"Well," thought the soldier, "it's all right that he has marched off,
for he is an odd fellow."
Brother Merry had now plenty of money, but he did not know how to use
it, so he spent it and gave it away, till in the course of a little
time he found himself once more penniless. At last he came into a
country where he heard that the king's daughter was dead.
"Ah!" thought he, "that may turn out well. I'll bring her to life
again."
Then he went to the king and offered his services. Now the king had
heard that there was an old soldier who went about restoring the dead
to life, and he thought that Brother Merry must be just the man.
However, he had not much confidence in him, so he first consulted his
council, and they agreed that as the princess was certainly dead, the
old soldier might be allowed to see what he could do. Brother Merry
commanded them to bring him a caldron of water, and when every one had
left the room he separated the limbs, threw them into the caldron, and
made a fire under it, exactly as he had seen the saint do. When the
water boiled and the flesh fell from the bones, he took them and
placed them upon the table, but as he did not know how to arrange them
he piled them one upon another. Then he stood before them, and said--
"Thou dead, arise!" and he cried so three times, but all to no
purpose.
"Stand up, you vixen! stand up, or it shall be the worse for you," he
cried.
Scarcely had he repeated these words ere the saint came in at the
window, in the likeness of an old soldier, just as before, and said--
"You impious fellow! How can the dead stand up when you have thrown
the bones thus one upon another?"
"Ah! Brother Heart," answered Merry, "I have done it as well as I
can."
"I will help you out of your trouble this time," said the saint; "but
I tell you this, if you ever again undertake a job of this kind, you
will repent it, and for this you shall neither ask for nor take the
least thing from the king."
Having placed the bones in their proper order, the saint said three
times--
"Thou dead, arise!" and the princess stood up, sound and beautiful as
before. Then the saint immediately disappeared again out of the
window, and Brother Merry was glad that all had turned out so well.
One thing, however, grieved him sorely, and that was that he might
take nothing from the king.
"I should like to know," thought he, "what Brother Heart had to
grumble about. What he gives with one hand he takes with the other.
There is no wit in that."
The king asked Brother Merry what he would have, but the soldier durst
not take anything. However, he managed by hints and cunning that the
king should fill his knapsack with money, and with that he journeyed
on. When he came out of the palace door, however, he found the saint
standing there, who said--
"See what a man you are. Have I not forbidden you to take anything,
and yet you have your knapsack filled with gold?"
"How can I help it," answered the soldier, "if they would thrust it
in?"
"I tell you this," said the saint, "mind that you don't undertake such
a business a second time. If you do, it will fare badly with you."
"Ah! brother," answered the soldier, "never fear. Now I have money,
why should I trouble myself with washing bones?"
"That will not last a long time," said the saint; "but, in order that
you may never tread in a forbidden path, I will bestow upon your
knapsack this power, that whatsoever you wish in it shall be there.
Farewell! you will never see me again."
"Adieu," said Brother Merry, and thought he, "I am glad you are gone.
You are a wonderful fellow. I am willing enough not to follow you."
He forgot all about the wonderful property bestowed upon his knapsack,
and very soon he had spent and squandered his gold as before. When he
had but fourpence left, he came to a public-house, and thought that
the money must go. So he called for three pennyworth of wine and a
pennyworth of bread. As he ate and drank, the flavour of roasting
geese tickled his nose, and, peeping and prying about, he saw that the
landlord had placed two geese in the oven. Then it occurred to him
what his companion had told him about his knapsack, so he determined
to put it to the test. Going out, he stood before the door, and said--
"I wish that the two geese which are baking in the oven were in my
knapsack."
When he had said this, he peeped in, and, sure enough, there they
were.
"Ah! ah!" said he, "that is all right. I am a made man."
He went on a little way, took out the geese, and commenced to eat
them. As he was thus enjoying himself, there came by two labouring
men, who looked with hungry eyes at the one goose which was yet
untouched. Brother Merry noticed it, and thought that one goose would
be enough for him. So he called the men, gave them the goose, and bade
them drink his health. The men thanked him, and going to the
public-house, called for wine and bread, took out their present, and
commenced to eat. When the hostess saw what they were dining on, she
said to her goodman--
"Those two men are eating a goose. You had better see if it is not one
of ours out of the oven."
The host opened the door, and lo! the oven was empty.
"O you pack of thieves!" he shouted. "This is the way you eat geese,
is it? Pay for them directly, or I will wash you both with green hazel
juice."