the Little Peasant小农夫

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

there was a village where all the peasants were rich except for just one poor one, whom they called the little peasant. He did not own a single cow, and had even less money to buy one with, but he and his wife would have liked to have one ever so much.

One day he said to her, "Listen, I have a good idea. Our kinsman¹ the cabinetmaker should make us a calf² out of wood and paint it brown so that it looks like any other calf, and with time it is sure to grow big and be a cow."

His wife liked this idea, and their kinsman the cabinetmaker skillfully put together the calf and planed it, then painted it just right. He made it with its head hanging down as if it were grazing.

When the cows were being driven out the next morning the little peasant called to the herder and said, "Look, I have a little calf here, but it is still small and has to be carried."

the herder said, "All right," and taking it in his arms he carried it to the pasture where he set it in the grass.

the little calf stood there like one that was grazing, and the herder said, "It will soon be walking by itself. Just look how it is already grazing."

That evening when he was about to drive the herd³ home again, he said to the calf, "If you can stand there and eat your fill, you can also walk on your four legs. I don't want to carry you home again in my arms."

When the herder drove the cows through the village the little peasant was standing⁴ outside his door waiting for his little calf. It was missing, and he asked where it was.

the herder answered, "It is still standing out there grazing. It would not stop and come with us."

the little peasant said, "Oh, I must have my animal back again."

then together they went back to the pasture, but someone had stolen the calf, and it was gone.

the herder said, "It must have run away."

the little peasant said, "Don't tell me that," and he took the herder before the mayor, who condemned⁵ him for his carelessness, and required him to give the little peasant a cow for the lost calf.

the little peasant and his wife now had the cow that they had long wanted. They were very glad, but they had no feed for it, and could give it nothing to eat, so it soon had to be slaughtered⁶.

they salted the meat, and the little peasant went to town to sell the hide, hoping to buy a new calf with the proceeds.

On the way he came to a mill, and there sat a raven⁷ with broken wings. Out of pity he picked it up and wrapped it in the hide.

But then the weather turned very bad with a wind and rain storm. Unable to continue on his way, he returned to the mill and asked for shelter.

the miller⁸'s wife was alone in the house, and she said to the little peasant, "You can sleep in the straw there," and she gave him a piece of bread and cheese.

the little peasant ate and then lay down with his hide at his side. The woman thought, "He is tired and has fallen asleep."

In the meantime the priest arrived. The miller's wife received him well, and said, "My husband is out, so we can have a feast."

the little peasant listened, and when he heard them talking about feasting he was angry that he had had to make do with a piece of bread and cheese. Then the woman served up four different things: a roast, salad, cake, and wine. They were just about to sit down and eat when someone knocked on the outside door.

the woman said, "Oh, God, it's my husband." She quickly hid the roast inside the tile stove, the wine under the pillow, the salad on top of the bed, the cake under the bed, and the priest in the hallway chest.

then opening the door for her husband, she said, "Thank heaven, you are back again. That is such a storm, as if the world were coming to an end."

the miller saw the little peasant lying in the straw and asked, "What is that fellow doing there?"

"Oh," said his wife, "the poor rascal⁹ came in the storm and rain and asked for shelter, so I gave him a piece of bread and cheese, and let him lie in the straw."

the man said, "I have nothing against that, but hurry and get me something to eat."

His wife said, " I have nothing but bread and cheese."

"I'll be satisfied with anything," answered her husband. "Bread and cheese will be good enough for me." then he looked at the little peasant and said, "Come and eat some more with me."

the little peasant did not have to be asked twice, but got up and ate.

Afterward¹⁰ the miller saw the hide with the raven in it lying on the ground, and asked, "What do you have there?"

the little peasant answered, "I have a fortune-teller inside it."

"Can he predict anything for me?" said the miller.

"Why not?" answered the little peasant. "But he only says four things, and the fifth he keeps to himself."

the miller was curious and said, "Let him predict something."

then the little peasant pressed against the raven's head, so that he cawed and said, "krr, krr."

the miller said, "What did he say?"

the little peasant answered, "First of all, he says that there is some wine under the pillow."

"That would be something!" cried the miller, and went there and found the wine. "Say some more," he said.

the little peasant made the raven caw again, then said, "Secondly¹¹, he says that there is a roast in the tile stove."

"That would be something!" cried the miller, and went there and found the roast.

the little peasant made the raven prophesy¹² still more, and said, "Thirdly, he says that there is some salad on top of the bed."

