The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack

Once upon a time there was a tailor who had three sonsThere was once upon a time a tailor who had three sons, and only one goat. The goat’s milk fed the whole family, so she needed good food and had to be taken out to graze every dayBut as the goat supported the whole of them with her milk, she was obliged to have good food, and to be taken every day to pasture. So the sons took turns doing this.The sons, therefore, did this, in turn. Once the eldest took her to the churchyard, where the finest herbs were to be found, and let her eat and run about there. At night, when it was time to go home,night when it was time to go home he asked, “Goat, have youhast thou had enough?” The goat answered,

“I have eaten so much,
Not a leaf more I’ll touch, meh! meh!”

“Come home, then,” said the youth. Heyouth, and took hold of the cord round her neck, led her into the stable and tied her up securely. “Well,” said the old tailor, “has the goat had as much food as she ought?” “Oh,” answered the son, “she has eaten so much, not a leaf more she’ll touch.” But the father wanted to check for himself. Hewished to satisfy himself, and went down to the stable, stroked the dear animal and asked, “Goat, have you had enoughart thou satisfied?” The goat answered,

“How could I have had enoughWherewithal should I be satisfied?
Among the graves I leapt about,
And found no food, so went without, meh! meh!”

“What do I hear?” cried the tailor. Hetailor, and ran upstairs and said to the youth, “Hey, you liar! You said the goat had eaten enough, but you have left her hungry!” In his anger, he took the measuring stick from the wallHollo, thou liar: thou saidest the goat had had enough, and hast let her hunger!” and in his anger he took the yard-measure from the wall, and drove him out with blows.

Next day it was the turn of the second son. He found a place by the garden fence where nothing but good herbs grew. Theson, who looked out for a place in the fence of the garden, where nothing but good herbs grew, and the goat cleared them all off. At night when he wanted to go home, he asked, “Goat, have you had enoughart thou satisfied?” The goat answered,

“I have eaten so much,
Not a leaf more I’ll touch, meh! meh!”

“Come home, then,” said the youth. He led her homeyouth, and led her home, and tied her up in the stable. “Well,” said the old tailor, “has the goat had as much food as she ought?” “Oh,” answered the son, “she has eaten so much, not a leaf more she’ll touch.” The tailor would not rely on this. Hethis, but went down to the stable and said, “Goat, have youhast thou had enough?” The goat answered,

“How could I have had enoughWherewithal should I be satisfied?
Among the graves I leapt about,
And found no food, so went without, meh! meh!”

“The godless wretch!” cried the tailor, “to leave such a good animal hungry!” Helet such a good animal hunger,” and he ran up and drove the youth out of doors with the measuring stickyard-measure.

Now came the turn of the third son, who wanted to do the job well. He found some bushes with the finest leavesthing well, and sought out some bushes with the finest leaves, and let the goat devour them. In the evening when he wanted to go home, he asked, “Goat, have youhast thou had enough?” The goat answered,

“I have eaten so much,
Not a leaf more I’ll touch, meh! meh!”

“Come home, then,” said the youth. He led her into the stableyouth, and led her into the stable, and tied her up. “Well,” said the old tailor, “has the goat had a proper amount of food?” “She has eaten so much, not a leaf more she’ll touch.” The tailor did not trust that answer. Heto that, but went down and asked, “Goat, have youhast thou had enough?” The wicked beast answered,

“How could I have had enoughWherewithal should I be satisfied?
Among the graves I leapt about,
And found no leaves, so went without, meh! meh!”

“Oh, the brood of liars!” cried the tailor, “each as wicked and forgetful of his duty as the other! You will not make a fool of me any longer!” Quite beside himself with anger, he ran upstairs and beat the poor young man so hardYe shall no longer make a fool of me,” and quite beside himself with anger, he ran upstairs and belabored the poor young fellow so vigorously with the measuring stickyard-measure that he sprang out of the house.

