went on constantly, what he cut out in the evening was finished by
morning, so that he soon had his honest living again, and at last
became a wealthy man.
Now it befell that, one evening not long before Christmas, when the man
had been cutting out, he said to his wife, before going to bed, “What
think you, if we were to stay up to-night to see who it is that lends
us this helping hand?”
The woman liked the idea, and lighted a candle, and then they hid
themselves in a corner of the room, behind some clothes which were
hanging there, and watched.
When it was midnight, two pretty tiny naked Little Men came, sat down
by the shoemaker’s table, took all the work which was cut out before
them and began to stitch, sew, and hammer so skilfully and so quickly
with their little fingers, that the shoemaker could not turn away his
eyes for astonishment. They did not stop until all was done, and stood
finished on the table, and then they ran quickly away.
Next morning, the woman said, “The Little Men have made us rich, and we
really must show that we are grateful for it. They run about so much,
and have nothing on, and must be cold. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I
will make them little shirts, coats, vests, and trousers, and knit
both of them a pair of stockings. Do you make them two little pairs of
shoes.”
The man said, “I shall be very glad to do it.”
[Illustration: THE ELVES BEGAN TO STITCH, SEW, AND HAMMER]
And one night, when everything was ready, they laid their presents,
instead of the cut-out work, all together on the table, and then
concealed themselves to see how the Little Men would behave.
At midnight they came bounding in, and wanted to get to work at once.
But as they did not find any leather cut out, only the pretty little
articles of clothing, they were at first astonished, and then they
showed intense delight. They dressed themselves with the greatest
rapidity, putting the pretty clothes on, and singing:
“_Now we are boys so fine to see,
Why should we longer cobblers be?_”
Then they danced and skipped and leapt over chairs and benches. At
last, they danced out of doors. From that time forth they came no more,
but as long as the shoemaker lived all went well with him, and all his
undertakings prospered.
[Illustration]
THE THREE BROTHERS
There was once a man who had three sons, and nothing else in the world
but the house in which he lived. Now each of the sons wished to have
the house after his father’s death; but the father loved them all
alike, and did not know what to do. He did not wish to sell the house,
because it had belonged to his forefathers, else he might have divided
the money amongst them.
At last a plan came into his head, and he said to his sons, “Go into
the world, and try each of you to learn a trade. When you all come
back, he who makes the best masterpiece shall have the house.”
The sons were well content with this, and the eldest determined to be a
blacksmith, the second a barber, and the third a fencing-master. They
fixed a time when they should all come home again, and then each went
his way.
It chanced that they all found skilful masters, who taught them their
trades well. The blacksmith had to shoe the King’s horses, and he
thought to himself, “The house is mine, without doubt.” The barber
shaved only great people, and he too already looked upon the house as
his own. The fencing-master got many a blow, but he only bit his lip,
and let nothing vex him; “for,” said he to himself, “if you are afraid
of a blow, you’ll never win the house.”
When the appointed time had gone by, the three brothers came back home
to their father. But they did not know how to find the best opportunity
for showing their skill, so they sat down and consulted together.
As they were sitting thus, all at once a hare came running across the
field. “Ah, ha, just in time!” said the barber. So he took his basin
and soap, and lathered away until the hare came up. Then he soaped and
shaved off the hare’s whiskers whilst he was running at the top of his
speed, and did not even cut his skin or injure a hair on his body.
“Well done!” said the old man, “your brothers will have to exert
themselves wonderfully, or the house will be yours.”
Soon after, up came a nobleman in his coach, dashing along at full
speed. “Now you shall see what I can do, Father,” said the blacksmith.
So away he ran after the coach, took all four shoes off the feet of
one of the horses whilst he was galloping, and put on four new shoes
without stopping him.
“You are a fine fellow, and as clever as your brother,” said his
father. “I do not know to which I ought to give the house.”
Then the third son said, “Father, let me have my turn, if you please.”
And, as it was beginning to rain, he drew his sword, and flourished
it backward and forward above his head so fast that not a drop fell
upon him. It rained still harder and harder, till at last it came down
in torrents. But he only flourished his sword faster and faster, and
remained as dry as if he were sitting in a house.
When his father saw this he was amazed, and said, “This is the
masterpiece, the house is yours!”
