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Doctor Faust in Anhalt

Ludwig Bechstein

One winter the renowned Doctor Faustus came to the Count of Anhalt. Seeing that the count's wife was pregnant, Doctor Faustus asked her if she did not desire something special to eat, as is often the case with expectant mothers. He said that with the help of his magic powers he could get her anything she wanted. The countess graciously accepted his friendly offer and told him that a great desire of hers would be satisfied if she could have some fresh fruit such as grapes, cherries, and peaches, instead of the dried confection and nuts that she currently had. But she thought that neither he nor any other magician could get such things in the middle of a harsh winter.

Doctor Faustus took three silver platters, set them in front of the dining room window, muttered a magic formula, then soon returned with fresh fruit. The first platter was filled with apples, pears, and peaches; the second with cherries, apricots, and plums; and the third filled with red and green grapes. He invited the countess to partake of the fruit, which she did with great pleasure.

When it came time for Doctor Faustus to take leave of Anhalt, he requested the count and the countess to accompany him on a walk, for he wanted to show them something new. This they did, accompanied by the count's entourage. Approaching the castle gate, they saw a newly constructed palace on the hill called Rombühl. Water birds were swimming in its broad moats. The palace had five towers. As the party came closer, they found that two of the towers and the outer yard were alive with a menagerie of rare animals which were walking a jumping about inside, without injuring one another. There were apes, monkeys, bears, chamois, ostriches, as well as other animals.

An elaborate breakfast awaited them in one of the halls. Doctor Faust's familiar, Christoph Wagner, served as waiter, and music was sounding from an unseen source. The food and wine were such that everyone ate and drank with great pleasure until they were full.

After spending more than an hour in this place, the party left the beautiful palace. As they were approaching Anhalt Castle they looked back at the new palace and saw and heard it go up in flames, with the sound of rifles and canons. Faustus and Wagner had disappeared, and they all were suddenly as hungry as lions. They had to have breakfast once again, for everything that they had eaten had been merely an illusion.

Dr. Faust and Melanchton in Wittenberg

Germany

It is not true, as some claimed as early as the middle of the sixteenth century, that Dr. Faust grew up in Wittenberg and earned a doctorate of theology there, that he lived near the outer gate and had a house and garden in a street named Schneegasse (which never existed), and that he was strangled by the devil in the village of Kimlich, a half mile from Wittenberg, in the presence of several scholars and students. However, he did spend time in Wittenberg and was tolerated there for a while, until he became so crude that they tried to imprison him, and then fled to another place.

While in Wittenberg he approached Philipp Melanchton, who read the book to him, scolding him and warning him that if he did not immediately desist from his evil ways he would come to an evil end, which did indeed happen. He did not repent.

Now one day at ten o'clock in the morning Master Philipp was leaving his study on his way downstairs to eat when Faust, who was with him at that time, and whom he had vigorously scolded, said to him: "Master Philipp, you always approach me with rough words. Someday, when you are about to sit down to a meal, I am going to cause all the pots in the kitchen to fly up the chimney, so that you and your guests will have nothing to eat."

Thereupon Philipp answered him: "Desist from such talk! I ---- on your art!" And he did desist.

Another old God-fearing man also tried to convert him. To show his thanks, Faust sent a devil to the man's bedroom to frighten him as he was going to bed. The devil walked about in the room, grunting like a sow. The man, however, was not afraid. Armed with his faith, he ridiculed the devil: "What a fine voice you have! You are singing like an angel who was not allowed to remain in heaven because he wanted to be God's equal and was thus thrust out for his pride and now wanders through people's houses in the form of a sow!" With that the spirit, not wanting to be in a place where he was ridiculed because of his apostasy and his wickedness, returned to Faust and complained to him how he had been received there.

Dr. Faust, however, did lead a student astray. Dr. Lercheimer himself knew one of his friends well into an advanced age. This man had a crooked mouth. Whenever he wanted a hare, he would go out into the woods, make his hocus-pocus, and a hare would run right into his hands.

The Stonemason Who Was Never Satisfied

China (A Chuang Story)

Long ago there was a certain Chuang stonemason. He was famous for his extraordinary skill at his trade. One day a rich man needed some stonecutting done and sent for him. When he got there he saw that his employer lived in a great mansion, was dressed in silk and satin, ate all kinds of delicacies from oceans and mountains, and was waited on my maids and servants. Very envious, the mason gave up working, and wanted only to become such a rich man himself.