The old tailor was now alone with his goat. Next morning he went down into the stable, caressed the goat and said, “Come, my dear little animal, this time I will take you out to grazeI will take thee to feed myself.” He took her by the rope and led her to green hedges, amongconducted her to green hedges, and amongst yarrowmilfoil, and whatever else goats like to eat. “There, for once, you can eat to your thou mayest for once eat to thy heart’s content,” said he to her, and let her browse till evening. Then he asked, “Goat, have you had enoughart thou satisfied?” She replied,

“I have eaten so much,
Not a leaf more I’ll touch, meh! meh!”

“Come home, then,” said the tailor. He led her into the stable and tied her securely.tailor, and led her into the stable, and tied her fast. When he was going away, he turned round again and said, “Well, have you had enoughart thou satisfied for once?” But the goat treated him no betterdid not behave the better to him, and cried,

“How could I have had enoughWherewithal should I be satisfied?
Among the graves I leapt about,
And found no leaves, so went without, meh! meh!”

When the tailor heard that, he was shockedshocked, and saw clearly that he had driven away his three sons without cause. “Just wait, youWait, thou ungrateful creature,” cried he, “driving you away is not enough. I will mark you so that you never dare show yourself among honest tailors againit is not enough to drive thee forth, I will mark thee so that thou wilt no more dare to show thyself amongst honest tailors.” In great haste he ran upstairs, fetched his razor, lathered the goat’s head, and shaved her as clean as the palm of his hand. And as the measuring stickyard-measure would have been too good for her, he brought the horsewhip, and whipped her so hard that she ran away as fast as she couldgave her such cuts with it that she ran away in violent haste.

Left quite alone in his house, the tailor became deeply miserable. He would gladly have had his sons back again, but no one knew where they hadWhen the tailor was thus left quite alone in his house he fell into great grief, and would gladly have had his sons back again, but no one knew whither they were gone. The eldest had apprenticed himself to a joiner, a craftsman who works with wood.a joiner, He worked hard and tirelessly at his trade.and learnt industriously and indefatigably, When the time came for him to travel,and when the time came for him to go travelling, his master gave him a plain little table made of ordinary wood.presented him with a little table which had no particular appearance, and was made of common wood, But it had one special power:but it had one good property; if anyone set it out, and said, “Little table, set yourselfspread thyself,” the good little table was covered at once with a clean little cloth. A plate appeared, with at once covered with a clean little cloth, and a plate was there, and a knife and fork beside it, and as many dishes of boiled and roasted meat as the table could hold. A dishes with boiled meats and roasted meats, as many as there was room for, and a great glass of red wine shone andso that it made the heart glad. The young journeyman thought, “With this, you have enough for your thou hast enough for thy whole life,” and went joyously about the world. He never troubled himself about whether an inn was good or bad, or whether there was anything to eat in it.world and never troubled himself at all whether an inn was good or bad, or if anything was to be found in it or not. When it suited him, him he did not enter an inn at all. On the plain, in a wood, in all, but either on the plain, in a wood, a meadow, or wherever he fancied, he took his little table off his back and set it down before him. He said, “Set yourself,”back, set it down before him, and said, “Cover thyself,” and then everything appeared that his heart desired.

At length he took it into his head to go back to his father, whose anger would have cooled by nownow be appeased, and who would now willingly receive him with his wishing-table. OnIt came to pass that on his way home, he came one evening to an inn which was filled with guests. They welcomed himbade him welcome, and invited him to sit and eat with them, because otherwise he might have trouble getting any foodfor otherwise he would have difficulty in getting anything. “No,” answered the joiner, “I will not take the few bites out of your mouths; rather than that, you shall be my guests.” They laughed and thought he was joking. He,laughed, and thought he was jesting with them; he, however, placed his wooden table in the middle of the room, and said, “Little table, set yourselfcover thyself.” Instantly it was covered with food, so good that the innkeeper could never have provided it. Its delicious smell rose towardshost could never have procured it, and the smell of it ascended pleasantly to the nostrils of the guests. “Eat upFall to, dear friends,” said the joiner. When the guests saw that he meant it, they did not need to be asked twice. They drew near, pulled out their knives and tucked in eagerly.joiner; and the guests when they saw that he meant it, did not need to be asked twice, but drew near, pulled out their knives and attacked it valiantly. And what surprised them the most was that when a dish became empty, a full one instantly took its place of its own accord. The innkeeper stood in one corner and watched it all. He did notthe affair; he did not at all know what to say, but thought, “You could easily use a cook like that in yourThou couldst easily find a use for such a cook as that in thy kitchen.” The joiner and his comrades made merry until late into the night. At last they lay down to sleep. The young apprentice also went to bednight; at length they lay down to sleep, and the young apprentice also went to bed, and set his magic table against the wall. But the innkeeper’s thoughts would not let him rest. He remembered The host’s thoughts, however, let him have no rest; it occurred to him that there was a little old table in his storeroom that looked just like the apprentice’s. He brought it out very quietly and swappedlumber-room which looked just like the apprentice’s and he brought it out quite softly, and exchanged it for the wishing-table.

