This fairy tale story is collected from Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Household Tales, translated by- Margaret Hunt (London: George Bell, 1884)
As he was miserly by nature, he did not like to leave the saddle lying there. So he cut it off and put it on his back; and now he had to go on foot. "I have still two wishes left," said he, and comforted himself with that thought.
Then he was walking slowly through the sand and the sun was burning hot at noon-day, he grew quite hot-tempered and angry. The saddle hurt his back and he had not yet any idea what to wish for. "If I were to wish for all the riches and treasures in the world," said the rich man to himself, "I should still to think of all kinds of things later on, I know that, beforehand. But I will manage so that there is nothing at all left me to wish for afterwards."
Then the rich man sighed and said, "Ah, if I were but that Bavarian peasant, who likewise had three wishes granted to him, and knew quite well what to do. In the first I place wished for a great deal of beer, and in the second for as much beer as he was able to drink, and in the third for a barrel of beer into the deal."
Many a time the rich man thought he had found it, but then it seemed to him to be, after all, too little. Then it came into his mind, what an easy life his wife had, for she stayed at home in a cool room and enjoyed herself. This really did irritate him, and before he was aware, he said, "I just wish she was sitting there on this saddle, and could not get off it, instead of my having to drag it along on my back."
And as the last word was spoken, the saddle disappeared from his back, and he saw that his second wish had been fulfilled. Then he really did feel warm. He began to run and wanted to be quite alone in his own room at home, to think of something really large for his last wish. But when he arrived there and opened the drawing room-door, he saw his wife sitting in the middle of the room on the saddle, crying and complaining, and quite unable to get off it.
So the rich man said to his wife, "Do bear it, and I will wish for all the riches on earth for you, only stay where you art."
However, she called him a fool, and said, "What good will all the riches on earth do me, if I am to sit on this saddle? You have wished me on it, so you must help me off."
So whether he would or not, he was forced to let his third wish be that she should be quit of the saddle, and able to get off it, and immediately the wish was fulfilled.
So he got nothing by it but harassment, problem, mistreatment, and the loss of his horse. But the poor people lived happily, peacefully, and morally until their happy death.
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| The Poor Man and the Rich Man |
The Poor Man and the Rich Man - Part 2
A Fairy tale story by - The Brothers Grimm
The sun was high when the rich man got up and looked out of his window and saw, on the opposite side of the way, a new clean-looking house with red tiles and bright windows where the old hut used to be.
He was very much surprised, and called his wife and said to her, "Tell me, what can have happened? Last night there was a miserable little hut standing there, and today there is a beautiful new house. Run over and see how that has come to pass."
So his wife went and asked the poor man, and he said to her, "Yesterday evening a traveler came here and asked for a night's lodging, and this morning when he took leave of us he granted us three wishes - eternal happiness, health during this life and our daily bread as well, and besides this, a beautiful new house instead of our old hut."
When the rich man's wife heard this, she ran back in rush and told her husband how it had happened. The rich man said, "I could tear myself to pieces! If I had but known that! That the traveler came to our house too, and wanted to sleep here, and I sent him away."
"Quick!" said his wife, "get on your horse. You can still catch the man up and then you must ask to have three wishes granted you."
The rich man followed the good advice and galloped away on his horse. Soon the rich man came up with the Lord. He spoke to him softly and gently, and begged him not to take it wrong that he had not let Him in directly; he was looking for the front-door key, and in the meantime the stranger had gone away, if He returned the same way He must come and stay with him.
"Yes," said the Lord; "if I ever come back again, I will do so."
Then the rich man asked if might not wish for three things too, as his neighbor had done?
"Yes," said the Lord, he might, but it would not be to his advantage, and he had better not wish for anything; but the rich man thought that he could easily ask for something which would add to his happiness, if he only knew that it would be granted.
So the Lord said to him, "Ride home, then, and three wishes which you shall form, shall be fulfilled."
The rich man had now gained what he wanted. Then he rode home and began to consider what he should wish for. As he was thus thinking he let the bridle fall and the horse began to jump. So that he was continually disturbed in his thoughts and he could not collect his thoughts at all.
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| The Poor Man and the Rich Man |
He slapped its neck, and said, "Gently, Lisa," but the horse only began new tricks. Then at last he was angry, and cried quite anxiously, "I wish your neck was broken!" Directly the rich man had said the words, down the horse fell on the ground, and there it lay dead and never moved again. And thus was his first wish fulfilled.
As he was miserly by nature, he did not like to leave the saddle lying there. So he cut it off and put it on his back; and now he had to go on foot. "I have still two wishes left," said he, and comforted himself with that thought.
Then he was walking slowly through the sand and the sun was burning hot at noon-day, he grew quite hot-tempered and angry. The saddle hurt his back and he had not yet any idea what to wish for. "If I were to wish for all the riches and treasures in the world," said the rich man to himself, "I should still to think of all kinds of things later on, I know that, beforehand. But I will manage so that there is nothing at all left me to wish for afterwards."
Then the rich man sighed and said, "Ah, if I were but that Bavarian peasant, who likewise had three wishes granted to him, and knew quite well what to do. In the first I place wished for a great deal of beer, and in the second for as much beer as he was able to drink, and in the third for a barrel of beer into the deal."
Many a time the rich man thought he had found it, but then it seemed to him to be, after all, too little. Then it came into his mind, what an easy life his wife had, for she stayed at home in a cool room and enjoyed herself. This really did irritate him, and before he was aware, he said, "I just wish she was sitting there on this saddle, and could not get off it, instead of my having to drag it along on my back."
And as the last word was spoken, the saddle disappeared from his back, and he saw that his second wish had been fulfilled. Then he really did feel warm. He began to run and wanted to be quite alone in his own room at home, to think of something really large for his last wish. But when he arrived there and opened the drawing room-door, he saw his wife sitting in the middle of the room on the saddle, crying and complaining, and quite unable to get off it.
So the rich man said to his wife, "Do bear it, and I will wish for all the riches on earth for you, only stay where you art."
However, she called him a fool, and said, "What good will all the riches on earth do me, if I am to sit on this saddle? You have wished me on it, so you must help me off."
So whether he would or not, he was forced to let his third wish be that she should be quit of the saddle, and able to get off it, and immediately the wish was fulfilled.
So he got nothing by it but harassment, problem, mistreatment, and the loss of his horse. But the poor people lived happily, peacefully, and morally until their happy death.
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