was about to draw over the others who were sitting behind as well,
there were too many of them, the carriage ran back, and they all fell
into the water together, and were drowned. Then the little cock was
left alone with the dead hen, and dug a grave for her and laid her in
it, and made a mound above it, on which he sat down and fretted until
he died too, and then every one was dead.
81 Brother Lustig
There was one on a time a great war, and when it came to an end, many
soldiers were discharged. Then Brother Lustig also received his
dismissal, and besides that, nothing but a small loaf of
contract-bread, and four kreuzers in money, with which he departed. St.
Peter had, however, placed himself in his way in the shape of a poor
beggar, and when Brother Lustig came up, he begged alms of him. Brother
Lustig replied, “Dear beggar-man, what am I to give you? I have been a
soldier, and have received my dismissal, and have nothing but this
little loaf of contract-bread, and four kreuzers of money; when that is
gone, I shall have to beg as well as you. Still I will give you
something.” Thereupon he divided the loaf into four parts, and gave the
apostle one of them, and a kreuzer likewise. St. Peter thanked him,
went onwards, and threw himself again in the soldier’s way as a beggar,
but in another shape; and when he came up begged a gift of him as
before. Brother Lustig spoke as he had done before, and again gave him
a quarter of the loaf and one kreuzer. St. Peter thanked him, and went
onwards, but for the third time placed himself in another shape as a
beggar on the road, and spoke to Brother Lustig. Brother Lustig gave
him also the third quarter of bread and the third kreuzer. St. Peter
thanked him, and Brother Lustig went onwards, and had but a quarter of
the loaf, and one kreuzer. With that he went into an inn, ate the
bread, and ordered one kreuzer’s worth of beer. When he had had it, he
journeyed onwards, and then St. Peter, who had assumed the appearance
of a discharged soldier, met and spoke to him thus: “Good day, comrade,
canst thou not give me a bit of bread, and a kreuzer to get a drink?”
“Where am I to procure it?” answered Brother Lustig; “I have been
discharged, and I got nothing but a loaf of ammunition-bread and four
kreuzers in money. I met three beggars on the road, and I gave each of
them a quarter of my bread, and one kreuzer. The last quarter I ate in
the inn, and had a drink with the last kreuzer. Now my pockets are
empty, and if thou also hast nothing we can go a-begging together.”
“No,” answered St. Peter, “we need not quite do that. I know a little
about medicine, and I will soon earn as much as I require by that.”
“Indeed,” said Brother Lustig, “I know nothing of that, so I must go
and beg alone.” “Just come with me,” said St. Peter, “and if I earn
anything, thou shalt have half of it.” “All right,” said Brother
Lustig, so they went away together.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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