In olden 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 bored 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.  At this
she began to cry, and cried louder and louder, and could not be
comforted.  And as she thus lamented someone said to her, "What ails
you, king's daughter?  You weep 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 big, ugly head from the water.  "Ah, old
water-splasher, is it you," she said, "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 you, but what will you give me if I bring your
plaything up again?"  "Whatever you will 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 your clothes, your
pearls and jewels, nor for your golden crown, but if you will love me
and let me be your companion and play-fellow, and sit by you at your
little table, and eat off your little golden plate, and drink out of
your little cup, and sleep in your little bed - if you will promise
me this I will go down below, and bring you your golden ball up
again."

"Oh yes," said she, "I promise you all you wish, if you will but bring
me my ball back again."  But she thought, "How the silly frog does
talk.  All he does is to sit in the water with the other frogs, and
croak.  He 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 you.  I can't run as you can."  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 are
you so afraid of?  Is there perchance a giant outside who wants to
carry you away?"  "Ah, no," replied she.  "It is no giant but a disgusting
frog."

"What does a frog want with you?"  "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,  do you not know what you
said to me yesterday by the cool waters of the well.  Princess,
youngest princess,  open the door for me."

Then said the king, "That which you have promised must you 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 you."  She delayed, until at last the king
commanded her to do it.  Once the frog was on the chair he wanted to
be on the table, and when he was on the table he said, "Now, push your
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 your little room and make your 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 you when you were in trouble ought not afterwards to be
despised by you."  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
you, lift me up or I will tell your father."  At this she was terribly
angry, and took him up and threw him with all her might against the
wall.  "Now, will you be quiet, odious frog," said she.  But when he
fell down he was no frog but a king's son with kind and beautiful
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.
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. You are poor and needy, bring your 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 your
keeping the keys of the thirteen doors of heaven.  Twelve of these
you may open, and behold the glory which is within them, but the
thirteenth, to which this little key belongs, is forbidden you.  Take
care not to open it, or you will be unhappy.' 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 splendor, 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 open it entirely, and I
will not go inside, but I will unlock it so that we can see just 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 your 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, 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 splendor.  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 hi there.  But her terror would not quit her, let her do what she
'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 'have
you not done it.' 'No,  said the girl for the third time.  Then said
the virgin mary 'you have not obeyed me, and besides that you have
lied, you are 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
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 'have you 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 'are you certain that you  have
not done it.'
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 are you.  Why are you sitting here in the
wilderness.' But she gave no answer, for she could not open her
mouth.  The king continued 'will you 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 you will tell the truth and confess
that you did unlock the forbidden door, I will open your mouth and
give you back your speech, but if you persevere in your sin, and deny
obstinately, I will take your new-born child away with me.' The 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 put her own child to death.
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 you will confess that you opened the
forbidden door, I will give you your child back and untie your tongue
but if you continue in sin and deny 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 your heart not yet softened.  If you will own
that you opened the forbidden door, I will give you back your 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 at the stake. 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.

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, you fellow in the corner there, you are growing tall and strong,
and you too must learn something by which you can earn your bread.
Look how your brother works, but you do not even earn your 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 'you shall soon
learn what it is to shudder, but you will not earn your 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 church 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. 'You shall 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 yourself off, you have 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 you are an honest fellow, or I will throw you down
the steps.' The sexton thought 'he can't mean 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 'do you not know where my husband is.
He climbed up the tower before you did.' 'No, I don't know, replied
the boy,  'but someone 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 so that he broke
his leg.  Take the good-for-nothing fellow out of 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 them
into your head.' 'Father,  he replied, 'do listen to me.  I am quite
innocent.  He was standing there by night like one intent on doing
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
you 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 you will,
spoke the father,  'it is all the same to me. Here are fifty talers
for you.  Take these and go into the wide world, and tell no one from
whence you come, and who is your father, for I have reason to be
ashamed of you.' '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 talers 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 beneath 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, you shall have my fifty talers.  Just
come back to me early in the morning.' Then the youth went to the
gallows, sat down beneath 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 'if you shiver below by
the fire, 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 stoked 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.  At 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 talers, and said 'well, do you know how to shudder.' 'No,
answered he,  'how should I 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 talers that day, and went away saying 'such a
youth 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 this and asked 'who are you.' 'I don't know, answered the
youth.  Then the waggoner asked 'from whence do you come.' 'I know
not.' 'Who is your father.' 'That I may not tell you.' 'What is it
that you are always muttering between your teeth.' 'Ah, replied the
youth,  'I do so wish I could shudder, but no one can teach me how.'
'Enough of your foolish chatter,  said the waggoner.  'Come, go with
me, I will see about a place for you.' 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 parlor 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 prying 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.  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.  Likewise in the castle
lay great treasures, 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
it be allowed, I will willingly watch three nights in the haunted
castle.' The king looked at him, and as the youth pleased him, he
said 'you may ask for three things to take into the castle with you,
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 fools.' 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 of 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 move, 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 you,
vermin, and began to cut them down. Some 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 stairs, 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, -- for so
handsome a 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 pass likewise.' Then he went to the
innkeeper, who opened his eyes very wide, and said 'I never expected
to see you alive again.  Have you 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 a while, and at length with a loud scream, half a man came down
the chimney and fell before him.  'Hullo.' Cried he,  'another half
belongs to this.  This is not enough.' Then the uproar began again,
there was a roaring and howling, and the other half fell down
likewise.  'Wait, said he,  'I will just stoke up the fire a little
for you.' When he had done that and looked round again, the two
pieces were joined together, and a hideous 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 'listen you, can I join you.' 'Yes, if you
have 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 we'll have fun.' 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.' 'Have you not
shuddered then.' 'What.' Said he,  'I have had a wonderful time.  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.  'Wait, said he,  'I will warm you
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
you.' The dead man, however, got up and cried 'now will I strangle
you.' 'What.' Said he,  'is that the way you thank me.  You shall at
once go into your 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. 'You wretch,  cried he,  'you shall soon learn what it
is to shudder, for you shall 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 you, said the fiend.  'Softly, softly, do not talk so big.  I
am as strong as you are, and perhaps even stronger.' 'We shall see,
said the old man.  'If you are stronger, I will let you 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 in it caught the old man's beard.  'Now I have you,
said the youth.  'Now it is your turn to die.' Then he seized an iron
bar and beat the old man till he moaned and entreated him to stop,
when 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 yours.'
In the meantime it struck twelve, and the spirit disappeared, so that
the youth stood 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 you 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,  'you have saved the castle, and shall 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 this at last angered her.  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.  Then 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.'

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 comes in, he will
devour you all - skin, hair, and everything.  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, you are not our mother.  She has a soft, pleasant voice,
but your voice is rough, you are 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 called, 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 you, you are 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 you will not do it, I will devour you.
Then the miller was afraid, and made his paws white for him. Truly,
this the way of mankind.