Next morning, the joiner paid for his bed and picked up his table, never thinking that he had got a false one. He went onbed, took up his table, never thinking that he had got a false one, and went his way. At middaymid-day he reached his father, who received him with great joy. “Well, my dear son, what have youhast thou learnt?” said he to him. “Father, I have become a joiner.”

“A good trade,” replied the old man; “but what have you brought back from yourhast thou brought back with thee from thy apprenticeship?” “Father, the best thing which I have brought back with me is this little table.” The tailor inspected it on all sides and said, “You certainly didn’t make a masterpiece there; it is a shabbyThou didst not make a masterpiece when thou mad’st that; it is a bad old table.” “But it is a table that setswhich furnishes itself,” replied the son. “When I set it out, and tell it to cover itself, the most beautiful dishes stand on it, and wine tooa wine also, which gladdens the heart. Just invite all our relatives and friends. They can eat, drinkrelations and friends, they shall refresh and enjoy themselves for once, for the table will give them all they require.” When the company was assembled, he put his table in the middle of the room and said, “Little table, set yourself.” But the little table did not stir. Itcover thyself,” but the little table did not bestir itself, and remained just as bare as any other table which did not understand language. Then the poor apprentice became aware that his table had been changed, and was ashamed at having to stand there like a liar. The relativesrelations, however, mocked him, and were forced to go home without having eaten or drunk. The father brought out his patches again and went on tailoring. The son went to work for a master joiner.again, and went on tailoring, but the son went to a master in the craft.

The second son had gone to a miller and had apprenticed himself to him. When his years were over, the master said, “As you have behaved so well, I am giving you a special donkey. It neither pullsthou hast conducted thyself so well, I give thee an ass of a peculiar kind, which neither draws a cart nor carries a sack.” “What is he used forTo what use is he put, then?” asked the young apprentice. “He lets gold drop from his mouth,” answered the miller. “If you stand him on a cloth and saythou settest him on a cloth and sayest ‘Bricklebrit,’ the good animal will drop gold pieces for youthee.” “That is a fine thing,” said the apprentice. He thanked the masterapprentice, and thanked the master, and went out into the world. When he needed gold, he had only to say “Bricklebrit” to his donkey. Ithad need of gold, he had only to say “Bricklebrit” to his ass, and it rained gold pieces, and he had nothing to do but pick them off the ground. WhereverWheresoever he went, he wanted the best of everything, and the more expensivethe best of everything was good enough for him, and the dearer the better, for he had always a full purse. When he had looked about the world for some time, he thought, “You must find your father. If you go to him with the gold-donkey, he will forget his anger and welcome youThou must seek out thy father; if thou goest to him with the gold-ass he will forget his anger, and receive thee well.” He happened to come to the same innIt came to pass that he came to the same public-house in which his brother’s table had been exchanged. He led his donkey by the bridle. Theass by the bridle, and the host was about to take the animal from him and tie him up, but the young apprentice said, “Don’t trouble yourself.yourself, I will take my grey horse into the stable, and tie him up myself too, for I must know where he stands.” This struck the host as odd. He thought that a man who had to look after his donkey himself could not have much to spend. But odd, and he thought that a man who was forced to look after his ass himself, could not have much to spend; but when the stranger put his hand in his pocket, brought out two gold pieces and asked him to provide something good to eat. The host opened his eyes wide and ran to findpocket and brought out two gold pieces, and said he was to provide something good for him, the host opened his eyes wide, and ran and sought out the best he could muster. After dinner the guest asked what he owed. The host did not see why he should not double the billreckoning, and said the apprentice must give two more gold pieces. He felt in his pocket, but he had just run out of goldhis gold was just at an end. “Wait an instant, sir host,” said he. “I will go and fetch some money.” But he took the tableclothhe, “I will go and fetch some money;” but he took the table-cloth with him. The host could not imagine what this could mean. Curious, he crept after him. When the guest bolted the stable door,mean, and being curious, stole after him, and as the guest bolted the stable-door, he peeped through a hole left by a knot in the wood. The stranger spread out the cloth under the animal and cried, “Bricklebrit,” and immediately the beast began to let gold pieces fall, so that it fairly rained down money on the ground. “Eh, my word,” said the host, “ducats, gold coins,ducats are quickly madecoined there! A purse like that would be usefulis not amiss.” The guest paid his bill and went to bed. But during the night the host creptscore, and went to bed, but in the night the host stole down into the stable, led away the master of the mint, the maker of the gold coins,master of the mint, and tied up another donkeyass in his place.

