Journeys Through Bookland, Volume 2 | Page 6

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DISCREET HANS
By Wilhelm and Jakob Grimm
Hans's mother asked, "Whither are you going, Hans?"
"To Grethel's," replied he.
"Behave well, Hans."
"I will take care; good-bye, mother."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans came to Grethel. "Good day," said he.
"Good day," replied Grethel. "What treasure do you bring today?"
"I bring nothing. Have you anything to give?"
Grethel presented Hans with a needle.
"Good-bye," said he.
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans took the needle, stuck it in a load of hay, and walked home behind the wagon.
"Good evening, mother."
"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"
"To Grethel's."
"And what have you given her?"
"Nothing; she has given me something."
"What has Grethel given you?"
"A needle," said Hans.
"And where have you put it?"
"In the load of hay."
"Then you have behaved stupidly, Hans; you should put needles on your coat sleeve."
"To behave better, do nothing at all," thought Hans.
"Whither are you going, Hans?"
"To Grethel's, mother."
"Behave well, Hans."
"I will take care; good-bye mother."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans came to Grethel. "Good day," said he.
"Good day, Hans. What treasure do you bring?"
"I bring nothing. Have you anything to give?"
Grethel gave Hans a knife.
"Good-bye, Grethel."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans took the knife, put it in his sleeve and went home.
"Good evening, mother."
"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"
"To Grethel's."
"And what did you take to her?"
"I took nothing; she has given something to me."
"And what did she give you?"
"A knife," said Hans.
"And where have you put it?"
"In my sleeve."
"Then you have behaved foolishly again, Hans; you should put knives in your pocket."
"To behave better, do nothing at all," thought Hans.
"Whither are you going, Hans?"
"To Grethel's, mother."
"Behave well, Hans."
"I will take care; good-bye, mother."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans came to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel."
"Good day, Hans. What treasure do you bring?"
"I bring nothing; have you anything to give?"
Grethel gave Hans a young goat.
"Good-bye, Grethel."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans took the goat, tied its legs and put it in his pocket. Just as he reached home it was suffocated.
"Good evening, mother."
"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"
"To Grethel's."
"And what did you take to her?"
"I took nothing; she gave to me."
"And what did Grethel give you?"
"A goat."
"Where did you put it, Hans?"
"In my pocket."
"There you acted stupidly, Hans; you should have tied the goat with a rope."
"To behave better, do nothing," thought Hans.
"Whither away, Hans?"
"To Grethel's, mother."
"Behave well, Hans."
"I will take care; good-bye, mother."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans came to Grethel. "Good day," said he.
"Good day, Hans. What treasure do you bring?"
"I have nothing. Have you anything to give?"
Grethel gave Hans a piece of bacon.
"Good-bye, Grethel."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans took the bacon, tied it with a rope, and swung it to and fro, so that the dogs came and ate it up. When he reached home he held the rope in his hand, but there was nothing on it.
"Good evening, mother," said he.
"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"
"To Grethel's, mother."
"What did you take her?"
"I took nothing; she gave to me."
"And what did Grethel give you?"
"A piece of bacon," said Hans.
"And where have you put it?"
"I tied it with a rope, swung it about, and the dogs came and ate it up."
"There you acted stupidly, Hans; you should have carried the bacon on your head."
"To behave better, do nothing," thought Hans.
"Whither away, Hans?"
"To Grethel's, mother."
"Behave well, Hans."
"I'll take care; good-bye, mother."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans came to Grethel. "Good day," said he.
"Good day, Hans. What treasure do you bring?"
"I bring nothing. Have you anything to give?"
Grethel gave Hans a calf. "Good-bye," said Hans. "Good-bye," said Grethel.
Hans took the calf, set it on his head, and the calf scratched his face.
"Good evening, mother."
"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"
"To Grethel's."
"What did you take to her?"
"I took nothing; she gave to me."
"And what did Grethel give you?"
"A calf," said Hans.
"And what did you do with it?"
"I set it on my head and it kicked my face."
"Then you acted stupidly, Hans; you should have led the calf home and put it in the stall."
"To behave better, do nothing," thought Hans.
"Whither away, Hans?"
"To Grethel's, mother."
"Behave well, Hans."
"I'll take care; good-bye, mother."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans came to Grethel. "Good day," said he.
"Good day, Hans. What treasure do you bring?"
"I bring nothing. Have you anything to give?"
Grethel said, "I will go with you, Hans."
Hans tied a rope round Grethel, led her home, put her in the stall and made the rope fast; then he went to his mother.
"Good evening, mother."
"Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?"
"To Grethel's."
"What did you take her?"
"I took nothing."
"What did Grethel give you?"
"She gave nothing; she came with me."
"And where have you left her, then?"
"I tied her with a rope, put her in the stall, and threw her some grass."
"Then you have acted stupidly, Hans; you should have looked at her with friendly eyes."
"To behave better, do nothing," thought Hans; and then he went into the stall, and made sheep's eyes at Grethel.
And after that Grethel became Hans's wife.
The Brothers Grimm, Jakob and Wilhelm, were very learned German scholars who lived during the first half of the nineteenth century. They were both professors