Page:Grimm's Household Tales, vol.1.djvu/468

386 In Hans Sachs (5. 3, 89, Kempt: edition;) it is Der Schneider mit dem Panier. The story continues to exist among the people, and Möser mentions it in his Miscellaneous Writings, 2. 332 and 2. 235. See Jan im Himmel, in Wolf's Deutsche Sagen und Märchen, No. 16. Also a Swabian story in Ernst Meier, No. 35. The chair of the Lord, from which one is able to overlook the whole world, strongly reminds us of Odin's seat, named Hlidsciálf, from which he saw everything that took place on earth, and on which others occasionally seated themselves, Freya, for instance, as we are told in the Edda. That the Tailor forced his way into heaven with inimical intentions, is shown in Wolf's Zeitschrift für deutsche Mythologie, 2. 2.

From Hesse. Another story also from there begins thus. A tailor has three sons, whom he sends out into the world one after the other, to look about them and see if they can learn some honest trade. That they may not go forth quite unprovided, each has a pan-cake and a farthing given to take with him on the way. The eldest goes forth first and comes to a little master, who dwells it is true in a nut-shell, but is immensely rich. The tailor for liberal payment is to watch and take his flock to pasture on the mountains, only the little master tells him, he is not to be allowed to go into a house which stands at the foot of the mountain, from which merry dance music resounds. For a time the tailor keeps the herd quite properly, but in the end he allows himself to be led away, and goes into the forbidden house. So his master discharges him; but as in other respects he has behaved well, he gives him a table that can cover itself with food. With this he goes home, but on the way it is exchanged; he has also eaten his pan-cake, and spent his farthing, and brings nothing back with him but a table that is useless. And now the second son is sent out and comes to the same little master, and has a like fate, and instead of a real gold-donkey, brings a false one with him. On the other hand, the third son stays with the little master for a whole year as the latter desired, and as he has filled his ears with cotton-wool, the house with the music is never dangerous to him. When he takes leave he receives a "Cudgel