39 lines
2.3 KiB
Text
39 lines
2.3 KiB
Text
Hans Married
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There was once upon a time a young peasant named Hans, whose uncle
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wanted to find him a rich wife. He therefore seated Hans behind the
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stove, and had it made very hot. Then he fetched a pot of milk and
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plenty of white bread, gave him a bright newly-coined farthing in his
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hand, and said, "Hans, hold that farthing fast, crumble the white bread
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into the milk, and stay where you are, and do not stir from that spot
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till I come back." "Yes," said Hans, "I will do all that." Then the
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wooer put on a pair of old patched trousers, went to a rich peasant's
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daughter in the next village, and said, "Won't you marry my nephew
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Hans--you will get an honest and sensible man who will suit you?" The
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covetous father asked, "How is it with regard to his means? Has he
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bread to break?" "Dear friend," replied the wooer, "my young nephew has
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a snug berth, a nice bit of money in hand, and plenty of bread to
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break, besides he has quite as many patches as I have," (and as he
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spoke, he slapped the patches on his trousers, but in that district
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small pieces of land were called patches also.) "If you will give
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yourself the trouble to go home with me, you shall see at once that all
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is as I have said." Then the miser did not want to lose this good
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opportunity, and said, "If that is the case, I have nothing further to
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say against the marriage."
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So the wedding was celebrated on the appointed day, and when the young
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wife went out of doors to see the bridegroom's property, Hans took off
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his Sunday coat and put on his patched smock-frock and said, "I might
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spoil my good coat." Then together they went out and wherever a
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boundary line came in sight, or fields and meadows were divided from
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each other, Hans pointed with his finger and then slapped either a
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large or a small patch on his smock-frock, and said, "That patch is
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mine, and that too, my dearest, just look at it," meaning thereby that
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his wife should not stare at the broad land, but look at his garment,
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which was his own.
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"Were you indeed at the wedding?" "Yes, indeed I was there, and in full
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dress. My head-dress was of snow; then the sun came out, and it was
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melted. My coat was of cobwebs, and I had to pass by some thorns which
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tore it off me, my shoes were of glass, and I pushed against a stone
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and they said, "Klink," and broke in two.
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