His brothers were satisfied with this, as was agreed before-hand. And,
as they loved one another very much, they all three stayed together in
the house, followed their trades, and, as they had learnt them so well
and were so clever, they earned a great deal of money.
Thus they lived together Happily, until they grew old. And at last,
when one of them fell sick and died, the two others grieved so sorely
about it that they also fell ill, and soon after died. And because they
had been so clever, and had loved one another so much, they were all
laid in the same grave.
[Illustration]
LITTLE TABLE SET THYSELF, GOLD-ASS, AND CUDGEL OUT OF THE SACK
There was once upon a time, a tailor, who had three sons and only one
goat. But as the goat supported the whole of them with her milk, she
was obliged to have good food, and to be taken every day to pasture.
The sons, therefore, did this, in turn.
Once, the eldest took her to the churchyard, where the finest herbs
were to be found, and let her eat and run about there. At night, when
it was time to go home, he asked, “Goat, have you had enough?”
The goat answered:
“_I have eaten so much,
Not a leaf more I’ll touch,
Ma! Ma!_”
“Come home, then,” said the youth, and took hold of the cord round her
neck, led her into the stable and tied her up securely.
“Well,” said the old tailor, “has the goat had as much food as she
ought?”
“Oh,” answered the son, “she has eaten so much, not a leaf more she’ll
touch.”
But the father wished to satisfy himself, and went down to the stable,
stroked the dear animal and asked, “Goat, are you satisfied?”
The goat answered:
“_With what should I be satisfied?
Among the graves I leapt about,
And found no food, so went without,
Ma! Ma!_”
“What do I hear?” cried the tailor, and ran up-stairs and said to the
youth, “Hollo, you liar; you said the goat had had enough, and have let
her go hungry!” and in his anger, he took the yard-measure from the
wall, and drove him out with blows.
Next day, it was the turn of the second son, who looked out for a place
in the fence of the garden, where nothing but good herbs grew. And the
goat cleared them all off.
At night, when he wanted to go home, he asked, “Goat, are you
satisfied?”
The goat answered:
“_I have eaten so much,
Not a leaf more I’ll touch,
Ma! Ma!_”
“Come home, then,” said the youth, and led her home and tied her up in
the stable.
“Well,” said the old tailor, “has the goat had as much food as she
ought?”
“Oh,” answered the son, “she has eaten so much, not a leaf more she’ll
touch.”
The tailor would not rely on this, but went down to the stable and
said, “Goat, have you had enough?”
The goat answered:
“_With what should I be satisfied?
Among the graves I leapt about,
And found no food, so went without,
Ma! Ma!_”
“The godless wretch!” cried the tailor, “to let such a good animal
go hungry,” and he ran up and drove the youth out of doors with the
yard-measure.
Now came the turn of the third son, who wanted to do the thing well,
and sought out some bushes with the finest leaves, and let the goat
devour them.
In the evening when he wanted to go home, he asked, “Goat, have you had
enough?”
The goat answered:
“_I have eaten so much,
Not a leaf more I’ll touch,
Ma! Ma!_”
“Come home, then,” said the youth, and led her into the stable, and
tied her up.
“Well,” said the old tailor, “has the goat had a proper amount of food?”
“She has eaten so much, not a leaf more she’ll touch.”
The tailor did not trust to that, but went down and asked, “Goat, have
you had enough?”
The wicked beast answered:
“_With what should I be satisfied?
Among the graves I leapt about,
And found no leaves, so went without,
Ma! Ma!_”
“Oh, the brood of liars!” cried the tailor, “each as wicked and
forgetful of his duty as the other! Ye shall no longer make a fool
of me,” and, quite beside himself with anger, he ran up-stairs and
belabored the poor young fellow so vigorously with the yard-measure
that he sprang out of the house.
The old tailor was now alone with his goat. Next morning he went down
into the stable, caressed the goat and said, “Come, my dear little
animal, I myself will take you to feed.”
He took her by the rope and conducted her to green hedges, and amongst
milfoil, and whatever else goats like to eat. “There you may for once
eat to your heart’s content,” said he to her, and let her browse till
evening.
Then he asked, “Goat, are you satisfied?” She replied:
“_I have eaten so much,
Not a leaf more I’ll touch,
Ma! Ma!_”
“Come home, then,” said the tailor, and led her into the stable, and
tied her fast.
