Page 326 [326]
266 GRIMM’S FAIRY TALES.
The punishment followed; as he was chopping away at the
tree, he hit himself in the leg so severely that he had to be
carried home.
Then said the Simpleton,
‘“‘ Father, let me go for once into the forest to cut wood ;
and the father answered, " Your brothers have hurt themselves
by so doing ; give it up, you understand nothing about it.”
But the Simpleton went on begging so long, that the father
sald at last,
“Well, be off with you; you will only learn by experience.”
The mother gave him a cake (it was only made with water,
and baked in the ashes), and with it a flask of sour beer.
When he came into the forest the little old grey man met him,
and greeted him, saying,
“ Give me a bit of your cake, and a drink from your flask ;
I am so hungry and thirsty.”
And the Simpleton answered, "I have only a flour and
water cake and sour beer; but if that is good enough for you,
let us sit down together and eat.” Then they sat down, and
as the Simpleton took out his flour and water cake it became a
rich pancake, and his sour beer became good wine ; then they
ate and drank, and afterwards the little man said,
“As you have such a kind heart, and share what you have
so willingly, I will bestow good luck upon you. Yonder stands
an old tree ; cut it down, and at its roots you will find some¬
thing,” and thereupon the little man took his departure.
The Simpleton went there, and hewed away at the tree,
and when it fell he saw, sitting among the roots, a goose with
feathers of pure gold. He lifted it out and took it with him
to an inn where he ‘intended to stay the night. The landlord
had three daughters who, when they saw the goose, were :
curious to know what wonderful kind of bird it was, and ended
by longing for one of its golden feathers. The eldest thought,
“T will wait for a good opportunity, and then I will pull out
. one of its feathers for myself ;” and so, when the Simpleton
was gone out, she seized the goose by its wing—but there her
finger and hand had to stay, held fast. Soon after came the
second sister with the same idea of plucking out one of the
golden feathers for herself; but scarcely had she touched her
sister, than she also was obliged to stay, held fast. Lastly