“Why shouldn’t I shake?
Little louse has just got scalded.
Little flea is weeping.
Little door is creaking.
Little broom is sweeping.
Little cart is racing.
Little dung heap is burning.”
“Well, then I’m going to break my little water jug,” said the maiden, and as she was breaking it, the little spring from which the water came asked, “Maiden, why are you breaking the little water jug?”
“Why shouldn’t I break it?
Little louse has just got scalded.
Little flea is weeping.
Little door is creaking.
Little broom is sweeping.
Little cart is racing.
Little dung heap is burning.
Little tree is shaking.”
“Goodness gracious!” said the little spring. “Then I’m going to flow,” and it began to flow so violently that they were all drowned in the water—the maiden, the little tree, the little dung heap, the little cart, the little door, the little flea, and the little louse, every last one of them.
31
MAIDEN WITHOUT HANDS
A miller, who was so poor that he had nothing else but his mill and a large apple tree behind it, went into the forest to fetch wood. While there he met an old man who said: “Why are you torturing yourself so much? I’ll make you rich if you promise to give me what’s behind your mill. In three years I’ll come and fetch what’s mine.”
The miller thought to himself: “That’s my apple tree.” So, he said, “yes,” and signed it away to the man. When the miller returned home, his wife said to him, “Tell me, miller, how did all this wealth suddenly get into our house? All at once I’ve discovered our chests and boxes are full of money.”
“It’s from a stranger I met in the forest,” he said. “He promised me great wealth if I agreed in writing to give him what’s behind our mill.”
“Oh, husband!” his wife exclaimed in dread. “This is terrible. That was the devil! He didn’t mean the apple tree but our daughter, who was behind the mill sweeping out the yard.”
The miller’s daughter was a beautiful and pious maiden, and after three years the devil appeared quite early and wanted to fetch her, but she drew a circle around herself and purified herself. Consequently, the devil couldn’t get near her, and he said angrily to the miller, “I want you to take all the water away from her so she can’t wash herself anymore! Then I’ll have power over her.”
Since the miller was afraid of the devil, he did as he was told. The next morning the devil came again, but she wept on her hands and washed herself with her tears so that she was completely clean. Once more the devil couldn’t get near her and said furiously to the miller, “Chop off her hands so that I can grab hold of her.”
The miller was horrified and replied, “How can I chop off the hands of my own dear child! I won’t do it!”
“You know what! Then I’ll take you instead if you don’t do it!”
The father was so terribly scared of him that in his fear he promised to do what the devil commanded. He went to his daughter and said, “My child, if I don’t chop off both your hands, the devil will take me away, and in my fear I promised I’d do it. Please forgive me.”
“Father,” she answered, “do what you want with me.”
Then she extended both her hands and let him chop them off. The devil came a third time, but she had wept so long and so much on her stumps that they, too, were all clean. So he lost any claim he had to her.
Now, since the miller had gained so much wealth thanks to his daughter, he promised her he would see to it that she’d live in splendor for the rest of her life. But she didn’t want to remain there.
“I want to leave here and shall depend on the kindness of people to provide me with whatever I need.”
Then she had her maimed hands bound to her back, and at dawn she set out on her way and walked and walked the entire day until it had become dark and she had reached the king’s garden. There was a hole in the hedge of the garden. So she went inside through the hole and found an apple tree that she shook with her body. When the apples fell to the ground, she leaned over and lifted them with her teeth and ate them. She lived this way for two days, but on the third the guards came and saw her. So they seized her and threw her into the prison house, and on the next day she was led before the king and was to be expelled from the country.
“Why?” cried the prince. “It would be better if she looked after the chickens in the courtyard.”
So she remained there for some time and looked after the chickens. Meanwhile the prince saw her often and became very fond of her. However, the time came for him to marry, and royal messengers were sent out all over the world to find a beautiful bride for him.
“You don’t have to send out messengers to search so far,” said the prince. “I know a bride who is very close by.”
The old king reflected and tried to think of a maiden, but he wasn’t familiar with any young lady in his land who was beautiful and rich.
“You don’t intend to marry that maiden who tends the chickens in the courtyard, do you?”
The son explained, however, that he wouldn’t marry anyone else but her. Finally the king had to yield to his wish, and soon thereafter, he died. The prince inherited the throne and lived happily with his wife for some time.
Yet at one point the young king had to leave his realm to fight in a war, and during his absence his wife gave birth to a beautiful child. She sent a messenger with a letter to announce the good news. However, on the way the messenger stopped to rest near a brook and fell asleep. Then the devil appeared, for he was still trying to harm the pious queen, and so he exchanged the letter for another one that said the queen had given birth to a changeling. When the king read the letter, he was quite distressed, but he wrote a letter in which he declared that the queen and the child should be protected until his return. The messenger started back with the letter, but he stopped to rest at the same spot and fell asleep. Once again the devil came and put a different letter in his pocket that said they should banish the queen and the child from his land. This was to be done even if all the people at the court wept out of sadness.