When he was going away, he turned round again and said, “Well, are you
satisfied for once?”
But the goat did not behave better to him, and cried:
“_With what should I be satisfied?
Among the graves I leapt about,
And found no leaves, so went without,
Ma! Ma!_”
When the tailor heard that, he was shocked, and saw clearly that he
had driven away his three sons without cause. “Wait, you ungrateful
creature,” cried he, “it is not enough to drive you forth, I will mark
you so that you will no more dare to show yourself amongst honest
tailors!”
In great haste, he ran up-stairs, fetched his razor, lathered the
goat’s head, and shaved her as clean as the palm of his hand. And as
the yard-measure would have been too good for her, he brought the
horsewhip, and gave her such cuts with it that she ran away with mighty
leaps.
When the tailor was thus left quite alone in his house, he fell into
great grief, and would gladly have had his sons back again. But no one
knew whither they were gone.
The eldest had apprenticed himself to a joiner, and learnt
industriously and unweariedly, and when the time came for him to go on
his travels, his master presented him with a little table which had no
unusual appearance, and was made of common wood. But it had one good
property; if any one put it down, and said:
“_Little Table!
Set thyself!_”
the good Little Table was at once covered with a clean little cloth.
And a plate was there, and a knife and fork beside it, and dishes with
boiled meats and roasted meats, as many as there was room for, and a
great glass of red wine shone so that it made the heart glad.
The young journeyman thought, “With this you have enough for your whole
life!” and went joyously about the world, and never troubled himself
whether an inn was good or bad, or if anything was to be found in it
or not. When it suited him he did not enter an inn at all, but either
in the plain, a wood, a meadow, or wherever he fancied, he took his
Little Table off his back, set it down before him, and said:
“_Little Table!
Set thyself!_”
and then everything appeared that his heart desired.
At length, he took it into his head to go back to his father, whose
anger would now be appeased, and who would now willingly receive him
with his Wishing-Table. It came to pass that on his way home, he
arrived, one evening, at an inn which was filled with guests. They bade
him welcome, and invited him to sit and eat with them, for otherwise he
would have difficulty in getting anything.
“No,” answered the joiner, “I will not take the few bites out of your
mouths. Rather than that, you shall be my guests.”
They laughed, and thought he was joking. He, however, placed his wooden
Little Table in the middle of the room, and said:
“_Little Table!
Set thyself!_”
Instantly it was covered with food, so good that the host could never
have procured it, and the smell of it arose pleasantly to the noses of
the guests.
“Fall to, dear Friends,” said the joiner.
And the guests, when they saw that he meant it, did not need to be
asked twice, but drew near, pulled out their knives and attacked it
valiantly. And what surprised them most, was that when a dish became
empty, a full one instantly took its place. The innkeeper stood in
one corner and watched the doings. He did not know what to say, but
thought, “I could easily find use for such a cook as that in my
kitchen.”
The joiner and his comrades made merry until late into the night. At
length they lay down to sleep, and the young apprentice also went to
bed, and set his Magic Table against the wall.
The host’s thoughts, however, let him have no rest. It occurred to him
that there was a little old table in his lumber-room, which looked
just like the apprentice’s. And he brought it out quite softly, and
exchanged it for the Wishing-Table.
Next morning, the joiner paid for his bed, took up his table, never
thinking that he had got a false one, and went his way.
At midday, he reached his father, who received him with great joy.
“Well, my dear son, what have you learnt?” said he to him.
“Father, I have become a joiner.”
“A good trade,” replied the old man; “but what have you brought back
with you from your apprenticeship?”
“Father, the best thing which I have brought back with me is this
Little Table.”
The tailor examined it on all sides and said, “You did not make a
masterpiece, when you made that. It is a bad old table.”
“But it is a table which furnishes itself,” replied the son. “When I
put it down, and tell it to set itself, the most beautiful dishes stand
on it, and a wine also which gladdens the heart. Just invite all our
relations and friends. They shall refresh and enjoy themselves for
once, for the table will give them all they require.”
When the company was assembled, he put his table in the middle of the
room and said:
“_Little Table!
Set thyself!_”
but the little table did not bestir itself, and remained just as bare
as any other table which did not understand language. Then the poor
apprentice became aware that his table had been changed, and was
ashamed at having to stand there like a liar.
