For if they were to run away, they knew that
the monster would pursue and swallow them whole. So they said, “We must
go through a great and dangerous struggle. Boldly ventured, is half
won,” and all seven grasped the spear, Master Schulz in front, and
Veitli behind. Master Schulz was always trying to keep the spear back,
but Veitli had become quite brave while behind, and wanted to dash
forward and cried,

“Strike home, in every Swabian’s name,
Or else I wish ye may be lame.”


But Hans knew how to meet this, and said,

“Thunder and lightning, it’s fine to prate,
But for dragon-hunting thou’rt aye too late.”


Michal cried,

“Nothing is wanting, not even a hair,
Be sure the Devil himself is there.”


Then it was Jergli’s turn to speak,

“If it be not, it’s at least his mother,
Or else it’s the Devil’s own step-brother.”


And now Marli had a bright thought, and said to Veitli,

“Advance, Veitli, advance, advance,
And I behind will hold the lance.”


Veitli, however, did not attend to that, and Jackli said,

“Tis Schulz’s place the first to be,
No one deserves that honor but he.”


Then Master Schulz plucked up his courage, and said, gravely,

“Then let us boldly advance to the fight,
And thus we shall show our valour and might.”


Hereupon they all together set on the dragon. Master Schulz crossed
himself and prayed for God’s assistance, but as all this was of no
avail, and he was getting nearer and nearer to the enemy, he screamed
“Oho! oho! ho! ho! ho!” in the greatest anguish. This awakened the
hare, which in great alarm darted swiftly away. When Master Schulz saw
her thus flying from the field of battle, he cried in his joy. “Quick, Veitli, quick, look there, look there,
The monster’s nothing but a hare!”


But the Swabian allies went in search of further adventures, and came
to the Moselle, a mossy, quiet, deep river, over which there are few
bridges, and which in many places people have to cross in boats. As the
seven Swabians did not know this, they called to a man who was working
on the opposite side of the river, to know how people contrived to get
across. The distance and their way of speaking made the man unable to
understand what they wanted, and he said “What? what?” in the way
people speak in the neighborhood of Treves. Master Schulz thought he
was saying, “Wade, wade through the water,” and as he was the first,
began to set out and went into the moselle. It was not long before he
sank in the mud and the deep waves which drove against him, but his hat
was blown on the opposite shore by the wind, and a frog sat down beside
it, and croaked “Wat, wat, wat.” The other six on the opposite side
heard that, and said, “Oho, comrades, Master Schulz is calling us; if
he can wade across, why cannot we?” So they all jumped into the water
together in a great hurry, and were drowned, and thus one frog took the
lives of all six of them, and not one of the Swabian allies ever
reached home again. 120 The Three Apprentices

There were once three apprentices, who had agreed to keep always
together while travelling, and always to work in the same town. At one
time, however, their masters had no more work to give them, so that at
last they were in rags, and had nothing to live on. Then one of them
said, “What shall we do? We cannot stay here any longer, we will travel
once more, and if we do not find any work in the town we go to, we will
arrange with the innkeeper there, that we are to write and tell him
where we are staying, so that we can always have news of each other,
and then we will separate.” And that seemed best to the others also. They went forth, and met on the way a richly-dressed man who asked who
they were. “We are apprentices looking for work; Up to this time we
have kept together, but if we cannot find anything to do we are going
to separate.” “There is no need for that,” said the man, “if you will
do what I tell you, you shall not want for gold or for work; nay, you
shall become great lords, and drive in your carriages!” One of them
said, “If our souls and salvation be not endangered, we will certainly
do it.” “They will not,” replied the man, “I have no claim on you.” One
of the others had, however, looked at his feet, and when he saw a
horse’s foot and a man’s foot, he did not want to have anything to do
with him. The Devil, however, said, “Be easy, I have no designs on you,
but on another soul, which is half my own already, and whose measure
shall but run full.” As they were now secure, they consented, and the
Devil told them what he wanted. The first was to answer, “All three of
us,” to every question; the second was to say, “For money,” and the
third, “And quite right too!” They were always to say this, one after
the other, but they were not to say one word more, and if they
disobeyed this order, all their money would disappear at once, but so
long as they observed it, their pockets would always be full. As a
beginning, he at once gave them as much as they could carry, and told
them to go to such and such an inn when they got to the town. They went
to it, and the innkeeper came to meet them, and asked if they wished
for anything to eat? The first replied, “All three of us.” “Yes,” said
the host, “that is what I mean.” The second said, “For money.” “Of
course,” said the host. The third said, “And quite right too!”
“Certainly it is right,” said the host. Good meat and drink were now brought to them, and they were well waited
on. After the dinner came the payment, and the innkeeper gave the bill
to the one who said, “All three of us,” the second said, “For money,”
and the third, “and quite right too!” “Indeed it is right,” said the
host, “all three pay, and without money I can give nothing.” They,
however, paid still more than he had asked. The lodgers, who were
looking on, said, “These people must be mad.” “Yes, indeed they are,”
said the host, “they are not very wise.” So they stayed some time in
the inn, and said nothing else but, “All three of us,” “For money,” and
“And quite right too!” But they saw and knew all that was going on. It
so happened that a great merchant came with a large sum of money, and
said, “Sir host, take care of my money for me, here are three crazy
apprentices who might steal it from me.” The host did as he was asked. As he was carrying the trunk into his room, he felt that it was heavy
with gold. Thereupon he gave the three apprentices a lodging below, but
the merchant came up-stairs into a separate apartment. When it was
midnight, and the host thought that all were asleep, he came with his
wife, and they had an axe and struck the rich merchant dead; and after
they had murdered him they went to bed again. When it was day there was
a great outcry; the merchant lay dead in bed bathed in blood.