Eulenspiegel's Pranks

The Golden Horseshoes

EULENSPIEGEL came to the court of the King of Denmark, who liked him well, and said that if he would make him some diversion, then might he have the best of shoes for his horse's hoofs. Eulenspiegel asked the king if he was minded to keep his word well and truly, and the king did answer most solemnly, "Yes."

Now did Eulenspiegel ride his horse to a goldsmith, by whom he suffered to be beaten upon the horse's hoofs shoes of gold with silver nails. This done, Eulenspiegel went to the king, that the king might send his treasurer to pay for the shoeing. The treasurer believed he should pay a blacksmith, but Eulenspiegel conducted him to the goldsmith, who did require and demand one hundred Danish marks. This would the treasurer not pay, but went and told his master.

Therefore the king caused Eulenspiegel to be summoned into his presence, and spoke to him:

"Eulenspiegel, why did you have such costly shoes? Were I to shoe all my horses thus, soon would I be without land or any possessions."

To which Eulenspiegel did make reply:

"Gracious King, you did promise me the best of shoes for my horse's hoofs, and I did think the best were of gold." Then the king laughed:

"You shall be of my court, for you act upon my very word."

And the king commanded his treasurer to pay the hundred

marks for the horse's golden shoes. But these Eulenspiegel caused to be taken off, and iron shoes put on in their stead; and he remained many a long day in the service of the King of Denmark.-Murner's Version.

Paying with the Sound of a Penny

EULENSPIEGEL was at a tavern where the host did one day put the meat on the spit so late that Eulenspiegel got hungry for dinner. The host, seeing his discontent, said to him:

"Who cannot wait till the dinner be ready, let him eat what he may."

Therefore Eulenspiegel went aside, and ate some dry bread; after that he had eaten he sat by the fire and turned the spit until the meat was roasted. Then was the meat borne upon the table, and the host, with the guests, did feast upon it. But Eulenspiegel stayed on the bench by the fire, nor would he sit at the board, since he told the host that he had his fill from the odor of the meat. So when they had eaten, and the host came to Eulenspiegel with the tray, that he might place in it the price of the food, Eulenspiegel did refuse, saying:

"Why must I pay for what I have not eaten?"

To which the host replied, in anger:

"Give me your penny; for by sitting at the fire, and swallowing the savor of the meat, you had the same nourishment as though you had partaken of the meat at the board."

Then Eulenspiegel searched in his purse for a penny, and threw it on the bench, saying to the host:

66 Do you hear this sound?"

"I do, indeed," answered the host.

Then did Eulenspiegel pick up the penny and restore it to his purse; which done, he spoke again:

"To my belly the odor of the meat is worth as much as the sound of the penny is to you."-Murner's Version.

The Schildburghers

The New Town Hall

IN the mighty kingdom of Utopia, in the region of Calcutta, lies a little town called Schilda, whose inhabitants, after the fashion of other mortals, would have followed in the footsteps of their ancestors, had not necessity, which knows no law, ordered things otherwise.

The first Schildburgher, or inhabitant of Schilda, was an exceedingly wise and wary man, and you may imagine that he did not let his children grow up in ignorance or folly. Nor did he spare severity, and, in consequence, his children. grew up to be incomparable for the possession of all possible virtues. Hence their fame and that of their admirable descendants spread to all parts of the world, and their wisdom was known and honored by distant princes and potentates. And a custom grew up for such princes and potentates to invite the citizens of Schilda to attend upon their various courts and assist them with counsel in the affairs of state, which counsel was always found to be most wise and salutary. The consequence was, that very soon there remained no male Schildburgher at Schilda, and the management of affairs was left to their wives and servants. lack of culture, their fields ceased to yield fruit, their cattle became lean and ran wild, and, what was worse, children and servants, free from the authority of absent fathers and masters, grew unruly and wicked.

For

To put an end to these untoward conditions, the Schildburghers assembled in their own town. How could princes

and chancellors be prevented from commanding their presence away from home? But as the hour was late, they deliberated only little on that day. Instead, they ate an excellent meal made savory with wise discourse, which is sweeter than honey and fairer than gold and silver.

But on the following day these grave gentlemen met under the linden-tree where they had always been wont to hold counsel in summer. In winter they assembled in their town hall. Now, when they had compared the losses which they had suffered by reason of their absence from home to the amount of the gifts that they had received from princes in reward of their wisdom, they found that the former by far exceeded the latter. And so they asked each other how the matter was to be mended. Many spoke, and wisdom and understanding were dispensed in great quantities. At last, however, one of the oldest of the Schildburghers arose, and spoke as follows:

66

Since our wisdom is the sole cause why we are forced to abandon our homes, would it not be best to prevent further molestation by cultivating folly and stupidity? Just as we used to be called away on account of our wisdom, we should then be left at home on account of our folly. Therefore my advice is, that we, one and all, men, women, and children, behave as strangely and absurdly as possible, and leave undone no queer action that opportunity offers. This must be practised especially by those who are now the wisest, for it takes no little art to be a proper fool."

This advice was taken by the Schildburghers with the utmost seriousness, and, on account of the importance of the whole question, a vote was taken. The result was favorable to the adoption of the proposed plan, which they determined to carry out. Thereupon the assembly broke up, in order that