• Hondiddledo and His Fiddle
• The Haughty Woman
• The Tailor and the Hunter

Hondiddledo and His Fiddle

Once there was a peasant who had three sons, of whom one was more stupid than the others. The first was called Diddledye, the second Diddledob, and the most stupid of the three Hondiddledo. Now, the peasant had in his garden a fine apple-tree, and one day he noticed that a lot of the apples had been stolen. He resolved to look out for the thief, and bade Diddledye keep a night-watch by the tree. This at first he did; but as sleep pressed more and more on his eyes, he lay down on the grass and began to snore. Suddenly he heard a noise, looked round, and saw a little white man who was just disappearing in the brook hard by. To his surprise he noticed that again a lot of apples was missing. Sadly he went home and told his father.

"You seven-sleeper!" said his father and was angry with him.

Then the next night he bade Diddledob watch the apple-tree; but Diddledob also fell asleep by the tree, and, like his brother, he too saw the little white man. He rubbed his eyes and thought he had not seen rightly; but when he turned to the apple-tree and found it almost stripped, he went sorrowfully to his father and told him.

"Come, now," said the father, "you haven't opened an eye the whole night; if you had been awake you would have caught the thief. You disappoint me."

"Listen, father, I will catch the hunchback," cried Hondiddledo, whose greatest delight was his fiddle; " I will go and wait till the thief comes."

So out went Hondiddledo, took his seat on the apple-tree and began to play softly on the fiddle. All at once he saw a little white man dancing about under the tree. "That's the very daddymon," thought Hondiddledo to himself; " wait, if you're the thief, till I get down."

He left off fiddling and was going to get down out of the tree, when he saw, to his horror, that the little man was getting bigger and bigger. But Hondiddledo soon recovered from his fright, gaily took up his fiddle and began again to play. And as he fiddled the white man became smaller and smaller, and began to dance in the fullness of his joy.

By and by Hondiddledo was tired, he left off playing, and put his fiddle on one side. At once the little man became bigger again, till he nearly overtopped the tree. "Look here," he said to Hondiddledo, "if you like you can earn a heap of money with your fiddle."

"All right," said Hondiddledo, "I'm ready."

"Come, then, with me," said the man.

"I wish I might," said the boy, "but I have to watch for the apple-thief."

"Never mind," replied the other, "you won't lose any of your apples, and you shall get back the stolen ones."

"That will do," thought Hondiddledo, and down he came, took his fiddle, and was going to follow the man. But it was no go, for scarcely had Hondiddledo left the tree than all the apples vanished. He stood quite astounded beside the tree, and was vexed that, in spite of his watchfulness, the apples had been taken away.

Day broke, the cock had already crowed for the first time, and Hondiddledo did not know what to do, for the white man was gone, and he dared not go home, for he knew he should have to suffer for it when his father found that all the apples were stolen.

"I don't know," he says to himself; "my fiddle is worth something; I'll go into the wide world and try my luck, and if I meet the apple-thief there, he shall smart for it."

No sooner said than done. Hondiddledo set out, his fiddle under his arm, and went on for a long time till he came into a big, big forest. It was night-time, and Hondiddledo, who did not know the ins and outs of the forest, was lost. As he went on he remembered that he had his fiddle with him. Quickly he took it out and began to play. Then he noticed a tiny light afar off, which came nearer and nearer, and all at once a golden pony stood before him. "You're just come handy, thought Hondiddledo to himself, and jumping on the pony's back he galloped away.

Before a small hut in the middle of the forest the pony stopped, Hondiddledo got down, and went with his fiddle into the hut. There to his astonishment he found a number of little men who were merrily dancing in a circle, while others were playing and others were eating and drinking and enjoying themselves at a great table. The little men seemed to have waited for him, for scarcely had he entered than they were all quiet. The little men made him sit down and take part in their pleasures. Hondiddledo was very hungry, so he sat down before a full plate and fell to. Meanwhile some of the little men had seized his fiddle, and as they were pleased with it they wanted to make an exchange with Hondiddledo, and promised him another fiddle, all of gold.

Hondiddledo agreed, took the gold fiddle, and began to play. At once the little men began to dance and leap merrily. And this went on for a long time, till Hondiddledo was weary of it, and he said he must go forward and try to catch the apple-thief. But they would not let him go, and they promised him a lot more apples that he might carry home by and by. Hondiddledo agreed, and fiddled on a while longer.