Early next morning the apprentice went on his way with his donkey, thinking he had his gold-donkey.travelled away with his ass, and thought that he had his gold-ass. At middaymid-day he reached his father, who rejoiced to see him again, and gladly took him in. “What have you becomehast thou made of thyself, my son?” asked the old man. “A miller, dear father,”” dear father, he answered. “What have you brought back from yourhast thou brought back with thee from thy travels?” “Nothing else but a donkeyan ass.” “There are donkeysasses enough here,” said the father, “I would rather have had a good goat.” “Yes,” replied the son, “but it is no ordinary donkey. It is a gold-donkey:common ass, but a gold-ass, when I say ‘Bricklebrit,’ the good beast opens its mouth and drops a whole sheetful of gold pieces. Just call all our relatives heresummon all our relations hither, and I will make them rich folks.” “That suits me well,” said the tailor, “for then I shall have no need to torment myself any longer with the needle.” He ran out himself and called the relatives,” and ran out himself and called the relations together. As soon as they were assembled, the miller asked them to make roombade them make way, spread out his cloth, and brought the donkeyass into the room. “Now watch,” said he, and cried, “Bricklebrit.” But no gold pieces fell. Clearly the animal knew nothing of the art, for not every donkey can achieve“Bricklebrit,” but no gold pieces fell, and it was clear that the animal knew nothing of the art, for every ass does not attain such perfection. Then the poor miller pulled a long face. He saw that he had been cheated and begged the relatives’ pardon. They went home as poor as they had come.face, saw that he was betrayed, and begged pardon of the relatives, who went home as poor as they came. There was no help for it. The old man had to return to his sewingit, the old man had to betake him to his needle once more, and the youth hired himself to a miller.