The relations, however, mocked him, and were forced to go home without
having eaten or drunk. The father brought out his patches, and began to
tailor again, but the son went to a master in the craft.
The second son had gone to a miller and had apprenticed himself to
him. When his years were over, the master said, “As you have conducted
yourself so well, I give you an Ass of a peculiar kind, which neither
draws a cart nor carries a sack.”
“To what use is he put, then?” asked the young apprentice.
“He lets gold drop from his mouth,” answered the miller. “If you set him
on a cloth, and say:
“‘_Bricklebrit!_’
the good animal will drop gold pieces for you.”
“That is a fine thing,” said the apprentice, and thanked the master,
and went out into the world. When he had need of gold, he had only to
say:
“_Bricklebrit!_”
to his Ass, and it rained gold pieces, and he had nothing to do but
pick them off the ground. Wheresoever he went, the best of everything
was good enough for him, and the dearer the better, for he had always a
full purse.
When he had looked about the world for some time, he thought, “You
must seek out your father; if you go to him with the Gold-Ass, he will
forget his anger, and receive you well.”
It came to pass, that he reached the same public-house in which his
brother’s table had been exchanged. He led his Ass by the bridle, and
the host was about to take the animal from him to tie him up, but the
young apprentice said, “Don’t trouble yourself. I will take my gray
horse into the stable, and tie him up myself, for I must know where he
stands.”
This struck the host as odd, and he thought that a man who was forced
to look after his Ass himself, could not have much to spend. But when
the stranger put his hand in his pocket and brought out two gold
pieces, and said he was to provide something good for him, the host
opened his eyes wide, and ran and sought out the best he could muster.
After dinner, the guest asked what he owed. The host did not see why he
should not double the reckoning, and said the apprentice must give two
more gold pieces.
He felt in his pocket, but his gold was just at an end. “Wait an
instant, sir host,” said he, “I will go and fetch some money;” but he
took the tablecloth with him.
The host could not imagine what this could mean, and being curious,
stole after him, and as the guest bolted the stable-door, he peeped
through a hole left by a knot in the wood.
The stranger spread out the cloth under the animal and cried:
“_Bricklebrit!_”
and immediately the beast began to let gold pieces fall, so that it
fairly rained down money on the ground.
“Eh, my word!” said the host, “ducats are quickly coined there! A purse
like that is not amiss.”
The guest paid his score, and went to bed, but in the night the host
stole down into the stable, led away the master of the mint, and tied
up another ass in his place. Early next morning, the apprentice went
away with the ass, and thought that he had his Gold-Ass.
At midday he reached his father, who rejoiced to see him again, and
gladly took him in. “What have you made of yourself, my Son?” asked the
old man.
“A miller, dear Father,” he answered.
“What have you brought back with you from your travels?”
“Nothing else but an ass.”
“There are asses enough here,” said the father. “I would rather have
had a good goat.”
“Yes,” replied the son, “but it is no common ass, but a Gold-Ass. When
I say:
“‘_Bricklebrit!_’
the good beast opens its mouth and drops a whole sheetful of gold
pieces. Just summon all our relations hither, and I will make them rich
folk.”
“That suits me well,” said the tailor, “for then I shall have no need
to torment myself any longer with the needle;” and he ran out and
called the relations together.
As soon as they were assembled, the miller bade them make way, spread
out his cloth, and brought the ass into the room. “Now watch,” said he,
and cried:
“_Bricklebrit!_”
but no gold pieces fell, and it was clear that the animal knew nothing
of the art, for every ass does not attain such perfection.
Then the poor miller pulled a long face, saw that he was betrayed, and
begged pardon of the relatives, who went home as poor as they came.
There was no help for it, the old man had to betake him to his needle
once more, and the youth hired himself to a miller.
The third brother had apprenticed himself to a turner, and as that is
skilled labor, he was the longest in learning. His brothers, however,
told him in a letter how badly things had gone with them, and how the
innkeeper had cheated them of their beautiful wishing-gifts on the last
evening before they reached home.
When the turner had served his time, and had to set out on his travels,
as he had conducted himself so well, his master presented him with a
sack, and said, “There is a Cudgel in it.”
“I can put on the sack,” said he, “and it may be of good service to me,
but why should the Cudgel be in it? It only makes it heavy.”
“I will tell you why,” replied the master; “if any one has done
anything to injure you, do but say:
“‘_Cudgel!
