Evening star., 1903-11-21
Silly Hans.

There was once fine house out in the
country and in it lived an old man with
his two sons who were too clever by half
They had made up their minds to marry the
kings daughter, and they did this because
she had made it known, that she would
marry the man who could speak best for
himself. }t an
The two brothers took eight days to get
ready. It was all the time they had for it.,
but it was enough for such, very clever
people. ils
81 shall win the kings daughter" they
both said, and their father gave eacn OF
them a beautiful horse; to. one; a coal-black
horse and to the other a milk-White one.
Then they rubbed the corners OF their
months with oil so that they might be able
TO talk more easily. All the servants came
to see them ride away. and Just then the
third brother came-for there were tnree-
but no one thought much OF nm, Ior ne
did not know as much as his Brothers ana
,ras 1naIlad SfIlv HaI1s54 . 30 2%.tti-t 49,
Where are you going. il a4I your fine ts
clothes?' he asked.
ITO the palace. to talk to the kings
daughter Haven't you heard the news!
And then they told him the word the prin-
cess had sent all over the country
well. well, then I'll go, too said Silly
Hans. And the brothers laughed and rode
away.
Father. let me have a horse. want to
get married, too. III she takes me, she
takes me; and if she doesn't take me. l
will take her. all the same ;o-..., %,
what nonsenser' said his father. II
will give you no horse. Why, You could
say nothing for yourself; but your brothers
are fine fellows"
IF 1 can't have horse said Silly Hans.
'I Il take the goat; he is my own. and he
will carry me very WELL. So he jumped
upon the goat, stuck his heels into its
sides and rode off down the road. Whew.
how they went!
Il am coming" shouted Silly Hans, and
he sang till the air was full of it.
The brothers rode on without speaking
word They were thinking over all the
bright things they would say later, for they
meant to be very clever. you know.
"Hallor' shouted Silly Hans. Here
come! See what have found in the road!''
And he showed a dead crow which he had
found.
What are you going to do with that?"
they asked.
II will give it to the kings daughter"
Yes, l would" said they, and they
laughed and rode on.
Halo. Here 1 come! See what I have
found now. You don't find such thing as
this every day in the road
The brothers turned around to see what
it was
"Blockhead," said they that is nothing
but an old wooden shoe. Is the kings
daughter to have that. too?'
Yes she is,'' said Hans and the two
brothers laughed and rode on.
Halo. halo! Here l ami" shouted Silly
Hans This is great luckr'
What have you found now?' asked the
brothers.
Wont the kings daughter be pleasedr'
said Silly Hans
Why" said the brothers, that is only
mud out of the ditch" i--',.-
Yes. that's what it is,' said Silly Hans,
'and the finest kind of mud, too You
can hardly hold it."
He filled his pockets with it,
The brothers rode ON as fast as they
could and came to the city gates a whole
hour before Hans. AT the gate the suitors
were given numbers as they came. They
were then placed in rows of six each, and
so close together that they could not even
move their arms.
All the other people of the country stood
around the palace, right up to the windows,
to see the kings daughter, receive the
sutors. AS each suitors-came into the
room he seemed all at,t once unable to
speak. "a,
mo good!" said the kings daughter.
Away with him. u,.g .
Now came the turn of one of the broth
ers, but he had forgotten everything he
knew while standing in the row. The
floor creaked and the ceia4ngfwas made of
looking glass, so that fiie isaw himself
standing on his head. And at every win
dow there were three clerks, who wrote
down everything that was said, so that it
might get into the papers aessonce and be
sold for penny at the Street corner. 1t
was terrible, and there was so much fire
in the stove that it was red hot on top.
1T Is terribly hot here, said the suitor.
That is because my father is roasting
chickens today" said the kings daughter.
Bah. There he stood Ikea fool He
had not expected to be spoken to in that
way, and he did not know what to say