STRÖBECK AND DISGRACE
The family were wandering through the Harz (Härts) Mountains. Mitz and
Fritz had never before seen so many trees nor heard such lovely bird
songs. Mrs. Toymaker told them about the famous canary birds raised in
the Harz Mountains.
"They are considered the finest singers in the world," she said.
The children loved to pass through tiny villages and see the quaint
costumes of the peasants. In large cities the people do not wear
costumes. But in mountain hamlets they often wear the dress of their
ancestors.
Mitzi was much interested in costumes just now. For Mitzi was making
one. She had decided to dress her brother as the Pied Piper. She was
collecting every bit of red and yellow goods she could find. She was
sewing, sewing, sewing as they drove along. Some of her red scraps were
pink, it must be admitted. Some of her yellow scraps were white. But
this did not bother Mitzi.
[Illustration: A BAVARIAN MOUNTAIN VILLAGE]
She was making a Pied Piper cloak for Fritz. She picked up bits of cloth
along the way and washed them carefully. She begged and obtained all
the rags her mother had. At the tiny windows of their wagon hung yellow
curtains. Mitzi longed to use them for her precious cloak.
But when she asked for them, Mrs. Toymaker said, "If you will not tell
me what you are doing, surely I cannot let you have them."
But Mitzi would not tell. It was to be a secret between Fritz and
herself. When they reached the next large town, Fritz was to put on the
cloak. He was to play his violin dressed as the Pied Piper. Mitzi
planned to bring Mr. Toymaker to the scene of the concert. She hoped to
show him at last that Fritz's music could please people and make them
throw money.
Mr. Toymaker was silent and sad. He wondered what would happen to them
all if his business did not improve. A gypsy life was not very pleasant,
after all. A cosy home was better for a German family.
[Illustration: CHILDREN CARRY CHESSBOARDS TO SCHOOL]
In September there was to be an important fair in the city of Leipzig
(L[=i]p´s[)i]k). Mr. Toymaker determined to be there. But until then
they would be obliged to wander.
One day they approached the town of Ströbeck.
"Ah," said Mr. Toymaker, "we are in time for the great chess festival.
People who are interested in chess come to this festival from far and
near. Let us stop."
[Illustration: CHILDREN PLAYING CHESS]
Mitzi, who was busily sewing, looked up.
"What is chess?" she asked. "Is it like cheese? Is it good to eat?"
Mrs. Toymaker laughed, "No, no, little hungry one! It is a game played
on a board like checkers. This town is the only one in the world where
children learn chess in school."
"In school?" asked Fritz.
"Yes," said Mrs. Toymaker. "During certain months each child goes
to school with his chessboard. Children learn the old game just as you
learn arithmetic."
"I think I would like that better than arithmetic," said Fritz.
"But it is a difficult game," said Mrs. Toymaker.
They made their camp near the peaceful town of Ströbeck. They noticed
some peasant girls tending geese in a field.
"See, Mother," said Mitzi. "They play chess while they watch the geese."
"During the World War," said Mrs. Toymaker, "the Ströbeck money was
printed with colored chessboards and chessmen upon it."
Later, the family made their way to the public square. The children
enjoyed the parade of strangely dressed people. There were kings,
queens, bishops and knights marching along. They represented the
chessmen with which the game is played. The whole town was in a very
gay mood.
Mr. Toymaker sold enough toys to cheer him somewhat. After supper they
sat outside their wagon, and Mrs. Toymaker told them all she knew about
this strange place.
"Chess is an ancient game," she said. "Ströbeck has been playing it for
many years. Children begin to learn it when they are still babies. There
once lived a boy of seven who became a champion. He even beat the
village schoolmaster."
Fritz liked to hear these stories. He listened eagerly. But Mitz had
only one thought these days. That thought was the costume for Fritz.
[Illustration: MITZ LOOKED CROOKED]
She had her eye upon the yellow curtains of the wagon. How fine they
would be for her purpose! The family traveled further, and all the time
Mitzi sewed. Slowly the costume grew, but too slowly for Mitzi.
One day when Mrs. Toymaker returned from the market place, she thought
surely her eyes were playing her tricks. The windows of their wagon
looked crooked. Then out came Mitzi. And what had happened to Mitzi? She
looked crooked, too!
"Mitz, what have you done to the curtains?" asked Mrs. Toymaker.
Before Mitzi could reply, Mrs. Toymaker understood why Mitzi looked
crooked. Her little red skirt was hanging in a strange, uneven way. Mrs.
Toymaker inspected the curtains.
"Mitzi!" she said sternly. "You have cut pieces off the top of the
curtains and tried to sew them together again."
Mitzi said nothing, but her face was flushed.
[Illustration: "YOU NAUGHTY LITTLE GIRL"]
"Oh, Mitz!" continued Mrs. Toymaker. "You have cut pieces off your red
skirt and tried to sew it together, too. Now it is hanging all wrong.
You naughty little girl!"
Fritz was out gathering wood for the fire. Mitzi had worked alone and
quickly.
"I do not know what you are up to, Mitzi," said her mother. "But you
must be punished for this."
So for three days Mitzi was made to stay in the wagon alone. She could
not go with the family to market. She had to eat her meals alone. She
had to eat black bread and drink water like a prisoner. This was very
hard for sausage-loving Mitz. She was in disgrace.
However, she bore her punishment like a man. She knew that she had done
wrong. She helped her mother to arrange the curtains and to fix her
skirt. She said nothing. But all the time she knew that soon the
brightly colored little cloak would be finished.