ðə tˈeɪl wʌz kəlˈɛktᵻd æɾə tˈaɪm æt wˌɪtʃ mˈɛni dʒˈɜːmən kˈɪŋz wɜː kɑːnskɹˈɪptɪŋ mˈɛni mˈoːɹ mˈɛn ˌɪntʊ ðɛɹ ˈɑːɹmiz, ænd ðə pˈiːpəl ʌvðə kˈʌntɹi ænd tˈaʊn, hˌuː wɜː fˈoːɹst tə pˈeɪ tˈæksᵻz tə səpˈoːɹt sˈʌtʃ nˈuː ˈɑːɹmiz ænd tə hˈaʊz ðˌɛm.
The tale was collected at a time at which many German kings were conscripting many more men into their armies, and the people of the country and town, who were forced to pay taxes to support such new armies and to house them.