"I will go and find her," said Fritz.
Mrs. Toymaker decided to go along with Fritz.
"WAKE UP, YOU SILLY"]
Meanwhile, Mitzi was inside the cave. There she sat with many wide-eyedchildren. She wanted to go home. But the Piper was playing and makingher happy. She felt all snuggly and contented.
Suddenly she thought of Fritz. Oh, she must go! She and Fritz had muchto do. She could not stay here any longer. In the morning they weregoing to leave Hamelin. If she did not return to the wagon, they wouldgo on without her.
ONLY FRITZ, FRANK, AND MOTHER]
"Let me out! Let me out!" cried Mitzi. "I must go to Fritz. Let me out!"
The Piper tried to hold her. She struggled. She kicked. She screamed.
"Stop! Stop! You are hurting me," said the Piper.
"I mean to hurt you!" she cried. "I want to go. I want Fritz."
"Then wake up, you silly," said the Piper. "For I am Fritz!"
She stopped kicking and looked. Yes, the Piper had the face of Fritz. Hewas Fritz! She rubbed her eyes. How could Fritz be a Pied Piper? Wheredid he get the cloak? She rubbed her eyes again. This time, when shelooked, the Piper was not there any more, but only Fritz and her mother,laughing at her.
"Come home, you little sleepyhead," said Mrs. Toymaker, putting her armabout her little daughter.
On the way home Mitzi could not speak. And when Mitzi could not speak,there was something quite wrong or strange or exciting. This time it wassomething exciting. For her dream had given her a wonderful idea.
CHAPTER X
STROeBECK AND DISGRACE
The family were wandering through the Harz (Haerts) Mountains. Mitz andFritz had never before seen so many trees nor heard such lovely birdsongs. Mrs. Toymaker told them about the famous canary birds raised inthe Harz Mountains.
"They are considered the finest singers in the world," she said.
The children loved to pass through tiny villages and see the quaintcostumes of the peasants. In large cities the people do not wearcostumes. But in mountain hamlets they often wear the dress of theirancestors.
Mitzi was much interested in costumes just now. For Mitzi was makingone. She had decided to dress her brother as the Pied Piper. She wascollecting every bit of red and yellow goods she could find. She wassewing, sewing, sewing as they drove along. Some of her red scraps werepink, it must be admitted. Some of her yellow scraps were white. Butthis did not bother Mitzi.
A BAVARIAN MOUNTAIN VILLAGE]
She was making a Pied Piper cloak for Fritz. She picked up bits of clothalong the way and washed them carefully. She begged and obtained allthe rags her mother had. At the tiny windows of their wagon hung yellowcurtains. Mitzi longed to use them for her precious cloak.
But when she asked for them, Mrs. Toymaker said, "If you will not tellme what you are doing, surely I cannot let you have them."
But Mitzi would not tell. It was to be a secret between Fritz andherself. When they reached the next large town, Fritz was to put on thecloak. He was to play his violin dressed as the Pied Piper. Mitziplanned to bring Mr. Toymaker to the scene of the concert. She hoped toshow him at last that Fritz's music could please people and make themthrow money.
Mr. Toymaker was silent and sad. He wondered what would happen to themall if his business did not improve. A gypsy life was not very pleasant,after all. A cosy home was better for a German family.
CHILDREN CARRY CHESSBOARDS TO SCHOOL]
In September there was to be an important fair in the city of Leipzig(L[=i]p's[)i]k). Mr. Toymaker determined to be there. But until thenthey would be obliged to wander.
One day they approached the town of Stroebeck.
"Ah," said Mr. Toymaker, "we are in time for the great chess festival.People who are interested in chess come to this festival from far andnear. Let us stop."
CHILDREN PLAYING CHESS]
Mitzi, who was busily sewing, looked up.
"What is chess?" she asked. "Is it like cheese? Is it good to eat?"
Mrs. Toymaker laughed, "No, no, little hungry one! It is a game playedon a board like checkers. This town is the only one in the world wherechildren learn chess in school."
"In school?" asked Fritz.
"Yes," said Mrs. Toymaker. "During certain months each child goesto school with his chessboard. Children learn the old game just as youlearn arithmetic."
