Clever Hans

by The Brothers Grimm

　　The mother of Hans said, "Whither away, Hans?" Hans answered, "ToGrethel." "Behave well, Hans." "Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye,mother." "Good-bye, Hans." Hans comes to Grethel, "Good day,Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What dost thou bring that is good?" "I bringnothing, I want to have something given me." Grethel presents Hans witha needle. Hans says, "Good-bye, Grethel." "Good-bye, Hans."

　　Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows thecart home. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hastthou been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "Took nothing;had something given me." "What did Grethel give thee?" "Gave me aneedle." "Where is the needle, Hans?" "Stuck it in the hay-cart." "Thatwas ill done, Hans. Thou shouldst have stuck the needle in thysleeve." "Never mind, I'll do better next time."

　　"Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans." "Oh,

　　I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans."

　　Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. Whatdost thou bring that is good?" "I bring nothing; I want to havesomething given to me." Grethel presents Hans with a knife. "Good-bye,Grethel." "Good-bye Hans." Hans takes the knife, sticks it in hissleeve, and goes home. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans. Wherehast thou been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "Took hernothing, she gave me something." "What did Grethel give thee?" "Gave mea knife." "Where is the knife, Hans?" "Stuck in my sleeve." "That'sill done, Hans, thou shouldst have put the knife in thy pocket.""Never mind, will do better next time." "Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel,mother." "Behave well, Hans." "Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother.""Good-bye, Hans."

　　Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. Whatgood thing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, I want somethinggiven me." Grethel presents Hans with a young goat. "Good-bye,Grethel." "Good-bye, Hans." Hans takes the goat, ties its legs, andputs it in his pocket. When he gets home it is suffocated. "Good evening,mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hast thou been?" "With Grethel." "Whatdidst thou take her?" "Took nothing, she gave me something." "What didGrethel give thee?" "She gave me a goat." "Where is the goat, Hans?" "Putit in my pocket." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have put arope round the goat's neck." "Never mind, will do better next time."

　　"Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans." "Oh,

　　I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans." Hans comes to

　　Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What good thing dost thou

　　bring?" "I bring nothing, I want something given me." Grethel presents

　　Hans with a piece of bacon. "Good-bye, Grethel." "Good-bye, Hans."

　　Hans takes the bacon, ties it to a rope, and drags it away behindhim. The dogs come and devour the bacon. When he gets home, he hasthe rope in his hand, and there is no longer anything hanging toit. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans." "Where hast thoubeen?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "I took her nothing,she gave me something." "What did Grethel give thee?" "Gave me a bitof bacon." "Where is the bacon, Hans?" "I tied it to a rope, brought ithome, dogs took it." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have carriedthe bacon on thy head." "Never mind, will do better next time." "Whitheraway, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans." "I'll behave well.Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans."

　　Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans." "Whatgood thing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, but would have somethinggiven." Grethel presents Hans with a calf. "Good-bye, Grethel." "Good-bye,Hans."

　　Hans takes the calf, puts it on his head, and the calf kicks hisface. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hast thoubeen?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "I took nothing, buthad something given me." "What did Grethel give thee?" "A calf." "Wherehast thou the calf, Hans?" "I set it on my head and it kicked myface." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have led the calf, andput it in the stall." "Never mind, will do better next time."

　　"Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans." "I'llbehave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans."

　　Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What goodthing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, but would have somethinggiven." Grethel says to Hans, "I will go with thee."

　　Hans takes Grethel, ties her to a rope, leads her to the rack and bindsher fast. Then Hans goes to his mother. "Good evening, mother." "Goodevening, Hans. Where hast thou been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thoutake her?" "I took her nothing." "What did Grethel give thee?" "Shegave me nothing, she came with me." "Where hast thou left Grethel?" "Iled her by the rope, tied her to the rack, and scattered some grass forher." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have cast friendly eyeson her." "Never mind, will do better."

　　Hans went into the stable, cut out all the calves' and sheep's eyes,and threw them in Grethel's face. Then Grethel became angry, tore herselfloose and ran away, and became the bride of Hans.