When he had done, the little men gave him a sack full of apples, hams, and pastry to take with him. Before the hut he found the white pony again. Hondiddledo jumped on his back, and the pony never stopped till he got to the apple-tree. Hondiddledo jumped down, the pony vanished, and the boy went quickly into the house with his sack and his fiddle to his brothers. They looked at him quite astonished, for they did not know him again. It was only when Hondiddledo had told them the whole story that they recognised him. He told them he had all the apples in the sack and a golden fiddle into the bargain, and they should see it next morning.

Next day Hondiddledo got up very early and was going to take his fiddle, which he had hung the day before on the wall, but was no little astonished to find instead of it a horse-shoe hanging on the nail.

When the father and the brothers came the sack was opened, and to the horror of all there fell out - not apples, much less hams and tarts, but only toads and lizards came out of the sack.

Hondiddledo now perceived that he had not only been tricked out of his apples, but also out of his fiddle, in a shameful manner. From grief at this loss he soon died, for he did not care to live without his fiddle.

Aus der hs. Sammlung von Oberlehrer Anton Dolleschall, St. Blasen, Murau, Steiermark. Erzähler: Othmar Steinbrugger, Schüler, 1836/37. Zentralarchiv der deutschen Volkserzählung, Marburg ZA 185383. Aus: Leander Petzoldt, Märchen aus Österreich, München 1991, S. 17 - 21.
    - Translator: T. Kinnes.

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The Haughty Woman

The wife of Christoph Weitmoser was a beautiful, proud woman. She liked to bedeck her body with all sorts of jewels, and was hard against the poor.

Once she rode in the glory and glitter of her wealth and pride through the gorge the leads up toward the Gastein mountain. She looked like a princess. Close to the road sat a poor woman who begged for alms. The rich wife of Christoph Weitmoser on her horse looked at the poor woman with contempt and cried, "Away, you cheeky beggar!"

"Ah," sighed the beggar: "No one who struts like you today, knows if she has to beg next morning. Today me, tomorrow you!"

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the proud woman as she pulled her precious ring from her finger, "a Weitmoser woman beg! Just as little as this ring is found again, your wretched curse will work!" And with these words she threw the ring into the dark, coursing river Ache beneath the road.

It was not long, however, before a big trout that was caught in the Ache, was to be served at a banquet that Christoph Weitmoser gave. When they cut up the fish, they found the precious ring of his mistress lying in its belly.

From then on the happiness and prosperity of the rich clan came to an end. The tunnels and shafts they owned, collapsed, and ores were no longer found there, or they were drowned by waters. Veins were lost, and the rich kin became poor and died out. Only in countless legends and some charitable foundations the memory of the Weitmoser family still lives on. Even their castles fell into disrepair.

The Weitmoserhof with its tower in Gastein stands deserted. Only a few columns can still be seen, and the old tower.

The underground passage that once led from the castle to Hundsdorf, is buried, and the castle itself is nothing more than picturesque ruins of the area.

"Thus passes the glory of the world": Sic transit gloria mundi. (Latin)

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The Tailor and the Hunter

A tailor who was weary of his occupation, wandered off into the world. After walking a whole day he came into a dark forest. There he heard someone singing. He went closer and saw a hunter sitting by a tree and singing to himself a little song.

The tailor asked the hunter why he sat here idle in the forest instead of attending to his business.

"I am tired of it," said the hunter; "it would be better for me if I could go in search of adventures."

Rejoiced at these words, the tailor invited the hunter to keep him company. The hunter agreed and the two roamed through the forest. But night surprised them before they could get out of the forest, and therefore they had to pass the night where they were.

Both got into a high tree and slept till the break of day. Then they woke up and went on again with new strength. After a long march through the forest, talking with one another, they were suddenly disturbed by loud laughter. Looking up, they saw a few steps before them a little man who beckoned to them with his finger to follow.

They did so, and soon stood before a very strong castle. The little man knocked with a little rod at the great iron gate, and it opened. The little man pointed to a door in the court and vanished. The tailor thought that the little man meant by this to point out that they were to go through that door. So he took the hunter by the hand and led him through the door. It opened into a kitchen with a small hearth on the left and on the right another door. Through this they went into a roomy apartment that contained two beds, a table, and two chairs. All this seemed as if made ready for them. The hunter was bold and spirited, but the tailor was not. He was more prudent than brae, and thought the best plan would be for only one to go to bed by night, and for the other to keep watch. He felt there was something uncanny in this castle ever since the little man had vanished.