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 your
paws that we may know if you are 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 caame 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, she said, 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 fill of sleep, 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 'twas six kids,  but it feels like big stones. And
when he got to the well and stooped over the water to drink, the
heavy stones made him fall in, and 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.
There was once upon a time an old king who was ill and thought to
himself 'I am lying on what must be my deathbed.' Then said he 'tell
faithful John to come to me.' Faithful John was his favorite 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 you do 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.' At this, the old king said 'now I die in comfort
and peace.' Then he added 'after my death, you shall 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, shall you 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 you must protect 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 keep, and will be faithful to you 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
you should see your inheritance.  I will show you your 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, however, was 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
noticed, however, that faithful John always walked past this one
door, and said 'why do you never open this one for me.' 'There is
something within it, he replied,  'which would terrify you.' But the
king answered 'I have seen all the palace, and I want to 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 your
father before his death that you should not see that which is in this
chamber, it might bring the greatest misfortune on you 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 you
have 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 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 good was this.  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.  You are my most
faithful John, you 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 your
treasures are five tons of gold, let one of the goldsmiths of the
kingdom fashion these 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 golden 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 golden 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 from you.' 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.' When she wanted to have everything brought up to her, 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 your master.' At 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 boarded the ship, and the
king led her within.  Faithful John, however, remained with the
helmsman, and ordered the ship to be pushed off, saying 'set all
sail, till it fly like a bird in the air.' Within, 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 high seas 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 rather die.' The king, however, seized her hand,
and said 'I am not a merchant.  I am a king, and of no meaner origin
than you are, and if I have carried you away with subtlety, that has
come to pass because of my exceeding great love for you.  The first
time that I looked on your portrait, I fell fainting to the ground.'
When the princess of the golden dwelling heard this, she was
comforted, and her heart was drawn to him, so that she willingly
consented to be his wife. It so happened, 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.  At 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, and
he will never see his maiden more.' Spoke the second 'but is there no
escape.' 'Oh, yes, if someone else mounts it swiftly, and takes out
the pistol which he will find in its holster, and shoots the horse
dead, 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 good will that do.
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 disclosed 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 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 good may come of this.' 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 you.' Then said
faithful John 'I am unjustly condemned, and have always been true to
you,  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 you 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 father
was sitting with his two children playing beside him, he looked at
the stone figure again, sighed, and full of grief he said 'ah, if I
could but bring you to life again, my most faithful John.' Then the
stone began to speak and said 'you can bring me to life again if you
will use for that purpose what is dearest to you.' Then cried the
king 'I will give everything I have in the world for you.' The stone
continued 'if you will cut off the heads of your two children with
your 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 'your truth shall
not go unrewarded, and took the heads of the children, put them on
again, and rubbed the wounds with their blood, at 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 'have you 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.
There was once a peasant who had driven his cow to the fair, and sold
her for seven talers.  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, stuck 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 talers, always reckoning four
and twenty groschen to a taler.  The frogs, however, paid no
attention to his reckoning, but still cried, aik, aik, aik, aik.
What, cried the peasant, quite angry, if you know better than I,
count it yourselves, and threw all the money at them into the water.
He stood still and wanted to wait until they were through and had
returned to him what was his, 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 talers.  Do you think I'm
going to stand here till you get through.  And with that he went
away, but the frogs still cried, aik, aik, aik, aik, after him till
he went home sorely vexed. After a while he bought another cow, which
he slaughtered, 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
hide into the bargain.  When therefore he got to the town with the
meat, a great pack of dogs were gathered together in front of the
gate, with a large greyhound at the head of them, which jumped at the
meat, sniffed 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 you are saying wow, wow, wow, because you want some of the meat,
but I should be in a fine state if I were to give it to you.  The
dog, however, answered nothing but wow, wow.  Will you promise not to
devour it all then, and will you go bail for your companions.  Wow,
wow, wow, said the dog.  Well, if you insist on it, I will leave it
for you, I know you well, and know whom you serve, but this I tell
you, I must have my money in three days or else it will go ill with
you, you can 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. 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 big 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, 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 what 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 you, and I have promised her to him who could make her laugh.  You
may thank God for your good fortune. Oh, answered the peasant, I do
not want her at all.  I have a wife already, and she is one too many
for me, when I go home, it is just as if I had a wife standing in
every corner.  Then the king grew angry, and said, you are a boor.
Ah, lord king, replied the peasant, what can you expect from an ox,
but beef.  Stop, answered the king, you shall have another reward.
Be off now, but come back in three days, and then you shall have five
hundred counted out in full. When the peasant went out by the gate,
the sentry said, you have made the king's daughter laugh, so you will
certainly receive something good.  Yes, that is what I think,
answered the peasant, five hundred are to be counted out to me.
Listen, said the soldier, give me some of it.  What can you do with
all that money.  As it is you, said the peasant, you shall have two
hundred,  present yourself in three days, time before the king, and
let it be paid to you.  A Jew, who was standing by and had heard the
conversation, ran after the peasant, held him by the coat, and said,
oh, wonder of God, what a child of fortune you are. I will change it
for you, I will change it for you into small coins, what do you want
with the great talers.  Jew, said the countryman, three hundred can
you still have, give it to me at once in coin, in three days from
this, you will be paid for it by the king.  The Jew was delighted
with the small 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 sentry, 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
talers.  The king could not help laughing at the peasant, and when
all his anger was spent, he said, as you have already lost your
reward before it fell to your lot, I will give you compensation.  Go
into my treasure chamber and get some money for yourself, as much as
you will.  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. Do you think that a man with so much money in his pocket
should 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 you
a coat for the short time.  What people will 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 you out of pure friendship, in order that you 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 made it.
There were once upon 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 you are 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 even caused twelve
coffins to be made, which were already filled with shavings, and
in each lay a little death pillow, 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 anyone.

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
are you so sad.

Dearest child, she answered, I may not tell you.  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, your father has had these coffins made for
you and for your 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 your 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 you benjamin, who are the youngest and weakest, you shall
stay at home and keep house, we others will go out and fetch 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, on a 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 your 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 the death pillows.  These coffins, said she,
were destined for your brothers, who went away secretly before you
were 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 do you come, and whither are you
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.  And she
showed him the twelve shirts which belonged to them.  Then
benjamin saw that she was his sister, and said, I am benjamin, your
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 save my twelve brothers.

No, answered he, you shall not die.  Seat yourself 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 upon a time the two at home had prepared a wonderful
feast, 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 student-lilies.  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 have you done.  Why did you not leave the twelve white
flowers growing.  They were your brothers, who are now forevermore
changed into ravens.  The maiden said, weeping, is there no way of
saving them.

