Now it
came to pass that
his father said to him one day "Hearken to me, thou fellow in the
corner
there, thou art growing tall and strong, and thou too must learn
something
by which thou canst earn thy living. Look how thy brother works, but
thou
dost not even earn thy salt."
"Well,
father," he replied,
"I am quite willing to learn something---indeed, if it could but be
managed,
I should like to learn how to shudder. I don't understand that at all
yet."
The elder
brother smiled
when he heard that, and thought to himself, "Good God, what a blockhead
that brother of mine is! He will never be good for anything as long as
he lives. He who wants to be a sickle must bend himself betimes."
The father
sighed, and answered
him "thou shalt soon learn what it is to shudder, but thou wilt not
earn
thy bread by that."
Soon after
this the sexton
came to the house on a visit, and the father bewailed his trouble, and
told him how his younger son was so backward in every respect that he
knew
nothing and learnt nothing. "Just think," said he, "when I asked him
how
he was going to earn his bread, he actually wanted to learn to
shudder."
"If that be
all," replied
the sexton, "he can learn that with me. Send him to me, and I will soon
polish him." The father was glad to do it, for he thought, "It will
train
the boy a little." The sexton therefore took him into his house, and he
had to ring the bell. After a day or two, the sexton awoke him at
midnight,
and bade him arise and go up into the church tower and ring the
bell.
"Thou shalt
soon learn what
shuddering is," thought he, and secretly went there before him; and
when
the boy was at the top of the tower and turned round, and was just
going
to take hold of the bell rope, he saw a white figure standing on the
stairs
opposite the sounding hole. "Who is there?" cried he, but the figure
made
no reply, and did not move or stir. "Give an answer," cried the boy,
"or
take thy self off, thou hast no business here at night."
The sexton,
however, remained
standing motionless that the boy might think he was a ghost. The boy
cried
a second time, "What do you want here?---speak if thou art an honest
fellow,
or I will throw thee down the steps!" The sexton thought, "he can't
intend
to be as bad as his words," uttered no sound and stood as if he were
made
of stone. Then the boy called to him for the third time, and as that
was
also to no purpose, he ran against him and pushed the ghost down the
stairs,
so that it fell down ten steps and remained lying there in a corner.
Thereupon
he rang the bell, went home, and without saying a word went to bed, and
fell asleep.
The
sexton's wife waited
a long time for her husband, but he did not come back. At length she
became
uneasy, and wakened the boy, and asked, "Dost thou not know where my
husband
is? He climbed up the tower before thou didst." "No, I don't know,"
replied
the boy, "but some one was standing by the sounding hole on the other
side
of the steps, and as he would neither give an answer nor go away, I
took
him for a scoundrel, and threw him downstairs, just go there and you
will
see if it was he. I should be sorry if it were."
The woman
ran away and found
her husband, who was lying moaning in the corner, and had broken his
leg.
She carried him down, and then with loud screams she hastened to the
boy's
father.
"Your boy,"
cried she, "has
been the cause of a great misfortune! He has thrown my husband down the
steps and made him break his leg. Take the good-for-nothing fellow away
from our house." The father was terrified, and ran thither and scolded
the boy.
"What
wicked tricks are these?"
said he, "the devil must have put this into thy head." "Father," he
replied,
"do listen to me. I am quite innocent. He was standing there by night
like
one who is intending to do some evil. I did not know who it was, and I
entreated him three times either to speak or to go away."
"Ah," said
the father, "I
have nothing but unhappiness with you. Go out of my sight. I will see
thee
no more." "Yes, father, right willingly, wait only until it is day.
Then
will I go forth and learn how to shudder, and then I shall, at any
rate,
understand one art which will support me."
"Learn what
thou wilt," spake
the father, "it is all the same to me. Here are fifty thalers for thee.
Take these and go into the wide world, and tell no one from whence thou
comest, and who is thy father, for I have reason to be ashamed of
thee."
"Yes,
father, it shall be
as you will. If you desire nothing more than that, I can easily keep it
in mind." When day dawned, therefore, the boy put his fifty thalers
into
his pocket, and went forth on the great highway, and continually said
to
himself, "If I could but shudder! If I could but shudder!"
