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Clever Hans
Tales Collected by the Brothers Grimm
The mother of Hans said, "Whither away, Hans?" Hans answered, "To
Grethel." "Behave well, Hans." "Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye,
mother." "Good-bye, Hans." Hans comes to Grethel, "Good day, Grethel."
"Good day, Hans. What dost thou bring that is good?" "I bring nothing,
I want to have something given me." Grethel presents Hans with a
needle. Hans says, "Good-bye, Grethel." "Good-bye, Hans."
Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows the
cart home. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hast
thou been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "Took nothing;
had something given me." "What did Grethel give thee?" "Gave me a
needle." "Where is the needle, Hans?" "Stuck it in the hay-cart."
"That was ill done, Hans. Thou shouldst have stuck the needle in
thy sleeve." "Never mind, I'll do better next time."
"Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans."
"Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans."
Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What dost thou
bring that is good?" "I bring nothing; I want to have something
given to me." Grethel presents Hans with a knife. "Good-bye, Grethel."
"Good-bye Hans." Hans takes the knife, sticks it in his sleeve, and
goes home. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where
hast thou been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "Took her
nothing, she gave me something." "What did Grethel give thee?" "Gave
me a knife." "Where is the knife, Hans?" "Stuck in my sleeve."
"That's ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have put the knife in thy
pocket." "Never mind, will do better next time." "Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother. "
"Behave well, Hans." "Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans."
Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What good
thing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, I want something given me."
Grethel presents Hans with a young goat. "Good-bye, Grethel."
"Good-bye, Hans." Hans takes the goat, ties its legs, and puts it
in his pocket. When he gets home it is suffocated. "Good evening,
mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hast thou been?" "With Grethel."
"What didst thou take her?" "Took nothing, she gave me something." "What
did Grethel give thee?" "She gave me a goat." "Where is the goat, Hans?"
"Put it in my pocket." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have
put a rope round the goat's neck." "Never mind, will do better next
time."
"Whither away, Hans,?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans."
"Oh, I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans." Hans
comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What good
thing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, I want something given
me." Grethel presents Hans with a piece of bacon. "Good-bye,
Grethel." "Good-bye, Hans."
Hans takes the bacon, ties it to a rope, and drags it away
behind him. The dogs come and devour the bacon. When he gets
home, he has the rope in his hand, and there is no longer
anything hanging to it. "Good evening, mother." "Good evening,
Hans." "Where hast thou been?" "With Grethel." What didst thou take
her?" "I took her nothing, she gave me something." "What did
Grethel give thee?" "Gave me a bit of bacon." "Where is the bacon, Hans?" "I tied it to
a rope, brought it home, dogs took it." "That was ill done, Hans,
thou shouldst have carried the bacon on thy head." "Never mind, will
do better next time." "Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans."
"I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans."
Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans." "What good
thing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, but would have something
given." Grethel presents Hans with a calf. "Good-bye, Grethel."
"Good-bye, Hans."
Hans takes the calf, puts it on his head, and the calf kicks his
face. Good evening, mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hast thou
been?" "With Grethel." "What didst thou take her?" "I took nothing, but
had something given me." "What did Grethel give thee?" "A calf."
"Where hast thou the calf, Hans?" "I set it on my head and it
kicked my face." "That was ill done, Hans, thou shouldst have led
the calf, and put it in the stall." "Never mind, will do better
next time."
"Whither away, Hans?" "To Grethel, mother." "Behave well, Hans."
"I'll behave well. Good-bye, mother." "Good-bye, Hans."
Hans comes to Grethel. "Good day, Grethel." "Good day, Hans. What
good thing dost thou bring?" "I bring nothing, but would have
something given." Grethel says to Hans, "I will go with thee."
Hans takes Grethel, ties her to a rope, leads her to the rack and
binds her fast. Then Hans goes to his mother. "Good evening,
mother." "Good evening, Hans. Where hast thou been?" "With Grethel."
"What didst thou take her?" "I took her nothing." "What did Grethel
give thee?" "She gave me nothing, she came with me." "Where hast
thou left Grethel?" "I led her by the rope, tied her to the rack,
and scattered some grass for her." "That was ill done, Hans, thou
shouldst have cast friendly eyes on her." "Never mind, will do better."
Hans went into the stable, cut out all the calves', and sheep's eyes,
and threw them in Grethel's face. Then Grethel became angry, tore
herself loose and ran away, and became the bride of Hans.
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