No, said the woman, there is but one in the whole world, and
that is so hard that you will not save them by it, for you must be
dumb for seven years, and may not speak or laugh, and if you speak
one single word, and only an hour of the seven years is wanting, all
is in vain, and your 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 spun, 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 you have brought
back with you.  Who knows what wicked 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 saved.  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.
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 choice morsel.  God 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 secretly,
as witches 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 in the form of 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.  This
she tied to the little animal 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 lovely animal, 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
vanished.  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 began again, and when the roebuck once
more 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 lasted the whole day, but 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, had never thought but 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
jealousy 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, reproached
her and said, a queen.  That ought to have been my luck.  Just 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.
Her 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 hellish 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 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, God.
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 the 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 to ashes, the
roebuck changed his shape, and received his human form again, so the
sister and brother lived happily together all their lives.
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 began to look pale and miserable.
Then her husband was alarmed, and asked, what ails you, dear
wife.  Ah, she replied, if I can't eat some of the rampion, which
is in the garden behind our house, I shall die.  The man, who loved
her, thought, sooner than let your wife die, bring her some of
the rampion yourself, let it cost what it will.  At twilight, 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 greedily.  It tasted
so good to her - so very good, 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 can you dare, said she with
angry look, descend into my garden and steal my rampion like a
thief.  You shall 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 you say, I will allow you to take
away with you as much rampion as you will, only I make one
condition, you must give me the child which your 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 under 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 your 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 passed 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 your 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 too will 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 your 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 you, but I do not know
how to get down.  Bring with you a skein of silk every time that
you come, and I will weave a ladder with it, and when that is ready
I will descend, and you will take me on your 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. You
wicked child, cried the enchantress.  What do I hear you say.  I
thought I had separated you from all the world, and yet you have
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 that she cast out rapunzel, however, the
enchantress 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 your hair,
she let the hair down.  The king's son ascended, but instead of
finding his dearest rapunzel, he found the enchantress, who gazed
at him with wicked and venomous looks.  Aha, she cried mockingly,
you would fetch your dearest, but the beautiful bird sits
no longer singing in the nest.  The cat has got it, and will scratch
out your eyes as well.  Rapunzel is lost to you.  You will never see
her again.  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 naught 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.
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 your
father that I would like to marry him, and then you shall
wash yourself 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 bid, 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 her
step-daughter's bitterest enemy, 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
tear it off my body.  Will you contradict me,  said the step-mother.
See that you go, and do not show your face again until you have
the basketful of strawberries.  Then she gave her a little piece of
hard bread, and said, this will last you the day, and thought,
you will die of cold and hunger outside, and will 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 little men.  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 little men said, give us some of it, too.  Willingly,
she said, and divided her piece of bread in two 'and gave
them the half.  They asked, what do you here in the forest in the
winter time, in your 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.  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 out of 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, you might freeze
to death.  However, as her daughter let her have no peace, the
mother at last yielded, made her a magnificent coat of fur, which
she was obliged to put on, and gave her bread-and-butter and cake
for her journey.
The girl went into the forest and straight up to the little house.
The three little men 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
finished eating, they said, there is a broom for you, sweep it all
clean in front of the back-door.  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 everyone 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 you, and
what are you 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, will you 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.
But, 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 sweat.  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.  Then he asked what that could be, but the
old woman said that she had got that from the violent sweat, 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, you have pronounced your 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.
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, at 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 you have done it, you shall have my eldest
son for a husband, even if you are poor.  I care not for that,
your untiring 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 yet been spun, 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, tomorrow you 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 you will invite us to the wedding,
not be ashamed of us, and will call us your aunts, and likewise
will place us at your table, we will spin up the flax for you,
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 you have
promised us - it will make your 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 do you come 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.
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 Gretel.  He had little to bite and to break, and once when
great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even 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 more piece of bread, 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' you fool, said
she, then we must all four die of hunger, you may 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.  Gretel
wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel, now all is over with us.
Be quiet, Gretel, said Hansel, do not distress yourself, 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 stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he
could get in.  Then he went back and said to Gretel, 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.  Gretel took the bread under her apron, as
Hansel had the pebbles 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 are you looking at
there and staying behind for.  Pay attention, and do not forget how
to use your 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 your 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 Gretel 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 Gretel 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 the
axe, however, but 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 closed with fatigue, and
they fell fast asleep.  When at last they awoke, it was already dark
night.  Gretel 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 Gretel,
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 dearth throughout
the land, and the children heard their mother saying at night to
their father, everything is eaten again, we have one half loaf left,
and that is the 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 you to share
the last mouthful with your 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, however, were 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,
Gretel, 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 piece 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 do you 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.  Fool.  Said the woman, that is not your 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, Gretel shared her piece of
bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way.  Then they
fell asleep and evening passed, 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, Gretel, 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 Gretel, 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 came 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 its song was over, 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 approached the 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 you Gretel, can 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 Gretel
leant against the window and nibbled at the panes.  Then a soft
voice cried from the parlor -
     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
liked the taste of the roof, tore down a great piece of it, and
Gretel pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and
enjoyed herself with it.  Suddenly the door opened, and a woman
as old as the hills, who supported herself on crutches, came
creeping out.  Hansel and Gretel 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 Gretel 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 Gretel came into her
neighborhood, she laughed with malice, 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 and rosy
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 locked him in behind a grated door.
Scream as he might, it would not help him.  Then she went to
Gretel, shook her till she awoke, and cried, get up, lazy thing,
fetch some water, and cook something good for your brother, he is
in the stable outside, and is to be made fat.  When he is fat, I
will eat him.  Gretel began to weep bitterly, but it was all in
vain, for she was forced to do what the wicked witch commanded.
And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel
got nothing but crab-shells.  Every morning the woman crept to the
little stable, and cried, Hansel, stretch out your finger that I may
feel if you will 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 remained thin, she was seized with impatience and
would not wait any longer.  Now, then, Gretel, she cried to the
girl, stir yourself, 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 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 your noise to
yourself, said the old woman, it won't help you at all.

Early in the morning, Gretel 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 Gretel out to the oven, from which
flames of fire were already darting.  Creep in, said the witch,
and see if it properly heated, so that we can put the bread in.
And once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let
her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too.  But Gretel saw
what she had in mind, and said, I do not know how I am to do it.
How do I 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 Gretel 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 Gretel ran
away, and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death.
Gretel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little
stable, and cried, Hansel, we are saved.  The old witch is dead.
Then Hansel sprang like a bird from its cage when the door is
opened.  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 Gretel said, I, too, will take something home
with me, and filled her pinafore full.  But now we must be off, said
Hansel, that we may get out of the witch's forest.

When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great
stretch of water.  We cannot cross, said Hansel, I see no
foot-plank, and no bridge.  And there is also no ferry, answered
Gretel, 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 Gretel 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 Gretel, 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
parlor, and threw themselves round their father's neck.  The man
had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the
forest.  The woman, however, was dead.  Gretel 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.
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 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
father-land 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 do you
know what you 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 splendor.

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.  As the day came when the
corpse was to be buried, he was taken down with it into the royal
vault 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, you shall 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
fitted, 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 colored it again.  Then she drew breath, opened her eyes, and
said, ah, God, where am I.  You are 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 you.  Who knows in what trouble they may yet
be of service to us.

But a change had 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 you so to my
father that he will marry me to you, and make you 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 sailed so swiftly that they reached the old king
before the others.  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 everyone.  Soon
afterwards the great ship came sailing in, and the godless woman
appeared before her father with a troubled countenance.  He said,
why do you come back alone.  Where is your 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 you
and restored you to life again, but you have murdered him in his
sleep, and shall receive the reward that you deserve.  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.
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 leapt 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 seeks 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, before his eyes, 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, tomorrow 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.
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 all the pots
for him.  He inspected each one, lifted it up, put his nose to it,
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, this jam shall be blessed by God, 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
rose to where the flies were sitting in great numbers, and they
were attracted and descended on it in hosts.  HI, 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 drew a piece 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.  Are you 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 valor.  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 peacefully about him.  The little
tailor went bravely up, spoke to him, and said, good day, comrade,
so you are sitting there overlooking the wide-spread world.  I am
just on my way thither, and want to try my luck.  Have you any
inclination to go with me.  The giant looked contemptuously at the
tailor, and said, you ragamuffin.  You miserable creature.
Oh, indeed, answered the little tailor, and unbuttoned his coat,
and showed the giant the girdle, there may you 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 you have 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.
You can certainly throw, said the giant, but now we will see if
you are 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 you are strong enough, help me to carry the tree out
of the forest.  Readily, answered the little man, take the trunk
on your 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,
you are such a great fellow, and yet can 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 tossed into the air with it.  When he had fallen down
again without injury, the giant said, what is this.  Have you
not strength enough to hold the weak twig.  There is no lack of
strength, answered the little tailor.  Do you 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 you can 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 you are 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
finished off the grasshopper for good.  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
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 among 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 of 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
are you knocking me.  You must be dreaming, said the other, I am
not knocking you.  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 are you pelting me.  I am
not pelting you, 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 finished both of them off, 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 you are 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 you receive my daughter,
and the half of my kingdom, said he to him, you must perform one
more heroic deed.  In the forest roams a unicorn which does great
harm, and you 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 not long to seek.  The unicorn soon came towards him, and
rushed directly on the tailor, as if it would gore him with its
horn without more ado.  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
hero fled and 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 your 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 your bedroom 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
armor-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
your 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 and remained a king to the end of his life.
	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 you, and I will look down on you
from heaven and be near you.  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 by the time the
spring sun had drawn it off again, the man had taken another wife.
The woman had brought with her into the house two daughters,
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 parlor with us, they said.  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 hearth in the cinders.  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 you, cinderella, said he, what will you 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 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 gave orders for 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 wedding 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.  You go, cinderella, said she, covered in dust and
dirt as you are, and would go to the festival.  You have no clothes
and shoes, and yet would dance.  As, however, cinderella went on
asking, the step-mother said at last, I have emptied a dish of
lentils into the ashes for you, if you have picked them out again in
two hours, you shall 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, you have no clothes and
you can not dance.  You would only be laughed at.  And as
cinderella wept at this, the step-mother said, if you can pick two
dishes of lentils out of the ashes for me in one hour, you shall go
with us.  And she thought to herself, that she most certainly
cannot do again.  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 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 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 was delighted, and believed that she might now go
with them to the wedding.  But the step-mother said, all this will
not help.  You cannot go with us, for you have no clothes and can
not dance.  We should be ashamed of you.  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 wedding.  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 approached her, took her by the hand and danced with her.
He would dance with no other maiden, and never let 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 you and bear you 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 unknown 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 seated 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 wedding
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, this 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 unknown 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 among 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
this 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, however, had
employed a ruse, and had caused the whole staircase to be smeared
with pitch, and there, when she ran down, had the maiden's left
slipper remained stuck.  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 you are queen you will 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
obliged, however, 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 trickling
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 your heel, when you are queen you will 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, the two 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 quite
red.  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.  But 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 horrified 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 was to be celebrated, the
two false sisters came and wanted to get into favor 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 from
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 from each.  And thus, for their
wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness
all their days.
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 fanned 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 as he did not want to leave his saddle behind, he
ran back to fetch it.  When he came to the dead horse, however,
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 prepare for supper.
They had stumbled, however, on a den of murderers, and during
the darkness twelve of these came, intending to kill the strangers
and rob them.  But 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 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 store of
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 made it
known 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 solve it.  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 reveal 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.
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.  Across 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 to eat she had
boiled or roast meat every day.
She stayed some time with mother holle, before 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 clung
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 sitting on the well,
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 on the well, as soon as he saw her, cried out -
     cock-a-doodle-doo.
     Your dirty girl's come back to you.
But the pitch clung fast to her, and could not be got off as long
as she lived.
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 while playing 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, looked up and saw seven coal-black ravens flying away.

