‘Where did you leave Grettel?’
‘Tied up in the stable with a rope.’
‘That was stupid. You should have cast sheep’s eyes at her.’
‘Never mind; I’ll do better next time.’
Hans went into the stable, plucked the eyes out of the cows and calves, and threw them in Grettel’s face.
Grettel got angry, broke the rope, and ran away.
Yet she became Hans’ wife.
The Three Languages
THERE once lived in Switzerland an old Count, who had an only son; but he was very stupid, and could learn nothing. So his father said to him: ‘Listen to me, my son. I can get nothing into your head, try as hard as I may. You must go away from here, and I will hand you over to a renowned Professor for a whole year.’ At the end of the year he came home again, and his father asked: ‘Now, my son, what have you learnt?’