The Junior Classics V1, by Willam Patten

He who knew Not Fear

Anonymous

A CERTAIN father had two sons, the elder of whom was sharp and

sensible, and could do everything, but the younger was stupid and could

neither learn nor understand anything, and when people saw him they

said: "There's a fellow who will give his father some trouble!"  When

anything had to be done, it was always the elder who was forced to do

it; but if his father bade him fetch anything when it was late, or in

the night-time, and the way led through the churchyard, or any other

dismal place, he answered: "Oh, no, father, I'll not go there, it makes

me shudder!" for he was afraid.  Or when stories were told by the fire

at night which made the flesh creep, the listeners often said: "Oh, it

makes us shudder!" the younger sat in a corner and listened with the

rest of them, and could not imagine what they could mean.  "They are

always saying: 'It makes me shudder, it makes me shudder!' It does not

make me shudder," thought he.  "That, too, must be an art of which I

understand nothing!"

Now it came to pass that his father said to him one day: "Hearken to

me, thou fellow in the corner there, thou art growing tall and strong,

and thou, too, must learn something by which thou canst earn thy

living.  Look how thy brother works, but thou dost not even earn thy

salt."  "Well, father," he replied, "I am quite willing to learn

something-indeed, if it could but be managed, I should like to learn

how to shudder.  I don't understand that at all yet."  The elder

brother smiled when he heard that, and thought to himself:

"Good God, what a blockhead that brother of mine is!  He will never be

good for anything as long as he lives!  He who wants to be a sickle

must bend himself betimes."

The father sighed, and answered him: "Thou shalt soon learn what it is

to suffer, but thou wilt not earn thy living by that."

Soon after this the sexton came to the house on a visit, and the father

bewailed his trouble, and told him how his younger son was so backward

in every respect that he knew nothing and learned nothing.  "Just

think," said he, "when I asked him how he was going to earn his bread,

he actually wanted to learn to shudder."  "If that be all," replied the

sexton, "he can learn that with me.  Send him to me, and I will soon

polish him."  The father was glad to do it, for he thought: "It will

train the boy a little."  The sexton, therefore, took him into his

house, and he had to ring the bell.  After a day or two the sexton

awoke him at midnight, and bade him arise and go up into the church

tower and ring the bell.  "Thou shalt soon learn what shuddering is,"

thought he, and secretly went there before him; and when the boy was at

the top of the tower and turned around, and was just going to take hold

of the bell rope, he saw a white figure standing on the stairs opposite

to the sounding hole.  "Who is there?" cried he, but the figure made no

reply, and did not move or stir.  "Give an answer," cried the boy, "or

take thyself off; thou hast no business here at night."

The sexton, however, remained standing motionless, that the boy might

think he was a ghost.  The boy cried a second time: "What dost thou

want here?-speak if thou art an honest fellow, or I will throw thee

down the steps!"  The sexton thought, "He can't intend to be as bad as

his words," uttered no sound and stood as if he were made of stone.

Then the boy called to him for the third time, and as that was also to

no purpose, he ran against him and pushed the ghost down the stairs, so

that it fell down ten steps and remained lying there in a corner.

Thereupon he rang the bell, went home, and without saying a word went

to bed and fell asleep.  The sexton's wife waited a long time for her

husband, but he did not come back.  At length she became uneasy, and

wakened the boy, and asked, "Dost thou not know where my husband is?

He went up the tower before thou didst."  "No, I don't know," replied

the boy, "but someone was standing by the sounding hole on the other

side of the steps, and as he would neither give an answer nor go away,

I took him for a scoundrel, and threw him down stairs; just go there

and you will see if it was he, I should be sorry if it were."  The

woman ran away and found her husband, who was lying moaning in the

corner, and had broken his leg.

She carried him down, and then with loud screams she hastened to the

boy's father.  "Your boy," cried she, "has been the cause of a great

misfortune!  He has thrown my husband down the steps and made him break

his leg.  Take the good-for-nothing fellow away from our house."  The

father was terrified, and ran thither and scolded the boy.  "What

wicked tricks are these?" said he; "the devil must have put this into

thy head."  "Father," he replied, "do listen to me.  I am quite

innocent.  He was standing there by night like one who is intending to

do some evil.  I did not know who it was, and I entreated him three

times either to speak or to go away."  "Ah," said the father, "I have

nothing but unhappiness with thee.  Go out of my sight.  I will see

thee no more."

