Grimm's Fairy Tales | Travelling Musicians | Clever Elsie

Enjoy this reading of two of the classic Grimm's Fairy Tales..."The Travelling Musicians" and "Clever Elsie"!

The Grimm Fairy Tales were originally a collection of over 200 folk tales, collected by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in Germany and published in the early 1800s... There are many different stories in the collection and many of them are indeed quite "grim", yet they form the backbones of so many of our familiar fairy tales today...!

Transcript

Hello there.

Thank you so much for joining me for this reading of another couple of the Grimm's Fairy Tales.

This time we're going to be reading the Travelling Musicians and Clever Elsie.

So the Grimm's Fairy Tales were originally a collection of more than 200 different folk tales that were collected in Germany by the brothers Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm.

They were published in the early 1800s.

So many different stories and so many of them have familiar storylines and form the backbones of so many of the fairy tales that we're familiar with these days.

And many of them are quite grim by our modern standards.

Before we get into these two stories,

Let's just take a moment here to have a nice deep exhale,

Letting go of the day,

Letting go of whichever baggage we might be bringing along with us into this moment.

For right now there's nowhere else that we have to be and nothing else for us to be doing.

So we can just relax,

Get ourselves comfortable and enjoy some of the Grimm's Fairy Tales.

The Travelling Musicians.

An honest farmer had once an ass that had been a faithful servant to him a great many years,

But was now growing old and every day more and more unfit for work.

His master therefore was tired of keeping him and began to think of putting an end to him.

But the ass who saw that some mischief was in the wind took himself slyly off and began his journey towards the great city.

For there,

Thought he,

I may turn musician.

After he had travelled a little way,

He spied a dog lying by the roadside and panting as if he were tired.

What makes you pant so,

My friend,

Said the ass.

Alas,

Said the dog.

My master was going to knock me on the head because I am old and weak and can no longer make myself useful to him in hunting,

So I ran away.

But what can I do to earn my livelihood?

Hark ye,

Said the ass.

I am going to the great city to turn musician.

Suppose you go with me and try what you can do in the same way.

The dog said he was willing,

And they jogged on together.

They had not gone far before they saw a cat sitting in the middle of the road and making a most rueful face.

Pray,

My good lady,

Said the ass.

What's the matter with you?

You look quite out of spirits.

Ah,

Me,

Said the cat.

How can one be in good spirits when one's life is in danger?

Because I am beginning to grow old and had rather lie at my ease by the fire than run about the house after the mice,

My mistress laid hold of me and was going to drown me.

And though I have been lucky enough to get away from her,

I do not know what I am to live upon.

Oh,

Said the ass.

By all means,

Go with us to the great city.

You are a good night singer and may make your fortune as a musician.

The cat was pleased with the thought and joined the party.

Soon afterwards,

As they were passing by a farmyard,

They saw a cockerel perched upon a gate and screaming out with all his might and mane.

Bravo,

Said the ass.

Upon my word,

You make a famous noise.

Pray,

What is all this about?

Why,

Said the cockerel,

I was just now saying that we should have fine weather for our washing day and yet my mistress and the cook don't thank me for my pains but threaten to cut off my head tomorrow and make broth of me for the guests that are coming on Sunday.

Heaven forbid,

Said the ass.

Come with us,

Master Chanticleer.

It will be better at any rate than staying here to have your head cut off.

Besides,

Who knows,

If we care to sing in tune,

We may get up some kind of a concert.

So,

Come along with us.

With all my heart,

Said the cockerel.

So,

They all four went on jollily together.

They could not,

However,

Reach the great city the first day.

So,

When night came on,

They went into a wood to sleep.

The ass and the dog laid themselves down under a great tree and the cat climbed up into the branches while the cockerel,

Thinking that the higher he sat,

The safer he should be,

Flew up to the very top of the tree and then,

According to his custom,

Before he went to sleep,

Looked out on all sides of him to see that everything was well.

In doing this,

He saw afar off something bright and shining and calling to his companion said,

There must be a house.

No great way off,

For I see a light.

If that be the case,

Said the ass,

We had better change our quarters,

For our lodging is not the best in the world.

Besides,

Added the dog,

I should not be the worst for a bone or two or a bit of meat.

So,

They walked off together towards the spot where Chanticleer had seen the light and as they drew near,

It became larger and brighter till they at last came close to a house in which a gang of robbers lived.

