The Story of Schlauraffen Land

by The Brothers Grimm

　　

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In the time of Schlauraffen I went there, and saw Rome and the Lateranhanging by a small silken thread, and a man without feet who outran aswift horse, and a keen sharp sword that cut through a bridge. There Isaw a young ass with a silver nose which pursued two fleet hares, and alime-tree that was very large, on which hot cakes were growing. There Isaw a lean old goat which carried about a hundred cart-loads of fat on hisbody, and sixty loads of salt. Have I not told enough lies? There I sawa plough ploughing without horse or cow, and a child of one year threwfour millstones from Ratisbon to Treves, and from Treves to Strasburg,and a hawk swam over the Rhine, which he had a perfect right to do. ThereI heard some fishes begin to make such a disturbance with each other,that it resounded as far as heaven, and sweet honey flowed like waterfrom a deep valley at the top of a high mountain, and these were strangethings. There were two crows which were mowing a meadow, and I saw twognats building a bridge, and two doves tore a wolf to pieces; two childrenbrought forth two kids, and two frogs threshed corn together. There Isaw two mice consecrating a bishop, and two cats scratching out a bear'stongue. Then a snail came running up and killed two furious lions. Therestood a barber and shaved a woman's beard off; and two sucking-childrenbade their mother hold her tongue. There I saw two greyhounds whichbrought a mill out of the water; and a sorry old horse was beside it, andsaid it was right. And four horses were standing in the yard threshingcorn with all their might, and two goats were heating the stove, anda red cow shot the bread into the oven. Then a cock crowed, Cock-a-doodle-doo! The story is all told,—Cock-a-doodle-doo!

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