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001.txt

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+In olden times when wishing still helped one, there lived a king
+whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful
+that the sun itself, which has seen so much, was astonished whenever
+it shone in her face.  Close by the king's castle lay a great dark
+forest, and under an old lime-tree in the forest was a well, and when
+the day was very warm, the king's child went out into the forest and
+sat down by the side of the cool fountain, and when she was bored she
+took a golden ball, and threw it up on high and caught it, and this
+ball was her favorite plaything.
+
+Now it so happened that on one occasion the princess's golden ball
+did not fall into the little hand which she was holding up for it,
+but on to the ground beyond, and rolled straight into the water.  The
+king's daughter followed it with her eyes, but it vanished, and the
+well was deep, so deep that the bottom could not be seen.  At this
+she began to cry, and cried louder and louder, and could not be
+comforted.  And as she thus lamented someone said to her, "What ails
+you, king's daughter?  You weep so that even a stone would show pity."
+
+She looked round to the side from whence the voice came, and saw a
+frog stretching forth its big, ugly head from the water.  "Ah, old
+water-splasher, is it you," she said, "I am weeping for my golden ball,
+which has fallen into the well."  "Be quiet, and do not weep," answered
+the frog, "I can help you, but what will you give me if I bring your
+plaything up again?"  "Whatever you will have, dear frog," said she, "My
+clothes, my pearls and jewels, and even the golden crown which I am
+wearing."  The frog answered, "I do not care for your clothes, your
+pearls and jewels, nor for your golden crown, but if you will love me
+and let me be your companion and play-fellow, and sit by you at your
+little table, and eat off your little golden plate, and drink out of
+your little cup, and sleep in your little bed - if you will promise
+me this I will go down below, and bring you your golden ball up
+again."
+
+"Oh yes," said she, "I promise you all you wish, if you will but bring
+me my ball back again."  But she thought, "How the silly frog does
+talk.  All he does is to sit in the water with the other frogs, and
+croak.  He can be no companion to any human being."
+
+But the frog when he had received this promise, put his head into the
+water and sank down; and in a short while came swimmming up again
+with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the grass.  The king's
+daughter was delighted to see her pretty plaything once more, and
+picked it up, and ran away with it.  "Wait, wait," said the frog.  "Take
+me with you.  I can't run as you can."  But what did it avail him to
+scream his croak, croak, after her, as loudly as he could.  She did
+not listen to it, but ran home and soon forgot the poor frog, who was
+forced to go back into his well again.
+
+The next day when she had seated herself at table with the king and
+all the courtiers, and was eating from her little golden plate,
+something came creeping splish splash, splish splash, up the marble
+staircase, and when it had got to the top, it knocked at the door and
+cried, "Princess, youngest princess, open the door for me."  She ran to
+see who was outside, but when she opened the door, there sat the frog
+in front of it.  Then she slammed the door to, in great haste, sat
+down to dinner again, and was quite frightened.  The king saw plainly
+that her heart was beating violently, and said, "My child, what are
+you so afraid of?  Is there perchance a giant outside who wants to
+carry you away?"  "Ah, no," replied she.  "It is no giant but a disgusting
+frog."
+
+"What does a frog want with you?"  "Ah, dear father, yesterday as I was
+in the forest sitting by the well, playing, my golden ball fell into
+the water.  And because I cried so, the frog brought it out again for
+me, and because he so insisted, I promised him he should be my
+companion, but I never thought he would be able to come out of his
+water.  And now he is outside there, and wants to come in to me."
+
+In the meantime it knocked a second time, and cried,  "Princess,
+youngest princess,  open the door for me,  do you not know what you
+said to me yesterday by the cool waters of the well.  Princess,
+youngest princess,  open the door for me."
+
+Then said the king, "That which you have promised must you perform.
+Go and let him in."  She went and opened the door, and the frog hopped
+in and followed her, step by step, to her chair. There he sat and
+cried, "Lift me up beside you."  She delayed, until at last the king
+commanded her to do it.  Once the frog was on the chair he wanted to
+be on the table, and when he was on the table he said, "Now, push your
+little golden plate nearer to me that we may eat together."  She did
+this, but it was easy to see that she did not do it willingly.  The
+frog enjoyed what he ate, but almost every mouthful she took choked
+her.  At length he said, "I have eaten and am satisfied, now I am
+tired, carry me into your little room and make your little silken bed
+ready, and we will both lie down and go to sleep."
+
+The king's daughter began to cry, for she was afraid of the cold frog
+which she did not like to touch, and which was now to sleep in her
+pretty, clean little bed.  But the king grew angry and said, "He who
+helped you when you were in trouble ought not afterwards to be
+despised by you."  So she took hold of the frog with two fingers,
+carried him upstairs, and put him in a corner, but when she was in
+bed he crept to her and said, "I am tired, I want to sleep as well as
+you, lift me up or I will tell your father."  At this she was terribly
+angry, and took him up and threw him with all her might against the
+wall.  "Now, will you be quiet, odious frog," said she.  But when he
+fell down he was no frog but a king's son with kind and beautiful
+eyes.  He by her father's will was now her dear companion and
+husband.  Then he told her how he had been bewitched by a wicked
+witch, and how no one could have delivered him from the well but
+herself, and that to-morrow they would go together into his kingdom.
+
+Then they went to sleep, and next morning when the sun awoke them, a
+carriage came driving up with eight white horses, which had white
+ostrich feathers on their heads, and were harnessed with golden
+chains, and behind stood the young king's servant Faithful Henry.
+Faithful Henry had been so unhappy when his master was changed into a
+frog, that he had caused three iron bands to be laid round his heart,
+lest it should burst with grief and sadness.  The carriage was to
+conduct the young king into his kingdom.  Faithful Henry helped them
+both in, and placed himself behind again, and was full of joy because
+of this deliverance.  And when they had driven a part of the way the
+king's son heard a cracking behind him as if something had broken.
+So he turned round and cried, "Henry, the carriage is breaking."
+"No, master, it is not the carriage.  It is a band from my heart,
+which was put there in my great pain when you were a frog and
+imprisoned in the well."  Again and once again while they were on
+their way something cracked, and each time the king's son thought the
+carriage was breaking, but it was only the bands which were springing
+from the heart of Faithful Henry because his master was set free and
+was happy.

002.txt

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+Hard by a great forest dwelt a wood-cutter with his wife, who had an
+only child, a little girl three years old.  They were so poor,
+however, that they no longer had daily bread, and did not know how to
+get food for her.  One morning the wood-cutter went out sorrowfully
+to his work in the forest, and while he was cutting wood, suddenly
+there stood before him a tall and beautiful woman with a crown of
+shining stars on her head, who said to him 'I am the virgin mary,
+mother of the child jesus. You are poor and needy, bring your child
+to me, I will take her with me and be her mother, and care for her.'
+The wood-cutter obeyed, brought his child, and gave her to the virgin
+mary, who took her up to heaven with her.  There the child fared
+well, ate sugar-cakes, and drank sweet milk, and her clothes were of
+gold, and the little angels played with her.  And when she was
+fourteen years of age, the virgin mary called her one day and said
+'dear child, I am about to make a long journey, so take into your
+keeping the keys of the thirteen doors of heaven.  Twelve of these
+you may open, and behold the glory which is within them, but the
+thirteenth, to which this little key belongs, is forbidden you.  Take
+care not to open it, or you will be unhappy.' The girl promised to be
+obedient, and when the virgin mary was gone, she began to examine the
+dwellings of the kingdom of heaven.  Each day she opened one of them,
+until she had made the round of the twelve. In each of them sat one
+of the apostles in the midst of a great light, and she rejoiced in
+all the magnificence and splendor, and the little angels who always
+accompanied her rejoiced with her. Then the forbidden door alone
+remained, and she felt a great desire to know what could be hidden
+behind it, and said to the angels 'I will not open it entirely, and I
+will not go inside, but I will unlock it so that we can see just a
+little through the opening.' 'Oh'no,  said the little angels,  'that
+would be a sin.  The virgin mary has forbidden it, and it might
+easily cause your unhappiness.' Then she was silent, but the desire
+in her heart was not stilled, but gnawed there and tormented her, and
+let her have no rest.  And once when the angels had all gone out, she
+thought 'now I am quite alone, and I could peep in.  If I do, no one
+will ever know.' She sought out the key, and when she had got it in
+her hand, she put it in the lock, and when she had put it in, she
+turned it round as well.  Then the door sprang open, and she saw
+there the trinity sitting in fire and splendor.  She stayed there
+awhile, and looked at everything in amazement, then she touched the
+light a little with her finger, and her finger became quite golden.
+Immediately a great fear fell on her.  She shut the door violently,
+and ran hi there.  But her terror would not quit her, let her do what she
+'Yes,  said the girl, for the second time. Then she perceived the
+finger which had become golden from touching the fire of heaven, and
+saw well that the child had sinned, and said for the third time 'have
+you not done it.' 'No,  said the girl for the third time.  Then said
+the virgin mary 'you have not obeyed me, and besides that you have
+lied, you are no longer worthy to be in heaven.' Then the girl fell
+into a deep sleep, and when she awoke she lay on the earth below, and
+in the midst of a wilderness.  She wanted to cry out, but she could
+bring forth no sound.  She sprang up and wanted to run away, but
+whithersoever she turned herself, she was continually held back by
+thick hedges of thorns through which she could not break.  In the
+desert, in which she was imprisoned, there stood an old hollow tree,
+and this had to be her dwelling-place.  Into this she crept when
+night came, and here she slept.  Here, too, she found a shelter from
+might, and her heart beat continually and would not be still, the gold too
+stayed on her finger, and  would not go away, let  her rub it and wash  it
+never so much. It was not long  before the virgin mary came back from  her
+journey.  She called the girl  before her, and asked  to have the keys  of
+heaven back.  When the maiden gave  her the bunch, the virgin looked  into
+her eyes and said 'have you not opened the thirteenth door also.' 'No, she
+replied.  Then she laid her hand on the girl's heart, and felt how it beat
+and beat, and  saw right well  that she  had disobeyed her  order and  had
+opened the door.  Then she said once again 'are you certain that you  have
+not done it.'
+storm and rain, but it was a miserable life, and bitterly did she
+weep when she remembered how happy she had been in heaven, and how
+the angels had played with her.  Roots and wild berries were her only
+food, and for these she sought as far as she could go.  In the autumn
+she picked up the fallen nuts and leaves, and carried them into the
+hole.  The nuts were her food in winter, and when snow and ice came,
+she crept amongst the leaves like a poor little animal that she might
+not freeze.  Before long her clothes were all torn, and one bit of
+them after another fell off her.  As soon, however, as the sun shone
+warm again, she went out and sat in front of the tree, and her long
+hair covered her on all sides like a mantle.  Thus she sat year after
+year, and felt the pain and the misery of the world. One day, when
+the trees were once more clothed in fresh green, the king of the
+country was hunting in the forest, and followed a roe, and as it had
+fled into the thicket which shut in this part of the forest, he got
+off his horse, tore the bushes asunder, and cut himself a path with
+his sword.  When he had at last forced his way through, he saw a
+wonderfully beautiful maiden sitting under the tree, and she sat
+there and was entirely covered with her golden hair down to her very
+feet. He stood still and looked at her full of surprise, then he
+spoke to her and said 'who are you.  Why are you sitting here in the
+wilderness.' But she gave no answer, for she could not open her
+mouth.  The king continued 'will you go with me to my castle.  Then
+she just nodded her head a little.  The king took her in his arms,
+carried her to his horse, and rode home with her, and when he reached
+the royal castle he caused her to be dressed in beautiful garments,
+and gave her all things in abundance.  Although she could not speak,
+she was still so beautiful and charming that he began to love her
+with all his heart, and it was not long before he married her. After
+a year or so had passed, the queen brought a son into the world.
+Thereupon the virgin mary appeared to her in the night when she lay
+in her bed alone, and said 'if you will tell the truth and confess
+that you did unlock the forbidden door, I will open your mouth and
+give you back your speech, but if you persevere in your sin, and deny
+obstinately, I will take your new-born child away with me.' The the
+queen was permitted to answer, but she remained hard, and said 'no, I
+did not open the forbidden door, and the virgin mary took the
+new-born child from her arms, and vanished with it.  Next morning
+when the child was not to be found, it was whispered among the people
+that the queen was a man-eater, and had put her own child to death.
+She heard all this and could say nothing to the contrary, but the
+king would not believe it, for he loved her so much. When a year had
+gone by the queen again bore a son, and in the night the virgin mary
+again came to her, and said 'if you will confess that you opened the
+forbidden door, I will give you your child back and untie your tongue
+but if you continue in sin and deny it, I will take away with me this
+new child also.' Then the queen again said 'no, I did not open the
+forbidden door.' And the virgin took the child out of her arms, and
+away with her to heaven.  Next morning, when this child also had
+disappeared, the people declared quite loudly that the queen had
+devoured it, and the king's councillors demanded that she should be
+brought to justice.  The king however, loved her so dearly that he
+would not believe it, and commanded the councillors under pain of
+death not to say any more about it. The following year the queen gave
+birth to a beautiful little daughter, and for the third time the
+virgin mary appeared to her in the night and said 'follow me.' She
+took the queen by the hand and led her to heaven, and showed her
+there her two eldest children, who smiled at her, and were playing
+with the ball of the world.  When the queen rejoiced thereat, the
+virgin mary said 'is your heart not yet softened.  If you will own
+that you opened the forbidden door, I will give you back your two
+little sons.' But for the third time the queen answered 'no, I did
+not open the forbidden door.' Then the virgin let her sink down to
+earth once more, and took from her likewise her third child.
+
+Next morning, when the loss was reported abroad, all the people cried
+loudly 'the queen is a man-eater.  She must be judged, and the king
+was no longer able to restrain his councillors. Thereupon a trial was
+held, and as she could not answer, and defend herself, she was
+condemned to be burnt at the stake. The wood was got together, and
+when she was fast bound to the stake, and the fire began to burn
+round about her, the hard ice of pride melted, her heart was moved by
+repentance, and she thought 'if I could but confess before my death
+that I opened the door.' Then her voice came back to her, and she
+cried out loudly 'yes, mary, I did it, and straight-way rain fell
+from the sky and extinguished the flames of fire, and a light broke
+forth above her, and the virgin mary descended with the two little
+sons by her side, and the new-born daughter in her arms.  She spoke
+kindly to her, and said 'he who repents his sin and acknowledges it,
+is forgiven.' Then she gave her the three children, untied her
+tongue, and granted her happiness for her whole life.
+

003.txt

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+A certain father had two sons, the elder of whom was smart and
+sensible, and could do everything, but the younger was stupid and
+could neither learn nor understand anything, and when people saw him
+they said 'there's a fellow who will give his father some trouble.'
+When anything had to be done, it was always the elder who was forced
+to do it, but if his father bade him fetch anything when it was late,
+or in the night-time, and the way led through the churchyard, or any
+other dismal place, he answered 'oh, no, father, I'll not go there,
+it makes me shudder.' For he was afraid.  Or when stories were told
+by the fire at night which made the flesh creep, the listeners
+sometimes said 'oh, it makes us shudder.' The younger sat in a corner
+and listened with the rest of them, and could not imagine what they
+could mean.  'They are always saying 'it makes me shudder, it makes
+me shudder,  it does not make me shudder.' Thought he.  'That, too,
+must be an art of which I understand nothing.'
+
+Now it came to pass that his father said to him one day 'hearken to
+me, you fellow in the corner there, you are growing tall and strong,
+and you too must learn something by which you can earn your bread.
+Look how your brother works, but you do not even earn your salt.'
+'Well, father, he replied,  'I am quite willing to learn something -
+indeed, if it could but be managed, I should like to learn how to
+shudder.  I don't understand that at all yet.' The elder brother
+smiled when he heard that, and thought to himself 'good God, what a
+blockhead that brother of mine is.  He will never be good for
+anything as long as he lives.  He who wants to be a sickle must bend
+himself betimes.' The father sighed, and answered him 'you shall soon
+learn what it is to shudder, but you will not earn your bread by
+that.' Soon after this the sexton came to the house on a visit, and
+the father bewailed his trouble, and told him how his younger son was
+so backward in every respect that he knew nothing and learnt nothing.
+'Just think,  said he,  'when I asked him how he was going to earn
+his bread, he actually wanted to learn to shudder.' 'If that be all,
+replied the sexton,  'he can learn that with me.  Send him to me, and
+I will soon polish him.' The father was glad to do it, for he thought
+'it will train the boy a little.' The sexton therefore took him into
+his house, and he had to ring the church bell.  After a day or two,
+the sexton awoke him at midnight, and bade him arise and go up into
+the church tower and ring the bell. 'You shall soon learn what
+shuddering is,  thought he, and secretly went there before him, and
+when the boy was at the top of the tower and turned round, and was
+just going to take hold of the bell rope, he saw a white figure
+standing on the stairs opposite the sounding hole.  'Who is there.'
+Cried he, but the figure made no reply, and did not move or stir.
+'Give an answer,  cried the boy,  'or take yourself off, you have no
+business here at night.'
+
+The sexton, however, remained standing motionless that the boy might
+think he was a ghost.  The boy cried a second time 'what do you want
+here. - Speak if you are an honest fellow, or I will throw you down
+the steps.' The sexton thought 'he can't mean to be as bad as his
+words,  uttered no sound and stood as if he were made of stone.  Then
+the boy called to him for the third time, and as that was also to no
+purpose, he ran against him and pushed the ghost down the stairs, so
+that it fell down ten steps and remained lying there in a corner.
+Thereupon he rang the bell, went home, and without saying a word went
+to bed, and fell asleep.  The sexton's wife waited a long time for
+her husband, but he did not come back.  At length she became uneasy,
+and wakened the boy, and asked 'do you not know where my husband is.
+He climbed up the tower before you did.' 'No, I don't know, replied
+the boy,  'but someone was standing by the sounding hole on the other
+side of the steps, and as he would neither give an answer nor go
+away, I took him for a scoundrel, and threw him downstairs.  Just go
+there and you will see if it was he.  I should be sorry if it were.'
+The woman ran away and found her husband, who was lying moaning in
+the corner, and had broken his leg.
+
+She carried him down, and then with loud screams she hastened to the
+boy's father.  'Your boy,  cried she,  'has been the cause of a great
+misfortune.  He has thrown my husband down the steps so that he broke
+his leg.  Take the good-for-nothing fellow out of our house.' The
+father was terrified, and ran thither and scolded the boy.  'What
+wicked tricks are these.' Said he,  'the devil must have put them
+into your head.' 'Father,  he replied, 'do listen to me.  I am quite
+innocent.  He was standing there by night like one intent on doing
+evil.  I did not know who it was, and I entreated him three times
+either to speak or to go away.' 'Ah,  said the father,  'I have
+nothing but unhappiness with you.  Go out of my sight.  I will see
+you no more.'
+
+'Yes, father, right willingly, wait only until it is day.  Then will
+I go forth and learn how to shudder, and then I shall, at any rate,
+understand one art which will support me.' 'Learn what you will,
+spoke the father,  'it is all the same to me. Here are fifty talers
+for you.  Take these and go into the wide world, and tell no one from
+whence you come, and who is your father, for I have reason to be
+ashamed of you.' 'Yes, father, it shall be as you will.  If you
+desire nothing more than that, I can easily keep it in mind.'
+
+When day dawned, therefore, the boy put his fifty talers into his
+pocket, and went forth on the great highway, and continually said to
+himself 'if I could but shudder.  If I could but shudder.' Then a man
+approached who heard this conversation which the youth was holding
+with himself, and when they had walked a little farther to where they
+could see the gallows, the man said to him 'look, there is the tree
+where seven men have married the ropemaker's daughter, and are now
+learning how to fly.  Sit down beneath it, and wait till night comes,
+and you will soon learn how to shudder.' 'If that is all that is
+wanted, answered the youth,  'it is easily done, but if I learn how
+to shudder as fast as that, you shall have my fifty talers.  Just
+come back to me early in the morning.' Then the youth went to the
+gallows, sat down beneath it, and waited till evening came. And as he
+was cold, he lighted himself a fire, but at midnight the wind blew so
+sharply that in spite of his fire, he could not get warm.  And as the
+wind knocked the hanged men against each other, and they moved
+backwards and forwards, he thought to himself 'if you shiver below by
+the fire, how those up above must freeze and suffer.' And as he felt
+pity for them, he raised the ladder, and climbed up, unbound one of
+them after the other, and brought down all seven.  Then he stoked the
+fire, blew it, and set them all round it to warm themselves.  But
+they sat there and did not stir, and the fire caught their clothes.
+So he said 'take care, or I will hang you up again.' The dead men,
+however, did not hear, but were quite silent, and let their rags go
+on burning.  At this he grew angry, and said 'if you will not take
+care, I cannot help you, I will not be burnt with you,  and he hung
+them up again each in his turn. Then he sat down by his fire and fell
+asleep, and the next morning the man came to him and wanted to have
+the fifty talers, and said 'well, do you know how to shudder.' 'No,
+answered he,  'how should I know.  Those fellows up there did not
+open their mouths, and were so stupid that they let the few old rags
+which they had on their bodies get burnt.' Then the man saw that he
+would not get the fifty talers that day, and went away saying 'such a
+youth has never come my way before.' The youth likewise went his way,
+and once more began to mutter to himself 'ah, if I could but shudder.
+Ah, if I could but shudder.' A waggoner who was striding behind him
+heard this and asked 'who are you.' 'I don't know, answered the
+youth.  Then the waggoner asked 'from whence do you come.' 'I know
+not.' 'Who is your father.' 'That I may not tell you.' 'What is it
+that you are always muttering between your teeth.' 'Ah, replied the
+youth,  'I do so wish I could shudder, but no one can teach me how.'
+'Enough of your foolish chatter,  said the waggoner.  'Come, go with
+me, I will see about a place for you.' The youth went with the
+waggoner, and in the evening they arrived at an inn where they wished
+to pass the night.  Then at the entrance of the parlor the youth
+again said quite loudly 'if I could but shudder.  If I could but
+shudder.' The host who heard this, laughed and said 'if that is your
+desire, there ought to be a good opportunity for you here.' 'Ah, be
+silent,  said the hostess,  'so many prying persons have already lost
+their lives, it would be a pity and a shame if such beautiful eyes as
+these should never see the daylight again.' But the youth said
+'however difficult it may be, I will learn it.  For this purpose
+indeed have I journeyed forth.' He let the host have no rest, until
+the latter told him, that not far from thence stood a haunted castle
+where any one could very easily learn what shuddering was, if he
+would but watch in it for three nights.  The king had promised that
+he who would venture should have his daughter to wife, and she was
+the most beautiful maiden the sun shone on.  Likewise in the castle
+lay great treasures, which were guarded by evil spirits, and these
+treasures would then be freed, and would make a poor man rich enough.
+Already many men had gone into the castle, but as yet none had come
+out again.  Then the youth went next morning to the king and said 'if
+it be allowed, I will willingly watch three nights in the haunted
+castle.' The king looked at him, and as the youth pleased him, he
+said 'you may ask for three things to take into the castle with you,
+but they must be things without life.' Then he answered 'then I ask
+for a fire, a turning lathe, and a cutting-board with the knife.' The
+king had these things carried into the castle for him during the day.
+When night was drawing near, the youth went up and made himself a
+bright fire in one of the rooms, placed the cutting-board and knife
+beside it, and seated himself by the turning-lathe.  'Ah, if I could
+but shudder.' Said he,  'but I shall not learn it here either.'
+Towards midnight he was about to poke his fire, and as he was blowing
+it, something cried suddenly from one corner 'au, miau.  How cold we
+are.' 'You fools.' Cried he,  'what are you crying about.  If you are
+cold, come and take a seat by the fire and warm yourselves.' And when
+he had said that, two great black cats came with one tremendous leap
+and sat down on each side of him, and looked savagely at him with
+their fiery eyes.  After a short time, when they had warmed
+themselves, they said 'comrade, shall we have a game of cards.' 'Why
+not.' He replied,  'but just show me your paws.' Then they stretched
+out their claws.  'Oh, said he,  'what long nails you have.  Wait, I
+must first cut them for you.' Thereupon he seized them by the
+throats, put them on the cutting-board and screwed their feet fast.
+'I have looked at your fingers,  said he,  'and my fancy for
+card-playing has gone, and he struck them dead and threw them out
+into the water.  But when he had made away with these two, and was
+about to sit down again by his fire, out from every hole and corner
+came black cats and black dogs with red-hot chains, and more and more
+of them came until he could no longer move, and they yelled horribly,
+and got on his fire, pulled it to pieces, and tried to put it out.
+He watched them for a while quietly, but at last when they were going
+too far, he seized his cutting-knife, and cried 'away with you,
+vermin, and began to cut them down. Some of them ran away, the others
+he killed, and threw out into the fish-pond.  When he came back he
+fanned the embers of his fire again and warmed himself.  And as he
+thus sat, his eyes would keep open no longer, and he felt a desire to
+sleep.  Then he looked round and saw a great bed in the corner.
+'That is the very thing for me,  said he, and got into it.  When he
+was just going to shut his eyes, however, the bed began to move of
+its own accord, and went over the whole of the castle. 'That's right,
+said he,  'but go faster.' Then the bed rolled on as if six horses
+were harnessed to it, up and down, over thresholds and stairs, but
+suddenly hop, hop, it turned over upside down, and lay on him like a
+mountain.  But he threw quilts and pillows up in the air, got out and
+said 'now any one who likes, may drive, and lay down by his fire, and
+slept till it was day.  In the morning the king came, and when he saw
+him lying there on the ground, he thought the evil spirits had killed
+him and he was dead.  Then said he 'after all it is a pity, -- for so
+handsome a man.' The youth heard it, got up, and said 'it has not
+come to that yet.' Then the king was astonished, but very glad, and
+asked how he had fared.  'Very well indeed, answered he,  'one night
+is past, the two others will pass likewise.' Then he went to the
+innkeeper, who opened his eyes very wide, and said 'I never expected
+to see you alive again.  Have you learnt how to shudder yet.' 'No,
+said he,  'it is all in vain.  If some one would but tell me.' The
+second night he again went up into the old castle, sat down by the
+fire, and once more began his old song 'if I could but shudder.' When
+midnight came, an uproar and noise of tumbling about was heard, at
+first it was low, but it grew louder and louder.  Then it was quiet
+for a while, and at length with a loud scream, half a man came down
+the chimney and fell before him.  'Hullo.' Cried he,  'another half
+belongs to this.  This is not enough.' Then the uproar began again,
+there was a roaring and howling, and the other half fell down
+likewise.  'Wait, said he,  'I will just stoke up the fire a little
+for you.' When he had done that and looked round again, the two
+pieces were joined together, and a hideous man was sitting in his
+place. 'That is no part of our bargain,  said the youth,  'the bench
+is mine.' The man wanted to push him away, the youth, however, would
+not allow that, but thrust him off with all his strength, and seated
+himself again in his own place.  Then still more men fell down, one
+after the other, they brought nine dead men's legs and two skulls,
+and set them up and played at nine-pins with them. The youth also
+wanted to play and said 'listen you, can I join you.' 'Yes, if you
+have any money.' Money enough, replied he,  'but your balls are not
+quite round.' Then he took the skulls and put them in the lathe and
+turned them till they were round.  'There, now they will roll
+better.' Said he. 'Hurrah.  Now we'll have fun.' He played with them
+and lost some of his money, but when it struck twelve, everything
+vanished from his sight.  He lay down and quietly fell asleep.  Next
+morning the king came to inquire after him.  'How has it fared with
+you this time.' Asked he.  'I have been playing at nine-pins,  he
+answered,  'and have lost a couple of farthings.' 'Have you not
+shuddered then.' 'What.' Said he,  'I have had a wonderful time.  If
+I did but know what it was to shudder.' The third night he sat down
+again on his bench and said quite sadly 'if I could but shudder.'
+When it grew late, six tall men came in and brought a coffin.  Then
+said he 'ha, ha, that is certainly my little cousin, who died only a
+few days ago, and he beckoned with his finger, and cried 'come,
+little cousin, come.' They placed the coffin on the ground, but he
+went to it and took the lid off, and a dead man lay therein. He felt
+his face, but it was cold as ice.  'Wait, said he,  'I will warm you
+a little, and went to the fire and warmed his hand and laid it on the
+dead man's face, but he remained cold.  Then he took him out, and sat
+down by the fire and laid him on his breast and rubbed his arms that
+the blood might circulate again.  As this also did no good, he
+thought to himself 'when two people lie in bed together, they warm
+each other, and carried him to the bed, covered him over and lay down
+by him.  After a short time the dead man became warm too, and began
+to move. Then said the youth,  'see, little cousin, have I not warmed
+you.' The dead man, however, got up and cried 'now will I strangle
+you.' 'What.' Said he,  'is that the way you thank me.  You shall at
+once go into your coffin again,  and he took him up, threw him into
+it, and shut the lid.  Then came the six men and carried him away
+again.  'I cannot manage to shudder, said he.  'I shall never learn
+it here as long as I live.' Then a man entered who was taller than
+all others, and looked terrible.  He was old, however, and had a long
+white beard. 'You wretch,  cried he,  'you shall soon learn what it
+is to shudder, for you shall die.' 'Not so fast, replied the youth.
+'If I am to die, I shall have to have a say in it.' 'I will soon
+seize you, said the fiend.  'Softly, softly, do not talk so big.  I
+am as strong as you are, and perhaps even stronger.' 'We shall see,
+said the old man.  'If you are stronger, I will let you go - come, we
+will try.' Then he led him by dark passages to a smith's forge, took
+an axe, and with one blow struck an anvil into the ground.  'I can do
+better than that, said the youth, and went to the other anvil.  The
+old man placed himself near and wanted to look on, and his white
+beard hung down.  Then the youth seized the axe, split the anvil with
+one blow, and in it caught the old man's beard.  'Now I have you,
+said the youth.  'Now it is your turn to die.' Then he seized an iron
+bar and beat the old man till he moaned and entreated him to stop,
+when he would give him great riches. The youth drew out the axe and
+let him go.  The old man led him back into the castle, and in a
+cellar showed him three chests full of gold. 'Of these, said he,
+'one part is for the poor, the other for the king, the third yours.'
+In the meantime it struck twelve, and the spirit disappeared, so that
+the youth stood in darkness.  'I shall still be able to find my way
+out, said he and felt about, found the way into the room, and slept
+there by his fire.  Next morning the king came and said 'now you must
+have learnt what shuddering is.' 'No, he answered 'what can it be.
+My dead cousin was here, and a bearded man came and showed me a great
+deal of money down below, but no one told me what it was to shudder.'
+'Then, said the king,  'you have saved the castle, and shall marry my
+daughter.' 'That is all very well, said he,  'but still I do not know
+what it is to shudder.' Then the gold was brought up and the wedding
+celebrated, but howsoever much the young king loved his wife, and
+however happy he was, he still said always 'if I could but shudder -
+if I could but shudder.' And this at last angered her.  Her
+waiting-maid said 'I will find a cure for him, he shall soon learn
+what it is to shudder.  She went out to the stream which flowed
+through the garden, and had a whole bucketful of gudgeons brought to
+her.
+
+At night when the young king was sleeping, his wife was to draw the
+clothes off him and empty the bucketful of cold water with the
+gudgeons in it over him, so that the little fishes would sprawl about
+him.  Then he woke up and cried 'oh, what makes me shudder so. - What
+makes me shudder so, dear wife.  Ah. Now I know what it is to
+shudder.'
+

