Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-31
THE HARE AND THE HEDGEHOG.

THE original of the following quaint
and admirable history is to be found in
"Firmench's Volkstimmen der Deut
sChen," ii curious selection of examples
of the patOis of Germany. 1t las been
on its travels, in original and in transla-
tons, for many years, but is not yet eX-
hausted.-Boston AdUert5ser:
From the German of Shroder.]
This story is tough one to tell, young
sters, bat true it is for all that for my
grandfather, from whom | have it, used
always to say, when he told it: True
must it be my son, otherwise one could
not tell it so at all !" And this is the way
the story ran:
Twas on a pleasant Sunday morning
toward harvest time, just as the buck
wheat blossomed The sun had gone
brightly up into the heaven; the morning
wind swept warm over the stubble; the
larks sang in the air; the bees hummed
in the bUckwheat; the good folk went in
Sunday gear to church, and all creatures
were happy and the hedgehog also
The hedgehog stood before the door
with his arms folded, peeped out into the
morning air, and chirruped a little song
to himself, just as good and just as bad
as hedgehog is wont to sing on pleas
ant Sunday morning. And as he was
singing to himself, in a CHEEKY little voice,
all at once it came into his head he might
Just as well, while his wife was washing
and dressing the children, take little
walk into the field to see how his turnips
Were standing. Now the turnips were
close to his house, and he used to eat
them with his family, so that he looked
upon them as his own. No sooner said
than done. The hedgehog shut the house
door to after him, and took his way to
the field. He had not gone very far from
the house, and was about to turn, just by
the thorn bush which stands there before
the field, near the turnip patch, when he
met the hare, who had gone out on a SIM
liar business, namely, to look after his
cabbagcs. When the hedgehog caught
sight Of the hare, he babe him a friendly
GOOD morning!" But the hare, who in
his own way was a mighty fine gentle
man, and held his head very high, an
swered nothing to the hedgehog's greet
ing, but said to the hedgehog, putting on
thereby q most scornful mien, How hap
pens it, then, that thou art strolling about
here in The field so early in the morn
ing"
I'm taking walk" said the hedge
hog.
Taking a walk?" laughed the hare
"mcthinks thou mightest use those legs
of thine for better things"
This answer veXed the hedgehog huge.
ly, for he could stand almost anything,
but his legs he did not like to have
spoken about because they were crooked
by nature.
Thou thinkest, perhaps" said the
hedgehog 10 the hare, chou cOuld'st do
more with thine own legs!"
THAT'S what / do think" said the
hare.
THAT depends upon the trial." qouth
the hedgehog Il bet that if we run a
race together, I beat thee hollow
"That's quite laughable; thou, with thy
crooked legs" said the hare, "but I've
nothing against it if thou art so bent upon
it. What's the bets"
"a golden louis dor and bottle OF
brandy y said the hedgehog
Done" said the hare; ''fall in and then
it may come off at once"
Nay, there's no such hurry" said the
hedgehog; Il am still quite hungry; I'll
go home and get bit of breakfast first
within half an hour I'll be here again on
the spot"
With this the hedgehog went his way,
for the hare was also content.
On theway the hedgehog thought to
himself:
THE hare trusts to his long legs, but
III fetch him for all that; he's a fine gen.
tleman, to be sure, but still he's only a
stupid fellow, and pay lie shall ~
Now when the hedgehog came to his
house, he said to his wife, "Wite, dress
myself in my gear, quickly; thou must GO
with me to the field"
as. III = -. oh
Owe bet the hare golden louis d'or
and bottleo brandy that beat him in a
race. and thou must be by"
80, husbandp' began the hedgehog's
wife to cry, ''art thou foolishs hast thou
quite lost thine understanding? How
canst thou wish to run race with the
hares"
Held thy mouth, wife" said the hedge
hog, that's my business; don't NEEDLE
with mems affairs. Marchi dress thysel
in my clothes, and then come along" =
Whatcould the hedgehog's wife do!
She ITO follow whether she would OF
no. When they were on the way together
the hedgehog said to his wife: Nov lis
ten to what have to say. Seest thou, on
the long acre yonder will be run our race
The hare runs in one furrow and another
and we begin to run from up there. Now
thou hast nothing else to do than to take
thy place here in the furrow, and when
the hare comes up on the other side thou
must call out to him, 81 m here already y
With this they had reached the field; thu
hedgehog showed his wife her place an6
went up the furrow. When he got to thu
upper end the hare was already there.
Can we starts" said the hare.
eyes, indeedr' said the hedgehog
ITO it, them" and with that eacf
placed himself in his furrow, and tht
hare uttered one, two, three! and away
he went like storm-wind down tht