by Jacob Grimm
The maid put everything together on the plate and placed it back in the cupboard. After her lover departed, she calmly went to bed. In the morning, when the surgeons got up, they told the maid to fetch the plate with the hand, heart, and eyes. She brought it to them from the cupboard, and the first surgeon took the thief’s hand and rubbed salve on it. Immediately the hand grew back on him. The second took the cat’s eyes and put them into his sockets. The third put the pig’s heart back into place. As the innkeeper stood and watched all this, he marveled at their skill and said that he had never seen anything like it before. Indeed, he was going to praise and recommend them to everyone he met. Then they paid the bill and continued on their journey.
As they walked along, the surgeon with the pig’s heart kept leaving the other two to sniff around in corners the way pigs do. The others tried to hold him back by his coattails, but that didn’t help. He broke loose and ran to all those spots that were most infested with garbage. The second surgeon also began acting in a strange way. He kept rubbing his eyes and said to the third one, “My friend, what’s going on? These aren’t my eyes. I can’t see a thing. Please lead me; otherwise, I’ll fall.”
So they proceeded with difficulty till evening, when they came to another inn. They entered the main room, where a rich man was sitting at a table and counting his money. The surgeon with the thief’s hand walked around him, and his hand began twitching. Finally, when the gentleman turned his head, the surgeon reached into the pile and took a handful of money. One of his companions saw him do this and said, “Friend, what are you doing? You know it’s not proper to steal. Shame on you!”
“Oh, no!” he exclaimed. “I can’t stop myself. My hand keeps twitching, and I’ve got to grab things whether I like it or not.”
Afterward they went to bed, and their room was so dark that it was impossible to see one’s hand before one’s face. Suddenly the surgeon with the cat’s eyes woke up, then roused the others, and said, “Brothers, look! Do you see the little white mice running around?”
The other two sat up in their beds, but they couldn’t see a thing. So he said, “Something’s wrong with us. We didn’t get our own organs back. The innkeeper cheated us, and we’ve got to return.”
The next morning the three surgeons made their way back to the inn and told the innkeeper that they weren’t given their right organs. One had got a thief’s hand; the second, cat’s eyes; and the third, a pig’s heart. The innkeeper said that it must have been the maid’s fault and went to call her. However, she had seen the three surgeons coming and had run out the back door and never returned. The three surgeons told the innkeeper then that he had better give them lots of money; otherwise, they would burn his house down. So he gave them what he had on hand and whatever else he could raise, and the three departed. The money lasted them the rest of their lives, but they would have preferred to have had their own organs restored to them.
33
THE LAZY ONE AND THE INDUSTRIOUS ONE
Once upon a time there were two journeymen who traveled together, and they swore they would always stick together. However, when they reached a large city, one of them began living loosely and forgot his promise. He left the other, went off by himself, and wandered here and there. Most of all he loved to be at the places where he could find the most excitement. The other journeyman remained committed to his job in the city, worked industriously, and then continued his travels.
One night he passed by the gallows without realizing it, but he saw a man lying asleep on the ground. He was shabby and destitute, and since the stars were so bright, the journeyman recognized him as his former companion. So he laid himself down next to him, covered him with his coat, and fell asleep. However, he was soon wakened by two voices. They were ravens sitting on top of the gallows.
One said, “God provides!”
The other, “Act according to the situation!”
After those words were spoken, one of the ravens fell exhausted to the ground. The other went and sat next to him until it was day. Then he fetched some worms and water, revived him with that, and woke him from the dead.
When the two journeymen saw all this, they were astounded and asked the one raven why the other was so miserable and sick. Then the sick raven said, “It was because I didn’t want to do anything, for I believe that all my food will be provided for by heaven.”
The two journeymen took the ravens with them to the next village. One of the birds was cheerful and searched for his food. He bathed himself every morning and cleansed himself with his beak. However, the other stayed around the house, was bad-tempered, and always looked shaggy. After a while the landlord’s daughter, who was a beautiful maiden, became very fond of the industrious raven. She picked him up from the floor and petted him with her hand, and then one day she pressed him to her face and gave him a kiss out of sheer delight. The bird fell to the ground, rolled over, fluttered, and turned into a handsome man. Then he revealed that the other raven was his brother and that they had both insulted their father, who had put a curse on them by saying, “Fly around as ravens until a beautiful maiden kisses you of her own free will.”
So one of the brothers was released from the spell, but nobody wanted to kiss the one who was idle, and he died as a raven.
The journeyman who had been living loosely took a lesson from this, and he became industrious and proper and took good care of his companion.
34
THE THREE JOURNEYMEN
There were once three journeymen who had agreed to stay together during their travels and to always work in the same city. Yet, after a while their masters couldn’t pay them, and eventually they had nothing to live on and were reduced to rags.
“What shall we do?” one of them said. “We can’t stay here any longer. Let’s set out on our travels again. Then, if we don’t find any work in the next city we come to, we’ll part ways. But, before we do that, let’s arrange with the innkeeper that we write to him about our whereabouts so that each of us can get news of the others through him. Then we can separate.”
His companions thought that this was the best solution. While they were still conversing with one another, a richly clad gentleman came upon them and asked them who they were.