The parents could not withdraw 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 save her brothers.  She had no
rest or peace until she set out secretly, and went forth into the
wide world to search for 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.  At 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 have not that
drumstick you can not open the glass mountain, and in the glass
mountain are your 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.
	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 sprang 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 you here, you old
sinner, said he.  I have long sought you.  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 belly, and
when he awoke, he wanted to run away, but the stones were so
heavy that he collapsed 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 bringing
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 no one ever did anything
to harm her again.
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 ripped up his body, 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.
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 anyone 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 child of good
fortune, 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 undesired 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 halt 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
asked the mill-folk if the tall youth were 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 child of
good fortune 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
hardhearted 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 child of
good fortune, and as the youth was handsome and friendly 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 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 child of good fortune answered, I will fetch the golden
hairs, I am not afraid of the devil.  Whereupon 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 child of good fortune.  Then you can do us
a favor, 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 favor 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 cross.
The ferryman asked him what his trade was, and what he knew.  I
know everything, answered he.  Then you can do me a favor, 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 ferryman must always be
going backwards and forwards, and is never set free.
Those are difficult questions, answered she, but just 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 told her she should louse him a little.
It was not long before 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 beside 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 dreamt 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.

The grandmother loused him again until he went to sleep and
snored so that 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 it they would have golden
apples again, but if it gnaws much longer the tree will wither
altogether.  But I have had enough of your dreams, if you disturb
me in my sleep again you will get a box on the ear.

The grandmother spoke gently to him and picked his lice once
more until he fell asleep 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 again and said, who can help bad dreams.  What
was the dream, then, asked he, and was quite curious.  I dreamt
of a ferryman 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 anyone
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 devil 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 child of good
fortune 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 ferryman he was expected to give the
promised answer.  Ferry me across first, said the child of good
fortune, 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 anyone 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.

Finally, 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 child of good fortune 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
ferryman 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 ferryman
to put him across.  The ferryman came and bade him get in,
and when they got to the other shore he put the oar in his
hand and sprang over.  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.
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 do you plague yourself with cutting wood, I will
make you rich, if you will promise me what is standing behind
your 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 have no power over
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 you do not do it you are mine, and I will take you yourself.

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
your 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 you.  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 you received such
great wealth that I will keep you most handsomely as long as
you live.  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 it was surrounded by water.
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, someone
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 you
say, I will watch with you 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, "Do you come from heaven or from earth?  Are you 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 you are forsaken
by all the world, yet will I not forsake you."  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 go on a journey, so he commended
his young queen to the care of his mother and said, if she
is brought to child-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 you killed as the king commands, but here you may stay
no longer.  Go forth into the wide world with your 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 she 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 do you know that I was a queen?"

The white maiden answered, "I am an angel sent by God, to watch
over you and your 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 his journey, and his first
wish was to see his wife and the child.  Then his aged mother
began to weep and said, "You wicked man, why did you 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 you bade 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 your wife's
back and bade her go forth into the wide world, and made her
promise never to come back here again, because you were 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 traveled 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 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 traveled 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 laid 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 your child, your husband has come.  So
she went to the place where he lay, and the handkerchief
fell from his face.  Then said she, "Sorrowful, pick up your
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 - you have 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 your wife, and that is your 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
my heart."  Then the angel of God ate with them once again, 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.
The mother of Hans said, whither away, Hans.  Hans answered, to
Gretel.  Behave well, Hans.  Oh, I'll behave well.  Good-bye,
mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.
Good day, Hans.  What do you bring that is good.  I bring nothing,
I want to have something given me.  Gretel presents Hans with a
needle.  Hans says, good-bye, Gretel.  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 have
you been.  With Gretel.  What did you take her.  Took her nothing,
had something given me.  What did Gretel give you.  Gave me a
needle.  Where is the needle, Hans.  Stuck it in the hay-cart.
That was ill done, Hans.  You should have stuck the needle in
your sleeve.  Never mind, I'll do better next time.

Whither away, Hans.  To Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
Oh, I'll behave well.  Good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans
comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What do you
bring that is good.  I bring nothing, I want to have something
given to me.  Gretel presents Hans with a knife.  Good-bye, Gretel.
Good-bye Hans.  Hans takes the knife, sticks it in his sleeve, and
goes home.  Good evening, mother.  Good evening, Hans.  Where
have you been.  With Gretel.  What did you take her.  Took her
nothing, she gave me something.  What did Gretel give you.  Gave
me a knife.  Where is the knife, Hans.  Stuck in my sleeve.
That's ill done, Hans, you should have put the knife in your
pocket.  Never mind, will do better next time.

Whither away, Hans.  To Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
Oh, I'll behave well.  Good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans
comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What good
thing do you bring.  I bring nothing, I want something given me.
Gretel presents Hans with a young goat.  Good-bye, Gretel.
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 have you been.  With Gretel.
What did you take her.  Took nothing, she gave me something.  What
did Gretel give you.  She gave me a goat.  Where is the goat, Hans.
Put it in my pocket.  That was ill done, Hans, you should have
put a rope round the goat's neck.  Never mind, will do better next
time.

Whither away, Hans,  to Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
Oh, I'll behave well good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans
comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What good
thing do you bring.  I bring nothing, I want something given to
me.  Gretel presents Hans with a piece of bacon.  Good-bye,
Gretel.  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 have you been.  With Gretel.  What did you take
her.  I took her nothing, she gave me something.  What did
Gretel give you.
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,
you should have carried the bacon on your head.  Never mind, will
do better next time.

Whither away, Hans.  To Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
I'll behave well.  Good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans
comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What good
thing do you bring.  I bring nothing, but would have something
given.  Gretel presents Hans with a calf.  Good-bye, Gretel.
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 have you
been.  With Gretel.  What did you take her.  I took nothing, but
had something given me.  What did Gretel give you.  A calf.
Where have you the calf, Hans.  I set it on my head and it
kicked my face.  That was ill done, Hans, you should have led
the calf, and put it in the stall.  Never mind, will do better
next time.

