The Bittern and the Hoopoe

by The Brothers Grimm

　　

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"Where do you like best to feed your flocks?" said a man to an oldcow-herd. "Here, sir, where the grass is neither too rich nor too poor, orelse it is no use." "Why not?" asked the man. "Do you hear that melancholycry from the meadow there?" answered the shepherd, "that is the bittern;he was once a shepherd, and so was the hoopoe also,—I will tell youthe story. The bittern pastured his flocks on rich green meadows whereflowers grew in abundance, so his cows became wild and unmanageable. Thehoopoe drove his cattle on to high barren hills, where the wind playswith the sand, and his cows became thin, and got no strength. When itwas evening, and the shepherds wanted to drive their cows homewards,the bittern could not get his together again; they were too high-spirited, and ran away from him. He called, "Come, cows, come," but itwas of no use; they took no notice of his calling. The hoopoe, however,could not even get his cows up on their legs, so faint and weak had theybecome. "Up, up, up," screamed he, but it was in vain, they remainedlying on the sand. That is the way when one has no moderation. And tothis day, though they have no flocks now to watch, the bittern cries,"Come, cows, come," and the hoopoe, "Up, up, up."

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