Snowdrop and Other Tales Part 28

'Learn what you like,' said his Father. 'It's all the same to me. Here are fifty thalers for you. Go out into the world, and don't tell a creature where you come from, or who your Father is, for you will only bring me to shame.'

'Just as you please, Father. If that is all you want, I can easily fulfil your desire.'

At daybreak, the Lad put his fifty thalers into his pocket, and went out along the high road, repeating over and over to himself as he went: 'If only I could shudder, if only I could shudder.'

A Man came by and overheard the words the Lad was saying to himself, and when they had gone a little further, and came within sight of the gallows, he said: 'See, there is the tree where those seven have been wedded to the ropemaker's daughter, and are now learning to fly. Sit down below them, and when night comes you will soon learn to shudder.'

'If nothing more than that is needed,' said the Lad, 'it is easily done. And if I learn to shudder as easily as that, you shall have my fifty thalers. Come back to me early to-morrow morning.'

Then the Lad went up to the gallows, and sat down under them to wait till night came.

As he was cold he lighted a fire, but at midnight the wind grew so cold that he did not know how to keep himself warm.

The wind blew the men on the gallows backwards and forwards, and swung them against each other, so he thought: 'Here am I freezing by the fire, how much colder they must be up there.'

And as he was very compa.s.sionate, he mounted the ladder, undid them, and brought all seven down one by one.

Then he blew up the fire, and placed them round it to warm themselves.

They sat there and never moved, even when the fire caught their clothing.

'Take care, or I will hang you all up again.'

The dead men, of course, could not hear, and remained silent while their few rags were burnt up.

Then he grew angry, and said: 'If you won't take care of yourselves, I can't help you, and I won't be burnt with you.'

So he hung them all up again in a row, and sat down by the fire and went to sleep again.

Next morning, the Man, wanting to get his fifty thalers, came to him and said: 'Now do you know what shuddering means?'

'No,' he said; 'how should I have learnt it? Those fellows up there never opened their mouths, and they were so stupid that they let the few poor rags they had about them burn.'

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 pa.s.s 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 pa.s.s 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 pa.s.s 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.

After a time, when they had warmed themselves, they said: 'Comrade, shall we have a game of cards?'

'Why not?' he answered; 'but show me your paws first.'

Then they stretched out their claws.

'Why,' he said, 'what long nails you've got. Wait a bit; I must cut them for you.'

He seized them by the scruff of their necks, lifted them on to the cooper's bench, and screwed their paws firmly to it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Crowds of black cats and dogs swarmed out of every corner.]

'I have looked at your fingers, and the desire to play cards with you has pa.s.sed.'