“I didn’t come here to become queen. I don’t have any luck and also don’t demand any,” the queen declared. “Bind my child and my hands on my back. Then I’ll set out into the world.”
That evening she reached a fountain in a dense forest where a good old man was sitting.
“Please show me some mercy,” she said, “and lift my child to my breast so that I can give him something to drink.”
The man did this, whereupon he said to her, “There’s a thick tree standing over there. Go over and wrap your maimed arms around it.”
When she did this, her hands grew back. Thereupon, the old man pointed to a house.
“Go and live there. Don’t leave the house, and don’t open the door unless someone asks three times to enter for God’s sake.”
In the meantime the king returned home and realized how he had been deceived. Consequently, he set out accompanied by a single servant to look for his wife. After a long journey he lost his way one night in the same forest in which the queen was living. However, he didn’t know that the queen was so close.
“Over there,” his servant said, “there’s a little light glimmering in a house. Thank God, we can rest there.”
“Not at all,” responded the king. “I don’t want to rest very long. I want to continue to search for my wife before I can take any rest.”
But the servant pleaded and complained so much about being tired that the king agreed out of compassion. When they arrived at the house, the moon was shining, and they saw the queen standing at the window.
“Goodness, that must be our queen,” the servant said. “She resembles her very much. But I realize that she can’t be the queen because this woman has hands.”
The servant requested lodging for the
night, but she refused because he didn’t ask for God’s sake. So he wanted to move on and look for another place to spend the night. Then the king himself stepped forward and cried out, “For God’s sake, let me enter!”
“I can’t let you enter until you ask me three times for God’s sake.”
And after the king asked another two times for God’s sake, she opened the door. Then his little son came skipping toward him and led the king to his mother, and he recognized her immediately as his beloved wife. The next morning just as they left the house and began traveling together to return to their country, the house vanished right behind them.
32
CLEVER HANS
I
“Where are you going, Hans?” his mother asked.
“To Gretel’s,” Hans replied.
“Take care, Hans.”
“Don’t worry. Good-bye, Mother.”
Hans arrived at Gretel’s place.
“Good day, Gretel.”
“Good day, Hans. Have you brought me anything nice?”
“Didn’t bring anything. Want something from you.”
Gretel gave him a needle.
“Good-bye, Gretel,” Hans said.
“Good-bye, Hans.”
Hans took the needle, stuck it in the hay wagon, and walked home behind the wagon.
“Good evening, Mother.”
“Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?”
“At Gretel’s.”
“What did you bring her?”
“Didn’t bring her a thing. Got something.”
“What did Gretel give you?”
“Got a needle.”
“Where’d you put the needle, Hans?”
“Stuck it in a hay wagon.”
“That was stupid of you. You should have stuck it in your sleeve.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll do better next time.”
“Where are you going, Hans?”
“To Gretel’s, Mother.”
“Take care, Hans.”
“Don’t worry. Good-bye, Mother.”
Hans arrived at Gretel’s place.
“Good day, Gretel.”
“Good day, Hans. Have you brought me anything nice?”
“Didn’t bring anything. Want something from you.”
Gretel gave Hans a knife.
“Good-bye, Gretel.”
“Good-bye, Hans.”
Hans took the knife, stuck it in his sleeve, and went home.
“Good evening, Mother.”
“Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?”
“At Gretel’s.”
“What did you bring her?”
“Didn’t bring her a thing. Got something.”
“What did Gretel give you?”
“Got a knife.”
“Where’d you put the knife, Hans?”
“Stuck it in my sleeve.”
“That was stupid of you, Hans. You should have put it in your pocket.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll do better next time.”
“Where are you going, Hans?”
“To Gretel’s, Mother.”
“Take care, Hans.”
“Don’t worry. Good-bye, Mother.”
Hans arrived at Gretel’s place.
“Good day, Gretel.”
“Good day, Hans. Have you brought me anything nice?”
“Didn’t bring anything. Want something from you.”
Gretel gave Hans a kid goat.
“Good-bye, Gretel.”
“Good-bye, Hans.”
Hans took the goat, tied its legs together, and stuck it in the pocket of his coat. By the time he got home the goat had suffocated.
“Good evening, Mother.”
“Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?”
“At Gretel’s.”
“What did you bring her?”
“Didn’t bring her a thing. Got something.”
“What did Gretel give you?”
“Got a goat.”
“Where’d you put the goat, Hans?”
“Stuck it in my pocket.”
“That was stupid of you, Hans. You should have tied the goat to a rope.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll do better next time.”
“Where are you going, Hans?”
“To Gretel’s, Mother.”
“Take care, Hans.”
“Don’t worry. Good-bye, Mother.”
