CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
BOOK I.
Chap. i.: Treats of Simplicissimus' rustic descent and of his upbringing answering thereto
Chap. ii.: Of the first step towards that dignity to which Simplicissimus attained, to which is added the praise of shepherds and other excellent precepts
Chap. iii.: Treats of the sufferings of a faithful bagpipe
Chap. iv.: How Simplicissimus' palace was stormed, plundered, and ruinated, and in what sorry fashion the soldiers kept house there
Chap. v.: How Simplicissimus took french leave and how he was terrified by dead trees
Chap. vi.: Is so short and so prayerful that Simplicissimus thereupon swoons away
Chap. vii.: How Simplicissimus was in a poor lodging kindly entreated
Chap. viii.: How Simplicissimus by his noble discourse proclaimed his excellent qualities
Chap. ix.: How Simplicissimus was changed from a wild beast into a Christian
Chap. x.: In what manner he learned to read and write in the wild woods
Chap. xi.: Discourseth of foods, household stuff, and other necessary concerns, which folk must have in this earthly life
Chap. xii.: Tells of a notable fine way, to die happy and to have oneself buried at a small cost
Chap. xiii.: How Simplicissimus was driven about like a straw in a whirlpool
Chap. xiv.: A quaint comedia of five peasants
Chap. xv.: How Simplicissimus was plundered, and how he dreamed of the peasants and how they fared in times of war
Chap. xvi.: Of the ways and works of soldiers nowadays, and how hardly a common soldier can get promotion
Chap. xvii.: How it happens that, whereas in war the nobles are ever put before the common men, yet many do attain from despised rank to high honours
Chap. xviii.: How Simplicissimus took his first step into the world and that with evil luck
Chap. xix.: How Simplicissimus was captured by Hanau and Hanau by Simplicissimus
Chap. xx.: In what wise he was saved from prison and torture
Chap. xxi.: How treacherous Dame Fortune cast on Simplicissimus a friendly glance
Chap. xxii.: Who the hermit was by whom Simplicissimus was cherished
Chap. xxiii.: How Simplicissimus became a page: and likewise, how the hermit's wife was lost
Chap. xxiv.: How Simplicissimus blamed the world and saw many idols therein
Chap. xxv.: How Simplicissimus found the world all strange and the world found him strange likewise
Chap. xxvi.: A new and strange way for men to wish one another luck and to welcome one another
Chap. xxvii.: How Simplicissimus discoursed with the secretary, and how he found a false friend
Chap. xxviii.: How Simplicissimus got two eyes out of one calf's-head
Chap. xxix.: How a man step by step may attain unto intoxication and finally unawares become blind drunk
Chap. xxx.: Still treats of naught but of drinking bouts, and how to be rid of parsons thereat
Chap. xxxi.: How the Lord Governor shot a very foul fox
Chap. xxxii.: How Simplicissimus spoiled the dance
BOOK II.