004.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+There was once upon a time an old goat who had seven little kids, and
+loved them with all the love of a mother for her children. One day
+she wanted to go into the forest and fetch some food. So she called
+all seven to her and said, dear children, I have to go into the
+forest, be on your guard against the wolf, if he comes in, he will
+devour you all - skin, hair, and everything.  The wretch often
+disguises himself, but you will know him at once by his rough voice
+and his black feet.  The kids said, dear mother, we will take good
+care of ourselves, you may go away without any anxiety.  Then the old
+one bleated, and went on her way with an easy mind.
+
+It was not long before some one knocked at the house-door and called,
+open the door, dear children, your mother is here, and has brought
+something back with her for each of you.  But the little kids knew
+that it was the wolf, by the rough voice.  We will not open the door,
+cried they, you are not our mother.  She has a soft, pleasant voice,
+but your voice is rough, you are the wolf.  Then the wolf went away
+to a shopkeeper and bought himself a great lump of chalk, ate this
+and made his voice soft with it. The he came back, knocked at the
+door of the house, and called, open the door, dear children, your
+mother is here and has brought something back with her for each of
+you.  But the wolf had laid his black paws against the window, and
+the children saw them and cried, we will not open the door, our
+mother has not black feet like you, you are the wolf.  Then the wolf
+ran to a baker and said, I have hurt my feet, rub some dough over
+them for me.  And when the baker had rubbed his feet over, he ran to
+the miller and said, strew some white meal over my feet for me.  The
+miller thought to himself, the wolf wants to deceive someone, and
+refused, but the wolf said, if you will not do it, I will devour you.
+Then the miller was afraid, and made his paws white for him. Truly,
+this the way of mankind.
+
+So now the wretch went for the third time to the house-door, knocked
+at it and said, open the door for me, children, your dear little
+mother has come home, and has brought every one of you something back
+from the forest with her.  The little kids cried, first show us your
+paws that we may know if you are our dear little mother.  Then he put
+his paws in through the window, and when the kids saw that they were
+white, they believed that all he said was true, and opened the door.
+But who should come in but the wolf they were terrified and wanted to
+hide themselves.  One sprang under the table, the second into the
+bed, the third into the stove, the fourth into the kitchen, the fifth
+into the cupboard, the sixth under the washing-bowl, and the seventh
+into the clock-case.  But the wolf found them all, and used no great
+ceremony, one after the other he swallowed them down his throat.  The
+youngest, who was in the clock-case, was the only one he did not
+find. When the wolf had satisfied his appetite he took himself off,
+laid himself down under a tree in the green meadow outside, and began
+to sleep.  Soon afterwards the old goat came home again from the
+forest.  Ah.  What a sight she saw there.  The house-door stood wide
+open.  The table, chairs, and benches were thrown down, the
+washing-bowl lay broken to pieces, and the quilts and pillows were
+pulled off the bed.  She sought her children, but they were nowhere
+to be found.  She called them one after another by name, but no one
+answered.  At last, when she caame to the youngest, a soft voice
+cried, dear mother, I am in the clock-case.  She took the kid out,
+and it told her that the wolf had come and had eaten all the others.
+Then you may imagine how she wept over her poor children.
+
+At length in her grief she went out, and the youngest kid ran with
+her.  When they came to the meadow, there lay the wolf by the tree
+and snored so loud that the branches shook.  She looked at him on
+every side and saw that something was moving and struggling in his
+gorged belly.  Ah, heavens, she said, is it possible that my poor
+children whom he has swallowed down for his supper, can be still
+alive.  Then the kid had to run home and fetch scissors, and a needle
+and thread and the goat cut open the monster's stomach, and hardly
+had she make one cut, than one little kid thrust its head out, and
+when she cut farther, all six sprang out one after another, and were
+all still alive, and had suffered no injury whatever, for in his
+greediness the monster had swallowed them down whole.  What rejoicing
+there was.  They embraced their dear mother, and jumped like a sailor
+at his wedding.  The mother, however, said, now go and look for some
+big stones, and we will fill the wicked beast's stomach with them
+while he is still asleep.  Then the seven kids dragged the stones
+thither with all speed, and put as many of them into his stomach as
+they could get in, and the mother sewed him up again in the greatest
+haste, so that he was not aware of anything and never once stirred.
+
+When the wolf at length had had his fill of sleep, he got on his
+legs, and as the stones in his stomach made him very thirsty, he
+wanted to go to a well to drink.  But when he began to walk and move
+about, the stones in his stomach knocked against each other and
+rattled.  Then cried he,  what rumbles and tumbles against my poor
+bones.  I thought 'twas six kids,  but it feels like big stones. And
+when he got to the well and stooped over the water to drink, the
+heavy stones made him fall in, and he had to drown miserably.  When
+the seven kids saw that, they came running to the spot and cried
+aloud, the wolf is dead.  The wolf is dead, and danced for joy round
+about the well with their mother.

005.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,255 @@
+There was once upon a time an old king who was ill and thought to
+himself 'I am lying on what must be my deathbed.' Then said he 'tell
+faithful John to come to me.' Faithful John was his favorite servant,
+and was so called, because he had for his whole life long been so
+true to him.  When therefore he came beside the bed, the king said to
+him 'most faithful John, I feel my end approaching, and have no
+anxiety except about my son.  He is still of tender age, and cannot
+always know how to guide himself.  If you do not promise me to teach
+him everything that he ought to know, and to be his foster-father, I
+cannot close my eyes in peace.' Then answered faithful John 'I will
+not forsake him, and will serve him with fidelity, even if it should
+cost me my life.' At this, the old king said 'now I die in comfort
+and peace.' Then he added 'after my death, you shall show him the
+whole castle - all the chambers, halls, and vaults, and all the
+treasures which lie therein, but the last chamber in the long
+gallery, in which is the picture of the princess of the golden
+dwelling, shall you not show.  If he sees that picture, he will fall
+violently in love with her, and will drop down in a swoon, and go
+through great danger for her sake, therefore you must protect him
+from that.' And when faithful John had once more given his promise to
+the old king about this, the king said no more, but laid his head on
+his pillow, and died.
+
+When the old king had been carried to his grave, faithful John told
+the young king all that he had promised his father on his deathbed,
+and said 'this will I assuredly keep, and will be faithful to you as
+I have been faithful to him, even if it should cost me my life.' When
+the mourning was over, faithful John said to him 'it is now time that
+you should see your inheritance.  I will show you your father's
+palace.' Then he took him about everywhere, up and down, and let him
+see all the riches, and the magnificent apartments, only there was
+one room which he did not open, that in which hung the dangerous
+picture.  The picture, however, was so placed that when the door was
+opened you looked straight on it, and it was so admirably painted
+that it seemed to breathe and live, and there was nothing more
+charming or more beautiful in the whole world.  The young king
+noticed, however, that faithful John always walked past this one
+door, and said 'why do you never open this one for me.' 'There is
+something within it, he replied,  'which would terrify you.' But the
+king answered 'I have seen all the palace, and I want to know what is
+in this room also, and he went and tried to break open the door by
+force.  Then faithful John held him back and said 'I promised your
+father before his death that you should not see that which is in this
+chamber, it might bring the greatest misfortune on you and on me.'
+'Ah, no, replied the young king,  'if I do not go in, it will be my
+certain destruction.  I should have no rest day or night until I had
+seen it with my own eyes.  I shall not leave the place now until you
+have unlocked the door.'
+
+Then faithful John saw that there was no help for it now, and with a
+heavy heart and many sighs, sought out the key from the great bunch.
+When he opened the door, he went in first, and thought by standing
+before him he could hide the portrait so that the king should not see
+it in front of him.  But what good was this.  The king stood on
+tip-toe and saw it over his shoulder.  And when he saw the portrait
+of the maiden, which was so magnificent and shone with gold and
+precious stones, he fell fainting to the ground.  Faithful John took
+him up, carried him to his bed, and sorrowfully thought 'the
+misfortune has befallen us, Lord God, what will be the end of it.'
+Then he strengthened him with wine, until he came to himself again.
+The first words the king said were 'ah, the beautiful portrait.
+Whose it it.' 'That is the princess of the golden dwelling, answered
+faithful John.  Then the king continued 'my love for her is so great,
+that if all the leaves on all the trees were tongues, they could not
+declare it.  I will give my life to win her.  You are my most
+faithful John, you must help me.
+
+The faithful servant considered within himself for a long time how to
+set about the matter, for it was difficult even to obtain a sight of
+the king's daughter.  At length he thought of a way, and said to the
+king 'everything which she has about her is of gold - tables, chairs,
+dishes, glasses, bowls, and household furniture.  Among your
+treasures are five tons of gold, let one of the goldsmiths of the
+kingdom fashion these into all manner of vessels and utensils, into
+all kinds of birds, wild beasts and strange animals, such as may
+please her, and we will go there with them and try our luck.'
+
+The king ordered all the goldsmiths to be brought to him, and they
+had to work night and day until at last the most splendid things were
+prepared.  When everything was stowed on board a ship, faithful John
+put on the dress of a merchant, and the king was forced to do the
+same in order to make himself quite unrecognizable.  Then they sailed
+across the sea, and sailed on until they came to the town wherein
+dwelt the princess of the golden dwelling.
+
+Faithful John bade the king stay behind on the ship, and wait for
+him.  'Perhaps I shall bring the princess with me,  said he,
+'therefore see that everything is in order, have the golden vessels
+set out and the whole ship decorated.' Then he gathered together in
+his apron all kinds of golden things, went on shore and walked
+straight to the royal palace. When he entered the courtyard of the
+palace, a beautiful girl was standing there by the well with two
+golden buckets in her hand, drawing water with them.  And when she
+was just turning round to carry away the sparkling water she saw the
+stranger, and asked who he was.  So he answered 'I am a merchant, and
+opened his apron, and let her look in.  Then she cried 'oh, what
+beautiful golden things.' And put her pails down and looked at the
+golden wares one after the other.  Then said the girl 'the princess
+must see these, she has such great pleasure in golden things, that
+she will buy all you have.' She took him by the hand and led him
+upstairs, for she was the waiting-maid. When the king's daughter saw
+the wares, she was quite delighted and said 'they are so beautifully
+worked, that I will buy them all from you.' But faithful John said 'I
+am only the servant of a rich merchant.  The things I have here are
+not to be compared with those my master has in his ship.  They are
+the most beautiful and valuable things that have ever been made in
+gold.' When she wanted to have everything brought up to her, he said
+'there are so many of them that it would take a great many days to do
+that, and so many rooms would be required to exhibit them, that your
+house is not big enough.' Then her curiosity and longing were still
+more excited, until at last she said 'conduct me to the ship, I will
+go there myself, and behold the treasures of your master.' At this
+faithful John was quite delighted, and led her to the ship, and when
+the king saw her, he perceived that her beauty was even greater than
+the picture had represented it to be, and thought no other than that
+his heart would burst in twain.  Then she boarded the ship, and the
+king led her within.  Faithful John, however, remained with the
+helmsman, and ordered the ship to be pushed off, saying 'set all
+sail, till it fly like a bird in the air.' Within, the king showed
+her the golden vessels, every one of them, also the wild beasts and
+strange animals.  Many hours went by whilst she was seeing
+everything, and in her delight she did not observe that the ship was
+sailing away.  After she had looked at the last, she thanked the
+merchant and wanted to go home, but when she came to the side of the
+ship, she saw that it was on the high seas far from land, and
+hurrying onwards with all sail set.  'Ah,  cried she in her alarm, 'I
+am betrayed.  I am carried away and have fallen into the power of a
+merchant - I would rather die.' The king, however, seized her hand,
+and said 'I am not a merchant.  I am a king, and of no meaner origin
+than you are, and if I have carried you away with subtlety, that has
+come to pass because of my exceeding great love for you.  The first
+time that I looked on your portrait, I fell fainting to the ground.'
+When the princess of the golden dwelling heard this, she was
+comforted, and her heart was drawn to him, so that she willingly
+consented to be his wife. It so happened, while they were sailing
+onwards over the deep sea, that faithful John, who was sitting on the
+fore part of the vessel, making music, saw three ravens in the air,
+which came flying towards them.  At this he stopped playing and
+listened to what they were saying to each other, for that he well
+understood.  One cried 'oh, there he is carrying home the princess of
+the golden dwelling.' 'Yes, replied the second,  'but he has not got
+her yet.' Said the third 'but he has got her, she is sitting beside
+him in the ship.' Then the first began again, and cried 'what good
+will that do him.  When they reach land a chestnut horse will leap
+forward to meet him, and the prince will want to mount it, but if he
+does that, it will run away with him, and rise up into the air, and
+he will never see his maiden more.' Spoke the second 'but is there no
+escape.' 'Oh, yes, if someone else mounts it swiftly, and takes out
+the pistol which he will find in its holster, and shoots the horse
+dead, the young king is saved.  But who knows that. And whosoever
+does know it, and tells it to him, will be turned to stone from the
+toe to the knee.' Then said the second 'I know more than that, even
+if the horse be killed, the young king will still not keep his bride.
+When they go into the castle together, a wrought bridal garment will
+be lying there in a dish, and looking as if it were woven of gold and
+silver,  it is, however, nothing but sulphur and pitch, and if he put
+it on, it will burn him to the very bone and marrow.' Said the third
+'is there no escape at all.' 'Oh, yes, replied the second,  'if any
+one with gloves on seizes the garment and throws it into the fire and
+burns it, the young king will be saved.  But what good will that do.
+Whosoever knows it and tells it to him, half his body will become
+stone from the knee to the heart.' Then said the third 'I know still
+more, even if the bridal garment be burnt, the young king will still
+not have his bride. After the wedding, when the dancing begins and
+the young queen is dancing, she will suddenly turn pale and fall down
+as if dead, and if some one does not lift her up and draw three drops
+of blood from her right breast and spit them out again, she will die.
+But if any one who knows that were to declare it, he would become
+stone from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot.' When the
+ravens had spoken of this together, they flew onwards, and faithful
+John had well understood everything, but from that time forth he
+became quiet and sad, for if he concealed what he had heard from his
+master, the latter would be unfortunate, and if he disclosed it to
+him, he himself must sacrifice his life.  At length, however, he said
+to himself 'I will save my master, even if it bring destruction on
+myself.' When therefore they came to shore, all happened as had been
+foretold by the ravens, and a magnificent chestnut horse sprang
+forward.  'Good, said the king,  'he shall carry me to my palace,
+and was about to mount it when faithful John got before him, jumped
+quickly on it, drew the pistol out of the holster, and shot the
+horse.  Then the other attendants of the king, who were not very fond
+of faithful John, cried 'how shameful to kill the beautiful animal,
+that was to have carried the king to his palace.' But the king said
+'hold your peace and leave him alone, he is my most faithful John.
+Who knows what good may come of this.' They went into the palace, and
+in the hall there stood a dish, and therein lay the bridal garment
+looking no otherwise than as if it were made of gold and silver.  The
+young king went towards it and was about to take hold of it, but
+faithful John pushed him away, seized it with gloves on, carried it
+quickly to the fire and burnt it.  The other attendants again began
+to murmur, and said 'behold, now he is even burning the king's bridal
+garment.' But the young king said 'who knows what good he may have
+done, leave him alone, he is my most faithful John.' And now the
+wedding was solemnized - the dance began, and the bride also took
+part in it, then faithful John was watchful and looked into her face,
+and suddenly she turned pale and fell to the ground as if she were
+dead.  On this he ran hastily to her, lifted her up and bore her into
+a chamber - then he laid her down, and knelt and sucked the three
+drops of blood from her right breast, and spat them out.  Immediately
+she breathed again and recovered herself, but the young king had seen
+this, and being ignorant why faithful John had done it, was angry and
+cried 'throw him into a dungeon.' Next morning faithful John was
+condemned, and led to the gallows, and when he stood on high, and was
+about to be executed, he said 'every one who has to die is permitted
+before his end to make one last speech, may I too claim the right.'
+'Yes, answered the king,  'it shall be granted unto you.' Then said
+faithful John 'I am unjustly condemned, and have always been true to
+you,  and he related how he had hearkened to the conversation of the
+ravens when on the sea, and how he had been obliged to do all these
+things in order to save his master.  Then cried the king 'oh, my most
+faithful John.  Pardon, pardon - bring him down.' But as faithful
+John spoke the last word he had fallen down lifeless and become a
+stone.
+
+Thereupon the king and the queen suffered great anguish, and the king
+said 'ah, how ill I have requited great fidelity.' And ordered the
+stone figure to be taken up and placed in his bedroom beside his bed.
+And as often as he looked on it he wept and said 'ah, if I could
+bring you to life again, my most faithful John.'
+
+Some time passed and the queen bore twins, two sons who grew fast and
+were her delight.  Once when the queen was at church and the father
+was sitting with his two children playing beside him, he looked at
+the stone figure again, sighed, and full of grief he said 'ah, if I
+could but bring you to life again, my most faithful John.' Then the
+stone began to speak and said 'you can bring me to life again if you
+will use for that purpose what is dearest to you.' Then cried the
+king 'I will give everything I have in the world for you.' The stone
+continued 'if you will cut off the heads of your two children with
+your own hand, and sprinkle me with their blood, I shall be restored
+to life.'
+
+The king was terrified when he heard that he himself must kill his
+dearest children, but he thought of faithful John's great fidelity,
+and how he had died for him, drew his sword, and with his own hand
+cut off the children's heads.  And when he had smeared the stone with
+their blood, life returned to it, and faithful John stood once more
+safe and healthy before him. He said to the king 'your truth shall
+not go unrewarded, and took the heads of the children, put them on
+again, and rubbed the wounds with their blood, at which they became
+whole again immediately, and jumped about, and went on playing as if
+nothing had happened.  Then the king was full of joy, and when he saw
+the queen coming he hid faithful John and the two children in a great
+cupboard.  When she entered, he said to her 'have you been praying in
+the church.' 'Yes, answered she, 'but I have constantly been thinking
+of faithful John and what misfortune has befallen him through us.'
+Then said he 'dear wife, we can give him his life again, but it will
+cost us our two little sons, whom we must sacrifice.' The queen
+turned pale, and her heart was full of terror, but she said 'we owe
+it to him, for his great fidelity.' Then the king was rejoiced that
+she thought as he had thought, and went and opened the cupboard, and
+brought forth faithful John and the children, and said 'God be
+praised, he is delivered, and we have our little sons again also,
+and told her how everything had occurred.  Then they dwelt together
+in much happiness until their death.

006.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+There was once a peasant who had driven his cow to the fair, and sold
+her for seven talers.  On the way home he had to pass a pond, and
+already from afar he heard the frogs crying, aik, aik, aik, aik.
+Well, said he to himself, they are talking without rhyme or reason,
+it is seven that I have received, not eight. When he got to the
+water, he cried to them, stupid animals that you are.  Don't you know
+better than that.  It is seven thalers and not eight.  The frogs,
+however, stuck to their, aik aik, aik, aik.  Come, then, if you won't
+believe it, I can count it out to you.  And he took his money out of
+his pocket and counted out the seven talers, always reckoning four
+and twenty groschen to a taler.  The frogs, however, paid no
+attention to his reckoning, but still cried, aik, aik, aik, aik.
+What, cried the peasant, quite angry, if you know better than I,
+count it yourselves, and threw all the money at them into the water.
+He stood still and wanted to wait until they were through and had
+returned to him what was his, but the frogs maintained their opinion
+and cried continually, aik, aik, aik, aik.  And besides that, did not
+throw the money out again.  He still waited a long while until
+evening came on and he was forced to go home. Then he abused the
+frogs and cried, you water-splashers, you thick-heads, you
+goggle-eyes, you have great mouths and can screech till you hurt
+one's ears, but you cannot count seven talers.  Do you think I'm
+going to stand here till you get through.  And with that he went
+away, but the frogs still cried, aik, aik, aik, aik, after him till
+he went home sorely vexed. After a while he bought another cow, which
+he slaughtered, and he made the calculation that if he sold the meat
+well he might gain as much as the two cows were worth, and have the
+hide into the bargain.  When therefore he got to the town with the
+meat, a great pack of dogs were gathered together in front of the
+gate, with a large greyhound at the head of them, which jumped at the
+meat, sniffed at it, and barked, wow, wow, wow.  As there was no
+stopping him, the peasant said to him, yes, yes, I know quite well
+that you are saying wow, wow, wow, because you want some of the meat,
+but I should be in a fine state if I were to give it to you.  The
+dog, however, answered nothing but wow, wow.  Will you promise not to
+devour it all then, and will you go bail for your companions.  Wow,
+wow, wow, said the dog.  Well, if you insist on it, I will leave it
+for you, I know you well, and know whom you serve, but this I tell
+you, I must have my money in three days or else it will go ill with
+you, you can just bring it out to me.  Thereupon he unloaded the meat
+and turned back again.  The dogs fell upon it and loudly barked, wow,
+wow. The countryman, who heard them from afar, said to himself, hark,
+now they all want some, but the big one is responsible to me for it.
+When three days had passed, the countryman thought, to-night my money
+will be in my pocket, and was quite delighted.  But no one would come
+and pay it.  There is no trusting any one now, said he. At last he
+lost patience, and went into the town to the butcher and demanded his
+money.  The butcher thought it was a joke, but the peasant said,
+jesting apart, I will have my money.  Did not the big dog bring you
+the whole of the slaughtered cow three days ago.  Then the butcher
+grew angry, snatched a broomstick and drove him out.  Wait, said the
+peasant, there is still some justice in the world, and went to the
+royal palace and begged for an audience.  He was led before the king,
+who sat there with his daughter, and asked him what injury he had
+suffered.  Alas, said he, the frogs and the dogs have taken from me
+what is mine, and the butcher has paid me for it with the stick.  And
+he related at full length what had happened.  Thereupon the king's
+daughter began to laugh heartily, and the king said to him, I cannot
+give you justice in this, but you shall have my daughter to wife for
+it - in her whole life she has never yet laughed as she has just done
+at you, and I have promised her to him who could make her laugh.  You
+may thank God for your good fortune. Oh, answered the peasant, I do
+not want her at all.  I have a wife already, and she is one too many
+for me, when I go home, it is just as if I had a wife standing in
+every corner.  Then the king grew angry, and said, you are a boor.
+Ah, lord king, replied the peasant, what can you expect from an ox,
+but beef.  Stop, answered the king, you shall have another reward.
+Be off now, but come back in three days, and then you shall have five
+hundred counted out in full. When the peasant went out by the gate,
+the sentry said, you have made the king's daughter laugh, so you will
+certainly receive something good.  Yes, that is what I think,
+answered the peasant, five hundred are to be counted out to me.
+Listen, said the soldier, give me some of it.  What can you do with
+all that money.  As it is you, said the peasant, you shall have two
+hundred,  present yourself in three days, time before the king, and
+let it be paid to you.  A Jew, who was standing by and had heard the
+conversation, ran after the peasant, held him by the coat, and said,
+oh, wonder of God, what a child of fortune you are. I will change it
+for you, I will change it for you into small coins, what do you want
+with the great talers.  Jew, said the countryman, three hundred can
+you still have, give it to me at once in coin, in three days from
+this, you will be paid for it by the king.  The Jew was delighted
+with the small profit, and brought the sum in bad groschen, three of
+which were worth two good ones. After three days had passed,
+according to the king's command, the peasant went before the king.
+Pull his coat off, said the latter, and he shall have his five
+hundred.  Ah, said the peasant, they no longer belong to me, I
+presented two hundred of them to the sentry, and three hundred the
+Jew has changed for me, so by right nothing at all belongs to me.  In
+the meantime the soldier and the Jew entered and claimed what they
+had gained from the peasant, and they received the blows strictly
+counted out.  The soldier bore it patiently and knew already how it
+tasted, but the Jew said sorrowfully, alas, alas, are these the heavy
+talers.  The king could not help laughing at the peasant, and when
+all his anger was spent, he said, as you have already lost your
+reward before it fell to your lot, I will give you compensation.  Go
+into my treasure chamber and get some money for yourself, as much as
+you will.  The peasant did not need to be told twice, and stuffed
+into his big pockets whatsoever would go in.  Afterwards he went to
+an inn and counted out his money. The Jew had crept after him and
+heard how he muttered to himself, that rogue of a king has cheated me
+after all, why could he not have given me the money himself, and then
+I should have known what I had.  How can I tell now if what I have
+had the luck to put in my pockets is right or not.  Good heavens,
+said the Jew to himself, that man is speaking disrespectfully of our
+lord the king, I will run and inform, and then I shall get a reward,
+and he will be punished as well. When the king heard of the peasant's
+words he fell into a passion, and commanded the Jew to go and bring
+the offender to him.  The Jew ran to the peasant, you are to go at
+once to the lord king in the very clothes you have on.  I know what's
+right better than that, answered the peasant, I shall have a new coat
+made first. Do you think that a man with so much money in his pocket
+should go there in his ragged old coat.  The Jew, as he saw that the
+peasant would not stir without another coat, and as he feared that if
+the king's anger cooled, he himself would lose his reward, and the
+peasant his punishment, said, I will out of pure friendship lend you
+a coat for the short time.  What people will not do for love.  The
+peasant was contented with this, put the Jew's coat on, and went off
+with him. The king reproached the countryman because of the evil
+speaking of which the Jew had informed him.  Ah, said the peasant,
+what a Jew says is always false - no true word ever comes out of his
+mouth.  That rascal there is capable of maintaining that I have his
+coat on. What is that, shrieked the Jew, is the coat not mine.  Have
+I not lent it to you out of pure friendship, in order that you might
+appear before the lord king.  When the king heard that, he said, the
+Jew has assuredly deceived one or the other of us, either myself or
+the peasant.  And again he ordered something to be counted out to him
+in hard thalers.  The peasant, however, went home in the good coat,
+with the good money in his pocket, and said to himself, this time I
+have made it.

