The merchant was forced to leave the horse +where it was, and unbuckle the trunk, take it on his back, and go home +on foot. And there he did not arrive until quite late at night. "And +that unlucky nail," said he to himself, "has caused all this disaster." + +Hasten slowly. + + + +185 The Poor Boy in the Grave + +There was once a poor shepherd-boy whose father and mother were dead, and +he was placed by the authorities in the house of a rich man, who was to +feed him and bring him up. The man and his wife, had however, bad hearts, +and were greedy and anxious about their riches, and vexed whenever any +one put a morsel of their bread in his mouth. The poor young fellow might +do what he liked, he got little to eat, but only so many blows the more. + +One day he had to watch a hen and her chickens, but she ran through a +quick-set hedge with them, and a hawk darted down instantly, and carried +her off through the air. The boy called, "Thief! thief! rascal!" with +all the strength of his body. But what good did that do? The hawk did not +bring its prey back again. The man heard the noise, and ran to the spot, +and as soon as he saw that his hen was gone, he fell in a rage, and gave +the boy such a beating that he could not stir for two days. Then he had +to take care of the chickens without the hen, but now his difficulty was +greater, for one ran here and the other there. He thought he was doing +a very wise thing when he tied them all together with a string, because +then the hawk would not be able to steal any of them away from him. But +he was very much mistaken. After two days, worn out with running about +and hunger, he fell asleep; the bird of prey came, and seized one of the +chickens, and as the others were tied fast to it, it carried them all +off together, perched itself on a tree, and devoured them. The farmer was +just coming home, and when he saw the misfortune, he got angry and beat +the boy so unmercifully that he was forced to lie in bed for several days. + +When he was on his legs again, the farmer said to him, "Thou art +too stupid for me, I cannot make a herdsman of thee, thou must go as +errand-boy." Then he sent him to the judge, to whom he was to carry +a basketful of grapes, and he gave him a letter as well. On the way +hunger and thirst tormented the unhappy boy so violently that he ate +two of the bunches of grapes. He took the basket to the judge, but when +the judge had read the letter, and counted the bunches he said, "Two +clusters are wanting." The boy confessed quite honestly that, driven +by hunger and thirst, he had devoured the two which were wanting. The +judge wrote a letter to the farmer, and asked for the same number of +grapes again. These also the boy had to take to him with a letter. As +he again was so extremely hungry and thirsty, he could not help it, +and again ate two bunches. But first he took the letter out of the +basket, put it under a stone and seated himself thereon in order that +the letter might not see and betray him. The judge, however, again made +him give an explanation about the missing bunches. "Ah," said the boy, +"how have you learnt that? The letter could not know about it, for I +put it under a stone before I did it." The judge could not help laughing +at the boy's simplicity, and sent the man a letter wherein he cautioned +him to keep the poor boy better, and not let him want for meat and drink, +and also that he was to teach him what was right and what was wrong. + +"I will soon show thee the difference," said the hard man, "if thou +wilt eat, thou must work, and if thou dost anything wrong, thou shalt +be quite sufficiently taught by blows." + +The next day he set him a hard task. He was to chop two bundles of straw +for food for the horses, and then the man threatened: "In five hours," +said he, "I shall be back again, and if the straw is not cut to chaff by +that time, I will beat thee until thou canst not move a limb." The farmer +went with his wife, the man-servant and the girl, to the yearly fair, +and left nothing behind for the boy but a small bit of bread. The boy +seated himself on the bench, and began to work with all his might. As he +got warm over it he put his little coat off and threw it on the straw. In +his terror lest he should not get done in time he kept constantly cutting, +and in his haste, without noticing it, he chopped his little coat as well +as the straw. He became aware of the misfortune too late; there was no +repairing it. "Ah," cried he, "now all is over with me! The wicked man +did not threaten me for nothing; if he comes back and sees what I have +done, he will kill me. Rather than that I will take my own life." + +The boy had once heard the farmer's wife say, "I have a pot with poison +in it under my bed." She, however, had only said that to keep away greedy +people, for there was honey in it. The boy crept under the bed, brought +out the pot, and ate all that was in it. "I do not know," said he, "folks +say death is bitter, but it tastes very sweet to me. It is no wonder that +the farmer's wife has so often longed for death." He seated himself in a +little chair, and was prepared to die. But instead of becoming weaker he +felt himself strengthened by the nourishing food. "It cannot have been +poison," thought he, "but the farmer once said there was a small bottle +of poison for flies in the box in which he keeps his clothes; that, no +doubt, will be the true poison, and bring death to me." It was, however, +no poison for flies, but Hungarian wine. The boy got out the bottle, +and emptied it. "This death tastes sweet too," said he, but shortly +after when the wine began to mount into his brain and stupefy him, he +thought his end was drawing near. "I feel that I must die," said he, +"I will go away to the churchyard, and seek a grave." He staggered out, +reached the churchyard, and laid himself in a newly dug grave. He lost +his senses more and more. In the neighbourhood was an inn where a wedding +was being kept; when he heard the music, he fancied he was already in +Paradise, until at length he lost all consciousness. The poor boy never +awoke again; the heat of the strong wine and the cold night-dew deprived +him of life, and he remained in the grave in which he had laid himself. + +When the farmer heard the news of the boy's death he was terrified, +and afraid of being brought to justice indeed, his distress took such +a powerful hold of him that he fell fainting to the ground. His wife, +who was standing on the hearth with a pan of hot fat, ran to him to help +him. But the flames darted against the pan, the whole house caught fire, +in a few hours it lay in ashes, and the rest of the years they had to live +they passed in poverty and misery, tormented by the pangs of conscience. + + + +186 The True Sweethearts + +There was once on a time a girl who was young and beautiful, but she +had lost her mother when she was quite a child, and her step-mother did +all she could to make the girl's life wretched. Whenever this woman gave +her anything to do, she worked at it indefatigably, and did everything +that lay in her power. Still she could not touch the heart of the wicked +woman by that; she was never satisfied; it was never enough. The harder +the girl worked, the more work was put upon her, and all that the woman +thought of was how to weigh her down with still heavier burdens, and +make her life still more miserable. + +One day she said to her, "Here are twelve pounds of feathers which thou +must pick, and if they are not done this evening, thou mayst expect a good +beating. Dost thou imagine thou art to idle away the whole day?" The poor +girl sat down to the work, but tears ran down her cheeks as she did so, +for she saw plainly enough that it was quite impossible to finish the work +in one day. Whenever she had a little heap of feathers lying before her, +and she sighed or smote her hands together in her anguish, they flew away, +and she had to pick them out again, and begin her work anew. Then she +put her elbows on the table, laid her face in her two hands, and cried, +"Is there no one, then, on God's earth to have pity on me?" Then she +heard a low voice which said, "Be comforted, my child, I have come to help +thee." The maiden looked up, and an old woman was by her side. She took +the girl kindly by the hand, and said, "Only tell me what is troubling +thee." As she spoke so kindly, the girl told her of her miserable life, +and how one burden after another was laid upon her, and she never could +get to the end of the work which was given to her. "If I have not done +these feathers by this evening, my step-mother will beat me; she has +threatened she will, and I know she keeps her word." Her tears began to +flow again, but the good old woman said, "Do not be afraid, my child; +rest a while, and in the meantime I will look to thy work." The girl +lay down on her bed, and soon fell asleep. The old woman seated herself +at the table with the feathers, and how they did fly off the quills, +which she scarcely touched with her withered hands! The twelve pounds +were soon finished, and when the girl awoke, great snow-white heaps were +lying, piled up, and everything in the room was neatly cleared away, +but the old woman had vanished. The maiden thanked God, and sat still +till evening came, when the step-mother came in and marvelled to see +the work completed. "Just look, you awkward creature," said she, "what +can be done when people are industrious; and why couldst thou not set +about something else? There thou sittest with thy hands crossed." When +she went out she said, "The creature is worth more than her salt. I must +give her some work that is still harder." + +Next morning she called the girl, and said, "There is a spoon for thee; +with that thou must empty out for me the great pond which is beside +the garden, and if it is not done by night, thou knowest what will +happen." The girl took the spoon, and saw that it was full of holes; +but even if it had not been, she never could have emptied the pond with +it. She set to work at once, knelt down by the water, into which her +tears were falling, and began to empty it. But the good old woman appeared +again, and when she learnt the cause of her grief, she said, "Be of good +cheer, my child. Go into the thicket and lie down and sleep; I will soon +do thy work." As soon as the old woman was alone, she barely touched the +pond, and a vapour rose up on high from the water, and mingled itself with +the clouds. Gradually the pond was emptied, and when the maiden awoke +before sunset and came thither, she saw nothing but the fishes which +were struggling in the mud. She went to her step-mother, and showed her +that the work was done. "It ought to have been done long before this," +said she, and grew white with anger, but she meditated something new. + +On the third morning she said to the girl, "Thou must build me a castle +on the plain there, and it must be ready by the evening." The maiden was +dismayed, and said, "How can I complete such a great work?" "I will endure +no opposition," screamed the step-mother. "If thou canst empty a pond with +a spoon that is full of holes, thou canst build a castle too. I will take +possession of it this very day, and if anything is wanting, even if it be +the most trifling thing in the kitchen or cellar, thou knowest what lies +before thee!" She drove the girl out, and when she entered the valley, +the rocks were there, piled up one above the other, and all her strength +would not have enabled her even to move the very smallest of them. She sat +down and wept, and still she hoped the old woman would help her. The old +woman was not long in coming; she comforted her and said, "Lie down there +in the shade and sleep, and I will soon build the castle for thee. If it +would be a pleasure to thee, thou canst live in it thyself." When the +maiden had gone away, the old woman touched the gray rocks. They began +to rise, and immediately moved together as if giants had built the walls; +and on these the building arose, and it seemed as if countless hands were +working invisibly, and placing one stone upon another. There was a dull +heavy noise from the ground; pillars arose of their own accord on high, +and placed themselves in order near each other. The tiles laid themselves +in order on the roof, and when noon-day came, the great weather-cock was +already turning itself on the summit of the tower, like a golden figure of +the Virgin with fluttering garments. The inside of the castle was being +finished while evening was drawing near. How the old woman managed it, +I know not; but the walls of the rooms were hung with silk and velvet, +embroidered chairs were there, and richly ornamented arm-chairs by +marble tables; crystal chandeliers hung down from the ceilings, and +mirrored themselves in the smooth pavement; green parrots were there +in gilt cages, and so were strange birds which sang most beautifully, +and there was on all sides as much magnificence as if a king were going +to live there. The sun was just setting when the girl awoke, and the +brightness of a thousand lights flashed in her face. She hurried to the +castle, and entered by the open door. The steps were spread with red +cloth, and the golden balustrade beset with flowering trees. When she +saw the splendour of the apartment, she stood as if turned to stone. Who +knows how long she might have stood there if she had not remembered the +step-mother? "Alas!" she said to herself, "if she could but be satisfied +at last, and would give up making my life a misery to me." The girl went +and told her that the castle was ready. "I will move into it at once," +said she, and rose from her seat. When they entered the castle, she was +forced to hold her hand before her eyes, the brilliancy of everything was +so dazzling. "Thou seest," said she to the girl, "how easy it has been +for thee to do this; I ought to have given thee something harder." She +went through all the rooms, and examined every corner to see if anything +was wanting or defective; but she could discover nothing. "Now we will +go down below," said she, looking at the girl with malicious eyes. "The +kitchen and the cellar still have to be examined, and if thou hast +forgotten anything thou shalt not escape thy punishment." But the fire +was burning on the hearth, and the meat was cooking in the pans, the +tongs and shovel were leaning against the wall, and the shining brazen +utensils all arranged in sight. Nothing was wanting, not even a coal-box +and water-pail. "Which is the way to the cellar?" she cried. "If that +is not abundantly filled, it shall go ill with thee." She herself raised +up the trap-door and descended; but she had hardly made two steps before +the heavy trap-door which was only laid back, fell down. The girl heard +a scream, lifted up the door very quickly to go to her aid, but she had +fallen down, and the girl found her lying lifeless at the bottom. + +And now the magnificent castle belonged to the girl alone. She at first +did not know how to reconcile herself to her good fortune. Beautiful +dresses were hanging in the wardrobes, the chests were filled with gold +or silver, or with pearls and jewels, and she never felt a desire that +she was not able to gratify. And soon the fame of the beauty and riches +of the maiden went over all the world. Wooers presented themselves daily, +but none pleased her. At length the son of the King came and he knew how +to touch her heart, and she betrothed herself to him. In the garden of the +castle was a lime-tree, under which they were one day sitting together, +when he said to her, "I will go home and obtain my father's consent to +our marriage. I entreat thee to wait for me here under this lime-tree, I +shall be back with thee in a few hours." The maiden kissed him on his left +cheek, and said, "Keep true to me, and never let any one else kiss thee +on this cheek. I will wait here under the lime-tree until thou returnest." + +The maid stayed beneath the lime-tree until sunset, but he did not +return. She sat three days from morning till evening, waiting for him, +but in vain. As he still was not there by the fourth day, she said, +"Some accident has assuredly befallen him. I will go out and seek him, +and will not come back until I have found him." She packed up three +of her most beautiful dresses, one embroidered with bright stars, the +second with silver moons, the third with golden suns, tied up a handful +of jewels in her handkerchief, and set out. She inquired everywhere +for her betrothed, but no one had seen him; no one knew anything about +him. Far and wide did she wander through the world, but she found him +not. At last she hired herself to a farmer as a cow-herd, and buried +her dresses and jewels beneath a stone. + +And now she lived as a herdswoman, guarded her herd, and was very sad +and full of longing for her beloved one; she had a little calf which +she taught to know her, and fed it out of her own hand, and when she said, + +"Little calf, little calf, kneel by my side, And do not forget thy +shepherd-maid, As the prince forgot his betrothed bride, Who waited for +him 'neath the lime-tree's shade." + +the little calf knelt down, and she stroked it. + +And when she had lived for a couple of years alone and full of grief, +a report was spread over all the land that the King's daughter was +about to celebrate her marriage. The road to the town passed through the +village where the maiden was living, and it came to pass that once when +the maiden was driving out her herd, her bridegroom travelled by. He +was sitting proudly on his horse, and never looked round, but when she +saw him she recognized her beloved, and it was just as if a sharp knife +had pierced her heart. "Alas!" said she, "I believed him true to me, +but he has forgotten me." + +Next day he again came along the road. When he was near her she said