Chap. i.: How a goose and a gander were mated
Chap. ii.: Concerning the merits and virtues of a good bath at the proper season
Chap. iii.: How the other page received payment for his teaching, and how Simplicissimus was chosen to be a fool
Chap. iv.: Concerning the man that pays the money, and of the military service that Simplicissimus did for the Crown of Sweden: through which service he got the name of Simplicissimus
Chap. v.: How Simplicissimus was by four devils brought into hell and there treated with Spanish wine
Chap. vi.: How Simplicissimus went up to heaven and was turned into a calf
Chap. vii.: How Simplicissimus accommodated himself to the state of a brute beast
Chap. viii.: Discourseth of the wondrous memory of some and the forgetfulness of others
Chap. ix.: Crooked praise of a proper lady
Chap. x.: Discourseth of naught but heroes and famous artists
Chap. xi.: Of the toilsome and dangerous office of a Governor
Chap. xii.: Of the sense and knowledge of certain unreasoning animals
Chap. xiii.: Of various matters which whoever will know must either read them or have them read to him
Chap. xiv.: How Simplicissimus led the life of a nobleman, and how the Croats robbed him of this when they stole himself
Chap. xv.: Of Simplicissimus' life with the troopers, and what he saw and learned among the Croats
Chap. xvi.: How Simplicissimus found goodly spoils, and how he became a thievish brother of the woods
Chap. xvii.: How Simplicissimus was present at a dance of witches
Chap. xviii.: Doth prove that no man can lay to Simplicissimus' charge that he doth draw the long bow
Chap. xix.: How Simplicissimus became a fool again as he had been a fool before
Chap. xx.: Is pretty long, and treats of playing with dice and what hangs thereby
Chap. xxi.: Is somewhat shorter and more entertaining than the last
Chap. xxii.: A rascally trick to step into another man's shoes
Chap. xxiii.: How Ulrich Herzbruder sold himself for a hundred ducats
Chap. xxiv.: How two prophecies were fulfilled at once
Chap. xxv.: How Simplicissimus was transformed from a boy into a girl and fell into divers adventures of love
Chap. xxvi.: How he was imprisoned for a traitor and enchanter
Chap. xxvii: How the Provost fared in the battle of Wittstock
Chap. xxviii.: Of a great battle wherein the conqueror is captured in the hour of triumph
Chap. xxix.: How a notably pious soldier fared in Paradise, and how the huntsman filled his place
Chap. xxx.: How the huntsman carried himself when he began to learn the trade of war: wherefrom a young soldier may learn somewhat
Chap. xxxi.: How the devil stole the parson's bacon and how the huntsman caught himself
BOOK III.
Chap. i.: How the huntsman went too far to the left hand
Chap. ii.: How the huntsman of Soest did rid himself of the huntsman of Wesel
Chap. iii.: How the Great God Jupiter was captured and how he revealed the counsels of the gods
Chap. iv.: Of the German hero that shall conquer the whole world and bring peace to all nations
Chap. v.: How he shall reconcile all religions and cast them in the same mould
Chap. vi.: How the embassy of the fleas fared with Jupiter
Chap. vii.: How the huntsman again secured honour and booty
Chap. viii.: How he found the devil in the trough, and how Jump-i'-th'-field got fine horses
Chap. ix.: Of an unequal combat in which the weakest wins the day and the conqueror is captured
Chap. x.: How the Master-General of Ordnance granted the huntsman his life and held out hopes of great things
Chap. xi.: Contains all manner of matters of little import and great imagination
Chap. xii.: How fortune unexpected bestowed on the huntsman a noble present
Chap. xiii.: Of Simplicissimus' strange fancies and castles in the air, and how he guarded his treasure
Chap. xiv.: How the huntsman was captured by the enemy
Chap. xv.: On what condition the huntsman was set free
Chap. xvi.: How Simplicissimus became a nobleman
Chap. xvii.: How the huntsman disposed himself to pass his six months: and also somewhat of the prophetess
Chap. xviii.: How the huntsman went a wooing, and made a trade of it
Chap. xix.: By what means the huntsman made friends, and how he was moved by a sermon
Chap. xx.: How he gave the faithful priest other fish to fry, to cause him to forget his own hoggish life
Chap. xxi.: How Simplicissimus all unawares was made a married man
Chap. xxii.: How Simplicissimus held his wedding feast and how he purposed to begin his new life
Chap. xxiii.: How Simplicissimus came to a certain town (which he nameth for convenience Cologne) to fetch his treasure
Chap. xxiv.: How the huntsman caught a hare in the middle of a town
BOOK IV.
