Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories; Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Fairy tales
Then the Man saw that no thalers would be his that day, and he went
away, saying: 'Never in my life have I seen such a fellow as this.'
The Lad also went on his way, and again began saying to himself: 'Oh,
if only I could learn to shudder, if only I could learn to shudder.'
A Carter, walking behind him, heard this, and asked: 'Who are you?'
'I don't know,' answered the Youth.
'Who is your Father?'
'That I must not say.'
'What are you always mumbling in your beard?'
'Ah,' answered the Youth, 'I want to learn to shudder, but no one can
teach me.'
'Stop your silly chatter,' said the Carter. 'Just you come with me,
and I'll see that you have what you want.'
The Youth went with the Carter, and in the evening they reached an
inn, where they meant to pass the night. He said quite loud, as they
entered: 'Oh, if only I could learn to shudder, if only I could learn
to shudder.'
The Landlord, who heard him, laughed, and said: 'If that's what you
want, there should be plenty of opportunity for you here.'
'I will have nothing to say to it,' said the Landlady. 'So many a
prying fellow has already paid the penalty with his life. It would be
a sin and a shame if those bright eyes should not see the light of day
again.'
But the Youth said: 'I will learn it somehow, however hard it may be.
I have been driven out for not knowing it.'
He gave the Landlord no peace till he told him that there was an
enchanted castle a little way off, where any one could be made to
shudder, if he would pass three nights in it.
The King had promised his daughter to wife to any one who dared do it,
and she was the prettiest maiden the sun had ever shone on.
There were also great treasures hidden in the castle, watched over by
evil spirits, enough to make any poor man rich who could break the
spell.
Already many had gone in, but none had ever come out.
Next morning the Youth went to the King, and said: 'By your leave, I
should like to pass three nights in the enchanted castle.'
The King looked at him, and, as he took a fancy to him, he said: 'You
may ask three things to take into the castle with you, but they must
be lifeless things.'
He answered: 'Then I ask for a fire, a turning-lathe, and a cooper's
bench with the knife.'
The King had all three carried into the castle for him.
When night fell, the Youth went up to the castle and made a bright
fire in one of the rooms. He put the cooper's bench with the knife
near the fire, and seated himself on the turning-lathe.
'Oh, if only I could shudder,' he said; 'but I shan't learn it here
either.'
Towards midnight he wanted to make up the fire, and, as he was blowing
it up, something in one corner began to shriek: 'Miau, miau, how cold
we are!'
'You fools!' he cried. 'What do you shriek for? If you are cold, come
and warm yourselves by the fire.'
As he spoke, two big black cats bounded up and sat down, one on each
side of him, and stared at him with wild, fiery eyes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account