Grimm's Household Tales

Once upon a time there was a young peasant named Hans, whose uncle wanted to find him a rich wife. He therefore seated Hans behind the stove and had it made very hot. Then he fetched a pot of milk and plenty of white bread, put a bright, newly coined farthing in his hand, and said, “Hans, hold that farthing fast, crumble the white bread into the milk, stay where you are, and do not stir from that spot until I come back.” “Yes,” said Hans, “I will do all that.” Then the uncle put on a pair of old patched trousers, went to a rich peasant’s daughter in the next village, and said, “Won’t you marry my nephew Hans? You will get an honest and sensible man who will suit you.” The covetous father asked, “How is it with regard to his means? Does he have bread to break?” “Dear friend,” replied the uncle, “my young nephew has a comfortable position, a nice bit of money in hand, and plenty of bread to break. Besides, he has quite as many patches as I have.” (As he spoke, he slapped the patches on his trousers, but in that district small pieces of land were called patches also.) “If you will take the trouble to go home with me, you will see at once that all is as I have said.” Then the miser did not want to lose this good opportunity and said, “If that is the case, I have nothing further to say against the marriage.”

So the wedding was celebrated on the appointed day, and when the young wife went outside to see the bridegroom’s property, Hans took off his Sunday coat, put on his patched smock frock, and said, “I might spoil my good coat.” Then they went out together, and wherever a boundary line came into sight, or fields and meadows were divided from each other, Hans pointed with his finger and then slapped either a large or a small patch on his smock frock and said, “That patch is mine, and that one too, my dearest. Just look at it,” meaning by this that his wife should not stare at the broad land but look at his garment, which was his own.

“Were you indeed at the wedding?” “Yes, indeed I was there, and in full dress. My headdress was of snow; then the sun came out, and it melted. My coat was of cobwebs, and I had to pass by some thorns, which tore it off me. My shoes were of glass, and I pushed against a stone, and they said, ‘Klink,’ and broke in two.”