Ulenspiegel was weaned, and began to grow like a young poplar. And
soon Claes gave up caressing him, but loved him in a roughish manner,
fearing to make a milksop of him. And when Ulenspiegel came home
complaining that he had got the worst of it in some boyish affray,
Claes would give him a beating because, forsooth, he had not beaten
the others. And with such an education Ulenspiegel grew up as valiant
as a young lion.
When Claes was from home, Ulenspiegel would ask his mother to give him
a liard with which he might go out and amuse himself. Soetkin would
grow angry, and ask why he wanted to go out for amusement--he would
do better to stay at home and tie up faggots. And when he saw that
she was not going to give him anything, the boy would start yelling
like an eagle, while Soetkin made a great clatter with the pots and
pans that she was washing in the wooden tub, pretending that she did
not hear his noise. Then Ulenspiegel would fall to weeping, and the
gentle mother would stop her pretence at harshness, and would come
and kiss him.
"Will a denier be enough for you?" she would say.
Now it should be noted that a denier is equal to six liards.
Thus did his mother dote on Ulenspiegel even to excess; and when
Claes was not there, he was king in the house.