007.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+There were once upon a time a king and a queen who lived
+happily together and had twelve children, but they were
+all boys.  Then said the king to his wife, if the thirteenth
+child which you are about to bring into the world, is a girl, the
+twelve boys shall die, in order that her possessions may be great,
+and that the kingdom may fall to her alone.  He even caused twelve
+coffins to be made, which were already filled with shavings, and
+in each lay a little death pillow, and he had them taken into a
+locked-up room, and then he gave the queen the key of it, and bade
+her not to speak of this to anyone.
+
+The mother, however, now sat and lamented all day long, until
+the youngest son, who was always with her, and whom she had
+named benjamin, from the bible, said to her, dear mother, why
+are you so sad.
+
+Dearest child, she answered, I may not tell you.  But he let
+her have no rest until she went and unlocked the room, and showed
+him the twelve coffins ready filled with shavings.  Then she said,
+my dearest benjamin, your father has had these coffins made for
+you and for your eleven brothers, for if I bring a little girl into
+the world, you are all to be killed and buried in them.  And as she
+wept while she was saying this, the son comforted her and said, weep
+not, dear mother, we will save ourselves, and go hence.  But she
+said, go forth into the forest with your eleven brothers, and let
+one sit constantly on the highest tree which can be found, and keep
+watch, looking towards the tower here in the castle.  If I give
+birth to a little son, I will put up a white flag, and then you may
+venture to come back.  But if I bear a daughter, I will hoist a red
+flag, and then fly hence as quickly as you are able, and may the
+good God protect you.  And every night I will rise up and pray for
+you - in winter that you may be able to warm yourself at a fire, and
+in summer that you may not faint away in the heat.
+
+After she had blessed her sons therefore, they went forth into
+the forest.  They each kept watch in turn, and sat on the highest
+oak and looked towards the tower.  When eleven days had passed
+and the turn came to benjamin, he saw that a flag was being raised.
+It was, however, not the white, but the blood-red flag which
+announced that they were all to die.  When the brothers heard that,
+they were very angry and said, are we all to suffer death for the
+sake of a girl.  We swear that we will avenge ourselves -
+wheresoever we find a girl, her red blood shall flow.
+
+Thereupon they went deeper into the forest, and in the midst
+of it, where it was the darkest, they found a little bewitched hut,
+which was standing empty.  Then said they, here we will dwell,
+and you benjamin, who are the youngest and weakest, you shall
+stay at home and keep house, we others will go out and fetch food.
+
+Then they went into the forest and shot hares, wild deer, birds and
+pigeons, and whatsoever there was to eat.  This they took to
+benjamin, who had to dress it for them in order that they might
+appease their hunger.  They lived together ten years in the little
+hut, and the time did not appear long to them.
+
+The little daughter which their mother the queen had given
+birth to, was now grown up.  She was good of heart, and fair of
+face, and had a golden star on her forehead.  Once, on a great
+washing, she saw twelve men's shirts among the things, and asked her
+mother, to whom do these twelve shirts belong, for they are far
+too small for father.  Then the queen answered with a heavy
+heart, dear child, these belong to your twelve brothers.  Said the
+maiden, where are my twelve brothers, I have never yet heard
+of them.  She replied, God knows where they are, they are
+wandering about the world.  Then she took the maiden and opened
+the chamber for her, and showed her the twelve coffins with the
+shavings, and the death pillows.  These coffins, said she,
+were destined for your brothers, who went away secretly before you
+were born, and she related to her how everything had happened.
+Then said the maiden, dear mother, weep not, I will go and seek
+my brothers.
+
+So she took the twelve shirts and went forth, and straight into
+the great forest.  She walked the whole day, and in the evening she
+came to the bewitched hut.  Then she entered it and found a young
+boy, who asked, from whence do you come, and whither are you
+bound, and was astonished that she was so beautiful, and wore
+royal garments, and had a star on her forehead.  And she answered,
+I am a king's daughter, and am seeking my twelve brothers, and
+I will walk as far as the sky is blue until I find them.  And she
+showed him the twelve shirts which belonged to them.  Then
+benjamin saw that she was his sister, and said, I am benjamin, your
+youngest brother.  And she began to weep for joy, and benjamin
+wept also, and they kissed and embraced each other with the
+greatest love.  But after this he said, dear sister, there is still
+one difficulty.  We have agreed that every maiden whom we meet
+shall die, because we have been obliged to leave our kingdom on
+account of a girl.  Then said she, I will willingly die, if by so
+doing I can save my twelve brothers.
+
+No, answered he, you shall not die.  Seat yourself beneath this
+tub until our eleven brothers come, and then I will soon come to
+an agreement with them.
+
+She did so, and when it was night the others came from hunting,
+and their dinner was ready.  And as they were sitting at table, and
+eating, they asked, what news is there.  Said benjamin, don't
+you know anything.  No, they answered.  He continued, you have
+been in the forest and I have stayed at home, and yet I know
+more than you do.  Tell us then, they cried.  He answered, but
+promise me that the first maiden who meets us shall not be killed.
+
+Yes, they all cried, she shall have mercy, only do tell us.
+Then said he, our sister is here, and he lifted up the tub, and
+the king's daughter came forth in her royal garments with the
+golden star on her forehead, and she was beautiful, delicate and
+fair.  Then they were all rejoiced, and fell on her neck, and kissed
+and loved her with all their hearts.
+
+Now she stayed at home with benjamin and helped him with
+the work.  The eleven went into the forest and caught game, and
+deer, and birds, and wood-pigeons that they might have food, and
+the little sister and benjamin took care to make it ready for them.
+She sought for the wood for cooking and herbs for vegetables, and
+put the pans on the fire so that the dinner was always ready when
+the eleven came.  She likewise kept order in the little house, and
+put beautifully white clean coverings on the little beds and the
+brothers were always contented and lived in great harmony with her.
+
+Once upon a time the two at home had prepared a wonderful
+feast, and when they were all together, they sat down and ate and
+drank and were full of gladness.  There was, however, a little
+garden belonging to the bewitched house wherein stood twelve lily
+flowers, which are likewise called student-lilies.  She wished to
+give her brothers pleasure, and plucked the twelve flowers, and
+thought she would present each brother with one while at dinner.
+But at the self-same moment that she plucked the flowers the twelve
+brothers were changed into twelve ravens, and flew away over the
+forest, and the house and garden vanished likewise.  And now the
+poor maiden was alone in the wild forest, and when she looked
+around, an old woman was standing near her who said, my child,
+what have you done.  Why did you not leave the twelve white
+flowers growing.  They were your brothers, who are now forevermore
+changed into ravens.  The maiden said, weeping, is there no way of
+saving them.
+
+No, said the woman, there is but one in the whole world, and
+that is so hard that you will not save them by it, for you must be
+dumb for seven years, and may not speak or laugh, and if you speak
+one single word, and only an hour of the seven years is wanting, all
+is in vain, and your brothers will be killed by the one word.
+
+Then said the maiden in her heart, I know with certainty that
+I shall set my brothers free, and went and sought a high tree and
+seated herself in it and spun, and neither spoke nor laughed.  Now
+it so happened that a king was hunting in the forest, who had a
+great greyhound which ran to the tree on which the maiden was
+sitting, and sprang about it, whining, and barking at her.  Then
+the king came by and saw the beautiful king's daughter with the
+golden star on her brow, and was so charmed with her beauty that
+he called to ask her if she would be his wife.  She made no answer,
+but nodded a little with her head.  So he climbed up the tree
+himself, carried her down, placed her on his horse, and bore her
+home.  Then the wedding was solemnized with great magnificence and
+rejoicing, but the bride neither spoke nor smiled.  When they had
+lived happily together for a few years, the king's mother, who was
+a wicked woman, began to slander the young queen, and said to
+the king, this is a common beggar girl whom you have brought
+back with you.  Who knows what wicked tricks she practises secretly.
+Even if she be dumb, and not able to speak, she still might
+laugh for once.  But those who do not laugh have bad consciences.
+
+At first the king would not believe it, but the old woman urged this
+so long, and accused her of so many evil things, that at last the
+king let himself be persuaded and sentenced her to death.
+And now a great fire was lighted in the courtyard in which she
+was to be burnt, and the king stood above at the window and
+looked on with tearful eyes, because he still loved her so much.
+And when she was bound fast to the stake, and the fire was licking
+at her clothes with its red tongue, the last instant of the seven
+years expired.  Then a whirring sound was heard in the air, and
+twelve ravens came flying towards the place, and sank downwards, and
+when they touched the earth they were her twelve brothers, whom
+she had saved.  They tore the fire asunder, extinguished the flames,
+set their dear sister free, and kissed and embraced her.  And now
+as she dared to open her mouth and speak, she told the king why she
+had been dumb, and had never laughed.  The king rejoiced when
+he heard that she was innocent, and they all lived in great unity
+until their death.  The wicked step-mother was taken before the
+judge, and put into a barrel filled with boiling oil and venomous
+snakes, and died an evil death.

008.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+Little brother took his little sister by the hand and said, since
+our mother died we have had no happiness.  Our step-mother
+beats us every day, and if we come near her she kicks us away
+with her foot.  Our meals are the hard crusts of bread that are left
+over.  And the little dog under the table is better off, for she
+often throws it a choice morsel.  God pity us, if our mother only
+knew.  Come, we will go forth together into the wide world.
+
+They walked the whole day over meadows, fields, and stony
+places.  And when it rained the little sister said, heaven and our
+hearts are weeping together.  In the evening they came to a large
+forest, and they were so weary with sorrow and hunger and the
+long walk, that they lay down in a hollow tree and fell asleep.
+The next day when they awoke, the sun was already high in the
+sky, and shone down hot into the tree.  Then the brother said,
+sister, I am thirsty.  If I knew of a little brook I would go and
+just take a drink.  I think I hear one running.  The brother got up
+and took the little sister by the hand, and they set off to find
+the brook.  But the wicked step-mother was a witch, and had seen how
+the two children had gone away, and had crept after them secretly,
+as witches creep, and had bewitched all the brooks in the forest.
+
+Now when they found a little brook leaping brightly over the
+stones, the brother was going to drink out of it, but the sister
+heard how it said as it ran, who drinks of me will be a tiger.
+Who drinks of me will be a tiger.  Then the sister cried, pray,
+dear brother, do not drink, or you will become a wild beast, and
+tear me to pieces.  The brother did not drink, although he was so
+thirsty, but said, I will wait for the next spring.
+
+When they came to the next brook the sister heard this also say,
+who drinks of me will be a wolf.  Who drinks of me will be a wolf.
+Then the sister cried out, pray, dear brother, do not drink,
+or you will become a wolf, and devour me.  The brother did not
+drink, and said, I will wait until we come to the next spring, but
+then I must drink, say what you like.  For my thirst is too great.
+And when they came to the third brook the sister heard how it
+said as it ran, who drinks of me will be a roebuck.  Who drinks
+of me will be a roebuck.  The sister said, oh, I pray you, dear
+brother, do not drink, or you will become a roebuck, and run away
+from me.  But the brother had knelt down at once by the brook,
+and had bent down and drunk some of the water, and as soon as
+the first drops touched his lips he lay there in the form of a
+young roebuck.
+
+And now the sister wept over her poor bewitched brother, and
+the little roe wept also, and sat sorrowfully near to her.  But at
+last the girl said, be quiet, dear little roe, I will never,
+never leave you.
+
+Then she untied her golden garter and put it round the roebuck's
+neck, and she plucked rushes and wove them into a soft cord.  This
+she tied to the little animal and led it on, and she walked deeper
+and deeper into the forest.
+
+And when they had gone a very long way they came at last to a
+little house, and the girl looked in.  And as it was empty, she
+thought, we can stay here and live.  Then she sought for leaves
+and moss to make a soft bed for the roe.  And every morning she
+went out and gathered roots and berries and nuts for herself, and
+brought tender grass for the roe, who ate out of her hand, and was
+content and played round about her.  In the evening, when the sister
+was tired, and had said her prayer, she laid her head upon the
+roebuck's back - that was her pillow, and she slept softly on it.
+And if only the brother had had his human form it would have been a
+delightful life.
+For some time they were alone like this in the wilderness.  But
+it happened that the king of the country held a great hunt in the
+forest.  Then the blasts of the horns, the barking of dogs and the
+merry shouts of the huntsmen rang through the trees, and the roebuck
+heard all, and was only too anxious to be there.  Oh, said he,
+to his sister, let me be off to the hunt, I cannot bear it any
+longer, and he begged so much that at last she agreed.  But, said
+she to him, come back to me in the evening.  I must shut my door for
+fear of the rough huntsmen, so knock and say, my little sister,
+let me in, that I may know you.  And if you do not say that, I
+shall not open the door.  Then the young roebuck sprang away.  So
+happy was he and so merry in the open air.
+The king and the huntsmen saw the lovely animal, and started
+after him, but they could not catch him, and when they thought
+that they surely had him, away he sprang through the bushes and
+vanished.  When it was dark he ran to the cottage, knocked, and
+said, my little sister, let me in.  Then the door was opened for
+him, and he jumped in, and rested himself the whole night through
+upon his soft bed.
+The next day the hunt began again, and when the roebuck once
+more heard the bugle-horn, and the ho. Ho. Of the huntsmen, he
+had no peace, but said, sister, let me out, I must be off.  His
+sister opened the door for him, and said, but you must be here again
+in the evening and say your pass-word.
+When the king and his huntsmen again saw the young roebuck
+with the golden collar, they all chased him, but he was too quick
+and nimble for them.  This lasted the whole day, but by the evening
+the huntsmen had surrounded him, and one of them wounded him
+a little in the foot, so that he limped and ran slowly.  Then a
+hunter crept after him to the cottage and heard how he said, my
+little sister, let me in, and saw that the door was opened for him,
+and was shut again at once.  The huntsman took notice of it all, and
+went to the king and told him what he had seen and heard.  Then
+the king said, to-morrow we will hunt once more.
+The little sister, however, was dreadfully frightened when she
+saw that her fawn was hurt.  She washed the blood off him, laid
+herbs on the wound, and said, go to your bed, dear roe, that you
+may get well again.  But the wound was so slight that the roebuck,
+next morning, did not feel it any more.  And when he again heard
+the sport outside, he said, I cannot bear it, I must be there.
+They shall not find it so easy to catch me.  The sister cried, and
+said, this time they will kill you, and here am I alone in the
+forest and forsaken by all the world.  I will not let you out.  Then
+you will have me die of grief, answered the roe.  When I hear the
+bugle-horns I feel as if I must jump out of my skin.  Then the
+sister could not do otherwise, but opened the door for him with a
+heavy heart, and the roebuck, full of health and joy, bounded into
+the forest.
+When the king saw him, he said to his huntsmen, now chase
+him all day long till night-fall, but take care that no one does him
+any harm.
+As soon as the sun had set, the king said to the huntsman, now
+come and show me the cottage in the wood.  And when he was at
+the door, he knocked and called out, dear little sister, let me in.
+Then the door opened, and the king walked in, and there stood
+a maiden more lovely than any he had ever seen.  The maiden was
+frightened when she saw, not her little roe, but a man come in who
+wore a golden crown upon his head.  But the king looked kindly
+at her, stretched out his hand, and said, will you go with me to
+my palace and be my dear wife.  Yes, indeed, answered the
+maiden, but the little roe must go with me, I cannot leave him.
+The king said, it shall stay with you as long as you live, and
+shall want nothing.  Just then he came running in, and the sister
+again tied him with the cord of rushes, took it in her own hand, and
+went away with the king from the cottage.
+The king took the lovely maiden upon his horse and carried
+her to his palace, where the wedding was held with great pomp.
+She was now the queen, and they lived for a long time happily
+together.  The roebuck was tended and cherished, and ran about in
+the palace-garden.
+ But the wicked step-mother, because of whom the children had
+gone out into the world, had never thought but that the sister had
+been torn to pieces by the wild beasts in the wood, and that the
+brother had been shot for a roebuck by the huntsmen.  Now when
+she heard that they were so happy, and so well off, envy and
+jealousy rose in her heart and left her no peace, and she thought of
+nothing but how she could bring them again to misfortune.  Her own
+daughter, who was ugly as night, and had only one eye, reproached
+her and said, a queen.  That ought to have been my luck.  Just be
+quiet, answered the old woman, and comforted her by saying,
+when the time comes I shall be ready.
+As time went on the queen had a pretty little boy, and it
+happened that the king was out hunting.  So the old witch took the
+form of the chamber maid, went into the room where the queen
+lay, and said to her, come the bath is ready.  It will do you good,
+and give you fresh strength.  Make haste before it gets cold.
+Her daughter also was close by.  So they carried the weakly
+queen into the bath-room, and put her into the bath.  Then they
+shut the door and ran away.  But in the bath-room they had made
+a fire of such hellish heat that the beautiful young queen was soon
+suffocated.
+When this was done the old woman took her daughter, put a
+nightcap on her head, and laid her in bed in place of the queen.
+She gave her too the shape and look of the queen, only she
+could not make good the lost eye.  But in order that the king might
+not see it, she was to lie on the side on which she had no eye.
+In the evening when he came home and heard that he had a son
+he was heartily glad, and was going to the bed of his dear wife to
+see how she was.  But the old woman quickly called out, for your
+life leave the curtains closed.  The queen ought not to see the
+light yet, and must have rest.  The king went away, and did not find
+out that a false queen was lying in the bed.
+But at midnight, when all slept, the nurse, who was sitting in the
+nursery by the cradle, and who was the only person awake, saw
+the door open and the true queen walk in.  She took the child out
+of the cradle, laid it on her arm, and suckled it.  Then she shook
+up its pillow, laid the child down again, and covered it with the
+little quilt.  And she did not forget the roebuck, but went into the
+corner where it lay, and stroked its back.  Then she went quite
+silently out of the door again.  The next morning the nurse asked
+the guards whether anyone had come into the palace during the night,
+but they answered, no, we have seen no one.
+She came thus many nights and never spoke a word.  The nurse
+always saw her, but she did not dare to tell anyone about it.
+When some time had passed in this manner, the queen began to
+speak in the night, and said,
+     how fares my child, how fares my roe.
+     Twice shall I come, then never more.
+The nurse did not answer, but when the queen had gone again,
+went to the king and told him all.   The king said, ah, God.
+What is this.  To-morrow night I will watch by the child.  In the
+evening he went into the nursery, and at midnight the queen again
+appeared and said,
+     how fares my child, how fares my roe.
+     Once will I come, then never more.
+And she nursed the child as she was wont to do before she
+disappeared.  The king dared not speak to her, but on the next
+night he watched again.  Then she said,
+     how fares my child, how fares my roe.
+     This time I come, then never more.
+Then the king could not restrain himself.  He sprang towards her,
+and said, you can be none other than my dear wife.  She answered,
+yes, I am your dear wife, and at the same moment she received
+life again, and by God's grace became fresh, rosy and full of
+health.
+Then she told the king the evil deed which the wicked witch
+and her daughter had been guilty of towards her.  The king ordered
+both to be led before the judge, and the judgment was delivered
+against them.  The daughter was taken into the forest where she was
+torn to pieces by wild beasts, but the witch was cast into the fire
+and miserably burnt.  And as soon as she was burnt to ashes, the
+roebuck changed his shape, and received his human form again, so the
+sister and brother lived happily together all their lives.

009.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+There were once a man and a woman who had long in vain
+wished for a child.  At length the woman hoped that God
+was about to grant her desire.  These people had a little
+window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden
+could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and
+herbs.  It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no one
+dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, who had
+great power and was dreaded by all the world.  One day the woman
+was standing by this window and looking down into the garden,
+when she saw a bed which was planted with the most beautiful
+rampion - rapunzel, and it looked so fresh and green that she
+longed for it, and had the greatest desire to eat some.  This desire
+increased every day, and as she knew that she could not get any
+of it, she quite pined away, and began to look pale and miserable.
+Then her husband was alarmed, and asked, what ails you, dear
+wife.  Ah, she replied, if I can't eat some of the rampion, which
+is in the garden behind our house, I shall die.  The man, who loved
+her, thought, sooner than let your wife die, bring her some of
+the rampion yourself, let it cost what it will.  At twilight, he
+clambered down over the wall into the garden of the enchantress,
+hastily clutched a handful of rampion, and took it to his wife.  She
+at once made herself a salad of it, and ate it greedily.  It tasted
+so good to her - so very good, that the next day she longed for it
+three times as much as before.  If he was to have any rest, her
+husband must once more descend into the garden.  In the gloom of
+evening, therefore, he let himself down again.  But when he had
+clambered down the wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw the
+enchantress standing before him.  How can you dare, said she with
+angry look, descend into my garden and steal my rampion like a
+thief.  You shall suffer for it.  Ah, answered he, let mercy take
+the place of justice, I only made up my mind to do it out of
+necessity.  My wife saw your rampion from the window, and felt such
+a longing for it that she would have died if she had not got some
+to eat.  Then the enchantress allowed her anger to be softened, and
+said to him, if the case be as you say, I will allow you to take
+away with you as much rampion as you will, only I make one
+condition, you must give me the child which your wife will bring
+into the world.  It shall be well treated, and I will care for it
+like a mother.  The man in his terror consented to everything, and
+when the woman was brought to bed, the enchantress appeared at once,
+gave the child the name of rapunzel, and took it away with her.
+Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child under the sun.
+When she was twelve years old, the enchantress shut her into a
+tower, which lay in a forest, and had neither stairs nor door, but
+quite at the top was a little window.  When the enchantress
+wanted to go in, she placed herself beneath it and cried,
+     rapunzel, rapunzel,
+     let down your hair to me.
+Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and when
+she heard the voice of the enchantress she unfastened her braided
+tresses, wound them round one of the hooks of the window above,
+and then the hair fell twenty ells down, and the enchantress climbed
+up by it.
+After a year or two, it came to pass that the king's son rode
+through the forest and passed by the tower.  Then he heard a song,
+which was so charming that he stood still and listened.  This was
+rapunzel, who in her solitude passed her time in letting her sweet
+voice resound.  The king's son wanted to climb up to her, and
+looked for the door of the tower, but none was to be found.  He
+rode home, but the singing had so deeply touched his heart, that
+every day he went out into the forest and listened to it.  Once when
+he was thus standing behind a tree, he saw that an enchantress
+came there, and he heard how she cried,
+     rapunzel, rapunzel,
+     let down your hair.
+Then rapunzel let down the braids of her hair, and the
+enchantress climbed up to her.  If that is the ladder by which one
+mounts, I too will try my fortune, said he, and the next day when
+it began to grow dark, he went to the tower and cried,
+     rapunzel, rapunzel,
+     let down your hair.
+Immediately the hair fell down and the king's son climbed up.
+At first rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man, such as
+her eyes had never yet beheld, came to her.  But the king's son
+began to talk to her quite like a friend, and told her that his
+heart had been so stirred that it had let him have no rest, and he
+had been forced to see her.  Then rapunzel lost her fear, and when
+he asked her if she would take him for her husband, and she saw that
+he was young and handsome, she thought, he will love me more than
+old dame gothel does.  And she said yes, and laid her hand in his.
+She said, I will willingly go away with you, but I do not know
+how to get down.  Bring with you a skein of silk every time that
+you come, and I will weave a ladder with it, and when that is ready
+I will descend, and you will take me on your horse.  They agreed
+that until that time he should come to her every evening, for the
+old woman came by day.  The enchantress remarked nothing of
+this, until once rapunzel said to her, tell me, dame gothel, how
+it happens that you are so much heavier for me to draw up than
+the young king's son - he is with me in a moment.  Ah. You
+wicked child, cried the enchantress.  What do I hear you say.  I
+thought I had separated you from all the world, and yet you have
+deceived me.  In her anger she clutched rapunzel's beautiful
+tresses, wrapped them twice round her left hand, seized a pair of
+scissors with the right, and snip, snap, they were cut off, and the
+lovely braids lay on the ground.  And she was so pitiless that she
+took poor rapunzel into a desert where she had to live in great
+grief and misery.
+On the same day that she cast out rapunzel, however, the
+enchantress fastened the braids of hair, which she had cut off, to
+the hook of the window, and when the king's son came and cried,
+     rapunzel, rapunzel,
+     let down your hair,
+she let the hair down.  The king's son ascended, but instead of
+finding his dearest rapunzel, he found the enchantress, who gazed
+at him with wicked and venomous looks.  Aha, she cried mockingly,
+you would fetch your dearest, but the beautiful bird sits
+no longer singing in the nest.  The cat has got it, and will scratch
+out your eyes as well.  Rapunzel is lost to you.  You will never see
+her again.  The king's son was beside himself with pain, and in
+his despair he leapt down from the tower.  He escaped with his life,
+but the thorns into which he fell pierced his eyes.  Then he
+wandered quite blind about the forest, ate nothing but roots and
+berries, and did naught but lament and weep over the loss of his
+dearest wife.  Thus he roamed about in misery for some years, and at
+length came to the desert where rapunzel, with the twins to which
+she had given birth, a boy and a girl, lived in wretchedness.  He
+heard a voice, and it seemed so familiar to him that he went towards
+it, and when he approached, rapunzel knew him and fell on his neck
+and wept.  Two of her tears wetted his eyes and they grew clear
+again, and he could see with them as before.  He led her to his
+kingdom where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a long
+time afterwards, happy and contented.

010.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+There was once a man whose wife died, and a woman whose husband
+died, and the man had a daughter, and the woman also had a
+daughter.  The girls were acquainted with each other, and went
+out walking together, and afterwards came to the woman in her
+house.  Then said she to the man's daughter, listen, tell your
+father that I would like to marry him, and then you shall
+wash yourself in milk every morning, and drink wine, but my own
+daughter shall wash herself in water and drink water.  The girl
+went home, and told her father what the woman had said.  The
+man said, what shall I do.  Marriage is a joy and also a torment.
+At length as he could come to no decision, he pulled off his boot,
+and said, take this boot, it has a hole in the sole of it.  Go with
+it up to the loft, hang it on the big nail, and then pour water into
+it.  If it hold the water, then I will again take a wife, but if it
+run through, I will not.  The girl did as she was bid, but the water
+drew the hole together and the boot became full to the top.  She
+informed her father how it had turned out.  Then he himself went up,
+and when he saw that she was right, he went to the widow and wooed
+her, and the wedding was celebrated.
+The next morning, when the two girls got up, there stood before
+the man's daughter milk for her to wash in and wine for her to
+drink, but before the woman's daughter stood water to wash
+herself with and water for drinking.  On the second morning, stood
+water for washing and water for drinking before the man's
+daughter as well as before the woman's daughter.  And on the third
+morning stood water for washing and water for drinking before the
+man's daughter, and milk for washing and wine for drinking, before
+the woman's daughter, and so it continued.  The woman became her
+step-daughter's bitterest enemy, and day by day did her best to
+treat her still worse.  She was also envious because her
+step-daughter was beautiful and lovable, and her own daughter ugly
+and repulsive.
+Once, in winter, when everything was frozen as hard as a stone,
+and hill and vale lay covered with snow, the woman made a frock
+of paper, called her step-daughter, and said, here, put on this
+dress and go out into the wood, and fetch me a little basketful of
+strawberries - I have a fancy for some.  Good heavens, said the
+girl, no strawberries grow in winter.  The ground is frozen, and
+besides the snow has covered everything.  And why am I to go in
+this paper frock.  It is so cold outside that one's very breath
+freezes.  The wind will blow through the frock, and the thorns
+tear it off my body.  Will you contradict me,  said the step-mother.
+See that you go, and do not show your face again until you have
+the basketful of strawberries.  Then she gave her a little piece of
+hard bread, and said, this will last you the day, and thought,
+you will die of cold and hunger outside, and will never be seen
+again by me.
+Then the maiden was obedient, and put on the paper frock, and
+went out with the basket.  Far and wide there was nothing but snow,
+and not a green blade to be seen.  When she got into the wood she
+saw a small house out of which peeped three little men.  She wished
+them good day, and knocked modestly at the door.  They cried,
+come in, and she entered the room and seated herself on the bench by
+the stove, where she began to warm herself and eat her breakfast.
+The little men said, give us some of it, too.  Willingly,
+she said, and divided her piece of bread in two 'and gave
+them the half.  They asked, what do you here in the forest in the
+winter time, in your thin dress.  Ah, she answered, I am to look
+for a basketful of strawberries, and am not to go home until I can
+take them with me.  When she had eaten her bread, they gave her
+a broom and said, sweep away the snow at the back door.  But
+when she was outside, the three little men said to each other, what
+shall we give her as she is so good, and has shared her bread with
+us.  Then said the first, my gift is, that she shall every day grow
+more beautiful.  The second said, my gift is, that gold pieces shall
+fall out of her mouth every time she speaks.  The third said, my
+gift is, that a king shall come and take her to wife.
+The girl, however, did as the little men had bidden
+her, swept away the snow behind the little house with
+the broom, and what did she find but real ripe strawberries,
+which came up quite dark-red out of the snow.  In her
+joy she hastily gathered her basket full, thanked the
+little men, shook hands with each of them, and ran
+home to take her step-mother what she had longed for so much.
+When she went in and said good-evening, a piece of gold at once
+fell out of her mouth.  Thereupon she related what had happened
+to her in the wood, but with every word she spoke, gold pieces fell
+from her mouth, until very soon the whole room was covered with
+them.  Now look at her arrogance, cried the step-sister, to throw
+about gold in that way.  But she was secretly envious of it, and
+wanted to go into the forest also to seek strawberries.  The mother
+said, no, my dear little daughter, it is too cold, you might freeze
+to death.  However, as her daughter let her have no peace, the
+mother at last yielded, made her a magnificent coat of fur, which
+she was obliged to put on, and gave her bread-and-butter and cake
+for her journey.
+The girl went into the forest and straight up to the little house.
+The three little men peeped out again, but she did not greet them,
+and without looking round at them and without speaking to them,
+she went awkwardly into the room, seated herself by the stove, and
+began to eat her bread-and-butter and cake.  Give us some of it,
+cried the little men.  But she replied, there is not enough for
+myself, so how can I give it away to other people.  When she had
+finished eating, they said, there is a broom for you, sweep it all
+clean in front of the back-door.  Sweep for yourselves, she
+answered, I am not your servant.  When she saw that they were
+not going to give her anything, she went out by the door.  Then the
+little men said to each other, what shall we give her as she is so
+naughty, and has a wicked envious heart, that will never let her do
+a good turn to any one.  The first said, I grant that she may grow
+uglier every day.  The second said, I grant that at every word she
+says, a toad shall spring out of her mouth.  The third said, I grant
+that she may die a miserable death.  The maiden looked for
+strawberries outside, but as she found none, she went angrily home.
+And when she opened her mouth, and was about to tell her mother what
+had happened to her in the wood, with every word she said, a toad
+sprang out of her mouth, so that everyone was seized with horror
+of her.
+Then the step-mother was still more enraged, and thought of
+nothing but how to do every possible injury to the man's daughter,
+whose beauty, however, grew daily greater.  At length she took a
+cauldron, set it on the fire, and boiled yarn in it.  When it was
+boiled, she flung it on the poor girl's shoulder, and gave her an
+axe in order that she might go on the frozen river, cut a hole in
+the ice, and rinse the yarn.  She was obedient, went thither and cut
+a hole in the ice.  And while she was in the midst of her cutting, a
+splendid carriage came driving up, in which sat the king.  The
+carriage stopped, and the king asked, my child, who are you, and
+what are you doing here.  I am a poor girl, and I am rinsing yarn.
+Then the king felt compassion, and when he saw that she was so very
+beautiful, he said to her, will you go away with me.  Ah, yes, with
+all my heart, she answered, for she was glad to get away from the
+mother and sister.
+So she got into the carriage and drove away with the king, and
+when they arrived at his palace, the wedding was celebrated with
+great pomp, as the little men had granted to the maiden.  When a
+year was over, the young queen bore a son, and as the step-mother
+had heard of her great good-fortune, she came with her daughter
+to the palace and pretended that she wanted to pay her a visit.
+But, when the king had gone out, and no one else was present, the
+wicked woman seized the queen by the head, and her daughter
+seized her by the feet, and they lifted her out of the bed, and
+threw her out of the window into the stream which flowed by.  Then
+the ugly daughter laid herself in the bed, and the old woman
+covered her up over her head.  When the king came home again and
+wanted to speak to his wife, the old woman cried, hush, hush, that
+can't be now, she is lying in a violent sweat.  You must let her
+rest to-day.  The king suspected no evil, and did not come back
+again till next morning.  And as he talked with his wife and she
+answered him, with every word a toad leaped out, whereas formerly a
+piece of gold had fallen.  Then he asked what that could be, but the
+old woman said that she had got that from the violent sweat, and
+would soon lose it again.  During the night, however, the scullion
+saw a duck come swimming up the gutter, and it said -
+     king, what art thou doing now.
+     Sleepest thou, or wakest thou.
+And as he returned no answer, it said -
+     and my guests, what may they do.
+The scullion said -
+     they are sleeping soundly, too.
+Then it asked again -
+     what does little baby mine.
+He answered -
+     sleepeth in her cradle fine.
+Then she went upstairs in the form of the queen, nursed the
+baby, shook up its little bed, covered it over, and then swam away
+again down the gutter in the shape of a duck.  She came thus for
+two nights.  On the third, she said to the scullion, go and tell the
+king to take his sword and swing it three times over me on the
+threshold.  Then the scullion ran and told this to the king, who
+came with his sword and swung it thrice over the spirit, and at the
+third time, his wife stood before him strong, living, and healthy
+as she had been before.  Thereupon the king was full of great joy,
+but he kept the queen hidden in a chamber until the sunday, when
+the baby was to be christened.  And when it was christened he said,
+what does a person deserve who drags another out of bed and
+throws him in the water.  The wretch deserves nothing better,
+answered the old woman, than to be taken and put in a barrel
+stuck full of nails, and rolled down hill into the water.  Then,
+said the king, you have pronounced your own sentence.  And he
+ordered such a barrel to be brought, and the old woman to be put
+into it with her daughter, and then the top was hammered on, and
+the barrel rolled down hill until it went into the river.

011.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+There was once a girl who was idle and would not spin, and
+let her mother say what she would, she could not bring her
+to it.  At last the mother was once so overcome with anger
+and impatience, that she beat her, at which the girl began
+to weep loudly.  Now at this very moment the queen drove by,
+and when she heard the weeping she stopped her carriage, went
+into the house and asked the mother why she was beating her
+daughter so that the cries could be heard out on the road.  Then
+the woman was ashamed to reveal the laziness of her daughter
+and said, I cannot get her to leave off spinning.  She insists
+on spinning for ever and ever, and I am poor, and cannot
+procure the flax.  Then
+answered the queen, there is nothing that I like better to hear
+than spinning, and I am never happier than when the wheels are
+humming.  Let me have your daughter with me in the palace.  I
+have flax enough, and there she shall spin as much as she likes.
+The mother was heartily satisfied with this, and the queen
+took the girl with her.  When they had arrived at the palace,
+she led her up into three rooms which were filled from the
+bottom to the top with the finest flax.  Now spin me this flax,
+said she, and when you have done it, you shall have my eldest
+son for a husband, even if you are poor.  I care not for that,
+your untiring industry is dowry enough.  The girl was secretly
+terrified, for she could not have spun the flax, no, not if
+she had lived till she was three hundred years old, and had
+sat at it every day from morning till night.  When therefore she
+was alone, she began to weep, and sat thus for three days
+without moving a finger.  On the third day came the queen, and
+when she saw that nothing had yet been spun, she was surprised,
+but the girl excused herself by saying that she had not been able
+to begin because of her great distress at leaving her mother's
+house.  The queen was satisfied with this, but said when she was
+going away, tomorrow you must begin to work.
+When the girl was alone again, she did not know what to do, and
+in her distress went to the window.  Then she saw three women
+coming towards her, the first of whom had a broad flat foot, the
+second had such a great underlip that it hung down over her chin,
+and the third had a broad thumb.  They remained standing before
+the window, looked up, and asked the girl what was amiss with
+her.  She complained of her trouble, and then they offered
+her their help and said, if you will invite us to the wedding,
+not be ashamed of us, and will call us your aunts, and likewise
+will place us at your table, we will spin up the flax for you,
+and that in a very short time.  With all my heart, she replied,
+do but come in and begin the work at once.  Then she let in the
+three strange women, and cleared a place in the first room,
+where they seated themselves and began their spinning.  The one
+drew the thread and trod the wheel, the other wetted the thread,
+the third twisted it, and struck the table
+with her finger, and as often as she struck it, a skein of
+thread fell to the ground that was spun in the finest manner
+possible.  The girl concealed the three spinners from the queen,
+and showed her whenever she came the great quantity of spun
+thread, until the latter could not praise her enough.  When
+the first room was empty she went to the second, and at last to
+the third, and that too was quickly cleared.  Then the three women
+took leave and said to the girl, do not forget what you have
+promised us - it will make your fortune.
+When the maiden showed the queen the empty rooms, and the great
+heap of yarn, she gave orders for the wedding, and the bridegroom
+rejoiced that he was to have such a clever and industrious wife,
+and praised her mightily.  I have three aunts, said the girl,
+and as they have been very kind to me, I should not like to
+forget them in my good fortune, allow me to invite them to the
+wedding, and let them sit with us at table.  The queen and the
+bridegroom said, why should we not allow that.  Therefore when
+the feast began, the three women entered in strange apparel, and
+the bride said, welcome, dear aunts.  Ah, said the bridegroom,
+how do you come by these odious friends.  Thereupon he went to
+the one with the broad flat foot, and said, how do you come by
+such a broad foot.  By treading, she answered, by treading.  Then
+the bridegroom went to the second, and said, how do you come by
+your falling lip.  By licking, she answered, by licking.  Then
+he asked the third, how do you come by your broad thumb.  By
+twisting the thread, she answered, by twisting the thread.  On
+this the king's son was alarmed and said, neither now nor ever
+shall my beautiful bride touch a spinning-wheel.  And thus she
+got rid of the hateful flax-spinning.

012.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,257 @@
+Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife
+and his two children.  The boy was called Hansel and the
+girl Gretel.  He had little to bite and to break, and once when
+great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily
+bread.  Now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and
+tossed about in his anxiety, he groaned and said to his wife, what
+is to become of us.  How are we to feed our poor children, when
+we no longer have anything even for ourselves.  I'll tell you what,
+husband, answered the woman, early to-morrow morning we
+will take the children out into the forest to where it is the
+thickest.  There we will light a fire for them, and give each of
+them one more piece of bread, and then we will go to our work and
+leave them alone.  They will not find the way home again, and we
+shall be rid of them.  No, wife, said the man, I will not do that.
+How can I bear to leave my children alone in the forest.   The wild
+animals would soon come and tear them to pieces.  O' you fool, said
+she, then we must all four die of hunger, you may as well plane the
+planks for our coffins, and she left him no peace until he
+consented.  But I feel very sorry for the poor children, all the
+same, said the man.
+
+The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and
+had heard what their step-mother had said to their father.  Gretel
+wept bitter tears, and said to Hansel, now all is over with us.
+Be quiet, Gretel, said Hansel, do not distress yourself, I will soon
+find a way to help us.  And when the old folks had fallen asleep,
+he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept
+outside.  The moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay
+in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies.  Hansel
+stooped and stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he
+could get in.  Then he went back and said to Gretel, be comforted,
+dear little sister, and sleep in peace, God will not forsake us, and
+he lay down again in his bed.  When day dawned, but before the
+sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the two children, saying
+get up, you sluggards.  We are going into the forest to fetch
+wood.  She gave each a little piece of bread, and said, there is
+something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you
+will get nothing else.  Gretel took the bread under her apron, as
+Hansel had the pebbles in his pocket.  Then they all set out
+together on the way to the forest.  When they had walked a short
+time, Hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so
+again and again.  His father said, Hansel, what are you looking at
+there and staying behind for.  Pay attention, and do not forget how
+to use your legs.  Ah, father, said Hansel, I am looking at my
+little white cat, which is sitting  up on the roof, and wants to say
+good-bye to me.  The wife said, fool, that is not your little cat,
+that is the morning sun which is shining on the chimneys.  Hansel,
+however, had not been looking back at the cat, but had been
+constantly throwing one of the white pebble-stones out of his pocket
+on the road.
+
+When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said,
+now, children, pile up some wood, and I will light a fire that you
+may not be cold.  Hansel and Gretel gathered brushwood together,
+as high as a little hill.  The brushwood was lighted, and when the
+flames were burning very high, the woman said, now, children,
+lay yourselves down by the fire and rest, we will go into the forest
+and cut some wood.  When we have done, we will come back and
+fetch you away.
+
+Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate
+a little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the
+wood-axe they believed that their father was near.  It was not the
+axe, however, but a branch which he had fastened to a withered tree
+which the wind was blowing backwards and forwards.  And as they had
+been sitting such a long time, their eyes closed with fatigue, and
+they fell fast asleep.  When at last they awoke, it was already dark
+night.  Gretel began to cry and said, how are we to get out of the
+forest now.  But Hansel comforted her and said, just wait a little,
+until the moon has risen, and then we will soon find the way.  And
+when the full moon had risen, Hansel took his little sister by the
+hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like newly-coined silver
+pieces, and showed them the way.
+
+They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came
+once more to their father's house.  They knocked at the door, and
+when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel,
+she said, you naughty children, why have you slept so long in the
+forest.  We thought you were never coming back at all.  The father,
+however, rejoiced, for it had cut him to the heart to leave them
+behind alone.
+
+Not long afterwards, there was once more great dearth throughout
+the land, and the children heard their mother saying at night to
+their father, everything is eaten again, we have one half loaf left,
+and that is the end.  The children must go, we will take them
+farther into the wood, so that they will not find their way out
+again.  There is no other means of saving ourselves.  The man's
+heart was heavy, and he thought, it would be better for you to share
+the last mouthful with your children.  The woman, however, would
+listen to nothing that he had to say, but scolded and reproached
+him.  He who says a must say b, likewise, and as he had yielded the
+first time, he had to do so a second time also.
+
+The children, however, were still awake and had heard the
+conversation.  When the old folks were asleep, Hansel again got up,
+and wanted to go out and pick up pebbles as he had done before, but
+the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out.
+Nevertheless he comforted his little sister, and said, do not cry,
+Gretel, go to sleep quietly, the good God will help us.
+Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of
+their beds.  Their piece of bread was given to them, but it was
+still smaller than the time before.  On the way into the forest
+Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a
+morsel on the ground.  Hansel, why do you stop and look round.
+Said the father, go on.  I am looking back at my little pigeon
+which is sitting on the roof, and wants to say good-bye to me,
+answered Hansel.  Fool.  Said the woman, that is not your little
+pigeon, that is the morning sun that is shining on the chimney.
+Hansel, however, little by little, threw all the crumbs on the path.
+The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they
+had never in their lives been before.  Then a great fire was again
+made, and the mother said, just sit there, you children, and when
+you are tired you may sleep a little.  We are going into the forest
+to cut wood, and in the evening when we are done, we will come and
+fetch you away.  When it was noon, Gretel shared her piece of
+bread with Hansel, who had scattered his by the way.  Then they
+fell asleep and evening passed, but no one came to the poor
+children.  They did not awake until it was dark night, and Hansel
+comforted his little sister and said, just wait, Gretel, until the
+moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have
+strewn about, they will show us our way home again.  When the moon
+came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many thousands
+of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked them all
+up.  Hansel said to Gretel, we shall soon find the way, but they did
+not find it.  They walked the whole night and all the next day too
+from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest,
+and were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or three
+berries, which grew on the ground.  And as they were so weary that
+their legs would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree
+and fell asleep.
+
+It was now three mornings since they had left their father's house.
+They began to walk again, but they always came deeper into the
+forest, and if help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and
+weariness.  When it was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white
+bird sitting on a bough, which sang so delightfully that they stood
+still and listened to it.  And when its song was over, it spread its
+wings and flew away before them, and they followed it until they
+reached a little house, on the roof of which it alighted.  And when
+they approached the little house they saw that it was built of
+bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear
+sugar.  We will set to work on that, said Hansel, and have a good
+meal.  I will eat a bit of the roof, and you Gretel, can eat some
+of the window, it will taste sweet.  Hansel reached up above, and
+broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Gretel
+leant against the window and nibbled at the panes.  Then a soft
+voice cried from the parlor -
+     nibble, nibble, gnaw
+     who is nibbling at my little house.
+The children answered -
+     the wind, the wind,
+     the heaven-born wind,
+and went on eating without disturbing themselves.  Hansel, who
+liked the taste of the roof, tore down a great piece of it, and
+Gretel pushed out the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and
+enjoyed herself with it.  Suddenly the door opened, and a woman
+as old as the hills, who supported herself on crutches, came
+creeping out.  Hansel and Gretel were so terribly frightened that
+they let fall what they had in their hands. The old woman, however,
+nodded her head, and said, oh, you dear children, who has brought
+you here.  Do come in, and stay with me.  No harm shall happen to
+you.  She took them both by the hand, and led them into her little
+house.  Then good food was set before them, milk and pancakes,
+with sugar, apples, and nuts.  Afterwards two pretty little beds
+were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down
+in them, and thought they were in heaven.
+
+The old woman had only pretended to be so kind.  She was in reality
+a wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the
+little house of bread in order to entice them there.  When a child
+fell into her power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that
+was a feast day with her.  Witches have red eyes, and cannot see
+far, but they have a keen scent like the beasts, and are aware when
+human beings draw near.  When Hansel and Gretel came into her
+neighborhood, she laughed with malice, and said mockingly, I have
+them, they shall not escape me again.  Early in the morning before
+the children were awake, she was already up, and when she saw both
+of them sleeping and looking so pretty, with their plump and rosy
+cheeks, she muttered to herself, that will be a dainty mouthful.
+
+Then she seized Hansel with her shrivelled hand, carried
+him into a little stable, and locked him in behind a grated door.
+Scream as he might, it would not help him.  Then she went to
+Gretel, shook her till she awoke, and cried, get up, lazy thing,
+fetch some water, and cook something good for your brother, he is
+in the stable outside, and is to be made fat.  When he is fat, I
+will eat him.  Gretel began to weep bitterly, but it was all in
+vain, for she was forced to do what the wicked witch commanded.
+And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel
+got nothing but crab-shells.  Every morning the woman crept to the
+little stable, and cried, Hansel, stretch out your finger that I may
+feel if you will soon be fat.  Hansel, however, stretched out a
+little bone to her, and the old woman, who had dim eyes, could not
+see it, and thought it was Hansel's finger, and was astonished that
+there was no way of fattening him.  When four weeks had gone by,
+and Hansel still remained thin, she was seized with impatience and
+would not wait any longer.  Now, then, Gretel, she cried to the
+girl, stir yourself, and bring some water.  Let Hansel be fat or
+lean, to-morrow I will kill him, and cook him.  Ah, how the poor
+little sister did lament when she had to fetch the water, and how
+her tears did flow down her cheeks.  Dear God, do help us, she
+cried.  If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we
+should at any rate have died together.  Just keep your noise to
+yourself, said the old woman, it won't help you at all.
+
+Early in the morning, Gretel had to go out and hang up the
+cauldron with the water, and light the fire.  We will bake first,
+said the old woman, I have already heated the oven, and kneaded
+the dough.  She pushed poor Gretel out to the oven, from which
+flames of fire were already darting.  Creep in, said the witch,
+and see if it properly heated, so that we can put the bread in.
+And once Gretel was inside, she intended to shut the oven and let
+her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too.  But Gretel saw
+what she had in mind, and said, I do not know how I am to do it.
+How do I get in.  Silly goose, said the old woman, the door is big
+enough.  Just look, I can get in myself, and she crept up and
+thrust her head into the oven.  Then Gretel gave her a push that
+drove her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the
+bolt.  Oh.  Then she began to howl quite horribly, but Gretel ran
+away, and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death.
+Gretel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little
+stable, and cried, Hansel, we are saved.  The old witch is dead.
+Then Hansel sprang like a bird from its cage when the door is
+opened.  How they did rejoice and embrace each other, and dance
+about and kiss each other.  And as they had no longer any need to
+fear her, they went into the witch's house, and in every corner
+there stood chests full of pearls and jewels.  These are far better
+than pebbles. Said Hansel, and thrust into his pockets whatever
+could be got in, and Gretel said, I, too, will take something home
+with me, and filled her pinafore full.  But now we must be off, said
+Hansel, that we may get out of the witch's forest.
+
+When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great
+stretch of water.  We cannot cross, said Hansel, I see no
+foot-plank, and no bridge.  And there is also no ferry, answered
+Gretel, but a white duck is swimming there.  If I ask her, she
+will help us over.  Then she cried -
+     little duck, little duck, dost thou see,
+     Hansel and Gretel are waiting for thee.
+     There's never a plank, or bridge in sight,
+     take us across on thy back so white.
+The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back,
+and told his sister to sit by him.  No, replied Gretel, that will be
+too heavy for the little duck.  She shall take us across, one after
+the other.  The good little duck did so, and when they were once
+safely across and had walked for a short time, the forest seemed to
+be more and more familiar to them, and at length they saw from
+afar their father's house.  Then they began to run, rushed into the
+parlor, and threw themselves round their father's neck.  The man
+had not known one happy hour since he had left the children in the
+forest.  The woman, however, was dead.  Gretel emptied her
+pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about the room, and
+Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to add to
+them.  Then all anxiety was at an end, and they lived together in
+perfect happiness.  My tale is done, there runs a mouse, whosoever
+catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it.

013.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+There was once on a time a poor man, who could no longer
+support his only son.  Then said the son, dear father, things go so
+badly with us that I am a burden to you.  I would
+rather go away and see how I can earn my bread.  So the father gave
+him his blessing, and with great sorrow took leave of him.  At this
+time the king of a mighty empire was at war and the youth took
+service with him, and went out to fight.  And when he came before
+the enemy, there was a battle, and great danger, and it rained shot
+until his comrades fell on all sides, and when the leader also was
+killed, those left were about to take flight, but the youth stepped
+forth, spoke boldly to them, and cried, we will not let our
+father-land be ruined.  Then the others followed him, and he pressed
+on and conquered the enemy.  When the king heard that he owed the
+victory to him alone, he raised him above all the others, gave him
+great treasures, and made him the first in the kingdom.
+
+The king had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was
+also very strange.  She had made a vow to take no one as her lord
+and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive
+with her if she died first.  If he loves me with all his heart, said
+she, of what use will life be to him afterwards.  On her side she
+would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave
+with him.  This strange oath had up to this time frightened away
+all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that
+he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her.  But do you
+know what you must promise, said the king.  I must be buried
+with her, he replied, if I outlive her, but my love is so great that
+I do not mind the danger.  Then the king consented, and the wedding
+was solemnized with great splendor.
+
+They lived now for a while happy and contented with each other,
+and then it befell that the young queen was attacked by a severe
+illness, and no physician could save her. And as she lay there dead,
+the young king remembered what he had been obliged to promise, and
+was horrified at having to lie down alive in the grave, but there
+was no escape.  The king had placed sentries at all the gates, and
+it was not possible to avoid his fate.  As the day came when the
+corpse was to be buried, he was taken down with it into the royal
+vault and then the door was shut and bolted.
+
+Near the coffin stood a table on which were four candles, four
+loaves of bread, and four bottles of wine, and when this provision
+came to an end, he would have to die of hunger.  And now he sat
+there full of pain and grief, ate every day only a little piece of
+bread, drank only a mouthful of wine, and nevertheless saw death
+daily drawing nearer.  Whilst he thus gazed before him, he saw a
+snake creep out of a corner of the vault and approach the dead body.
+And as he thought it came to gnaw at it, he drew his sword and said,
+as long as I live, you shall not touch her, and hewed the snake in
+three pieces.  After a time a second snake crept out of the hole,
+and when it saw the other lying dead and cut in pieces, it went back,
+but soon came again with three green leaves in its mouth.  Then it
+took the three pieces of the snake, laid them together, as they
+fitted, and placed one of the leaves on each wound.  Immediately the
+severed parts joined themselves together, the snake moved, and
+became alive again, and both of them hastened away together.  The
+leaves were left lying on the ground, and a desire came into the
+mind of the unhappy man who had been watching all this, to know
+if the wondrous power of the leaves which had brought the snake
+to life again, could not likewise be of service to a human being.
+
+So he picked up the leaves and laid one of them on the mouth of his
+dead wife, and the two others on her eyes.  And hardly had he done
+this than the blood stirred in her veins, rose into her pale face,
+and colored it again.  Then she drew breath, opened her eyes, and
+said, ah, God, where am I.  You are with me, dear wife, he answered,
+and told her how everything had happened, and how he
+had brought her back again to life.  Then he gave her some wine and
+bread, and when she had regained her strength, he raised her up
+and they went to the door and knocked, and called so loudly that
+the sentries heard it, and told the king.  The king came down
+himself and opened the door, and there he found both strong and
+well, and rejoiced with them that now all sorrow was over.  The
+young king, however, took the three snake-leaves with him, gave
+them to a servant and said, keep them for me carefully, and carry
+them constantly about you.  Who knows in what trouble they may yet
+be of service to us.
+
+But a change had taken place in his wife.  After she had been
+restored to life, it seemed as if all love for her husband had gone
+out of her heart.  After some time, when he wanted to make a voyage
+over the sea, to visit his old father, and they had gone on board a
+ship, she forgot the great love and fidelity which he had shown
+her, and which had been the means of rescuing her from death,
+and conceived a wicked inclination for the skipper.  And once when
+the young king lay there asleep, she called in the skipper and
+seized the sleeper by the head, and the skipper took him by the
+feet, and thus they threw him down into the sea.  When the
+shameful deed was done, she said, now let us return home, and say
+that he died on the way.  I will extol and praise you so to my
+father that he will marry me to you, and make you the heir to his
+crown.  But the faithful servant who had seen all that they did,
+unseen by them, unfastened a little boat from the ship, got into it,
+sailed after his master, and let the traitors go on their way.  He
+fished up the dead body, and by the help of the three snake-leaves
+which he carried about with him, and laid on the eyes and mouth,
+he fortunately brought the young king back to life.
+
+They both rowed with all their strength day and night, and their
+little boat sailed so swiftly that they reached the old king
+before the others.  He was astonished when he saw them come alone,
+and asked what had happened to them.  When he learnt the wickedness
+of his daughter he said, I cannot believe that she has behaved so
+ill, but the truth will soon come to light, and bade both go into a
+secret chamber and keep themselves hidden from everyone.  Soon
+afterwards the great ship came sailing in, and the godless woman
+appeared before her father with a troubled countenance.  He said,
+why do you come back alone.  Where is your husband.  Ah, dear
+father, she replied, I come home again in great grief.  During
+the voyage, my husband became suddenly ill and died, and if the
+good skipper had not given me his help, it would have gone ill with
+me.  He was present at his death, and can tell you all.  The king
+said, I will make the dead alive again, and opened the chamber,
+and bade the two come out.  When the woman saw her husband, she
+was thunderstruck, and fell on her knees and begged for mercy.
+
+The king said, there is no mercy.  He was ready to die with you
+and restored you to life again, but you have murdered him in his
+sleep, and shall receive the reward that you deserve.  Then she was
+placed with her accomplice in a ship which had been pierced with
+holes, and sent out to sea, where they soon sank amid the waves.

014.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+A long time ago there lived a king who was famed for his wisdom
+through all the land.  Nothing was hidden from him, and it seemed
+as if news of the most secret things was brought to him through
+the air.  But he had a strange custom, every day after dinner,
+when the table was cleared, and no one else was present, a trusty
+servant had to bring him one more dish.  It was covered, however,
+and even the servant did not know what was in it, neither did
+anyone know, for the king never took off the cover to eat of it
+until he was quite alone.
+This had gone on for a long time, when one day the servant, who
+took away the dish, was overcome with such curiosity that he
+could not help carrying the dish into his room.  When he had
+carefully locked the door, he lifted up the cover, and saw a white
+snake lying on the dish.  But when he saw it he could not deny
+himself the pleasure of tasting it, so he cut off a little bit
+and put it into his mouth.  No sooner had it touched his tongue
+than he heard a strange whispering of little voices outside his
+window.  He went and listened, and then noticed that it was
+the sparrows who were chattering together, and telling one
+another of all kinds of things which they had seen in the fields
+and woods.  Eating the snake had given him power of understanding
+the language of animals.
+Now it so happened that on this very day the queen lost her most
+beautiful ring, and suspicion of having stolen it fell upon this
+trusty servant, who was allowed to go everywhere.  The king
+ordered the man to be brought before him, and threatened with
+angry words that unless he could before the morrow point out
+the thief, he himself should be looked upon as guilty and executed.
+In vain he declared his innocence, he was dismissed with no better
+answer.
+In his trouble and fear he went down into the courtyard and took
+thought how to help himself out of his trouble.  Now
+some ducks were sitting together quietly by a brook and taking
+their rest, and, whilst they were making their feathers smooth
+with their bills, they were having a confidential conversation
+together.  The servant stood by and listened.  They were telling
+one another of all the places where they had been waddling
+about all the morning, and what good food they had found, and one
+said in a pitiful tone, something lies heavy on my stomach, as I
+was eating in haste I swallowed a ring which lay under the
+queen's window.  The servant at once seized her by the neck,
+carried her to the kitchen, and said to the cook, here is a fine
+duck, pray, kill her.  Yes, said the cook, and weighed her in
+his hand, she has spared no trouble to fatten herself, and has
+been waiting to be roasted long enough.  So he cut off her head,
+and as she was being dressed for the spit, the queen's ring was
+found inside her.
+The servant could now easily prove his innocence, and the king,
+to make amends for the wrong, allowed him to ask a favor, and
+promised him the best place in the court that he could wish for.
+The servant refused everything, and only asked for a horse and
+some money for traveling, as he had a mind to see the world
+and go about a little.  When his request was granted he
+set out on his way, and one day came to a pond, where he saw
+three fishes caught in the reeds and gasping for water.  Now,
+though it is said that fishes are dumb, he heard them lamenting
+that they must perish so miserably, and, as he had a kind heart,
+he got off his horse and put the three prisoners back into the
+water.  They leapt with delight, put out their heads, and cried
+to him, we will remember you and repay you for saving us.
+He rode on, and after a while it seemed to him that he heard a
+voice in the sand at his feet.  He listened, and heard an ant-king
+complain, why cannot folks, with their clumsy beasts, keep off
+our bodies.  That stupid horse, with his heavy hoofs, has been
+treading down my people without mercy.  So he turned on to a side
+path and the ant-king cried out to him, we will remember you - one
+good turn deserves another.
+The path led him into a wood, and here he saw two old ravens
+standing by their nest, and throwing out their young ones.
+Out with you, you idle, good-for-nothing creatures, cried
+they, we cannot find food for you any longer, you are big enough,
+and can provide for yourselves.  But the poor young ravens lay
+upon the ground, flapping their wings, and crying, oh, what
+helpless chicks we are.  We must shift for ourselves, and yet we
+cannot fly.  What can we do, but lie here and starve.  So the
+good young fellow alighted and killed his horse with his sword,
+and gave it to them for food.  Then they came hopping up to it,
+satisfied their hunger, and cried, we will remember you - one good
+turn deserves another.
+And now he had to use his own legs, and when he had walked a
+long way, he came to a large city.  There was a great noise and
+crowd in the streets, and a man rode up on horseback, crying
+aloud, the king's daughter wants a husband, but whoever seeks her
+hand must perform a hard task, and if he does not succeed he
+will forfeit his life.  Many had already made the attempt, but
+in vain, nevertheless when the youth saw the king's daughter
+he was so overcome by her great beauty that he forgot all
+danger, went before the king, and declared himself a suitor.
+So he was led out to the sea, and a gold ring was thrown into
+it, before his eyes, then the king ordered him to fetch this
+ring up from the bottom of the sea, and added, if you come up
+again without it you will be thrown in again and again until you
+perish amid the waves.  All the people grieved for the handsome
+youth, then they went away, leaving him alone by the sea.
+He stood on the shore and considered what he should do, when
+suddenly he saw three fishes come swimming towards him, and they
+were the very fishes whose lives he had saved.  The one in the
+middle held a mussel in its mouth, which it laid on the shore
+at the youth's feet, and when he had taken it up and opened it,
+there lay the gold ring in the shell.  Full of joy he took it to
+the king, and expected that he would grant him the promised reward.
+But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal
+in birth, she scorned him, and required him first to perform
+another task.  She went down into the garden and strewed with her
+own hands ten sacks-full of millet-seed on the grass, then she
+said, tomorrow morning before sunrise these must be picked up,
+and not a single grain be wanting.
+The youth sat down in the garden and considered how it might
+be possible to perform this task, but he could think of nothing,
+and there he sat sorrowfully awaiting the break of day, when he
+should be led to death.  But as soon as the first rays of the
+sun shone into the garden he saw all the ten sacks standing side
+by side, quite full, and not a single grain was missing.  The
+ant-king had come in the night with thousands and thousands of
+ants, and the grateful creatures had by great industry picked
+up all the millet-seed and gathered them into the sacks.
+Presently the king's daughter herself came down into the garden,
+and was amazed to see that the young man had done the task she
+had given him.  But she could not yet conquer her proud heart,
+and said, although he has performed both the tasks, he shall not
+be my husband until he has brought me an apple from the tree of
+life.  The youth did not know where the tree of life stood, but
+he set out, and would have gone on for ever, as long as his legs
+would carry him, though he had no hope of finding it.  After he
+had wandered through three kingdoms, he came one evening to a
+wood, and lay down under a tree to sleep.  But he heard a
+rustling in the branches, and a golden apple fell into his hand.
+At the same time three ravens flew down to him, perched themselves
+upon his knee, and said, we are the three young ravens whom
+you saved from starving, when we had grown big, and heard that
+you were seeking the golden apple, we flew over the sea to the
+end of the world, where the tree of life stands, and have brought
+you the apple.  The youth, full of joy, set out homewards, and
+took the golden apple to the king's beautiful daughter, who had
+no more excuses left to make.  They cut the apple of life in two
+and ate it together, and then her heart became full of love for
+him, and they lived in undisturbed happiness to a great age.

015.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,278 @@
+One summer's morning a little tailor was sitting on his table
+by the window, he was in good spirits, and sewed with all his
+might.  Then came a peasant woman down the street crying, good
+jams, cheap.  Good jams, cheap.  This rang pleasantly in the
+tailor's ears, he stretched his delicate head out of the
+window, and called, come up here, dear woman, here you will get
+rid of your goods.  The woman came up the three steps to the
+tailor with her heavy basket, and he made her unpack all the pots
+for him.  He inspected each one, lifted it up, put his nose to it,
+and at length said, the jam seems to me to be good, so weigh me
+out four ounces, dear woman, and if it is a quarter of a pound
+that is of no consequence.  The woman who had hoped to find a
+good sale, gave him what he desired, but went away quite angry
+and grumbling.  Now, this jam shall be blessed by God, cried the
+little tailor, and give me health and strength.  So he brought
+the bread out of the cupboard, cut himself a piece right across
+the loaf and spread the jam over it.  This won't taste bitter,
+said he, but I will just finish the jacket before I take a bite.
+He laid the bread near him, sewed on, and in his joy, made bigger
+and bigger stitches.  In the meantime the smell of the sweet jam
+rose to where the flies were sitting in great numbers, and they
+were attracted and descended on it in hosts.  HI, who invited you,
+said the little tailor, and drove the unbidden guests away.  The
+flies, however, who understood no german, would not be turned
+away, but came back again in ever-increasing companies.  The
+little tailor at last lost all patience,
+and drew a piece of cloth from the hole under his work-table, and
+saying, wait, and I will give it to you, struck it mercilessly
+on them.  When he drew it away and counted, there lay before him
+no fewer than seven, dead and with legs stretched out.  Are you a
+fellow of that sort, said he, and could not help admiring his own
+bravery.  The whole town shall know of this.  And the little tailor
+hastened to cut himself a girdle, stitched it, and embroidered on
+it in large letters, seven at one stroke.  What, the town, he
+continued, the whole world shall hear of it.  And his heart
+wagged with joy like a lamb's tail.  The tailor put on the girdle,
+and resolved to go forth into the world, because he thought his
+workshop was too small for his valor.  Before he went away, he
+sought about in the house to see if there was anything which he
+could take with him, however, he found nothing but an old cheese,
+and that he put in his pocket.  In front of the door he observed a
+bird which had caught itself in the thicket.  It had to go into his
+pocket with the cheese.  Now he took to the road boldly, and as he
+was light and nimble, he felt no fatigue.  The road led him up a
+mountain, and when he had reached the highest point of it, there
+sat a powerful giant looking peacefully about him.  The little
+tailor went bravely up, spoke to him, and said, good day, comrade,
+so you are sitting there overlooking the wide-spread world.  I am
+just on my way thither, and want to try my luck.  Have you any
+inclination to go with me.  The giant looked contemptuously at the
+tailor, and said, you ragamuffin.  You miserable creature.
+Oh, indeed, answered the little tailor, and unbuttoned his coat,
+and showed the giant the girdle, there may you read what kind of
+a man I am.  The giant read, seven at one stroke.  And thought
+that they had been men whom the tailor had killed, and began to
+feel a little respect for the tiny fellow.  Nevertheless, he
+wished to try him first, and took a stone in his hand and
+squeezed it together so that water dropped out of it.  Do that
+likewise, said the giant, if you have strength.  Is that all, said
+the tailor, that is child's play with us, and put his hand into his
+pocket, brought out the soft cheese, and pressed it until the
+liquid ran out
+of it.  Faith, said he, that was a little better, wasn't it.  The
+giant did not know what to say, and could not believe it of the
+little man.  Then the giant picked up a stone and threw it so high
+that the eye could scarcely follow it.  Now, little mite of a man,
+do that likewise.  Well thrown, said the tailor, but after all the
+stone came down to earth again, I will throw you one which shall
+never come back at all.  And he put his hand into his pocket,
+took out the bird, and threw it into the air.  The bird,
+delighted with its liberty, rose, flew away and did not come
+back.  How does that shot please you, comrade, asked the tailor.
+You can certainly throw, said the giant, but now we will see if
+you are able to carry anything properly.  He took the little
+tailor to a mighty oak tree which lay there felled on the ground,
+and said, if you are strong enough, help me to carry the tree out
+of the forest.  Readily, answered the little man, take the trunk
+on your shoulders, and I will raise up the branches and twigs,
+after all, they are the heaviest.  The giant took the trunk on
+his shoulder, but the tailor seated himself on a branch, and the
+giant who could not look round, had to carry away the whole tree,
+and the little tailor into the bargain, he behind, was quite
+merry and happy, and whistled the song, three tailors rode forth
+from the gate, as if carrying the tree were child's play.  The
+giant, after he had dragged the heavy burden part of the way,
+could go no further, and cried, hark you, I shall have to let the
+tree fall.  The tailor sprang nimbly down, seized the tree with
+both arms as if he had been carrying it, and said to the giant,
+you are such a great fellow, and yet can not even carry the tree.
+They went on together, and as they passed a cherry-tree, the giant
+laid hold of the top of the tree where the ripest fruit was
+hanging, bent it down, gave it into the tailor's hand, and bade
+him eat.  But the little tailor was much too weak to hold the
+tree, and when the giant let it go, it sprang back again, and the
+tailor was tossed into the air with it.  When he had fallen down
+again without injury, the giant said, what is this.  Have you
+not strength enough to hold the weak twig.  There is no lack of
+strength, answered the little tailor.  Do you think that could be
+anything to a man who has
+struck down seven at one blow.  I leapt over the tree because the
+huntsmen are shooting down there in the thicket.  Jump as I did,
+if you can do it.  The giant made the attempt, but could not get
+over the tree, and remained hanging in the branches, so that in
+this also the tailor kept the upper hand.
+The giant said, if you are such a valiant fellow, come with me
+into our cavern and spend the night with us.  The little tailor
+was willing, and followed him.  When they went into the cave,
+other giants were sitting there by the fire, and each of them
+had a roasted sheep in his hand and was eating it.  The little
+tailor looked round and thought, it is much more spacious here
+than in my workshop.  The giant showed him a bed, and said he was
+to lie down in it and sleep.  The bed, however, was too big for
+the little tailor, he did not lie down in it, but crept into a
+corner.  When it was midnight, and the giant thought that the
+little tailor was lying in a sound sleep, he got up, took a great
+iron bar, cut through the bed with one blow, and thought he had
+finished off the grasshopper for good.  With the earliest dawn
+the giants went into the forest, and had quite forgotten the little
+tailor, when all at once he walked up to them quite merrily
+and boldly.  The giants were terrified, they were afraid that he
+would strike them all dead, and ran away in a great hurry.
+The little tailor went onwards, always following his own
+pointed nose.  After he had walked for a long time, he came to the
+courtyard of a royal palace, and as he felt weary, he lay down
+on the grass and fell asleep.  Whilst he lay there, the people
+came and inspected him on all sides, and read on his girdle,
+seven at one stroke.  Ah, said they, what does the great warrior
+here in the midst of peace.  He must be a mighty lord.  They went
+and announced him to the king, and gave it as their opinion that
+if war should break out, this would be a weighty and useful man
+who ought on no account to be allowed to depart.  The counsel
+pleased the king, and he sent one of his courtiers to the little
+tailor to offer him military service when he awoke.  The
+ambassador remained standing by the sleeper, waited until he
+stretched his limbs and
+opened his eyes, and then conveyed to him this proposal.  For this
+reason have I come here, the tailor replied, I am ready to enter
+the king's service.  He was therefore honorably received and a
+special dwelling was assigned him.
+The soldiers, however, were set against the little tailor, and
+wished him a thousand miles away.  What is to be the end of this,
+they said among themselves.  If we quarrel with him, and he strikes
+about him, seven of us will fall at every blow, not one of
+us can stand against him.  They came therefore to a decision,
+betook themselves in a body to the king, and begged for their
+dismissal.  We are not prepared, said they, to stay with a man
+who kills seven at one stroke.  The king was sorry that for the
+sake of one he should lose all his faithful servants, wished that
+he had never set eyes on the tailor, and would willingly have
+been rid of him again.  But he did not venture to give him his
+dismissal, for he dreaded lest he should strike him and all his
+people dead, and place himself on the royal throne.  He thought
+about it for a long time, and at last found good counsel.  He
+sent to the little tailor and caused him to be informed that as
+he was such a great warrior, he had one request to make of him.
+In a forest of his country lived two giants who caused great
+mischief with their robbing, murdering, ravaging, and burning,
+and no one could approach them without putting himself in danger
+of death.  If the tailor conquered and killed these two giants,
+he would give him his only daughter to wife, and half of his
+kingdom as a dowry, likewise one hundred horsemen should go with
+him to assist him.  That would indeed be a fine thing for a man
+like me, thought the little tailor.  One is not offered a
+beautiful princess and half a kingdom every day of one's life.
+Oh, yes, he replied, I will soon subdue the giants, and do not
+require the help of the hundred horsemen to do it, he who can
+hit seven with one blow has no need to be afraid of two.
+The little tailor went forth, and the hundred horsemen followed
+him.  When he came to the outskirts of the forest, he said to
+his followers, just stay waiting here, I alone will soon finish
+off the giants.  Then he bounded into the forest and looked about
+right and left.  After a while he perceived both giants.  They lay
+sleeping under a tree, and snored so that the branches waved up
+and down.  The little tailor, not idle, gathered two pocketsful
+of stones, and with these climbed up the tree.  When he was
+half-way up, he slipped down by a branch, until he sat just above
+the sleepers, and then let one stone after another fall on the
+breast of one of the giants.  For a long time the giant felt
+nothing, but at last he awoke, pushed his comrade, and said, why
+are you knocking me.  You must be dreaming, said the other, I am
+not knocking you.  They laid themselves down to sleep again, and
+then the tailor threw a stone down on the second.  What is the
+meaning of this, cried the other.  Why are you pelting me.  I am
+not pelting you, answered the first, growling.  They disputed
+about it for a time, but as they were weary they let the matter
+rest, and their eyes closed once more.  The little tailor began
+his game again, picked out the biggest stone, and threw it with
+all his might on the breast of the first giant.  That is too
+bad, cried he, and sprang up like a madman, and pushed his
+companion against the tree until it shook.  The other paid him
+back in the same coin, and they got into such a rage that they
+tore up trees and belabored each other so long, that at last they
+both fell down dead on the ground at the same time.  Then the
+little tailor leapt down.  It is a lucky thing, said he, that
+they did not tear up the tree on which I was sitting, or I should
+have had to spring on to another like a squirrel, but we tailors
+are nimble.  He drew out his sword and gave each of them a couple
+of thrusts in the breast, and then went out to the horsemen and
+said, the work is done, I have finished both of them off, but it
+was hard work.  They tore up trees in their sore need, and
+defended themselves with them, but all that is to no purpose
+when a man like myself comes, who can kill seven at one blow.
+But you are not wounded, asked the horsemen.  You need not
+concern yourself about that, answered the tailor, they have not
+bent one hair of mine.  The horsemen would not believe him, and
+rode into the forest, there they found the giants swimming in their
+blood, and all round about lay the torn-up trees.
+The little tailor demanded of the king the promised reward.  He,
+however, repented of his promise, and again bethought himself how
+he could get rid of the hero.  Before you receive my daughter,
+and the half of my kingdom, said he to him, you must perform one
+more heroic deed.  In the forest roams a unicorn which does great
+harm, and you must catch it first.  I fear one unicorn still
+less than two giants.  Seven at one blow, is my kind of affair.
+He took a rope and an axe with him, went forth into the forest,
+and again bade those who were sent with him to wait outside.  He
+had not long to seek.  The unicorn soon came towards him, and
+rushed directly on the tailor, as if it would gore him with its
+horn without more ado.  Softly, softly, it can't be done as
+quickly as that, said he, and stood still and waited until the
+animal was quite close, and then sprang nimbly behind the tree.
+The unicorn ran against the tree with all its strength, and
+struck its horn so fast in the trunk that it had not strength
+enough to draw it out again, and thus it was caught.  Now, I have
+got the bird, said the tailor, and came out from behind the tree
+and put the rope round its neck, and then with his axe he hewed
+the horn out of the tree, and when all was ready he led the beast
+away and took it to the king.
+The king still would not give him the promised reward, and made
+a third demand.  Before the wedding the tailor was to catch him a
+wild boar that made great havoc in the forest, and the huntsmen
+should give him their help.  Willingly, said the tailor, that is
+child's play.  He did not take the huntsmen with him into the
+forest, and they were well pleased that he did not, for the wild
+boar had several times received them in such a manner that they
+had no inclination to lie in wait for him.  When the boar
+perceived the tailor, it ran on him with foaming mouth and
+whetted tusks, and was about to throw him to the ground, but the
+hero fled and sprang into a chapel which was near, and up to the
+window at once, and in one bound out again.  The boar ran in
+after him, but the tailor ran round outside and shut the door
+behind it, and then the raging beast, which was much too heavy
+and awkward to leap out of the window, was caught.  The little
+tailor called the huntsmen thither
+that they might see the prisoner with their own eyes.  The hero,
+however went to the king, who was now, whether he liked it or
+not, obliged to keep his promise, and gave him his daughter and
+the half of his kingdom.  Had he known that it was no warlike
+hero, but a little tailor who was standing before him it would
+have gone to his heart still more than it did.  The wedding was
+held with great magnificence and small joy, and out of a
+tailor a king was made.
+After some time the young queen heard her husband say in his
+dreams at night, boy, make me the doublet, and patch the
+pantaloons, or else I will rap the yard-measure over your ears.
+Then she discovered in what state of life the young lord had been
+born, and next morning complained of her wrongs to her father, and
+begged him to help her to get rid of her husband, who was
+nothing else but a tailor.  The king comforted her and said,
+leave your bedroom door open this night, and my servants shall
+stand outside, and when he has fallen asleep shall go in, bind
+him, and take him on board a ship which shall carry him into the
+wide world.  The woman was satisfied with this, but the king's
+armor-bearer, who had heard all, was friendly with the young
+lord, and informed him of the whole plot.  I'll put a screw into
+that business, said the little tailor.  At night he went to bed
+with his wife at the usual time, and when she thought that he
+had fallen asleep, she got up, opened the door, and then lay down
+again.  The little tailor, who was only pretending to be asleep,
+began to cry out in a clear voice, boy, make me the doublet and
+patch me the pantaloons, or I will rap the yard-measure over
+your ears.  I smote seven at one blow.  I killed two giants, I
+brought away one unicorn and caught a wild boar, and am I to
+fear those who are standing outside the room.  When these men
+heard the tailor speaking thus, they were overcome by a great
+dread, and ran as if the wild huntsman were behind them, and none
+of them would venture anything further against him.  So the little
+tailor was and remained a king to the end of his life.

016.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,240 @@
+	Cinderella
+The wife of a rich man fell sick, and as she felt that her end
+was drawing near, she called her only daughter to her bedside and
+said, dear child, be good and pious, and then the
+good God will always protect you, and I will look down on you
+from heaven and be near you.  Thereupon she closed her eyes and
+departed.  Every day the maiden went out to her mother's grave,
+and wept, and she remained pious and good.  When winter came
+the snow spread a white sheet over the grave, and by the time the
+spring sun had drawn it off again, the man had taken another wife.
+The woman had brought with her into the house two daughters,
+who were beautiful and fair of face, but vile and black of heart.
+Now began a bad time for the poor step-child.  Is the stupid goose
+to sit in the parlor with us, they said.  He who wants to eat bread
+must earn it.  Out with the kitchen-wench.  They took her pretty
+clothes away from her, put an old grey bedgown on her, and gave
+her wooden shoes.  Just look at the proud princess, how decked
+out she is, they cried, and laughed, and led her into the kitchen.
+There she had to do hard work from morning till night, get up
+before daybreak, carry water, light fires, cook and wash.  Besides
+this, the sisters did her every imaginable injury - they mocked her
+and emptied her peas and lentils into the ashes, so that she was
+forced to sit and pick them out again.  In the evening when she had
+worked till she was weary she had no bed to go to, but had to sleep
+by the hearth in the cinders.  And as on that account she always
+looked dusty and dirty, they called her cinderella.
+It happened that the father was once going to the fair, and he
+asked his two step-daughters what he should bring back for them.
+Beautiful dresses, said one, pearls and jewels, said the second.
+And you, cinderella, said he, what will you have.  Father
+break off for me the first branch which knocks against your hat on
+your way home.  So he bought beautiful dresses, pearls and jewels
+for his two step-daughters, and on his way home, as he was riding
+through a green thicket, a hazel twig brushed against him and
+knocked off his hat.  Then he broke off the branch and took it with
+him.  When he reached home he gave his step-daughters the things
+which they had wished for, and to cinderella he gave the branch
+from the hazel-bush.  Cinderella thanked him, went to her mother's
+grave and planted the branch on it, and wept so much that the tears
+fell down on it and watered it.  And it grew and became a handsome
+tree. Thrice a day cinderella went and sat beneath it, and wept and
+prayed, and a little white bird always came on the tree, and if
+cinderella expressed a wish, the bird threw down to her what she
+had wished for.
+It happened, however, that the king gave orders for a festival
+which was to last three days, and to which all the beautiful young
+girls in the country were invited, in order that his son might choose
+himself a bride.  When the two step-sisters heard that they too were
+to appear among the number, they were delighted, called cinderella
+and said, comb our hair for us, brush our shoes and fasten our
+buckles, for we are going to the wedding at the king's palace.
+Cinderella obeyed, but wept, because she too would have liked to
+go with them to the dance, and begged her step-mother to allow
+her to do so.  You go, cinderella, said she, covered in dust and
+dirt as you are, and would go to the festival.  You have no clothes
+and shoes, and yet would dance.  As, however, cinderella went on
+asking, the step-mother said at last, I have emptied a dish of
+lentils into the ashes for you, if you have picked them out again in
+two hours, you shall go with us.  The maiden went through the
+back-door into the garden, and called, you tame pigeons, you
+turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me
+to pick
+     the good into the pot,
+     the bad into the crop.
+Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen window, and
+afterwards the turtle-doves, and at last all the birds beneath the
+sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes.
+And the pigeons nodded with their heads and began pick, pick,
+pick, pick, and the rest began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and
+gathered all the good grains into the dish.  Hardly had one hour
+passed before they had finished, and all flew out again.  Then the
+girl took the dish to her step-mother, and was glad, and believed
+that now she would be allowed to go with them to the festival.
+But the step-mother said, no, cinderella, you have no clothes and
+you can not dance.  You would only be laughed at.  And as
+cinderella wept at this, the step-mother said, if you can pick two
+dishes of lentils out of the ashes for me in one hour, you shall go
+with us.  And she thought to herself, that she most certainly
+cannot do again.  When the step-mother had emptied the two
+dishes of lentils amongst the ashes, the maiden went through the
+back-door into the garden and cried, you tame pigeons, you
+turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me
+to pick
+     the good into the pot,
+     the bad into the crop.
+Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen-window, and
+afterwards the turtle-doves, and at length all the birds beneath the
+sky, came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the
+ashes.  And the doves nodded with their heads and began pick,
+pick, pick, pick, and the others began also pick, pick, pick, pick,
+and gathered all the good seeds into the dishes, and before half an
+hour was over they had already finished, and all flew out again.
+Then the maiden was delighted, and believed that she might now go
+with them to the wedding.  But the step-mother said, all this will
+not help.  You cannot go with us, for you have no clothes and can
+not dance.  We should be ashamed of you.  On this she turned her
+back on cinderella, and hurried away with her two proud daughters.
+As no one was now at home, cinderella went to her mother's
+grave beneath the hazel-tree, and cried -
+     shiver and quiver, little tree,
+     silver and gold throw down over me.
+Then the bird threw a gold and silver dress down to her, and
+slippers embroidered with silk and silver.  She put on the dress
+with all speed, and went to the wedding.  Her step-sisters and the
+step-mother however did not know her, and thought she must be a
+foreign princess, for she looked so beautiful in the golden dress.
+They never once thought of cinderella, and believed that she was
+sitting at home in the dirt, picking lentils out of the ashes.  The
+prince approached her, took her by the hand and danced with her.
+He would dance with no other maiden, and never let loose of her
+hand, and if any one else came to invite her, he said, this is my
+partner.
+She danced till it was evening, and then she wanted to go home.
+But the king's son said, I will go with you and bear you company,
+for he wished to see to whom the beautiful maiden belonged.
+She escaped from him, however, and sprang into the
+pigeon-house.  The king's son waited until her father came, and
+then he told him that the unknown maiden had leapt into the
+pigeon-house.  The old man thought, can it be cinderella.  And
+they had to bring him an axe and a pickaxe that he might hew
+the pigeon-house to pieces, but no one was inside it.  And when they
+got home cinderella lay in her dirty clothes among the ashes, and
+a dim little oil-lamp was burning on the mantle-piece, for
+cinderella had jumped quickly down from the back of the pigeon-house
+and had run to the little hazel-tree, and there she had taken off
+her beautiful clothes and laid them on the grave, and the bird had
+taken them away again, and then she had seated herself in the
+kitchen amongst the ashes in her grey gown.
+Next day when the festival began afresh, and her parents and
+the step-sisters had gone once more, cinderella went to the
+hazel-tree and said -
+     shiver and quiver, my little tree,
+     silver and gold throw down over me.
+Then the bird threw down a much more beautiful dress than on
+the preceding day. And when cinderella appeared at the wedding
+in this dress, every one was astonished at her beauty.  The king's
+son had waited until she came, and instantly took her by the hand
+and danced with no one but her.  When others came and invited
+her, he said, this is my partner.  When evening came she wished
+to leave, and the king's son followed her and wanted to see into
+which house she went.  But she sprang away from him, and into
+the garden behind the house.  Therein stood a beautiful tall tree on
+which hung the most magnificent pears.  She clambered so nimbly
+between the branches like a squirrel that the king's son did not
+know where she was gone.  He waited until her father came, and
+said to him, the unknown maiden has escaped from me, and I
+believe she has climbed up the pear-tree.  The father thought,
+can it be cinderella.  And had an axe brought and cut the
+tree down, but no one was on it.  And when they got into the
+kitchen, cinderella lay there among the ashes, as usual, for she
+had jumped down on the other side of the tree, had taken the
+beautiful dress to the bird on the little hazel-tree, and put on her
+grey gown.
+On the third day, when the parents and sisters had gone away,
+cinderella went once more to her mother's grave and said to the
+little tree -
+     shiver and quiver, my little tree,
+     silver and gold throw down over me.
+And now the bird threw down to her a dress which was more
+splendid and magnificent than any she had yet had, and the
+slippers were golden.  And when she went to the festival in the
+dress, no one knew how to speak for astonishment.  The king's son
+danced with her only, and if any one invited her to dance, he said
+this is my partner.
+When evening came, cinderella wished to leave, and the king's
+son was anxious to go with her, but she escaped from him so quickly
+that he could not follow her.  The king's son, however, had
+employed a ruse, and had caused the whole staircase to be smeared
+with pitch, and there, when she ran down, had the maiden's left
+slipper remained stuck.  The king's son picked it up, and it was
+small and dainty, and all golden.  Next morning, he went with it to
+the father, and said to him, no one shall be my wife but she whose
+foot this golden slipper fits.  Then were the two sisters glad,
+for they had pretty feet.  The eldest went with the shoe into her
+room and wanted to try it on, and her mother stood by.  But she
+could not get her big toe into it, and the shoe was too small for
+her.  Then her mother gave her a knife and said, cut the toe off,
+when you are queen you will have no more need to go on foot.  The
+maiden cut the toe off, forced the foot into the shoe, swallowed
+the pain, and went out to the king's son.  Then he took her on his
+his horse as his bride and rode away with her.  They were
+obliged, however, to pass the grave, and there, on the hazel-tree,
+sat the two pigeons and cried -
+     turn and peep, turn and peep,
+     there's blood within the shoe,
+     the shoe it is too small for her,
+     the true bride waits for you.
+Then he looked at her foot and saw how the blood was trickling
+from it.  He turned his horse round and took the false bride
+home again, and said she was not the true one, and that the
+other sister was to put the shoe on.  Then this one went into her
+chamber and got her toes safely into the shoe, but her heel was
+too large.  So her mother gave her a knife and said,  cut a bit
+off your heel, when you are queen you will have no more need
+to go on foot.  The maiden cut a bit off her heel, forced
+her foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the
+king's son.  He took her on his horse as his bride, and rode away
+with her, but when they passed by the hazel-tree, the two pigeons
+sat on it and cried -
+     turn and peep, turn and peep,
+     there's blood within the shoe,
+     the shoe it is too small for her,
+     the true bride waits for you.
+He looked down at her foot and saw how the blood was running
+out of her shoe, and how it had stained her white stocking quite
+red.  Then he turned his horse and took the false bride home
+again.  This also is not the right one, said he, have you no
+other daughter.  No, said the man, there is still a little
+stunted kitchen-wench which my late wife left behind her, but
+she cannot possibly be the bride.  The king's son said he was
+to send her up to him, but the mother answered, oh, no, she is
+much too dirty, she cannot show herself.  But he absolutely
+insisted on it, and cinderella had to be called.  She first
+washed her hands and face clean, and then went and bowed down
+before the king's son, who gave her the golden shoe.  Then she
+seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out of the heavy
+wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fitted like a
+glove.  And when she rose up and the king's son looked at her
+face he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with
+him and cried, that is the true bride.  The step-mother and
+the two sisters were horrified and became pale with rage, he,
+however, took cinderella on his horse and rode away with her.  As
+they passed by the hazel-tree, the two white doves cried -
+     turn and peep, turn and peep,
+     no blood is in the shoe,
+     the shoe is not too small for her,
+     the true bride rides with you,
+and when they had cried that, the two came flying down and
+placed themselves on cinderella's shoulders, one on the right,
+the other on the left, and remained sitting there.
+When the wedding with the king's son was to be celebrated, the
+two false sisters came and wanted to get into favor with
+cinderella and share her good fortune.  When the betrothed
+couple went to church, the elder was at the right side and the
+younger at the left, and the pigeons pecked out one eye from
+each of them.  Afterwards as they came back the elder was at
+the left, and the younger at the right, and then the pigeons
+pecked out the other eye from each.  And thus, for their
+wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness
+all their days.

017.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+There was once a king's son who was seized with a desire to travel
+about the world, and took no one with him but a faithful servant.
+One day he came to a great forest, and when darkness overtook him
+he could find no shelter, and knew not where to pass the night.
+Then he saw a girl who was going towards a small house, and when
+he came nearer, he saw that the maiden was young and beautiful.
+He spoke to her, and said, dear child, can I and my servant find
+shelter for the night in the little house.  Oh, yes, said the
+girl in a sad voice, that you certainly can, but I do not advise
+you to venture it.  Do not go in.  Why not, asked the king's son.
+The maiden sighed and said, my step-mother
+practises wicked arts.  She is ill-disposed toward strangers.
+Then he saw very well that he had come to the house of a witch,
+but as it was dark, and he could not go farther, and also was
+not afraid, he entered.  The old woman was sitting in an armchair
+by the fire, and looked at the stranger with her red eyes.  Good
+evening, growled she, and pretended to be quite friendly.  Take
+a seat and rest yourselves.  She fanned the fire on which she was
+cooking something in a small pot.  The daughter warned the two to
+be prudent, to eat nothing, and drink nothing, for the old woman
+brewed evil drinks.  They slept quietly until early morning.  When
+they were making ready for their departure, and the king's son was
+already seated on his horse, the old woman said, stop a moment,
+I will first hand you a parting draught.  Whilst she fetched
+it, the king's son rode away, and the servant who had to buckle
+his saddle tight, was the only one present when the wicked witch
+came with the drink.  Take that to your master, said she.  But
+at that instant the glass broke and the poison spirted on the
+horse, and it was so strong that the animal immediately fell down
+dead.  The servant ran after his master and told him what had
+happened, but as he did not want to leave his saddle behind, he
+ran back to fetch it.  When he came to the dead horse, however,
+a raven was already sitting on it devouring it.  Who knows
+whether we shall find anything better to-day, said the servant.
+So he killed the raven, and took it with him.  And now they
+journeyed onwards into the forest the whole day, but could not
+get out of it.  By nightfall they found an inn and entered it.
+The servant gave the raven to the innkeeper to prepare for supper.
+They had stumbled, however, on a den of murderers, and during
+the darkness twelve of these came, intending to kill the strangers
+and rob them.  But before they set about this work, they sat down
+to supper, and the innkeeper and the witch sat down with them,
+and together they ate a dish of soup in which was cut up the
+flesh of the raven.  Hardly had they swallowed a couple of
+mouthfuls, before they all fell down dead, for the raven had
+communicated to them the poison from the horse-flesh.  There
+was no no one else left in the house but the innkeeper's daughter,
+who was
+honest, and had taken no part in their godless deeds.  She
+opened all doors to the stranger and showed him the store of
+treasures.  But the king's son said she might keep everything, he
+would have none of it, and rode onwards with his servant.
+After they had traveled about for a long time, they came to a
+town in which was a beautiful but proud princess, who had made it
+known that whosoever should set her a riddle which she could
+not guess, that man should be her husband.  But if she guessed
+it, his head must be cut off.  She had three days to guess it
+in, but was so clever that she always found the answer to the
+riddle given her before the appointed time.  Nine suitors had
+already perished in this manner, when the king's son arrived, and
+blinded by her great beauty, was willing to stake his life for
+it.  Then he went to her and laid his riddle before her.  What
+is this, said he.  One slew none, and yet slew twelve.  She
+did not know what that was.  She thought and thought, but she
+could not solve it.  She opened her riddle-books, but it was
+not in them - in short, her wisdom was at an end.  As she
+did not know how to help herself, she ordered her maid to
+creep into the lord's sleeping-chamber, and listen to his
+dreams, and thought that he would perhaps speak in his sleep
+and reveal the riddle.  But the clever servant had placed
+himself in the bed instead of his master, and when the maid
+came there, he tore off from her the mantle in which she had
+wrapped herself, and chased her out with rods.  The second night
+the king's daughter sent her maid-in-waiting, who was to see
+if she could succeed better in listening, but the servant
+took her mantle also away from her, and hunted her out with
+rods.  Now the master believed himself safe for the third
+night, and lay down in his own bed.  Then came the princess
+herself, and she had put on a misty-grey mantle, and she
+seated herself near him.  And when she thought that he was
+asleep and dreaming, she spoke to him, and hoped that he
+would answer in his sleep, as many do, but he was awake, and
+understood and heard everything quite well.  Then she asked,
+one slew none, what is that.  He replied, a raven, which
+ate of a dead and poisoned horse, and died of it.  She
+inquired further, and yet slew twelve, what is that.  He
+answered, that means twelve murderers, who ate the raven and died
+of it.
+When she knew the answer to the riddle she wanted to steal
+away, but he held her mantle so fast that she was forced to
+leave it behind her.  Next morning, the king's daughter
+announced that she had guessed the riddle, and sent for the
+twelve judges and expounded it before them.  But the youth
+begged for a hearing, and said, she stole into my room in the
+night and questioned me, otherwise she could not have
+discovered it.  The judges said, bring us a proof of this.
+Then were the three mantles brought thither by the servant,
+and when the judges saw the misty-grey one which the king's
+daughter usually wore, they said, let the mantle be
+embroidered with gold and silver, and then it will be your
+wedding-mantle.

018.txt

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+There was once a widow who had two daughters - one of
+whom was pretty and industrious, whilst the other was ugly
+and idle.  But she was much fonder of the ugly and idle one,
+because she was her own daughter.  And the other, who was a
+step-daughter, was obliged to do all the work, and be the
+cinderella of the house.  Every day the poor girl had to sit by a
+well, in the highway, and spin and spin till her fingers bled.
+Now it happened that one day the shuttle was marked with her
+blood, so she dipped it in the well, to wash the mark off, but it
+dropped out of her hand and fell to the bottom.  She began to
+weep, and ran to her step-mother and told her of the mishap.  But
+she scolded her sharply, and was so merciless as to say, since
+you have let the shuttle fall in, you must fetch it out again.
+So the girl went back to the well, and did not know what to do.
+And in the sorrow of her heart she jumped into the well to get the
+shuttle.  She lost her senses.  And when she awoke and came to
+herself again, she was in a lovely meadow where the sun was
+shining and many thousands of flowers were growing.  Across this
+meadow she went, and at last came to a baker's oven full of bread,
+and the bread cried out, oh, take me out. Take me out. Or I shall
+burn.  I have been baked a long time.  So she went up to it, and
+took out all the loaves one after another with the bread-shovel.
+After that she went on till she came to a tree covered with apples,
+which called out to her,  oh, shake me. Shake me. We apples are
+all ripe.  So she shook the tree till the apples fell like rain,
+and went on shaking till they were all down, and when she had
+gathered them into a heap, she went on her way.
+At last she came to a little house, out of which an old woman
+peeped.  But she had such large teeth that the girl was
+frightened, and was about to run away.  But the old woman called
+out to her, what are you afraid of, dear child.  Stay with me.
+If you will do all the work in the house properly, you shall be
+the better for it.  Only you must take care to make my bed well,
+and shake it thoroughly till the feathers fly - for then there
+is snow on the earth.  I am mother holle.
+As the old woman spoke so kindly to her, the girl took courage
+and agreed to enter her service.  She attended to everything to the
+satisfaction of her mistress, and always shook her bed so vigorously
+that the feathers flew about like snow-flakes.  So she had a
+pleasant life with her.  Never an angry word.  And to eat she had
+boiled or roast meat every day.
+She stayed some time with mother holle, before she became sad.
+At first she did not know what was the matter with her, but found
+at length that it was home-sickness.  Although she was many thousand
+times better off here than at home, still she had a longing to be
+there.  At last she said to the old woman, I have a longing for
+home, and however well off I am down here, I cannot stay any
+longer.  I must go up again to my own people.  Mother holle said,
+I am pleased that you long for your home again, and as you have
+served me so truly, I myself will take you up again.  Thereupon
+she took her by the hand, and led her to a large door.  The door
+was opened, and just as the maiden was standing beneath the
+doorway, a heavy shower of golden rain fell, and all the gold clung
+to her, so that she was completely covered over with it.
+You shall have that because you have been so industrious, said
+mother holle, and at the same time she gave her back the shuttle
+which she had let fall into the well.  Thereupon the door closed,
+and the maiden found herself up above upon the earth, not far
+from her mother's house.
+And as she went into the yard the cock was sitting on the well,
+and cried -
+     cock-a-doodle-doo.
+     Your golden girl's come back to you.
+So she went in to her mother, and as she arrived thus covered with
+gold, she was well received, both by her and her sister.
+The girl told all that had happened to her, and as soon as the
+mother heard how she had come by so much wealth, she was very
+anxious to obtain the same good luck for the ugly and lazy daughter.
+She had to seat herself by the well and spin.  And in order that
+her shuttle might be stained with blood, she stuck her hand into a
+thorn bush and pricked her finger.  Then she threw her shuttle
+into the well, and jumped in after it.
+She came, like the other, to the beautiful meadow and walked
+along the very same path.  When she got to the oven the bread again
+cried, oh, take me out. Take me out. Or I shall burn.  I have been
+baked a long time.  But the lazy thing answered, as if I had any
+wish to make myself dirty. And on she went.  Soon she came to the
+apple-tree, which cried, oh, shake me. Shake me. We apples are all
+ripe.  But she answered, I like that.  One of you might fall on
+my head, and so went on.  When she came to mother holle's house
+she was not afraid, for she had already heard of her big teeth, and
+she hired herself to her immediately.
+The first day she forced herself to work diligently, and obeyed
+mother holle when she told her to do anything, for she was thinking
+of all the gold that she would give her.  But on the second day
+she began to be lazy, and on the third day still more so, and then
+she would not get up in the morning at all.  Neither did she make
+mother holle's bed as she ought, and did not shake it so as to
+make the feathers fly up.  Mother holle was soon tired of this, and
+gave her notice to leave.  The lazy girl was willing enough to go,
+and thought that now the golden rain would come.  Mother holle led
+her also to the great door, but while she was standing beneath it,
+instead of the gold a big kettleful of pitch was emptied over her.
+That is the reward for your service, said mother holle, and shut
+the door.
+So the lazy girl went home, but she was quite covered with pitch,
+and the cock on the well, as soon as he saw her, cried out -
+     cock-a-doodle-doo.
+     Your dirty girl's come back to you.
+But the pitch clung fast to her, and could not be got off as long
+as she lived.

019.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+There was once a man who had seven sons, and still he had
+no daughter, however much he wished for one.  At length his
+wife again gave him hope of a child, and when it came into
+the world it was a girl.  The joy was great, but the child was
+sickly and small, and had to be privately baptized on account of
+its weakness.  The father sent one of the boys in haste to the
+spring to fetch water for the baptism.  The other six went with
+him, and as each of them wanted to be first to fill it, the jug
+fell into the well.  There they stood and did not know what to do,
+and none of them dared to go home.  As they still did not return,
+the father grew impatient, and said, they have certainly forgotten
+it while playing some game, the wicked boys.  He became afraid that
+the girl would have to die without being baptized, and in his
+anger cried, I wish the boys were all turned into ravens.  Hardly
+was the word spoken before he heard a whirring of wings over his
+head, looked up and saw seven coal-black ravens flying away.
+
+The parents could not withdraw the curse, and however sad they
+were at the loss of their seven sons, they still to some extent
+comforted themselves with their dear little daughter, who soon
+grew strong and every day became more beautiful.  For a long time
+she did not know that she had had brothers, for her parents were
+careful not to mention them before her, but one day she
+accidentally heard some people saying of herself, that the girl was
+certainly beautiful, but that in reality she was to blame for the
+misfortune which had befallen her seven brothers.  Then she was much
+troubled, and went to her father and mother and asked if it was
+true that she had had brothers, and what had become of them.  The
+parents now dared keep the secret no longer, but said that what
+had befallen her brothers was the will of heaven, and that her
+birth had only been the innocent cause.  But the maiden took it to
+heart daily, and thought she must save her brothers.  She had no
+rest or peace until she set out secretly, and went forth into the
+wide world to search for her brothers and set them free, let it
+cost what it might.  She took nothing with her but a little ring
+belonging to her parents as a keepsake, a loaf of bread against
+hunger, a little pitcher of water against thirst, and a little
+chair as a provision against weariness.
+
+And now she went continually onwards, far, far to the very end of
+the world.  Then she came to the sun, but it was too hot and
+terrible, and devoured little children.  Hastily she ran away, and
+ran to the moon, but it was far too cold, and also awful and
+malicious, and when it saw the child, it said, I smell, I smell
+the flesh of men.  At this she ran swiftly away, and came to the
+stars, which were kind and good to her, and each of them sat on its
+own particular little chair.  But the morning star arose, and gave
+her the drumstick of a chicken, and said, if you have not that
+drumstick you can not open the glass mountain, and in the glass
+mountain are your brothers.
+
+The maiden took the drumstick, wrapped it carefully in a cloth,
+and went onwards again until she came to the glass mountain.  The
+door was shut, and she thought she would take out the drumstick.
+But when she undid the cloth, it was empty, and she had lost the
+good star's present.  What was she now to do.  She wished to rescue
+her brothers, and had no key to the glass mountain.  The good
+sister took a knife, cut off one of her little fingers, put it in
+the door, and succeeded in opening it.  When she had gone inside, a
+little dwarf came to meet her, who said, my child, what are you
+looking for.  I am looking for my brothers, the seven ravens, she
+replied.  The dwarf said, the lord ravens are not at home, but if
+you will wait here until they come, step in.  Thereupon the little
+dwarf carried the ravens' dinner in, on seven little plates, and
+in seven little glasses, and the little sister ate a morsel from
+each plate, and from each little glass she took a sip, but in the
+last little glass she dropped the ring which she had brought away
+with her.
+
+Suddenly she heard a whirring of wings and a rushing through
+the air, and then the little dwarf said, now the lord ravens are
+flying home.  Then they came, and wanted to eat and drink, and
+looked for their little plates and glasses.  Then said one after
+the other, who has eaten something from my plate.  Who has drunk
+out of my little glass.  It was a human mouth.  And when the
+seventh came to the bottom of the glass, the ring rolled against
+his mouth.  Then he looked at it, and saw that it was a ring
+belonging to his father and mother, and said, God grant that our
+sister may be here, and then we shall be free.  When the maiden,
+who was standing behind the door watching, heard that wish,
+she came forth, and on this all the ravens were restored to their
+human form again.  And they embraced and kissed each other,
+and went joyfully home.

020.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+	Little Red-Cap
+
+Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved
+by every one who looked at her, but most of all by her
+grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have
+given to the child.  Once she gave her a little cap of red
+velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear
+anything else.  So she was always called little red-cap.
+
+One day her mother said to her, come, little red-cap, here
+is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine.  Take them to your
+grandmother, she is ill and weak, and they will do her good.
+Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk
+nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may
+fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will
+get nothing.  And when you go into her room, don't forget
+to say, good-morning, and don't peep into every corner before
+you do it.
+
+I will take great care, said little red-cap to her mother, and
+gave her hand on it.
+
+The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the
+village, and just as little red-cap entered the wood, a wolf
+met her.  Red-cap did not know what a wicked creature he was,
+and was not at all afraid of him.
+
+"Good-day, little red-cap," said he.
+
+"Thank you kindly, wolf."
+
+"Whither away so early, little red-cap?"
+
+"To my grandmother's."
+
+"What have you got in your apron?"
+
+"Cake and wine.  Yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick
+grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger."
+
+"Where does your grandmother live, little red-cap?"
+
+"A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood.  Her house
+stands under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just
+below.  You surely must know it," replied little red-cap.
+
+The wolf thought to himself, what a tender young creature.  What a
+nice plump mouthful, she will be better to eat than the old
+woman.  I must act craftily, so as to catch both.  So he walked
+for a short time by the side of little red-cap, and then he
+said, "see little red-cap, how pretty the flowers are about here.
+Why do you not look round.  I believe, too, that you do not
+hear how sweetly the little birds are singing.  You walk gravely
+along as if you were going to school, while everything else out
+here in the wood is merry."
+
+Little red-cap raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams
+dancing here and there through the trees, and pretty flowers
+growing everywhere, she thought, suppose I take grandmother a
+fresh nosegay.  That would please her too.  It is so early in the
+day that I shall still get there in good time.  And so she ran
+from the path into the wood to look for flowers.  And whenever
+she had picked one, she fancied that she saw a still prettier one
+farther on, and ran after it, and so got deeper and deeper into
+the wood.
+
+Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother's house and
+knocked at the door.
+
+"Who is there?"
+
+"Little red-cap," replied the wolf.  "She is bringing cake and
+wine.  Open the door."
+
+"Lift the latch," called out the grandmother, "I am too weak, and
+cannot get up."
+
+The wolf lifted the latch, the door sprang open, and without
+saying a word he went straight to the grandmother's bed, and
+devoured her.  Then he put on her clothes, dressed himself in
+her cap, laid himself in bed and drew the curtains.
+
+Little red-cap, however, had been running about picking flowers,
+and when she had gathered so many that she could carry
+no more, she remembered her grandmother, and set out on the
+way to her.
+
+She was surprised to find the cottage-door standing open, and
+when she went into the room, she had such a strange feeling that
+she said to herself, oh dear, how uneasy I feel to-day, and at
+other times I like being with grandmother so much.  She called
+out, "good morning," but received no answer.  So she went to the
+bed and drew back the curtains.  There lay her grandmother with
+her cap pulled far over her face, and looking very strange.
+
+"Oh, grandmother," she said, "what big ears you have."
+
+"The better to hear you with, my child," was the reply.
+
+"But, grandmother, what big eyes you have," she said.
+
+"The better to see you with," my dear.
+
+"But, grandmother, what large hands you have."
+
+"The better to hug you with."
+
+"Oh, but, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have."
+
+"The better to eat you with."
+
+And scarcely had the wolf said this, than with one bound he was
+out of bed and swallowed up red-cap.
+
+When the wolf had appeased his appetite, he lay down again in
+the bed, fell asleep and began to snore very loud.  The
+huntsman was just passing the house, and thought to himself, how
+the old woman is snoring.  I must just see if she wants anything.
+
+So he went into the room, and when he came to the bed, he saw
+that the wolf was lying in it.  Do I find you here, you old
+sinner, said he.  I have long sought you.  Then just as he was going
+to fire at him, it occurred to him that the wolf might have
+devoured the grandmother, and that she might still be saved, so
+he did not fire, but took a pair of scissors, and began to cut
+open the stomach of the sleeping wolf.  When he had made two
+snips, he saw the little red-cap shining, and then he made two
+snips more, and the little girl sprang out, crying, ah, how
+frightened I have been.  How dark it was inside the wolf.  And
+after that the aged grandmother came out alive also, but scarcely
+able to breathe.  Red-cap, however, quickly
+fetched great stones with which they filled the wolf's belly, and
+when he awoke, he wanted to run away, but the stones were so
+heavy that he collapsed at once, and fell dead.
+
+Then all three were delighted.  The huntsman drew off the wolf's
+skin and went home with it.  The grandmother ate the cake and
+drank the wine which red-cap had brought, and revived, but
+red-cap thought to herself, as long as I live, I will never by
+myself leave the path, to run into the wood, when my mother has
+forbidden me to do so.
+
+It is also related that once when red-cap was again taking cakes
+to the old grandmother, another wolf spoke to her, and tried to
+entice her from the path.  Red-cap, however, was on her guard,
+and went straight forward on her way, and told her grandmother
+that she had met the wolf, and that he had said good-morning to
+her, but with such a wicked look in his eyes, that if they had
+not been on the public road she was certain he would have eaten
+her up.  Well, said the grandmother, we will shut the door, that
+he may not come in.  Soon afterwards the wolf knocked, and cried,
+open the door, grandmother, I am little red-cap, and am bringing
+you some cakes.  But they did not speak, or open the door, so
+the grey-beard stole twice or thrice round the house, and at last
+jumped on the roof, intending to wait until red-cap went home in
+the evening, and then to steal after her and devour her in the
+darkness.  But the grandmother saw what was in his thoughts.  In
+front of the house was a great stone trough, so she said to the
+child, take the pail, red-cap.  I made some sausages yesterday,
+so carry the water in which I boiled them to the trough.  Red-cap
+carried until the great trough was quite full.   Then the smell
+of the sausages reached the wolf, and he sniffed and peeped
+down, and at last stretched out his neck so far that he could
+no longer keep his footing and began to slip, and slipped down
+from the roof straight into the great trough, and was drowned.
+But red-cap went joyously home, and no one ever did anything
+to harm her again.

021.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+In a certain country there was once great lamentation over a
+wild boar that laid waste the farmer's fields, killed the cattle,
+and ripped up people's bodies with his tusks.  The king promised
+a large reward to anyone who would free the land from this plague,
+but the beast was so big and strong that no one dared to go near
+the forest in which it lived.  At last the king gave notice
+that whosoever should capture or kill the wild boar should have
+his only daughter to wife.
+
+Now there lived in the country two brothers, sons of a poor man,
+who declared themselves willing to undertake the hazardous
+enterprise, the elder, who was crafty and shrewd, out of pride,
+the younger, who was innocent and simple, from a kind heart.
+The king said, in order that you may be the more sure of finding
+the beast, you must go into the forest from opposite sides.  So
+the elder went in on the west side, and the younger on the east.
+When the younger had gone a short way, a little man stepped
+up to him.  He held in his hand a black spear and said, I give
+you this spear because your heart is pure and good, with this
+you can boldly attack the wild boar, and it will do you no harm.
+He thanked the little man, shouldered the spear, and went on
+fearlessly.
+
+Before long he saw the beast, which rushed at him, but he held
+the spear towards it, and in its blind fury it ran so swiftly
+against it that its heart was cloven in twain.  Then he took the
+monster on his back and went homewards with it to the king.
+As he came out at the other side of the wood, there stood at the
+entrance a house where people were making merry with wine and
+dancing.  His elder brother had gone in here, and, thinking that
+after all the boar would not run away from him, was going to drink
+until he felt brave.  But when he saw his young brother coming out
+of the wood laden with his booty, his envious, evil heart gave him
+no peace.  He called out to him, come in, dear brother, rest and
+refresh yourself with a cup of wine.
+
+The youth, who suspected no evil, went in and told him about the
+good little man who had given him the spear wherewith he had slain
+the boar.
+
+The elder brother kept him there until the evening, and then they
+went away together, and when in the darkness they came to a
+bridge over a brook, the elder brother let the other go first, and
+when he was half-way across he gave him such a blow from behind
+that he fell down dead.  He buried him beneath the bridge, took
+the boar, and carried it to the king, pretending that he had
+killed it, whereupon he obtained the king's daughter in marriage.
+And when his younger brother did not come back he said, the boar
+must have ripped up his body, and every one believed it.
+But as nothing remains hidden from God, so this black deed also
+was to come to light.
+
+Years afterwards a shepherd was driving his herd across the
+bridge, and saw lying in the sand beneath, a snow-white little
+bone.  He thought that it would make a good mouth-piece, so
+he clambered down, picked it up, and cut out of it a mouth-piece
+for his horn,  but when he blew through it for the first time,
+to his great astonishment, the bone began of its own accord to
+sing -
+     ah, friend thou blowest upon my bone.
+     Long have I lain beside the water,
+     my brother slew me for the boar,
+     and took for his wife the king's young daughter.
+
+What a wonderful horn, said the shepherd, it sings by itself,
+I must take it to my lord the king.  And when he came with it to
+the king the horn again began to sing its little song.  The
+king understood it all, and caused the ground below the bridge
+to be dug up, and then the whole skeleton of the murdered man
+came to light.  The wicked brother could not deny the deed, and
+was sewn up in a sack and drowned.  But the bones of the murdered
+man were laid to rest in a beautiful tomb in the churchyard.

022.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,247 @@
+There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a little son,
+and as he came into the world with a caul on, it was predicted
+that in his fourteenth year he would have the king's daughter
+for his wife.  It happened that soon afterwards the king
+came into the village, and no one knew that he was the king,
+and when he asked the people what news there was, they answered,
+a child has just been born with a caul on, whatever anyone so
+born undertakes turns out well.  It is prophesied, too, that
+in his fourteenth year he will have the king's daughter for his
+wife.
+
+The king, who had a bad heart, and was angry about the prophecy,
+went to the parents, and, seeming quite friendly, said, you poor
+people, let me have your child, and I will take care of it.  At
+first they refused, but when the stranger offered them a large
+amount of gold for it, and they thought, it is a child of good
+fortune, and everything must turn out well for it, they at last
+consented, and gave him the child.
+
+The king put it in a box and rode away with it until he came to
+a deep piece of water, then he threw the box into it and thought,
+I have freed my daughter from her undesired suitor.
+
+The box, however, did not sink, but floated like a boat, and not
+a drop of water made its way into it.  And it floated to within
+two miles of the king's chief city, where there was a mill, and
+it came to a halt at the mill-dam.  A miller's boy, who by good
+luck was standing there, noticed it and pulled it out with a hook,
+thinking that he had found a great treasure, but when he opened
+it there lay a pretty boy inside, quite fresh and lively.  He
+took him to the miller and his wife, and as they had no children
+they were glad, and said, "God has given him to us."  They took
+great care of the foundling, and he grew up in all goodness.
+
+It happened that once in a storm, the king went into the mill, and
+asked the mill-folk if the tall youth were their son.  No,
+answered they, he's a foundling.  Fourteen years ago he floated
+down to the mill-dam in a box, and the mill-boy pulled him out
+of the water.
+
+Then the king knew that it was none other than the child of
+good fortune which he had thrown into the water, and he said,
+my good people, could not the youth take a letter to the queen.
+I will give him two gold pieces as a reward.  Just as the king
+commands, answered they, and they told the boy to hold himself
+in readiness.  Then the king wrote a letter to the queen, wherein
+he said, as soon as the boy arrives with this letter, let him be
+killed and buried, and all must be done before I come home.
+The boy set out with this letter, but he lost his way, and in the
+evening came to a large forest.  In the darkness he saw a small
+light, he went towards it and reached a cottage.  When he went in,
+an old woman was sitting by the fire quite alone.  She started
+when she saw the boy, and said, whence do you come, and whither
+are you going.  I come from the mill, he answered, and wish
+to go to the queen, to whom I am taking a letter, but as I have
+lost my way in the forest I should like to stay here over night.
+You poor boy, said the woman, you have come into a den of thieves,
+and when they come home they will kill you.  Let them come,
+said the boy, I am not afraid, but I am so tired that I cannot go
+any farther.  And he stretched himself upon a bench and fell
+asleep.
+
+Soon afterwards the robbers came, and angrily asked what strange
+boy was lying there.  Ah, said the old woman, it is an innocent
+child who has lost himself in the forest, and out of pity I have
+let him come in, he has to take a letter to the queen.  The robbers
+opened the letter and read it, and in it was written that the
+boy as soon as he arrived should be put to death.  Then the
+hardhearted robbers felt pity, and their leader tore up the letter
+and wrote another, saying, that as soon as the boy came, he should
+be married at once to the king's daughter.  Then they let him lie
+quietly on the bench until the next morning, and when he awoke
+they gave him the letter, and showed him the right way.
+
+And the queen, when she had received the letter and read it,
+did as was written in it, and had a splendid wedding-feast
+prepared, and the king's daughter was married to the child of
+good fortune, and as the youth was handsome and friendly she lived
+with him in joy and contentment.
+
+After some time the king returned to his palace and saw that
+the prophecy was fulfilled, and the child married to his daughter.
+How has that come to pass, said he, I gave quite another order
+in my letter.
+
+So the queen gave him the letter, and said that he might see for
+himself what was written in it.  The king read the letter and
+saw quite well that it had been exchanged for the other.  He
+asked the youth what had become of the letter entrusted to him,
+and why he had brought another instead of it.  I know nothing
+about it, answered he, it must have been changed in the night,
+when I slept in the forest.  The king said in a passion, you shall
+not have everything quite so much your own way, whosoever marries
+my daughter must fetch me from hell three golden hairs from
+the head of the devil, bring me what I want, and you shall keep
+my daughter.  In this way the king hoped to be rid of him for ever.
+But the child of good fortune answered, I will fetch the golden
+hairs, I am not afraid of the devil.  Whereupon he took leave of
+them and began his journey.
+
+The road led him to a large town, where the watchman by the gates
+asked him what his trade was, and what he knew.  I know
+everything, answered the child of good fortune.  Then you can do us
+a favor, said the watchman, if you will tell us why our market
+fountain, which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no
+longer gives even water.  That you shall know, answered he, only
+wait until I come back.
+
+Then he went farther and came to another town, and there also the
+gatekeeper asked him what was his trade, and what he knew.
+I know everything, answered he.  Then you can do us a favor and
+tell us why a tree in our town which once bore golden apples now
+does not even put forth leaves.  You shall know that, answered he,
+only wait until I come back.
+
+Then he went on and came to a wide river over which he must cross.
+The ferryman asked him what his trade was, and what he knew.  I
+know everything, answered he.  Then you can do me a favor, said
+the ferryman, and tell me why I must always be rowing backwards
+and forwards, and am never set free.  You shall know that,
+answered he, only wait until I come back.
+
+When he had crossed the water he found the entrance to hell.  It
+was black and sooty within, and the devil was not at home, but
+his grandmother was sitting in a large arm-chair.  What do you
+want, said she to him, but she did not look so very wicked.  I
+should like to have three golden hairs from the devil's head,
+answered he, else I cannot keep my wife.  That is a good deal
+to ask for, said she, if the devil comes home and finds you, it
+will cost you your life, but as I pity you, I will see if I cannot
+help you.
+
+She changed him into an ant and said, creep into the folds of my
+dress, you will be safe there.  Yes, answered he, so far, so good,
+but there are three things besides that I want to know - why a
+fountain which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no
+longer gives even water, why a tree which once bore golden apples
+does not even put forth leaves, and why a ferryman must always be
+going backwards and forwards, and is never set free.
+Those are difficult questions, answered she, but just be silent
+and quiet and pay attention to what the devil says when I pull out
+the three golden hairs.
+
+As the evening came on, the devil returned home.  No sooner had he
+entered than he noticed that the air was not pure.  I smell man's
+flesh, said he, all is not right here.  Then he pried into
+every corner, and searched, but could not find anything.  His
+grandmother scolded him.  It has just been swept, said she, and
+everything put in order, and now you are upsetting it again, you
+have always got man's flesh in your nose.  Sit down and eat your
+supper.
+
+When he had eaten and drunk he was tired, and laid his head in
+his grandmother's lap, and told her she should louse him a little.
+It was not long before he was fast asleep, snoring and breathing
+heavily.  Then the old woman took hold of a golden hair, pulled
+it out, and laid it down beside her.  Oh, cried the devil,
+what are you doing.  I have had a bad dream, answered the
+grandmother, so I seized hold of your hair.  What did you dream
+then, said the devil.  I dreamt that a fountain in a market-place
+from which wine once flowed was dried up, and not even water
+would flow out of it - what is the cause of it.  Oh, ho, if they
+did but know it, answered the devil, there is a toad sitting
+under a stone in the well - if they killed it, the wine would flow
+again.
+
+The grandmother loused him again until he went to sleep and
+snored so that the windows shook.  Then she pulled the second hair
+out.  Ha, what are you doing, cried the devil angrily.  Do not
+take it ill, said she, I did it in a dream.  What have you dreamt
+this time, asked he.  I dreamt that in a certain kingdom there
+stood an apple-tree which had once borne golden apples, but now
+would not even bear leaves.  What, think you, was the reason.
+Oh, if they did but know, answered the devil.  A mouse is
+gnawing at the root - if they killed it they would have golden
+apples again, but if it gnaws much longer the tree will wither
+altogether.  But I have had enough of your dreams, if you disturb
+me in my sleep again you will get a box on the ear.
+
+The grandmother spoke gently to him and picked his lice once
+more until he fell asleep and snored.  Then she took hold of the
+third golden hair and pulled it out.  The devil jumped up,
+roared out, and would have treated her ill if she had not
+quieted him again and said, who can help bad dreams.  What
+was the dream, then, asked he, and was quite curious.  I dreamt
+of a ferryman who complained that he must always ferry from
+one side to the other, and was never released.  What is the
+cause of it.  Ah, the fool, answered the devil, when anyone
+comes and wants to go across he must put the oar in his hand,
+and the other man will have
+to ferry and he will be free.  As the grandmother had plucked
+out the three golden hairs, and the three questions were
+answered, she let the old devil alone, and he slept until
+daybreak.
+
+When the devil had gone out again the old woman took the ant
+out of the folds of her dress, and gave the child of good
+fortune his human shape again.  There are the three golden
+hairs for you, said she.  What the devil said to your three
+questions, I suppose you heard.  Yes, answered he, I heard, and
+will take care to remember.  You have what you want, said she,
+and now you can go your way.  He thanked the old woman for
+helping him in his need, and left hell well content that
+everything had turned out so fortunately.
+
+When he came to the ferryman he was expected to give the
+promised answer.  Ferry me across first, said the child of good
+fortune, and then I will tell you how you can be set free, and
+when he reached the opposite shore he gave him the devil's advice.
+Next time anyone comes, who wants to be ferried over, just put the
+oar in his hand.
+
+He went on and came to the town wherein stood the unfruitful
+tree, and there too the watchman wanted an answer.  So he
+told him what he had heard from the devil.  Kill the mouse
+which is gnawing at its root, and it will again bear golden
+apples.  Then the watchman thanked him, and gave him as a reward
+two asses laden with gold, which followed him.
+
+Finally, he came to the town whose well was dry.  He told the
+watchman what the devil had said, a toad is in the well beneath
+a stone, you must find it and kill it, and the well will again
+give wine in plenty.  The watchman thanked him, and also
+gave him two asses laden with gold.
+
+At last the child of good fortune got home to his wife, who
+was heartily glad to see him again, and to hear how well he had
+prospered in everything.  To the king he took what he had asked
+for, the devil's three golden hairs, and when the king saw the
+four asses laden with gold he was quite content, and said, now
+all the conditions are fulfilled, and you can keep my daughter.
+
+But tell
+me, dear son-in-law, where did all that gold come from - this
+is tremendous wealth.  I was rowed across a river, answered he,
+and got it there, it lies on the shore instead of sand.  Can I
+too fetch some of it, said the king, and he was quite eager
+about it.  As much as you like, answered he.  There is a
+ferryman on the river, let him ferry you over, and you can fill
+your sacks on the other side.  The greedy king set out in all
+haste, and when he came to the river he beckoned to the ferryman
+to put him across.  The ferryman came and bade him get in,
+and when they got to the other shore he put the oar in his
+hand and sprang over.  But from this time forth the king had to
+ferry, as a punishment for his sins.  Perhaps he is ferrying
+still.  If he is, it is because no one has taken the oar from
+him.

023.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
+A certain miller had little by little fallen into poverty, and
+had nothing left but his mill and a large apple-tree behind
+it.  Once when he had gone into the forest to fetch wood, an
+old man stepped up to him whom he had never seen before, and
+said, why do you plague yourself with cutting wood, I will
+make you rich, if you will promise me what is standing behind
+your mill.  What can that be but my apple-tree, thought the
+miller, and said, yes, and gave a written promise to the
+stranger.  He, however, laughed mockingly and said, when three
+years have passed, I will come and carry away what belongs to me,
+and then he went.  When the miller got home, his wife came to
+meet him and said, tell me, miller, from whence comes this
+sudden wealth into our house.  All at once every box and chest
+was filled, no one brought it in, and I know not how it
+happened.  He answered, it comes from a stranger who met me in
+the forest, and promised me great treasure.  I' in return,
+have promised him what stands behind the mill - we can very
+well give him the big apple-tree for it.  Ah, husband, said the
+terrified wife, that must have been the devil.  He did not mean the
+apple-tree, but our daughter, who was standing behind the mill
+sweeping the yard.
+
+The miller's daughter was a beautiful, pious girl, and lived
+through the three years in the fear of God and without sin.  When
+therefore the time was over, and the day came when the evil one
+was to fetch her, she washed herself clean, and made a circle
+round herself with chalk.  The devil appeared quite early, but
+he could not come near to her.  Angrily, he said to the miller,
+take all water away from her, that she may no longer be able to
+wash herself, for otherwise I have no power over her.  The
+miller was afraid, and did so.  The next morning the devil came
+again, but she had wept on her hands, and they were quite
+clean.  Again he could not get near her, and furiously said to
+the miller, cut her hands off, or else I have no power over
+her.  The miller was shocked and answered, how could I cut off my
+own child's hands.  Then the evil one threatened him and said,
+if you do not do it you are mine, and I will take you yourself.
+
+The father became alarmed, and promised to obey him.  So he
+went to the girl and said, my child, if I do not cut off both
+your hands, the devil will carry me away, and in my terror
+I have promised to do it.  Help me in my need, and forgive me
+the harm I do you.  She replied, dear father, do with me what
+you will, I am your child.  Thereupon she laid down both her
+hands, and let them be cut off.  The devil came for the third
+time, but she had wept so long and so much on the stumps, that
+after all they were quite clean.  Then he had to give in, and
+had lost all right over her.
+
+The miller said to her, I have by means of you received such
+great wealth that I will keep you most handsomely as long as
+you live.  But she replied, here I cannot stay, I will go forth,
+compassionate people will give me as much as I require.
+
+Thereupon she caused her maimed arms to be bound to her back,
+and by sunrise she set out on her way, and walked the whole day
+until night fell.  Then she came to a royal garden, and by
+the shimmering of the moon she saw that trees covered with
+beautiful fruits grew in
+it, but she could not enter, for it was surrounded by water.
+And as she had walked the whole day and not eaten one mouthful,
+and hunger tormented her, she thought, ah, if I were but inside,
+that I might eat of the fruit, else must I die of hunger.  Then
+she knelt down, called on God the Lord, and prayed.  And
+suddenly an angel came towards her, who made a dam in the water,
+so that the moat became dry and she could walk through it.  And
+now she went into the garden and the angel went with her.  She
+saw a tree covered with beautiful pears, but they were all
+counted.  Then she went to them, and to still her hunger, ate
+one with her mouth from the tree, but no more.  The gardener
+was watching, but as the angel was standing by, he was afraid
+and thought the maiden was a spirit, and was silent, neither
+did he dare to cry out, or to speak to the spirit.  When she had
+eaten the pear, she was satisfied, and went and concealed herself
+among the bushes.  The king to whom the garden belonged, came
+down to it next morning, and counted, and saw that one of the
+pears was missing, and asked the gardener what had become of it,
+as it was not lying beneath the tree, but was gone.  Then
+answered the gardener, last night, a spirit came in, who had no
+hands, and ate off one of the pears with its mouth.  The king
+said, how did the spirit get over the water, and where did it go
+after it had eaten the pear.  The gardener answered, someone
+came in a snow-white garment from heaven who made a dam, and
+kept back the water, that the spirit might walk through the moat.
+And as it must have been an angel, I was afraid, and asked
+no questions, and did not cry out.  When the spirit had eaten
+the pear, it went back again.  The king said, if it be as you
+say, I will watch with you to-night.
+
+When it grew dark the king came into the garden and brought
+a priest with him, who was to speak to the spirit.  All three
+seated themselves beneath the tree and watched.  At midnight the
+maiden came creeping out of the thicket, went to the tree, and
+again ate one pear off it with her mouth, and beside her stood
+the angel in white garments.  Then the priest went out to them
+and said, "Do you come from heaven or from earth?  Are you a
+spirit, or a human
+being?"  She replied, "I am no spirit, but an unhappy mortal
+deserted by all but God."  The king said, "If you are forsaken
+by all the world, yet will I not forsake you."  He took her with
+him into his royal palace, and as she was so beautiful and good,
+he loved her with all his heart, had silver hands made for her,
+and took her to wife.
+
+After a year the king had to go on a journey, so he commended
+his young queen to the care of his mother and said, if she
+is brought to child-bed take care of her, nurse her well,
+and tell me of it at once in a letter.  Then she gave birth to
+a fine boy.  So the old mother made haste to write and announce
+the joyful news to him.  But the messenger rested by a brook
+on the way, and as he was fatigued by the great distance, he
+fell asleep.  Then came the devil, who was always seeking to
+injure the good queen, and exchanged the letter for another, in
+which was written that the queen had brought a monster into
+the world.  When the king read the letter he was shocked and
+much troubled, but he wrote in answer that they were to take
+great care of the queen and nurse her well until his arrival.
+
+The messenger went back with the letter, but rested at the
+same place and again fell asleep.  Then came the devil
+once more, and put a different letter in his pocket, in which
+it was written that they were to put the queen and her child to
+death.  The old mother was terribly shocked when she received
+the letter, and could not believe it.  She wrote back again to
+the king, but received no other answer, because each time the
+devil substituted a false letter, and in the last letter it was
+also written that she was to preserve the queen's tongue and
+eyes as a token that she had obeyed.
+
+But the old mother wept to think such innocent blood was to
+be shed, and had a hind brought by night and cut out her tongue
+and eyes, and kept them.  Then said she to the queen, "I cannot
+have you killed as the king commands, but here you may stay
+no longer.  Go forth into the wide world with your child, and
+never come here again."  The poor woman tied her child on her back,
+and went away with eyes full of tears.  She came into a great wild
+forest, and then she fell on her knees and prayed to God, and the
+angel of the Lord appeared to her and led her to a little house
+on which was a sign with the words, here all dwell free.  A
+snow-white maiden came out of the little house and said, welcome,
+lady queen, and conducted her inside.  Then she unbound the
+little boy from her back, and held him to her breast that he might
+feed, and laid him in a beautifully-made little bed.  Then
+said the poor woman, "From whence do you know that I was a queen?"
+
+The white maiden answered, "I am an angel sent by God, to watch
+over you and your child."  The queen stayed seven years in the
+little house, and was well cared for, and by God's grace, because
+of her piety, her hands which had been cut off, grew once more.
+
+At last the king came home again from his journey, and his first
+wish was to see his wife and the child.  Then his aged mother
+began to weep and said, "You wicked man, why did you write to me
+that I was to take those two innocent lives," and she showed him
+the two letters which the evil one had forged, and then
+continued, "I did as you bade me, and she showed the tokens, the
+tongue and eyes."  Then the king began to weep for his poor wife
+and his little son so much more bitterly than she was doing,
+that the aged mother had compassion on him and said, "be at peace,
+she still lives, I secretly caused a hind to be killed, and
+took these tokens from it, but I bound the child to your wife's
+back and bade her go forth into the wide world, and made her
+promise never to come back here again, because you were so
+angry with her."  Then spoke the king, "I will go as far as
+the sky is blue, and will neither eat nor drink until I have
+found again my dear wife and my child, if in the meantime they
+have not been killed, or died of hunger."
+
+Thereupon the king traveled about for seven long years, and
+sought her in every cleft of the rocks and in every cave, but
+he found her not, and thought she had died of want.  During the
+whole time he neither ate nor drank, but God supported him.  At
+length he came into a great forest, and found therein the little
+house whose sign was, here all dwell free.  Then forth came
+the white maiden, took him by the hand, led him in, and said,
+"Welcome, lord king," and asked him from whence he came.  He
+answered, "Soon shall I have traveled about for the space of
+seven years, and I seek my wife and her child, but cannot find
+them."  The angel offered him meat and drink, but he did not
+take anything, and only wished to rest a little.  Then he lay
+down to sleep, and laid a handkerchief over his face.
+
+Thereupon the angel went into the chamber where the queen
+sat with her son, whom she usually called Sorrowful, and
+said to her, go out with your child, your husband has come.  So
+she went to the place where he lay, and the handkerchief
+fell from his face.  Then said she, "Sorrowful, pick up your
+father's handkerchief, and cover his face again."  The child picked
+it up, and put it over his face again.  The king in his sleep
+heard what passed, and had pleasure in letting the handkerchief
+fall once more.  But the child grew impatient, and said,
+"Dear mother, how can I cover my father's face when I have no
+father in this world.  I have learnt to say the prayer - Our
+Father, which art in heaven - you have told me that my father
+was in heaven, and was the good God, and how can I know a wild
+man like this.  He is not my father."  When the king heard that,
+he got up, and asked who they were.  Then said
+she, "I am your wife, and that is your son, Sorrowful".  And he
+saw her living hands, and said, "My wife had silver hands."  She
+answered, "The good God has caused my natural hands to grow again,"
+and the angel went into the inner room, and brought the silver
+hands, and showed them to him.  Hereupon he knew for a certainty
+that it was his dear wife and his dear child, and he kissed
+them, and was glad, and said, "A heavy stone has fallen from off
+my heart."  Then the angel of God ate with them once again, and
+after that they went home to the king's aged mother.  There were
+great rejoicings everywhere, and the king and queen were married
+again, and lived contentedly to their happy end.

024.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+The mother of Hans said, whither away, Hans.  Hans answered, to
+Gretel.  Behave well, Hans.  Oh, I'll behave well.  Good-bye,
+mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.
+Good day, Hans.  What do you bring that is good.  I bring nothing,
+I want to have something given me.  Gretel presents Hans with a
+needle.  Hans says, good-bye, Gretel.  Good-bye, Hans.
+Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows the
+cart home.  Good evening, mother.  Good evening, Hans.  Where have
+you been.  With Gretel.  What did you take her.  Took her nothing,
+had something given me.  What did Gretel give you.  Gave me a
+needle.  Where is the needle, Hans.  Stuck it in the hay-cart.
+That was ill done, Hans.  You should have stuck the needle in
+your sleeve.  Never mind, I'll do better next time.
+
+Whither away, Hans.  To Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
+Oh, I'll behave well.  Good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans
+comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What do you
+bring that is good.  I bring nothing, I want to have something
+given to me.  Gretel presents Hans with a knife.  Good-bye, Gretel.
+Good-bye Hans.  Hans takes the knife, sticks it in his sleeve, and
+goes home.  Good evening, mother.  Good evening, Hans.  Where
+have you been.  With Gretel.  What did you take her.  Took her
+nothing, she gave me something.  What did Gretel give you.  Gave
+me a knife.  Where is the knife, Hans.  Stuck in my sleeve.
+That's ill done, Hans, you should have put the knife in your
+pocket.  Never mind, will do better next time.
+
+Whither away, Hans.  To Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
+Oh, I'll behave well.  Good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans
+comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What good
+thing do you bring.  I bring nothing, I want something given me.
+Gretel presents Hans with a young goat.  Good-bye, Gretel.
+Good-bye, Hans.  Hans takes the goat, ties its legs, and puts it
+in his pocket.  When he gets home it is suffocated.  Good evening,
+mother.  Good evening, Hans.  Where have you been.  With Gretel.
+What did you take her.  Took nothing, she gave me something.  What
+did Gretel give you.  She gave me a goat.  Where is the goat, Hans.
+Put it in my pocket.  That was ill done, Hans, you should have
+put a rope round the goat's neck.  Never mind, will do better next
+time.
+
+Whither away, Hans,  to Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
+Oh, I'll behave well good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans
+comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What good
+thing do you bring.  I bring nothing, I want something given to
+me.  Gretel presents Hans with a piece of bacon.  Good-bye,
+Gretel.  Good-bye, Hans.
+Hans takes the bacon, ties it to a rope, and drags it away
+behind him.  The dogs come and devour the bacon.  When he gets
+home, he has the rope in his hand, and there is no longer
+anything hanging to it.  Good evening, mother.  Good evening,
+Hans.  Where have you been.  With Gretel.  What did you take
+her.  I took her nothing, she gave me something.  What did
+Gretel give you.
+Gave me a bit of bacon.  Where is the bacon, Hans.  I tied it to
+a rope, brought it home, dogs took it.  That was ill done, Hans,
+you should have carried the bacon on your head.  Never mind, will
+do better next time.
+
+Whither away, Hans.  To Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
+I'll behave well.  Good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.  Hans
+comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What good
+thing do you bring.  I bring nothing, but would have something
+given.  Gretel presents Hans with a calf.  Good-bye, Gretel.
+Good-bye, Hans.
+Hans takes the calf, puts it on his head, and the calf kicks his
+face.  Good evening, mother.  Good evening, Hans.  Where have you
+been.  With Gretel.  What did you take her.  I took nothing, but
+had something given me.  What did Gretel give you.  A calf.
+Where have you the calf, Hans.  I set it on my head and it
+kicked my face.  That was ill done, Hans, you should have led
+the calf, and put it in the stall.  Never mind, will do better
+next time.
+
+Whither away, Hans.  To Gretel, mother.  Behave well, Hans.
+I'll behave well.  Good-bye, mother.  Good-bye, Hans.
+Hans comes to Gretel.  Good day, Gretel.  Good day, Hans.  What
+good thing do you bring.  I bring nothing, but would have
+something given.  Gretel says to Hans, I will go with you.
+Hans takes Gretel, ties her to a rope, leads her to the rack and
+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.

025.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+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.

026.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+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
+up the street, and hear the flies coughing.
+
+Well, said Hans, if she is not really smart, I won't have her.
+When they were sitting at dinner and had eaten, the mother said,
+elsie, go into the cellar and fetch some beer.  Then clever elsie
+took the pitcher from the wall, went into the cellar, and tapped
+the lid briskly as she went, so that the time might not appear
+long.  When she was below she fetched herself a chair, and set
+it before the barrel so that she had no need to stoop, and did
+not hurt her back or do herself any unexpected injury.  Then she
+placed the can before her, and turned the tap, and while the
+beer was running she would not let her eyes be idle, but looked
+up at the wall, and after much peering here and there, saw a
+pick-axe exactly above her, which the masons had accidentally
+left there.
+
+Then clever elsie began to weep, and said, if I get Hans, and we
+have a child, and he grows big, and we send him into the cellar
+here to draw beer, then the pick-axe will fall on his head and
+kill him.  Then she sat and wept and screamed with all the strength
+of her body, over the misfortune which lay before her.  Those
+upstairs waited for the drink, but clever elsie still did not
+come.  Then the woman said to the servant, just go down into the
+cellar and see where elsie is.  The maid went and found her
+sitting in front of the barrel, screaming loudly.  Elsie, why do
+you weep, asked the maid.  Ah, she answered, have I not reason
+to weep.  If I get Hans, and we have a child, and he grows big,
+and has to draw beer here, the pick-axe will perhaps fall on his
+head, and kill him.  Then said the maid, what a clever elsie we
+have.  And sat down beside her and began loudly to weep over the
+misfortune.  After a while, as the maid did not come back, those
+upstairs were thirsty for the beer, the man said to the boy, just
+go down into the cellar and see where elsie and the girl are.
+
+The boy went down, and there sat clever elsie and the girl both
+weeping together.  Then he asked, why are you weeping,  ah, said
+elsie, have I not reason to weep.  If I get Hans, and we have a
+child, and he grows big, and has to draw beer here, the pick-axe
+will fall on his head and kill him.  Then said the boy, what a
+clever elsie we have.  And sat down by her, and likewise began
+to howl loudly.  Upstairs they
+waited for the boy, but as he still did not return, the man said
+to the woman, just go down into the cellar and see where elsie is.
+
+The woman went down, and found all three in the midst of their
+lamentations, and inquired what was the cause, then elsie told
+her also that her future child was to be killed by the pick-axe,
+when it grew big and had to draw beer, and the pick-axe fell
+down.  Then said the mother likewise, what a clever elsie we have.
+And sat down and wept with them.  The man upstairs waited a short
+time, but as his wife did not come back and his thirst grew ever
+greater, he said, I must go into the cellar myself and see where
+elsie is.  But when he got into the cellar, and they were all
+sitting together crying, and he heard the reason, and that elsie's
+child was the cause, and that elsie might perhaps bring one into
+the world some day, and that he might be killed by the
+pick-axe, if he should happen to be sitting beneath it, drawing
+beer just at the very time when it fell down, he cried, oh,
+what a clever elsie.  And sat down, and likewise wept with them.
+
+The bridegroom stayed upstairs alone for a long time, then as
+no one would come back he thought, they must be waiting for me
+below, I too must go there and see what they are about.  When he
+got down, the five of them were sitting screaming and lamenting
+quite piteously, each out-doing the other.  What misfortune has
+happened then, he asked.  Ah, dear Hans, said elsie, if we marry
+each other and have a child, and he is big, and we perhaps send
+him here to draw something to drink, then the pick-axe which has
+been left up there might dash his brains out if it were to fall
+down, so have we not reason to weep.  Come, said Hans, more
+understanding than that is not needed for my household, as you
+are such a clever elsie, I will have you.  And he seized her
+hand, took her upstairs with him, and married her.
+
+After Hans had had her some time, he said, wife, I am going
+out to work and earn some money for us, go into the field and cut
+the corn that we may have some bread.  Yes, dear Hans, I will do
+that.  After Hans had gone away, she cooked herself some good
+broth and took it into the field with her.  When she came to the
+field she said to herself, what shall I do, shall I cut first, or
+shall I eat first.  Oh, I will eat first.  Then she drank her cup
+of broth, and when she was fully satisfied, she once more said,
+what shall I do.  Shall I cut first, or shall I sleep first.  I
+will sleep first.  Then she lay down among the corn and fell
+asleep.  Hans had been at home for a long time, but elsie did not
+come, then said he, what a clever elsie I have, she is so
+industrious that she does not even come home to eat.  But when
+evening came and she still stayed away, Hans went out to see what
+she had cut, but nothing was cut, and she was lying among the
+corn asleep.  Then Hans hastened home and brought a fowler's net
+with little bells and hung it round about her, and she still
+went on sleeping.  Then he ran home, shut the house-door, and sat
+down in his chair and worked.  At length, when it was quite dark,
+clever elsie awoke and when she got up there was a jingling all
+round about her, and the bells rang at each step which she took.
+Then she was alarmed, and became uncertain whether she really was
+clever elsie or not, and said, is it I, or is it not I.  But she
+knew not what answer to make to this, and stood for a time in
+doubt, at length she thought, I will go home and ask if it be I,
+or if it be not I, they will be sure to know.  She ran to the door
+of her own house, but it was shut, then she knocked at the
+window and cried, Hans, is elsie within.  Yes, answered Hans, she
+is within.  Hereupon she was terrified, and said, ah, heavens.
+Then it is not I.  And went to another door, but when the people
+heard the jingling of the bells they would not open it, and she
+could get in nowhere.  Then she ran out of the village, and no
+one has seen her since.

027.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,353 @@
+There was once upon a time a tailor who had three sons, and
+only one goat.  But as the goat supported all of them with
+her milk, she was obliged to have good food, and to be taken
+every day to pasture.  The sons did this, in turn.  Once the eldest
+took her to the churchyard, where the finest herbs were to be found,
+and let her eat and run about there.  At night when it was time to
+go home he asked, goat, have you had enough.  The goat answered
+     I have eaten so much,
+     not a leaf more I'll touch, meh. Meh.
+
+Come home, then, said the youth, and took hold of the cord
+round her neck, led her into the stable and tied her up securely.
+Well, said the old tailor, has the goat had as much food as she
+ought.  Oh, answered the son, she has eaten so much, not a
+leaf more she'll touch.  But the father wished to satisfy himself,
+and went down to the stable, stroked the dear animal and asked,
+goat, are you satisfied.  The goat answered,
+     how should I be satisfied.
+     Among the ditches I leapt about,
+     found no leaf, so went without, meh. Meh.
+
+What do I hear, cried the tailor, and ran upstairs and said to the
+youth.  HI, you liar, you said the goat had had enough, and have
+let her hunger, and in his anger he took the yard-measure from
+the wall, and drove him out with blows.
+
+Next day it was the turn of the second son, who sought a place
+in the fence of the garden, where nothing but good herbs grew, and
+the goat gobbled them all up.  At night when he wanted to go home,
+he asked, goat, are you satisfied.  The goat answered,
+     I have eaten so much,
+     not a leaf more I'll touch, meh. Meh.
+
+Come home, then, said the youth, and led her home, and tied her
+up in the stable.  Well, said the old tailor, has the goat had as
+much food as she ought.  Oh, answered the son, she has eaten
+so much, not a leaf more she'll touch.  The tailor would not rely
+on this, but went down to the stable and said, goat, have you had
+enough.  The goat answered,
+     how should I be satisfied.
+     Among the ditches I leapt about,
+     found no leaf, so went without, meh. Meh.
+
+The godless wretch. Cried the tailor, to let such a good animal
+hunger, and he ran up and drove the youth out of doors with the
+yard-measure.
+
+Now came the turn of the third son, who wanted to do his duty
+well, and sought out some bushes with the finest leaves, and let the
+goat devour them.  In the evening when he wanted to go home, he
+asked, goat, have you had enough.  The goat answered,
+     I have eaten so much,
+     not a leaf more I'll touch, meh. Meh.
+
+Come home, then, said the youth, and led her into the stable, and
+tied her up.  Well, said the old tailor, has the goat had her full
+share of food.  She has eaten so much, not a leaf more she'll
+touch.  The tailor was distrustful, went down and asked, goat,
+have you had enough.  The wicked beast answered,
+     how should I be satisfied.
+     Among the ditches I leapt about,
+     found no leaf, so went without, meh. Meh.
+
+Oh, the brood of liars, cried the tailor, each as wicked and
+forgetful of his duty as the other.  You shall no longer make a
+fool of me, and quite beside himself with anger, he ran upstairs
+and belabored the poor young fellow so vigorously with the
+yard-measure that he sprang out of the house.
+
+The old tailor was now alone with his goat.  Next morning he
+went down into the stable, stroked the goat and said, come, my
+dear little animal, I myself will take you to feed.  He took her
+by the rope and conducted her to green hedges, and amongst milfoil
+and whatever else goats like to eat.  There you may for once eat to
+your heart's content, said he to her, and let her browse till
+evening.  Then he asked, goat, are you satisfied.  She replied.
+     I have eaten so much,
+     not a leaf more I'll touch, meh. Meh.
+
+Come home, then, said the tailor, and led her into the stable, and
+tied her fast.  When he was going away, he turned round again and
+said, well, are you satisfied for once.  But the goat behaved no
+better to him, and cried,
+     how should I be satisfied.
+     Among the ditches I leapt about,
+     found no leaf, so went without, meh. Meh.
+
+When the tailor heard that, he was shocked, and saw clearly that
+he had driven away his three sons without cause.  Wait, you
+ungrateful creature, cried he, it is not enough to drive you forth,
+I will brand you so that you will no more dare to show yourself
+amongst honest tailors.  In great haste he ran upstairs, fetched his
+razor, lathered the goat's head, and shaved her as clean as the palm
+of his hand.  And as the yard-measure would have been too good for
+her, he brought the horsewhip, and gave her such cuts with it that
+she bounded away with tremendous leaps.
+
+When the tailor was thus left quite alone in his house he fell into
+great grief, and would gladly have had his sons back again, but no
+one knew whither they were gone.  The eldest had apprenticed
+himself to a joiner, and learnt industriously and indefatigably,
+and when the time came for him to go traveling, his master presented
+him with a little table which was not particularly beautiful, and
+was made of common wood, but which had one good property.  If
+anyone set it out, and said, little table, spread yourself, the good
+little table was at once covered with a clean little cloth, and a
+plate was there, and a knife and fork beside it, and dishes with
+boiled meats and roasted meats, as many as there was room for, and a
+great glass of red wine shone so that it made the heart glad.  The
+young journeyman thought, with this you have enough for your
+whole life, and went joyously about the world and never troubled
+himself at all whether an inn was good or bad, or if anything was
+to be found in it or not.  When it suited him he did not enter an
+inn at all, but either on the plain, in a wood, a meadow, or
+wherever he fancied, he took his little table off his back, set it
+down before him, and said, spread yourself, and then everything
+appeared that his heart desired.  At length he took it into his head
+to go back to his father, whose anger would now be appeased, and
+who would now willingly receive him with his magic table.  It came
+to pass that on his way home, he came one evening to an inn which
+was filled with guests.  They bade him welcome, and invited him to
+sit and eat with them, for otherwise he would have difficulty in
+getting anything.  No, answered the joiner, I will not take the few
+morsels out of
+your mouths.  Rather than that, you shall be my guests.  They
+laughed, and thought he was jesting with them.  He but placed his
+wooden table in the middle of the room, and said, little table,
+spread yourself.  Instantly it was covered with food, so good that
+the host could never have procured it, and the smell of it
+ascended pleasantly to the nostrils of the guests.  Fall to, dear
+friends, said the joiner, and the guests when they saw that he
+meant it, did not need to be asked twice, but drew near, pulled out
+their knives and attacked it valiantly.  And what surprised them the
+most was that when a dish became empty, a full one instantly took
+its place of its own accord.  The innkeeper stood in one corner and
+watched the affair.  He did not at all know what to say, but
+thought, you could easily find a use for such a cook as that in your
+household.  The joiner and his comrades made merry until late
+into the night.  At length they lay down to sleep, and the young
+apprentice also went to bed, and set his magic table against the
+wall.  The host's thoughts, however, let him have no rest.  It
+occurred to him that there was a little old table in his lumber-room
+which looked just like the apprentice's and he brought it out,
+and carefully exchanged it for the wishing table.  Next morning
+the joiner paid for his bed, took up his table, never thinking
+that he had got a false one, and went his way.  At mid-day he
+reached his father, who received him with great joy.  Well, my dear
+son, what have you learnt.  Said he to him.  Father, I have become
+a joiner.
+
+A good trade, replied the old man, but what have you brought
+back with you from your apprenticeship.  Father, the best thing
+which I have brought back with me is this little table.  The
+tailor inspected it on all sides and said, you did not make a
+masterpiece when you made that.  It is a bad old table.  But it
+is a table which furnishes itself, replied the son.  When I set it
+out, and tell it to spread itself, the most beautiful dishes stand
+on it, and a wine also, which gladdens the heart.  Just invite all
+our relations and friends, they shall refresh and enjoy themselves
+for once, for the table will give them all they require.  When the
+company was assembled, he put his table in the middle of the room and
+said, little table,
+spread yourself, but the little table did not bestir itself, and
+remained just as bare as any other table which does not understand
+language.  Then the poor apprentice became aware that his table
+had been changed, and was ashamed at having to stand there like a
+liar.  The relations, however, mocked him, and were forced to go
+home without having eaten or drunk.  The father brought out his
+patches again, and went on tailoring, but the son went to a
+master in the craft.
+
+The second son had gone to a miller and had apprenticed himself
+to him.  When his years were over, the master said, as you
+have conducted yourself so well, I give you an ass of a peculiar
+kind, which neither draws a cart nor carries a sack.  What good is
+he, then. Asked the young apprentice.  He spews forth gold, answered
+the miller.  If you set him on a cloth and say bricklebrit,
+the good animal will spew forth gold pieces for you from back and
+front.  That is a fine thing, said the apprentice, and thanked the
+master, and went out into the world.  When he had need of gold,
+he had only to say bricklebrit to his ass, and it rained gold
+pieces, and he had nothing to do but pick them off the ground.
+Wheresoever he went, the best of everything was good enough for
+him, and the dearer the better, for he had always a full purse.
+When he had looked about the world for some time, he thought, you
+must seek out your father.  If you go to him with the gold-ass he
+will forget his anger, and receive you well.  It came to pass
+that he came to the same inn in which his brother's table had been
+exchanged.  He led his ass by the bridle, and the host was about
+to take the animal from him and tie him up, but the young
+apprentice said, don't trouble yourself, I will take my grey
+horse into the stable, and tie him up myself too, for I must know
+where he stands.  This struck the host as odd, and he thought
+that a man who was forced to look after his ass himself, could not
+have much to spend.  But when the stranger put his hand in his
+pocket and brought out two gold pieces, and said he was to
+provide something good for him, the host opened his eyes wide, and
+ran and sought out the best he could muster.  After dinner the
+guest asked what he owed.  The host did
+not see why he should not double the reckoning, and said the
+apprentice must give two more gold pieces.  He felt in his pocket,
+but his gold was just at an end.  Wait an instant, sir host, said
+he, I will go and fetch some money.  But he took the table-cloth
+with him.  The host could not imagine what this could mean, and
+being curious, stole after him, and as the guest bolted the stable
+door, he peeped through a hole left by a knot in the wood.  The
+stranger spread out the cloth under the animal and cried,
+bricklebrit, and immediately the beast began to let gold pieces fall
+from back and front, so that it fairly rained down money on the
+ground.  Eh, my word, said the host, ducats are quickly coined
+there.  A purse like that is not to be sniffed at.  The guest
+paid his score, and went to bed, but in the night the host stole
+down into the stable, led away the master of the mint, and tied up
+another ass in his place.
+
+Early next morning the apprentice traveled away with his ass,
+and thought that he had his gold-ass.  At mid-day he reached his
+father, who rejoiced to see him again, and gladly took him in.
+What have you made of yourself, my son.  Asked the old man.
+A miller, dear father, he answered.  What have you brought back
+with you from your travels.  Nothing else but an ass.  There are
+asses enough here, said the father, I would rather have had a good
+goat.  Yes, replied the son, but it is no common ass, but a
+gold-ass, when I say bricklebrit, the good beast spews forth a whole
+sheetful of gold pieces.  Just summon all our relations hither,
+and I will make them rich folks.  That suits me well, said the
+tailor, for then I shall have no need to torment myself any longer
+with the needle, and ran out himself and called the relations
+together.  As soon as they were assembled, the miller bade them
+make way, spread out his cloth, and brought the ass into the room.
+Now watch, said he, and cried, bricklebrit, but what fell were not
+gold pieces, and it was clear that the animal knew nothing of the
+art, for every ass does not attain such perfection.  Then the poor
+miller pulled a long face, saw that he was betrayed, and begged
+pardon of the relatives, who went home as poor as they came.  There
+was no help for it, the old man had to betake him to his needle once
+more, and the youth hired himself to a miller.
+
+The third brother had apprenticed himself to a turner, and as that
+is skilled labor, he was the longest in learning.  His brothers,
+however, told him in a letter how badly things had gone with them,
+and how the innkeeper had cheated them of ther beautiful
+wishing-gifts on the last evening before they reached home.  When
+the turner had served his time, and had to set out on his travels,
+as he had conducted himself so well, his master presented him with a
+sack and said, there is a cudgel in it.  I can put on the sack, said
+he, and it may be of good service to me, but why should the cudgel
+be in it.  It only makes it heavy.  I will tell you why, replied
+the master.  If anyone has done anything to injure you, do but say,
+out of the sack, cudgel. And the cudgel will leap forth among the
+people, and play such a dance on their backs that they will not be
+able to stir or move for a week, and it will not leave off until
+you say, into the sack, cudgel.  The apprentice thanked him, and
+put the sack on his back, and when anyone came too near him, and
+wished to attack him, he said, out of the sack, cudgel, and
+instantly the cudgel sprang out, and dusted the coat or jacket of
+one after the other on their backs, and never stopped until it had
+stripped it off them, and it was done so quickly, that before anyone
+was aware, it was already his own turn.  In the evening the
+young turner reached the inn where his brothers had been cheated.
+
+He laid his sack on the table before him, and began to talk of all
+the wonderful things which he had seen in the world.  Yes, said
+he, people may easily find a table which will spread itself, a
+gold-ass, and things of that kind - extremely good things which
+I by no means despise - but these are nothing in comparison with
+the treasure which I have won for myself, and am carrying about
+with me in my sack there.  The innkeeper pricked up his ears.
+What in the world can that be.  Thought he.  The sack must be filled
+with nothing but jewels.  I ought to get them cheap too, for all
+good things go in threes.  When it was time for sleep, the guest
+stretched himself on the bench, and laid his sack beneath him
+for a pillow.  When the innkeeper thought his guest
+was lying in a sound sleep, he went to him and pushed and pulled
+quite gently and carefully at the sack to see if he could possibly
+draw it away and lay another in its place.
+
+The turner, however, had been waiting for this for a long time, and
+now just as the inn-keeper was about to give a hearty tug, he cried,
+out of the sack, cudgel.  Instantly the little cudgel came forth,
+and fell on the inn-keeper and gave him a sound thrashing.
+The host cried for mercy.  But the louder he cried, the harder the
+cudgel beat the time on his back, until at length he fell to the
+ground exhausted.  Then the turner said, if you do not give back
+the table which spreads itself, and the gold-ass, the dance shall
+begin afresh.  Oh, no, cried the host, quite humbly, I will gladly
+produce everything, only make the accursed kobold creep back into
+the sack.  Then said the apprentice, I will let mercy take the
+place of justice, but beware of getting into mischief again.  So he
+cried, into the sack, cudgel.  And let him have rest.
+
+Next morning the turner went home to his father with the
+wishing-table, and the gold-ass.  The tailor rejoiced when he saw
+him once more, and asked him likewise what he had learned in foreign
+parts.  Dear father, said he, I have become a turner.  A skilled
+trade, said the father.  What have you brought back with you from
+your travels.
+
+A precious thing, dear father, replied the son, a cudgel in the
+sack.
+
+What cried the father, a cudgel.  That's certainly worth your
+trouble.  From every tree you can cut yourself one.  But not one
+like this, dear father.  If I say, out of the sack, cudgel, the
+cudgel springs out and leads anyone ill-disposed toward me a weary
+dance, and never stops until he lies on the ground and prays for
+fair weather.  Look you, with this cudgel have I rescued the
+wishing-table and the gold-ass which the thievish innkeeper took
+away from my brothers.  Now let them both be sent for, and invite
+all our kinsmen.  I will give them to eat and to drink, and will
+fill their pockets with gold into the bargain.  The old tailor
+had not much confidence.  Nevertheless he summoned the relatives
+together.  Then the turner spread a cloth in the room and led in the
+gold-ass, and said to his brother, now, dear brother, speak to him.
+The miller said, bricklebrit, and instantly the gold pices rained
+down on the cloth like a thunder-shower, and the ass did not stop
+until every one of them had so much that he could carry no more.
+ - I can see by your face that you also would have liked to be
+there. -
+
+Then the turner brought the little table, and said, now dear
+brother, speak to it.  And scarcely had the carpenter said, table,
+spread yourself, than it was spread and amply covered with the
+most exquisite dishes.  Then such a meal took place as the good
+tailor had never yet known in his house, and the whole party of
+kinsmen stayed together till far in the night, and were all merry
+and glad.  The tailor locked away needle and thread, yard-measure
+and goose, in a closet, and lived with his three sons in joy and
+splendor.
+
+What, however, happened to the goat who was to blame for the
+tailor driving out his three sons?  That I will tell you.  She
+was ashamed that she had a bald head, and ran to a fox's hole and
+crept into it.  When the fox came home, he was met by two great
+eyes shining out of the darkness, and was terrified and ran away.
+A bear met him, and as the fox looked quite disturbed, he said,
+what is the matter with you, brother fox, why do you look like
+that.  Ah, answered redskin, a fierce beast is in my cave and stared
+at me with its fiery eyes.  We will soon drive him out, said
+the bear, and went with him to the cave and looked in, but when
+he saw the fiery eyes, fear seized on him likewise.  He would have
+nothing to do with the furious beast, and took to his heels.  The
+bee met him, and as she saw that he was ill at ease, she said,
+bear, you are really pulling a very pitiful face.  What has become
+of all your gaiety.  It is all very well for you to talk, replied
+the bear, a furious beast with staring eyes is in redskin's house,
+and we can't drive him out.  The bee said, bear I pity you, I am
+a poor weak creature whom you would not turn aside to look at, but
+still, I believe, I can help you.  She flew into the fox's cave,
+lighted on the goat's smoothly-shorn head, and stung her so
+violently, that she sprang up, crying meh, meh, and ran forth
+into the world as if mad, and to this hour no one knows where she
+has gone.

028.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,203 @@
+There was once a poor peasant who sat in the evening by the
+hearth and poked the fire, and his wife sat and spun.  Then
+said he, how sad it is that we have no children.  With us all
+is so quiet, and in other houses it is noisy and lively.
+Yes, replied the wife, and sighed, even if we had only one,
+and it were quite small, and only as big as a thumb, I should be
+quite satisfied, and we would still love it with all our hearts.
+Now it so happened that the woman fell ill, and after seven
+months gave birth to a child, that was perfect in all its limbs,
+but no longer than a thumb.  Then said they, it is as we wished
+it to be, and it shall be our dear child.  And because of its
+size, they called it thumbling.  Though they did not let it want
+for food, the child did not grow taller, but remained as it had
+been at the first.  Nevertheless it looked sensibly out of its
+eyes, and soon showed itself to be a wise and nimble creature,
+for everything it did turned out well.
+
+One day the peasant was getting ready to go into the forest to
+cut wood, when he said as if to himself, how I wish that there
+was someone who would bring the cart to me.  Oh father, cried
+thumbling, I will soon bring the cart, rely on that.  It shall
+be in the forest at the appointed time.  The man smiled and
+said, how can that be done, you are far too small to lead the
+horse by the reins.  That's of no consequence, father, if my
+mother will only harness it, I shall sit in the horse's ear
+and call out to him how he is to go.  Well, answered the man,
+for once we will try it.
+
+When the time came, the mother harnessed the horse, and placed
+thumbling in its ear, and then the little creature cried, gee
+up, gee up.
+
+Then it went quite properly as if with its master, and the cart
+went the right way into the forest.  It so happened that just
+as he was turning a corner, and the little one was crying, gee
+up, two strange men came towards him.  My word, said one of them,
+what is this.  There is a cart coming, and a driver is calling to
+the horse and still he is not to be seen.  That can't be right,
+said the other, we will follow the cart and see where it stops.  The
+cart, however, drove right into the forest, and exactly to the
+place where the wood had been cut.  When thumbling saw his
+father, he cried to him, do you see, father, here I am with the
+cart, now take me down.  The father got hold of the horse with
+his left hand and with the right took his little son out of the
+ear.  Thumbling sat down quite merrily on a straw, but when the
+two strange men
+saw him, they did not know what to say for
+astonishment.  Then one of them took the other aside and said,
+listen, the little fellow would make our fortune if we exhibited
+him in a large town, for money.  We will buy him.  They went to
+the peasant and said, sell us the little man.  He shall be well
+treated with us.  No, replied the father, he is the apple of my
+eye, and all the money in the world cannot buy him from me.
+
+Thumbling, however, when he heard of the bargain, had crept up
+the folds of his father's coat, placed himself on his shoulder,
+and whispered in his ear, father do give me away, I will soon
+come back again.  Then the father parted with him to the two
+men for a handsome sum of money.  Where will you sit, they
+said to him.  Oh just set me on the rim of your hat, and then I
+can walk backwards and forwards and look at the country, and
+still not fall down.  They did as he wished, and when thumbling
+had taken leave of his father, they went away with him.  They
+walked until it was dusk, and then the little fellow said,
+do take me down, it is necessary.  Just stay up there, said the
+man on whose hat he sat, it makes no difference to me.  The birds
+sometimes let things fall on me.  No, said thumbling, I
+know what's manners, take me quickly down.  The man took his hat
+off, and put the little fellow on the ground by the wayside, and
+he leapt and crept about a little between the sods, and then he
+suddenly slipped into a mousehole which he had sought out.
+Good evening, gentlemen, just go home without me, he cried to
+them, and mocked them.  They ran thither and stuck their sticks
+into the mousehole, but it was all in vain.  Thumbling crept
+still farther in, and as it soon became quite
+dark, they were forced to go home with their vexation and
+their empty purses.
+
+When thumbling saw that they were gone, he crept back out of the
+subterranean passage.  It is so dangerous to walk on the ground
+in the dark, said he, how easily a neck or a leg is broken.
+Fortunately he stumbled against an empty snail-shell.  Thank God,
+said he, in that I can pass the night in safety.  And got into it.
+Not long afterwards, when he was just going to sleep, he heard two
+men go by, and one of them was saying, how shall we set about
+getting hold of the rich pastor's silver and gold.  I could tell
+you that, cried thumbling, interrupting them.  What was that, said
+one of the thieves in fright, I heard someone speaking.  They stood
+still listening, and thumbling spoke again, and said, take
+me with you, and I'll help you.
+
+But where are you.  Just look on the ground, and observe from
+whence my voice comes, he replied.  There the thieves at length
+found him, and lifted him up.  You little imp, how will you help
+us, they said.  Listen, said he, I will creep into the pastor's
+room through the iron bars, and will reach out to you whatever
+you want to have.  Come then, they said, and we will see what you
+can do.  When they got to the pastor's house, thumbling crept into
+the room, but instantly cried out with all his might, do you want
+to have everything that is here.  The thieves were alarmed, and
+said, but do speak softly, so as not to waken any one.  Thumbling
+however, behaved as if he had not understood this, and cried
+again, what do you want.  Do you want to have everything that is
+here.  The cook, who slept in the next room, heard this and sat up
+in bed, and listened.  The thieves, however, had in their fright
+run some distance away, but at last they took courage, and
+thought, the little rascal wants to mock us.  They came back and
+whispered to him, come be serious, and reach something out to us.
+Then thumbling again cried as loudly as he could, I really will
+give you everything, just put your hands in.  The maid who was
+listening, heard this quite distinctly, and jumped out of bed
+and rushed to the door.  The thieves took flight, and ran as if
+the wild huntsman
+were behind them, but as the maid could not see
+anything, she went to strike a light.  When she came to the
+place with it, thumbling, unperceived, betook himself to the
+granary, and the maid after she had examined every corner and
+found nothing, lay down in her bed again, and believed that,
+after all, she had only been dreaming with open eyes and ears.
+Thumbling had climbed up among the hay and found a beautiful
+place to sleep in.  There he intended to rest until day, and
+then go home again to his parents.  But there were other things in
+store for him.  Truly, there is much worry and affliction in
+this world.  When the day dawned, the maid arose from her bed to
+feed the cows.  Her first walk was into the barn, where she laid
+hold of an armful of hay, and precisely that very one in which
+poor thumbling was lying asleep.  He, however, was sleeping so
+soundly that he was aware of nothing, and did not awake until he
+was in the mouth of the cow, who had picked him up with the hay.
+
+Ah, heavens, cried he, how have I got into the fulling mill.  But
+he soon discovered where he was. Then he had to take care not to
+let himself go between the teeth and be dismembered, but he was
+subsequently forced to slip down into the stomach with the hay.
+In this little room the windows are forgotten, said he, and no
+sun shines in, neither will a candle be brought.  His quarters
+were especially unpleasing to him, and the worst was that more
+and more hay was always coming in by the door, and the space grew
+less and less.  When at length in his anguish, he cried as
+loud as he could, bring me no more fodder, bring me no more
+fodder.  The maid was just milking the cow, and when she heard
+some one speaking, and saw no one, and perceived that it was the
+same voice that she had heard in the night, she was so
+terrified that she slipped off her stool, and spilt the milk.
+
+She ran in great haste to her master, and said, oh heavens,
+pastor, the cow has been speaking.  You are mad, replied the
+pastor, but he went himself to the byre to see what was there.
+Hardly, however had he set his foot inside when thumbling again
+cried, bring me no more fodder, bring me no more fodder.  Then
+the pastor himself was alarmed, and thought that an evil
+spirit had gone into the cow, and ordered her to be killed.  She was
+killed, but the stomach, in which thumbling was, was thrown on
+the dunghill.  Thumbling had great difficulty in working his
+way out.  However, he succeeded so far as to get some room, but
+just as he was going to thrust his head out, a new misfortune
+occurred.  A hungry wolf ran thither, and swallowed the whole
+stomach at one gulp.  Thumbling did not lose courage.  Perhaps,
+thought he, the wolf will listen to what I have got to say.  And
+he called to him from out of his belly, dear wolf, I know of a
+magnificent feast for you.
+
+Where is it to be had, said the wolf.
+In such and such a house.  You must creep into it through the
+kitchen-sink, and will find cakes, and bacon, and sausages, and
+as much of them as you can eat.  And he described to him exactly
+his father's house.  The wolf did not require to be told this
+twice, squeezed himself in at night through the sink, and ate to
+his heart's content in the larder.  When he had eaten his fill,
+he wanted to go out again, but he had become so big that he could
+not go out by the same way.  Thumbling had reckoned on this, and
+now began to make a violent noise in the wolf's body, and raged
+and screamed as loudly as he could.  Will you be quiet, said the
+wolf, you will waken up the people.  What do I care, replied the
+little fellow, you have eaten your fill, and I will make merry
+likewise.  And began once more to scream with all his strength.
+
+At last his father and mother were aroused by it, and ran to the
+room and looked in through the opening in the door.  When they
+saw that a wolf was inside, they ran away, and teh husband
+fetched his axe, and the wife the scythe.  Stay behind, said the
+man, when they entered the room.  When I have given the blow, if
+he is not killed by it, you must cut him down and hew his body
+to pieces.  Then thumbling heard his parents, voices and cried,
+dear father, I am here, I am in the wolf's body.  Said the father,
+full of joy, thank God, our dear child has found us again. And
+bade the
+woman take away her scythe, that thumbling might not be hurt
+with it.  After that he raised his arm, and struck the wolf
+such a blow on his head that he fell down
+dead, and then they got knives and scissors and cut his body open
+and drew the little fellow forth.
+
+Ah, said the father, what sorrow we have gone through for your
+sake.  Yes father, I have gone about the world a great deal.
+Thank heaven, I breathe fresh air again.  Where have you been,
+then.  Ah, father, I have been in a mouse's hole, in a cow's
+belly, and then in a wolf's paunch.  Now I will stay with you.
+And we will not sell you again, no not for all the riches in
+the world, said his parents, and they embraced and kissed their
+dear thumbling.  They gave him to eat and to drink, and had
+some new clothes made for him, for his own had been spoiled
+on his journey.

029.txt

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+There was once a poor servant-girl who was industrious and cleanly
+and swept the house every day, and emptied her sweepings on the
+great heap in front of the door.  One morning when she was just
+going back to her work, she found a letter on this heap, and as
+she could not read, she put her broom in the corner, and took the
+letter to her employers, and behold it was an invitation from
+the elves, who asked the girl to hold a child for them at its
+christening.  The girl did not know what to do, but, at length,
+after much persuasion, and as they told her that it was not
+right to refuse an invitation of this kind, she consented.
+
+Then three elves came and conducted her to a hollow mountain,
+where the little folks lived.  Everything there was small, but
+more elegant and beautiful than can be described.  The baby's
+mother lay in a bed of black ebony ornamented with pearls, the
+covers were embroidered with gold, the cradle was of ivory, the
+bath-tub of gold.  The girl stood as godmother, and then wanted
+to go home again, but the little elves urgently entreated her to
+stay three days with them.  So she stayed, and passed the time in
+pleasure and gaiety, and the little folks did all they could to
+make her happy.  At last she set out on her way home.  But first
+they filled her pockets quite full of money, and then they led
+her out of the mountain again.  When she got home, she wanted to
+to begin her work, and took the broom, which was still standing
+in the corner, in her hand and began to sweep.  Then some
+strangers came out of the house, who asked her who she was, and
+what business she had there.  And she had not, as she thought,
+been three days with the little men in the mountains, but
+seven years, and in the meantime her former masters had died.
+
+A certain mother had her child taken out of its cradle by the
+elves, and a changeling with a large head and staring eyes,
+which would do nothing but eat and drink, lay in its place.
+In her trouble she went to her neighbor, and asked her advice.
+The neighbour said that she was to carry the changeling into the
+kitchen, set it down on the hearth, light a fire, and boil
+some water in two egg-shells, which would make the changeling
+laugh, and if he laughed, all would be over with him.  The
+woman did everything that her neighbor bade her.  When she put
+the egg-shells with water on the fire, goggle-eyes said, I am as
+old now as the wester forest, but never yet have I seen anyone
+boil anything in an egg-shell.  And he began to laugh at it.
+
+Whilst he was laughing, suddenly came a host of little elves, who
+brought the right child, set it down on the hearth, and took the
+changeling away with them.
+

030.txt

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+There was once upon a time a miller, who had a beautiful
+daughter, and as she was grown up, he wished that she was
+provided for, and well married.  He thought, if any good suitor
+comes and asks for her, I will give her to him.  Not long
+afterwards, a suitor came, who appeared to be very rich, and as
+the miller had no fault to find with him, he promised his
+daughter to him.  The maiden, however, did not like him quite
+so much as a girl should like the man to whom she is engaged, and
+had no confidence in him.  Whenever she saw, or thought of him,
+she felt a secret horror.  Once he said to her, you are my
+betrothed, and yet you have never once paid me a visit. The
+maiden replied, I know not where your house is. Then said the
+bridegroom, my house is out there in the dark forest.  She
+tried to excuse herself
+and said she could not find the way there.  The bridegroom said,
+next sunday you must come out there to me, I have already
+invited the guests, and I will strew ashes in order that you may
+find your way through the forest.  When sunday came, and the
+maiden had to set out on her way, she became very uneasy, she
+herself knew not exactly why, and to mark her way she filled both
+her pockets full of peas and lentils.  Ashes were strewn at the
+entrance of the forest, and these she followed, but at every step
+she threw a couple of peas on the ground.  She walked almost the
+whole day until she reached the middle of the forest, where it
+was the darkest, and there stood a solitary house, which she did
+not like, for it looked so dark and dismal.  She went inside it,
+but no one was within, and the most absolute stillness reigned.
+
+Suddenly a voice cried,
+	turn back, turn back, young maiden dear,
+	'tis a murderer's house you enter here.
+The maiden looked up, and saw that the voice came from a bird,
+which was hanging in a cage on the wall.  Again  it cried,
+	turn back, turn back, young maiden dear,
+	'tis a murderer's house you enter here.
+
+Then the young maiden went on farther from one room to another,
+and walked through the whole house, but it was entirely empty
+and not one human being was to be found.  At last she came to the
+the cellar, and there sat an extremely aged woman, whose head
+shook constantly.  Can you not tell me, said the maiden, if my
+betrothed lives here.
+
+Alas, poor child, replied the old woman, whither have you come.
+You are in a murderer's den.  You think you are a bride soon to be
+married, but you will keep your wedding with death.  Look, I
+have been forced to put a great kettle on there, with water in it,
+and when they have you in their power, they will cut you to
+pieces without mercy, will cook you, and eat you, for they are
+eaters of human flesh.  If I do not have compassion on you, and
+save you, you are lost.
+
+Thereupon the old woman led her behind a great hogshead
+where she could not be seen.  Be still as a mouse, said she, do
+not make a sound, or move, or all will be over with you.  At
+night, when the robbers are asleep, we will escape, I have long
+waited for an opportunity.  Hardly was this done, than the godless
+crew came home.  They dragged with them another young girl.  They
+were drunk, and paid no heed to her screams and lamentations.
+
+They gave her wine to drink, three glasses full, one glass of
+white wine, one glass of red, and a glass of yellow, and with
+this her heart burst in twain.  Thereupon they tore off her
+delicate raiment, laid her on a table, cut her beautiful body
+in pieces and strewed salt thereon.  The poor bride behind the
+cask trembled and shook, for she saw right well what fate the
+robbers had destined for her.  One of them noticed a gold ring on
+the finger of the murdered girl, and as it would not come off at
+once, he took an axe and cut the finger off, but it sprang up in
+the air, away over the cask and fell straight into the bride's
+bosom.  The robber took a candle and wanted to look for it, but
+could not find it.  Then another of them said, have you
+looked behind the great hogshead.  But the old woman cried,
+come and get something to eat, and leave off looking till the
+morning, the finger won't run away from you.
+
+Then the robbers said, the old woman is right, and gave up their
+search, and sat down to eat, and the old woman poured a
+sleeping-draught in their wine, so that they soon lay down
+in the cellar, and slept and snored.  When the bride heard
+that, she came out from behind the hogshead, and had to step
+over the sleepers, for they lay in rows on the ground, and great
+was her terror lest she should waken one of them.  But God
+helped her, and she got safely over.  The old woman went up with
+her, opened the doors, and they hurried out of the murderer's den
+with all the speed in their power.  The wind had blown away the
+strewn ashes, but the peas and lentils had sprouted and grown up,
+and showed them the way in the moonlight. They walked the whole
+night, until in the morning they arrived at the mill, and then the
+maiden told her father everything exactly as it had happened.
+
+When the day came for the wedding to be celebrated, the bridegroom
+appeared, and the miller had invited all his relations and
+friends.  As they sat at table, each was bidden to relate
+something.  The bride sat still, and said nothing.  Then said the
+bridegroom to the bride, come, my darling, do you know nothing.
+Relate something to us like the rest.  She replied, then I will
+relate a dream.  I was walking alone through a wood, and at last
+I came to a house, in which no living soul was, but on the wall
+there was a bird in a cage which cried,
+	turn back, turn back, young maiden dear,
+	'tis a murderer's house you enter here.
+And this it cried once more.  My darling, I only dreamt this.
+
+Then I went through all the rooms, and they were all empty, and
+there was something so horrible about them.  At last I went down
+into the cellar, and there sat a very very old woman, whose head
+shook.  I asked her, does my bridegroom live in this house.  She
+answered, alas poor child, you have got into a murderer's den,
+your bridegroom does live here, but he will hew you in pieces,
+and kill you, and then he will cook you, and eat you.  My darling
+I only dreamt this.  But the old woman hid me behind a great
+hogshead, and scarcely was I hidden, when the robbers came home,
+dragging a maiden with them, to whom they gave three kinds of
+wine to drink, white, red, and yellow, with which her heart broke
+in twain.  My darling, I only dreamt this.  Thereupon they pulled
+off her pretty clothes, and hewed her fair body in pieces on a
+table, and sprinkled them with salt.  My darling, I only dreamt
+this.  And one of the robbers saw that there was still a ring on
+her little finger, and as it was hard to draw off, he took an axe
+and cut it off, but the finger sprang up in the air, and sprang
+behind the great hogshead, and fell in my bosom.  And there is the
+finger with the ring.  And with these words she drew it forth, and
+showed it to those present.
+
+The robber, who had during this story become as pale as ashes,
+leapt up and wanted to escape, but the guests held him fast, and
+delivered him over to justice.  Then he and his whole troop were
+executed for their infamous deeds.