The ass,

Being the tallest of the company,

Marched up to the window and peeped in.

Well,

Donkey,

Said Chanticleer,

What do you see?

What do I see?

Replied the ass.

Why,

I see a table spread with all kinds of good things and robbers sitting round it,

Making merry.

That would be a noble lodging for us,

Said the cockerel.

Yes,

Said the ass,

If we could only get in.

So,

They consulted together how they should contrive to get the robbers out.

And at last they hit upon a plan.

The ass placed himself upright on his hind legs,

With his forefeet resting against the window.

The dog got upon his back,

The cat scrambled up to the dog's shoulders and the cockerel flew up and sat upon the cat's head.

When all was ready,

A signal was given and they began their music.

The ass brayed,

The dog barked,

The cat mewed and the cockerel screamed.

And then they all broke through the window at once and came tumbling into the room amongst the broken glass with a most hideous clatter.

The robbers,

Who had been not a little frightened by the opening concert,

Had now no doubt that some frightful hobgoblin had broken in upon them and scampered away as fast as they could.

The coast once clear,

Our travellers soon sat down and dispatched what the robbers had left,

With as much eagerness as if they had not expected to eat again for a month.

As soon as they had satisfied themselves,

They put out the lights and each once more sought out a resting place to his own liking.

The donkey laid himself down upon a heap of straw in the yard,

The dog stretched himself upon a mat behind the door,

The cat rolled herself up on the hearth before the warm ashes,

And the cockerel perched upon a beam on the top of the house.

And,

As they were all rather tired with their journey,

They soon fell asleep.

But about midnight,

When the robbers saw from afar that the lights were out and that all seemed quiet,

They began to think that they had been in too great a hurry to run away.

And one of them,

Who was bolder than the rest,

Went to see what was going on.

Finding everything still,

He marched into the kitchen and groped about till he found a match in order to light a candle.

And then,

Spying the glittering fiery eyes of the cat,

He mistook them for live coals and held the match to them to light it.

But the cat,

Not understanding this joke,

Sprang at his face and spat and scratched at him.

This frightened him dreadfully,

And away he ran to the back door.

But there,

The dog jumped up and bit him in the leg.

And as he was crossing over the yard,

The ass kicked him,

And the cockerel,

Who'd been awakened by the noise,

Crowed with all his might.

At this,

The robber ran back as fast as he could to his comrades and told the captain how a horrid witch had got into the house and had spat at him and scratched his face with her long bony fingers.

How a man with a knife in his hand had hidden himself behind the door and stabbed him in the leg.

How a black monster stood in the yard and struck him with a club.

And how the devil had sat upon the top of the house and cried out,

Throw the rascal up here.

After this,

The robbers never dared to go back to the house.

But the musicians were so pleased with their quarters that they took up their abode there.

And there they are,

I dare say,

At this very day.

Clever Elsie There was once a man who had a daughter who was called Clever Elsie.

And when she had grown up,

Her father said,

We will get her married.

Yes,

Said the mother,

If only someone would come who would have her.

At length,

A man came from a distance and wooed her,

Who was called Hans.

But he stipulated that Clever Elsie should be really smart.

Oh,

Said the father,

She has plenty of good sense.

And the mother said,

Oh,

She can see the wind coming up the street and hear the flies coughing.

Well,

Said Hans,

If she is not really smart,

I won't have her.

When they were sitting at dinner and had eaten,

The mother said,

Elsie,

Go into the cellar and fetch some beer.

Then Clever Elsie took the pitcher from the wall,

Went into the cellar and tapped the lid briskly as she went so that the time might not appear long.

When she was below,

She fetched herself a chair and set it before the barrel so that she had no need to stoop and did not hurt her back or do herself any unexpected injury.

Then she placed the can before her and turned the tap.

And while the beer was running,

She would not let her eyes be idle,

But looked up at the wall and after much peering here and there,

Saw a pickaxe exactly above her,

Which the masons had accidentally left there.

Then Clever Elsie began to weep and said,

If I get Hans and we have a child and he grows big and we send him into the cellar here to draw beer,

Then the pickaxe will fall on his head and kill him.

Then she sat and wept and screamed with all the strength of her body over the misfortune which lay before her.

Those upstairs waited for the drink,

But Clever Elsie still did not come.

Then the woman said to the servant,

Just go down into the cellar and see where Elsie is.

The maid went and found her sitting in front of the barrel,

Screaming loudly,

Loudly.