"Yes, father, right willingly, wait only until it is day.  Then will I

go forth and learn how to shudder, and then I shall, at any rate,

understand one art which will support me."  "Learn what thou wilt,"

spake the father, "it is all the same to me.  Here are fifty thalers

for thee.  Take these and go into the wide world, and tell no one from

whence thou comest, and who is thy father, for I have reason to be

ashamed of thee."  "Yes, father, it small be as you will.  If you

desire nothing more than that, I can easily keep it in mind."

When day dawned, therefore, the boy put his fifty thalers into his

pocket, and went forth on the great highway, and continually said to

himself, "If I could but shudder!  If I could but shudder!"

Then a man approached who heard this conversation which the youth was

holding with himself, and when they had walked a little further to

where they could see the gallows, the man said to him, "Look, there is

the tree where seven men have married the ropemaker's daughter, and are

now learning how to fly.  Sit down below it, and wait till night comes,

and thou wilt soon learn how to shudder."  "If that is all that is

wanted," answered the youth, "it is easily done; but if I learn how to

shudder as quickly as that, thou shalt have my fifty thalers.  Just

come back to me early in the morning."  Then the youth went to the

gallows, sat down below it, and waited till evening came.  And as he

was cold, he lighted himself a fire, but at midnight the wind blew so

sharp that in spite of his fire he could not get warm.  And as the wind

knocked the hanged men against each other, and they moved backward and

forward, he thought to himself: "Thou shiverest below by the fire, but

how those up above must freeze and suffer!"  And as he felt pity for

them, he raised the ladder, and climbed up, unbound one of them after

the other, and brought down all seven.  Then he stirred the fire, blew

it, and set them all round it to warm themselves.  But they sat there

and did not stir, and the fire caught their clothes.  So he said:

"Take care, or I will hang you up again."  The dead men, however, did

not hear, but were quite silent, and let their rags go on burning.  On

this he grew angry, and said: "If you will not take care, I cannot help

you, I will not be burned with you, and he hung them up again each in

his turn.

Then he sat down by his fire and fell asleep, and next morning the man

came to him and wanted to have the fifty thalers, and said: "Well, dost

thou know how to shudder?"  "No," answered he, "how was I to get to

know?  Those fellows up there did not open their mouths, and were so

stupid that they let the few old rags which they had on their bodies

get burned."  Then the man saw that he would not carry away the fifty

thalers that day, and went away saying:

"One of this kind has never come in my way before."

The youth likewise went his way, and once more began to mutter to

himself: "Ah, if I could but shudder!  Ah, if I could but shudder!"  A

wagoner who was striding behind him heard that and asked: "Who art

thou?"  "I don't know," answered the youth.  Then the wagoner asked:

"From whence comest thou?"  "I know not."  "Who is thy father?"  "That

I may not tell thee."  "What is it that thou art always muttering

between thy teeth?"  "Ah," replied the youth, "I do so wish I could

shudder, but no one can teach me how to do it."  "Give up thy foolish

chatter," said the wagoner.  "Come go with me, I will see about a place

for thee."  The youth went with the wagoner, and in the evening they

arrived at an inn where they wished to pass the night.  Then at the

entrance of the room the youth again said quite loudly, "If I could but

shudder!  If I could but shudder!"  The host who heard that, laughed

and said: "If that is your desire, there ought to be a good opportunity

for you here."  "Ah, be silent," said the hostess; "so many inquisitive

persons have already lost their lives, it would be a pity and a shame

if such beautiful eyes as these should never see the daylight again."

But the youth said: "However difficult it may be, I will learn it, and

for this purpose indeed have I journeyed forth."  He let the host have

no rest, until the latter told him, that not far from thence stood a

haunted castle where any one could very easily learn what shuddering

was, if he would but watch in it for three nights.  The King had

promised that he who would venture this should have his daughter to

wife, and she was the most beautiful maiden the sun shone on.  Great

treasures likewise lay in the castle, which were guarded by evil

spirits, and these treasures would then be freed, and would make a poor

man rich enough.  Already many men had gone into the castle, but as yet

none had come out again.  Then the youth went next morning to the King,

and said that if he were allowed he would watch three nights in the

enchanted castle.  The King looked at him, and as the youth pleased

him, he said: "Thou mayst ask for three things to take into the castle

with thee, but they must be things without life."  Then he answered,

"Then I ask for a fire, a turning-lathe, and a cutting-board with the

knife."  The King had these things carried into the castle for him

during the day.  When night was drawing near, the youth went up and

made himself a bright fire in one of the rooms, placed the cutting-

board and knife beside it, and seated himself by the turning-lathe.