Then a man
approached who
heard this conversation which the youth was holding with himself, and
when
they had walked a little farther to where they could see the gallows,
the
man said to him, "Look, there is the tree where seven men have married
the ropemaker's daughter, and are now learning how to fly. Sit down
below
it, and wait till night comes, and you will soon learn how to
shudder."
"If that is
all that is wanted,"
answered the youth, "it is easily done; but if I learn how to shudder
as
fast as that, thou shalt have my fifty thalers. Just come back to me
early
in the morning." Then the youth went to the gallows, sat down below it,
and waited till evening came. And as he was cold, he lighted himself a
fire, but at midnight the wind blew so sharply that in spite of his
fire,
he could not get warm. And as the wind knocked the hanged men against
each
other, and they moved backwards and forwards, he thought to himself
"Thou
shiverest below by the fire, but how those up above must freeze and
suffer!"
And as he felt pity for them, he raised the ladder, and climbed up,
unbound
one of them after the other, and brought down all seven. Then he
stirred
the fire, blew it, and set them all round it to warm themselves. But
they
sat there and did not stir, and the fire caught their clothes.
So he said,
"Take care, or
I will hang you up again." The dead men, however, did not hear, but
were
quite silent, and let their rags go on burning. On this he grew angry,
and said, "If you will not take care, I cannot help you, I will not be
burnt with you," and he hung them up again each in his turn. Then he
sat
down by his fire and fell asleep, and the next morning the man came to
him and wanted to have the fifty thalers, and said, "Well, dost thou
know
how to shudder?" "No," answered he, "how was I to get to know? Those
fellows
up there did not open their mouths, and were so stupid that they let
the
few old rags which they had on their bodies get burnt."
Then the
man saw that he
would not get the fifty thalers that day, and went away saying, "One of
this kind has never come my way before." The youth likewise went his
way,
and once more began to mutter to himself, "Ah, if I could but shudder!
Ah, if I could but shudder!" A waggoner who was striding behind him
heard
that and asked, "Who are you?" "I don't know," answered the youth. Then
the waggoner asked, "From whence comest thou?" "I know not." "Who is
thy
father?" "That I may not tell thee." "What is it that thou art always
muttering
between thy teeth." "Ah," replied the youth, "I do so wish I could
shudder,
but no one can teach me how to do it."
"Give up
thy foolish chatter,"
said the waggoner. "Come, go with me, I will see about a place for
thee."
The youth went with the waggoner, and in the evening they arrived at an
inn where they wished to pass the night. Then at the entrance of the
room
the youth again said quite loudly, "If I could but shudder! If I could
but shudder!"
The host
who heard this,
laughed and said, "If that is your desire, there ought to be a good
opportunity
for you here." "Ah, be silent," said the hostess, "so many inquisitive
persons have already lost their lives, it would be a pity and a shame
if
such beautiful eyes as these should never see the daylight again." But
the youth said, "However difficult it may be, I will learn it and for
this
purpose indeed have I journeyed forth." He let the host have no rest,
until
the latter told him, that not far from thence stood a haunted castle
where
any one could very easily learn what shuddering was, if he would but
watch
in it for three nights.
The King
had promised that
he who would venture should have his daughter to wife, and she was the
most beautiful maiden the sun shone on. Great treasures likewise lay in
the castle, which were guarded by evil spirits, and these treasures
would
then be freed, and would make a poor man rich enough. Already many men
had gone into the castle, but as yet none had come out again.
Then the
youth went next
morning to the King and said if he were allowed he would watch three
nights
in the haunted castle. The King looked at him, and as the youth pleased
him, he said, "Thou mayest ask for three things to take into the castle
with thee, but they must be things without life." Then he answered,
"Then
I ask for a fire, a turning lathe, and a cutting-board with the knife."
The King had these things carried into the castle for him during the
day.
