Germany
Once the devil became bored in hell and wanted to take a pleasure trip to earth. Not wanting to be alone (for he does not like that at all; he loves company) he took his youngest son with him, a young black curious whippersnapper. They traveled out through a mountain cave, arriving in a forest. The little devil was delighted. He jumped about, climbed up the trees and hung by his tail, just like a monkey, doing all sorts of foolish things.
They came to a large oak tree where a man in a green jacket and with a green cap was lying asleep. A bag was hanging next to him from the tree, from which were protruding all kinds of game: hares, woodcocks, and wild ducks. Next to the bag there was a gun.
The little devil ran up and examined everything closely. Picking up the gun, he asked his father what it was. The old devil wrinkled his forehead and said, "That is a flute, my son. When people play on it, wild animals run up to them, and they only have to catch them."
"That I have to see," said the little devil. "You should play something for me on it."
"It takes two, my son. One to blow and one to finger."
"Then you can blow, and I will finger," said the whippersnapper.
So the old one had to put the barrel into his mouth, whether he wanted to or not, because he had spoiled the little fellow rotten. The old one blew, and the whippersnapper fingered and fingered, but not a single tone came out.
"You have to press down on the keys, you stupid boy," said the old one.
The little devil pushed against the hammer, then there came such a blow that the old one was struck to the ground, for the entire load of shot hit him in the throat. The young one ran away, terrified. The old one soon recovered and ran after his boy, for the sound of the gun had awakened the man.
"That was not a beautiful tone," said the whippersnapper.
"You pressed the wrong key," said the old one, "and the flute was dusty, so all the dust flew into my throat."
- Source: Johann Wilhelm Wolf, "Wie der Teufel auf der Flöte blies," Deutsche Hausmärchen (Göttingen: Dieterich'sche Buchhandlung, 1851), pp. 438-39.
- Translated by D. L. Ashliman. © 2009.
Posted by: |