A fairy heard his desire and made him a rich man. The mason was deliriously happy.

Some time later, a high-ranking official went out on a tour of inspection, carried in a sedan-chair by his men. He was carried everywhere, surrounded by a great concourse of shouting and yelling retainers, beating drums and gongs. Wherever they went the people bowed and made was for them. His path lay by the mason's door. Puffed up with an upstart's pride, the mason refused to bow himself or kowtow. "I've got just as many servants as he! Why should I bow to him?" he said. Outraged by such impertinence, the official had him bound with ropes, beaten, and fined.

Painfully getting up, the mason said, with a sigh, "So, high-ranking officials are certainly more powerful than I!" Thereupon he swore he wanted only to be a great official.

Again the fairy heard his desire and made him a great official. He was beside himself with joy when the change took place. Following the example of the official he had seen, the mason now rode roughshod over his district, and made all the people hate him.

One day he and his henchmen came to a hillside where they saw a group of pretty young girls. Down they pounced like tigers on helpless lambs. The girls screamed and called, and in the twinkling of an eye, a great crowd of Chuang people rushed up from all sides, bearing swords, axes, and hoes, and did not let him go without giving him a sound thrashing.

Such rough handling from the people put an end to his evil-doing. "Officials, however powerful, are nothing to the Chuang people," he said ruefully, and he longed to be changed back into a Chuang. Once again the fairy heard his desire and helped to bring about the change. The mason was all smiles when it came about.

Every day he went to the hillside with his people, plowing and sowing from morning to night. It was summer, and the sun was as hot as a ball of fire. It scorched his back while he worked, until his head swam. It was indeed past human bearing. In the great waves of heat even the birds and wild beasts hid themselves deep in the mountains, and the water-buffaloes buried themselves up to the neck in muddy water. Only the glistering green rice shoots stood, like the Chuang people, unyielding. The mason came to the conclusion that the sun must be the ruling power in the universe and started to dream of becoming a sun himself. The fairy heard his desire and made him a sun in the sky. To everybody's horror he kept sending forth scorching flames.

Then it so happened a thick black cloud came drifting from the west and his the sun from the earth. "Well," sighed the mason. "Who would have thought that a black cloud is stronger than the sun?" So a black cloud was what he wanted to be now. Again the fairy satisfied him by turning him into a cloud freely scudding across the sky.

What should happen but that a fierce wind arose and blew the cloud to pieces! "I never knew that the wind was so powerful," the mason exclaimed in dismay. "I can hardly find a place to exist in! Let me become a fierce wind, I pray!" Again the fairy helped, and made him into a gale. He blew like a typhoon, uprooting trees and tearing down houses. He blew like a terror.

But as he rushed over the land he was suddenly stopped in his course by a huge rock. However hard he blew, the rock was unmoved. "Well, even a gale can do nothing to a rock," thought the mason. "No one could ever dare bully em any more if I were a rock."

Immediately the fairy turned him into a great rock on top of a high mountain. He no longer had any fear of being bullied. After some time, however, there came a group of masons to the peak where he lay. They looked at the rock and considered it useful material, and started cutting it. The bewildered mason, terrified, turned to the fairy for help. "You'd better be your old self," said the fairy. So he was a mason again.

From then on he worked with a devotion he never knew before, and he became ever faster and better at his trade. More and more people wanted to hire his skill. As time went on, he became very well known, and as a great mason, was held in high respect by everybody in his homeland.

Morag a Chota Bhain -- Margery White Coats

Scotland

A king had four daughters, and his wife died, and he said he would marry any one whom his dead wife's clothes would fit. One day the daughters tried, and the youngest only could wear them.

The king saw them from a window, and wished to marry her, and she went for advice to her mother's brother. He advised her to promise to marry the king if he would bring her a gown of birds' down, and a gown of the colors of the sky, woven with silver; and when he got that, a gown of the colors of the stars, woven with gold, and glass shoes.

When he had got them, she escaped with all her clothes, by the help of her uncle, on a filly, with a magic bridle, she on one side, and her chest of clothes on the other. She rode to a king's palace, hid the chest in a hill under a bush of rushes, turned the filly loose, and went to the palace with nothing on but a white petticoat and a shift. She took service with the cook, and grew dirty and ugly, and slept on a bench by the kitchen fire, and her work was to blow under the great caldron all day long.

