_To accomplish great deeds one must have knowledge as well as
courage._
There were once six Swabians who went traveling in search of
adventures. They thought themselves very valiant and knew they were
going to create a great stir in the world. They carried a long pole
to protect themselves with, which they all grasped, with Schultz,
the boldest, in front. As they passed along the road a hornet flew
out from behind a bush and hummed in a most warlike manner. Buzz!
Buzz! Buzz!
Schultz let go of the pole and trembled with terror. “Listen!”
cried he. “I hear a trumpet somewhere.” Hans also let go and cried:
“I smell fire and brimstone!” Then the hornet stung Jacky on the
end of his nose, and he ran across the fields crying: “Fire!
Murder!” until he ran all the way home.
The others took up the pole and marched along. A cat ran out from a
hedge and frightened Hans so he jumped over the hedge and lit on a
rake. The rake flew up and hit him on the head. He cried out: “The
enemy has attacked us! Run! run!” Then he ran home.
The others lifted the pole and went on as before. As they turned
the road an old woodpecker began to drum on a tree. “Tap! Tap!
Tap!” “What is that?” cried Schultz. “Surely some one is loading a
gun.” They all stopped and listened. The old woodpecker went “Tap!
tap! tap!” Then Schultz dropped his hold on the pole and said:
“They are getting ready to fire! I must get out of this.” And so he
took to his heels.
Then the others took up the pole and started down the road. Before
long they heard an old owl away off in the woods cry “Whoo! Whoo!”
They stopped and Michael dropped his end of the pole. His hair
stood up on end. “Do you hear that?” he cried. “They are saying
‘Whom shall we eat first?’ I tell you they are giants!” Then he ran
home so fast that he fell over the doorstep.
The others took up the pole and went along looking for adventures.
Soon they came to a tall tree where they decided to rest. They
set down the pole and began to talk about how brave they were.
Just then a big acorn fell on Marli’s head. “Mercy on me! they are
shooting at me from the top of that tree. I must hurry home!” And
before the others could stop him he began to run home so fast that
he fell headlong through the window.
There was nobody left now but Jorgli. So he took the pole and
began to fish. By and by he caught a frog and took him home. “Ah
ha,” he cried, “I am the only one who has had an adventure. See
this monster! It took me an hour to overcome him!” The others were
much ashamed that Jorgli was the only one who had conquered a real
enemy.