"I think I would like that better than arithmetic," said Fritz.
"But it is a difficult game," said Mrs. Toymaker.
They made their camp near the peaceful town of Stroebeck. They noticedsome peasant girls tending geese in a field.
"See, Mother," said Mitzi. "They play chess while they watch the geese."
"During the World War," said Mrs. Toymaker, "the Stroebeck money wasprinted with colored chessboards and chessmen upon it."
Later, the family made their way to the public square. The childrenenjoyed the parade of strangely dressed people. There were kings,queens, bishops and knights marching along. They represented thechessmen with which the game is played. The whole town was in a verygay mood.
Mr. Toymaker sold enough toys to cheer him somewhat. After supper theysat outside their wagon, and Mrs. Toymaker told them all she knew aboutthis strange place.
"Chess is an ancient game," she said. "Stroebeck has been playing it formany years. Children begin to learn it when they are still babies. Thereonce lived a boy of seven who became a champion. He even beat thevillage schoolmaster."
Fritz liked to hear these stories. He listened eagerly. But Mitz hadonly one thought these days. That thought was the costume for Fritz.
MITZ LOOKED CROOKED]
She had her eye upon the yellow curtains of the wagon. How fine theywould be for her purpose! The family traveled further, and all the timeMitzi sewed. Slowly the costume grew, but too slowly for Mitzi.
One day when Mrs. Toymaker returned from the market place, she thoughtsurely her eyes were playing her tricks. The windows of their wagonlooked crooked. Then out came Mitzi. And what had happened to Mitzi? Shelooked crooked, too!
"Mitz, what have you done to the curtains?" asked Mrs. Toymaker.
Before Mitzi could reply, Mrs. Toymaker understood why Mitzi lookedcrooked. Her little red skirt was hanging in a strange, uneven way. Mrs.Toymaker inspected the curtains.
"Mitzi!" she said sternly. "You have cut pieces off the top of thecurtains and tried to sew them together again."
Mitzi said nothing, but her face was flushed.
"YOU NAUGHTY LITTLE GIRL"]
"Oh, Mitz!" continued Mrs. Toymaker. "You have cut pieces off your redskirt and tried to sew it together, too. Now it is hanging all wrong.You naughty little girl!"
Fritz was out gathering wood for the fire. Mitzi had worked alone andquickly.
"I do not know what you are up to, Mitzi," said her mother. "But youmust be punished for this."
So for three days Mitzi was made to stay in the wagon alone. She couldnot go with the family to market. She had to eat her meals alone. Shehad to eat black bread and drink water like a prisoner. This was veryhard for sausage-loving Mitz. She was in disgrace.
However, she bore her punishment like a man. She knew that she had donewrong. She helped her mother to arrange the curtains and to fix herskirt. She said nothing. But all the time she knew that soon thebrightly colored little cloak would be finished.
CHAPTER XI
EISENACH AND BACH
"Our great chance will come in Leipzig," said Mitzi.
She was sitting on the steps of their wagon, sewing. Fritz sat besideher. He held an open book in his hands.
The Toymakers had made their camp outside of Eisenach ([=I]'z[)e]n-aek).Mr. and Mrs. Toymaker had gone to town, leaving Mitz and Fritz with thewagon. Mitzi wanted to finish that costume before they arrived inLeipzig. Fritz was reading about Johann Sebastian Bach (Baek), who wasborn in Eisenach.
"Bach came from a family of musicians," read Fritz. "The name 'Bach'means 'brook.' Beethoven
once said, 'He is not a brook but anocean!'"
EISENACH]
"Come," interrupted Mitzi. "Try on the cloak. I am afraid I have made ittoo large."
"LET ME TRY IT ON"]
"No," said Fritz, as he tried it on. "It fits me perfectly. How prettyit is, and how clever is my Mitz!"
Mitzi waggled her head proudly.
She said, "Many people will be in Leipzig for the fair. When you giveyour concert, I'll fetch Father and bring him to where you are playing.Oh, how surprised and pleased he'll be!"
Fritz smiled. Then he went on reading from his book while Mitzi sewed.
