Fairy Tales & Ghost Stories
Theodor Storm
Copyright Robert Seidel Costic 2014
Translator’s Introduction
Theodor Storm (1817-1888) was an author of German literary realism, and his novellas Immensee and The Rider on the White Horse are among his most famous works. However, throughout his life he also wrote a number of fairy tales, which are all presented here in English. “Hans Bear” (1837) is modeled after the Brother Grimms’ tales about a powerfully strong character named Hans who goes on wild adventures. “Little Häwelmann” (1850), most clearly intended for little children as a bedtime story, seems to be modeled after the myth of Icarus. “Hinzelmeier” (1857) is about a man who goes on a quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone. “Bulemann’s House” (1873) feels like a darker, grimmer version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” “The Rain Maiden” (1873) features young lovers who seek to end a severe drought crippling their community. “The Mirror of Cyprianus” (1873) follows an infertile countess who is given a magic mirror to grant her the power to bare a child. Included here is also a collection of ghost stories, “At the Fireplace” (1862), told as a dialogue among intimate companions.
Translator’s Acknowledgements
This translation is dedicated to my father, Robert Lee Costic, who read my translations, edited them, and researched many of the obscure colloquialisms and terms that appear in these tales. This translation would not be possible without his help.
Table of Contents
Hans Bear
Little Häwelmann
Hinzelmeier
Bulemann’s House
The Rain Maiden
The Mirror of Cyprianus
At the Fireplace
Hans Bear
In an old spruce forest once lived many, many years ago a poor charcoal burner with his wife, who had recently given him a healthy little boy christened with the name of Hans. He developed soon after his birth such bodily strength that with his little hands he squeezed to death three puppies he parents gave him as playmates. From that they undoubtedly got the message about their boy; but they were happy with their little son’s wonderful abilities and thought frequently of making something big out of it. But not for long would they enjoy such pleasure, as I will tell you immediately: In the selfsame woods lived namely an enormous bear that had two cubs taken by hunters, and she was very distressed and thus howled in pain about the forest day and night.
When the bear saw the boy it was a vivid reminder of her own children, and to take revenge against the humans who had robbed her she ran to Hans to eat him. Hans, however, ripped a little tree out of the ground and so bravely beat the great bear that she, amazed at the strength and courage of the child, very soon changed her mind and thought to herself, “You should take the boy to your cave and suckle him with your milk and make him strong, as you would with your cubs, so that he can care and protect you when you become old and weak.” Such thought the bear mother with sense, so in spite of its screaming and reluctance she took little Hans softly between her front paws and trotted into the forest to her cave.
As soon as she arrived, she immediately laid her newly adopted son on the soft bed that she had previously readied for her children, shook the straw straight, and growled pleasantly at him, that little Hans gradually calmed down and from exhaustion and fatigue finally fell asleep.
When he opened his eyes the next morning, he saw the old bear sitting in front of his bed to give him from her paws lots of beautiful, red strawberries which she had picked in the forest during the early hours; then she offered him her breast and suckled him with her milk, which little Hans really enjoyed, and soon fell on her wide back for him to ruffle her shaggy fur, which was a real joy. When they had played for a while, the bear went back out of the cave, but before she left she rolled a huge stone over the opening, so that our little Hans was locked behind the gate and door, since she preferred to have him back inside.
So it went on for a time, in the morning the bear went out, at noon she came back home, where she always brought nice berries or flowers for her little adopted son, and after she had played with him a while, she trotted in the evening back out to the forest, but to Hans’ chagrin she always rolled the stone over the mouth of the cave. Little by little Hans grew stronger and larger, which the consumption of powerful bear milk had truly contributed not a little; and the stronger and bigger he became, the more morose he became about the great stone, which blocked the way to the beautiful green forest. So when one morning, as the old bear trotted as usual in the forest for breakfast food, such as some sweet honey or a fat bunny, little Hans sat with all his power back against the stone, but it moved only a little from its place in spite of his stamping and kicking; and now as the old bear came home and saw the stone had been moved, she looked grimly at Hans and laid more stones before the entrance for the next time she left the cave. So then little Hans at first had to take patience, because his powers had not yet stretched out to move the stones entirely across the opening. At times he very much feared for the wrath of the bear, should she see that little Hans, despite all his care, made a second attempt at escape. But when he finally realized he was big and strong enough to move all the stones away, he did not take it any longer. With all his might he heaved himself against the stones while the bear had taken her usual afternoon trip – and who could describe the joy! Crack, crash! it went, and right and left rocks fell down and broke apart. There he stood in the great outdoors, which he had yearned so long to go out, and rushed to the tall, green trees, and over him merry forest birds sang their light songs, which would have made him glad and lightened his heart had he not feared that the bear would want to bring him back to the cave. Therefore, he ran as fast as he could, always following his nose forward, until he finally came to the charcoal burner’s hut.