to +the little calf, + +"Little calf, little calf, kneel by my side, And do not forget thy +shepherd-maid, As the prince forgot his betrothed bride, Who waited for +him 'neath the lime-tree's shade." + +When he was aware of the voice, he looked down and reined in his horse. He +looked into the herd's face, and then put his hands before his eyes as +if he were trying to remember something, but he soon rode onwards and +was out of sight. "Alas!" said she, "he no longer knows me," and her +grief was ever greater. + +Soon after this a great festival three days long was to be held at the +King's court, and the whole country was invited to it. + +"Now will I try my last chance," thought the maiden, and when evening +came she went to the stone under which she had buried her treasures. She +took out the dress with the golden suns, put it on, and adorned herself +with the jewels. She let down her hair, which she had concealed under +a handkerchief, and it fell down in long curls about her, and thus she +went into the town, and in the darkness was observed by no one. When she +entered the brightly-lighted hall, every one started back in amazement, +but no one knew who she was. The King's son went to meet her, but he +did not recognize her. He led her out to dance, and was so enchanted +with her beauty, that he thought no more of the other bride. When the +feast was over, she vanished in the crowd, and hastened before daybreak +to the village, where she once more put on her herd's dress. + +Next evening she took out the dress with the silver moons, and put a +half-moon made of precious stones in her hair. When she appeared at the +festival, all eyes were turned upon her, but the King's son hastened to +meet her, and filled with love for her, danced with her alone, and no +longer so much as glanced at anyone else. Before she went away she was +forced to promise him to come again to the festival on the last evening. + +When she appeared for the third time, she wore the star-dress which +sparkled at every step she took, and her hair-ribbon and girdle were +starred with jewels. The prince had already been waiting for her for a +long time, and forced his way up to her. "Do but tell who thou art," said +he, "I feel just as if I had already known thee a long time." "Dost thou +not know what I did when thou leftest me?" Then she stepped up to him, +and kissed him on his left cheek, and in a moment it was as if scales +fell from his eyes, and he recognized the true bride. "Come," said he to +her, "here I stay no longer," gave her his hand, and led her down to the +carriage. The horses hurried away to the magic castle as if the wind had +been harnessed to the carriage. The illuminated windows already shone in +the distance. When they drove past the lime-tree, countless glow-worms +were swarming about it. It shook its branches, and sent forth their +fragrance. On the steps flowers were blooming, and the room echoed with +the song of strange birds, but in the hall the entire court was assembled, +and the priest was waiting to marry the bridegroom to the true bride. + + + +187 The Hare and the Hedgehog + +This story, my dear young folks, seems to be false, but it really is true, +for my grandfather, from whom I have it, used always, when relating it, +to say complacently, "It must be true, my son, or else no one could tell +it to you." The story is as follows. One Sunday morning about harvest +time, just as the buckwheat was in bloom, the sun was shining brightly +in heaven, the east wind was blowing warmly over the stubble-fields, +the larks were singing in the air, the bees buzzing among the buckwheat, +the people were all going in their Sunday clothes to church, and all +creatures were happy, and the hedgehog was happy too. + +The hedgehog, however, was standing by his door with his arms akimbo, +enjoying the morning breezes, and slowly trilling a little song to +himself, which was neither better nor worse than the songs which hedgehogs +are in the habit of singing on a blessed Sunday morning. Whilst he was +thus singing half aloud to himself, it suddenly occurred to him that, +while his wife was washing and drying the children, he might very well +take a walk into the field, and see how his turnips were going on. The +turnips were, in fact, close beside his house, and he and his family +were accustomed to eat them, for which reason he looked upon them as his +own. No sooner said than done. The hedgehog shut the house-door behind +him, and took the path to the field. He had not gone very far from home, +and was just turning round the sloe-bush which stands there outside the +field, to go up into the turnip-field, when he observed the hare who had +gone out on business of the same kind, namely, to visit his cabbages. When +the hedgehog caught sight of the hare, he bade him a friendly good +morning. But the hare, who was in his own way a distinguished gentleman, +and frightfully haughty, did not return the hedgehog's greeting, but +said to him, assuming at the same time a very contemptuous manner, +"How do you happen to be running about here in the field so early in +the morning?" "I am taking a walk," said the hedgehog. "A walk!" said +the hare, with a smile. "It seems to me that you might use your legs +for a better purpose." This answer made the hedgehog furiously angry, +for he can bear anything but an attack on his legs, just because they +are crooked by nature. So now the hedgehog said to the hare, "You seem +to imagine that you can do more with your legs than I with mine." "That +is just what I do think," said the hare. "That can be put to the test," +said the hedgehog. "I wager that if we run a race, I will outstrip +you." "That is ridiculous! You with your short legs!" said the hare, +"but for my part I am willing, if you have such a monstrous fancy for +it. What shall we wager?" "A golden louis-d'or and a bottle of brandy," +said the hedgehog. "Done," said the hare. "Shake hands on it, and then +we may as well come off at once." "Nay," said the hedgehog, "there is +no such great hurry! I am still fasting, I will go home first, and have +a little breakfast. In half-an-hour I will be back again at this place." + +Hereupon the hedgehog departed, for the hare was quite satisfied with +this. On his way the hedgehog thought to himself, "The hare relies on +his long legs, but I will contrive to get the better of him. He may be +a great man, but he is a very silly fellow, and he shall pay for what he +has said." So when the hedgehog reached home, he said to his wife, "Wife, +dress thyself quickly, thou must go out to the field with me." "What is +going on, then?" said his wife. "I have made a wager with the hare, for +a gold louis-d'or and a bottle of brandy. I am to run a race with him, +and thou must be present." "Good heavens, husband," the wife now cried, +"art thou not right in thy mind, hast thou completely lost thy wits? What +can make thee want to run a race with the hare?" "Hold thy tongue, +woman," said the hedgehog, "that is my affair. Don't begin to discuss +things which are matters for men. Be off, dress thyself, and come with +me." What could the hedgehog's wife do? She was forced to obey him, +whether she liked it or not. + +So when they had set out on their way together, the hedgehog said to +his wife, "Now pay attention to what I am going to say. Look you, I will +make the long field our race-course. The hare shall run in one furrow, +and I in another, and we will begin to run from the top. Now all that +thou hast to do is to place thyself here below in the furrow, and when +the hare arrives at the end of the furrow, on the other side of thee, +thou must cry out to him, 'I am here already!'" + +Then they reached the field, and the hedgehog showed his wife her place, +and then walked up the field. When he reached the top, the hare was +already there. "Shall we start?" said the hare. "Certainly," said the +hedgehog. "Then both at once." So saying, each placed himself in his +own furrow. The hare counted, "Once, twice, thrice, and away!" and went +off like a whirlwind down the field. The hedgehog, however, only ran +about three paces, and then he stooped down in the furrow, and stayed +quietly where he was. When the hare therefore arrived in full career at +the lower end of the field, the hedgehog's wife met him with the cry, +"I am here already!" The hare was shocked and wondered not a little, he +thought no other than that it was the hedgehog himself who was calling +to him, for the hedgehog's wife looked just like her husband. The hare, +however, thought to himself, "That has not been done fairly," and cried, +"It must be run again, let us have it again." And once more he went off +like the wind in a storm, so that he seemed to fly. But the hedgehog's +wife stayed quietly in her place. So when the hare reached the top of the +field, the hedgehog himself cried out to him, "I am here already." The +hare, however, quite beside himself with anger, cried, "It must be run +again, we must have it again." "All right," answered the hedgehog, "for +my part we'll run as often as you choose." So the hare ran seventy-three +times more, and the hedgehog always held out against him, and every time +the hare reached either the top or the bottom, either the hedgehog or +his wife said, "I am here already." + +At the seventy-fourth time, however, the hare could no longer reach the +end. In the middle of the field he fell to the ground, blood streamed +out of his mouth, and he lay dead on the spot. But the hedgehog took +the louis-d'or which he had won and the bottle of brandy, called his +wife out of the furrow, and both went home together in great delight, +and if they are not dead, they are living there still. + +This is how it happened that the hedgehog made the hare run races with +him on the Buxtehuder heath till he died, and since that time no hare +has ever had any fancy for running races with a Buxtehuder hedgehog. + +The moral of this story, however, is, firstly, that no one, however +great he may be, should permit himself to jest at any one beneath him, +even if he be only a hedgehog. And, secondly, it teaches, that when a +man marries, he should take a wife in his own position, who looks just +as he himself looks. So whosoever is a hedgehog let him see to it that +his wife is a hedgehog also, and so forth. + + + +188 The Spindle, The Shuttle, and the Needle + +There was once a girl whose father and mother died while she was still +a little child. All alone, in a small house at the end of the village, +dwelt her godmother, who supported herself by spinning, weaving, and +sewing. The old woman took the forlorn child to live with her, kept her +to her work, and educated her in all that is good. When the girl was +fifteen years old, the old woman became ill, called the child to her +bedside, and said, "Dear daughter, I feel my end drawing near. I leave +thee the little house, which will protect thee from wind and weather, +and my spindle, shuttle, and needle, with which thou canst earn thy +bread." Then she laid her hands on the girl's head, blessed her, and +said, "Only preserve the love of God in thy heart, and all will go well +with thee." Thereupon she closed her eyes, and when she was laid in the +earth, the maiden followed the coffin, weeping bitterly, and paid her +the last mark of respect. And now the maiden lived quite alone in the +little house, and was industrious, and span, wove, and sewed, and the +blessing of the good old woman was on all that she did. It seemed as +if the flax in the room increased of its own accord, and whenever she +wove a piece of cloth or carpet, or had made a shirt, she at once found +a buyer who paid her amply for it, so that she was in want of nothing, +and even had something to share with others. + +About this time, the son of the King was travelling about the country +looking for a bride. He was not to choose a poor one, and did not want +to have a rich one. So he said, "She shall be my wife who is the poorest, +and at the same time the richest." When he came to the village where the +maiden dwelt, he inquired, as he did wherever he went, who was the richest +and also the poorest girl in the place? They first named the richest; +the poorest, they said, was the girl who lived in the small house quite +at the end of the village. The rich girl was sitting in all her splendour +before the door of her house, and when the prince approached her, she got +up, went to meet him, and made him a low curtsey. He looked at her, said +nothing, and rode on. When he came to the house of the poor girl, she was +not standing at the door, but sitting in her little room. He stopped his +horse, and saw through the window, on which the bright sun was shining, +the girl sitting at her spinning-wheel, busily spinning. She looked up, +and when she saw that the prince was looking in, she blushed all over her +face, let her eyes fall, and went on spinning. I do not know whether, just +at that moment, the thread was quite even; but she went on spinning until +the King's son had ridden away again. Then she went to the window, opened +it, and said, "It is so warm in this room!" but she still looked after +him as long as she could distinguish the white feathers in his hat. Then +she sat down to work again in her own room and went on with her spinning, +and a saying which the old woman had often repeated when she was sitting +at her work, came into her mind, and she sang these words to herself,--- + + "Spindle, my spindle, haste, haste thee away, + And here to my house bring the wooer, I pray." + +And what do you think happened? The spindle sprang out of her hand in +an instant, and out of the door, and when, in her astonishment, she got +up and looked after it, she saw that it was dancing out merrily into the +open country, and drawing a shining golden thread after it. Before long, +it had entirely vanished from her sight. As she had now no spindle, +the girl took the weaver's shuttle in her hand, sat down to her loom, +and began to weave. + +The spindle, however, danced continually onwards, and just as the +thread came to an end, reached the prince. "What do I see?" he cried; +"the spindle certainly wants to show me the way!" turned his horse about, +and rode back with the golden thread. The girl was, however, sitting at +her work singing, + + "Shuttle, my shuttle, weave well this day, + And guide the wooer to me, I pray." + +Immediately the shuttle sprang out of her hand and out by the door. Before +the threshold, however, it began to weave a carpet which was more +beautiful than the eyes of man had ever yet beheld. Lilies and roses +blossomed on both sides of it, and on a golden ground in the centre +green branches ascended, under which bounded hares and rabbits, stags +and deer stretched their heads in between them, brightly-coloured birds +were sitting in the branches above; they lacked nothing but the gift +of song. The shuttle leapt hither and thither, and everything seemed to +grow of its own accord. + +As the shuttle had run away, the girl sat down to sew. She held the +needle in her hand and sang, + + "Needle, my needle, sharp-pointed and fine, + Prepare for a wooer this house of mine." + +Then the needle leapt out of her fingers, and flew everywhere about +the room as quick as lightning. It was just as if invisible spirits +were working; they covered tables and benches with green cloth in an +instant, and the chairs with velvet, and hung the windows with silken +curtains. Hardly had the needle put in the last stitch than the maiden +saw through the window the white feathers of the prince, whom the spindle +had brought thither by the golden thread. He alighted, stepped over the +carpet into the house, and when he entered the room, there stood the +maiden in her poor garments, but she shone out from within them like a +rose surrounded by leaves. "Thou art the poorest and also the richest," +said he to her. "Come with me, thou shalt be my bride." She did not +speak, but she gave him her hand. Then he gave her a kiss, led her forth, +lifted her on to his horse, and took her to the royal castle, where the +wedding was solemnized with great rejoicings. The spindle, shuttle, and +needle were preserved in the treasure-chamber, and held in great honour. + + + +189 The Peasant and the Devil + +There was once on a time a far-sighted, crafty peasant whose tricks +were much talked about. The best story is, however, how he once got +hold of the Devil, and made a fool of him. The peasant had one day been +working in his field, and as twilight had set in, was making ready for +the journey home, when he saw a heap of burning coals in the middle of +his field, and when, full of astonishment, he went up to it, a little +black devil was sitting on the live coals. "Thou dost indeed sit upon +a treasure!" said the peasant. "Yes, in truth," replied the Devil, +"on a treasure which contains more gold and silver than thou hast ever +seen in thy life!" "The treasure lies in my field and belongs to me," +said the peasant. "It is thine," answered the Devil, "if thou wilt for +two years give me the half of everything thy field produces. Money I +have enough of, but I have a desire for the fruits of the earth." The +peasant agreed to the bargain. "In order, however, that no dispute may +arise about the division," said he, "everything that is above ground +shall belong to thee, and what is under the earth to me." The Devil was +quite satisfied with that, but the cunning peasant had sown turnips. + +Now when the time for harvest came, the Devil appeared and wanted to +take away his crop; but he found nothing but the yellow withered leaves, +while the peasant, full of delight, was digging up his turnips. "Thou +hast had the best of it for once," said the Devil, "but the next time +that won't do. What grows above ground shall be thine, and what is under +it, mine." "I am willing," replied the peasant; but when