Whither away, Hans.  To Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
I'll behave well.  Good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.
Hans comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What
good thing do you bring.  I bring nothing, but would have
something given.  Gretel says to Hans, I will go with you.
Hans takes Gretel, 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 have you been.  With Gretel.
What did you take her.  I took her nothing.  What did Gretel
give you.  She gave me nothing, she came with me.  Where have
you left Gretel.  I led her by the rope, tied her to the rack,
and scattered some grass for her.  That was ill done, Hans, you
should 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 Gretel's face.  Then Gretel became angry, tore
herself loose and ran away, and was no longer the bride of Hans.
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 you, my son, try as I will I can get nothing into
your head.  You must go from hence, I will give you into the
care of a celebrated master, who shall see what he can do
with you.  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 have you
learnt.  Father, I have learnt what the dogs say when they bark.

Lord have mercy on us, cried the father, is that all you have
learnt.  I will send you 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 have you learnt.  He answered, father, I have learnt what
the birds say.  Then the father fell into a rage and said, oh,
you lost man, you have spent the precious time and learnt nothing,
are you not ashamed to appear before my eyes.  I will send you
to a third master, but if you learn nothing this time also,
I will no longer be your 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 have you 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 you will pass the night down there in the old
tower, go thither, but I warn you, it is at the peril of your
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 doubt among the cardinals 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.
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 someone 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 smart.  Oh, said the father, she has plenty of
good sense.  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 smart, 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 do
you weep, 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 you 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 he might be killed by the
pick-axe, if he 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, the 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 you
are such a clever elsie, I will have you.  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 cut first, or
shall I eat first.  Oh, I will eat first.  Then she drank her cup
of broth, and when she was fully satisfied, she once more said,
what shall I do.  Shall I cut 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.  But when
evening came and she still stayed away, 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.
There was once upon a time a tailor who had three sons, and
only one goat.  But as the goat supported all of them with
her milk, she was obliged to have good food, and to be taken
every day to pasture.  The sons 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, have you 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, are you satisfied.  The goat answered,
     how should I be satisfied.
     Among the ditches I leapt about,
     found no leaf, so went without, meh. Meh.

What do I hear, cried the tailor, and ran upstairs and said to the
youth.  HI, you liar, you said the goat had had enough, and have
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 sought a place
in the fence of the garden, where nothing but good herbs grew, and
the goat gobbled them all up.  At night when he wanted to go home,
he asked, goat, are you 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, have you had
enough.  The goat answered,
     how should I be satisfied.
     Among the ditches I leapt about,
     found no leaf, 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 his duty
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, have you 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 her full
share of food.  She has eaten so much, not a leaf more she'll
touch.  The tailor was distrustful, went down and asked, goat,
have you had enough.  The wicked beast answered,
     how should I be satisfied.
     Among the ditches I leapt about,
     found no leaf, so went without, meh. Meh.

Oh, the brood of liars, cried the tailor, each as wicked and
forgetful of his duty as the other.  You 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, stroked the goat and said, come, my
dear little animal, I myself will take you to feed.  He took her
by the rope and conducted her to green hedges, and amongst milfoil
and whatever else goats like to eat.  There you may for once eat to
your heart's content, said he to her, and let her browse till
evening.  Then he asked, goat, are you 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, are you satisfied for once.  But the goat behaved no
better to him, and cried,
     how should I be satisfied.
     Among the ditches I leapt about,
     found no leaf, 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, you
ungrateful creature, cried he, it is not enough to drive you forth,
I will brand you so that you will no more dare to show yourself
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 bounded away with tremendous leaps.

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 traveling, his master presented
him with a little table which was not particularly beautiful, and
was made of common wood, but which had one good property.  If
anyone set it out, and said, little table, spread yourself, 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 you have enough for your
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, spread yourself, 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 magic 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
morsels out of
your mouths.  Rather than that, you shall be my guests.  They
laughed, and thought he was jesting with them.  He but placed his
wooden table in the middle of the room, and said, little table,
spread yourself.  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, you could easily find a use for such a cook as that in your
household.  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,
and carefully 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 have you learnt.  Said he to him.  Father, I have become
a joiner.

A good trade, replied the old man, but what have you brought
back with you from your 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, you did not make a
masterpiece when you made 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 spread 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,
spread yourself, but the little table did not bestir itself, and
remained just as bare as any other table which does 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 you
have conducted yourself so well, I give you an ass of a peculiar
kind, which neither draws a cart nor carries a sack.  What good is
he, then. Asked the young apprentice.  He spews forth gold, answered
the miller.  If you set him on a cloth and say bricklebrit,
the good animal will spew forth gold pieces for you from back and
front.  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, you
must seek out your father.  If you go to him with the gold-ass he
will forget his anger, and receive you well.  It came to pass
that he came to the same inn 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
from back and front, 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 to be sniffed at.  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 traveled 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 have you made of yourself, my son.  Asked the old man.
A miller, dear father, he answered.  What have you brought back
with you from your 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 spews forth 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 what fell were not
gold pieces, 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 labor, 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 ther 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 you why, replied
the master.  If anyone has done anything to injure you, 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
you say, into the sack, cudgel.  The apprentice thanked him, and
put the sack on his back, and when anyone 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 spread 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 innkeeper 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 innkeeper 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, however, had 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, the harder the
cudgel beat the time on his back, until at length he fell to the
ground exhausted.  Then the turner said, if you do not give back
the table which spreads 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 have you brought back with you from
your travels.

A precious thing, dear father, replied the son, a cudgel in the
sack.

What cried the father, a cudgel.  That's certainly worth your
trouble.  From every tree you can cut yourself one.  But not one
like this, dear father.  If I say, out of the sack, cudgel, the
cudgel springs out and leads anyone ill-disposed toward 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 rescued the
wishing-table and the gold-ass which the thievish innkeeper 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
had not much confidence.  Nevertheless he summoned 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 pices rained
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 by your face that you also would have liked 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,
spread yourself, 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 closet, and lived with his three sons in joy and
splendor.

What, however, happened to the goat who was to blame for the
tailor driving out his three sons?  That I will tell you.  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 you, brother fox, why do you 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, you are really pulling a very pitiful face.  What has become
of all your gaiety.  It is all very well for you 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 you, I am
a poor weak creature whom you would not turn aside to look at, but
still, I believe, I can help you.  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.
There was once a poor peasant who sat in the evening by the
hearth and poked the fire, and his wife sat and spun.  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.  Though they did not let it want
for food, 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 someone 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, you are 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, do you see, 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,
listen, 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 sum of money.  Where will you 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, it is necessary.  Just stay up there, said the
man on whose hat he sat, it makes no difference to me.  The birds
sometimes let things fall on me.  No, said thumbling, I
know what's manners, take me quickly 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 mousehole 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 mousehole, but it was all in vain.  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 stumbled 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 set about
getting hold of the rich pastor's silver and gold.  I could tell
you that, cried thumbling, interrupting them.  What was that, said
one of the thieves in fright, I heard someone speaking.  They stood
still listening, and thumbling spoke again, and said, take
me with you, and I'll help you.

But where are you.  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.  You little imp, how will you help
us, they said.  Listen, 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 you
can 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 there were other things in
store for him.  Truly, there is much worry and affliction in
this world.  When the 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 he had to take care not to
let himself go between the teeth and be dismembered, but he was
subsequently 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 that more
and more hay was always coming in by the door, and the space grew
less and less.  When 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.  You are 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 dunghill.  Thumbling had great difficulty in working his
way out.  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 belly, 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.  You must creep into it through the
kitchen-sink, and will find cakes, and bacon, and sausages, and
as much of them as you can 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.  Will you be quiet, said the
wolf, you will waken up the people.  What do I care, replied the
little fellow, you have eaten your 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 teh husband
fetched his axe, and the wife the scythe.  Stay behind, said the
man, when they entered the room.  When I have given the blow, if
he is not killed by it, you 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 your
sake.  Yes father, I have gone about the world a great deal.
Thank heaven, I breathe fresh air again.  Where have you been,
then.  Ah, father, I have been in a mouse's hole, in a cow's
belly, and then in a wolf's paunch.  Now I will stay with you.
And we will not sell you 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.
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 employers, 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
covers were embroidered with gold, the cradle was of ivory, the
bath-tub 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.  But first
they filled her pockets quite full of money, and then they led
her out of the mountain again.  When she got home, she wanted to
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.