It was evening, however, and the charcoal burner was resting with his wife already after the day’s work, so Hans knocked softly on the door, still fearful of the bear, and when the good people finally opened and asked what he wanted, he asked them earnestly to take him into their service as a servant and told his whole story as far as he knew about himself. The charcoal burner and his wife looked upon him with sharp eyes and recognized from the black warts on little Hans’ left shoulder that the supplicant was none other than their own little son that they had lost in such a fantastical manner many years ago. Who was happier than Hans, who so unexpectedly found his dear parents! Who was happier than the charcoal burner and his wife, who so unexpectedly found their dear son, who had grown from a little boy into a large man.
Although he lingered for a long time with them and told them his wonderful story often enough, he longed at last for the unknown and one day announced to his parents that he cherished a great desire to go on a peregrination, and because they had nothing against it, he packed his bags one morning and walked away.
So after he now looked around the country enough, he was tired of the prolong wandering; and when he once saw a big, stately farm he thought not long but came quickly and offered his services to the farmer. When the farmer saw this big, strong lad he asked him his name and took him as a servant in his house. At this time the fruit had ripened in the orchards, so Hans was sent the next morning to the garden to shake his master’s fruit trees. But when he began to shake, he shook out the branches along with the fruit, and when his master came into the garden soon afterwards to see the work of his new servant, Hans spoke frankly to him, “Lord, your fruit trees must be old and brittle, because I wanted to shake the fruit, the branches broke down with them!” The lord spoke angrily, saying that he ruined his beauti
ful trees, and then sent him into the forest to cut wood and gave him a shiny ax along the way. Hans, however, threw the ax aside and sought a strong iron chain. Once he found them he went as he was ordered into the woods, and he wrapped his chains to this and then that tree and so pulled each after the other to the root, until the evening when his master came with other servants in a wagon to bring the felled timber home.
But when they saw that half the forest was torn up by the roots from the earth, they almost did not believe their eyes and asked one after the other, "So tell us, Hans, who gave you such bodily strength that you do in one day what our toes wouldn’t be able to do in a hundred!”
Hans, who, with all his strength was very kind and obliging by nature, satisfied their curiosity, told his whole story truthfully, threw two of the thickest oak trees on his shoulders, and walked slowly home with them. But the others were still long in the forest and tried in vain to load the torn trees on their carts and wagons.
Soon the story was known far and wide, and because Hans had suckled and drawn his strength from a bear, and became as strong as a bear, he was everywhere just called Hans Bear.
The farmer and his servants became so tremendously fearful of his inordinate physical strength, they decided to get rid of strong Hans in any possible way, but what they wanted did not quite succeed. They held a secret, wicked counsel and discussed how they wanted to take the good Hans Bear’s life so that he would not inflict great suffering with his strength.
So after they deliberated, the Lord went to Hans one day and said, “Behold, my aunt has confided to me that her father buried a treasure underneath the fountain in my courtyard, and since the heat has dried up all the water, you shall go down and dig, whether you may find it!” Hans did as he commanded.
But hardly had he gone down, the Lord came with his other servants and threw stones down into the well, for they thought it would be so easy to get him out of the way. Hans knew their evil intentions now of course very well, as their stone-throwing at him did not cause any pain, so he let them have peace. But when they had gradually thrown down probably a few hundred stones, he lost patience at last. "So the chickens hunt me from the well,” he called to them from below, "they better not scatter sand in my eyes, or I will never dig the treasure out of the well!”
When the farmer and his servants heard this speech they were terrified, but after they had recovered a little from their fright, they rolled a large millstone to the well and threw it down. - Now they surely thought that they kept the dangerous Hans Bear at bay. But Hans Bear picked up the millstone and stuck his head through the hole so that he hung the stone like a collar around his neck, and when they looked down into the well to assure themselves of his death, he called to them, laughing, “What, you want to make me into such a priest that you hang such a powerful clerical collar around my neck! But now let’s put the folly to an end, and pull me out!” And so he threw out of the well the millstone, which buried one of the wicked servants underneath. The others were violently afraid and quickly dragged him out. But the farmer saw that they were too weak to take such a strong man's life, and offered him a large amount of gold if he did not retaliate because of their ill will on him, but instead put together his bundle and leave the house. - And Hans, who wanted to look further around the world, took the gold, tied up his bundle and walked away.
As he marched for some days he heard far and wide much talk of the great beauty of the princess; but he also heard that a hulking giant also desired to be her husband and how the king, her father, was very much in fear and distress, so that he promised to anyone who killed the giant half his kingdom and his daughter as wife.