"Ah, if I could but shudder!" said he, "but I shall not learn it here

either."  Toward midnight he was about to poke his fire, and as he was

blowing it, something cried suddenly from one cornier, "Au, miau!  how

cold we are!"  "You simpletons!" cried he, "what are you crying about?

If you are cold, come and take a seat by the fire and warm yourselves."

And when he had said that, two great black cats came with one

tremendous leap and sat down on each side of him, and looked savagely

at him with their fiery eyes.  After a short time, when they had warmed

themselves, they said: "Comrade, shall we have a game at cards?"  "Why

not?" he replied, "but just show me your paws.  Then they stretched out

their claws.  "Oh," said he, "what long nails you have!  Wait, I must

first cut them a little for you."  Thereupon he seized them by the

throats, put them on the cutting-board and screwed their feet fast.  "I

have looked at your fingers," said he, "and my fancy for card-playing

has gone, and he struck them dead and threw them out into the water.

But when he had made away with these two, and was about to sit down

again by his fire, out from every hole and corner came black cats and

black dogs with red-hot chains, and more and more of them came until he

could no longer stir, and they yelled horribly, and got on his fire,

pulled it to pieces, and wanted to put it out.  He watched them for a

while quietly, but at last when they were going too far, he seized his

cutting knife, and cried: "Away with ye, vermin," and began to cut them

down.  Part of them ran away, the others he killed, and threw out into

the fish pond.  When he came back he blew up the embers of his fire

again and warmed himself.  And as he thus sat, his eyes would keep open

no longer, and he felt a desire to sleep.  Then he looked round and saw

a great bed in the corner.  "That is the very thing for me," said he,

and got into it.  When he was just going to shut his eyes, however, the

bed began to move of its own accord, and went over the whole of the

castle.  'That's right," said he, "but go faster."  Then the bed rolled

on as if six horses were harnessed to it, up and down, over thresholds

and steps, but suddenly, hop, hop, it turned over upside down, and lay

on him like a mountain.  But he threw quilts and pillows up in the air,

got out and said: "Now any one who likes may drive," and lay down by

his fire, and slept until it was day.  In the morning the King came,

and when he saw him lying there on the ground, he thought the spirits

had killed him and he was dead.  Then said he: "After all it is a pity-

he is a handsome man."  The youth heard it, got up, and said: "It has

not come to that yet."  Then the King was astonished, but very glad,

and asked how he had fared.  "Very well indeed," answered he; "one

night is over, the two others will get over likewise."  Then he went to

the innkeeper, who opened his eyes very wide, and said: "I never

expected to see thee alive again!  Hast thou learned how to shudder

yet?"  "No," said he, "it is all in vain.  If some one would but tell

me!"

The second night he again went up into the old castle, sat down by the

fire, and once more began his old song: "If I could but shudder!"  When

midnight came, an uproar and noise of tumbling about was heard; at

first it was low, but it grew louder and louder.  Then it was quiet for

a while, and at length with a loud scream, half a man came down the

chimney and fell before him.  "Hollo!" cried he, "another half belongs

to this.  This is too little!"  Then the uproar began again, there was

a roaring and howling, and the other half fell down likewise.  "Wait,"

said he, "I will just blow up the fire a little for thee."  When he had

done that and looked round again, the two pieces were joined together,

and a frightful man was sitting in his place.  "That is no part of our

bargain," said the youth, "the bench is mine."  The man wanted to push

him away; the youth, however, would not allow that, but thrust him off

with all his strength, and seated himself again, in his own place.