Chap. i.: How and for what reason the huntsman was jockeyed away into France
Chap. ii.: How Simplicissimus found a better host than before
Chap. iii.: How he became a stage player and got himself a new name
Chap. iv.: How Simplicissimus departed secretly and how he believed he had the Neapolitan disease
Chap. v.: How Simplicissimus pondered on his past life, and how with the water up to his mouth he learned to swim
Chap. vi.: How he became a vagabond quack and a cheat
Chap. vii.: How the doctor was fitted with a musquet under Captain Curmudgeon
Chap. viii.: How Simplicissimus endured a cheerless bath in the Rhine
Chap. ix.: Wherefore clergymen should never eat hares that have been taken in a snare
Chap. x.: How Simplicissimus was all unexpectedly quit of his musquet
Chap. xi.: Discourses of the Order of the Marauder Brothers
Chap. xii.: Of a desperate fight for life in which each party doth yet escape death
Chap. xiii.: How Oliver conceived that he could excuse his brigand's tricks
Chap. xiv.: How Oliver explained Herzbruder's prophecy to his own profit, and so came to love his worst enemy
Chap. xv.: How Simplicissimus thought more piously when he went a-plundering than did Oliver when he went to church
Chap. xvi.: Of Oliver's descent, and how he behaved in his youth, and specially at school
Chap. xvii.: How he studied at Liège, and how he there demeaned himself
Chap. xviii.: Of the homecoming and departure of this worshipful student, and how he sought to obtain advancement in the wars
Chap. xix.: How Simplicissimus fulfilled Herzbruder's prophecy to Oliver before yet either knew the other
Chap. xx.: How it doth fare with a man on whom evil fortune doth rain cats and dogs
Chap. xxi.: A brief example of that trade which Oliver followed, wherein he was a master and Simplicissimus should be a prentice
Chap. xxii.: How Oliver bit the dust and took six good men with him
Chap. xxiii.: How Simplicissimus became a rich man and Herzbruder fell into great misery
Chap. xxiv.: Of the manner in which Herzbruder fell into such evil plight
BOOK V.
Chap. i.: How Simplicissimus turned palmer and went on a pilgrimage with Herzbruder
Chap. ii.: How Simplicissimus, being terrified of the devil, was converted
Chap. iii.: How the two friends spent the winter
Chap. iv.: In what manner Simplicissimus and Herzbruder went to the wars again and returned thence
Chap. v.: How Simplicissimus rode courier and in the likeness of Mercury learned from Jove what his design was as regards war and peace
Chap. vi.: A story of a trick that Simplicissimus played at the spa
Chap. vii.: How Herzbruder died and how Simplicissimus again fell to wanton courses
Chap. viii.: How Simplicissimus found his second marriage turn out, and how he met with his dad and learned who his parents had been
Chap. ix.: In what manner the pains of childbirth came upon him, and how he became a widower
Chap. x.: Relation of certain peasants concerning the wonderful Mummelsee
Chap. xi.: Of the marvellous thanksgiving of a patient, and of the holy thoughts thereby awakened in Simplicissimus
Chap. xii.: How Simplicissimus journeyed with the sylphs to the centre of the earth
Chap. xvii.: How Simplicissimus returned from the middle of the earth, and of his strange fancies, his air-castles, his calculations; and how he reckoned without his host
Chap. xviii.: How Simplicissimus wasted his spring in the wrong place
Chap. xx.: Treats of a trifling promenade from the Black Forest to Moscow in Russia
Chap. xxi.: How Simplicissimus further fared in Moscow
Chap. xxii.: By what a short and merry road he came home to his dad
Chap. xxiii.: Is very short and concerneth Simplicissimus alone
Chap. xxiv.: Why and in what fashion Simplicissimus left the world again
APPENDIX A
CONTINUATION
Chap. xix.: How Simplicissimus and a carpenter escaped from a shipwreck with their lives and were thereafter provided with a land of their own
Chap. xx.: How they hired a fair cook-maid and by God's help were rid of her again
Chap. xxi.: How they thereafter kept house together and how they set to work
Chap. xxii.: Further sequel of the above story, and how Simon Meron left the island and this life, and how Simplicissimus remained the sole lord of the island
Chap. xxiii.: In which the hermit concludes his story and therewith ends these his six books
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX C
"Continuatio," chap. xiii.: How Simplicissimus in return for a night's lodging, taught his host a curious art