The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was · page 21 2 3101The king looked at him, and as the youth pleased him, he said: ‘You may ask for three things to take into the castle with you, but they must be things without life.’102Then he answered: ‘Then I ask for a fire, a turning lathe, and a cutting-board with the knife.’103The king had these things carried into the castle for him during the day.104When night was drawing near, the youth went up and made himself a bright fire in one of the rooms, placed the cutting-board and knife beside it, and seated himself by the turning-lathe.105‘Ah, if I could but shudder!’ said he, ‘but I shall not learn it here either.’106Towards midnight he was about to poke his fire, and as he was blowing it, something cried suddenly from one corner: ‘Au, miau! how cold we are!’107‘You fools!’ cried he, ‘what are you crying about?108If you are cold, come and take a seat by the fire and warm yourselves.’109And when he had said that, two great black cats came with one tremendous leap and sat down on each side of him, and looked savagely at him with their fiery eyes.110After a short time, when they had warmed themselves, they said: ‘Comrade, shall we have a game of cards?’111‘Why not?’ he replied, ‘but just show me your paws.’112Then they stretched out their claws.113‘Oh,’ said he, ‘what long nails you have!114Wait, I must first cut them for you.’115Thereupon he seized them by the throats, put them on the cutting-board and screwed their feet fast.116‘I have looked at your fingers,’ said he, ‘and my fancy for card-playing has gone,’ and he struck them dead and threw them out into the water.117But when he had made away with these two, and was about to sit down again by his fire, out from every hole and corner came black cats and black dogs with red-hot chains, and more and more of them came until he could no longer move, and they yelled horribly, and got on his fire, pulled it to pieces, and tried to put it out.118He watched them for a while quietly, but at last when they were going too far, he seized his cutting-knife, and cried: ‘Away with you, vermin,’ and began to cut them down.119Some of them ran away, the others he killed, and threw out into the fish-pond.120When he came back he fanned the embers of his fire again and warmed himself.121And as he thus sat, his eyes would keep open no longer, and he felt a desire to sleep.122Then he looked round and saw a great bed in the corner.123‘That is the very thing for me,’ said he, and got into it.124When he was just going to shut his eyes, however, the bed began to move of its own accord, and went over the whole of the castle.checked by a teacher125‘That’s right,’ said he, ‘but go faster.’126Then the bed rolled on as if six horses were harnessed to it, up and down, over thresholds and stairs, but suddenly hop, hop, it turned over upside down, and lay on him like a mountain.127But he threw quilts and pillows up in the air, got out and said: ‘Now anyone who likes, may drive,’ and lay down by his fire, and slept till it was day.128In the morning the king came, and when he saw him lying there on the ground, he thought the evil spirits had killed him and he was dead.129Then said he: ‘After all it is a pity,--for so handsome a man.’130The youth heard it, got up, and said: ‘It has not come to that yet.’131Then the king was astonished, but very glad, and asked how he had fared.132‘Very well indeed,’ answered he; ‘one night is past, the two others will pass likewise.’133Then he went to the innkeeper, who opened his eyes very wide, and said: ‘I never expected to see you alive again!134Have you learnt how to shudder yet?’135‘No,’ said he, ‘it is all in vain.136If someone would but tell me!’137The second night he again went up into the old castle, sat down by the fire, and once more began his old song: ‘If I could but shudder!’138When midnight came, an uproar and noise of tumbling about was heard; at first it was low, but it grew louder and louder.139Then it was quiet for a while, and at length with a loud scream, half a man came down the chimney and fell before him.140‘Hullo!’ cried he, ‘another half belongs to this.141This is not enough!’142Then the uproar began again, there was a roaring and howling, and the other half fell down likewise.143‘Wait,’ said he, ‘I will just stoke up the fire a little for you.’144When he had done that and looked round again, the two pieces were joined together, and a hideous man was sitting in his place.145‘That is no part of our bargain,’ said the youth, ‘the bench is mine.’146The man wanted to push him away; the youth, however, would not allow that, but thrust him off with all his strength, and seated himself again in his own place.147Then still more men fell down, one after the other; they brought nine dead men’s legs and two skulls, and set them up and played at nine-pins with them.148The youth also wanted to play and said: ‘Listen you, can I join you?’149‘Yes, if you have any money.’150‘Money enough,’ replied he, ‘but your balls are not quite round.’151Then he took the skulls and put them in the lathe and turned them till they were round.152‘There, now they will roll better!’ said he.153‘Hurrah! now we’ll have fun!’154He played with them and lost some of his money, but when it struck twelve, everything vanished from his sight.155He lay down and quietly fell asleep.156Next morning the king came to inquire after him.157‘How has it fared with you this time?’ asked he.158‘I have been playing at nine-pins,’ he answered, ‘and have lost a couple of farthings.’159‘Have you not shuddered then?’160‘What?’ said he, ‘I have had a wonderful time!161If I did but know what it was to shudder!’162The third night he sat down again on his bench and said quite sadly: ‘If I could but shudder.’163When it grew late, six tall men came in and brought a coffin.164Then he said: ‘Ha, ha, that is certainly my little cousin, who died only a few days ago,’ and he beckoned with his finger, and cried: ‘Come, little cousin, come.’165They placed the coffin on the ground, but he went to it and took the lid off, and a dead man lay therein.166He felt his face, but it was cold as ice.167‘Wait,’ said he, ‘I will warm you a little,’ and went to the fire and warmed his hand and laid it on the dead man’s face, but he remained cold.168Then he took him out, and sat down by the fire and laid him on his breast and rubbed his arms that the blood might circulate again.169As this also did no good, he thought to himself: ‘When two people lie in bed together, they warm each other,’ and carried him to the bed, covered him over and lay down by him.170After a short time the dead man became warm too, and began to move.171Then said the youth, ‘See, little cousin, have I not warmed you?’172The dead man, however, got up and cried: ‘Now will I strangle you.’173‘What!’ said he, ‘is that the way you thank me?174You shall at once go into your coffin again,’ and he took him up, threw him into it, and shut the lid.175Then came the six men and carried him away again.176‘I cannot manage to shudder,’ said he.177‘I shall never learn it here as long as I live.’178Then a man entered who was taller than all others, and looked terrible.179He was old, however, and had a long white beard.180‘You wretch,’ cried he, ‘you shall soon learn what it is to shudder, for you shall die.’181‘Not so fast,’ replied the youth.182‘If I am to die, I shall have to have a say in it.’183‘I will soon seize you,’ said the fiend.184‘Softly, softly, do not talk so big.185I am as strong as you are, and perhaps even stronger.’186‘We shall see,’ said the old man.187‘If you are stronger, I will let you go--come, we will try.’188Then he led him by dark passages to a smith’s forge, took an axe, and with one blow struck an anvil into the ground.189‘I can do better than that,’ said the youth, and went to the other anvil.190The old man placed himself near and wanted to look on, and his white beard hung down.191Then the youth seized the axe, split the anvil with one blow, and in it caught the old man’s beard.192‘Now I have you,’ said the youth.193‘Now it is your turn to die.’194Then he seized an iron bar and beat the old man till he moaned and entreated him to stop, when he would give him great riches.195The youth drew out the axe and let him go.196The old man led him back into the castle, and in a cellar showed him three chests full of gold.197‘Of these,’ said he, ‘one part is for the poor, the other for the king, the third yours.’198In the meantime it struck twelve, and the spirit disappeared, so that the youth stood in darkness.199‘I shall still be able to find my way out,’ said he, and felt about, found the way into the room, and slept there by his fire.200Next morning the king came and said: ‘Now you must have learnt what shuddering is?’1 2 3← previousThe Saladnext →King Grisly-beard↑ back to Grimms' Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2591/57/page/2/