Hans and
Grethe
Two brothers each owned a fine farm,
and as the brothers were neighbours, they often visited each other and talked
about their housekeeping and livelihood, the one could not praise his farmhand’s
integrity highly enough, the other likewise the ingenuity of his servant girl. Now
the elder brother had a magnificent stallion in his stable, the younger a
lovely mare, both of the same colour and size. Again and again, conversation centred
on these animals, the elder brother wanted to buy the mare, the young was
interested in obtaining the stallion. They agreed that both animals ought to
have but one master, but they never got down to doing business.
On one occasion
when they once more were talking about the matter, the younger brother
exclaimed: ‘Well now! I bet you that I, without your knowledge, can obtain the
stallion, and that your honest farmhand himself will lead him to me!’
‘And I,’
the elder brother said, ‘bet my stallion against your mare that this will not
happen, for even if the farmhand were to steal him, he would tell me so!’
‘Oh, you
believe that, do you!’ the younger one said.
‘I am sure
of his honesty!’ The bet was made and the brothers parted.
The
following morning the elder brother called his servant girl to him and told her
of the wager between himself and his brother: ‘I now rely on your ingenuity!’
‘You leave
that to me!’ Grethe said and that same evening went over the the farmhand.
‘Good evening,
Hans!’
‘And to
you, little Grethe!’
‘Industrious
as ever, I see!’
‘Yes, that
is one’s duty and obligation!’
‘I have
heard tell that you stable is as neat as a new pin. That I would dearly like to
see!’ Hans felt flattered and asked her to step inside. She praised what there
was to be praised, and helped him with what he still had left to get done.
‘That
little Grethe really quite a lovely, nice-natured girl!’ Hans thought –
– The
following day, it was a Saturday, Grethe came once more.
‘Good
evening, Hans!’
‘And to
you, little Grethe!’
‘I hope
you’re not angry that I’m back again today!’
‘No, how
could you get such an idea!’
‘Have you
already finished work for the day?
‘Yes, I’ve
finished everything! I have looked sharp about it, because, you know what, I
was wondering if perhaps little Grethe might come over here!’
They sat
down and chatted. Hans soon noticed that Grethe was well able to speak for
herself and that she was an extremely sensible girl, so he asked her if she
would dance with him on Sunday afternoon.
Grethe
came and went together with Hans. They danced until late in the evening. Then
Grethe said: ‘Good heavens, how late it’s become! I ought to have been home by
now! You must saddle the stallion and ride home with me!’
Hans
didn’t need to be asked twice about this. He lifted her up onto his horse and
they rode off into the dark evening. So that she wouldn’t fall off, he held her
arm tightly around her, and as they rode, he simply had to tell her how fond he
had grown of her. She now thought that this was the right moment to tell him
what was on her mind: that her master very much wanted to have the stallion
they were riding on, and that he had promised her a large reward, and if she
got it, it would be a good dowry.
‘Will you
do that, dear Hans?’ she asked him and kissed him.
Now poor
Hans had to do as she asked, whether he wanted to or not, but how was he to
conceal this theft from his master?
‘You must
think of something!’ Grethe said. ‘Say that this evening on your way home you
got lost, and the wolves attacked you, so you had to abandon the horse. The
wolves have devoured everything except the bones. You can take him out and show
him these – I’ll make sure that there are some bloody horse bones lying in the
forest!’
That is
what took place – Hans let Grethe keep the stallion and went home on foot.
But Hans
couldn’t sleep, it tormented him terribly how he was to present his lie in the
morning, he couldn’t stay in bed, he had to get up and try out how he was to go
about lying. He went out the door of his room, then knocked on it and entered
once more, and turned towards a corner where a broom stood that was to represent
his master.
‘Good
morning, Hans!’
‘And to
you, good master!’
‘Well,
how’s the stallion doing?’
Ah,
master! The stallion –!’ and there he came to a halt, he couldn’t find anything
to say. So he went out the door again, and did the same as before.
‘Good
morning, Hans!’
‘And to
you, good master!’
‘Well,
how’s the stallion doing?’
Ah,
master! The stallion –!’ and there he came to a halt again. The lie stuck in
his throat and lay heavy on his heart.
Quite
early in the morning he entered his master’s room.
‘Good
morning, Hans!’
‘And to you,
good master!’
‘Well,
how’s the stallion doing?’
Ah, dear
master! The stallion –!’ he stopped speaking, but only for a moment, and then
said: ‘The stallion has been stolen and I myself am the thief, just let me be
hanged for it!’ He then told his master how it had all come about, that Grethe
had coaxed him, and that the stallion was with the master’s own brother.
His master was delighted with the proven
honesty of his farmhand, forgave him and even promised a reward, just as the
brother had promised his servant girl. ‘If it is still your serious intention
to marry Grethe,’ she said, ‘bring her with you into the house here and then I
will not only have an honest farmhand but an ingenious woman as well!’
That
greatly pleased Hans; honesty had won
the bet, while the other brother, who only put his trust in ingenuity, had to give
up both his servant girl and the mare – and that was as it should be.
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