the time came +to sow, he did not again sow turnips, but wheat. The grain became ripe, +and the peasant went into the field and cut the full stalks down to the +ground. When the Devil came, he found nothing but the stubble, and went +away in a fury down into a cleft in the rocks. "That is the way to cheat +the Devil," said the peasant, and went and fetched away the treasure. + + + +190 The Crumbs on the Table + +A countryman one day said to his little puppies, "Come into the parlour +and enjoy yourselves, and pick up the bread-crumbs on the table; your +mistress has gone out to pay some visits." Then the little dogs said, +"No, no, we will not go. If the mistress gets to know it, she will beat +us." The countryman said, "She will know nothing about it. Do come; +after all, she never gives you anything good." Then the little dogs +again said, "Nay, nay, we must let it alone; we must not go." But the +countryman let them have no peace until at last they went, and got on +the table, and ate up the bread-crumbs with all their might. But at +that very moment the mistress came, and seized the stick in great haste, +and beat them and treated them very hardly. And when they were outside +the house, the little dogs said to the countryman, "Dost, dost, dost, +dost, dost thou see?" Then the countryman laughed and said, "Didn't, +didn't, didn't, you expect it?" So they just had to run away. + + + +191 The Sea-Hare + +There was once upon a time a princess, who, high under the battlements +in her castle, had an apartment with twelve windows, which looked out +in every possible direction, and when she climbed up to it and looked +around her, she could inspect her whole kingdom. When she looked out +of the first, her sight was more keen than that of any other human +being; from the second she could see still better, from the third more +distinctly still, and so it went on, until the twelfth, from which she +saw everything above the earth and under the earth, and nothing at all +could be kept secret from her. Moreover, as she was haughty, and would +be subject to no one, but wished to keep the dominion for herself alone, +she caused it to be proclaimed that no one should ever be her husband +who could not conceal himself from her so effectually, that it should +be quite impossible for her to find him. He who tried this, however, +and was discovered by her, was to have his head struck off, and stuck +on a post. Ninety-seven posts with the heads of dead men were already +standing before the castle, and no one had come forward for a long +time. The princess was delighted, and thought to herself, "Now I shall +be free as long as I live." Then three brothers appeared before her, +and announced to her that they were desirous of trying their luck. The +eldest believed he would be quite safe if he crept into a lime-pit, +but she saw him from the first window, made him come out, and had his +head cut off. The second crept into the cellar of the palace, but she +perceived him also from the first window, and his fate was sealed. His +head was placed on the nine and ninetieth post. Then the youngest came +to her and entreated her to give him a day for consideration, and also +to be so gracious as to overlook it if she should happen to discover +him twice, but if he failed the third time, he would look on his life +as over. As he was so handsome, and begged so earnestly, she said, +"Yes, I will grant thee that, but thou wilt not succeed." + +Next day he meditated for a long time how he should hide himself, but +all in vain. Then he seized his gun and went out hunting. He saw a raven, +took a good aim at him, and was just going to fire, when the bird cried, +"Don't shoot; I will make it worth thy while not." He put his gun down, +went on, and came to a lake where he surprised a large fish which had +come up from the depths below to the surface of the water. When he had +aimed at it, the fish cried, "Don't shoot, and I will make it worth +thy while." He allowed it to dive down again, went onwards, and met +a fox which was lame. He fired and missed it, and the fox cried, "You +had much better come here and draw the thorn out of my foot for me." He +did this; but then he wanted to kill the fox and skin it, the fox said, +"Stop, and I will make it worth thy while." The youth let him go, and +then as it was evening, returned home. + +Next day he was to hide himself; but howsoever much he puzzled his brains +over it, he did not know where. He went into the forest to the raven +and said, "I let thee live on, so now tell me where I am to hide myself, +so that the King's daughter shall not see me." The raven hung his head +and thought it over for a longtime. At length he croaked, "I have it." He +fetched an egg out of his nest, cut it into two parts, and shut the youth +inside it; then made it whole again, and seated himself on it. When the +King's daughter went to the first window she could not discover him, +nor could she from the others, and she began to be uneasy, but from the +eleventh she saw him. She ordered the raven to be shot, and the egg to +be brought and broken, and the youth was forced to come out. She said, +"For once thou art excused, but if thou dost not do better than this, +thou art lost!" + +Next day he went to the lake, called the fish to him and said, "I suffered +thee to live, now tell me where to hide myself so that the King's daughter +may not see me." The fish thought for a while, and at last cried, "I +have it! I will shut thee up in my stomach." He swallowed him, and went +down to the bottom of the lake. The King's daughter looked through her +windows, and even from the eleventh did not see him, and was alarmed; +but at length from the twelfth she saw him. She ordered the fish to be +caught and killed, and then the youth appeared. Every one can imagine +what a state of mind he was in. She said, "Twice thou art forgiven, +but be sure that thy head will be set on the hundredth post." + +On the last day, he went with a heavy heart into the country, and met the +fox. "Thou knowest how to find all kinds of hiding-places," said he; "I +let thee live, now advise me where I shall hide myself so that the King's +daughter shall not discover me." "That's a hard task," answered the fox, +looking very thoughtful. At length he cried, "I have it!" and went with +him to a spring, dipped himself in it, and came out as a stall-keeper in +the market, and dealer in animals. The youth had to dip himself in the +water also, and was changed into a small sea-hare. The merchant went +into the town, and showed the pretty little animal, and many persons +gathered together to see it. At length the King's daughter came likewise, +and as she liked it very much, she bought it, and gave the merchant a +good deal of money for it. Before he gave it over to her, he said to it, +"When the King's daughter goes to the window, creep quickly under the +braids of he hair." And now the time arrived when she was to search for +him. She went to one window after another in turn, from the first to the +eleventh, and did not see him. When she did not see him from the twelfth +either, she was full of anxiety and anger, and shut it down with such +violence that the glass in every window shivered into a thousand pieces, +and the whole castle shook. + +She went back and felt the sea-hare beneath the braids of her hair. Then +she seized it, and threw it on the ground exclaiming, "Away with thee, +get out of my sight!" It ran to the merchant, and both of them hurried +to the spring, wherein they plunged, and received back their true +forms. The youth thanked the fox, and said, "The raven and the fish +are idiots compared with thee; thou knowest the right tune to play, +there is no denying that!" + +The youth went straight to the palace. The princess was already expecting +him, and accommodated herself to her destiny. The wedding was solemnized, +and now he was king, and lord of all the kingdom. He never told her where +he had concealed himself for the third time, and who had helped him, +so she believed that he had done everything by his own skill, and she +had a great respect for him, for she thought to herself, "He is able to +do more than I." + + + +192 The Master-Thief + +One day an old man and his wife were sitting in front of a miserable +house resting a while from their work. Suddenly a splendid carriage with +four black horses came driving up, and a richly-dressed man descended +from it. The peasant stood up, went to the great man, and asked what +he wanted, and in what way he could be useful to him? The stranger +stretched out his hand to the old man, and said, "I want nothing but +to enjoy for once a country dish; cook me some potatoes, in the way +you always have them, and then I will sit down at your table and eat +them with pleasure." The peasant smiled and said, "You are a count +or a prince, or perhaps even a duke; noble gentlemen often have such +fancies, but you shall have your wish." The wife went into the kitchen, +and began to wash and rub the potatoes, and to make them into balls, +as they are eaten by the country-folks. Whilst she was busy with this +work, the peasant said to the stranger, "Come into my garden with me +for a while, I have still something to do there." He had dug some holes +in the garden, and now wanted to plant some trees in them. "Have you no +children," asked the stranger, "who could help you with your work?" "No," +answered the peasant, "I had a son, it is true, but it is long since he +went out into the world. He was a ne'er-do-well; sharp, and knowing, +but he would learn nothing and was full of bad tricks, at last he ran +away from me, and since then I have heard nothing of him." + +The old man took a young tree, put it in a hole, drove in a post beside +it, and when he had shovelled in some earth and had trampled it firmly +down, he tied the stem of the tree above, below, and in the middle, +fast to the post by a rope of straw. "But tell me," said the stranger, +"why you don't tie that crooked knotted tree, which is lying in the +corner there, bent down almost to the ground, to a post also that it may +grow straight, as well as these?" The old man smiled and said, "Sir, +you speak according to your knowledge, it is easy to see that you are +not familiar with gardening. That tree there is old, and mis-shapen, +no one can make it straight now. Trees must be trained while they +are young." "That is how it was with your son," said the stranger, +"if you had trained him while he was still young, he would not have +run away; now he too must have grown hard and mis-shapen." "Truly it +is a long time since he went away," replied the old man, "he must have +changed." "Would you know him again if he were to come to you?" asked the +stranger. "Hardly by his face," replied the peasant, "but he has a mark +about him, a birth-mark on his shoulder, that looks like a bean." When +he had said that the stranger pulled off his coat, bared his shoulder, +and showed the peasant the bean. "Good God!" cried the old man, "Thou +art really my son!" and love for his child stirred in his heart. "But," +he added, "how canst thou be my son, thou hast become a great lord and +livest in wealth and luxury? How hast thou contrived to do that?" "Ah, +father," answered the son, "the young tree was bound to no post and has +grown crooked, now it is too old, it will never be straight again. How +have I got all that? I have become a thief, but do not be alarmed, I am +a master-thief. For me there are neither locks nor bolts, whatsoever +I desire is mine. Do not imagine that I steal like a common thief, +I only take some of the superfluity of the rich. Poor people are safe, +I would rather give to them than take anything from them. It is the same +with anything which I can have without trouble, cunning and dexterity +I never touch it." "Alas, my son," said the father, "it still does not +please me, a thief is still a thief, I tell thee it will end badly." He +took him to his mother, and when she heard that was her son, she wept +for joy, but when he told her that he had become a master-thief, two +streams flowed down over her face. At length she said, "Even if he has +become a thief, he is still my son, and my eyes have beheld him once +more." They sat down to table, and once again he ate with his parents +the wretched food which he had not eaten for so long. The father said, +"If our Lord, the count up there in the castle, learns who thou art, and +what trade thou followest, he will not take thee in his arms and cradle +thee in them as he did when he held thee at the font, but will cause +thee to swing from a halter." "Be easy, father, he will do me no harm, +for I understand my trade. I will go to him myself this very day." When +evening drew near, the master-thief seated himself in his carriage, and +drove to the castle. The count received him civilly, for he took him for +a distinguished man. When, however, the stranger made himself known, the +count turned pale and was quite silent for some time. At length he said, +"Thou art my godson, and on that account mercy shall take the place of +justice, and I will deal leniently with thee. Since thou pridest thyself +on being a master-thief, I will put thy art to the proof, but if thou +dost not stand the test, thou must marry the rope-maker's daughter, +and the croaking of the raven must be thy music on the occasion." "Lord +count," answered the master-thief, "Think of three things, as difficult +as you like, and if I do not perform your tasks, do with me what you +will." The count reflected for some minutes, and then said, "Well, then, +in the first place, thou shalt steal the horse I keep for my own riding, +out of the stable; in the next, thou shalt steal the sheet from beneath +the bodies of my wife and myself when we are asleep, without our observing +it, and the wedding-ring of my wife as well; thirdly and lastly, thou +shalt steal away out of the church, the parson and clerk. Mark what I +am saying, for thy life depends on it." + +The master-thief went to the nearest town; there he bought the clothes +of an old peasant woman, and put them on. Then he stained his face brown, +and painted wrinkles on it as well, so that no one could have recognized +him. Then he filled a small cask with old Hungary wine in which was mixed +a powerful sleeping-drink. He put the cask in a basket, which he took +on his back, and walked with slow and tottering steps to the count's +castle. It was already dark when he arrived. He sat down on a stone in +the court-yard and began to cough, like an asthmatic old woman, and to +rub his hands as if he were cold. In front of the door of the stable +some soldiers were lying round a fire; one of them observed the woman, +and called out to her, "Come nearer, old mother, and warm thyself beside +us. After all, thou hast no bed for the night, and must take one where +thou canst find it." The old woman tottered up to them, begged them to +lift the basket from her back, and sat down beside them at the fire. "What +hast thou got in thy little cask, old lady?" asked one. "A good mouthful +of wine," she answered. "I live by trade, for money and fair words I +am quite ready to let you have a glass." "Let us have it here, then," +said the soldier, and when he had tasted one glass he said, "When wine +is good, I like another glass," and had another poured out for himself, +and the rest followed his example. "Hallo, comrades," cried one of them to +those who were in the stable, "here is an old goody who has wine that is +as old as herself; take a draught, it will warm your stomachs far better +than our fire." The old woman carried her cask into the stable. One of +the soldiers had seated himself on the saddled riding-horse, another +held its bridle in his hand, a third had laid hold of its tail. She +poured out as much as they wanted until the spring ran dry. It was not +long before the bridle fell from the hand of the one, and he fell down +and began to snore, the other left hold of the tail, lay down and snored +still louder. The one who was sitting in the saddle, did remain sitting, +but bent his head almost down to the horse's neck, and slept and blew with +his mouth like the bellows of a forge. The soldiers outside had already +been asleep for a long time, and were lying on the ground motionless, +as if dead. When the master-thief saw that he had succeeded, he gave the +first a rope in his hand instead of the bridle, and the other who had been +holding the tail, a wisp of straw, but what was he to do with the one +who was sitting on the horse's back? He did not want to throw him down, +for he might have awakened and have uttered a cry. He had a good idea, +he unbuckled the girths of the saddle, tied a couple of ropes which were +hanging to a ring on the wall fast to the saddle, and drew the sleeping +rider up into the air on it, then he twisted the rope round the posts, +and made it fast. He soon unloosed the horse from the chain, but if he +had ridden over the stony pavement of the yard they would have heard +the noise in the castle. So he wrapped the horse's hoofs in old rags, +led him carefully out, leapt upon him, and galloped off. + +When day broke, the master galloped to the castle on the stolen horse. The +count had just got up, and was looking out of the window. "Good morning, +Sir Count," he cried to him, "here is the horse, which I have got safely +out of the stable! Just look, how beautifully your soldiers are lying +there sleeping; and if you will but go into the stable, you will see +how comfortable your watchers have made it for themselves." The count +could not help laughing, then he said, "For once thou hast succeeded, +but things won't go so well the second time, and I warn thee that +if thou comest before me as a thief, I will handle thee as I would a +thief." When the countess went to bed that night, she closed her hand with +the wedding-ring tightly