The third brother had become an apprentice turner, shaping objects on a machine called a lathe.The third brother had apprenticed himself to a turner,Explanation: A turner makes objects on a lathe, a machine that turns a piece of material while it is shaped. The translation does not specify the material of his work. Because the work required skill, his training took the longestand as that is skilled labour, he was the longest in learning. His brothers, however, told him in a letter how badly things had gone for them. The innkeeper had cheated them of their beautiful magical giftswith them, and how the innkeeper had cheated them of their beautiful wishing-gifts on the last evening before they reached home. When the turner had finished his training and was ready to travel, his master gave him a sack as a reward for behaving so well. Heserved his time, and had to set out on his travels, as he had conducted himself so well, his master presented him with a sack and said, “There is a cudgel, a short heavy club, in it.There is a cudgel in it.” “I can carryput on the sack,” said he, “and it may be usefulof good service to me, but why should the cudgel be in it? It only makes it heavy.” “I will tell youthee why,” replied the master; “if anyone has done anything to hurt you, justany one has done anything to injure thee, do but say, ‘Out of the sack, Cudgel!’ and the cudgel will leap out among them and dance so hardforth among the people, and play such a dance on their backs that they will not be able to move for a week. It will not stop until you saystir or move for a week, and it will not leave off until thou sayest, ‘Into the sack, Cudgel!’” The apprentice thanked him and put the sack on his back. When anyone came too near himhim, and put the sack on his back, and when any one came too near him, and wished to attack him, he said, “Out of the sack, Cudgel!” Instantly the cudgel sprang out and beat the dust out of their coats and jackets, one after another. It did not stop until it had stripped the clothes from their backs. It worked so quickly that each person’s turn came before they knew itand instantly the cudgel sprang out, and dusted the coat or jacket of one after the other on their backs, and never stopped until it had stripped it off them, and it was done so quickly, that before anyone was aware, it was already his own turn. In the evening the young turner reached the inn where his brothers had been cheated. He laid his sack on the table before him, and began to talk of all the wonderful things which he had seen in the world. “Yes,” said he, “people may easily find a table which will cover itself, a gold-donkeyass, and things of that kind—excellent things that I certainly valueextremely good things which I by no means despise—but these are nothing in comparison with the treasure which I have won for myself, and am carrying about with me in my sack there.” The innkeeper pricked up his ears. “What in the world can that be?” he thought. “The sack must be filled with nothing but jewels.inn-keeper pricked up his ears, “What in the world can that be?” thought he; “the sack must be filled with nothing but jewels; I ought to get them cheap too, for all good things go in threes.” When it was time to sleep, the guest stretched out on the bench and laid his sack beneath his head asfor sleep, the guest stretched himself on the bench, and laid his sack beneath him for a pillow. When the innkeeper thought his guest was sound asleep, he went over to him. He pushed and pulled inn-keeper thought his guest was lying in a sound sleep, he went to him and pushed and pulled quite gently and carefully at the sack to see if he could draw it away and putpossibly draw it away and lay another in its place. The turner, however, had been waiting for this for a long time. Just as the innkeeper was about to give a goodturner had, however, been waiting for this for a long time, and now just as the inn-keeper was about to give a hearty tug, he cried, “Out of the sack, Cudgel!” Instantly the little cudgel came out, fell on the innkeeperforth, and fell on the inn-keeper and gave him a sound thrashing.

The host cried for mercy. But the louder he cried, the harder the cudgel beat the rhythm on his back. At lastmercy; but the louder he cried, so much more heavily the cudgel beat the time on his back, until at length he fell to the ground exhausted. Then the turner said, “If you do not return the table that sets itself and the gold-donkey, the dance will start againthou dost not give back the table which covers itself, and the gold-ass, the dance shall begin afresh.” “Oh, no,” cried the host, quite humbly, “I will gladly produce everything, just make that cursed little goblin of a cudgel crawl back into the sack.only make the accursed kobold creep back into the sack.Explanation: A kobold is a spirit from German folklore. The innkeeper uses the name for the magical cudgel that is beating him; the wording makes clear that he is speaking about the cudgel.” Then the apprentice saidsaid the apprentice, “I will let mercy take the place of justice, but beware of getting into mischief again!” So he cried, “Into the sack, Cudgel!” and let him have rest.

Next morning the turner went home to his father with the wishing-table, and the gold-donkeyass. The tailor rejoiced when he saw him once more, and also asked what he had learned abroad.asked him likewise what he had learned in foreign parts. “Dear father,” said he, “I have become a turner.” “A skilled trade,” said the father. “What have you brought back from yourhast thou brought back with thee from thy travels?”

“A precious thing, dear father,” replied the son, “a cudgel in the sack.”

