Children's stories, German -- Translations into English; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- Germany
Two-Eyes answered, “Have I not reason to weep, when I have two eyes
like other people, and my sisters and mother hate me for it, and push
me from one corner to another, throw old clothes at me, and give me
nothing to eat but the scraps they leave? To-day, they have given me so
little that I am still very hungry.”
Then the Wise Woman said, “Wipe away your tears, Two-Eyes, and I will
tell you something to stop your ever suffering from hunger again; just
say to your goat:
“‘_Bleat, bleat, my little Goat, bleat,
Cover the table with something to eat!_’
and then a clean well-spread little table will stand before you, with
the most delicious food upon it, of which you may eat as much as you
are inclined. And when you have had enough, and have no more need of
the little table, just say:
“‘_Bleat, bleat, my little Goat, I pray,
And take the table quite away!_’
and then it will vanish again from your sight.”
Hereupon the Wise Woman departed.
But Two-Eyes thought, “I must instantly make a trial, and see if what
she said is true, for I am far too hungry,” and she said:
“_Bleat, bleat, my little Goat, bleat,
Cover the table with something to eat!_”
and scarcely had she spoken the words than a little table, covered with
a white cloth, was standing there, and on it was a plate with a knife
and fork, and a silver spoon; and the most delicious food was there
also, warm and smoking as if it had just come out of the kitchen.
Then Two-Eyes said a little prayer she knew, “Lord God, be with us
always, Amen,” and helped herself to some food, and enjoyed it. And
when she was satisfied, she said, as the Wise Woman had taught her:
“_Bleat, bleat, my little Goat, I pray,
And take the table quite away!_”
and immediately the little table and everything on it was gone again.
“That is a delightful way of keeping house!” thought Two-Eyes, and was
quite glad and happy.
In the evening, when she went home with her goat, she found a small
earthenware dish with some food, which her sisters had set ready for
her, but she did not touch it. Next day, she again went out with her
goat, and left the few bits of broken bread which had been handed to
her, lying untouched.
The first and second time that she did this, her sisters did not notice
it, but as it happened every time, they did observe it, and said,
“There is something wrong about Two-Eyes, she always leaves her food
untasted. She used to eat up everything that was given her. She must
have discovered other ways of getting food.”
In order that they might learn the truth, they resolved to send One-Eye
with Two-Eyes, when she went to drive her goat to the pasture, to watch
what Two-Eyes did while she was there, and whether any one brought
her things to eat and drink. So when Two-Eyes set out the next time,
One-Eye went to her and said, “I will go with you to the pasture, and
see that the goat is well taken care of, and driven where there is
food.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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