together, and the count said, "All the doors +are locked and bolted, I will keep awake and wait for the thief, but if +he gets in by the window, I will shoot him." The master-thief, however, +went in the dark to the gallows, cut a poor sinner who was hanging there +down from the halter, and carried him on his back to the castle. Then +he set a ladder up to the bedroom, put the dead body on his shoulders, +and began to climb up. When he had got so high that the head of the dead +man showed at the window, the count, who was watching in his bed, fired a +pistol at him, and immediately the master let the poor sinner fall down, +and hid himself in one corner. The night was sufficiently lighted by +the moon, for the master to see distinctly how the count got out of the +window on to the ladder, came down, carried the dead body into the garden, +and began to dig a hole in which to lay it. "Now," thought the thief, +"the favourable moment has come," stole nimbly out of his corner, and +climbed up the ladder straight into the countess's bedroom. "Dear wife," +he began in the count's voice, "the thief is dead, but, after all, he is +my godson, and has been more of a scape-grace than a villain. I will not +put him to open shame; besides, I am sorry for the parents. I will bury +him myself before daybreak, in the garden that the thing may not be known, +so give me the sheet, I will wrap up the body in it, and bury him as a +dog burries things by scratching." The countess gave him the sheet. "I +tell you what," continued the thief, "I have a fit of magnanimity on +me, give me the ring too,---the unhappy man risked his life for it, +so he may take it with him into his grave." She would not gainsay the +count, and although she did it unwillingly she drew the ring from her +finger, and gave it to him. The thief made off with both these things, +and reached home safely before the count in the garden had finished his +work of burying. + +What a long face the count did pull when the master came next morning, +and brought him the sheet and the ring. "Art thou a wizard?" said he, +"Who has fetched thee out of the grave in which I myself laid thee, +and brought thee to life again?" "You did not bury me," said the thief, +"but the poor sinner on the gallows," and he told him exactly how +everything had happened, and the count was forced to own to him that +he was a clever, crafty thief. "But thou hast not reached the end yet," +he added, "thou hast still to perform the third task, and if thou dost +not succeed in that, all is of no use." The master smiled and returned +no answer. When night had fallen he went with a long sack on his back, a +bundle under his arms, and a lantern in his hand to the village-church. In +the sack he had some crabs, and in the bundle short wax-candles. He sat +down in the churchyard, took out a crab, and stuck a wax-candle on his +back. Then he lighted the little light, put the crab on the ground, and +let it creep about. He took a second out of the sack, and treated it in +the same way, and so on until the last was out of the sack. Hereupon he +put on a long black garment that looked like a monk's cowl, and stuck +a gray beard on his chin. When at last he was quite unrecognizable, +he took the sack in which the crabs had been, went into the church, and +ascended the pulpit. The clock in the tower was just striking twelve; +when the last stroke had sounded, he cried with a loud and piercing +voice, "Hearken, sinful men, the end of all things has come! The last +day is at hand! Hearken! Hearken! Whosoever wishes to go to heaven +with me must creep into the sack. I am Peter, who opens and shuts the +gate of heaven. Behold how the dead outside there in the churchyard, +are wandering about collecting their bones. Come, come, and creep into +the sack; the world is about to be destroyed!" The cry echoed through +the whole village. The parson and clerk who lived nearest to the church, +heard it first, and when they saw the lights which were moving about the +churchyard, they observed that something unusual was going on, and went +into the church. They listened to the sermon for a while, and then the +clerk nudged the parson and said, "It would not be amiss if we were to use +the opportunity together, and before the dawning of the last day, find an +easy way of getting to heaven." "To tell the truth," answered the parson, +"that is what I myself have been thinking, so if you are inclined, we will +set out on our way." "Yes," answered the clerk, "but you, the pastor, have +the precedence, I will follow." So the parson went first, and ascended +the pulpit where the master opened his sack. The parson crept in first, +and then the clerk. The master immediately tied up the sack tightly, +seized it by the middle, and dragged it down the pulpit-steps, and +whenever the heads of the two fools bumped against the steps, he cried, +"We are going over the mountains." Then he drew them through the village +in the same way, and when they were passing through puddles, he cried, +"Now we are going through wet clouds." And when at last he was dragging +them up the steps of the castle, he cried, "Now we are on the steps of +heaven, and will soon be in the outer court." When he had got to the top, +he pushed the sack into the pigeon-house, and when the pigeons fluttered +about, he said, "Hark how glad the angels are, and how they are flapping +their wings!" Then he bolted the door upon them, and went away. + +Next morning he went to the count, and told him that he had performed +the third task also, and had carried the parson and clerk out of the +church. "Where hast thou left them?" asked the lord. "They are lying +upstairs in a sack in the pigeon-house, and imagine that they are in +heaven." The count went up himself, and convinced himself that the master +had told the truth. When he had delivered the parson and clerk from their +captivity, he said, "Thou art an arch-thief, and hast won thy wager. For +once thou escapest with a whole skin, but see that thou leavest my land, +for if ever thou settest foot on it again, thou may'st count on thy +elevation to the gallows." The arch-thief took leave of his parents, +once more went forth into the wide world, and no one has ever heard of +him since. + + + +193 The Drummer + +A young drummer went out quite alone one evening into the country, and +came to a lake on the shore of which he perceived three pieces of +white linen lying. "What fine linen," said he, and put one piece in +his pocket. He returned home, thought no more of what he had found, +and went to bed. Just as he was going to sleep, it seemed to him as if +some one was saying his name. He listened, and was aware of a soft +voice which cried to him, "Drummer, drummer, wake up!" As it was a +dark night he could see no one, but it appeared to him that a figure +was hovering about his bed. "What do you want?" he asked. "Give me +back my dress," answered the voice, "that you took away from me last +evening by the lake." "You shall have it back again," said the +drummer, "if you will tell me who you are." "Ah," replied the voice, +"I am the daughter of a mighty King; but I have fallen into the power +of a witch, and am shut up on the glass-mountain. I have to bathe in +the lake every day with my two sisters, but I cannot fly back again +without my dress. My sisters have gone away, but I have been forced to +stay behind. I entreat you to give me my dress back." "Be easy, poor +child," said the drummer. "I will willingly give it back to you." He +took it out of his pocket, and reached it to her in the dark. She +snatched it in haste, and wanted to go away with it. "Stop a moment, +perhaps I can help you." "You can only help me by ascending the +glass-mountain, and freeing me from the power of the witch. But you +cannot come to the glass-mountain, and indeed if you were quite close +to it you could not ascend it." "When I want to do a thing I always +can do it," said the drummer; "I am sorry for you, and have no fear of +anything. But I do not know the way which leads to the +glass-mountain." "The road goes through the great forest, in which the +man-eaters live," she answered, "and more than that, I dare not tell +you." And then he heard her wings quiver, as she flew away. + +By daybreak the drummer arose, buckled on his drum, and went without +fear straight into the forest. After he had walked for a while without +seeing any giants, he thought to himself, "I must waken up the +sluggards," and he hung his drum before him, and beat such a reveille +that the birds flew out of the trees with loud cries. It was not long +before a giant who had been lying sleeping among the grass, rose up, +and was as tall as a fir-tree. "Wretch!" cried he; "what art thou +drumming here for, and wakening me out of my best sleep?" "I am +drumming," he replied, "because I want to show the way to many +thousands who are following me." "What do they want in my forest?" +demanded the giant. "They want to put an end to thee, and cleanse the +forest of such a monster as thou art!" "Oho!" said the giant, "I will +trample you all to death like so many ants." "Dost thou think thou +canst do anything against us?" said the drummer; "if thou stoopest to +take hold of one, he will jump away and hide himself; but when thou +art lying down and sleeping, they will come forth from every thicket, +and creep up to thee. Every one of them has a hammer of steel in his +belt, and with that they will beat in thy skull." The giant grew angry +and thought, "If I meddle with the crafty folk, it might turn out +badly for me. I can strangle wolves and bears, but I cannot protect +myself from these earth-worms." "Listen, little fellow," said he; "go +back again, and I will promise you that for the future I will leave +you and your comrades in peace, and if there is anything else you wish +for, tell me, for I am quite willing to do something to please you." +"Thou hast long legs," said the drummer, "and canst run quicker than +I; carry me to the glass-mountain, and I will give my followers a +signal to go back, and they shall leave thee in peace this time." +"Come here, worm," said the giant; "seat thyself on my shoulder, I +will carry thee where thou wishest to be." The giant lifted him up, +and the drummer began to beat his drum up aloft to his heart's +delight. The giant thought, "That is the signal for the other people +to turn back." + +After a while, a second giant was standing in the road, who took the +drummer from the first, and stuck him in his button-hole. The drummer +laid hold of the button, which was as large as a dish, held on by it, +and looked merrily around. Then they came to a third giant, who took +him out of the button-hole, and set him on the rim of his hat. Then +the drummer walked backwards and forwards up above, and looked over +the trees, and when he perceived a mountain in the blue distance, he +thought, "That must be the glass-mountain," and so it was. The giant +only made two steps more, and they reached the foot of the mountain, +where the giant put him down. The drummer demanded to be put on the +summit of the glass-mountain, but the giant shook his head, growled +something in his beard, and went back into the forest. + +And now the poor drummer was standing before the mountain, which was +as high as if three mountains were piled on each other, and at the +same time as smooth as a looking-glass, and did not know how to get up +it. He began to climb, but that was useless, for he always slipped +back again. "If one was a bird now," thought he; but what was the good +of wishing, no wings grew for him. + +Whilst he was standing thus, not knowing what to do, he saw, not far +from him, two men who were struggling fiercely together. He went up to +them and saw that they were disputing about a saddle which was lying +on the ground before them, and which both of them wanted to have. +"What fools you are," said he, "to quarrel about a saddle, when you +have not a horse for it!" "The saddle is worth fighting about," +answered one of the men; "whosoever sits on it, and wishes himself in +any place, even if it should be the very end of the earth, gets there +the instant he has uttered the wish. The saddle belongs to us in +common. It is my turn to ride on it, but that other man will not let +me do it." "I will soon decide the quarrel," said the drummer, and he +went to a short distance and stuck a white rod in the ground. Then he +came back and said, "Now run to the goal, and whoever gets there +first, shall ride first." Both put themselves into a trot; but hardly +had they gone a couple of steps before the drummer swung himself on +the saddle, wished himself on the glass-mountain, and before any one +could turn round, he was there. On the top of the mountain was a +plain; there stood an old stone house, and in front of the house lay a +great fish-pond, but behind it was a dark forest. He saw neither men +nor animals, everything was quiet; only the wind rustled amongst the +trees, and the clouds moved by quite close above his head. He went to +the door and knocked. When he had knocked for the third time, an old +woman with a brown face and red eyes opened the door. She had +spectacles on her long nose, and looked sharply at him; then she asked +what he wanted. "Entrance, food, and a bed for the night," replied the +drummer. "That thou shalt have," said the old woman, "if thou wilt +perform three services in return." "Why not?" he answered, "I am not +afraid of any kind of work, however hard it may be." The old woman let +him go in, and gave him some food and a good bed at night. The next +morning when he had had his sleep out, she took a thimble from her +wrinkled finger, reached it to the drummer, and said, "Go to work now, +and empty out the pond with this thimble; but thou must have it done +before night, and must have sought out all the fishes which are in the +water and laid them side by side, according to their kind and size." +"That is strange work," said the drummer, but he went to the pond, and +began to empty it. He baled the whole morning; but what can any one do +to a great lake with a thimble, even if he were to bale for a thousand +years? + +When it was noon, he thought, "It is all useless, and whether I work +or not it will come to the same thing." So he gave it up and sat down. +Then came a maiden out of the house who set a little basket with food +before him, and said, "What ails thee, that thou sittest so sadly +here?" He looked at her, and saw that she was wondrously beautiful. +"Ah," said he, "I cannot finish the first piece of work, how will it +be with the others? I came forth to seek a king's daughter who is said +to dwell here, but I have not found her, and I will go farther." "Stay +here," said the maiden, "I will help thee out of thy difficulty. Thou +art tired, lay thy head in my lap, and sleep. When thou awakest again, +thy work will be done." The drummer did not need to be told that +twice. As soon as his eyes were shut, she turned a wishing-ring and +said, "Rise, water. Fishes, come out." Instantly the water rose on +high like a white mist, and moved away with the other clouds, and the +fishes sprang on the shore and laid themselves side by side each +according to his size and kind. When the drummer awoke, he saw with +amazement that all was done. But the maiden said, "One of the fish is +not lying with those of its own kind, but quite alone; when the old +woman comes to-night and sees that all she demanded has been done, she +will ask thee, 'What is this fish lying alone for?' Then throw the +fish in her face, and say, 'This one shall be for thee, old witch.'" +In the evening the witch came, and when she had put this question, he +threw the fish in her face. She behaved as if she did not remark it, +and said nothing, but looked at him with malicious eyes. Next morning +she said, "Yesterday it was too easy for thee, I must give thee harder +work. To-day thou must hew down the whole of the forest, split the +wood into logs, and pile them up, and everything must be finished by +the evening." She gave him an axe, a mallet, and two wedges. But the +axe was made of lead, and the mallet and wedges were of tin. When he +began to cut, the edge of the axe turned back, and the mallet and +wedges were beaten out of shape. He did not know how to manage, but at +mid-day the maiden came once more with his dinner and comforted him. +"Lay thy head on my lap," said she, "and sleep; when thou awakest, thy +work will be done." She turned her wishing-ring, and in an instant the +whole forest fell down with a crash, the wood split, and arranged +itself in heaps, and it seemed just as if unseen giants were finishing +the work. When he awoke, the maiden said, "Dost thou see that the wood +is piled up and arranged, one bough alone remains; but when the old +woman comes this evening and asks thee about that bough, give her a +blow with it, and say, 'That is for thee, thou witch.'" + +The old woman came, "There thou seest how easy the work was!" said +she; "but for whom hast thou left that bough which is lying there +still?" + +"For thee, thou witch," he replied, and gave her a blow with it. But +she pretended not to feel it, laughed scornfully, and said, "Early +to-morrow morning thou shalt arrange all the wood in one heap, set +fire to it, and burn it." He rose at break of day, and began to pick +up the wood, but how can a single man get a whole forest together? The +work made no progress. The maiden, however, did not desert him in his +need. She brought him his food at noon, and when he had eaten, he laid +his head on her lap, and went to sleep. When he awoke, the entire pile +of wood was burning in one enormous flame, which stretched its tongues +out into the sky. "Listen to me," said the maiden, "when the witch +comes, she will give thee all kinds of orders; do whatever she asks +thee without fear, and then she will not be able to get