A certain mother had her child taken 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, lay in its place.
In her trouble she went to her neighbor, 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 neighbor bade her.  When she put
the egg-shells with water on the fire, goggle-eyes said, I am as
old now as the wester forest, but never yet have I seen anyone
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.

There was once upon 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, you are my
betrothed, and yet you have never once paid me a visit. The
maiden replied, I know not where your 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 you must come out there to me, I have already
invited the guests, and I will strew ashes in order that you may
find your 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 have you come.
You are in a murderer's den.  You think you are a bride soon to be
married, but you will keep your wedding with death.  Look, I
have been forced to put a great kettle on there, with water in it,
and when they have you in their power, they will cut you to
pieces without mercy, will cook you, and eat you, for they are
eaters of human flesh.  If I do not have compassion on you, and
save you, you are lost.

Thereupon the old woman led her behind a great hogshead
where she could not be seen.  Be still as a mouse, said she, do
not make a sound, or move, or all will be over with you.  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 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, have you
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 murderer's 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 for the wedding 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, do you 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, you have got into a murderer's den,
your bridegroom does live here, but he will hew you in pieces,
and kill you, and then he will cook you, and eat you.  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.
A poor man had so many children that he had already asked
everyone 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 he met 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 you can heal the sick, only
you 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 had 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, the strangest things were going on within.  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 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 house-hold
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 not true.  The
man became alarmed, and ran out, and if he had not, who knows
what the godfather would have done to him.
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 you go to her, you are no longer our child.  But the maiden
did not let herself be turned aside by her parents, prohibition,
and still went to frau trude.  And when she got to her, frau
trude said, why are you so pale.  Ah, she replied, and her whole
body trembled, I have been so terrified at what I have seen.  What
have you 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 you have seen the witch in her
proper costume.  I have been waiting for you, and wanting you
a long time already.  You shall 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 a full blaze she sat down close to it,
and warmed herself by it, and said, that shines bright for once
in a way.
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 you.  I will hold your child
at its christening, and will take charge of it and make it
happy on earth.  The man said, who are you.  I am God.  Then
I do not desire to have you for a godfather, said the man, you give
to the rich, and leave 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 do you seek.
If you will take me as a godfather for your child, I will give him
gold in plenty and all the joys of the world as well.  The man
asked, who are you.  I am the devil.  Then I do not desire to have
you for godfather, said the man, you deceive men and lead 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 are you.  I am death, and I make all equal.  Then
said the man,
you are the right one, you take the rich as well as the poor,
without distinction, you shall be godfather.  Death answered,
I will make your 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 you shall
receive your godfather's present.  I make you a celebrated
physician.  When you are called to a patient, I will always appear
to you.  If I stand by the head of the sick man, you may say with
confidence that you will make him well again, and if you give
him of this herb he will recover, but if I stand by the patient's
feet, he is mine, and you 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 you.

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, whether 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 anyone 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 herbs, 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, you have betrayed
me, this time I will pardon
it, as you are my godson, but if you venture it again, it
will cost you your neck, for I will take you yourself 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 his own property had been
misused, he walked up to the physician with long strides, and
said, all is over with you, and now the lot falls on you, 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, some medium-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 medium-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.
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
handle, and there is a sword for you to take with you on the way.
Then the little tailor wanted to have one more meal with them,
and hopped into the kitchen to see what his mother had cooked
for the last time.  But it was already served, and the dish stood
on the hearth.  Then he said, mother, what is there to eat to-day.
See for yourself, 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 traveled
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 would you 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.  HI, there, cried one of
them, you giant goliath, will you go to the treasure-chamber
with us.  You can slip yourself 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 you 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
taler 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 talers 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, someone is after the money.  When
therefore thumbling recommenced his labors, 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 taler, 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 taler, 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
talers 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.  You are a valiant hero,
said they, will you 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 manservant 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 employers what they had taken off
the plates, and carried away out of the cellar, for themselves.
Then said they, wait, and we will pay you out, 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
did not suit him, for it
was quite dark, neither was any candle burning.  When the cow
was being milked he cried,
          strip, strap, strull,
          when will the pail be full.

But the noise of the milking prevented his being understood.
After this the master of the house came into the stall 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,
I am sitting inside her.  The master heard that quite well,
but did not know from whence the voice came.  Where are you, 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 without thinking.  HI, there,
mr. Fox, cried
the little tailor, it is I who am sticking in your throat, set
me at liberty again.  You are right, answered the fox.  You
are next to nothing for me, but if you will promise me the
fowls in your father's yard I will let you go.  With all my
heart, replied thumbling.  You shall have all the cocks and hens,
that I promise you.  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 you 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
silly, your father would surely love his child far more than the
fowls in the yard.
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 again.  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 handing him a
piece of bread, he did but touch her, and she was forced to jump
into his basket.  Thereupon he hurried off 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, you will certainly be happy with me, for you have
everything your heart can wish for.  This lasted a few days, and
then he said, I must journey forth, and
leave you alone for a short time.  Here are the keys of the house.
You may go everywhere and look at everything except into one
room, which this little key opens, and there I forbid you 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 you,
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
splendor.  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 wiped the blood off,
but in vain, it appeared again in a moment.  She washed and
scrubbed, but she could not get it off.

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 you have gone into the room against my will, said he, you
shall go back into it against your own.  Your life is ended.
He threw her down, dragged her along 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 wily.  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 dear sisters lay there
in the basin, cruelly murdered, and cut into 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,
you have stood the test, you shall 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, you shall first take a
basketful of gold to my father and mother, and carry it
yourself on your 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 you
stop 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 sweat 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 you are resting.
Will you go on at once.  He thought it was his bride who was
talking to
him, and he 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 you are resting.  Will you 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.
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 spoke, 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 she pushed him from one corner to the other and slapped him
here and cuffed him there, until the poor 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,  you shall not have one before your 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, will you 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 yourself, 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 you, 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, whereupon his head fell off.  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 have you 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 coutry 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 are you crying?  Your 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 draw,
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 she lay down under the juniper
tree on the green grass, and after she had lain down there, she
suddenly felt light-hearted and did not cry any more.  Then
the juniper tree began to stir itself, and the branches parted
asunder, and moved together again, just as if someone were
rejoicing and clapping his hands.  At the same time a mist seemed
to arise from the tree, and in the center 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 golden 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 golden 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
you can 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 you."  "There," said the goldsmith,
"there is the golden chain for you, 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 you can sing."  Then he called in at his door,
"Wife, just come outside, there is a bird, look at that bird, he
certainly can sing."  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, you 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 finished his song he flew away.  In his right
claw he had the chain and in his left the shoes, 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 you sing.  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, you should 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 golden 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.
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 on
to anything.  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.

What, said the man, you are not very bright.  He has not a tooth
left in his head, and not a thief is afraid of him, now he can
go.  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.  Listen, 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 make himself scarce, 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 at the appointed place, 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, one of his ears was sticking out.  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.
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 anyone 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 stepmother 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 someone 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 your 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 swans,
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 you
cannot abide, they said to her.  This is a shelter for robbers,
if they come home and find you, they will kill you.  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
swans, 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 you may neither
speak nor laugh, and in that time you must sew together six
little shirts of starwort for us.  And if one single word falls
from your lips, all your 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 anyone, 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 are you.  But
she made no answer.  Come down to us, said they.  We will not
do you 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 are you.  What are you 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 anyone 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
mother-in-law 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 carried out, 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
they were touched by them, their swans, 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 you 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 mother-in-law was bound to
the stake, and burnt to ashes.  But the king and the queen with
her six brothers lived many years in happiness and peace.
	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 acquaintances, 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 splendor 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 anyone, 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 mother, 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 courtyard 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 sizzle again, and the cook gave the boy such
a box on the ear that he screamed, and the maid finished
plucking the fowl.

