Grimms fairy tales Hans In Luck
Hull’s in luck from Grimm’s fairy tales
by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm translated by
Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes
some men are born to good luck all they
do or try comes right all that falls to
them is so much gain all the geese are
swans all their cards are trumps toss
them which way you will they will always
like porpoise a light upon their legs
and only move on so much the faster the
world may very likely not always think
of them as they think of themselves but
what care they for the world what can it
know about the matter one of these lucky
things was neighbor Hans 7 long years he
had worked hard for his master at last
he said master my time is up I must go
home and see my poor mother once more so
pray pay me my wages and let me go when
the master said you have been a faithful
and good servant Hans so your pay she’ll
be handsome
then he gave him a lump of silver as big
as his head Hans took out his
pocket-handkerchief put the piece of
silver into it threw it over his
shoulder and jogged off on his Road
homewards as he went lazily on dragging
one foot after another a man came in
sight trotting gaily along on a capital
horse ah said Hans aloud what a fine
thing it is to ride on horseback there
he sits as easy and happy as if he was
at home in the chair by his fireside he
trips against no stones saves shoe
leather and gets on he hardly knows how
Hans did not speak so softly but the
horseman heard it all and said well
friend why do you go on foot then ah
said he I have this load to carry to be
sure it is silver but it is so heavy
that I can’t hold up my head and you
must know it hurts my shoulder sadly Wow
what do you say of making an exchange
said the horsemen I will give you my
horse and you shall give me the silver
which will save you a great deal of
trouble in carrying such a heavy load
about with you with all my heart said
Hans but as you are so kind to me I must
tell you one thing you will have a weary
task to draw that silver about with you
however the horseman got off took the
silver helped Hans up gave him the
bridle into one hand and the whip into
the other and said when you want to go
very fast smack your lips loudly
together and cry Jeep Hans was delighted
as he sat on the horse drew himself up
squared his elbows turned out his toes
cracked his whip and rode merrily off
one minute whistling a merry tune and
another singing no cares and no sorrow a
fig for your morrow will laugh and be
merry sing a dawn dairy
after a time he thought he should like
to go a little faster so he smacked his
lips and cried Jeep away went the horse
full gallop and before Hans knew what he
was about he was thrown off when lay on
his back by the roadside
his horse would have run off if a
shepherd who was coming by driving a cow
and not stopped it
Hans soon came to himself and got up on
his legs again sadly vexed and said to
the shepherd this riding is no joke when
a man has the luck to get upon a beast
like this that stumbles and flings him
off as if he would break his neck
however I’m off now once for all
I like your cow now a great deal better
than this smart beast that played me
this trick and has spoiled my best coat
you see in this puddle which by the by
smells not very like a nosegay one can
walk along at once leisure behind that
cow keep good company and have milk
butter cheese every day into the bargain
what would I give to have such a prize
well said the Shepherd if you are so
fond of her the how you will change my
cow for your horse I like to do good to
my neighbors even though I lose by it
myself
done said Hans merrily was a noble heart
that good man has thought he then the
Shepherd jumped upon the horse wished
Hans and the cow good morning and away
he rode Hans brushed his coats wiped his
face and hands rested awhile and then
drove off his cow quietly when thought
his bargain a very lucky one if I have
only a piece of bread and I certainly
shall always be able to get that I can
wherever I like eat my buttered and
cheese with it and when I am thirsty I
can milk my cow and drink the mooc and
what can i wish for more when he came to
an inn he halted ate up all his bread
and gave away his last penny for a glass
of beer when he had rested himself he
set off again driving his cow towards
his mother’s village but the heat grew
greater as soon as noon came on till at
last as he found himself on a wide heath
that would take him more than an hour to
cross he began to be so hot and parched
that his tongue clave to the roof of his
mouth now I can find a cure for this
thought he now I will milk my cow and
quench my thirst so he tied her to the
stump of a tree and held his leather cap
to milk into but not a drop was to be
had who would have thought that this cow
which was to bring him milk and butter
and cheese was all that time utterly dry
Hans had not thought of looking to that
while he was trying his luck in milking
and managing the matter very clumsily
the uneasy beast began to think him very
troublesome and at last gave him such a
kick on the head as knocked him down
and there he lay a long wild senseless
luckily a butcher soon came by driving a
pig in a wheelbarrow ah what is the
matter with you my man said the butcher
as he helped him up Hans told him what
had happened how he was dry and wanted
to milk his cow but found the cow was
dry too then the butcher gave him a
flask of a saying there drink and
refresh yourself your cow will give no
milk don’t you see she is an old Beast
and good for nothing but the
slaughterhouse alas alas said Hans who
would have thought it what a shame to
take my horse and give me only a dry cow