the better of +thee, but if thou art afraid, the fire will lay hold of thee, and +consume thee. At last when thou hast done everything, seize her with +both thy hands, and throw her into the midst of the fire." The maiden +departed, and the old woman came sneaking up to him. "Oh, I am cold," +said she, "but that is a fire that burns; it warms my old bones for +me, and does me good! But there is a log lying there which won't burn, +bring it out for me. When thou hast done that, thou art free, and +mayst go where thou likest, come; go in with a good will." + +The drummer did not reflect long; he sprang into the midst of the +flames, but they did not hurt him, and could not even singe a hair of +his head. He carried the log out, and laid it down. Hardly, however, +had the wood touched the earth than it was transformed, and the +beautiful maiden who had helped him in his need stood before him, and +by the silken and shining golden garments which she wore, he knew +right well that she was the King's daughter. But the old woman laughed +venomously, and said, "Thou thinkest thou hast her safe, but thou hast +not got her yet!" Just as she was about to fall on the maiden and take +her away, the youth seized the old woman with both his hands, raised +her up on high, and threw her into the jaws of the fire, which closed +over her as if it were delighted that an old witch was to be burnt. + +Then the King's daughter looked at the drummer, and when she saw that +he was a handsome youth and remembered how he had risked his life to +deliver her, she gave him her hand, and said, "Thou hast ventured +everything for my sake, but I also will do everything for thine. +Promise to be true to me, and thou shalt be my husband. We shall not +want for riches, we shall have enough with what the witch has gathered +together here." She led him into the house, where there were chests +and coffers crammed with the old woman's treasures. The maiden left +the gold and silver where it was, and took only the precious stones. +She would not stay any longer on the glass-mountain, so the drummer +said to her, "Seat thyself by me on my saddle, and then we will fly +down like birds." "I do not like the old saddle," said she, "I need +only turn my wishing-ring and we shall be at home." "Very well, then," +answered the drummer, "then wish us in front of the town-gate." In the +twinkling of an eye they were there, but the drummer said, "I will +just go to my parents and tell them the news, wait for me outside +here, I shall soon be back." "Ah," said the King's daughter, "I beg +thee to be careful. On thy arrival do not kiss thy parents on the +right cheek, or else thou wilt forget everything, and I shall stay +behind here outside, alone and deserted." "How can I forget thee?" +said he, and promised her to come back very soon, and gave his hand +upon it. When he went into his father's house, he had changed so much +that no one knew who he was, for the three days which he had passed on +the glass-mountain had been three years. Then he made himself known, +and his parents fell on his neck with joy, and his heart was so moved +that he forgot what the maiden had said, and kissed them on both +cheeks. But when he had given them the kiss on the right cheek, every +thought of the King's daughter vanished from him. He emptied out his +pockets, and laid handfuls of the largest jewels on the table. The +parents had not the least idea what to do with the riches. Then the +father built a magnificent castle all surrounded by gardens, woods, +and meadows as if a prince were going to live in it, and when it was +ready, the mother said, "I have found a maiden for thee, and the +wedding shall be in three days. The son was content to do as his +parents desired." + +The poor King's daughter had stood for a long time without the town +waiting for the return of the young man. When evening came, she said, +"He must certainly have kissed his parents on the right cheek, and has +forgotten me." Her heart was full of sorrow, she wished herself into a +solitary little hut in a forest, and would not return to her father's +court. Every evening she went into the town and passed the young man's +house; he often saw her, but he no longer knew her. At length she +heard the people saying, "The wedding will take place to-morrow." Then +she said, "I will try if I can win his heart back." + +On the first day of the wedding ceremonies, she turned her +wishing-ring, and said, "A dress as bright as the sun." Instantly the +dress lay before her, and it was as bright as if it had been woven of +real sunbeams. When all the guests were assembled, she entered the +hall. Every one was amazed at the beautiful dress, and the bride most +of all, and as pretty dresses were the things she had most delight in, +she went to the stranger and asked if she would sell it to her. "Not +for money," she answered, "but if I may pass the first night outside +the door of the room where your betrothed sleeps, I will give it up to +you." The bride could not overcome her desire and consented, but she +mixed a sleeping-draught with the wine her betrothed took at night, +which made him fall into a deep sleep, When all had become quiet, the +King's daughter crouched down by the door of the bedroom, opened it +just a little, and cried, + + "Drummer, drummer, I pray thee hear! + Hast thou forgotten thou heldest me dear? + That on the glass-mountain we sat hour by hour? + That I rescued thy life from the witch's power? + Didst thou not plight thy troth to me? + Drummer, drummer, hearken to me!" + +But it was all in vain, the drummer did not awake, and when morning +dawned, the King's daughter was forced to go back again as she came. +On the second evening she turned her wishing-ring and said, "A dress +as silvery as the moon." When she appeared at the feast in the dress +which was as soft as moonbeams, it again excited the desire of the +bride, and the King's daughter gave it to her for permission to pass +the second night also, outside the door of the bedroom. Then in the +stillness of the night, she cried, + + "Drummer, drummer, I pray thee hear! + Hast thou forgotten thy heldest me dear? + That on the glass-mountain we sat hour by hour? + That I rescued thy life from the witch's power? + Didst thou not plight thy troth to me? + Drummer, drummer, hearken to me!" + +But the drummer, who was stupefied with the sleeping-draught, could +not be aroused. Sadly next morning she went back to her hut in the +forest. But the people in the house had heard the lamentation of the +stranger-maiden, and told the bridegroom about it. They told him also +that it was impossible that he could hear anything of it, because the +maiden he was going to marry had poured a sleeping-draught into his +wine. + +On the third evening, the King's daughter turned her wishing-ring, and +said, "A dress glittering like the stars." When she showed herself +therein at the feast, the bride was quite beside herself with the +splendour of the dress, which far surpassed the others, and she said, +"I must, and will have it." The maiden gave it as she had given the +others for permission to spend the night outside the bridegroom's +door. The bridegroom, however, did not drink the wine which was handed +to him before he went to bed, but poured it behind the bed, and when +everything was quiet, he heard a sweet voice which called to him, + + "Drummer, drummer, I pray thee hear! + Hast thou forgotten thou held me dear? + That on the glass-mountain we sat hour by hour? + That I rescued thy life from the witch's power? + Didst thou not plight thy troth to me? + Drummer, drummer, hearken to me!" + +Suddenly, his memory returned to him. "Ah," cried he, "how can I have +acted so unfaithfully; but the kiss which in the joy of my heart I +gave my parents, on the right cheek, that is to blame for it all, that +is what stupefied me!" He sprang up, took the King's daughter by the +hand, and led her to his parents' bed. "This is my true bride," said +he; "if I marry the other, I shall do a great wrong." The parents, +when they heard how everything had happened, gave their consent. Then +the lights in the hall were lighted again, drums and trumpets were +brought, friends and relations were invited to come, and the real +wedding was solemnized with great rejoicing. The first bride received +the beautiful dresses as a compensation, and declared herself +satisfied. + + + +194 The Ear of Corn + +In former times, when God himself still walked the earth, the fruitfulness +of the soil was much greater than it is now; then the ears of corn did +not bear fifty or sixty, but four or five hundred-fold. Then the corn +grew from the bottom to the very top o f the stalk, and according to the +length of the stalk was the length of the ear. Men however are so made, +that when they are too well off they no longer value the blessings which +come from God, but grow indifferent and careless. One day a woman was +passing by a corn-field when her little child, who was running beside her, +fell into a puddle, and dirtied her frock. On this the mother tore up +a handful of the beautiful ears of corn, and cleaned the frock with them. + +When the Lord, who just then came by, saw that, he was angry, and said, +"Henceforth shall the stalks of corn bear no more ears; men are no longer +worthy of heavenly gifts." The by-standers who heard this, were terrified, +and fell on their knees and prayed that he would still leave something +on the stalks, even if the people were undeserving of it, for the sake of +the innocent birds which would otherwise have to starve. The Lord, who +foresaw their suffering, had pity on them, and granted the request. So +the ears were left as they now grow. + + + +195 The Grave-Mound + +A rich farmer was one day standing in his yard inspecting his fields +and gardens. The corn was growing up vigorously and the fruit-trees were +heavily laden with fruit. The grain of the year before still lay in such +immense heaps on the floors that the rafters could hardly bear it. Then +he went into the stable, where were well-fed oxen, fat cows, and horses +bright as looking-glass. At length he went back into his sitting-room, +and cast a glance at the iron chest in which his money lay. + +Whilst he was thus standing surveying his riches, all at once there was a +loud knock close by him. The knock was not at the door of his room, but +at the door of his heart. It opened, and he heard a voice which said to +him, "Hast thou done good to thy family with it? Hast thou considered the +necessities of the poor? Hast thou shared thy bread with the hungry? Hast +thou been contented with what thou hast, or didst thou always desire to +have more?" The heart was not slow in answering, "I have been hard and +pitiless, and have never shown any kindness to my own family. If a beggar +came, I turned away my eyes from him. I have not troubled myself about +God, but have thought only of increasing my wealth. If everything which +the sky covers had been mine own, I should still not have had enough." + +When he was aware of this answer he was greatly alarmed, his knees began +to tremble, and he was forced to sit down. + +Then there was another knock, but the knock was at the door of his +room. It was his neighbour, a poor man who had a number of children whom +he could no longer satisfy with food. "I know," thought the poor man, +"that my neighbour is rich, but he is as hard as he is rich. I don't +believe he will help me, but my children are crying for bread, so I will +venture it." He said to the rich man, "You do not readily give away +anything that is yours, but I stand here like one who feels the water +rising above his head. My children are starving, lend me four measures* +of corn." The rich man looked at him long, and then the first sunbeam of +mercy began to melt away a drop of the ice of greediness. "I will not +lend thee four measures," he answered, "but I will make thee a present +of eight, but thou must fulfil one condition." "What am I to do?" said +the poor man. "When I am dead, thou shalt watch for three nights by my +grave." The peasant was disturbed in his mind at this request, but in the +need in which he was, he would have consented to anything; he accepted, +therefore, and carried the corn home with him. + +It seemed as if the rich man had foreseen what was about to happen, +for when three days were gone by, he suddenly dropped down dead. No one +knew exactly how it came to pass, but no one grieved for him. When he +was buried, the poor man remembered his promise; he would willingly +have been released from it, but he thought, "After all, he acted +kindly by me. I have fed my hungry children with his corn, and even if +that were not the case, where I have once given my promise I must keep +it." At nightfall he went into the churchyard, and seated himself on the +grave-mound. Everything was quiet, only the moon appeared above the grave, +and frequently an owl flew past and uttered her melancholy cry. When the +sun rose, the poor man betook himself in safety to his home, and in the +same manner the second night passed quietly by. On the evening of the +third day he felt a strange uneasiness, it seemed to him that something +was about to happen. When he went out he saw, by the churchyard-wall, +a man whom he had never seen before. He was no longer young, had scars +on his face, and his eyes looked sharply and eagerly around. He was +entirely covered with an old cloak, and nothing was visible but his great +riding-boots. "What are you looking for here?" the peasant asked. "Are +you not afraid of the lonely churchyard?" + +"I am looking for nothing," he answered, "and I am afraid of nothing! I +am like the youngster who went forth to learn how to shiver, and had +his labour for his pains, but got the King's daughter to wife and great +wealth with her, only I have remained poor. I am nothing but a paid-off +soldier, and I mean to pass the night here, because I have no other +shelter." "If you are without fear," said the peasant, "stay with me, +and help me to watch that grave there." + +"To keep watch is a soldier's business," he replied, "whatever we fall in +with here, whether it be good or bad, we will share it between us." The +peasant agreed to this, and they seated themselves on the grave together. + +All was quiet until midnight, when suddenly a shrill whistling was heard +in the air, and the two watchers perceived the Evil One standing bodily +before them. "Be off, you ragamuffins!" cried he to them, "the man who +lies in that grave belongs to me; I want to take him, and if you don't +go away I will wring your necks!" "Sir with the red feather," said the +soldier, "you are not my captain, I have no need to obey you, and I have +not yet learned how to fear. Go away, we shall stay sitting here." + +The Devil thought to himself, "Money is the best thing with which to +get hold of these two vagabonds." So he began to play a softer tune, +and asked quite kindly, if they would not accept a bag of money, and +go home with it? "That is worth listening to," answered the soldier, +"but one bag of gold won't serve us, if you will give as much as will +go into one of my boots, we will quit the field for you and go away." + +"I have not so much as that about me," said the Devil, "but I will fetch +it. In the neighbouring town lives a money-changer who is a good friend +of mine, and will readily advance it to me." When the Devil had vanished +the soldier took his left boot off, and said, "We will soon pull the +charcoal-burner's nose for him, just give me your knife, comrade." He +cut the sole off the boot, and put it in the high grass near the grave +on the edge of a hole that was half over-grown. "That will do," said he; +"now the chimney-sweep may come." + +They both sat down and waited, and it was not long before the Devil +returned with a small bag of gold in his hand. "Just pour it in," said +the soldier, raising up the boot a little, "but that won't be enough." + +The Black One shook out all that was in the bag; the gold fell through, +and the boot remained empty. "Stupid Devil," cried the soldier, "it +won't do! Didn't I say so at once? Go back again, and bring more." The +Devil shook his head, went, and in an hour's time came with a much +larger bag under his arm. "Now pour it in," cried the soldier, "but +I doubt the boot won't be full." The gold clinked as it fell, but the +boot remained empty. The Devil looked in himself with his burning eyes, +and convinced himself of the truth. "You have shamefully big calves to +your legs!" cried he, and made a wry face. "Did you think," replied the +soldier, "that I had a cloven foot like you? Since when have you been so +stingy? See that you get more gold together, or our bargain will come +to nothing!" The Wicked One went off again. This time he stayed away +longer, and when at length he appeared he was panting under the weight +of a sack which lay on his shoulders. He emptied it into the boot, +which was just as far from being filled as before. He became furious, +and was just going to tear the boot out of the soldier's hands, but at +that moment the first ray of the rising sun broke forth from the sky, +and the Evil Spirit fled away with loud shrieks. The poor soul was saved. + +The peasant wished to divide the gold, but the soldier said, "Give what +falls to my lot to the poor, I will come with thee to thy cottage, and +together we will live in rest and peace on what remains, as long as God +is pleased to permit." + + + +196 Old Rinkrank + +There was once on a time a King who had a daughter, and he caused a +glass mountain to be made, and said that whosoever could cross to the +other side of it without falling should have his daughter to wife. Then +there was one who loved the King's daughter, and he asked the King if +he might have her. "Yes," said the King; "if you can cross the mountain +without falling, you shall have