Clever Elsie

by The Brothers Grimm

　　There was once a man who had a daughter who was called Clever Elsie. Andwhen she had grown up her father said, "We will get her married." "Yes,"said the mother; "if only any one would come who would have her." Atlength a man came from a distance and wooed her, who was called Hans;but he stipulated that Clever Elsie should be really wise. "Oh," saidthe father, "she's sharp enough;" and the mother said, "Oh, she can seethe wind coming up the street, and hear the flies coughing." "Well,"said Hans, "if she is not really wise, I won't have her." When they weresitting at dinner and had eaten, the mother said, "Elsie, go into thecellar and fetch some beer." Then Clever Elsie took the pitcher fromthe wall, went into the cellar, and tapped the lid briskly as she went,so that the time might not appear long. When she was below she fetchedherself a chair, and set it before the barrel so that she had no need tostoop, and did not hurt her back or do herself any unexpected injury. Thenshe placed the can before her, and turned the tap, and while the beer wasrunning she would not let her eyes be idle, but looked up at the wall,and after much peering here and there, saw a pick-axe exactly above her,which the masons had accidentally left there.

　　Then Clever Elsie began to weep, and said, "If I get Hans, and we havea child, and he grows big, and we send him into the cellar here to drawbeer, then the pick-axe will fall on his head and kill him." Then shesat and wept and screamed with all the strength of her body, over themisfortune which lay before her. Those upstairs waited for the drink,but Clever Elsie still did not come. Then the woman said to the servant,"Just go down into the cellar and see where Elsie is." The maid wentand found her sitting in front of the barrel, screaming loudly. "Elsie,why weepest thou?" asked the maid. "Ah," she answered, "have I notreason to weep? If I get Hans, and we have a child, and he grows big,and has to draw beer here, the pick-axe will perhaps fall on his head,and kill him." Then said the maid, "What a clever Elsie we have!" andsat down beside her and began loudly to weep over the misfortune. Aftera while, as the maid did not come back, those upstairs were thirsty forthe beer, the man said to the boy, "Just go down into the cellar andsee where Elsie and the girl are." The boy went down, and there satClever Elsie and the girl both weeping together. Then he asked, "Whyare ye weeping?" "Ah," said Elsie, "have I not reason to weep? If I getHans, and we have a child, and he grows big, and has to draw beer here,the pick-axe will fall on his head and kill him." Then said the boy,"What a clever Elsie we have!" and sat down by her, and likewise beganto howl loudly. Upstairs they waited for the boy, but as he still didnot return, the man said to the woman, "Just go down into the cellarand see where Elsie is!" The woman went down, and found all threein the midst of their lamentations, and inquired what was the cause;then Elsie told her also that her future child was to be killed by thepick-axe, when it grew big and had to draw beer, and the pick-axe felldown. Then said the mother likewise, "What a clever Elsie we have!" andsat down and wept with them. The man upstairs waited a short time, butas his wife did not come back and his thirst grew ever greater, he said,"I must go into the cellar myself and see where Elsie is." But when hegot into the cellar, and they were all sitting together crying, and heheard the reason, and that Elsie's child was the cause, and that Elsiemight perhaps bring one into the world some day, and that it might bekilled by the pick-axe, if it should happen to be sitting beneath it,drawing beer just at the very time when it fell down, he cried, "Oh,what a clever Elsie!" and sat down, and likewise wept with them. Thebridegroom stayed upstairs alone for a long time; then as no one wouldcome back he thought, "They must be waiting for me below; I too mustgo there and see what they are about." When he got down, five of themwere sitting screaming and lamenting quite piteously, each out-doing theother. "What misfortune has happened then?" he asked. "Ah, dear Hans,"said Elsie, "if we marry each other and have a child, and he is big,and we perhaps send him here to draw something to drink, then thepick-axe which has been left up there might dash his brains out if itwere to fall down, so have we not reason to weep?" "Come," said Hans,"more understanding than that is not needed for my household, as thouart such a clever Elsie, I will have thee," and he seized her hand,took her upstairs with him, and married her.

　　After Hans had had her some time, he said, "Wife, I am going out to workand earn some money for us; go into the field and cut the corn that we mayhave some bread." "Yes, dear Hans, I will do that." After Hans had goneaway, she cooked herself some good broth and took it into the field withher. When she came to the field she said to herself, "What shall I do;shall I shear first, or shall I eat first? Oh, I will eat first." Thenshe emptied her basin of broth, and when she was fully satisfied, sheonce more said, "What shall I do? Shall I shear first, or shall I sleepfirst? I will sleep first." Then she lay down among the corn and fellasleep. Hans had been at home for a long time, but Elsie did not come;then said he, "What a clever Elsie I have; she is so industrious thatshe does not even come home to eat." As, however, she still stayed away,and it was evening, Hans went out to see what she had cut, but nothingwas cut, and she was lying among the corn asleep. Then Hans hastened homeand brought a fowler's net with little bells and hung it round about her,and she still went on sleeping. Then he ran home, shut the house-door,and sat down in his chair and worked. At length, when it was quite dark,Clever Elsie awoke and when she got up there was a jingling all roundabout her, and the bells rang at each step which she took. Then she wasalarmed, and became uncertain whether she really was Clever Elsie ornot, and said, "Is it I, or is it not I?" But she knew not what answerto make to this, and stood for a time in doubt; at length she thought,"I will go home and ask if it be I, or if it be not I, they will be sureto know." She ran to the door of her own house, but it was shut; thenshe knocked at the window and cried, "Hans, is Elsie within?" "Yes,"answered Hans, "she is within." Hereupon she was terrified, and said,"Ah, heavens! Then it is not I," and went to another door; but when thepeople heard the jingling of the bells they would not open it, and shecould get in nowhere. Then she ran out of the village, and no one hasseen her since.