And then the marriage of the king's son with briar-rose was
celebrated with all splendor, and they lived contented to the
end of their days.
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, you will take him home with you, and bring him up with
your lina.  He took it home, therefore, and the two children grew
up together.  And the one, 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.

Now the forester 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, listen old sanna, why
are you fetching so much water.  If you will never repeat it to
anyone, I will tell you why.  So lina said, no, she would never
repeat it to anyone, and then the cook said, early tomorrow
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.

Early 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 you will never leave me, I too will never
leave you.  Fundevogel said, neither now, nor ever will I leave
you.  Then said lina, then I will tell you.  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 anyone she would tell me, and I said I would be
sure not to tell anyone, and she said that early to-morrow morning
when father was out hunting, she would set the kettle full of
water, throw you into it and boil you, 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 fundevoel, never leave me, and I will never
leave you.  Fundevogel said, neither now, nor ever.  Then said
lina, do you 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 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 you.  Fundevogel said, neither now,
nor ever.  Said lina, then do you 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
you.  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 have not died, they are living still.
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 each one she had some objection
to make.  One was too fat, the wine-barrel, 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 each 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.
Look, 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 few pennies.  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,
tiny 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 must make baskets.  He went out, cut some
willows, and brought them home.  Then she began to make baskets,
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 splendor, 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.
	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

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 chould 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
lung and liver 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 bear just then came running by
he stabbed it, and cut out its lung and liver and took them to the
queen as proof that the child was dead.  The cook had to salt them,
and the wicked queen ate them, and thought she had eaten the lung
and liver of snow-white.

But now the poor child was all alone in the great forest, and so
terrified that she looked at all the leaves on the trees, 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
hollow 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 passed 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 lung and
liver, 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
pedlar-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 colors, and she
pulled out one which was woven of bright-colored 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
pedlar-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 really
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 anyone 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 farmer's wife, 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
anyone 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.

And 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 honor 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 splendor.  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
had to go to see the young queen.  And when she went in she
recognized 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.
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, it cannot go
on like this, 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 came to 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 returned to him,
he wanted to make a trial of his little cloth, and spread it out and
said, I wish you 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.  You shall
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 do you get on in your solitude.

One day is like another, replied the charcoal-burner, and every night
potatoes.  Have you a mind to have some, and will you be my guest.
Many thanks, replied the traveler, I won't rob you of your supper,
you did not reckon on a visitor, but if you will put up with what I
have, you shall have an invitation. Who is to prepare it for you,
said the charcoal-burner.  I see that you have nothing with you, and
there is no one within a two hours' walk who could give you anything.
And yet there shall be a meal, answered the youth, and better than
any you have ever tasted.  Thereupon he brought his cloth out of his
knapsack, spread it on the ground, and said, little cloth, cover
yourself, 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 with wide-open eyes, 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, listen, your
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 you, 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 you for the
table-cloth.

I must first know what these wonderful powers are, answered the
youth.

That will I tell you, replied the charcoal-burner, every time you tap
it with your hand, a corporal comes with six men armed from head to
foot, and they do whatsover you command 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 you will eat some
potatoes with salt, but with no dripping, come and sit down with me,
said the sooty fellow.

No, he replied, this time you shall 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 - the moment someone puts it on, and turns it round on his
head, the cannons go off as if twelve were fired all together, and
they demolish everything so that no one can withstand them.  The hat
is of no use to me, and I will willingly give it for your tablecloth.

That suits me very well, he answered, took the hat, put it on, and
left his table-cloth behind him.  But hardly 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 one,
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.  The moment someone blew
it all the walls and fortifications fell down, and all towns and
villages became ruins.  For this he immediately gave the
charcoal-burner the cloth, 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, you give out
that you are our brother who despised silver and gold, and craved for
something still better for himself.  Such a person arrives in his
carriage in full splendor 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 hazelsticks with them, and beat
the two insolent men until they knew who he was.

A violent disturbance broke out, 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
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 else is there for
me to do but what he desires.  If I want peace and to keep the crown
on my head, I must give you 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 longed 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 feigned affection and caressed him, and when his
heart was softened, she said, if you would but lay aside that horrid
knapsack, it makes you look so ugly, that I can't help being ashamed
of you.  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 cleverly 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.  And hardly were
his hands free before he turned it twice.  Immediately the cannon
began to thunder, and demolished everything, and the king's daughter
herself was forced to come and beg for mercy.  As she entreated in
such moving terms, and promised to better her ways, 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.
	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 put her to the test.

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 frightened, 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 opened again, 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,
to give me 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 spun 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 brought a beautiful child into the world,
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 alive is dearer to me than all the
treasures in the world.  Then the queen began to lament 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 imagine 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.
There was once upon 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 you shall have it.  Your
step-sister has long deserved death, to-night when she is asleep I
will come and cut her head off.  Only be careful that you are 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 were 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, listen, 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 you 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 are you.  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 are you.  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 are you.  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 help 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 she covered 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
went to endless 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.  At 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, knowing perfectly well 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 faster 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.

As they were now set free, 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 you, 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 so fascinated him 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, someone 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 you see anything, no matter what it is, 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 admitted 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. Nevertheless, she promised not
to go away, but to continue keeping house for the shepherd.

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 honor 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.
In olden times 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, but 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, and trusting to his cleverness 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 looks
like 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 many months had passed, and the eldest son 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's not too bright 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 staight 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 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, such a beautiful
beast will be shamed 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 went the fox, 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 shoveled without stopping, 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 my 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 on earth would want to buy gallows'-flesh.  As for the desire to
sit at the edge of a well it has never yet occurred to 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, and as it was
a hot day, but cool and pleasant within the wood, 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 up, 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 what happened to 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 they had all the happiness they
wanted as long as they lived.
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 honorable.  He
had two children, who were twin brothers and as like each other as
two drops of water.  The two boys went in and out of 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 it,
and was lucky enough to hit it, 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 prepared the bird, put
it on the spit, and let it roast.  Now it happened that while it was
on 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
pan, 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 you 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 happened, 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, your children are in league with the evil one, do not take
the gold, and do not suffer them to stay any longer in your house,
for he has them in his power, and may ruin you 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 remain 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 spoke 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 returns, 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 to thee I'll 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 to thee I'll give.

The huntsman 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 to thee I'll give.

The two young bears were added to the others, and there were already
eight of them.  Then who should come.  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 to thee I'll 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 the meantime their hunger was not appeased
by this, and they said to the foxes, listen you sneakers, provide us
with something to eat.  You are crafty and cunning.  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 traveled onwards.  The foxes knew their way
very well about the district and where the poultry-yards were, and
were were able to guide the huntsmen.

Now they traveled about for a while, but could find no situation
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 it 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 happened
to be 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, is she 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.  As 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
take the fatal 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 have you here on the hill.  The huntsman
answered, I want to fight with you.  Said the dragon,  many knights
have left their lives here, I shall soon have made an end of you 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 really
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, when 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 set free. She
rejoiced and said, now you will 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 dragons, 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, you shall 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, you are in my hands,
you shall 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 bumble-bee and
lighted on the hare's nose, but the hare wiped it off with his paw,
and went on sleeping.  The bumble-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 did you not
waken me.  The bear asked the wolf, why did you not waken me.  And
the wolf the fox, why did you not waken me.  And the fox the hare,
why did you 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 anyone, 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 you have run thither and
have come back, and have brought the root with you. 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 traveled 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 rescued 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, you have never seen
the like, 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, will you get away, and thought
it was her dog.  The hare scratched her foot for the second time, and
she again said, will you 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 do you 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 byways 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 do you 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 parlor, he tugged 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 do you 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, you are fond of licking anything sweet, go and bring me
some confectionery, such as the king eats.