her." And the princess said she would +go over it with him, and would hold him if he were about to fall. So +they set out together to go over it, and when they were half way up +the princess slipped and fell, and the glass-mountain opened and shut +her up inside it, and her betrothed could not see where she had gone, +for the mountain closed immediately. Then he wept and lamented much, +and the King was miserable too, and had the mountain broken open where +she had been lost, and though the would be able to get her out again, +but they could not find the place into which she had fallen. Meanwhile +the King's daughter had fallen quite deep down into the earth into a +great cave. An old fellow with a very long gray beard came to meet her, +and told her that if she would be his servant and do everything he bade +her, she might live, if not he would kill her. So she did all he bade +her. In the mornings he took his ladder out of his pocket, and set it +up against the mountain and climbed to the top by its help, and then +he drew up the ladder after him. The princess had to cook his dinner, +make his bed, and do all his work, and when he came home again he always +brought with him a heap of gold and silver. When she had lived with him +for many years, and had grown quite old, he called her Mother Mansrot, +and she had to call him Old Rinkrank. Then once when he was out, and she +had made his bed and washed his dishes, she shut the doors and windows all +fast, and there was one little window through which the light shone in, +and this she left open. When Old Rinkrank came home, he knocked at his +door, and cried, "Mother Mansrot, open the door for me." "No," said she, +"Old Rinkrank, I will not open the door for thee." Then he said, + +"Here stand I, poor Rinkrank, On my seventeen long shanks, On my weary, +worn-out foot, Wash my dishes, Mother Mansrot." + +"I have washed thy dishes already," said she. Then again he said, + +"Here stand I, poor Rinkrank, On my seventeen long shanks, On my weary, +worn-out foot, Make me my bed, Mother Mansrot." + +"I have made thy bed already," said she. Then again he said, + +"Here stand I, poor Rinkrank, On my seventeen long shanks, On my weary, +worn-out foot, Open the door, Mother Mansrot." + +Then he ran all round his house, and saw that the little window was open, +and thought, "I will look in and see what she can be about, and why she +will not open the door for me." He tried to peep in, but could not get +his head through because of his long beard. So he first put his beard +through the open window, but just as he had got it through, Mother Mansrot +came by and pulled the window down with a cord which she had tied to it, +and his beard was shut fast in it. Then he began to cry most piteously, +for it hurt him very much, and to entreat her to release him again. But +she said not until he gave her the ladder with which he ascended the +mountain. Then, whether he would or not, he had to tell her where the +ladder was. And she fastened a very long ribbon to the window, and then +she set up the ladder, and ascended the mountain, and when she was at the +top of it she opened the window. She went to her father, and told him all +that had happened to her. The King rejoiced greatly, and her betrothed was +still there, and they went and dug up the mountain, and found Old Rinkrank +inside it with all his gold and silver. Then the King had Old Rinkrank +put to death, and took all his gold and silver. The princess married +her betrothed, and lived right happily in great magnificence and joy. + + + +197 The Crystal Ball + +There was once an enchantress, who had three sons who loved each other as +brothers, but the old woman did not trust them, and thought they wanted +to steal her power from her. So she changed the eldest into an eagle, +which was forced to dwell in the rocky mountains, and was often seen +sweeping in great circles in the sky. The second, she changed into a +whale, which lived in the deep sea, and all that was seen of it was that +it sometimes spouted up a great jet of water in the air. Each of them +only bore his human form for only two hours daily. The third son, who +was afraid she might change him into a raging wild beast a bear perhaps, +or a wolf, went secretly away. He had heard that a King's daughter who +was bewitched, was imprisoned in the Castle of the Golden Sun, and was +waiting for deliverance. Those, however, who tried to free her risked +their lives; three-and-twenty youths had already died a miserable death, +and now only one other might make the attempt, after which no more must +come. And as his heart was without fear, he caught at the idea of seeking +out the Castle of the Golden Sun. He had already travelled about for a +long time without being able to find it, when he came by chance into a +great forest, and did not know the way out of it. All at once he saw +in the distance two giants, who made a sign to him with their hands, +and when he came to them they said, "We are quarrelling about a cap, and +which of us it is to belong to, and as we are equally strong, neither +of us can get the better of the other. The small men are cleverer than +we are, so we will leave the decision to thee." "How can you dispute +about an old cap?" said the youth. "Thou dost not know what properties +it has! It is a wishing-cap; whosoever puts it on, can wish himself away +wherever he likes, and in an instant he will be there." "Give me the cap," +said the youth, "I will go a short distance off, and when I call you, +you must run a race, and the cap shall belong to the one who gets first +to me." He put it on and went away, and thought of the King's daughter, +forgot the giants, and walked continually onward. At length he sighed +from the very bottom of his heart, and cried, "Ah, if I were but at the +Castle of the Golden Sun," and hardly had the words passed his lips than +he was standing on a high mountain before the gate of the castle. + +He entered and went through all the rooms, until in the last he found +the King's daughter. But how shocked he was when he saw her. She had +an ashen-gray face full of wrinkles, blear eyes, and red hair. "Are +you the King's daughter, whose beauty the whole world praises?" cried +he. "Ah," she answered, "this is not my form; human eyes can only see +me in this state of ugliness, but that thou mayst know what I am like, +look in the mirror it does not let itself be misled it will show thee +my image as it is in truth." She gave him the mirror in his hand, and he +saw therein the likeness of the most beautiful maiden on earth, and saw, +too, how the tears were rolling down her cheeks with grief. Then said he, +"How canst thou be set free? I fear no danger." She said, "He who gets +the crystal ball, and holds it before the enchanter, will destroy his +power with it, and I shall resume my true shape. Ah," she added, "so +many have already gone to meet death for this, and thou art so young; +I grieve that thou shouldst encounter such great danger." "Nothing can +keep me from doing it," said he, "but tell me what I must do." "Thou +shalt know everything," said the King's daughter; "when thou descendest +the mountain on which the castle stands, a wild bull will stand below +by a spring, and thou must fight with it, and if thou hast the luck to +kill it, a fiery bird will spring out of it, which bears in its body a +burning egg, and in the egg the crystal ball lies like a yolk. The bird +will not, however, let the egg fall until forced to do so, and if it +falls on the ground, it will flame up and burn everything that is near, +and melt even ice itself, and with it the crystal ball, and then all +thy trouble will have been in vain." + +The youth went down to the spring, where the bull snorted and bellowed +at him. After a long struggle he plunged his sword in the animal's body, +and it fell down. Instantly a fiery bird arose from it, and was about to +fly away, but the young man's brother, the eagle, who was passing between +the clouds, swooped down, hunted it away to the sea, and struck it with +his beak until, in its extremity, it let the egg fall. The egg did not, +however, fall into the sea, but on a fisherman's hut which stood on the +shore and the hut began at once to smoke and was about to break out in +flames. Then arose in the sea waves as high as a house, they streamed +over the hut, and subdued the fire. The other brother, the whale, had +come swimming to them, and had driven the water up on high. When the fire +was extinguished, the youth sought for the egg and happily found it; +it was not yet melted, but the shell was broken by being so suddenly +cooled with the water, and he could take out the crystal ball unhurt. + +When the youth went to the enchanter and held it before him, the latter +said, "My power is destroyed, and from this time forth thou art the +King of the Castle of the Golden Sun. With this canst thou likewise give +back to thy brothers their human form." Then the youth hastened to the +King's daughter, and when he entered the room, she was standing there +in the full splendour of her beauty, and joyfully they exchanged rings +with each other. + + + +198 Maid Maleen + +There was once a King who had a son who asked in marriage the daughter of +a mighty King; she was called Maid Maleen, and was very beautiful. As +her father wished to give her to another, the prince was rejected; +but as they both loved each other with all their hearts, they would +not give each other up, and Maid Maleen said to her father, "I can and +will take no other for my husband." Then the King flew into a passion, +and ordered a dark tower to be built, into which no ray of sunlight or +moonlight should enter. When it was finished, he said, "Therein shalt +thou be imprisoned for seven years, and then I will come and see if +thy perverse spirit is broken." Meat and drink for the seven years were +carried into the tower, and then she and her waiting-woman were led into +it and walled up, and thus cut off from the sky and from the earth. There +they sat in the darkness, and knew not when day or night began. The +King's son often went round and round the tower, and called their names, +but no sound from without pierced through the thick walls. What else +could they do but lament and complain? Meanwhile the time passed, and by +the diminution of the food and drink they knew that the seven years were +coming to an end. They thought the moment of their deliverance was come; +but no stroke of the hammer was heard, no stone fell out of the wall, +and it seemed to Maid Maleen that her father had forgotten her. As they +only had food for a short time longer, and saw a miserable death awaiting +them, Maid Maleen said, "We must try our last chance, and see if we can +break through the wall." She took the bread-knife, and picked and bored +at the mortar of a stone, and when she was tired, the waiting-maid took +her turn. With great labour they succeeded in getting out one stone, and +then a second, and a third, and when three days were over the first ray +of light fell on their darkness, and at last the opening was so large +that they could look out. The sky was blue, and a fresh breeze played +on their faces; but how melancholy everything looked all around! Her +father's castle lay in ruins, the town and the villages were, so far as +could be seen, destroyed by fire, the fields far and wide laid to waste, +and no human being was visible. When the opening in the wall was large +enough for them to slip through, the waiting-maid sprang down first, +and then Maid Maleen followed. But where were they to go? The enemy +had ravaged the whole kingdom, driven away the King, and slain all the +inhabitants. They wandered forth to seek another country, but nowhere +did they find a shelter, or a human being to give them a mouthful of +bread, and their need was so great that they were forced to appease +their hunger with nettles. When, after long journeying, they came into +another country, they tried to get work everywhere; but wherever they +knocked they were turned away, and no one would have pity on them. At +last they arrived in a large city and went to the royal palace. There +also they were ordered to go away, but at last the cook said that they +might stay in the kitchen and be scullions. + +The son of the King in whose kingdom they were, was, however, the very +man who had been betrothed to Maid Maleen. His father had chosen another +bride for him, whose face was as ugly as her heart was wicked. The wedding +was fixed, and the maiden had already arrived; but because of her great +ugliness, however, she shut herself in her room, and allowed no one to +see her, and Maid Maleen had to take her her meals from the kitchen. When +the day came for the bride and the bridegroom to go to church, she was +ashamed of her ugliness, and afraid that if she showed herself in the +streets, she would be mocked and laughed at by the people. Then said +she to Maid Maleen, "A great piece of luck has befallen thee. I have +sprained my foot, and cannot well walk through the streets; thou shalt +put on my wedding-clothes and take my place; a greater honour than +that thou canst not have!" Maid Maleen, however, refused it, and said, +"I wish for no honour which is not suitable for me." It was in vain, too, +that the bride offered her gold. At last she said angrily, "If thou dost +not obey me, it shall cost thee thy life. I have but to speak the word, +and thy head will lie at thy feet." Then she was forced to obey, and put +on the bride's magnificent clothes and all her jewels. When she entered +the royal hall, every one was amazed at her great beauty, and the King +said to his son, "This is the bride whom I have chosen for thee, and whom +thou must lead to church." The bridegroom was astonished, and thought, +"She is like my Maid Maleen, and I should believe that it was she herself, +but she has long been shut up in the tower, or dead." He took her by the +hand and led her to church. On the way was a nettle-plant, and she said, + +"Oh, nettle-plant, Little nettle-plant, What dost thou here alone? I have +known the time When I ate thee unboiled, When I ate thee unroasted." + +"What art thou saying?" asked the King's son. "Nothing," she replied, +"I was only thinking of Maid Maleen." He was surprised that she knew +about her, but kept silence. When they came to the foot-plank into the +churchyard, she said, + +"Foot-bridge, do not break, I am not the true bride." + +"What art thou saying there?" asked the King's son. "Nothing," she +replied, "I was only thinking of Maid Maleen." "Dost thou know Maid +Maleen?" "No," she answered, "how should I know her; I have only heard +of her." When they came to the church-door, she said once more, + +"Church-door, break not, I am not the true bride." + +"What art thou saying there?" asked he. "Ah," she answered, "I was +only thinking of Maid Maleen." Then he took out a precious chain, put +it round her neck, and fastened the clasp. Thereupon they entered the +church, and the priest joined their hands together before the altar, +and married them. He led her home, but she did not speak a single word +the whole way. When they got back to the royal palace, she hurried into +the bride's chamber, put off the magnificent clothes and the jewels, +dressed herself in her gray gown, and kept nothing but the jewel on her +neck, which she had received from the bridegroom. + +When the night came, and the bride was to be led into the prince's +apartment, she let her veil fall over her face, that he might not observe +the deception. As soon as every one had gone away, he said to her, "What +didst thou say to the nettle-plant which was growing by the wayside?" + +"To which nettle-plant?" asked she; "I don't talk to nettle-plants." "If +thou didst not do it, then thou art not the true bride," said he. So +she bethought herself, and said, + +"I must go out unto my maid, Who keeps my thoughts for me." + +She went out and sought Maid Maleen. "Girl, what hast thou been saying +to the nettle?" "I said nothing but, + +"Oh, nettle-plant, Little nettle-plant, What dost thou here alone? I have +known the time When I ate thee unboiled, When I ate thee unroasted." + +The bride ran back into the chamber, and said, "I know now what I said to +the nettle," and she repeated the words which she had just heard. "But +what didst thou say to the foot-bridge when we went over it?" asked +the King's son. "To the foot-bridge?" she answered. "I don't talk to +foot-bridges." "Then thou art not the true bride." + +She again said, + +"I must go out unto my maid, Who keeps my thoughts for me," + +And ran out and found Maid Maleen, "Girl, what didst thou say to the +foot-bridge?" + +"I said nothing but, + +"Foot-bridge, do not break, I am not the true bride." + +"That costs thee thy life!" cried the bride, but she hurried into the +room, and said, "I know now what I said to the foot-bridge," and she +repeated the words. "But what didst thou say to the church-door?" "To +the church-door?" she replied; "I don't talk to church-doors." "Then +thou art not the true bride." + +She went out and found Maid Maleen, and said, "Girl, what didst thou +say to the church-door?" + +"I said nothing but, + +"Church-door, break not, I am not the true bride." + +"That will break thy neck for thee!" cried the bride, and flew into a +terrible passion, but she hastened back into the room, and said, "I know +now what I said to the church-door," and she repeated the words. "But +where hast thou the jewel which I gave thee at the church-door?" "What +jewel?" she answered; "thou didst not give me any jewel." "I myself put +it round thy neck, and I myself fastened it; if thou dost not know that, +thou art not the true bride." He drew the veil from her face, and when +he saw her immeasurable ugliness, he sprang back terrified, and said, +"How comest thou here? Who art thou?" "I am thy betrothed