“What!” cried the father, “a cudgel! That was worth your trouble, wasn’t it! You could cut yourself one from any treeThat’s worth thy trouble, indeed! From every tree thou can cut thyself one.” “But not one like this, dear father. If I say, ‘Out of the sack, Cudgel!’ the cudgel springs out and makes anyone who means me harm dance a painful dance. It does not stop until the person lies on the ground and begs for reliefleads any one who means ill with me a weary dance, and never stops until he lies on the ground and prays for fair weather. Look, with this cudgel you, with this cudgel have I got back the wishing-table and the gold-donkeyass which the thievish inn-keeper took away from my brothers. Now let them both be sent for, and invite all our relativeskinsmen. I will give them food andto eat and to drink, and will fill their pockets with gold into the bargain.” The old tailor did not quite believe him,would not quite believe, but nevertheless got the relatives together. Then the turner spread a cloth in the room and led in the gold-donkeyass, and said to his brother, “Now, dear brother, speak to him.” The miller said, “Bricklebrit.” Instantly the gold pieces fell down on the cloth like a thunder-shower. The donkey did not stop until everyone“Bricklebrit,” and instantly the gold pieces fell down on the cloth like a thunder-shower, and the ass did not stop until every one of them had so much that he could carry no more. (I can see by your face that you would like to be there tooin thy face that thou also wouldst like to be there.)

Then the turner brought the little table, and said, “Now,Now dear brother, speak to it.” And as soon as the carpenter said, “Table, set yourself,”scarcely had the carpenter said, “Table, cover thyself,” than it was spread and amply covered with the most exquisite dishes. Then they had a meal such as the good tailor had never known in his house. All the relatives stayed together until late in the night,such a meal took place as the good tailor had never yet known in his house, and the whole party of kinsmen stayed together till far in the night, and were all merry and glad. The tailor locked away needle and thread, measuring stickyard-measure and tailor’s irongoose, in a cupboardpress, and lived with his three sons in joy and splendour.

(What, however, has become of the goat who was to blame for the tailor driving out his three sons? That I will tell youthee. Ashamed of her bald head, sheShe was ashamed that she had a bald head, and ran to a fox’s hole and crept into it. When the fox came home, he was met by two great eyes shining out of the darkness. Terrified, hedarkness, and was terrified and ran away. A bear met him. As the fox looked quite disturbed, the bearhim, and as the fox looked quite disturbed, he said, “What is the matter, brother Fox? Why do you with thee, brother Fox, why dost thou look like that?” “Ah,” answered RedcoatRedskinExplanation: Here the fox’s nickname refers to his red fur. Redcoat keeps that image while replacing a word now offensive when used for Indigenous people of North America. The historical wording remains in the original version., “a fierce beast is in my cave and stared at me with its fiery eyes.” “We will soon drive him out,” said the bear. He went with him to the cave and looked in. But when he saw the fiery eyes, fear seized him too. He would have nothing to do with the furious beastbear, and went with him to the cave and looked in, but when he saw the fiery eyes, fear seized on him likewise; he would have nothing to do with the furious beast, and took to his heels. The bee met him. Seeing that he was troubled,him, and as she saw that he was ill at ease, she said, “Bear, you look so miserable! What has happened to all your cheerfulnessthou art really pulling a very pitiful face; what has become of all thy gaiety?” “It is all very well for youthee to talk,” replied the bear, “a furious beast with staring eyes is in RedcoatRedskinExplanation: Here the fox’s nickname refers to his red fur. Redcoat keeps that image while replacing a word now offensive when used for Indigenous people of North America. The historical wording remains in the original version.’s house, and we can’t drive him out.” The bee said, “Bear, I feel sorry for you. I am a poor weak creature you would not even bother to look at, but I still believe I can help you I pity thee, I am a poor weak creature whom thou wouldst not turn aside to look at, but still, I believe, I can help thee.” She flew into the fox’s cave, landed on the goat’s smoothly shaved head and stung her so violently that she sprang up, crying “Meh, meh.” The goat ran outlighted on the goat’s smoothly-shorn head, and stung her so violently, that she sprang up, crying “Meh, meh,” and ran forth into the world as if mad, and to this hour no one knows where she has gone.)