This is no time for thinking of expense, and
niggardliness would be ill applied.” All agreed with him. So they set
fire to the barn at all four corners, and with it the owl was miserably
burnt. Let any one who will not believe it, go thither and inquire for
himself. 175 The Moon

In days gone by there was a land where the nights were always dark, and
the sky spread over it like a black cloth, for there the moon never
rose, and no star shone in the obscurity. At the creation of the world,
the light at night had been sufficient. Three young fellows once went
out of this country on a travelling expedition, and arrived in another
kingdom, where, in the evening when the sun had disappeared behind the
mountains, a shining globe was placed on an oak-tree, which shed a soft
light far and wide. By means of this, everything could very well be
seen and distinguished, even though it was not so brilliant as the sun. The travellers stopped and asked a countryman who was driving past with
his cart, what kind of a light that was. “That is the moon,” answered
he; “our mayor bought it for three thalers, and fastened it to the
oak-tree. He has to pour oil into it daily, and to keep it clean, so
that it may always burn clearly. He receives a thaler a week from us
for doing it.”

When the countryman had driven away, one of them said, “We could make
some use of this lamp, we have an oak-tree at home, which is just as
big as this, and we could hang it on that. What a pleasure it would be
not to have to feel about at night in the darkness!” “I’ll tell you
what we’ll do,” said the second; “we will fetch a cart and horses and
carry away the moon. The people here may buy themselves another.” “I’m
a good climber,” said the third, “I will bring it down.” The fourth
brought a cart and horses, and the third climbed the tree, bored a hole
in the moon, passed a rope through it, and let it down. When the
shining ball lay in the cart, they covered it over with a cloth, that
no one might observe the theft. They conveyed it safely into their own
country, and placed it on a high oak. Old and young rejoiced, when the
new lamp let its light shine over the whole land, and bed-rooms and
sitting-rooms were filled with it. The dwarfs came forth from their
caves in the rocks, and the tiny elves in their little red coats danced
in rings on the meadows. The four took care that the moon was provided with oil, cleaned the
wick, and received their weekly thaler, but they became old men, and
when one of them grew ill, and saw that he was about to die, he
appointed that one quarter of the moon, should, as his property, be
laid in the grave with him. When he died, the mayor climbed up the
tree, and cut off a quarter with the hedge-shears, and this was placed
in his coffin. The light of the moon decreased, but still not visibly. When the second died, the second quarter was buried with him, and the
light diminished. It grew weaker still after the death of the third,
who likewise took his part of it away with him; and when the fourth was
borne to his grave, the old state of darkness recommenced, and whenever
the people went out at night without their lanterns they knocked their
heads together. When, however, the pieces of the moon had united themselves together
again in the world below, where darkness had always prevailed, it came
to pass that the dead became restless and awoke from their sleep. They
were astonished when they were able to see again; the moonlight was
quite sufficient for them, for their eyes had become so weak that they
could not have borne the brilliance of the sun. They rose up and were
merry, and fell into their former ways of living. Some of them went to
the play and to dance, others hastened to the public-houses, where they
asked for wine, got drunk, brawled, quarreled, and at last took up
cudgels, and belabored each other. The noise became greater and
greater, and at last reached even to heaven. Saint Peter who guards the gate of heaven thought the lower world had
broken out in revolt and gathered together the heavenly troops, which
are to drive back the Evil One when he and his associates storm the
abode of the blessed. As these, however, did not come, he got on his
horse and rode through the gate of heaven, down into the world below. There he reduced the dead to subjection, bade them lie down in their
graves again, took the moon away with him, and hung it up in heaven. 176 The Duration of Life

When God had created the world and was about to fix the length of each
creature’s life, the ass came and asked, “Lord, how long shall I live?”
“Thirty years,” replied God; “does that content thee?” “Ah, Lord,”
answered the ass, “that is a long time. Think of my painful existence! To carry heavy burdens from morning to night, to drag sacks of corn to
the mill, that others may eat bread, to be cheered and refreshed with
nothing but blows and kicks. Relieve me of a portion of this long
time.” Then God had pity on him and relieved him of eighteen years. The
ass went away comforted, and the dog appeared. “How long wouldst thou
like to live?” said God to him. “Thirty years are too many for the ass,
but thou wilt be satisfied with that.” “Lord,” answered the dog, “is
that thy will? Consider how I shall have to run, my feet will never
hold out so long, and when I have once lost my voice for barking, and
my teeth for biting, what will be left for me to do but run from one
corner to another and growl?” God saw that he was right, and released
him from twelve years of life. Then came the monkey. “Thou wilt
certainly live thirty years willingly?” said the Lord to him. “Thou
hast no need to work as the ass and the dog have to do, and wilt always
enjoy thyself.” “Ah! Lord,” he answered, “it may seem as if that were
the case, but it is quite different. When it rains porridge I have no
spoon. I am always to play merry pranks, and make faces which force
people to laugh, and if they give me an apple, and I bite into it, why
it is sour! How often sadness hides itself behind mirth! I shall never
be able to hold out for thirty years.” God was gracious and took off
ten. At last man appeared, joyous, healthy and vigorous, and begged God to
appoint his time for him. “Thirty years shalt thou live,” said the
Lord. “Is that enough for thee?” “What a short time,” cried man, “when
I have built my house and my fire burns on my own hearth; when I have
planted trees which blossom and bear fruit, and am just intending to
enjoy my life, I am to die! O Lord, lengthen my time.” “I will add to
it the ass’s eighteen years,” said God. “That is not enough,” replied
the man. “Thou shalt also have the dog’s twelve years.” “Still too
little!” “Well, then,” said God, “I will give thee the monkey’s ten
years also, but more thou shalt not have.” The man went away, but was
not satisfied. So man lives seventy years. The first thirty are his human years, which
are soon gone; then is he healthy, merry, works with pleasure, and is
glad of his life.