bride, but +because I feared lest the people should mock me when they saw me out +of doors, I commanded the scullery-maid to dress herself in my clothes, +and to go to church instead of me." "Where is the girl?" said he; "I want +to see her, go and bring her here." She went out and told the servants +that the scullery-maid was an impostor, and that they must take her out +into the court-yard and strike off her head. The servants laid hold of +Maid Maleen and wanted to drag her out, but she screamed so loudly for +help, that the King's son heard her voice, hurried out of his chamber +and ordered them to set the maiden free instantly. Lights were brought, +and then he saw on her neck the gold chain which he had given her at +the church-door. "Thou art the true bride," said he, "who went with me +to the church; come with me now to my room." When they were both alone, +he said, "On the way to church thou didst name Maid Maleen, who was my +betrothed bride; if I could believe it possible, I should think she was +standing before me thou art like her in every respect." She answered, +"I am Maid Maleen, who for thy sake was imprisoned seven years in the +darkness, who suffered hunger and thirst, and has lived so long in want +and poverty. To-day, however, the sun is shining on me once more. I +was married to thee in the church, and I am thy lawful wife." Then they +kissed each other, and were happy all the days of their lives. The false +bride was rewarded for what she had done by having her head cut off. + +The tower in which Maid Maleen had been imprisoned remained standing +for a long time, and when the children passed by it they sang, + +"Kling, klang, gloria. Who sits within this tower? A King's daughter, +she sits within, A sight of her I cannot win, The wall it will not break, +The stone cannot be pierced. Little Hans, with your coat so gay, Follow +me, follow me, fast as you may." + + + +199 The Boots of Buffalo-Leather + +A soldier who is afraid of nothing, troubles himself about nothing. One +of this kind had received his discharge, and as he had learnt no trade +and could earn nothing, he travelled about and begged alms of kind +people. He had an old waterproof on his back, and a pair of riding-boots +of buffalo-leather which were still left to him. One day he was walking +he knew not where, straight out into the open country, and at length +came to a forest. He did not know where he was, but saw sitting on the +trunk of a tree, which had been cut down, a man who was well dressed +and wore a green shooting-coat. The soldier shook hands with him, sat +down on the grass by his side, and stretched out his legs. "I see thou +hast good boots on, which are well blacked," said he to the huntsman; +"but if thou hadst to travel about as I have, they would not last +long. Look at mine, they are of buffalo-leather, and have been worn for +a long time, but in them I can go through thick and thin." After a while +the soldier got up and said, "I can stay no longer, hunger drives me +onwards; but, Brother Bright-boots, where does this road lead to?" "I +don't know that myself," answered the huntsman, "I have lost my way in +the forest." "Then thou art in the same plight as I," said the soldier; +"birds of a feather flock together, let us remain together, and seek +our way." The huntsman smiled a little, and they walked on further and +further, until night fell. "We do not get out of the forest," said the +soldier, "but there in the distance I see a light shining, which will help +us to something to eat." They found a stone house, knocked at the door, +and an old woman opened it. "We are looking for quarters for the night," +said the soldier, "and some lining for our stomachs, for mine is as empty +as an old knapsack." "You cannot stay here," answered the old woman; +"this is a robber's house, and you would do wisely to get away before they +come home, or you will be lost." "It won't be so bad as that," answered +the soldier, "I have not had a mouthful for two days, and whether I am +murdered here or die of hunger in the forest is all the same to me. I +shall go in." The huntsman would not follow, but the soldier drew him +in with him by the sleeve. "Come, my dear brother, we shall not come +to an end so quickly as that!" The old woman had pity on them and said, +"Creep in here behind the stove, and if they leave anything, I will give +it to you on the sly when they are asleep." Scarcely were they in the +corner before twelve robbers came bursting in, seated themselves at the +table which was already laid, and vehemently demanded some food. The +old woman brought in some great dishes of roast meat, and the robbers +enjoyed that thoroughly. When the smell of the food ascended the nostrils +of the soldier, he said to the huntsman, "I cannot hold out any longer, +I shall seat myself at the table, and eat with them." "Thou wilt bring us +to destruction," said the huntsman, and held him back by the arm. But the +soldier began to cough loudly. When the robbers heard that, they threw +away their knives and forks, leapt up, and discovered the two who were +behind the stove. "Aha, gentlemen, are you in the corner?" cried they, +"What are you doing here? Have you been sent as spies? Wait a while, +and you shall learn how to fly on a dry bough." "But do be civil," said +the soldier, "I am hungry, give me something to eat, and then you can +do what you like with me." The robbers were astonished, and the captain +said, "I see that thou hast no fear; well, thou shalt have some food, +but after that thou must die." "We shall see," said the soldier, and +seated himself at the table, and began to cut away valiantly at the roast +meat. "Brother Brightboots, come and eat," cried he to the huntsman; +"thou must be as hungry as I am, and cannot have better roast meat +at home," but the huntsman would not eat. The robbers looked at the +soldier in astonishment, and said, "The rascal uses no ceremony." After +a while he said, "I have had enough food, now get me something good to +drink." The captain was in the mood to humour him in this also, and +called to the old woman, "Bring a bottle out of the cellar, and mind +it be of the best." The soldier drew the cork out with a loud noise, +and then went with the bottle to the huntsman and said, "Pay attention, +brother, and thou shalt see something that will surprise thee; I am now +going to drink the health of the whole clan." Then he brandished the +bottle over the heads of the robbers, and cried, "Long life to you all, +but with your mouths open and your right hands lifted up," and then he +drank a hearty draught. Scarcely were the words said than they all sat +motionless as if made of stone, and their mouths were open and their +right hands stretched up in the air. The huntsman said to the soldier, +"I see that thou art acquainted with tricks of another kind, but now come +and let us go home." "Oho, my dear brother, but that would be marching +away far too soon; we have conquered the enemy, and must first take the +booty. Those men there are sitting fast, and are opening their mouths +with astonishment, but they will not be allowed to move until I permit +them. Come, eat and drink." The old woman had to bring another bottle of +the best wine, and the soldier would not stir until he had eaten enough +to last for three days. At last when day came, he said, "Now it is time +to strike our tents, and that our march may be a short one, the old woman +shall show us the nearest way to the town." When they had arrived there, +he went to his old comrades, and said, "Out in the forest I have found +a nest full of gallows' birds, come with me and we will take it." The +soldier led them, and said to the huntsman, "Thou must go back again +with me to see how they shake when we seize them by the feet." He placed +the men round about the robbers, and then he took the bottle, drank a +mouthful, brandished it above them, and cried, "Live again." Instantly +they all regained the power of movement, but were thrown down and bound +hand and foot with cords. Then the soldier ordered them to be thrown +into a cart as if they had been so many sacks, and said, "Now drive +them straight to prison." The huntsman, however, took one of the men +aside and gave him another commission besides. "Brother Bright-boots," +said the soldier, "we have safely routed the enemy and been well fed, +now we will quietly walk behind them as if we were stragglers!" When +they approached the town, the soldier saw a crowd of people pouring +through the gate of the town who were raising loud cries of joy, and +waving green boughs in the air. Then he saw that the entire body-guard +was coming up. "What can this mean?" said he to the huntsman. "Dost +thou not know?" he replied, "that the King has for a long time been +absent from his kingdom, and that to-day he is returning, and every +one is going to meet him." "But where is the King?" said the soldier, +"I do not see him." "Here he is," answered the huntsman, "I am the King, +and have announced my arrival." Then he opened his hunting-coat, and his +royal garments were visible. The soldier was alarmed, and fell on his +knees and begged him to forgive him for having in his ignorance treated +him as an equal, and spoken to him by such a name. But the King shook +hands with him, and said, "Thou art a brave soldier, and hast saved my +life. Thou shalt never again be in want, I will take care of thee. And +if ever thou wouldst like to eat a piece of roast meat, as good as that +in the robber's house, come to the royal kitchen. But if thou wouldst +drink a health, thou must first ask my permission." + + + +200 The Golden Key + +In the winter time, when deep snow lay on the ground, a poor boy was +forced to go out on a sledge to fetch wood. When he had gathered it +together, and packed it, he wished, as he was so frozen with cold, not +to go home at once, but to light a fire and warm himself a little. So he +scraped away the snow, and as he was thus clearing the ground, he found +a tiny, gold key. Hereupon he thought that where the key was, the lock +must be also, and dug in the ground and found an iron chest. "If the +key does but fit it!" thought he; "no doubt there are precious things +in that little box." He searched, but no keyhole was there. At last he +discovered one, but so small that it was hardly visible. He tried it, +and the key fitted it exactly. Then he turned it once round, and now we +must wait until he has quite unlocked it and opened the lid, and then +we shall learn what wonderful things were lying in that box. + + +----------------------------------------------------------- +----------------------------------------------------------- + + +Children's Legends + +Legend 1 St. Joseph in the Forest + +There was once on a time a mother who had three daughters, the eldest +of whom was rude and wicked, the second much better, although she had +her faults, but the youngest was a pious, good child. The mother was, +however, so strange, that it was just the eldest daughter whom she most +loved, and she could not bear the youngest. On this account, she often +sent the poor girl out into the great forest in order to get rid of her, +for she thought she would lose herself and never come back again. But +the guardian-angel which every good child has, did not forsake her, +but always brought her into the right path again. Once, however, the +guardian-angel behaved as if he were not there, and the child could not +find her way out of the forest again. She walked on constantly until +evening came, and then she saw a tiny light burning in the distance, +ran up to it at once, and came to a little hut. She knocked, the door +opened, and she came to a second door, where she knocked again. An old +man, who had a snow-white beard and looked venerable, opened it for her; +and he was no other than St. Joseph. He said quite kindly, "Come, dear +child, seat thyself on my little chair by the fire, and warm thyself; I +will fetch thee clear water if thou art thirsty; but here in the forest, +I have nothing for thee to eat but a couple of little roots, which thou +must first scrape and boil." + +St. Joseph gave her the roots. The girl scraped them clean, then she +brought a piece of pancake and the bread that her mother had given +her to take with her; mixed all together in a pan, and cooked herself +a thick soup. When it was ready, St. Joseph said, "I am so hungry; give +me some of thy food." The child was quite willing, and gave him more than +she kept for herself, but God's blessing was with her, so that she was +satisfied. When they had eaten, St. Joseph said, "Now we will go to bed; +I have, however, only one bed, lay thyself in it. I will lie on the ground +on the straw." "No," answered she, "stay in your own bed, the straw is +soft enough for me." St. Joseph, however, took the child in his arms, +and carried her into the little bed, and there she said her prayers, +and fell asleep. Next morning when she awoke, she wanted to say good +morning to St. Joseph, but she did not see him. Then she got up and +looked for him, but could not find him anywhere; at last she perceived, +behind the door, a bag with money so heavy that she could just carry it, +and on it was written that it was for the child who had slept there that +night. On this she took the bag, bounded away with it, and got safely +to her mother, and as she gave her mother all the money, she could not +help being satisfied with her. + +The next day, the second child also took a fancy to go into the +forest. Her mother gave her a much larger piece of pancake and bread. It +happened with her just as with the first child. In the evening she came +to St. Joseph's little hut, who gave her roots for a thick soup. When +it was ready, he likewise said to her, "I am so hungry, give me some of +thy food." Then the child said, "You may have your share." Afterwards, +when St. Joseph offered her his bed and wanted to lie on the straw, she +replied, "No, lie down in the bed, there is plenty of room for both of +us." St. Joseph took her in his arms and put her in the bed, and laid +himself on the straw. + +In the morning when the child awoke and looked for St. Joseph, he had +vanished, but behind the door she found a little sack of money that was +about as long as a hand, and on it was written that it was for the child +who had slept there last night. So she took the little bag and ran home +with it, and took it to her mother, but she secretly kept two pieces +for herself. + +The eldest daughter had by this time grown curious, and the next +morning also insisted on going out into the forest. Her mother gave +her pancakes with her---as many as she wanted, and bread and cheese as +well. In the evening she found St. Joseph in his little hut, just as the +two others had found him. When the soup was ready and St. Joseph said, +"I am so hungry, give me some of thy food," the girl answered, "Wait +until I am satisfied; then if there is anything left thou shalt have +it." She ate, however, nearly the whole of it, and St. Joseph had to +scrape the dish. Afterwards, the good old man offered her his bed, and +wanted to lie on the straw. She took it without making any opposition, +laid herself down in the little bed, and left the hard straw to the +white-haired man. Next morning when she awoke, St. Joseph was not to +be found, but she did not trouble herself about that. She looked behind +the door for a money-bag. She fancied something was lying on the ground, +but as she could not very well distinguish what it was, she stooped down, +and examined it closely, but it remained hanging to her nose, and when +she got up again, she saw, to her horror, that it was a second nose, +which was hanging fast to her own. Then she began to scream and howl, +but that did no good; she was forced to see it always on her nose, for it +stretched out so far. Then she ran out and screamed without stopping till +she met St. Joseph, at whose feet she fell and begged until, out of pity, +he took the nose off her again, and even gave her two farthings. When +she got home, her mother was standing before the door, and asked, "What +hast thou had given to thee?" Then she lied and said, "A great bag of +money, but I have lost it on the way." "Lost it!" cried the mother, "oh, +but we will soon find it again," and took her by the hand, and wanted to +seek it with her. At first she began to cry, and did not wish to go, but +at last she went. On the way, however, so many lizards and snakes broke +loose on both of them, that they did not know how to save themselves. At +last they stung the wicked child to death, and they stung the mother in +the foot, because she had not brought her up better. + + + +Legend 2 The Twelve Apostles + +Three hundred years before the birth of the Lord Christ, there lived +a mother who had twelve sons, but was so poor and needy that she no +longer knew how she was to keep them alive at all. She prayed to God +daily that he would grant that all her sons might be on the earth with +the Redeemer who was promised. When her necessity became still greater +she sent one of them after the other out into the world to seek bread +for her. The eldest was called Peter, and he went out and had already +walked a long way, a whole day's journey, when he came into a great +forest. He sought for a way out, but could find none, and went farther +and farther astray, and at the same time felt such great hunger that +he could scarcely stand. At length he became so weak that he was forced +to lie down, and he believed death to be at hand. Suddenly there stood +beside him a small boy who shone with brightness, and was as beautiful +and kind as an angel. The child smote his little hands together, +until Peter was forced to look up and saw him. Then the child said, +"Why art thou sitting there in such trouble?" "Alas!" answered Peter, +"I am going about the world seeking bread, that I