“We’re journeymen and are looking for work. We’ve been together until now, but since we can’t find any work, we’re going to part ways.”
“There’s no need for that,” said the man. “If you’ll do what I tell you, you’ll have more than enough money and work. In fact, you’ll become respected gentlemen and will be able to drive around in carriages.”
“Just as long as we won’t be endangering our souls and salvation, we’ll do whatever you want,” said one of them.
“No,” responded the man. “I won’t make any claims on your souls.”
However, one of the other journeymen had been looking at the man’s feet, and when he caught sight of a horse’s hoof and a human foot, he didn’t want to have anything to do with him.
But the devil said, “You have nothing to fear. I’m not interested in your souls but in someone else’s, and he’s already half mine and his time is about to run out.”
Since they now felt safe, they agreed to the devil’s proposal, and he told them what he wanted them to do. The first journeyman was to answer every question with “All three of us.” The second, with “For money.” The third, with “That’s all right.” These answers were to be given one after the other, but the men were not allowed to say anything else. If they didn’t follow the devil’s instructions, then all their money would disappear immediately, but as long as they followed them, their pockets would always be full.
At the outset the devil gave them as much money as they could carry and told them to stop at such and such an inn in the next city. When they got there, the innkeeper went over to them and asked, “What do you want to eat?”
The first one answered, “All three of us.”
“Yes,” said the innkeeper. “That’s what I a
ssume.”
“For money,” said the second.
“Obviously,” said the innkeeper.
“And that’s all right,” said the third.
“Of course it’s all right,” said the innkeeper.
They received something good to eat and drink, and the service was good. After the meal they had to pay, and the innkeeper brought the bill to one of them.
“All three of us,” said the first.
“For money,” said the second.
“And that’s all right,” said the third.
“Of course it’s all right,” said the innkeeper. “All three of you must pay. I can’t serve anyone without money.”
Then they paid him but gave him much more money than he had charged. The other guests at the inn observed this and said, “Those fellows must be crazy.”
“That’s exactly what they are,” said the innkeeper. “They’re not particularly smart in the head.”
The journeymen stayed at the inn for some time, and they said nothing but “All three of us,” “For money,” and “That’s all right.” However, they watched and knew everything that happened there.
One day a great merchant happened to enter the inn. He was carrying a lot of money with him and said, “Innkeeper, I want you to keep my money for me. Those three crazy journeymen are here, and they might steal it from me.”
The innkeeper took the money bag, and as he carried it up to the room, he felt it was heavy with gold. So he gave the three journeymen a room downstairs, while the merchant was to have a special room upstairs. At midnight, when the innkeeper thought they were all sleeping, he and his wife took an axe and went and beat the merchant to death. After the murder they went back to bed. The next morning there was a great commotion: the merchant lay dead in bed, swimming in blood. All the guests gathered together quickly, and the innkeeper said, “The three crazy journeymen did this.”
The guests confirmed this and said, “It couldn’t have been anyone else.”
The innkeeper summoned the journeymen and said to them, “Did you kill the merchant?”
“All three of us,” said the first one.
“For money,” said the second.
“And that’s all right,” said the third.
“You’ve all heard it now,” said the innkeeper. “They themselves have confessed.”
The journeymen were taken to the prison and were to be put on trial. When they saw that things were getting serious, they became afraid, but the devil came that night and said, “Just hold out one more day and don’t throw away your good luck. Not a hair on your heads will be touched.”
The next morning they were brought before the court, and the judge asked, “Are you the murderers?”
“All three of us.”
“Why did you kill him?”
“For money.”
“You villains!” said the judge. “Didn’t you dread committing such a sin?”
“That’s all right.”
“They’ve confessed and are still unrepentant as well,” said the judge. “Execute them right away.”
So they were conducted outside, and the innkeeper was obliged to join the group of witnesses. The executioner’s assistants took hold of the journeymen and led them up onto the scaffold, where the executioner was waiting for them with a bare sword. Just then a coach drawn by four blood-red foxes appeared, and it was moving so rapidly that sparks flew from the pavement. Someone was waving a white cloth from the window, and the executioner said, “Pardon is coming.”
“Pardon! Pardon!” was also the cry from the coach. Then the devil, dressed in splendid fashion as a distinguished gentleman, stepped out of the coach and said, “You three are innocent, and you may now tell us what you saw and heard.”
Then the oldest said, “We didn’t kill the merchant. The murderer is standing among us,” and he pointed to the innkeeper. “If you want proof, go into his cellar, where you’ll find other bodies hanging. He’s killed those people as well.”
So the judge sent the executioner’s assistants to the cellar, and they found everything exactly as the journeyman had said. When they reported this to the judge, he ordered the executioner to cut off the innkeeper’s head on the scaffold. Then the devil said to the three journeymen, “Now I have the soul that I wanted. You’re all free and shall have money for the rest of your lives.”
35
THE HEAVENLY WEDDING
Once there was a peasant boy who heard a priest talking in church. “Whoever desires to enter the kingdom of heaven must always walk a straight path.”