Elsie,

Why do you weep?

Asked the maid.

She answered,

Have I not reason to weep?

If I get Hans and we have a child and he grows big and has to draw a beer here,

The pickaxe will perhaps fall on his head and kill him.

Then said the maid,

What a clever Elsie we have,

And sat down beside her and began loudly to weep over the misfortune.

After a while,

As the maid did not come back and those upstairs were thirsty for the beer,

The man said to the boy,

Just go down into the cellar and see where Elsie and the girl are.

The boy went down and there sat Clever Elsie and the girl,

Both weeping together.

Then he asked,

Why are you weeping?

Oh,

Said Elsie,

Have I not reason to weep?

If I get Hans and we have a child and he grows big and has to draw a beer here,

The pickaxe will fall on his head and kill him.

Then said the boy,

What a clever Elsie we have.

And sat down by her and likewise began to howl loudly.

Upstairs they waited for the boy,

But as he still did not return,

The man said to the woman,

Just go down into the cellar and see where Elsie is.

The woman went down and found all three in the midst of their lamentations and inquired what was the cause.

Then Elsie told her also that her future child was to be killed by the pickaxe when it grew big and had to draw beer and the pickaxe fell down.

Then said the mother likewise,

What a clever Elsie we have.

And sat down and wept with them.

The man upstairs waited a short time,

But as his wife did not come back and his thirst grew ever greater,

He said,

I must go into the cellar myself and see where Elsie is.

But when he got into the cellar and they were all sitting together crying and he heard the reason and that Elsie's child was the cause and that Elsie might perhaps bring one into the world someday and that he might be killed by the pickaxe if he should happen to be sitting beneath it drawing beer just at the very time when it fell down,

He cried,

Oh,

What a clever Elsie and sat down and likewise wept with them.

The bridegroom stayed upstairs alone for a long time.

Then,

As no one would come back,

He thought,

They must be waiting for me below.

I too must go there and see what they are about.

When he got down,

The five of them were sitting,

Screaming and lamenting quite piteously,

Piteously,

Each outdoing the other.

What misfortune has happened then,

Asked he.

Oh,

Dear Hans,

Said Elsie,

If we marry each other and have a child and he is big and we perhaps send him here to draw something to drink,

Then the pickaxe which has been left up there might dash his brains out if it were to fall if it were to fall down.

So have we not reason to weep?

Come,

Said Hans,

More understanding than that is not needed for my household as you are such a clever Elsie.

I will have you.

And seized her hand,

Took her upstairs with him and married her.

After Hans had had her some time,

He said,

Wife,

I am going out to work and earn some money for us.

Go into the field and cut the corn that we may have some bread.

Yes,

Dear Hans,

I will do that.

I will do that.

After Hans had gone away,

She cooked herself some good broth and took it into the field with her.

When she came to the field,

She said to herself,

What shall I do?

Shall I cut first or shall I eat first?

Oh,

I will eat first.

Then she drank her cup of broth and when she was fully satisfied,

She once more said,

What shall I do?

Shall I cut first or shall I sleep first?

Sleep first.

I will sleep first.

Then she lay down among the corn and fell asleep.

Hans had been at home for a long time,

But Elsie did not come.

Then said he,

What a clever Elsie I have.

She is so industrious that she does not even come home to eat.

But when evening came and she still stayed away,

Hans went out to see what she had cut,

But nothing was cut and she was lying among the corn asleep.

Then Hans hastened home and brought a fowler's net with little bells and hung it round about her and she still went on sleeping.

Then he ran home,

Shut the house door and sat down in his chair and worked.

At length,

When it was quite dark,

Clever Elsie awoke and when she got up,

There was a jingling all round about her and the bells rang at each step which she took.

Then she was alarmed and became uncertain whether she really was clever Elsie or not and said,

And said,

Is it I or is it not I?

But she knew not what answer to make to this and stood for a time in doubt.

At length she thought,

I will go home and ask if it be I or if it be not I,

They will be sure to know.

She ran to the door of her own house but it was shut.

Then she knocked at the window and cried,

Then she knocked at the window and cried,

Hans,

Is Elsie within?

Yes,

Answered Hans,

She is within.

Hereupon she was terrified and said,

Oh heavens,

Oh heavens,

Then it is not I and went to another door but when the people heard the jingling of the bells they would not open it and she could get in nowhere.

Then she ran out of the village and no one has seen her since.