may yet see the dear +Saviour who is promised, that is my greatest desire." The child said, +"Come with me, and thy wish shall be fulfilled." He took poor Peter by +the hand, and led him between some cliffs to a great cavern. When they +entered it, everything was shining with gold, silver, and crystal, and +in the midst of it twelve cradles were standing side by side. Then said +the little angel, "Lie down in the first, and sleep a while, I will rock +thee." Peter did so, and the angel sang to him and rocked him until he +was al seep. And when he was asleep, the second brother came also, guided +thither by his guardian angel, and he was rocked to sleep like the first, +and thus came the others, one after the other, until all twelve lay there +sleeping in the golden cradles. They slept, however, three hundred years, +until the night when the Saviour of the world was born. Then they awoke, +and were with him on earth, and were called the twelve apostles. + + + +Legend 3 The Rose + +There was once a poor woman who had two children. The youngest had to go +every day into the forest to fetch wood. Once when she had gone a long +way to seek it, a little child, who was quite strong, came and helped +her industriously to pick up the wood and carry it home, and then before +a moment had passed the strange child disappeared. The child told her +mother this, but at first she would not believe it. At length she brought +a rose home, and told her mother that the beautiful child had given her +this rose, and had told her that when it was in full bloom, he would +return. The mother put the rose in water. One morning her child could not +get out of bed, the mother went to the bed and found her dead, but she +lay looking very happy. On the same morning, the rose was in full bloom. + + + +Legend 4 Poverty and Humility Lead to Heaven + +There was once a King's son who went out into the world, and he was +full of thought and sad. He looked at the sky, which was so beautifully +pure and blue, then he sighed, and said, "How well must all be with one +up there in heaven!" Then he saw a poor gray-haired man who was coming +along the road towards him, and he spoke to him, and asked, "How can I +get to heaven?" The man answered, "By poverty and humility. Put on my +ragged clothes, wander about the world for seven years, and get to know +what misery is, take no money, but if thou art hungry ask compassionate +hearts for a bit of bread; in this way thou wilt reach heaven." + +Then the King's son took off his magnificent coat, and wore in its place +the beggar's garment, went out into the wide world, and suffered great +misery. He took nothing but a little food, said nothing, but prayed to +the Lord to take him into his heaven. When the seven years were over, +he returned to his father's palace, but no one recognized him. He said to +the servants, "Go and tell my parents that I have come back again." But +the servants did not believe it, and laughed and left him standing +there. Then said he, "Go and tell it to my brothers that they may come +down, for I should so like to see them again." The servants would not +do that either, but at last one of them went, and told it to the King's +children, but these did not believe it, and did not trouble themselves +about it. Then he wrote a letter to his mother, and described to her +all his misery, but he did not say that he was her son. So, out of pity, +the Queen had a place under the stairs assigned to him, and food taken +to him daily by two servants. But one of them was ill-natured and said, +"Why should the beggar have the good food?" and kept it for himself, or +gave it to the dogs, and took the weak, wasted-away beggar nothing but +water; the other, however, was honest, and took the beggar what was sent +to him. It was little, but he could live on it for a while, and all the +time he was quite patient, but he grew continually weaker. As, however, +his illness increased, he desired to receive the last sacrament. When +the host was being elevated down below, all the bells in the town and +neighbourhood began to ring. After mass the priest went to the poor man +under the stairs, and there he lay dead. In one hand he had a rose, in the +other a lily, and beside him was a paper in which was written his history. + +When he was buried, a rose grew on one side of his grave, and a lily on +the other. + + + +Legend 5 God's Food + +There were once upon a time two sisters, one of whom had no children and +was rich, and the other had five and was a widow, and so poor that she +no longer had food enough to satisfy herself and her children. In her +need, therefore, she went to her sister, and said, "My children and I +are suffering the greatest hunger; thou art rich, give me a mouthful +of bread." The very rich sister was as hard as a stone, and said, +"I myself have nothing in the house," and drove away the poor creature +with harsh words. After some time the husband of the rich sister came +home, and was just going to cut himself a piece of bread, but when he +made the first cut into the loaf, out flowed red blood. When the woman +saw that she was terrified and told him what had occurred. He hurried +away to help the widow and her children, but when he entered her room, +he found her praying. She had her two youngest children in her arms, and +the three eldest were lying dead. He offered her food, but she answered, +"For earthly food have we no longer any desire. God has already satisfied +the hunger of three of us, and he will hearken to our supplications +likewise." Scarcely had she uttered these words than the two little ones +drew their last breath, whereupon her heart broke, and she sank down dead. + + + +Legend 6 The Three Green Twigs + +There was once on a time a hermit who lived in a forest at the foot of +a mountain, and passed his time in prayer and good works, and every +evening he carried, to the glory of God, two pails of water up the +mountain. Many a beast drank of it, and many a plant was refreshed by +it, for on the heights above, a strong wind blew continually, which +dried the air and the ground, and the wild birds which dread mankind +wheel about there, and with their sharp eyes search for a drink. And +because the hermit was so pious, an angel of God, visible to his eyes, +went up with him, counted his steps, and when the work was completed, +brought him his food, even as the prophet of old was by God's command +fed by the raven. When the hermit in his piety had already reached a +great age, it happened that he once saw from afar a poor sinner being +taken to the gallows. He said carelessly to himself, "There, that one +is getting his deserts!" In the evening, when he was carrying the water +up the mountain, the angel who usually accompanied him did not appear, +and also brought him no food. Then he was terrified, and searched his +heart, and tried to think how he could have sinned, as God was so angry, +but he did not discover it. Then he neither ate nor drank, threw himself +down on the ground, and prayed day and night. And as he was one day +thus bitterly weeping in the forest, he heard a little bird singing +beautifully and delightfully, and then he was still more troubled and +said, "How joyously thou singest, the Lord is not angry with thee. Ah, +if thou couldst but tell me how I can have offended him, that I might +do penance, and then my heart also would be glad again." Then the bird +began to speak and said, "Thou hast done injustice, in that thou hast +condemned a poor sinner who was being led to the gallows, and for that +the Lord is angry with thee. He alone sits in judgement. However, if +thou wilt do penance and repent thy sins, he will forgive thee." Then +the angel stood beside him with a dry branch in his hand and said, "Thou +shalt carry this dry branch until three green twigs sprout out of it, +but at night when thou wilt sleep, thou shalt lay it under thy head. Thou +shalt beg thy bread from door to door, and not tarry more than one night +in the same house. That is the penance which the Lord lays on thee." + +Then the hermit took the piece of wood, and went back into the world, +which he had not seen for so long. He ate and drank nothing but what was +given him at the doors; many petitions were, however, not listened to, +and many doors remained shut to him, so that he often did not get a +crumb of bread. + +Once when he had gone from door to door from morning till night, and no +one had given him anything, and no one would shelter him for the night, +he went forth into a forest, and at last found a cave which someone had +made, and an old woman was sitting in it. Then said he, "Good woman, keep +me with you in your house for this night;" but she said, "No, I dare not, +even if I wished, I have three sons who are wicked and wild, if they +come home from their robbing expedition, and find you, they would kill +us both." The hermit said, "Let me stay, they will do no injury either +to you or to me." and the woman was compassionate, and let herself be +persuaded. Then the man lay down beneath the stairs, and put the bit of +wood under his head. When the old woman saw him do that, she asked the +reason of it, on which he told her that he carried the bit of wood about +with him for a penance, and used it at night for a pillow, and that he +had offended the Lord, because, when he had seen a poor sinner on the way +to the gallows, he had said he was getting his deserts. Then the woman +began to weep and cried, "If the Lord thus punishes one single word, +how will it fare with my sons when they appear before him in judgment?" + +At midnight the robbers came home and blustered and stormed. They +made a fire, and when it had lighted up the cave and they saw a man +lying under the stairs, they fell in a rage and cried to their mother, +"Who is the man? Have we not forbidden any one whatsoever to be taken +in?" Then said the mother, "Let him alone, it is a poor sinner who is +expiating his crime." The robbers asked, "What has he done?" "Old man," +cried they, "tell us thy sins." The old man raised himself and told them +how he, by one single word, had so sinned that God was angry with him, +and how he was now expiating this crime. The robbers were so powerfully +touched in their hearts by this story, that they were shocked with their +life up to this time, reflected, and began with hearty repentance to do +penance for it. The hermit, after he had converted the three sinners, +lay down to sleep again under the stairs. In the morning, however, +they found him dead, and out of the dry wood on which his head lay, +three green twigs had grown up on high. Thus the Lord had once more +received him into his favour. + + + +Legend 7 Our Lady's Little Glass + +Once upon a time a waggoner's cart which was heavily laden with wine +had stuck so fast that in spite of all that he could do, he could not +get it to move again. Then it chanced that Our Lady just happened to +come by that way, and when she perceived the poor man's distress, she +said to him, "I am tired and thirsty, give me a glass of wine, and I +will set thy cart free for thee." "Willingly," answered the waggoner, +"but I have no glass in which I can give thee the wine." Then Our Lady +plucked a little white flower with red stripes, called field bindweed, +which looks very like a glass, and gave it to the waggoner. He filled +it with wine, and then Our Lady drank it, and in the self-same instant +the cart was set free, and the waggoner could drive onwards. The little +flower is still always called Our Lady's Little Glass. + + + +Legend 8 The Aged Mother + +In a large town there was an old woman who sat in the evening alone +in her room thinking how she had lost first her husband, then both her +children, then one by one all her relations, and at length, that very +day, her last friend, and now she was quite alone and desolate. She was +very sad at heart, and heaviest of all her losses to her was that of +her sons; and in her pain she blamed God for it. She was still sitting +lost in thought, when all at once she heard the bells ringing for early +prayer. She was surprised that she had thus in her sorrow watched through +the whole night, and lighted her lantern and went to church. It was +already lighted up when she arrived, but not as it usually was with +wax candles, but with a dim light. It was also crowded already with +people, and all the seats were filled; and when the old woman got to +her usual place it also was not empty, but the whole bench was entirely +full. And when she looked at the people, they were none other than her +dead relations who were sitting there in their old-fashioned garments, +but with pale faces. They neither spoke nor sang; but a soft humming and +whispering was heard all over the church. Then an aunt of hers stood up, +stepped forward, and said to the poor old woman, "Look there beside the +altar, and thou wilt see thy sons." The old woman looked there, and saw +her two children, one hanging on the gallows, the other bound to the +wheel. Then said the aunt, "Behold, so would it have been with them if +they had lived, and if the good God had not taken them to himself when +they were innocent children." The old woman went trembling home, and +on her knees thanked God for having dealt with her more kindly than she +had been able to understand, and on the third day she lay down and died. + + + +Legend 9 The Heavenly Wedding + +A poor peasant-boy one day heard the priest say in church that whosoever +desired to enter into the kingdom of heaven must always go straight +onward. So he set out, and walked continually straight onwards over hill +and valley without ever turning aside. At length his way led him into a +great town, and into the midst of a church, where just at that time God's +service was being performed. Now when he beheld all the magnificence of +this, he thought he had reached heaven, sat down, and rejoiced with his +whole heart. When the service was over, and the clerk bade him go out, +he replied, "No, I will not go out again, I am glad to be in heaven at +last." So the clerk went to the priest, and told him that there was a +child in the church who would not go out again, because he believed he +was in heaven. The priest said, "If he believes that, we will leave +him inside." So he went to him, and asked if he had any inclination +to work. "Yes," the little fellow replied, "I am accustomed to work, +but I will not go out of heaven again." So he stayed in the church, +and when he saw how the people came and knelt and prayed to Our Lady +with the blessed child Jesus which was carved in wood, he thought "that +is the good God," and said, "Dear God, how thin you are! The people +must certainly let you starve; but every day I will give you half my +dinner." From this time forth, he every day took half his dinner to +the image, and the image began to enjoy the food. When a few weeks had +gone by, people remarked that the image was growing larger and stout +and strong, and wondered much. The priest also could not understand it, +but stayed in the church, and followed the little boy about, and then he +saw how he shared his food with the Virgin Mary, and how she accepted it. + +After some time the boy became ill, and for eight days could not leave his +bed; but as soon as he could get up again, the first thing he did was to +take his food to Our Lady. The priest followed him, and heard him say, +"Dear God, do not take it amiss that I have not brought you anything +for such a long time, for I have been ill and could not get up." Then +the image answered him and said, "I have seen thy good-will, and that is +enough for me. Next Sunday thou shalt go with me to the wedding." The boy +rejoiced at this, and repeated it to the priest, who begged him to go and +ask the image if he, too, might be permitted to go. "No," answered the +image, "thou alone." The priest wished to prepare him first, and give him +the holy communion and the child was willing, and next Sunday, when the +host came to him, he fell down and died, and was at the eternal wedding. + + + +Legend 10 The Hazel-Branch + +One afternoon the Christ-child had laid himself in his cradle-bed +and had fallen asleep. Then his mother came to him, looked at him +full of gladness, and said, "Hast thou laid thyself down to sleep, +my child? Sleep sweetly, and in the meantime I will go into the wood, +and fetch thee a handful of strawberries, for I know that thou wilt be +pleased with them when thou awakest." In the wood outside, she found a +spot with the most beautiful strawberries; but as she was stooping down to +gather one, an adder sprang up out of the grass. She was alarmed, left the +strawberries where they were, and hastened away. The adder darted after +her; but Our Lady, as you can readily understand, knew what it was best to +do. She hid herself behind a hazel-bush, and stood there until the adder +had crept away again. Then she gathered the strawberries, and as she set +out on her way home she said, "As the hazel-bush has been my protection +this time, it shall in future protect others also." Therefore, from the +most remote times, a green hazel-branch has been the safest protection +against adders, snakes, and everything else which creeps on the earth. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, HOUSEHOLD TALES BY BROTHERS GRIMM *** + +This file should be named grimm10a.txt or grimm10a.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, grimm11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, grimm10b.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext05 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext05 + +Or /etext04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, +91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + + PROJECT GUTENBERG LITERARY ARCHIVE FOUNDATION + 809 North 1500 West + Salt Lake City, UT 84116 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + |