How glad my mother will
be!”

As he was going through the last village, there stood a
scissors-grinder with his barrow; as his wheel whirred he sang—

“I sharpen scissors and quickly grind,
My coat blows out in the wind behind.”


Hans stood still and looked at him; at last he spoke to him and said,
“All’s well with you, as you are so merry with your grinding.” “Yes,”
answered the scissors-grinder, “the trade has a golden foundation. A
real grinder is a man who as often as he puts his hand into his pocket
finds gold in it. But where did you buy that fine goose?”

“I did not buy it, but exchanged my pig for it.”

“And the pig?”

“That I got for a cow.”

“And the cow?”

“I took that instead of a horse.”

“And the horse?”

“For that I gave a lump of gold as big as my head.”

“And the gold?”

“Well, that was my wages for seven years’ service.”

“You have known how to look after yourself each time,” said the
grinder. “If you can only get on so far as to hear the money jingle in
your pocket whenever you stand up, you will have made your fortune.”

“How shall I manage that?” said Hans. “You must be a grinder, as I am;
nothing particular is wanted for it but a grindstone, the rest finds
itself. I have one here; it is certainly a little worn, but you need
not give me anything for it but your goose; will you do it?”

“How can you ask?” answered Hans. “I shall be the luckiest fellow on
earth; if I have money whenever I put my hand in my pocket, what need I
trouble about any longer?” and he handed him the goose and received the
grindstone in exchange. “Now,” said the grinder, as he took up an
ordinary heavy stone that lay by him, “here is a strong stone for you
into the bargain; you can hammer well upon it, and straighten your old
nails. Take it with you and keep it carefully.”

Hans loaded himself with the stones, and went on with a contented
heart; his eyes shone with joy. “I must have been born with a caul,” he
cried; “everything I want happens to me just as if I were a
Sunday-child.”

Meanwhile, as he had been on his legs since daybreak, he began to feel
tired. Hunger also tormented him, for in his joy at the bargain by
which he got the cow he had eaten up all his store of food at once. At
last he could only go on with great trouble, and was forced to stop
every minute; the stones, too, weighed him down dreadfully. Then he
could not help thinking how nice it would be if he had not to carry
them just then. He crept like a snail to a well in a field, and there he thought that
he would rest and refresh himself with a cool draught of water, but in
order that he might not injure the stones in sitting down, he laid them
carefully by his side on the edge of the well. Then he sat down on it,
and was to stoop and drink, when he made a slip, pushed against the
stones, and both of them fell into the water. When Hans saw them with
his own eyes sinking to the bottom, he jumped for joy, and then knelt
down, and with tears in his eyes thanked God for having shown him this
favour also, and delivered him in so good a way, and without his having
any need to reproach himself, from those heavy stones which had been
the only things that troubled him. “There is no man under the sun so fortunate as I,” he cried out. With a
light heart and free from every burden he now ran on until he was with
his mother at home. 84 Hans Married

There was once upon a time a young peasant named Hans, whose uncle
wanted to find him a rich wife. He therefore seated Hans behind the
stove, and had it made very hot. Then he fetched a pot of milk and
plenty of white bread, gave him a bright newly-coined farthing in his
hand, and said, “Hans, hold that farthing fast, crumble the white bread
into the milk, and stay where you are, and do not stir from that spot
till I come back.” “Yes,” said Hans, “I will do all that.” Then the
wooer put on a pair of old patched trousers, went to a rich peasant’s
daughter in the next village, and said, “Won’t you marry my nephew
Hans—you will get an honest and sensible man who will suit you?” The
covetous father asked, “How is it with regard to his means? Has he
bread to break?” “Dear friend,” replied the wooer, “my young nephew has
a snug berth, a nice bit of money in hand, and plenty of bread to
break, besides he has quite as many patches as I have,” (and as he
spoke, he slapped the patches on his trousers, but in that district
small pieces of land were called patches also.) “If you will give
yourself the trouble to go home with me, you shall see at once that all
is as I have said.” Then the miser did not want to lose this good
opportunity, and said, “If that is the case, I have nothing further to
say against the marriage.”

So the wedding was celebrated on the appointed day, and when the young
wife went out of doors to see the bridegroom’s property, Hans took off
his Sunday coat and put on his patched smock-frock and said, “I might
spoil my good coat.” Then together they went out and wherever a
boundary line came in sight, or fields and meadows were divided from
each other, Hans pointed with his finger and then slapped either a
large or a small patch on his smock-frock, and said, “That patch is
mine, and that too, my dearest, just look at it,” meaning thereby that
his wife should not stare at the broad land, but look at his garment,
which was his own. “Were you indeed at the wedding?” “Yes, indeed I was there, and in full
dress. My head-dress was of snow; then the sun came out, and it was
melted. My coat was of cobwebs, and I had to pass by some thorns which
tore it off me, my shoes were of glass, and I pushed against a stone
and they said, “Klink,” and broke in two. 85 The Gold-Children

There was once a poor man and a poor woman who had nothing but a little
cottage, and who earned their bread by fishing, and always lived from
hand to mouth. But it came to pass one day when the man was sitting by
the water-side, and casting his net, that he drew out a fish entirely
of gold. As he was looking at the fish, full of astonishment, it began
to speak and said, “Hark you, fisherman, if you will throw me back
again into the water, I will change your little hut into a splendid
castle.” Then the fisherman answered, “Of what use is a castle to me,
if I have nothing to eat?” The gold fish continued, “That shall be
taken care of, there will be a cupboard in the castle in which, when
you open it, shall be dishes of the most delicate meats, and as many of
them as you can desire.” “If that be true,” said the man, “then I can
well do you a favour.” “Yes,” said the fish, “there is, however, the
condition that you shall disclose to no one in the world, whosoever he
may be, whence your good luck has come, if you speak but one single
word, all will be over.” Then the man threw the wonderful fish back
again into the water, and went home. But where his hovel had formerly
stood, now stood a great castle.