Two Grimm Tales
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The Sparrow and His Four Children
(Der Sperling und seine vier Kinder)
A sparrow had four young ones in a swallow's nest. When they were fledged, some
naughty boys pulled out the nest, but fortunately all the birds got safely away in the high
wind. Then the old bird was grieved that as his sons had all gone out into the world, he had
not first warned them of every kind of danger, and given them good instruction how to deal
with each. In the autumn a great many sparrows assembled together in a wheatfield, and there
the old bird met his four children again, and full of joy took them home with him."Ah, my dear sons, what pain I have been in about you all through the summer, because you got away in the wind without my teaching; listen to my words, obey your father, and be well on your guard. Little birds have to encounter great dangers!" And then he asked the eldest where he had spent the summer, and how he had supported himself? "I stayed in the gardens, and looked for caterpillars and small worms, till the cherries got ripe."
"Ah, my son," said the father, "tit-bits are not bad, but there is great risk about them; on that account take great care of yourself henceforth, and particularly when people are going about the gardens who carry long green poles which are hollow inside and have a little hole at the top."
"Yes, father, but what if a little green leaf is stuck over the hole with wax?" said the son.
"Where have you seen that?"
"In a merchant's garden," said the youngster.
"Oh, my son, merchant folks are quick folks," said the father. "If you have been among the children of the world, you have learned worldly shiftiness enough, only see that you use it well, and do not be too confident."
After this he asked the next, "Where have you passed your time?"
"At court," said the son.
"Sparrows and silly little birds are of no use in that place — there one finds much gold, velvet, silk, armour, harnesses, sparrow-hawks, screech-owls and hen-harriers; keep to the horses' stable where they winnow oats, or thresh, and then fortune may give you your daily grain of corn in peace."
"Yes, father," said the son, "but when the stable-boys make traps and fix their gins and snares in the straw, many a one is caught fast."
Where have you seen that?" said the old bird.
"At court, among the stable-boys."
"Oh, my son, court boys are bad boys! If you have been to court and among the lords, and have left no feathers there, you have learnt a fair amount, and will know very well how to go about the world, but look around you and above you, for the wolves devour the wisest dogs."
The father examined the third also: "Where did you seek your safety?"
"I have broken up tubs and ropes on the cart-roads and highways, and sometimes met with a grain of corn or barley."
"That is indeed dainty fare," said the father, "but take care what you are about and look carefully around, especially when you seest any one stooping and about to pick up a stone, there is not much time to stay then."
"That is true," said the son, "but what if any one should carry a bit of rock, or ore, ready beforehand in his breast or pocket?"
"Where have you seen that?"
"Among the mountaineers, dear father; when they go out, they generally take little bits of ore with them."
"Mountain folks are working folks, and clever folks. If you have been among mountain lads, you have seen and learnt something, but when you go there beware, for many a sparrow has been brought to a bad end by a mountain boy."
At length the father came to the youngest son: "You, my dear chirping nestling, were always the silliest and weakest; stay with me, the world has many rough, wicked birds which have crooked beaks and long claws, and lie in wait for poor little birds and swallow them. Keep with those of your own kind, and pick up little spiders and caterpillars from the trees, or the house, and then you will live long in peace."
"My dear father, he who feeds himself without injury to other people fares well, and no sparrow-hawk, eagle, or kite will hurt him if he specially commits himself and his lawful food, evening and morning, faithfully to God, who is the Creator and Preserver of all forest and village birds, who likewise heareth the cry and prayer of the young ravens, for no sparrow or wren ever falls to the ground except by his will."
"Where have you learnt this?" The son answered, "When the great blast of wind tore me away from you I came to a church, and there during the summer I have picked up the flies and spiders from the windows, and heard this discourse preached. The Father of all sparrows fed me all the summer through, and kept me from all mischance and from ferocious birds."
"In sooth, my dear son, if you take refuge in the churches and helpest to clear away spiders and buzzing flies, and cry to God like the young ravens, and commend yourself to the eternal Creator, all will be well with you, and that even if the whole world were full of wild malicious birds."
"He who to God commits his ways,
In silence suffers, waits, and prays,
Preserves his faith and conscience pure,
He is of God's protection sure."
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Godfather Death
(Der
Gevatter Tod)
A poor man had twelve children and was forced to work night and day to give them
even bread. When therefore the thirteenth came into the world, he knew not what to do in his
trouble, but ran out into the great highway, and resolved to ask the first person whom he
met to be godfather. The first to meet him was the good God who already knew what filled his
heart, and said to him, "Poor man, I pity you. I will hold your child at its christening,
and will take charge of it and make it happy on earth."The man said, "Who are you?"