Out of the sack!_’
and the Cudgel will leap forth among the people, and play such a dance
on their backs, that they will not be able to stir or move for a week,
and it will not leave off until you say:
“‘_Cudgel!
Into the sack!_’”
The apprentice thanked him, put the sack on his back, and when any one
came too near him, and wished to attack him, he said:
“_Cudgel!
Out of the sack!_”
and instantly the Cudgel sprang out, and dusted the coat or jacket of
one after the other on their backs, and never stopped until it had
stripped it off them. And it was done so quickly, that before any one
was aware, it was already his own turn.
In the evening, the young turner reached the inn where his brothers
had been cheated. He laid his sack on the table before him, and began
to talk of all the wonderful things which he had seen in the world.
“Yes,” said he, “people may easily find a Little Table which will cover
itself, a Gold-Ass, and things of that kind--extremely good things
which I by no means despise--but these are nothing in comparison with
the treasure which I have won for myself, and am carrying about with me
in my sack there.”
The innkeeper pricked up his ears. “What in the world can that be?”
thought he. “The sack must be filled with nothing but jewels. I ought
to get them cheap too, for all good things go in threes.”
When it was time for sleep, the guest stretched himself on the bench,
and laid his sack beneath him for a pillow. When the innkeeper thought
his guest was lying in a sound sleep, he went to him and pushed and
pulled quite gently and carefully at the sack to see if he could
possibly draw it away and lay another in its place. The turner had,
however, been waiting for this for a long time; and now, just as the
innkeeper was about to give a hearty tug, he cried:
“_Cudgel!
Out of the sack!_”
Instantly the little Cudgel came forth, and fell on the innkeeper, and
gave him a sound thrashing.
The host cried for mercy. But the louder he cried, so much the more
heavily the Cudgel beat time on his back, until at length he fell to
the ground exhausted.
Then the turner said, “If you do not give back the Little Table that
sets itself, and the Gold-Ass, the dance shall begin afresh.”
“Oh, no,” cried the host, quite humbly, “I will gladly bring out
everything, only make the accursed Kobold creep back into the sack!”
Then said the apprentice, “I will let mercy take the place of justice,
but beware of getting into mischief again!” So he cried:
“_Cudgel!
Into the sack!_”
and let him have rest.
Next morning, the turner went home to his father with the
Wishing-Table, and the Gold-Ass. The tailor rejoiced when he saw him
once more, and asked him likewise what he had learned in foreign parts.
“Dear Father,” said he, “I have become a turner.”
“A skilled trade,” said the father. “What have you brought back with
you from your travels?”
“A precious thing, dear Father,” replied the son, “a Cudgel in the
sack.”
“What!” cried the father, “a Cudgel! That’s worth your trouble, indeed!
From every tree you can cut one for yourself.”
“But not one like this, dear Father. If I say:
“‘_Cudgel!
Out of the sack!_’
the Cudgel springs out and leads any one, who means ill by me, a weary
dance, and never stops until he lies on the ground and prays for fair
weather. Look you, with this Cudgel have I got back the Wishing-Table
and the Gold-Ass, which the thievish innkeeper took away from my
brothers. Now let them both be sent for, and invite all our kinsmen. I
will give them to eat and to drink, and will fill their pockets with
gold into the bargain.”
The old tailor would not quite believe, but nevertheless got the
relatives together. Then the turner spread a cloth in the room, and led
in the Gold-Ass, and said to his brother, “Now, dear Brother, speak to
him.”
The miller said:
“_Bricklebrit!_”
and instantly the gold pieces fell down on the cloth like a
thunder-shower, and the Ass did not stop until every one of them had so
much that he could carry no more. (I can see in your face that you also
would have liked to be there!)
Then the turner brought the Little Table, and said, “Now, dear Brother,
speak to it.” And scarcely had the carpenter said:
“_Little Table!
Set thyself!_”
than it was spread, and covered with the most exquisite dishes. Then
such a meal took place as the good tailor had never yet known in his
house. The whole party of kinsmen stayed together till far in the
night, and were all merry and glad. The tailor locked away needle and
thread, yard-measure and goose, in a press, and lived with his three
sons in joy and splendor.
What, however, has become of the goat, who was to blame for the tailor
driving out his three sons? That I will tell you.