One day the king's son came home, and was to hold a feast; she went to the queen and asked leave to go, and was refused because she was so dirty. The queen had a basin of water in her hand, and threw it at her, and it broke. She went to the hill, took out the dress of down and silver, and shook her magic bridle; the filly came, and she mounted, and rode to the feast.

The king's son took her by the hand, and took her up as high as any there, and set her on his own lap; and when the feast was over, there was no reel that he danced but he gave it to her.

He asked her whence she came, and she said, "From the kingdom of Broken Basins," and the prince said that he had never heard of that land, though he had travelled far.

She escaped and returned to the cook, and all were talking about the beautiful lady. She asked about her, and was told not to talk about what she did not understand, "a dirty little wretch like her."

Then the prince had another feast; and she asked leave again, and the queen refused, and threw a candlestick at her, and it broke, and she did as before. She put on another dress and went; the king's son had eight men on each side of the door to catch her. The same scene went on, and she said she came from the country of Candlesticks, and escaped, leaving a glass shoe.

Then the king's son fell sick (of course), and would only marry the woman whom the shoe would fit; and all the ladies came and cut off their toes and heels, but in vain. Then he asked if there was none other.

Then a small creature put his head in at the door and said, "If thou didst but know, she whom thou seekest is under the cook."

Then he got the history of the basin and candlestick from his mother. The shoe was tried and fitted, and he was to marry Morag.

All were in despair, and abused her; but she went out to her chest, shook the magic bridle, and arrayed herself, and came back on the filly, with a "powney" behind with the chest. Then all there that had despised her fell on their knees, and she was married to the prince.

"And I did not get a bit there at the wedding," said the girl.

This was told as we walked along the road, and is but a short outline of what was told me, written from notes made in the evening. The man said that the girl told it with a great deal of the queer old language, which he could not remember.

The girl and her chest on the same horse may be seen in the Highlands. The girl, in her white coats and short gown, may be seen blowing the fire in highland inns, the queen's likeness might be found; and the feast is a highland ball; the filly and the magic bridle are common in other stories; the incidents of the basin and candlestick have an equivalent in Norse; and I got them from a woman at the Sound of Barra afterwards, in another story. This shows what may be lost by dignified traveling. While the man was enjoying himself in the kitchen, the employer was smoking in solitary dignity, upstairs in his bedroom, writing a journal, and utterly unconscious that the game he pursued was so near.

I have other versions of this tale from other sources, and may find room for them hereafter.

Gold Teeth

Italy, Estella Canziani

There was a woman whose teeth were all of gold. Before she died she made her husband promise that he would never marry again unless someone with gold teeth.

For many years he remained with his daughter. Then he wanted to marry again, and looked everywhere for someone with gold teeth, but could not find one.

On a day he came to a house, and there he found a well-dressed gentleman and told him what he sought. The gentleman said, "You have such an one in your own house. Go and marry her."

When the daughter heard this she ran to her godmother, and asked her what she should do. The godmother told her to tell her father that she would marry him if he got her a gown covered with suns. The father did not know how to manage this, but he went to his adviser and told him what was wanted. The gentleman said, "Oh! is that all?" and gave him the gown. The father returned to his daughter, and gave her the frock.

The girl ran off crying to her godmother, who this time told her to ask for a gown covered with stars. The same thing happened. The third time the godmother told her to ask for a gown covered with rings, and the fourth time for a gown all dirty and made of flea skins.

Her father still sought to marry her, and again she went crying to her godmother, who this time said that the only thing left for her to do was to put on all four gowns, the one of flea skins on top, dye her hair white, and run far away. All this she did, and at last found herself in the middle of a thick forest. She could not find her way, and was much frightened when large dogs rushed up, barking and threatening to bite her.

A prince also came up with the dogs, and she begged him not to let them bite. She also asked him to give her food, as she had none. She looked like a shabby, dirty, white-haired woman, but the prince promised that she should feed his chickens and eat the same food. This pleased her, and she went with him and looked after the chickens.