"I am God."
"Then I do not desire to have you for a godfather," said the man; "you givest to the rich, and leavest the poor to hunger."
Thus spoke the man, for he did not know how wisely God apportions riches and poverty. He turned therefore away from the Lord, and went farther. Then the Devil came to him and said, "What seekest you? If you will take me as a godfather for your child, I will give him gold in plenty and all the joys of the world as well."
The man asked, "Who are you?"
"I am the Devil."
"Then I do not desire to have you for godfather," said the man; "you deceivest men and leadest them astray."
He went onwards, and then came Death striding up to him with withered legs, and said, "Take me as godfather." The man asked, "Who are you?"
"I am Death, and I make all equal."
Then said the man, "You are the right one, you takest the rich as well as the poor, without distinction; you shall be godfather."
Death answered, "I will make your child rich and famous, for he who has me for a friend can lack nothing."
The man said, "Next Sunday is the christening; be there at the right time."
Death appeared as he had promised, and stood godfather quite in the usual way.
When the boy had grown up, his godfather one day appeared and bade him go with him. He led him forth into a forest, and showed him a herb which grew there, and said, "Now shall you receive your godfather's present. I make you a celebrated physician. When you are called to a patient, I will always appear to you. If I stand by the head of the sick man, you may say with confidence that you will make him well again, and if you givest him of this herb he will recover; but if I stand by the patient's feet, he is mine, and you must say that all remedies are in vain, and that no physician in the world could save him. But beware of using the herb against my will, or it might fare ill with you."
It was not long before the youth was the most famous physician in the whole world.
"He had only to look at the patient and he knew his condition at once, and if he would recover, or must needs die."
So they said of him, and from far and wide people came to him, sent for him when they had any one ill, and gave him so much money that he soon became a rich man. Now it so befell that the king became ill, and the physician was summoned, and was to say if recovery were possible. But when he came to the bed, Death was standing by the feet of the sick man, and the herb did not grow which could save him.
"If I could but cheat Death for once," thought the physician, "he is sure to take it ill if I do, but, as I am his godson, he will shut one eye; I will risk it."
He therefore took up the sick man, and laid him the other way, so that now Death was standing by his head. Then he gave the king some of the herb, and he recovered and grew healthy again. But Death came to the physician, looking very black and angry, threatened him with his finger, and said, "You have overreached me; this time I will pardon it, as you are my godson; but if you venturest it again, it will cost you your neck, for I will take you yourself away with me."
Soon afterwards the king's daughter fell into a severe illness. She was his only child, and he wept day and night, so that he began to lose the sight of his eyes, and he caused it to be made known that whoever rescued her from death should be her husband and inherit the crown. When the physician came to the sick girl's bed, he saw Death by her feet. He ought to have remembered the warning given by his godfather, but he was so infatuated by the great beauty of the king's daughter, and the happiness of becoming her husband, that he flung all thought to the winds. He did not see that Death was casting angry glances on him, that he was raising his hand in the air, and threatening him with his withered fist. He raised up the sick girl, and placed her head where her feet had lain. Then he gave her some of the herb, and instantly her cheeks flushed red, and life stirred afresh in her.
When Death saw that for a second time he was defrauded of his own property, he walked up to the physician with long strides, and said, "All is over with you, and now the lot falls on you," and seized him so firmly with his ice-cold hand, that he could not resist, and led him into a cave below the earth. There he saw how thousands and thousands of candles were burning in countless rows, some large, others half-sized, others small. Every instant some were extinguished, and others again burnt up, so that the flames seemed to leap here and there in perpetual change.
"See," said Death, "these are the lights of men's lives. The large ones belong to children, the half-sized ones to married people in their prime, the little ones belong to old people; but children and young folks likewise have often only a tiny candle."
"Show me the light of my life," said the physician, and he thought that it would be still very tall. Death pointed to a little end which was just threatening to go out, and said, "Behold, it is there."
"Ah, dear godfather," said the horrified physician, "light a new one for me, do it for love of me, that I may enjoy my life, be King, and the husband of the king's beautiful daughter."
"I cannot," answered Death, "one must go out before a new one is lighted."
"Then place the old one on a new one, that will go on burning at once when the old one has come to an end," pleaded the physician. Death behaved as if he were going to fulfill his wish, and took hold of a tall new candle; but as he desired to revenge himself, he purposely made a mistake in fixing it, and the little piece fell down and was extinguished. At once the physician fell on the ground, and now he himself was in the hands of Death.
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