"That would be something!" cried the miller, and went there and found the salad.

At last the little peasant pressed against the raven once more until he cawed, and said, "Fourthly, he says that there is a cake under the bed."

"That would be something!" cried the miller, and looked there and found the cake. Then the two of them sat down at the table together. But the miller's wife was frightened to death and went to bed, taking all the keys with her.

the miller would have liked very much to know the fifth thing, but the little peasant said, "First, let us eat the four things in peace, for the fifth thing is something bad."

So they ate, after which they bargained as to how much the miller would pay for the fifth prophesy, finally aGREeing on three hundred talers. Then the little peasant once more pressed against the raven's head until he cawed loudly.

the miller asked, "What did he say?"

the little peasant answered, "He says that the devil is hiding out there in the hallway chest."

the miller said, "The devil must leave," and opened the outside door.

then the woman had to give up the keys, and the little peasant unlocked the chest. The priest ran out as fast as he could, and the miller said, " I saw the black fellow with my own eyes. It was true."

the next morning at dawn the little peasant quickly made off the with the three hundred talers.

At home the little peasant gradually began to prosper¹³. He built a nice house, and the peasants said, "The little peasant has certainly been to the place where golden snow falls and people carry money home by the bushel."

then the little peasant was summoned before the mayor and ordered to tell where his wealth came from.

He answered, "I sold my cow's hide in the town for three hundred talers."

When the peasants heard this, they too wanted to benefit from this favorable exchange. They ran home, slaughtered all their cows, and stripped off their hides in order to sell them in the town at this GREat profit.

the mayor, however, said, "But my maid must go first."

When she came to the buyer in the town, he did not give her more than three talers for one hide, and when the others came, he did not give them even that much, saying, "What am I to do with all these hides?"

then the peasants were angry that the little peasant had deceived them. Wanting to take revenge against him, they accused him of fraud before the mayor. The innocent little peasant was unanimously sentenced to death, and he was to be rolled into the water in a barrel pierced with holes. He was led out, and a priest was brought who was to say a mass for his soul. The others had to step back, and when the little peasant looked at the priest he recognized the man who had been with the miller's wife.

He said to him, "I freed you from the chest. Free me from the barrel."

Just then a shepherd came by with a flock of sheep. It was the very shepherd who, as the little peasant knew, had long wanted to be mayor. Then the little peasant cried out with all his might, "No, I will not do it! Even if the whole world insists on it, I will not do it!"

Hearing this, the shepherd came up to him, and asked, "What are you up to? What is it that you will not do?"

the little peasant said, "They want to make me mayor, if I will get into the barrel, but I will not do it."

the shepherd said, "If that is all that is needed to be mayor, I would get into the barrel at once."

the little peasant said, "If you will get in, then you will be mayor."

the shepherd aGREed and got in, and the little peasant nailed the top down. Then he took the shepherd's flock for himself, and drove it away. The priest went to the people and told them that the mass had been read. Then they came and rolled the barrel towards the water. As the barrel began to roll, the shepherd cried out, "I will gladly be mayor."

they believed that it was the little peasant who was saying this and answered, "That is what we intend, but first take a look around down there," and they rolled the barrel into the water.

After that the peasants went home, and as they were entering the village, the little peasant approached them, happily driving a flock of sheep. The astonished peasants said, "Little peasant, where are you coming from? Did you come out of the water?"

"Yes indeed," answered the little peasant. "I sank deep, deep down, until at last I reached the bottom. I pushed the bottom out of the barrel, and crawled out. There were beautiful meadows there, where many lambs were grazing. I brought this flock with me from there."

the peasants said, "Are there more there?"

"Oh, yes," he said. "More than you could use."

then the peasants decided¹⁴ that they too would get some sheep for themselves, a flock for each one of them, but the mayor said, "I come first."

So they went to the water together, and just then in the blue sky there were some of the small fleecy clouds that are called little lambs. They were reflected in the water, and the peasants cried out, "We can already see the sheep down there on the bottom."

the mayor pushed his way to the front, saying, "I will go down first, and take a look around. If everything is all right, I shall call you." Then he jumped in.

"Plop," went the water. They thought that he was calling them to come, and the whole lot of them hastily plunged¹⁵ in after him.

then the entire village was dead, and the little peasant, as the only heir, became a rich man.

