Grimm's Household Tales

There was a great war, and the King had many soldiers but gave them small pay, so small that they could not live on it. So three of them agreed among themselves to desert. One of them said to the others, “If we are caught, we will be hanged on the gallows. How should we manage it?” Another said, “Look at that great field of grain. If we were to hide ourselves there, no one could find us. The troops are not allowed to enter it, and tomorrow they are to march away.” They crept into the grain, but the troops did not march away. Instead they remained camped all around it. They stayed in the grain for two days and two nights, and they were so hungry that they nearly died, but if they had come out, their death would have been certain. Then they said, “What is the use of our deserting if we have to perish miserably here?” But now a fiery dragon came flying through the air. It came down to them and asked why they had hidden themselves there. They answered, “We are three soldiers who have deserted because the pay was so bad, and now we will have to die of hunger if we stay here or dangle on the gallows if we go out.” “If you will serve me for seven years,” said the dragon, “I will convey you through the army so that no one can seize you.” “We have no choice and are compelled to accept,” they replied. Then the dragon caught hold of them with his claws, carried them away through the air over the army, and put them down again on the ground far from it. The dragon was none other than the Devil. He gave them a small whip and said, “Whip with it and crack it, and as much gold as you can wish for will spring up all around. Then you can live like great lords, keep horses, and ride in your carriages, but when the seven years have come to an end, you are my property.” Then he put before them a book that all three of them were forced to sign. “Then, however, I will give you a riddle,” he said, “and if you can guess it, you will be free and released from my power.” Then the dragon flew away from them, and they went away with their whip, had gold in abundance, ordered rich clothing for themselves, and traveled about the world. Wherever they were, they lived in pleasure and magnificence, rode on horseback, traveled in carriages, ate and drank, but did nothing wicked. The time slipped quickly away, and when the seven years were coming to an end, two of them were terribly anxious and alarmed, but the third took the matter calmly and said, “Brothers, fear nothing. My head is sharp enough. I will guess the riddle.” They went out into the open country and sat down, and the two wore sorrowful faces. Then an aged woman came up to them and asked why they were so sad. “Ah,” they said, “how can that concern you? After all, you cannot help us.” “Who knows?” she said. “Confide your trouble to me.” So they told her that they had been the Devil’s servants for nearly seven years and that he had provided them with gold as plentifully as if it had been blackberries. But they had sold themselves to him, and they were forfeit to him if at the end of the seven years they could not guess a riddle. The old woman said, “If you are to be saved, one of you must go into the forest. There he will come to a fallen rock that looks like a little house. He must enter it, and then he will get help.” The two melancholy ones thought to themselves, “That will still not save us,” and stayed where they were, but the third, the merry one, got up and walked on in the forest until he found the rock house. In the little house, however, sat a very old woman, who was the Devil’s grandmother. She asked the soldier where he came from and what he wanted there. He told her everything that had happened, and because he pleased her well, she took pity on him and said she would help him. She lifted up a great stone that lay over a cellar and said, “Hide yourself there. You can hear everything that is said here. Only sit still, and do not stir. When the dragon comes, I will question him about the riddle. He tells me everything, so listen carefully to his answer.” At twelve o’clock at night, the dragon came flying there and asked for his dinner. The grandmother set the table and served food and drink, so that he was pleased, and they ate and drank together. In the course of the conversation, she asked him what kind of day he had had and how many souls he had gotten. “Nothing went very well today,” he answered, “but I have caught three soldiers. I have them safe.” “Indeed! Three soldiers—now that is something. But they may still escape you.” The Devil said mockingly, “They are mine! I will give them a riddle that they will never in this world be able to guess!” “What riddle is that?” she asked. “I will tell you. In the great North Sea lies a dead dogfish. That will be your roast meat. The rib of a whale will be your silver spoon, and a hollow old horse’s hoof will be your wineglass.” When the Devil had gone to bed, the old grandmother raised the stone and let out the soldier. “Did you pay particular attention to everything?” “Yes,” he said, “I know enough, and I will find a way to save myself.” Then he had to go back another way, through the window, secretly and with all speed, to his companions. He told them how the old grandmother had outwitted the Devil and how he had learned the answer to the riddle from him. Then they were all joyful and in good cheer, and they took the whip and whipped so much gold for themselves that it ran all over the ground. When the seven years had fully passed, the Devil came with the book, showed the signatures, and said, “I will take you with me to hell. There you will have a meal! If you can guess what kind of roast meat you will have to eat, you will be free and released from your bargain, and you may keep the whip as well.” Then the first soldier began and said, “In the great North Sea lies a dead dogfish. That, no doubt, is the roast meat.” The Devil was angry and began to mutter, “Hm! Hm! Hm!” He asked the second, “But what will your spoon be?” “The rib of a whale. That is to be our silver spoon.” The Devil made a wry face, growled again, “Hm! Hm! Hm!” and said to the third, “And do you also know what your wineglass is to be?” “An old horse’s hoof is to be our wineglass.” Then the Devil flew away with a loud cry and had no more power over them, but the three kept the whip, whipped as much money for themselves with it as they wanted, and lived happily to the end of their days.