Children's stories, German -- Translations into English; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- Germany
Four legs grew on him, a large head and two thick ears; and he saw with
horror that he was changed into a Donkey. Still as his hunger became
greater every minute, and as the juicy leaves were suitable to his
present nature, he went on eating with great zest. At last he arrived
at a different kind of cabbage, but as soon as he had swallowed it, he
again felt a change, and resumed his human shape.
Then the huntsman lay down, and slept off his fatigue. When he awoke
next morning, he broke off one head of the bad cabbages and another of
the good ones, and thought to himself, “This shall help me to get my
own again and punish treachery.”
Then he took the cabbages with him, climbed over the wall, and went
forth to seek for the castle of his sweetheart.
After wandering about for a couple of days, he was lucky enough to find
it again. He dyed his face brown, so that his own mother would not have
known him; and begged for shelter. “I am so tired,” said he, “that I
can go no further.”
The Witch asked, “Who are you, Countryman, and what is your business?”
Said he, “I have been so fortunate as to find the most wonderful salad
which grows under the sun, and am carrying it about with me.”
When the Old Woman heard of the exquisite salad, she was greedy, and
said, “Dear Countryman, let me just taste this wonderful salad.”
“Why not?” answered he, “I have brought two heads with me, and will
give you one of them,” and he opened his pouch and handed her the bad
cabbage.
The Witch suspected nothing amiss, and her mouth watered so for this
new dish, that she herself went into the kitchen and prepared it. When
it was ready she could not wait until it was set on the table, but took
a couple of leaves at once, and put them in her mouth. Hardly had she
swallowed them, than she was deprived of her human shape, and she ran
out into the courtyard in the form of a Donkey.
Presently the maid-servant entered the kitchen, saw the salad standing
there ready prepared, and was about to carry it up. But on the way,
according to habit, she was seized by the desire to taste, and she ate
a couple of leaves. Instantly the magic power showed itself, and she
likewise became a Donkey, and ran out to the Old Woman. And the dish
of salad fell to the ground.
Meantime the huntsman sat beside the beautiful maiden, and as no one
came with the salad and she also was longing for it, she said, “I don’t
know what has become of the salad.”
The huntsman thought, “The salad must have already taken effect,” and
said, “I will go to the kitchen and inquire about it.”
As he went down he saw the two Donkeys running about in the courtyard.
The salad, however, was lying on the ground. “All right,” said he, “the
two have taken their portion,” and he picked up the other leaves, laid
them on the dish, and carried them to the maiden. “I bring you the
delicate food myself,” said he, “in order that you may not have to wait
longer.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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