"'When Bach was a boy,'" read Fritz, "'his father died and he lived withhis brother Christoph. One day Christoph brought home a book full ofbeautiful music. The little boy longed to play it. But Christoph wasjealous of Sebastian's talent. He refused to let him have the music bookand locked it up.
"'Poor Sebastian wanted very much to play that music. So every night hegot up and stole downstairs into the music room. He pulled the book outfrom between the bars of the bookcase. He sat in the light of the moonand copied the notes.
"'At last, after many weeks, he had copied the whole volume. He went tosleep with his work under his pillow. He was very happy. But next day aterrible thing occurred. While Sebastian was playing the music on theharpsichord, his brother Christoph came in. When Christoph saw what theboy had done, he took away Sebastian's precious copy book.'"
THE HOME OF BACH IN EISENACH]
"And what happened then?" asked Mitzi.
She was interested in this poor little fellow who had longed somuch for music. She was very angry with the brother.
Fritz read on: "'Sebastian fell ill. He was so unhappy that he could noteat. Then, one day he discovered that he could play the beautiful musicwithout notes. It was all written in his heart!'"
"Ah," said Mitzi. "That is good!"
"'But just as he was playing it,'" continued Fritz, "'in came hisbrother Christoph again--'"
"The goose!" sniffed Mitzi.
"'Christoph stood in the doorway listening,'" read Fritz. "'At first hewas ready to stop the playing. But at last it dawned upon him that hislittle brother was truly a great artist.'"
"So he stopped being jealous?" asked Mitzi.
"Yes," said Fritz. He closed the book and sighed, adding, "It must havebeen terrible for Sebastian when his brother took away the music heloved."
Mitzi sighed, too. Then she jumped up quickly, frightening Fritz so thathe fell off the steps.
"But now I am hungry," said Mitzi. "Let us go and get some cheese!"
CHAPTER XII
A CASTLE AND THE POET CITY
As the Toymaker family drove away from Eisenach, they passed below theWartburg (Vaert'b[)oo]rk) Castle. Mrs. Toymaker asked her husband tostop. She wanted the children to see this historic place. The castlestands high on a crag.
As they walked toward it, Mrs. Toymaker said, "It was here that MartinLuther translated the Bible from Latin into German so the German peoplecould read it. There is a tale of how the Devil appeared before Luther,who threw an inkwell at the Devil's head. The spot where that inkwellhit the wall is still to be seen in the castle."
"Please tell us another story about the castle," said Fritz.
WARTBURG CASTLE]
"St. Elizabeth was Countess of Wartburg," said Mrs. Toymaker. "She had aheartless husband, who did not want her to be kind to the poor and sick.Upon one occasion he met her going out of the castle carrying a basket.
"'Where are you going? And what have you in that basket?' he asked.
"Now, Elizabeth had loaves of bread in the basket. She was taking themto a poor old woman. But she was afraid of her husband's wrath.
"So she answered, 'I have only roses in the basket.'
"The Count, her husband, looked into the basket to be sure. And, behold,the Countess had spoken truthfully. The loaves of bread had been turnedinto roses!"
Had Mrs. Toymaker and the children gone into the castle, they would haveseen pictures of this story drawn upon the walls. But they did not goinside. They went back to their wagon and proceeded on their way.
"I hope that my friend, Mr. Krauss, will be in Leipzig," said Mr.Toymaker. "Mr. Krauss is a bookseller. He will surely help me. He mayeven start a toy shop for me in Leipzig. I hope I shall find Mr.Krauss!"
STATUE OF GOETHE IN LEIPZIG]
However, before they reached Leipzig, they stopped in Weimar(V[=i]'maer), the "poet city," Weimar is where Goethe (Gu't[~e]),Germany's greatest poet, once lived. School children were taught tosalute the poet Goethe, when they passed him on the street. Todaychildren are still taken to Weimar by their teachers and told aboutGoethe's life.
Long ago, a little boy was brought to Weimar to visit at the old poet'shome. This little boy was about the same age as Fritz and also lovedmusic. Felix Mendelssohn (M[)e]n'd[)e]l-s[=o]n) was his name. Goethe metyoung Mendelssohn in the garden and led him into the house and to thepiano.
He said, "Now, make a little noise for me."
