Bei dem kühlen Brunnenwasser?
Königstochter, jüngste, mach mir auf."
There is not much difference in the song, but the moral tone of the German is much higher. The frog restores the princess's golden ball, which has fallen into the well, on her promising to do all those things which he afterwards demands; and the king insists on her compliance, because a promise is sacred, when made even to a frog. Our farmer contradicts his daughter's inclinations to the verge, or perhaps beyond the verge, of decorum, on the speculation of "what it may come to at last." To be sure, if the Oxfordshire version is correct, she gets only a sportsman for a husband.
H. B. C.
U. U. Club.
NO. III.
There was once an old woman, who left her daughter at home to get dinner ready, while she was at church. On coming back she found nothing touched, and her daughter crying by the fire-place. "Why, what now?" exclaimed the old woman. "Why, do you know," replied her daughter, "as I was going to cook the dinner a brick fell down the chimney, and you know it might have killed me." This the old woman could not deny, and joined her daughter in her lamentations.
So in a little while the good man came in, and finding both weeping, cried out, "What's the matter here? What, all in tears?" "Why," said the old wife, "do you know, as Sally was going to get the dinner ready a brick fell down the chimney, and you know it might have killed her." This her husband was forced to confess, and lifted up his voice with them.
Shortly after, Sally's sweetheart came in, and seeing the hubbub and confusion, began, "What's up here? All weeping?" "Why, you know," said the father, "as Sally was going to cook the dinner a brick fell down the chimney, and you know it might have killed her." "Well!" said the young man; "of all the fools I've seen, you three are the greatest; and when I find three as great, why, then I'll come back and marry your daughter."
So away he went and went till he came to where an old woman was busy, for she was going to bake. But she bitterly bewailed her ill-luck; for, instead of taking the bread to the oven, she had got a rope fastened to the oven, and was trying with all her might to drag it to the bread, but it wouldn't budge an inch for all her pains. "Oh, you fool," cried the young man; "you should take the bread to the oven, and not try to drag the oven to the bread." "Oh, I didn't think of that," said she; "la! so I should." "Well, indeed, and that's fool number one," said the young man; and he went on his way.