The the bear trotted to the palace, and everyone 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 do you
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, you yourself
like to drink till you are tipsy, 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.  The 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
will you 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 handerchief 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 you, 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 handerchief 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
handerchief, 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 spoke the huntsman, when I, tired of 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 traveled about with them for one year,
and had at length 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.  But the young king 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 hind, and said to his men,
wait here until I return, I want to hunt 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 hind 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 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 yourself if you are cold.  But she said, no,
your animals will bite me.  He answered, they will do you 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 you strike 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 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 traveled 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 traveled 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
hind and said to his men, 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 hind, 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 someone 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 you are cold, come down, little old mother, and warm
yourself.  She answered, no, your animals will bite me. But he said,
they will not hurt you.  Then she cried, I will throw down a wand to
you, and if you smite 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 you.  Then
she cried, what do you want.  You shall not touch me.  But he
replied, if you do not come, I will shoot you.  Said she, shoot away,
I do not fear your bullets.

Then he aimed, and fired at her, but the witch was proof against all
leaden bullets, and laughed shrilly and cried, you shall 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 you do not instantly confess
where my brother is, I will seize you with both my hands and throw
you 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 you shall make my brother and all the human beings lying
here, alive again, or you shall 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, artisans, 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 younger 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 you, all royal honors were paid me, the young queen looked on me
as her husband, and I had to eat at her side, and sleep in your 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 younger said, you look
like me, you have royal apparel on as I have, and the animals follow
you 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 your 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 have you
for these last nights always laid a two-edged sword in our bed.  I
thought you had a wish to kill me.  Then he knew how true his brother
had been.

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 traveled 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 from
enchantment.

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 missing, 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 true, and he was turned into
stone. Next day, the second brother undertook the adventure, but it
did not 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
it was simpleton's turn to seek in the moss, but it was so difficult
for him 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, whom 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 delivered 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.
There was once upon 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.  Then he came to another door,
knocked at it, and heard somebody inside calling -
          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.

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 waiting-maid,
          waiting-maid with the limping leg,
          little dog of the limping leg,
          hop hither and thither,
          and bring me the great box.

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 climbed out again.

The two others, however, had 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 searching, 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 big 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 you shall 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, who came afterwards, had given themselves no trouble at
all looking for 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 clamor, 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 clumsy 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.
There was a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom was called
Dummling, and was despised, mocked, and sneered at 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 he met 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 clever son 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 sensibly enough, 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 blows 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, wherever his legs took him.

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 laborers 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 stop.

Thereupon Dummling asked to have her for his wife, but the king did
not like the son-in-law, and made all manner of excuses and said he
must first produce a man who could drink a cellarful of wine.

Dummling thought of the little grey man, who could certainly help
him, so he went into the forest, and in the same place where he had
felled the tree, he saw a man sitting, who had a very sorrowful face.
Dummling asked him what he was taking to heart so sorely, and he
answered, I have such a great thirst and cannot quench it, cold water
I cannot stand, a barrel of wine I have just emptied, but that to me
is like a drop on a hot stone.

There, I can help you, said Dummling, just come with me and you shall
be satisfied.

He led him into the king's cellar, and the man bent over the huge
barrels, and drank and drank till his loins hurt, and before the day
was out he had emptied all the barrels.  Then Dummling asked once
more for his bride, but the king was vexed that such an ugly fellow,
whom everyone called Dummling, should take away his daughter, and he
made a new condition, he must first find a man who could eat a whole
mountain of bread.  Dummling did not think long, but went straight
into the forest, where in the same place there sat a man who was
tying up his body with a strap, and making an awful face, and saying,
I have eaten a whole ovenful of rolls, but what good is that when one
has such a hunger as I.  My stomach remains empty, and I must tie
myself up if I am not to die of hunger.

At this Dummling was glad, and said, get up and come with me, you
shall eat yourself full.  He led him to the king's palace, where all
the flour in the whole kingdom was collected, and from it he caused a
huge mountain of bread to be baked.  The man from the forest stood
before it, began to eat, and by the end of one day the whole mountain
had vanished.  Then Dummling for the third time asked for his bride,
but the king again sought a way out, and ordered a ship which could
sail on land and on water.  As soon as you come sailing back in it,
said he, you shall have my daughter for wife.

Dummling went straight into the forest, and there sat the little grey
man to whom he had given his cake.  When he heard what Dummling
wanted, he said, since you have given me to eat and to drink, I will
give you the ship, and I do all this because you once were kind to
me.  Then he gave him the ship which could sail on land and water,
and when the king saw that, he could no longer prevent him from
having his daughter.  The wedding was celebrated, and after the
king's death, Dummling inherited his kingdom and lived for a long
time contentedly with his wife.
	Allerleirauh

There was once upon 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 you wish 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 you 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, this cannot
go on.  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 spoke
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 peltry joined together, and one of every
kind of animal in your kingdom must give a piece of his skin for it.
For 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 tomorrow.

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.  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 placed 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, you will be useful in the kitchen, come with us, and
you can 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 you can 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 you now.  It happened, however,
that one day a feast was held in the palace, and she said to the
cook, may I go upstairs 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 dress of
fur, 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 run into her little den, however, there quickly taken off her
dress, made her face and hands black again, put on the mantle of fur,
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 you shall 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, you have certainly let a hair fall into the soup, and
if you have, you shall 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 hairy animal.  The king said, go and bid it come up here.

When Allerleirauh came, the king said, who are you.  I am a poor girl
who no longer has any father or mother.  He asked further, of what
use are you in my palace.  She answered, I am good for nothing but to
have boots thrown at my head.  He continued, where did you 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
upstairs, 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, fur-skin, you are a witch, and
always put 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
mantle of fur, 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
splendor, 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, you are my dear
bride, and we will never more part from each other. Thereupon the
marriage was solemnized, and they lived happily until their death.
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 will be eating
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 will be eating all the
cabbages.  The little hare says, maiden, seat yourself 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 will be eating all our cabbages.  Says the little
hare, come, maiden, seat yourself 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.
There was once a king's son who had a bride 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 you, I
give you a ring as a remembrance of me.  When I am king, I will
return and fetch you.

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 you 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 are you so
sad.  You shall have whatsoever you will.  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, your
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 asked if he required any huntsmen, and if he would take all
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, you think you have twelve huntsmen.
Yes, said the king, they are twelve huntsmen. The lion continued, you
are mistaken, they are twelve girls.

The king said, that cannot be true.  How will you prove that to me.
Oh, just let some peas be strewn in the ante-chamber, answered swered
the lion, and then you will soon see.  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, show 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, you have
lied to me, they walk just like men.  The lion said, they have been
informed 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, 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.  So when they were alone the king's
daughter said to her eleven girls, show some constraint, 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, you have 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 hunting, news came that the king's bride 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, you are mine, and I am yours, 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 someone who had found an old key did not require a new
one.  Thereupon the wedding was celebrated, and the lion was again
taken into favor, because, after all, he had told the truth.
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 the most
suitable 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 talers.

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 shall 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 talers,
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 crust 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 crust of black bread in front of the
basket with the bird in it, and the little bird comes out, and looks
up.  Hello, my son, are you 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 talers.  Well, 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 talers, 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, can you speak.  So she goes and takes the bridle off, and the
horse becomes a sparrow, and flies out at the door, and the
master-thief becomes a sparrow also, and flies after him.

Then they come together and 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.
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 provide
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 laborers 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 protect 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.
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.  Wait, 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, will you 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 are you 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 wore it entirely over 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 yours 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.  But he had 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 even ten minutes before the king's
daughter.  Behold, said he, only now have I begun to use my legs.
What I did before did not deserve to be called running.

But it pained the king, and still more his daughter, that she should
be carried off by a common discharged 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 you will take gold
and renounce my daughter, you shall have as much as you will.

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, which took sixteen of his
strongest men to carry, 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 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 your 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.  There is magic