Thus she lived for many years. The prince used to go to talk with his little old woman, and one day he told her that he was going to a ball for three nights running. She begged him to take her with him, and this he said he would do if she waited for him at the foot of the stairs the next night. When he came down to go to the ball, he found the little old woman waiting, but only laughed and gave her a kick before he went off.

Then she washed and put on her sun dress, and followed to the ball. Everybody hurried to help her out of her beautiful carriage, but she would onIy dance with the prince. He asked her whence she came, and she said "From Città dello Calcio" (City of the Kick), but would not tell him where this was, and ran away home early.

Next day the prince told his little old woman all that had happened at the ball, and added that he was going to the ball again that night and hoped that the beautiful lady would be there. The old woman begged to be taken, and the prince promised to take her if she waited for him at the foot of the stairs. She waited for him accordingly, but when he came down he only hit her and went off to the ball. So she went away, washed, dressed in the star gown, and went to the ball. When the prince asked whence she came, she answered "From Città dello Colpo" (City of the Blow).

He could not find out where this was, and next day he asked the little old woman. She said she could not tell him, but again begged to be taken to the ball to see the beautiful lady. He once more told her to wait for him, but when he came down-stairs he pinched her. That night she put on the gown covered with rings, and, when the prince asked her whence she came, said "From Città dello Pizzico" (City of the Pinch). He begged her to tell him where this was, but she only ran away to get home early.

One of the rings fell off her gown, and the prince picked it up and next day told the old woman that he was going round the world in search of the princess. She made for him a little cake of rye, and begged him to take it with him in case at any time he should be hungry. At first he refused to take it, but at last, to quiet her, he took it. He took also much food and fruit, and travelled for a year and a day. At the end of that time he found himself in a wood, with all his food finished. He wondered what to do, and suddenly thought of the rye cake. He got it out, broke it, and what should he find, but a ring like that picked up at the ball!

Then he knew that the princess must be at his own home, and for a year and a day he travelled back again, living on roots which he dug. At last he arrived at home, and asked his mother to tell the little old woman to make him some maccaroni. The old woman said she was too dirty to make maccaroni for a prince, but the queen ordered it to be done.

The old woman begged for a bath, washed herself and washed the dye from her hair, and put on her sun robe. She shut the door of her hut carefully, but the robe shone so that the sun-king even came and looked in through the window. The prince peeped through the crack of the door. At evening, when they sent for the maccaroni, she had her old clothes on again and said it was not ready. Next day she put on her star gown, and went on with the maccaroni. The whole place was again lighted up, and the prince peeped at her, but in the evening she said there was not yet enough maccaroni. The next day she washed again and put on her ring dress. When the prince came and the maccaroni was finished, he drew out his ring and married her with joy. When they were married they were given wine in a sieve and bread.

Cinder Blower

Karl Bartsch

A rich widower had an only daughter who was developing into a beautiful and charming woman. Her father's heart became inflamed with impure love, but she withstood his advances. He threatened to force himself on her, and she responded with cunning. She promised to yield to his will if he would give her a dress made of silver. When she received such a dress, she then demanded one made from gold, and the third time, one made from jewels. After receiving that one as well, she said, "Now all I need is a crow-skin coat," and then she made one last wish: a magic wand. These too she received.

Now in another land there lived a prince who had heard of the girl's beauty. Taking the magic wand in her hand and the dresses over her shoulder, she wished herself to the vicinity of the prince's castle. She immediately found herself in the castle garden. Then she wished for herself a chest in an oak tree in the garden, put her dresses in it, put on the crow-skin coat and went to the castle kitchen where she presented herself as a poor boy looking for work.

"I can use you," said the cook. "You can be the cinder blower."

A few days later the prince came to the kitchen with some freshly killed game. She saw him and liked him beyond measure.

Soon afterward there was a wedding in a nearby castle, and the prince went to it. Many people went there to look on at the dance. Cinder Blower asked the cook for permission to observe. She ran to the oak tree, put on the silver dress, and wished herself a carriage in which she rode to the castle. The prince saw her and danced with her, but after a few dances she disappeared. Seating herself in her carriage she said,

Darkness behind me, Before me light,
So none can follow me into the night.

The next morning the prince was in a bad mood, for he had been awake all night thinking about his beautiful dance partner. Cinder Blower was asked to polish his boots, and this she did, but she failed to polish one small spot on one of the toes. The prince noticed this and angrily came into the kitchen and threw the boot at her head.

