Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows the cart
home. “Good evening, mother.” “Good evening, Hans. Where hast thou
been?” “With Grethel.” “What didst thou take her?” “Took nothing; had
something given me.” “What did Grethel give thee?” “Gave me a needle.”
“Where is the needle, Hans?” “Stuck it in the hay-cart.” “That was ill
done, Hans. Thou shouldst have stuck the needle in thy sleeve.” “Never
mind, I’ll do better next time.”
“Whither away, Hans?” “To Grethel, mother.” “Behave well, Hans.” “Oh,
I’ll behave well. Good-bye, mother.” “Good-bye, Hans.”
Hans comes to Grethel. “Good day, Grethel.” “Good day, Hans. What dost
thou bring that is good?” “I bring nothing; I want to have something
given to me.” Grethel presents Hans with a knife. “Good-bye, Grethel.”
“Good-bye Hans.” Hans takes the knife, sticks it in his sleeve, and
goes home. “Good evening, mother.” “Good evening, Hans. Where hast thou
been?” “With Grethel.” “What didst thou take her?” “Took her nothing,
she gave me something.” “What did Grethel give thee?” “Gave me a
knife.” “Where is the knife, Hans?” “Stuck in my sleeve.” “That’s ill
done, Hans, thou shouldst have put the knife in thy pocket.” “Never
mind, will do better next time.” “Whither away, Hans?” “To Grethel,
mother.” “Behave well, Hans.” “Oh, I’ll behave well. Good-bye, mother.”
“Good-bye, Hans.”
Hans comes to Grethel. “Good day, Grethel.” “Good day, Hans. What good
thing dost thou bring?” “I bring nothing, I want something given me.”
Grethel presents Hans with a young goat. “Good-bye, Grethel.”
“Good-bye, Hans.” Hans takes the goat, ties its legs, and puts it in
his pocket. When he gets home it is suffocated. “Good evening, mother.”
“Good evening, Hans. Where hast thou been?” “With Grethel.” “What didst
thou take her?” “Took nothing, she gave me something.” “What did
Grethel give thee?” “She gave me a goat.” “Where is the goat, Hans?”
“Put it in my pocket.” “That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have put
a rope round the goat’s neck.” “Never mind, will do better next time.”
“Whither away, Hans?” “To Grethel, mother.” “Behave well, Hans.” “Oh,
I’ll behave well. Good-bye, mother.” “Good-bye, Hans.” Hans comes to
Grethel. “Good day, Grethel.” “Good day, Hans. What good thing dost
thou
bring?” “I bring nothing, I want something given me.” Grethel presents
Hans with a piece of bacon. “Good-bye, Grethel.” “Good-bye, Hans.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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