"Good day, Father Hollenthe. How do you do?" "Very well, I thank you,
Pif-paf Poltrie." "May I marry your daughter?" "Oh, yes! if the mother
Malcho (_Milk-Cow_), the brother Hohenstolz (_High and Mighty_), the
sister Kâsetraut (_Cheese-maker_), and the fair Catherine are willing,
it may be so."
"Where is, then, the mother Malcho?"
"In the stable, milking the cow."
"Good day, mother Malcho. How do you do?" "Very well, I thank you,
Pif-paf Poltrie." "May I marry your daughter?" "Oh, yes! if the father
Hollenthe, the brother Hohenstolz, the sister Kâsetraut, and the fair
Catherine are willing, it may be so."
"Where is, then, the brother Hohenstolz?"
"In the yard, chopping up the wood."
"Good day, brother Hohenstolz. How are you?" "Very well, I thank you,
Pif-paf Poltrie." "May I marry your sister?" "Oh, yes! if the father
Hollenthe, the mother Malcho, the sister Kâsetraut, and the fair
Catherine are willing, it may be so.
"Where is, then, the sister Kâsetraut?"
"In the garden, cutting the cabbages."
"Good day, sister Kâsetraut. How do you do?" "Very well, I thank you,
Pif-paf Poltrie." "May I marry your sister?" "Oh, yes! if the father
Hollenthe, the mother Malcho, the brother Hohenstolz, and the fair
Catherine are willing, it may be so."
"Where is, then, the fair Catherine?"
"In her chamber, counting out her pennies."
"Good day, fair Catherine. How do you do?" "Very well, I thank you,
Pif-paf Poltrie." "Will you be my bride?" "Oh, yes! if the father
Hollenthe, the mother Malcho, the brother Hohenstolz, and the sister
Kâsetraut are willing, so am I."
"How much money have you, fair Catherine?"
"Fourteen pennies in bare money, two and a half farthings owing to me,
half a pound of dried apples, a handful of prunes, and a handful of
roots; and don't you call that a capital dowry? Pif-paf Poltrie, what
trade are you? Are you a tailor?"
"Better than that."
"A shoemaker?"
"Better still!"
"A plowman?"
"Better still!"
"A joiner?"
"Better still!"
"A smith?"
"Better still!"
"A miller?"
"Better still!"
"Perhaps a broom-binder?"
"Yes, so I am; now, is not that a pretty trade?"
* * * * *