Felix played so beautifully that Goethe said, "You have given me greatpleasure. What would you like me to do for you?"
Felix answered, "I should like you to kiss me."
STATUE OF MENDELSSOHN IN LEIPZIG]
Mitz and Fritz had heard many stories about Felix Mendelssohn. He wastheir mother's favorite composer. She had told them how this wonderfulboy had written music when he was only a baby. She had told them aboutthe way Felix used to lead a big orchestra. He had been so small thathe had had to stand upon a chair.
But Mrs. Toymaker did not know that her own little boy had a gift, too.Sometimes she wondered, of course. Still she agreed with Mr. Toymakerthat very few people are born with genius. Only naughty little Mitz wassure because she loved Fritz so much. She loved him and made up her mindthat everyone in the world was going to find out about his beautifulmusic.
As they left Weimar, Mitzi squeezed her brother's hand.
"We are on our way to Leipzig now," she said.
She thought of the costume safely tucked away and ready for Fritz to puton.
Mr. Toymaker was driving the horse, and Mrs. Toymaker sat beside him.
"We are on our way to Leipzig now," said Mr. Toymaker.
He thought of the famous fair to which they were going. He thought ofhis friend, Mr. Krauss, who would help him. But never once did he thinkof a concert that was to be given for him.
A CHURCH IN LEIPZIG]
CHAPTER XIII
THE LEIPZIG FAIR
One of the great fairs of the year was now going on in Leipzig. TheToymakers drove by the railway station, the largest in Europe. Manypeople were hurrying in and out. They passed the church where JohannSebastian Bach used to sing.
All manner of peddlers swarmed the streets. The children opened theireyes wide at sight of one man entirely covered by clocks. He was a clockpeddler from the Black Forest. Traders from all over the country were inLeipzig with their wares. Buyers from every place were at the fair tobuy.
"See, children," said Mrs. Toymaker. "There is a statue of Mendelssohn,the little boy who used to lead an orchestra. When he grew up, he ledhis orchestra in that building."
Leipzig is a city of books. Everyone seems to be reading. They read evenas they stroll along the streets.
Mr. Toymaker immediately set out to find his friend, Mr. Krauss, thebookseller. But he could not find his friend.
The first day at the market place was very dismal. Nobody paid anyattention to Mr. Toymaker's wares. There were too many beautiful toys tobe seen.
"It is the same here as it was in Nuremberg," said Mrs. Toymaker.
Her sweet face was sad. "Oh, what are we to do?" the poor lady wasthinking.
But Mitzi knew what to do. Tomorrow she and Fritz intended to slip awayfrom their booth in the market place. Today their father needed themthere to help.
LEIPZIG]
Mr. Toymaker had displayed his prettiesttoys: brightly colored soldiers, flaxen-haired dolls, an
d animals withbig, staring-eyes. Yet even children did not stop. At a shop across thesquare were dolls that talked and walked, engines that sped alongtracks, airplanes that flew, and doll houses with electric lights inthem and elevators and running water. Is it any wonder that Mr. Toymaker'scarved toys did not attract people?
"Run back to the wagon and make some coffee," said Mrs. Toymaker to Mitzand Fritz. "Father and I will stay here a little longer. When we gethome we shall have supper."
"But there is nothing to eat in the wagon," said Mitzi.
Mrs. Toymaker looked at her husband. Mr. Toymaker turned to Mitzi.
"Obey your mother," he said. "Go home and make coffee. When we come, weshall bring food with us."
Mitz and Fritz and Frank went slowly back to the wagon.
"I do not understand how Father can bring food," said Mitzi. "There iscertainly no money with which to buy it."
"Tomorrow there will be money," smiled Fritz.
"Yes," agreed Mitzi. "Because of your concert. And Father must be thereto see." Suddenly she cried, "Oh, careful, you donkey! You are splashingin mud puddles. You are getting your feet all wet!"
LEIPZIG]
But Fritz did not care. He was dreaming. He liked mud puddles because hewas a boy. He liked dreams because he was an artist.
When they reached their wagon home, Mitzi put the coffee on the stove.Soon Mr. and Mrs. Toymaker arrived. Their arms were full of bundles.
Mitz and Fritz of Germany Page 4