Doctor Knowall

by The Brothers Grimm

　　

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There was once on a time a poor peasant called Crabb, who drove withtwo oxen a load of wood to the town, and sold it to a doctor for twothalers. When the money was being counted out to him, it so happened thatthe doctor was sitting at table, and when the peasant saw how daintilyhe ate and drank, his heart desired what he saw, and he would willinglyhave been a doctor too. So he remained standing a while, and at lengthinquired if he too could not be a doctor. "Oh, yes," said the doctor,"that is soon managed." "What must I do?" asked the peasant. "In thefirst place buy thyself an A B C book of the kind which has a cock on thefrontispiece: in the second, turn thy cart and thy two oxen into money,and get thyself some clothes, and whatsoever else pertains to medicine;thirdly, have a sign painted for thyself with the words, "I am DoctorKnowall," and have that nailed up above thy house-door." The peasantdid everything that he had been told to do. When he had doctored peopleawhile, but not long, a rich and great lord had some money stolen. Thenhe was told about Doctor Knowall who lived in such and such a village, andmust know what had become of the money. So the lord had the horses put inhis carriage, drove out to the village, and asked Crabb if he were DoctorKnowall? Yes, he was, he said. Then he was to go with him and bringback the stolen money. "Oh, yes, but Grethe, my wife, must go too." Thelord was willing and let both of them have a seat in the carriage, andthey all drove away together. When they came to the nobleman's castle,the table was spread, and Crabb was told to sit down and eat. "Yes, butmy wife, Grethe, too," said he, and he seated himself with her at thetable. And when the first servant came with a dish of delicate fare,the peasant nudged his wife, and said, "Grethe, that was the first,"meaning that was the servant who brought the first dish. The servant,however, thought he intended by that to say, "That is the first thief,"and as he actually was so, he was terrified, and said to his comradeoutside, "The doctor knows all: we shall fare ill, he said I was thefirst." The second did not want to go in at all, but was forced. Sowhen he went in with his dish, the peasant nudged his wife, and said,"Grethe, that is the second." This servant was just as much alarmed, andhe got out. The third did not fare better, for the peasant again said,"Grethe, that is the third." The fourth had to carry in a dish that wascovered, and the lord told the doctor that he was to show his skill,and guess what was beneath the cover. The doctor looked at the dish,had no idea what to say, and cried, "Ah, poor Crabb." When the lordheard that, he cried, "There! he knows it, he knows who has the money!"

　　On this the servants looked terribly uneasy, and made a sign to thedoctor that they wished him to step outside for a moment. When thereforehe went out, all four of them confessed to him that they had stolenthe money, and said that they would willingly restore it and give hima heavy sum into the bargain, if he would not denounce them, for if hedid they would be hanged. They led him to the spot where the money wasconcealed. With this the doctor was satisfied, and returned to the hall,sat down to the table, and said, "My lord, now will I search in my bookwhere the gold is hidden." The fifth servant, however, crept into thestove to hear if the doctor knew still more. The Doctor, however, satstill and opened his A B C book, turned the pages backwards and forwards,and looked for the cock. As he could not find it immediately he said,"I know you are there, so you had better show yourself." Then the fellowin the stove thought that the doctor meant him, and full of terror,sprang out, crying, "That man knows everything!" Then Dr. Knowall showedthe count where the money was, but did not say who had stolen it, andreceived from both sides much money in reward, and became a renowned man.

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