Hans was unfailingly curious to see the beautiful princess. The closer he came to the royal city, the more he heard talk of her incomparable beauty and goodness. Finally, the city was reached.
There sat the beautiful princess looking out the bay window of her castle, weeping bitter tears that such a hideous giant should take her away to make himself her husband.
Hans was so charmed by the sight that he at once decided to wage battle with the giant, who had already killed three beautiful and brave knights who dared to challenge him for the king's bride. So he went soon to an arms smith and bought with the gold that he had received from his former master a nice helmet, a bright iron skirt, a sword, and above all, a sharp, strong sword. Thus equipped, he went before the king and asked him for permission to fight with the giant. The king gave him his blessing and promised him his daughter and half his kingdom if he should kill the giant. As Hans walked away the king kneeled and prayed for his soul, for he surely believed that he, too, like the other three, would receive his deathblow.
Hans, however, sought to challenge the giant to a duel. As the giant saw him come he thought he would have another light game. Therefore, he leaned comfortably against a tree trunk and jeered at him, “Little man, are you coming perhaps to break my neck? So try it once, before you draw your terrible sword against me, as high as you, my little sword, may rise from the earth! And so he unstrapped his huge battle sword from his waist and threw it on the ground. The giant did such as he assumed that Hans, like the other three, would not pick it up from the ground. Hans took the sword with but one hand high above his head and flung it so far away it fell all the way to its handle into the hard earth. The giant thought to himself, “He’s probably still stronger than you,” and talked to him, saying, “I see very well now that I have wronged you and that you are not a common fighter, so let’s make peace with each other, because two such brave warriors should easily part as friends. Behold, I will give you as much gold and other valuables, as you may take away in three wagons. You take your wages, and leave me the beautiful princess, because I love her more than all the gold and precious stones of the earth.”
Hans, however, loved the beautiful princess more than all the gold and precious stones in the world, even more than his own life, and so did not listen to what the giant said, but quickly drew his sword, and the giant had to pull his own out of the earth where Hans had it thrown. Oh how the swords blared together, that bright sparks jumped out. But it did not take long until Hans cut with huge blows the giant’s head from his body, so that his black blood splashed around the green earth.
When the king saw him so enter into his chamber, he went to meet him and embraced him, and rejoiced with him his victory. Then he said to him: "Come with me, my son, so that I can lead you to the princess, my daughter, and cede you half of my kingdom.” And when they came to the king's beautiful daughter, she was also pleased by the death of the evil giant and about the handsome man that the king brought to her as her future husband. For although Hans Bear was of great bodily strength, his beauty was not less than his strength. Therefore, the princess was pleased very much of such a beautiful groom and soon presented him before the altar, with her heart and hand.
Shortly afterwards the old king died, and after they solemnly buried him Hans now inherited the other half of the empire from his father-in-law, and went immediately with his wife to the home of his parents and siblings to take them with him to his residence.
How they were astonished when the great golden carriage rolled before the low door of the hut and held still, well I don’t need to describe to you! And as they now fully recognized in the king their dear son Hans, he introduced the beautiful princess as their daughter-in-law. There was never-ending wonder and joy! Hans drove with the parents and siblings and entire entourage to the bear cave, to his old foster mother. And when they were no longer far away, they all began to fear and begged the king to turn back. But he calmed them down and went, so as soon as they arrived at the cave without any attendants inside -- but then he was terrified! – as the bear was lying prostrate on her bed, miserable and wanting to die. Because she was so ill and weak and could no longer get food from the forest, she nearly died of starvation, had King Hans not come at the right time.
When the bear saw his foster son, she wanted to sit u
p to crawl up against him, but her strength failed her, and she fell back on her bed. Hans said unto his servants to bring him food and drink, and then he sat down with his bear on the litter and stroked her with his hands and took care of her in every way. And the bear with her rough tongue licked the king's hands and looked at him friendlily, as if to say, “So you're coming finally to prove to me this last time, that I nursed and cared for you but not for nothing.”
Gradually, everyone entered into the cave, and the queen laid the head of the bear on her lap so that she could stroke her with her beautiful hands, as her husband used all the possible means available to him.
But all in vain! The great bear was too old and too weak to even be able to live longer. After she had cast a grateful glance at the king and his beautiful wife, she stretched out her limbs and died. The king cried to his old foster mother, and everyone was very much saddened by the death of the good animal and stood for a long time at her bedside.
Then they buried her in the trunk of an old oak, and all went back to the capital, where Hans Bear, the king, reigned for many years with his beautiful wife, happy and at peace.