Then still more men fell down, one after the other; they brought nine

dead men's legs and two skulls, and set them up and played at ninepins

with them.  The youth also wanted to play and said: "Hark you, can I

join you?"  "Yes, if thou hast any money."  "Money enough," replied he,

"but your balls are not quite round."  Then he took the skulls and put

them in the lathe and turned them till they were round.  "There, now,

they will roll better!" said he.  "Hurrah!  now it goes merrily!"  He

played with them and lost some of his money, but when it struck twelve,

everything vanished from his sight.  He lay down and quietly fell

asleep.  Next morning the King came to inquire after him.  "How has it

fared with thee this time?" asked he.  "I have been playing at

ninepins," he answered, "and have lost a couple of farthings."  "Hast

thou not shuddered then?"  "Eh, what?" said he, "I have made merry.  If

I did but know what it was to shudder!"

The third night he sat down again on his bench and said quite sadly:

"If I could but shudder."  When it grew late, six tall men came in and

brought a coffin.  Then said he: "Ha, ha, that is certainly my little

cousin, who only died a few days ago," and he beckoned with his finger,

and cried: "Come, little cousin, come."  They placed the coffin on the

ground, but he went to it and took the lid off, and a dead man lay

therein.  He felt his face, but it was cold as ice.  "Stop," said he,

"I will warm thee a, little," and went to the fire and warmed his hand

and laid it on the dead man's face, but he remained cold.  Then he took

him out, and sat down by the fire and laid him on his breast and rubbed

his arms that the blood might circulate again.  As this also did no

good, he thought to himself: "When two people lie in bed together, they

warm each other," and carried him to bed, covered him over and lay down

by him.  After a short time the dead man became warm too, and began to

move.  Then said the youth: "See, little cousin, have I not warmed

thee?" The dead man, however, got up and cried, "Now will I strangle

thee."

"What!" said he, "is that the way thou thankest me?  Thou shalt at once

go into thy coffin again," and he took him up, threw him into it, and

shut the lid.

Then came the six men and carried him away again.  "I cannot manage to

shudder," said he.  "I shall never learn it here as long as I live."

Then a man entered who was taller than all others, and looked terrible.

He was old, however, and had a long white beard.  "Thou wretch," cried

he, "thou shalt soon learn what it is to shudder, for thou shalt die."

"Not so fast," replied the youth, "If I am to die, I shall have to have

a say in it."  "I will soon seize thee," said the fiend.  "Softly,

softly, do not talk so big.  I am as strong as thou art, and perhaps

even stronger."  "We shall see," said the old man.  "If thou art

stronger, I will let thee go-come, we will try."  Then he led him by

dark passages to a smith's forge, took an ax, and with one blow struck

an anvil into the ground.  "I can do that better still," said the

youth, and went to the other anvil.  The old man placed himself near

and wanted to look on, and his white heard hung down.  Then the youth

seized the ax, split the anvil with one blow, and struck the old man's

beard in with it.  "Now I have thee," said the youth.  "Now it is thou

who wilt have to die."  Then he seized an iron bar and beat the old man

till he moaned and entreated him to stop, and he would give him great

riches.  The youth drew out the ax and let him go.  The old man led him

back into the castle, and in a cellar showed him three chests full of

gold.  "Of these," said he, "one part is for the poor, the other is for

the king, the third is thine."  In the meantime it struck twelve, and

the spirit disappeared; the youth, therefore, was left in darkness.  "I

shall still be able to find my way out," said he, and felt about, found

the way into the room, and slept there by his fire.  Next morning the

King came and said, "Now thou must have learned what shuddering is?"

"No," he answered; "what can it be?  My dead cousin was here, and a

bearded man came and showed me a great deal of money down below, but no

one told me what it was to shudder."  "Then," said the King, "thou hast

delivered the castle, and shalt marry my daughter."  "That is all very

well," said he, "but still I do not know what it is to shudder!"

Then the gold was brought up and the wedding celebrated; but howsoever

much the young King loved his wife, and however happy he was, he still

said always: "If I could but shudder-if I could but shudder."  And at

last she was angry at this.  Her waiting-maid said, "I will find a cure

for him; he shall soon learn what it is to shudder."  She went out to

the stream which flowed through the garden, and had a whole bucketful

of gudgeons brought to her.  At night when the young King was sleeping,

his wife was to draw the clothes off him and empty the bucketful of

cold water with the gudgeons in it over him, so that the little fishes

would sprawl about him.  When this was done, he woke up and cried: "Oh,

what makes me shudder so?-what makes me shudder so, dear wife?  Ah! now

I know what it is to shudder!"