So the boy set upon his way and went straight along, always straight ahead without turning, over hill and valley. Finally, his way led into a large city and then into the middle of a church, where a holy service was being performed. When he saw all the magnificent pomp, he thought that he had now reached heaven. So he sat down and rejoiced with all his heart. When the holy service was over, and the sexton told him to leave, he answered, “No, I’m never going to leave. I’m happy now that I’ve finally made it to heaven.”
The sexton then went to the priest and told him that there was a boy who didn’t want to leave the church because he thought he was in heaven.
“If this is what he believes,” the priest said, “then let him stay.”
Later he went to the boy and asked him if he would like to do some work.
“Yes,” the little fellow answered. He was used to working, but he never wanted to leave heaven again. So he remained in the church, and when he observed how the people went up the image of the Virgin Mary with the blessed child Jesus carved in wood and how they knelt down and prayed, he thought, “That’s our dear Lord,” and he said, “Listen, dear Lord, you’re much too thin! The people are certainly letting you starve. I’ll bring you half my food every day.”
From then on he brought the image of mother and child half of his food every day, and the image began to enjoy the meals. After a few weeks the people noticed that the mother and child in the image had put on weight and that they had become fat and strong, and they were quite surprised. The priest couldn’t understand it either. So he remained in the church and followed the little boy and saw how he shared his meal with the Virgin Mary and how she also accepted it.
After some time the boy became sick and couldn’t leave his bed for a week. But when he could get out of bed again, the first thing he did was to bring his food to the Blessed Virgin. The priest followed him and heard him say, “Dear God, please don’t think wrong of me for not having brought you anything for such a long time, but I was sick and couldn’t get up.”
Then the image answered him by saying, “I’ve seen your good intentions, and that’s enough for me. Next Sunday I want you to come with me to the wedding.”
The boy was glad about this and told the priest, who asked him to go to the image and inquire whether the priest could also come along.
“No,” replied the image. “You alone.”
The priest wanted to prepare the boy first by giving him holy communion. The boy was happy to do this, and on the next Sunday, when he partook of the holy communion, he fell down dead, and thus he went to the eternal wedding.
36
THE LONG NOSE
Once there were three old discharged soldiers who were so old that they could no longer eat even milk pudding. The king sent them away and didn’t give them a pension. Consequently, they had nothing to live on and had to go begging. One day they began walking through a large forest and were unable to reach the end. When night arrived, two of them lay down to sleep, and the third kept watch so that the wild animals wouldn’t tear them to pieces. After the two soldiers had fallen asleep and while the third was standing guard, a little dwarf in a red outfit appeared and cried out, “Who’s there?”
“Good friends,” said the soldier.
“What kind of good friends?”
“Three old discharged soldiers who have nothing to live on.”
The dwarf then called him over, saying that
he wanted to give him something. If the soldier took care of it, the dwarf explained, he would have enough to live on for the rest of his life. So the soldier went over to him, and the dwarf gave him an old cloak that would grant every wish made by the person wearing it. But the soldier was not to tell his comrades about it until daylight. When day finally came and they woke up, he told them what had happened. They continued to walk deeper into the forest until the second night. When they lay down to sleep, the second soldier had to keep watch and stood guard over the others. Then the red dwarf came and cried out, “Who’s there?”
“Good friends.”
“What kind of good friends?”
“Three old discharged soldiers.”
Then the dwarf gave him an old little pouch that would always remain full of money no matter how much he took from it. However, he was not to tell his comrades about it until daylight. Once again they continued their walk through the forest for a third day, and that night the third soldier had to keep watch. The red dwarf came to him too and cried out, “Who’s there?”
“Good friends.”
“What kind of good friends?”
“Three old discharged soldiers.”
The red dwarf gave him a horn, and whenever anyone blew it, all the soldiers from all over would gather together. The next morning, when each one now had a gift, the first soldier put on the cloak and wished that they were out of the forest. Immediately they were outside. They then went into an inn and ordered food and drink, the best that the innkeeper could provide. When they had finished, the soldier with the little pouch paid everything and was very generous to the innkeeper.
Soon they became tired from traveling, and the soldier with the pouch said to the one with the cloak, “I’d like you to wish for a castle for us. We’ve got money enough. Now we can live like kings.”
So the soldier with the cloak wished for a castle, and quick as a wink it was standing there with everything that went with a castle. After they had lived there for some time, he wished for a coach with three white horses. They wanted to travel from one kingdom to the next and pass themselves off as three princes. So they drove off with a great retinue of servants, who looked quite regal, and went to a king who had only one daughter. When they arrived, they had themselves announced. Immediately, they were asked to dinner and to spend the night there. They had a merry old time, and after they had eaten and drunk, they began to play cards, which was the princess’s favorite game. She played with the soldier who had the pouch, and she saw that no matter how much she won, his pouch never became empty, and she realized that it must be some sort of a magical thing. So she said to him then that since he had become so warm from playing, he should have something to drink. She gave him a glass but put a sleeping potion into the wine. No sooner had he drunk the wine than he fell asleep, and she took his pouch. Then she went into her chamber and sewed another pouch that looked just like the old one. Finally, she stuck some money inside it and put it back in place of the old one.