The Adventurous Simplicissimus: being the description of the Life of a Strange vagabond named Melchior Sternfels von FuchshaimGrimmelshausen, Hans Jakob Christoph von
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The Adventurous Simplicissimus: being the description of the Life of a Strange vagabond named Melchior Sternfels von Fuchshaim
Grimmelshausen, Hans Jakob Christoph von
German fiction -- Translations into English; Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648 -- Fiction
But as I thus plagued and tormented myself and yet could come to no
plan, came Oliver back with our peasant, which guided us with the
horses to another farm, where we did bait and, taking turn by turn, did
each get two hours' sleep. After midnight we rode on, and about noon
came to the uttermost boundary of the Switzers, where Oliver was well
known, and had us nobly entertained: and while we made merry the host
sends for a couple of Jews, that bought the horses from us at half
their price. And all was so plainly and clearly settled that there was
little need of parley. For the Jews' chief question was, were the
horses from the emperor's side or the Swedes': and thereupon hearing
they were from Weimar's army, "Then," said they, "must we ride them not
to Basel but into Swabia to the Bavarians." At which close acquaintance
and familiarity I must needs wonder.
So we feasted like princes, and heartily did I enjoy the good
forest-trout and the savoury crayfish. And when 'twas evening we took
to the road again, loading our peasant with baked meats and other
victual like a pack-horse: with all which we came the next day to a
lonesome farm, where we were friendly welcomed and entertained, and by
reason of ill weather stayed two days: thereafter through woods and
by-ways we came to that very hut whither Oliver did take me when first
he had me to his companion.
_Chap. xxii._: HOW OLIVER BIT THE DUST AND TOOK SIX GOOD MEN WITH HIM
So as we sat down to refresh our bodies and to rest, Oliver sent the
peasant out to buy food and also powder and shot. He being gone, he
takes off his coat and says he, "Brother, I can no longer carry this
devils' money about with me alone": and with that unbound a pair of
bags like sausages that he wore on his naked body, threw them on the
table, and went on, "Of these thou must take care till I come to my
holidays and we both have enough, for the accursed stuff hath worked
sores upon my body, so that I can no longer carry it." I answered,
"Brother, hadst thou as little as I, 'twould not gall thee." But he cut
me short. "How," says he, "what is mine is also thine; and what we do
further win shall be fairly-shared." So I took up the two sausages and
found they were indeed mighty heavy, being gold pieces only. Then I
told him 'twas all ill-packed, and an he would, I would so sew the
money in that it should not vex him half so much in the carrying. And
when he agreed to this he had me with him to a hollow tree wherein he
had scissors, needles, and thread: and there I made for him and me a
pair of knapsacks out of a pair of breeches, and many a fine red penny
I sewed therein. So having put the same on under our shirts, 'twas as
if we had golden armour behind and before, by means of which we were
become, if not proof against bullets, yet against swords. Then did I
wonder why he kept no silver coin: to which he answered he had more
than a thousand thalers lying in a tree from which he allowed the
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