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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 |
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