从前有个村子，那里的人都很富裕，只有一个人穷得连条牛都没有，更说不上有钱买了，大家叫他「小农夫」。他和妻子都很想有头自家的牛，於是有一天他对妻子说：「我有个好主意。多嘴的木匠说他愿意给我们做个和真牛一模一样的小木牛，然后漆成棕色，慢慢地就会变成真正的牛了。」妇人觉得这主意挺不错，於是木匠又是砍又是刨，终於做出了一头正在低头吃草的木牛犊，然后刷上油漆。

第二天一早，牧牛人正赶着牛群要出村，小农夫把他拉进屋说：「你瞧，我有头小牛，还不能自己走，你得抱着它走才行。」牧人於是把小木牛抱到牧场，把它放在草地中央。小木牛总是那么埋头吃草的样子，牧人说：「瞧它那副埋头吃草的劲头，用不了多久就会自己跑了。」

晚上，牧人打算赶着牛群回村。他对小木牛说：「既然你能吃就吃个够吧。等你吃饱了准能自己回村的。我可不想再抱着你走了。」可是小农夫站在门口等着，看到牧牛人赶着牛进了村，没见到小木牛，就问牧人小牛在哪儿。「还在牧场吃草呢。它不肯跟我回来。」小农夫说：「我一定得把小牛找回来。」

他们一起来到牧场，没见到牛犊，也不知道甚么人把它偷走了。牧人说：「准是它自己跑了。」小农夫说：「别跟我来这一套。」拉着牧人就找镇长评理去了。镇长判牧人粗心，罚他赔一头小牛给农夫。

就这样，小农夫和妻子有了一头自家的牛。他们打心眼里为这盼望已久的事情感到高兴。可是他们太穷了，没东西喂给它吃，所以没过多久就只得把牛杀了。他们将牛肉醃制起来，把牛皮扒了下来，打算卖掉之后再买头小牛回来。他路过一家磨坊，看到一只折断了翅膀的乌鸦。他同情地把它捡了起来，用牛皮裹好。这时天上突然下起了暴雨，他不得不到磨坊躲雨。磨坊主的妻子独自在家，她对小农夫说：「躺在那边的草垛上吧。」又给了他一片麵包和一小块干酪。农夫吃完就把牛皮放在身边，自己在草垛上躺下了。磨坊主的妻子以为他累了在那儿睡熟了。这时，教区牧师来了，磨坊主的妻子热情地接待他，说：「我丈夫不在家，我们可以好好吃一顿了。」小农夫听到他们大谈美食，又想到自己只吃了一块麵包和一点干酪，心里很不痛快。只见妇人端出四种不同的美食来：烤肉、沙拉、蛋糕和酒。

他们正要坐下享用，听到外面有人敲门。妇人说：「天哪！是我丈夫！」她赶忙将烤肉藏到烤炉里，把酒塞到枕头底下，把蛋糕藏到床下面，沙拉藏到床上，最后将牧师藏到门廊上的壁橱里，然后才去给丈夫开门，说：「谢天谢地，你总算回来了！暴风雨那么大，简直像到了世界末日一样。」磨坊主看到躺在草垛上的小农夫，问：「这傢伙在这里干甚么？」「哦，可怜的傢伙赶上暴雨了，来请求躲雨。我给了他一块麵包和一点干酪，然后把他领到这里来了。」丈夫说：「行了，快点弄些吃的来吧。」可妇人说：「除了麵包和干酪，别的就甚么都没了。」「随便甚么都行。」丈夫回答，「我现在能有麵包和干酪就觉得挺不错的了。」他看着小农夫，问：「你也来和我一起吃点儿吧。」农夫毫不客气，赶紧起来吃。这时，磨坊主看到了地上的牛皮和乌鸦，问：「那是甚么？」「里面是个占卜的。」农夫回答。「能预言点甚么？」磨坊主问。「怎么不能！」农夫说，「不过它每次只说四件事，第五件只有它自己知道。」磨坊主好奇地说：「那就让它说点甚么吧。」磨坊主说。於是农夫捅了捅乌鸦，使它「呀、呀」地叫了几声。磨坊主问：「它说啥？」农夫说：「它说，首先枕头下面有一瓶酒。」「天哪！」磨坊主喊着冲向枕头，真的从它下面拿出一瓶酒来。「让它接着说。」磨坊主说。农夫又捅了捅乌鸦，让它叫出声来，说：「这次它说烤炉里有烤肉。」「唉呀！」磨坊主惊叫着跑向烤炉，果然找到了烤肉。农夫再次让乌鸦预言，说：「这次它说床上有沙拉。」「太棒了！」说着磨坊主就走到床边，在那里找到了沙拉。农夫最后一次捅了捅乌鸦，说：「第四件，床底下有蛋糕。」「这倒不错！」磨坊主说着就朝床下看，真的有一盘蛋糕在那里。

