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By Root 2165 0

I saw dead fingers lying.” “Oh, how silly you are! Those were some roots of scorzonera.” “On the third flight lay a heap of dead men’s heads.” “Foolish man, those were cabbages.” “On the fourth flight, I saw fishes in a pan, which were hissing and baking themselves.” When he had said that, the fishes came and served themselves up. “And when I got to the fifth flight, I peeped through the keyhole of a door, and there, godfather, I saw you, and you had long, long horns.” “Oh, that is not true!” The man became alarmed, and ran out, and if he had not, who knows what the godfather would have done to him.

Frau Trude

THERE was once a little girl who was obstinate and inquisitive, and when her parents told her to do anything, she did not obey them, so how could she fare well? One day she said to her parents: “I have heard so much of Frau Trude, I will go to her some day. People say that everything about her does look so strange, and that there are such odd things in her house, that I have become quite curious!” Her parents absolutely forbade her, and said: “Frau Trude is a bad woman, who does wicked things, and if you go to her, you are no longer our child.” But the maiden did not let herself be turned aside by her parents’ prohibition, and still went to Frau Trude. And when she got to her, Frau Trude said: “Why are you so pale?” “Ah,” she replied, and her whole body trembled, “I have been so terrified at what I have seen.” “What have you see?” “I saw a black man on your steps.” “That was a collier.” “Then I saw a green man.” “That was a huntsman.” “After that I saw a blood-red man.” “That was a butcher.” “Ah, Frau Trude, I was terrified; I looked through the window and saw not you, but, as I verily believe, the Devil himself with a head of fire.” “Oho!” said she, “then you have seen the witch in her proper costume. I have been waiting for you, and wanting you a long time already; you shall give me some light.” Then she changed the girl into a block of wood, and threw it into the fire. And when it was in full blaze she sat down close to it, and warmed herself by it, and said: “That shines bright for once in a way.”

Godfather Death

A POOR man had twelve children and was forced to work night and day to give them even bread. When therefore the thirteenth came into the world, he knew not what to do in his trouble, but ran out into the great highway, and resolved to ask the first person whom he met to be godfather. The first to meet him was the good God who already knew what filled his heart, and said to him: “Poor man, I pity you. I will hold your child at its christening, and will take charge of it and make it happy on earth.” The man said: “Who are you?” “I am God.” “Then I do not desire to have you for a godfather,” said the man; “you give to the rich, and leave the poor to hunger.” Thus spoke the man, for he did not know how wisely God apportions riches and poverty. He turned therefore away from the Lord, and went farther. Then the Devil came to him and said: “What do you seek? If you will take me as a godfather for your child, I will give him gold in plenty and all the joys of the world as well.” The man asked: “Who are you?” “I am the Devil.” “Then I do not desire to have you for godfather,” said the man; “you deceive men and lead them astray.” He went onwards, and then came Death striding up to him with withered legs, and said: “Take me as godfather.” The man asked: “Who are you?” “I am Death, and I make all equal.” Then said the man, “You are the right one, you take the rich as well as the poor, without distinction; you shall be godfather.” Death answered: “I will make your child rich and famous, for he who has me for a friend can lack nothing.” The man said: “Next Sunday is the christening; be there at the right time.” Death appeared as he had promised, and stood godfather quite in the usual way.

When the boy had grown up, his godfather one day appeared and bade him go with him. He led him forth into a forest, and showed him a herb which grew there, and said: “Now you shall receive your godfather’s present.