The first night the tailor kept watch. He placed a stool by the hearth in the kitchen and warmed himself, for it was late in autumn and cold. The hunter had meanwhile laid himself down in one of the beds that were in the room and was sleeping soundly, when the hour of midnight approached. Then softly the door opened and a dwarf clad in green came in. He went to the hearth, held his hands over the fire and looked at the tailor with a sorrowful glance. When the tailor saw this, he put a piece of wood on the fire, thinking in this way he had done something that could please the little man. And in fact the dwarf was rejoiced, for he clapped the tailor on the shoulder and then left with a cheerful look.

Soon after the hunter woke up, for it was daybreak. As he sat up in bed to call the tailor from his watch, he saw on the table a number of dishes. Highly delighted, he jumped out of bed and fetched the tailor. In wonder they fell to; and the food was delicious, for they were hungry. After the meal they entertained one another for some time with their journey and the adventures that were still in store for them.

As night came on, the hunter prepared to take his turn at watching.

Full of fears the tailor went to bed while the hunter fearlessly went into the kitchen and made up a capital fire on the hearth. This night again came the little man and was going to warm himself, but there was no good-natured tailor this time. The hunter, a rough, thoughtless fellow, was not a bit pleased that so little a sprig should dare to warm himself at his fire. So he took a stick of wood and struck the poor little man's fingers smartly with it. Enraged at this rudeness and hard-heartedness, the little man departed, saying, "you shall regret it!" in a threatening tone.

The tailor had said nothing to the hunter about what had happened the night before, for he wished to wait for the watch-night of the hunter to see whether he too would get such a visit. When the hunter told him of the matter, the tailor told his own story and reproached the hunter for having been so rough and rude.

When evening came, he went to watch with still greater fear than the first time. At the regular hour the little man again appeared and warmed himself. The tailor wished to make up for the ill behaviour of the hunter, so he put several pieces of wood on instead of one. The little man was evidently rejoiced at this, took a ring from his finger and put it on the finger of the tailor, saying, "Would you have any wish fulfilled, you have only to turn the ring on your finger and I will be at once at your service." Then the dwarf bowed and vanished.

In the morning the tailor told the hunter again what had occurred, except that he kept silent about the ring. The hunter only laughed at him and said, "You are a soft fellow; wait a bit and I'll tackle the little one."

The tailor warned him against it; for he had the firm conviction that they were in a dwarfs castle and thought that if they behaved rudely, they would fare ill in the future. So he tried to stir up the hunter to a hasty flight. That was possible, for the tailor had the magical ring. But the hunter wanted to give the poor dwarf a beating once more, in case he should venture into the kitchen again.

The hunter went to his watch; the tailor lay restlessly in bed and could not sleep, for he thought of the flogging they would soon get. At the regular hour the little man came as before and was about to warm himself. The hunter did as he had resolved and struck with all his might on the back of the little one. But now the dwarf was not so patient and quiet as before; he raised a loud cry. At this the kitchen at once swarmed with dwarfs who all fell on the hunter and gave him a long and sound thrashing, till at last he rushed through the door into the open air. The tailor had leapt out of bed and happily reached the open air without a blow.

The two ran a long stretch before they could trust themselves to stand still to take breath. Now for the first time the hunter felt the pain of the wounds inflicted on him by the dwarfs. But he could not help laughing at the tailor, for the latter stood before him stripped to his shirt and stockings; for in his haste he had forgotten to put on his clothes and had run away straight from his bed. But now it occurred to him that he had the magical ring. Turning it, in an instant two dwarfs stood before him, and they had brought with them his garments. The tailor took them and put them on. Meanwhile the two dwarfs disappeared.

The hunter was almost beside himself with astonishment and thought the tailor had made a secret treaty with the dwarfs. From this time he became more and more distrustful towards the tailor and sought to get rid of him.

They had gone another long stretch, when they came to a tree and sat down to rest from their toils and troubles. They were tormented by hunger and a well-spread table would not have been out of place there. The tailor, always thinking of his ring, turned it and at once a great gulf yawned before them in the earth. Out of this cleft came first four dwarfs with a table, which they placed before the two wanderers, then came seven dwarfs with dishes and after these seven, five more, bearing plates, vessels and chairs; and there was no want of wine. As the whole dwarf company had come, so did they vanish again.

This time the hunter was not astonished, so greatly was he tormented by hunger. Instead of wondering, he fell on the dishes and ate all that he could lay hands on. When they were both satisfied, the table with all its dishes and vessels disappeared.