When night was drawing near, the youth went up and made himself a
bright
fire in one of the rooms, placed the cutting-board and knife beside it,
and seated himself by the turning-lathe. "Ah, if I could but shudder!"
said he, "but I shall not learn it here either." Towards midnight he
was
about to poke his fire, and as he was blowing it, something cried
suddenly
from one corner,
"Au, miau!
how cold we are!"
"You simpletons!" cried he, "what are you crying about? If you are
cold,
come and take a seat by the fire and warm yourselves." And when he had
said that, two great black cats came with one tremendous leap and sat
down
on each side of him, and looked savagely at him with their fiery eyes.
After a short time, when they had warmed themselves, they said,
"Comrade,
shall we have a game at cards?"
"Why not?"
he replied, "but
just show me your paws." Then they stretched out their claws. "Oh,"
said
he, "what long nails you have! Wait, I must first cut them for you."
Thereupon
he seized them by the throats, put them on the cutting-board and
screwed
their feet fast.
"I have
looked at your fingers,"
said he, "and my fancy for card-playing has gone," and he struck them
dead
and threw them out into the water. But when he had made away with these
two, and was about to sit down again by his fire, out from every hole
and
corner came black cats and black dogs with red-hot chains, and more and
more of them came until he could no longer stir, and they yelled
horribly,
and got on his fire, pulled it to pieces, and tried to put it out. He
watched
them for a while quietly, but at last when they were going too far, he
seized his cutting-knife, and cried, "Away with ye, vermin," and began
to cut them down. Part of them ran away, the others he killed, and
threw
out into the fish-pond. When he came back he fanned the embers of his
fire
again and warmed himself. And as he thus sat, his eyes would keep open
no longer, and he felt a desire to sleep.
Then he
looked round and
saw a great bed in the corner. "That is the very thing for me," said
he,
and got into it. When he was just going to shut his eyes, however, the
bed began to move of its own accord, and went over the whole of the
castle.
"That's right," said he, "but go faster." Then the bed rolled on as if
six horses were harnessed to it, up and down, over thresholds and
steps,
but suddenly hop, hop, it turned over upside down, and lay on him like
a mountain. But he threw quilts and pillows up in the air, got out and
said, "Now any one who likes, may drive," and lay down by his fire, and
slept till it was day. In the morning the King came, and when he saw
him
lying there on the ground, he thought the evil spirits had killed him
and
he was dead. Then said he, "After all it is a pity,---he is a handsome
man." The youth heard it, got up, and said, "It has not come to that
yet."
Then the
King was astonished,
but very glad, and asked how he had fared. "Very well indeed," answered
he; "one night is past, the two others will get over likewise." Then he
went to the innkeeper, who opened his eyes very wide, and said, "I
never
expected to see thee alive again! Hast thou learnt how to shudder
yet?"
"No," said
he, "it is all
in vain. If some one would but tell me." The second night he again went
up into the old castle, sat down by the fire, and once more began his
old
song, "If I could but shudder." When midnight came, an uproar and noise
of tumbling about was heard; at first it was low, but it grew louder
and
louder. Then it was quiet for awhile, and at length with a loud scream,
half a man came down the chimney and fell before him.
"Hollo!"
cried he, "another
half belongs to this. This is too little!" Then the uproar began again,
there was a roaring and howling, and the other half fell down likewise.
"Wait," said he, "I will just blow up the fire a little for thee." When
he had done that and looked round again, the two pieces were joined
together,
and a frightful man was sitting in his place.
"That is no
part of our bargain,"
said the youth, "the bench is mine." The man wanted to push him away;
the
youth, however, would not allow that, but thrust him off with all his
strength,
and seated himself again in his own place. Then still more men fell
down,
one after the other; they brought nine dead men's legs and two skulls,
and set them up and played at nine-pins with them. The youth also
wanted
to play and said "Hark you, can I join you?" "Yes, if thou hast any
money."
"Money enough," replied he, "but your balls are not quite round." Then
he took the skulls and put them in the lathe and turned them till they
were round. "There, now, they will roll better!" said he. "Hurrah! Now
it goes merrily!" He played with them and lost some of his money, but
when
it struck twelve, everything vanished from his sight. He lay down and
quietly
fell asleep.