Hans arrived at Gretel’s place.
“Good day, Gretel.”
“Good day, Hans. Have you brought me anything nice?”
“Didn’t bring anything. Want something from you.”
Gretel gave Hans a piece of bacon.
Hans took the bacon, tied it to a rope, and dragged it along behind him. The dogs came and ate the bacon. By the time Hans arrived home he had the rope in his hand but nothing attached to it anymore.
“Good evening, Mother.”
“Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?”
“At Gretel’s.”
“What did you bring her?”
“Didn’t bring her a thing. Got something.”
“What did Gretel give you?”
“Got a piece of bacon.”
“What have you done with the bacon, Hans?”
“Tied it to a rope. Dragged it home. Dogs got it.”
“That was stupid of you, Hans. You should have carried it on your head.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll do better next time.”
“Where are you going, Hans?”
“To Gretel’s, Mother.”
“Take care, Hans. “
“Don’t worry. Good-bye, Mother.”
Hans arrived at Gretel’s place.
“Good day, Gretel.”
“Good day, Hans. Have you brought me anything nice?”
“Didn’t bring anything. Want something from you.”
Gretel gave Hans a calf.
“Good-bye, Gretel.”
“Good-bye, Hans.”
Hans took the calf, set it on his head, and the calf kicked him in his face.
“Good evening, Mother.”
“Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?”
“At Gretel’s.”
“What did you bring her?”
“Didn’t bring her a thing. Got something.”
“What did Gretel give you?”
“Got a calf.”
“What have you done with the calf?”
“Put it on my head. Kicked me in my face.”
“That was stupid of you, Hans. you should have led the calf to the stable, and put it in the stall.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll do better next time.”
“Where are you going, Hans?”
“To Gretel’s, Mother.”
“Take care, Hans.”
“Don’t worry. Good-bye, Mother.”
Hans arrived at Gretel’s place.
“Good day, Gretel.”
“Good day, Hans. Have you brought me anything nice?”
“Didn’t bring anything. Want something from you.”
“I’ll come along with you,” Gretel said.
Hans took Gretel, put a rope around her, and led her into the stable, tied her to a stall, and threw her some grass. Then he went to his mother.
“Good evening, Mother.”
“Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?”
“At Gretel’s.”
“What did you bring her?”
“Didn’t bring her a thing. Got something.”
“What did Gretel give you?”
“Got nothing. She came along.”
“Where have you left Gretel?”
“Led her by a rope and tied her up in the stall and threw her some grass.”
“That was stupid of you, Hans. You should have thrown friendly looks at her with the eyes.”
Hans went out into the stable, cut out the eyes of all the cows and sheep, and threw them in Gretel’s face. Then Gretel got angry, tore herself loose,
and ran away. That was how Hans lost his bride.
II
A very rich widow lived in the valley of Geslingen, and she had an only son who was coarse and had crazy ideas. He was also the greatest fool among all the inhabitants of the valley. Now one time this very same dunce happened to notice the beautiful, attractive, and intelligent daughter of a highly respected and distinguished man in Saarbrücken. The fool took an immediately liking to her. So he implored his mother to arrange a marriage with this young woman. If she didn’t, he would smash the oven and the windows and break all the staircases in the house. His mother knew and clearly understood how mad her son was and feared that if she didn’t let him court the young maiden right away and didn’t give him a great deal of property to boot, he would act like such a boorish ass that he’d be out of control and there would be no reasoning with him. Even though the maiden’s parents were wonderful people and of noble lineage, they were also very poor so that, because of their poverty, they were not in a position to look after her according to her social position. Consequently, they were obliged to approve the dunce’s courting. But his mother was also afraid that her son was such a big bumbling oaf that the maiden would perhaps reject him. Therefore, she gave him all kinds of lessons so that he would know how to treat the young woman with fine and polite manners and how to be nimble on his feet.
After the maiden had her first meeting with him and talked with him, she gave him a pair of handsome gloves as a gift. They were made out of soft Spanish leather. The fool put them on and started out for home. Suddenly there was a rainstorm, and he kept the gloves on. He didn’t care whether they became wet or not. As he was walking along the path, he slipped and fell into the swampy water. When he arrived home, he was covered with mud, and the gloves were nothing but soggy leather. He complained to his mother, and the good old woman scolded him and said, “The next time you should wrap them in a handkerchief and stuff them inside your shirt next to your chest.”
Soon thereafter the numbskull showed up again at the maiden’s house, and she asked him about the gloves. He told her what had happened, and she laughed and quickly grasped how little wisdom he possessed. Now she gave him another present, and this time it was a hawk. He took it, headed for home, and remembered his mother’s words of advice. So he strangled the hawk, wrapped it in his handkerchief, and stuck it inside his shirt. His mother scolded him again and told him he should have carried it carefully in his hand.