The Aged Mother

by The Brothers Grimm

　　

---

In a large town there was an old woman who sat in the evening alonein her room thinking how she had lost first her husband, then both herchildren, then one by one all her relations, and at length, that veryday, her last friend, and now she was quite alone and desolate. She wasvery sad at heart, and heaviest of all her losses to her was that ofher sons; and in her pain she blamed God for it. She was still sittinglost in thought, when all at once she heard the bells ringing for earlyprayer. She was surprised that she had thus in her sorrow watched throughthe whole night, and lighted her lantern and went to church. It wasalready lighted up when she arrived, but not as it usually was withwax candles, but with a dim light. It was also crowded already withpeople, and all the seats were filled; and when the old woman got toher usual place it also was not empty, but the whole bench was entirelyfull. And when she looked at the people, they were none other than herdead relations who were sitting there in their old-fashioned garments,but with pale faces. They neither spoke nor sang; but a soft humming andwhispering was heard all over the church. Then an aunt of hers stood up,stepped forward, and said to the poor old woman, "Look there beside thealtar, and thou wilt see thy sons." The old woman looked there, and sawher two children, one hanging on the gallows, the other bound to thewheel. Then said the aunt, "Behold, so would it have been with them ifthey had lived, and if the good God had not taken them to himself whenthey were innocent children." The old woman went trembling home, andon her knees thanked God for having dealt with her more kindly than shehad been able to understand, and on the third day she lay down and died.

---