The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales (Pantheon Books) - Jacob Grimm [166]
Then they journeyed onwards, and came to a kingdom where they heard that the King’s daughter lay sick unto death. “Hi, there, brother!” said the soldier to St. Peter, “this is a chance for us; if we can heal her we shall be provided for, for life!” But St. Peter was not half quick enough for him: “Come, lift your legs, my dear brother,” said he, “that we may get there in time.” But St. Peter walked slower and slower, though Brother Lustig did all he could to drive and push him on, and at last they heard that the princess was dead. “Now we are done for!” said Brother Lustig; “that comes of your sleepy way of walking!” “Just be quiet,” answered St. Peter, “I can do more than cure sick people; I can bring dead ones to life again.” “Well, if you can do that,” said Brother Lustig, “it’s all right, but you should earn at least half the kingdom for us by that.” Then they went to the royal palace, where everyone was in great grief, but St. Peter told the King that he would restore his daughter to life. He was taken to her, and said: “Bring me a kettle and some water,” and when that was brought, he bade everyone go out, and allowed no one to remain with him but Brother Lustig. Then he cut off all the dead girl’s limbs, and threw them in the water, lighted a fire beneath the kettle, and boiled them. And when the flesh had fallen away from the bones, he took out the beautiful white bones, and laid them on a table, and arranged them together in their natural order. When he had done that, he stepped forward and said three times: “In the name of the holy Trinity, dead woman, arise.” And at the third time, the princess arose, living, healthy and beautiful. Then the King was in the greatest joy, and said to St. Peter: “Ask for your reward; even if it were half my kingdom, I would give it.” But St. Peter said: “I want nothing for it.” “Oh, you tomfool!” thought Brother Lustig to himself, and nudged his comrade’s side, and said: “Don’t be so stupid! If you have no need of anything, I have.” St. Peter, however, would have nothing, but as the King saw that the other would very much like to have something, he ordered his treasurer to fill Brother Lustig’s knapsack with gold. Then they went on their way, and when they came to a forest, St. Peter said to Brother Lustig: “Now, we will divide the gold.” “Yes,” he replied, “we will.” So St. Peter divided the gold, and divided it into three heaps. Brother Lustig thought to himself: “What crazy idea has he got in his head now? He is making three shares, and there are only two of us!” But St. Peter said: “I have divided it exactly; there is one share for me, one for you and one for him who ate the lamb’s heart.”
“Oh, I ate that!” replied Brother Lustig, and hastily swept up the gold. “You may trust what I say.” “But how can that be true,” said St. Peter, “when a lamb has no heart?” “Eh, what, brother, what can you be thinking of? Lambs have hearts like other animals, why should only they have none?” “Well, so be it,” said St. Peter, “keep the gold to yourself, but I will stay with you no longer; I will go my way alone.” “As you like, dear brother,” answered Brother Lustig. “Farewell.”
Then St. Peter went a different road, but Brother Lustig thought: “It is a good thing that he has taken himself off, he is certainly a strange saint.” Then he had money enough, but did not know how to manage it, squandered it, gave it away, and when some time had gone by, once more had nothing. Then he arrived in a certain country where he heard that the King’s daughter was dead. “Oh, ho!” thought he, “that may be a good thing for me; I will bring her to life again, and see that I am paid as I ought to be.” So he went to the King, and offered to raise the dead girl to life again. Now the King had heard that a discharged soldier was traveling about and bringing dead persons to life again, and thought that Brother Lustig was the man; but as he had no confidence in him, he consulted his councillors first, who said that he might give it a trial as his daughter was dead. Then Brother Lustig