And now for the first time it occurred to the hunter that the dishes and all the vessels had been brought by the dwarfs. He also called to mind the two dwarfs who had brought the tailor his clothes and he now believed even more firmly that the tailor was in league with the dwarfs, and his distrust continued to increase. But the good-humoured tailor noticed nothing of all this. It was remarkable that after he received the magic ring all fear had passed away from him and now his courage surpassed that of the hunter.

At last they came out of the forest and found a highroad which led them on and on till they came to a city. As they entered, they observed signs of sadness on the faces of the people. When they asked why, they were told the following story:

Once there ruled in the city a very hard-hearted king. His daughter was about to be married, and he gave orders that all the tailors of the city should one after the other make a fine and becoming one dress for his daughter according to the fancy of the king. If a tailor could do this, a great reward was offered him, but if not, he was to make ready to die.

The tailor thought to himself, "See, perhaps you may save the tailors of this city from their distress!" So saying, he went into the house of one of the tailors.

It so happened that this tailor was the very man who had had the task first imposed on him and as they went in they met only mourners, for the tailor was bound to bring the dress to the king on the following morning and should it not please him, he would no more return home to wife and child. When the two companions heard this, the wandering tailor promised to deliver his distressed fellow-craftsman. So he asked fur the material, but this had already been cut by the tailor in pieces and (he deliverance now seemed to be impossible. But our friend, the journeyman, took the material, thinking that did not matter and went with the hunter into the room intended for them. In the evening the journeyman laid the cloth on the table and then turned his ring with the wish that the dwarfs, white the tailor was sleeping with his family, should come along and make up the dress. He then lay down to sleep.

About twelve o'clock at night he woke up and already two dwarfs stood by his bedside who handed to him the finished garment. The journeyman rose and handed over the garment to the tailor who went with it trembling to the king. The princess put it on and it fitted so well that hardly no other tailor could have made it better. The tailor got the promised reward, and ran home joyously. But here he no longer found the two wanderers, for they had journeyed on while the tailor was with the king.

Greatly did our friend the journeyman rejoice in the thought that he had made the tailor happy and perhaps had saved many from death. But the hunter was still more jealous of the tailor than before.

Again they had gone a long way, when they came to a large, beautiful meadow. In the middle of it lay a monstrous stone. They went up to examine what might be under the stone. But how could they bring away the stone? They did not manage to roll it over and move it in any other way. But the tailor turned his ring and at once the stone rolled from its position and they saw a great hollow in the earth. As they were both very curious, they wanted to know what could possibly be in this hollow. So they agreed that one of them should be let down by the other. The hunter wove ropes out of straw and bound them together into a fresh rope that should serve for lowering. First the hunter let down the tailor.

Down there the tailor thought he had entered a new world; the beauty that reigned there surpassed all that he had ever seen. He went through a lovely garden and came to a castle. As he stood looking on in wonder, three princesses came out of it. They were sisters and had been carried off by a dragon. So they had come into this castle, and their friends did not have an idea of where they were. Daily the dragon flew away, and when he came back they had to wait on him in the garden. Then he lay on their bosom and they had to stroke his back while he was fast asleep. The father of the princesses had promised the hand of his youngest daughter and his kingdom to the man who freed his daughters.

All three now greeted the tailor and asked him whether he would deliver them. He would have to fight the dragon, they added. The tailor agreed. The princesses gave him a sword and bade him wait behind a bush till the dragon came there, while the princesses sat down on a bank.

It was not long before the tailor heard a roaring and flames sparkling in the air. The dragon came snorting into the garden and lay down on the bosoms of the princesses. While they stroked him, he fell asleep.

Then the tailor came forth with the sword and thrust it into the neck of the dragon, thus slaying him and delivering the princesses. Quickly the tailor brought the princesses to the opening, and called to the hunter to draw up the princesses first, and then himself. The hunter did so; but when he had drawn the tailor half-way up, he cut the rope and the tailor fell back again.

The tailor had forgotten his ring for a while, and therefore had to remain for some time in the cavern. Meanwhile his false comrade had gone with the princesses to the king and had given himself out as their deliverer.

Soon the wedding day was at hand. But by then the tailor had recalled his ring. He turned it and in a moment hundreds of dwarfs were busy building a flight of stairs to lead to the opening of the hollow. When this was ready, the tailor went up and this escaped. Now he turned the ring with the wish that a dwarf might come and show him the way to the king. A dwarf appeared at once and led him to the king. In front of the king the tailor maintained that he was the one who had saved the princesses, and the princesses confirmed it. The hunter was then given a casket of gold, but banished from the land. The tailor married a daughter of the king and ruled happily and wisely over his subjects. Whether he is still alive I cannot tell.