The next evening there was another dance, and Cinder Blower again asked for permission to go. This time she put on the golden dress, then rode there in the carriage. The prince had been looking for her and was very happy when she arrived. While dancing with her he asked her where she lived.

"In Boot-Throw" was her answer. She remained there one hour, and then disappeared. In vain the prince asked where Boot-Throw was. No one could tell him.

Again that night the prince could not close his eyes, and the next day he was in an even worse mood than before.

Cinder Blower was asked to brush his coat, but he did not like the way she did it, and finally he threw the brush at her head.

The third evening Cinder Blower again asked for permission to look on at the dance, then put on her dress of precious stones. While dancing with her the prince asked her where she lived.

"In Brush-Throw," was her answer.

"Whoever you are," he said, "take this ring from me."

She let him put the ring onto her finger. Then she tried to sneak away, but the prince carefully watched her and followed close behind her. She climbed out of her carriage near the oak tree. However, she did not have time to take off her dress, but quickly put on the crow-skin coat over it.

The next morning when the cook was preparing the soup, Cinder Blower dropped the ring into it. The prince found it and asked the cook who had been in the kitchen.

"Only Cinder Blower and I," he answered.

The prince summoned Cinder Blower and said, "My head itches. Look and see if any vermin are there."

Cinder Blower obeyed, but when she stood before him, he saw the diamond dress glistening forth from beneath the worn-out crow-skin coat. Then he recognized her. "Now you are mine," he said, and he made her his wife and they lived happily together until they died.

The Weathercock on Saint Stephen's Cathedral

Austria

Since olden times there has been a weathercock on the back roof of the cathedral. It is said to serve as protection from the devil, who can carry out his evil deeds only until the cock's first crow. The following legend is associated with the weathercock on Saint Stephen's Cathedral:

Young Knight Kaspar von Schlezer was to carry a secret message to the Sultan in Constantinople.

Sadly he took leave from his beautiful young wife, who -- at their last farewell -- placed a silver crucifix around her beloved husband's neck to protect him from danger. He then set forth on the long and difficult route to Turkey. After a long journey Herr von Schlezer arrived safely at the Sultan's residence and delivered the secret parchment. Then he set forth toward home.

The knight's ship was attacked by pirates. They fettered him and at the next port sold him to a rich sheik. For many years the prisoner had to do difficult labor as a slave. Only the silver crucifix that he kept hidden on his breast comforted him and gave him hope that he would one day regain his freedom.

In his homeland his wife mourned for her missing husband for five years, but finally she gave up hope of ever seeing him again and became engaged to her husband's friend. Even as she was making preparations for the wedding her husband had a strange dream:

His wife was standing before the altar in Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna and was exchanging wedding vows with Knight von Merkenstein.

A soft voice whispered in the sleeping man's ear: "You still have time to prevent this marriage."

Bathed in sweat, the knight awoke. In desperation he cried aloud: "I must be in Vienna tomorrow, even if the devil takes me!"

Instantly the Evil One, astride a feathered mount, appeared and spoke: "This rooster will carry us to Vienna, but in return I must have your soul!"

Herr von Schlezer agreed, but only under the condition that if he could sleep through the entire flight, the Prince of Hell would have no power over his soul.

The devil and the knight climbed onto the rooster's back and took off through the air. Before putting himself into the Evil One's hands, the nobleman secretly took hold of the crucifix on his breast. Then he committed his soul into God's hands and fell fast asleep. With uncanny speed they crossed meadows and fields, seas and lakes.

As dawn approached, the Steffl [Saint Stephen's Cathedral] came into view. Filled with joy, the rooster let out a loud cock-a-doodle-doo, upon which Schlezer awoke. The devil had lost power over his victim. Cursing loudly, he cast the knight and the rooster into the Danube River. Then the Evil One, mad as a rabid fox, returned to Hell.

Two fishermen pulled the pair from the water. Thus the nobleman was able to prevent the marriage of his wife to Knight von Merkenstein. Filled with joy, they fell into one another's arms.

To thank the rooster, who had freed him from slavery and returned him to Vienna in time, the knight had an iron weathercock constructed and installed on the back roof ridge of Saint Stephen's Cathedral. It can be seen there even today, where it reminds us of a devil's ride in the middle ages.