Grimm's Household Tales

Once there were three apprentices who had agreed that they would always stay together while traveling and always work in the same town. At one point, however, their masters had no more work to give them, so that in the end they were in rags and had nothing to live on. Then one of them said, “What should we do? We cannot stay here any longer. We will travel once more, and if we do not find any work in the town we go to, we will arrange with the innkeeper there that we are to write and tell him where we are staying, so that we can always have news of one another. Then we will separate.” That seemed best to the others as well. They set out, and on the way they met a richly dressed man who asked who they were. “We are apprentices looking for work. Up to now we have stayed together, but if we cannot find anything to do, we are going to separate.” “There is no need for that,” said the man. “If you will do what I tell you, you will not lack gold or work. In fact, you will become great lords and ride in your own carriages!” One of them said, “If our souls and our salvation are not endangered, we will certainly do it.” “They will not be,” replied the man. “I have no claim on you.” One of the others, however, had looked at the man’s feet, and when he saw a horse’s foot and a man’s foot, he wanted nothing to do with him. But the Devil said, “Do not worry. I have no designs on you, but on another soul, which is already half mine and whose measure needs only to run full.” Since they now felt safe, they consented, and the Devil told them what he wanted. The first was to answer every question with “All three of us”; the second was to say “For money”; and the third was to say “And quite right, too!” They were always to say this, one after the other, and they were not to say one word more. If they disobeyed this order, all their money would disappear at once, but as long as they obeyed it, their pockets would always be full. To begin with, he at once gave them as much as they could carry and told them to go to a certain inn when they got to the town. They went there, and the innkeeper came to meet them and asked if they wanted anything to eat. The first replied, “All three of us.” “Yes,” said the innkeeper, “that is what I mean.” The second said, “For money.” “Of course,” said the innkeeper. The third said, “And quite right, too!” “Certainly it is right,” said the innkeeper.

Good food and drink were now brought to them, and they were well waited on. After the meal came the payment. The innkeeper gave the bill to the first, who said, “All three of us.” The second said, “For money,” and the third said, “And quite right, too!” “Indeed it is right,” said the innkeeper. “All three pay, and without money I can give nothing.” They, however, paid even more than he had asked. The lodgers, who were looking on, said, “These people must be crazy.” “Yes, indeed they are,” said the innkeeper. “They are not very wise.” So they stayed at the inn for some time and said nothing except “All three of us,” “For money,” and “And quite right, too!” But they saw and knew everything that was going on. It so happened that a wealthy merchant came with a large sum of money and said, “Innkeeper, take care of my money for me. Here are three crazy apprentices who might steal it from me.” The innkeeper did as he was asked. As he was carrying the trunk into his room, he felt that it was heavy with gold. Then he gave the three apprentices lodging downstairs, but the merchant went upstairs to a separate room. At midnight, when the innkeeper thought that everyone was asleep, he came with his wife. They had an axe, and they struck the wealthy merchant dead. After they had murdered him, they went back to bed. When morning came, there was a great outcry. The merchant lay dead in his bed, bathed in blood. All the guests came running at once, but the innkeeper said, “The three crazy apprentices have done this.” The lodgers confirmed it and said, “It could not have been anyone else.” The innkeeper, however, sent for the apprentices and said to them, “Have you killed the merchant?” “All three of us,” said the first. “For money,” said the second. And the third added, “And quite right, too!” “There, you hear them,” said the innkeeper. “They confess it themselves.” So they were taken to prison, and they were to be put on trial. When they saw that things were taking such a serious turn, they were afraid after all. But at night the Devil came and said, “Bear it just one day longer, and do not throw away your luck. Not one hair of your head will be hurt.”

The next morning they were brought before the court, and the judge said, “Are you the murderers?” “All three of us.” “Why did you kill the merchant?” “For money.” “You wicked wretches, do you feel no horror at your sins?” “And quite right, too!” “They have confessed and are still stubborn,” said the judge. “Lead them to their death at once.” So they were taken out, and the innkeeper had to go with them into the circle. When the executioner’s men had seized them and were just about to lead them up to the scaffold, where the executioner was standing with a drawn sword, a coach pulled by four blood-red chestnut horses suddenly came up. It was racing so fast that fire flashed from the stones, and someone waved a white handkerchief from the window. Then the executioner said, “A pardon is coming,” and “Pardon! Pardon!” was also called out from the carriage. Then the Devil stepped out in the guise of a very noble gentleman, beautifully dressed, and said, “You three are innocent. You may now speak and make known what you have seen and heard.” Then the eldest said, “We did not kill the merchant. The murderer is standing there in the circle,” and he pointed to the innkeeper. “As proof of this, go into his cellar, where many others whom he has killed are still hanging.” Then the judge sent the executioner’s men there, and they found that it was as the apprentices had said. When they had informed the judge of this, he had the innkeeper brought forward, and his head was cut off. Then the Devil said to the three, “Now I have the soul that I wanted to have, and you are free and have money for the rest of your lives.”