Read Snowdrop & Other Tales Page 26


  {Once upon a time a poor peasant, named Crabb, was taking a load of wood drawn by two oxen to the town for sale.}]

  Doctor Know-All

  Once upon a time a poor Peasant, named Crabb, was taking a load ofwood drawn by two oxen to the town for sale. He sold it to a Doctorfor four thalers. When the money was being paid to him, it so happenedthat the Doctor was sitting at dinner. When the Peasant saw howdaintily the Doctor was eating and drinking, he felt a great desire tobecome a Doctor too. He remained standing and looking on for a time,and then asked if he could not be a Doctor.

  'Oh yes!' said the Doctor; 'that is easily managed.'

  'What must I do?' asked the Peasant.

  'First buy an ABC book; you can get one with a cock as a frontispiece.Secondly, turn your wagon and oxen into money, and buy with it clothesand other things suitable for a Doctor. Thirdly, have a sign paintedwith the words, "I am Doctor Know-all," and have it nailed over yourdoor.'

  The Peasant did everything that he was told to do.

  Now when he had been doctoring for a while, not very long though, arich nobleman had some money stolen from him. He was told about DoctorKnow-all, who lived in such and such a village, who would be sure toknow what had become of it. So the gentleman ordered his carriage anddrove to the village.

  He stopped at the Doctor's house, and asked Crabb if he were DoctorKnow-all.

  'Yes, I am.'

  'Then you must go with me to get my stolen money back.'

  'Yes, certainly; but Grethe, my wife, must come too.'

  The nobleman agreed, and gave both of them seats in his carriage, andthey all drove off together.

  When they reached the nobleman's castle the dinner was ready, andCrabb was invited to sit down to table.

  'Yes; but Grethe, my wife, must dine too'; and he seated himself withher.

  When the first Servant brought in a dish of choice food, the Peasantnudged his wife, and said: 'Grethe, that was the first,'--meaning thatthe servant was handing the first dish. But the servant thought hemeant, 'That was the first thief.' As he really was the thief, hebecame much alarmed, and said to his comrades outside--

  'That Doctor knows everything, we shan't get out of this hole; he saidI was the first.'

  The second Servant did not want to go in at all, but he had to go, andwhen he offered his dish to the Peasant he nudged his wife, andsaid--'Grethe, that is the second.'

  This Servant also was frightened and hurried out.

  The third one fared no better. The Peasant said again: 'Grethe, thatis the third.'

  The fourth one brought in a covered dish, and the master told theDoctor that he must show his powers and guess what was under thecover. Now it was a dish of crabs.

  The Peasant looked at the dish and did not know what to do, so hesaid: 'Wretched Crabb that I am.'

  When the Master heard him he cried: 'There, he knows it! Then he knowswhere the money is too.'

  Then the Servant grew terribly frightened, and signed to the Doctor tocome outside.

  When he went out, they all four confessed to him that they had stolenthe money; they would gladly give it to him and a large sum inaddition, if only he would not betray them to their Master, or theirnecks would be in peril. They also showed him where the money washidden. Then the Doctor was satisfied, went back to the table, andsaid--

  'Now, Sir, I will look in my book to see where the money is hidden.'

  The fifth, in the meantime, had crept into the stove to hear if theDoctor knew still more. But he sat there turning over the pages of hisABC book looking for the cock, and as he could not find it at once, hesaid: 'I know you are there, and out you must come.'

  The man in the stove thought it was meant for him, and sprang out in afright, crying: 'The man knows everything.'

  Then Doctor Know-all showed the nobleman where the money was hidden,but he did not betray the servants; and he received much money fromboth sides as a reward, and became a very celebrated man.