if I kill her what will she be good for
I hate cow beef it is not tender enough
for me if it were a pig now like that
fat gentleman you are driving along at
his ease one could do something with it
it would at any rate make sausages well
said the butcher I don’t like to say no
when one is asked to do a kind name
anything to please you I will change and
give you my fine fat pig for the cow
helman reward you for your kindness and
self-denial said Hans as he gave the
butcher of the cow and taking the pig
off the wheelbarrow drove it away
holding it by the string that was tied
to its leg
so on he jogged and all seemed now to go
right with him he had met with some
misfortunes to be sure but he was now
well repaid for all how could it be
otherwise with such a traveling
companion as he had at last God
the next man he met was a countryman
carrying a fine white goose the
countryman stopped to ask what was
o’clock this led to further chat and
Hans told him all his luck how he had
had so many good bargains and how all
the world went gay and smiling with him
the countryman then began to tell his
tale and said he was going to take the
goose to a christening
she’ll said he how heavy it is and yet
it is only 8 weeks old
whoever roasts and eats it will find
plenty of fat upon it it has lived so
well you are right said Hans as he
waited in his hand but if you talk of
fat my Pig is no trifle meantime the
countryman began to look grave and shook
his head hark ye said he my brother
friend you seem a good sort of fellow so
I can’t help doing you a kind turn your
Pig may get you into a scrape in the
village I just came from the squire has
had a pig stolen out of his sty I was
dreadfully afraid when I saw you that
you had got the Squires Pig if you have
and they catch you it will be a bad job
for you the least they will do will be
to throw you into the horse pond can you
swim poor Hans was sadly frightened good
man cried he pray get me out of this
scrape I know nothing of where the pig
was either bred or born but he may have
been the Squires for aught I can tell
you know this country better than I do
take my pig and give me the goose why I
ought to have something into the bargain
said the countryman give a fat goose for
a pig indeed tis not everyone would do
so much for you as that however I will
not be hard upon you as you are in
trouble then he took the string in his
hand and drove off the pig by a side
path while Hans went all the way home
words free from care after all thought
he that trap is pretty well taken in I
don’t care who is pig it is
but wherever it came from it has been a
very good friend to me
I have much the best of the bargain
first there will be a capital roast then
the fat will find me in goose grease for
six months and then there are all the
beautiful white feathers I will put them
into my pillow and then I am sure I will
sleep soundly without rocking how happy
my mother will be talk of a pig indeed
give me a fine fat goose as he came to
the next village he saw a
scissors-grinder with his wheel working
and singing for he land or Dale so happy
I Rome work light and live well all the
world is my home
then whoso Bly so merry as I
[Music]
Hans stood looking on for a while and at
last said you must be well-off master
grinder you seem so happy at your work
yes said the other mine is a golden
trade a good grinder never puts his hand
into his pocket without finding money in
it but where did you get that beautiful
goose I did not buy it I gave a pig for
it
oh and where did you get the pig I gave
a cow for it and the cow I gave a horse
for it and the horse why gave a lump of
silver as big as my head for it and the
silver though I worked hard for that
seven long years you have thrillin well
in the world hitherto said the grinder
now if you could find money in your
pocket whenever you put your hand in it
your fortune would be made very true but
how is that to be managed how why you
must turn grinder like myself said the
other you only want a grindstone the
rest will come of itself here is one
that is but little the worse for wear I
could not ask more than the value of
your goose for it will you buy well how
can you ask said Hans I should be the
happiest man in the world if I could
have money whenever I put my hand in my
pocket Oh what could I want more
there’s the goose now said the grinder
as he gave him a common rough stone that
lay by his side this is a most capital
stone do but work it well enough and you
can make an old nail cut with it
Hans took bestowed and went his way with
a light heart his eyes sparkled for joy
and he said to himself surely I must
have been born in a lucky hour
everything I could want or wish for
comes of itself people are so kind they
seem really to think I’d do them a favor
and letting them make me rich and giving
me good bargains meantime he began to be
tired and hungry too for he had given
away his last penny and his joy at
getting the cow at last he could go no
farther for the stone tired him sadly
and he dragged himself to the side of a
river that he might take a drink of
water and rest a while so he laid the
stone carefully by his side on the bank
but as he stooped down to drink he
forgot it pushed it a little and down it
rolled plump into the stream for a while
he watched it sinking in the deep clear
water then sprang up and danced for joy
then again fell upon his knees and
thanked heaven with tears in his eyes
for its kindness in taking away his only
plague the ugly heavy stone how happy am
I cried he nobody was ever so lucky as I
then up he got with a light heart free
from all his troubles and walked all
until he reached his mother’s house and
told her how very easy the road to good
luck was
and of Hans in luck