两人这时一起吃了起来，磨坊主的妻子则吓了个半死。她把所有橱柜门都锁了起来，把钥匙拿在手里上床睡了。可磨坊主还想知道第五件事，农夫说：「我还是先快点吃这四样东西吧，第五件可不是甚么好东西。」等吃饱了喝足了，磨坊主还是想知道到底是甚么，所以他们就开始讲条件，最后谈定三百金币。农夫捅了捅乌鸦的脑袋，疼得它「哇、哇」大叫起来。磨坊主问：「它说甚么？」农夫说：「它说魔鬼藏在你家门廊上的柜子里了。」「那一定得把它赶走才行。」磨坊主说着打开房门，妇人只好交出钥匙。农夫替她打开了柜子门，牧师撒腿就跑。磨坊主说：「还真是的！我亲眼看到那黑黑的恶棍了！」就这样，农夫第二天一早带着三百金币离开了磨坊。

小农夫渐渐讲究起来，而且修起了新房子。村子里的农夫说：「小农夫准是到了天上落金子的地方，那里的人准是用铁锹铲了金子扛回家的。」於是他们把小农夫带到镇长那儿，逼他说出他的财富是从哪儿来的。他回答说：「我在城里把牛皮卖了，得了三百个金币。」其他农夫一听牛皮居然能卖那么高的价，纷纷跑回家将牛杀了，扒了皮，希望拿到城里去卖个好价钱。镇长说：「让我的仆人先去。」仆人来到城里，收牛皮的商人只出两个金币买一张牛皮。等其他农夫也赶来时，商人连这个价也不肯出了，说：「我拿这么多牛皮干甚么？」

那些农夫觉得自己被愚弄了，气急败坏地想要报复。他们以小农夫在镇长面前说谎的罪名控告他，并一致同意判无辜的小农夫死刑，要把他装进满是洞眼的酒桶沉到河里去。於是小农夫被带到牧师跟前作最后的忏悔。这种时候，其他人是必须走开的。小农夫认出牧师就是那晚在磨坊主家的那个，就说：「我把你从柜子里放了出来，你也该把我从桶里放出来才对。」这时，有个牧羊人赶着一群羊走来。小农夫知道他一直渴望当镇长，於是大喊：「不！我不当！即是全世界的人要我当我也不当！」牧羊人听了走过来问：「你在喊啥？你不当甚么？」农夫说：「他们说只要我愿意把自己装在这桶里就让我当镇长。我可不愿意！」「如果当镇长只需要这么做，我倒是很愿意。」说着就放出小农夫，自己钻了进去。小农夫替他盖上桶盖，赶着他的羊群走了。牧师回到大伙那儿说祈祷做完了，他们就过来朝河里推酒桶。桶开始滚动的时候，他们听到有人在里面说：「我很愿意当镇长。」可他们以为是小农夫在说话，就说：「我们的确打算让你当。不过你得先在下面四处瞧瞧。」说完就把桶推下河去了。

农夫们从村子一头往家走，小农夫赶着羊群从另一头默默进了村，样子十分满足。他们大为惊讶地问：「你从哪儿来？是从水里吗？」「是的，」小农夫说，「我一直往下沉啊沉啊，最后沉到河底，推开桶盖一看，原来是一片美丽的大草原，无数只羔羊在那里吃草。所以我就带了一群回来了。」农夫们又问：「那里还有吗？」「有啊！」他回答，「多得我想要都要不完。」农夫们决定也去赶一群羊回来。可是镇长说：「我先去。」他们一起来到河边，蓝天里正好飘过朵朵白云倒映在水中，农夫们喊道：「我们已经看到下面的羊群了！」镇长挤到前面说：「我先下去察看一下，如果真的很多我再叫你们。」说着就「扑通」一声跳进水里，那声音像是在喊岸上的人们下去，於是一群人一齐跳了下去，这下子，全村人都死光了，小农夫成了唯一继承人，一下成为了大富翁。