Next
morning the King came
to inquire after him. "How has it fared with you this time?" asked he.
"I have been playing at nine-pins," he answered, "and have lost a
couple
of farthings." "Hast thou not shuddered then?" "Eh, what?" said he, "I
have made merry. If I did but know what it was to shudder!"
The third
night he sat down
again on his bench and said quite sadly, "If I could but shudder." When
it grew late, six tall men came in and brought a coffin. Then said he,
"Ha, ha, that is certainly my little cousin, who died only a few days
ago,"
and he beckoned with his finger, and cried "Come, little cousin, come."
They placed the coffin on the ground, but he went to it and took the
lid
off, and a dead man lay therein. He felt his face, but it was cold as
ice.
"Stop,"
said he, "I will
warm thee a little," and went to the fire and warmed his hand and laid
it on the dead man's face, but he remained cold. Then he took him out,
and sat down by the fire and laid him on his breast and rubbed his arms
that the blood might circulate again. As this also did no good, he
thought
to himself
"When two
people lie in bed
together, they warm each other," and carried him to the bed, covered
him
over and lay down by him. After a short time the dead man became warm
too,
and began to move. Then said the youth, "See, little cousin, have I not
warmed thee?" The dead man, however, got up and cried, "Now will I
strangle
thee." "What!" said he, "is that the way thou thankest me? Thou shalt
at
once go into thy coffin again," and he took him up, threw him into it,
and shut the lid. Then came the six men and carried him away again. "I
cannot manage to shudder," said he. "I shall never learn it here as
long
as I live." Then a man entered who was taller than all others, and
looked
terrible. He was old, however, and had a long white beard. "Thou
wretch,"
cried he, "thou shalt soon learn what it is to shudder, for thou shalt
die."
"Not so
fast," replied the
youth. "If I am to die, I shall have to have a say in it." "I will soon
seize thee," said the fiend. "Softly, softly, do not talk so big. I am
as strong as thou art, and perhaps even stronger." "We shall see," said
the old man. "If thou art stronger, I will let thee go---come, we will
try." Then he led him by dark passages to a smith's forge, took an axe,
and with one blow struck an anvil into the ground. "I can do better
than
that," said the youth, and went to the other anvil. The old man placed
himself near and wanted to look on, and his white beard hung down. Then
the youth seized the axe, split the anvil with one blow, and struck the
old man's beard in with it.
"Now I have
thee," said the
youth. "Now it is thou who will have to die." Then he seized an iron
bar
and beat the old man till he moaned and entreated him to stop, and he
would
give him great riches. The youth drew out the axe and let him go. The
old
man led him back into the castle, and in a cellar showed him three
chests
full of gold.
"Of these,"
said he, "one
part is for the poor, the other for the king, the third is thine." In
the
meantime it struck twelve, and the spirit disappeared; the youth,
therefore,
was left in darkness. "I shall still be able to find my way out," said
he, and felt about, found the way into the room, and slept there by his
fire.
Next
morning the King came
and said "Now thou must have learnt what shuddering is?" "No," he
answered;
"what can it be? My dead cousin was here, and a bearded man came and
showed
me a great deal of money down below, but no one told me what it was to
shudder."
"Then,"
said the King, "thou
hast delivered the castle, and shalt marry my daughter." "That is all
very
well," said he, "but still I do not know what it is to shudder." Then
the
gold was brought up and the wedding celebrated; but howsoever much the
young king loved his wife, and however happy he was, he still said
always
"If I could but shudder---if I could but shudder." And at last she was
angry at this. Her waiting-maid said, "I will find a cure for him; he
shall
soon learn what it is to shudder."
She went
out to the stream
which flowed through the garden, and had a whole bucketful of gudgeons
brought to her. At night when the young king was sleeping, his wife was
to draw the clothes off him and empty the bucketful of cold water with
the gudgeons in it over him, so that the little fishes would sprawl
about
him.
When this
was done, he woke
up and cried "Oh, what makes me shudder so?---what makes me shudder so,
dear wife? Ah! now I know what it is to shudder!"
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