Page:Grimm's household tales, volume 2 (1884).djvu/501

Rh 8. The jest of the three hungry men, who only find one loaf, and agree with each other that the one who dreams the best dream shall have it. Whilst the two others are sleeping, the third eats the loaf, and afterwards invents a dream. Latin edit. 106.

9. A proud and overbearing knight falls into a wild beast's pit with his horse, and presently a lion, an ape, and a snake also fall in. A poor woodcutter comes by, and first draws out the animals one after the other, and lastly the man and his horse also. The latter promises great rewards, but afterwards, when the poor man comes to claim them, ill-treats and beats him. After some time the woodcutter is again working in the forest, and the lion drives a richly laden ass into his house. The poor man, however, causes enquiries to be made whether any one has lost these treasures, and some one presents himself and takes them away. Another time he wants to cut some wood, but as he has no axe, the ape gnaws off and breaks a whole load for him. Thirdly, the snake gives him a stone of three colours; black, white, and red, out of its mouth, and this is a luck-stone. The King wishes to buy it, but must give its value or it will return of its own accord to the seller. On this occasion the poor man relates how the overbearing knight, who is in the service of the King, rewarded him for his help, and as a punishment, he is hanged on the gallows, and his post at court is given to the poor man. Latin edition, chap. 119. German chap. 76. Compare the Swabian story, in Meier, No. 14, and 3, 5, in the Pentamerone.

10. The story of Fortunatus, Latin, chap. 120. German edit. 8. Compare the German story, No. 122.

11. A snake brings good luck, but as it is killed from greediness, the luck vanishes. Latin, chap. 141. German, chap. 88. See note to the Story of the Snake, No. 105.

12. A man comes half-riding, half-walking, and brings with him his worst enemy, his greatest friend, and his playfellow. Latin edit. chap. 124. German, chap. 24. Compare the note to the German story, The Peasant's Wise Daughter, No. 94.

13. A king covets the estate of a knight. He says to him, "If thou dost not bring me a black horse, a black dog, a black falcon, and a black horn within a week thou shalt forfeit thy land." Full of trouble, the knight goes into a forest, and there a grey-headed man is sitting with a staff in his hand which he gives him with these words, "Go straight forward with this, and thou wilt come to a black castle; demand there in the name of him to whom this staff belongs, a black horse, a black dog, a black falcon, and a black horn. When thou hast all these things, beware of mounting the horse, of blowing the horn, and do not suffer the dog to hunt, or the falcon to fly, howsoever much they may urge thee to do so. Then take them all to thy lord, but bring my staff back to me."