The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was

A certain father had two sons. The elder was smart and sensible, and could do everything. But the younger was stupid and could neither learn nor understand anything. When people saw him, they said, "There's a fellow who will give his father some trouble!" Whenever anything had to be done, it was always the elder who had to do it.

But if his father asked him to fetch something late at night, and the way led through the churchyard or any other gloomy place, he always answered, "Oh no, Father, I won't go there — it makes me shudder!" For he was afraid.

Or when stories were told by the fire at night that made your skin crawl, the listeners sometimes said, "Oh, it makes us shudder!" The younger son sat in a corner and listened with the rest, but he couldn't understand what they meant.

"They're always saying 'it makes me shudder, it makes me shudder!' It doesn't make me shudder," he thought. "That must be a skill that I know nothing about."

One day his father said to him, "Listen to me, you fellow in the corner there. You are growing tall and strong, and you too must learn something to earn your living. Look how your brother works, but you don't even earn your salt." "Well, Father," he replied, "I am quite willing to learn something — in fact, if it could be managed, I would like to learn how to shudder.

I don't understand that at all yet." The elder brother smiled when he heard that and thought to himself, "Good heavens, what a blockhead my brother is! He will never amount to anything as long as he lives. He who wants to be a sickle must bend himself early."

The father sighed and answered, "You will soon learn what it is to shudder, but you won't earn your bread by that."

Soon after, the sexton came to the house for a visit, and the father told him his troubles. He said how his younger son was so backward in every way that he knew nothing and learned nothing.

"Just think," he said, "when I asked him how he was going to earn his bread, he actually wanted to learn to shudder." "If that's all," replied the sexton, "he can learn that with me.

Send him to me, and I'll soon polish him." The father was glad to do it, for he thought, "It will train the boy a little." So the sexton took him into his house, and he had to ring the church bell.

After a day or two, the sexton woke him at midnight and told him to get up and go up into the church tower and ring the bell. "You will soon learn what shuddering is," he thought, and secretly went up ahead of him.

When the boy was at the top of the tower and turned around, just about to grab the bell rope, he saw a white figure standing on the stairs opposite the sounding hole. "Who is there?" he shouted, but the figure made no reply and didn't move.

"Answer me," the boy shouted, "or get out of here — you have no business here at night!"

The sexton stood motionless, thinking the boy would believe he was a ghost. The boy shouted a second time, "What do you want here? Speak if you are an honest man, or I will throw you down the stairs!" The sexton thought, "He can't really mean to do that," and remained silent, standing as still as a stone.

Then the boy shouted a third time, and when that didn't work either, he ran at the ghost and pushed it down the stairs, so that it fell ten steps and lay in a corner. Then he rang the bell, went home, and without a word went to bed and fell asleep.

The sexton's wife waited a long time for her husband, but he didn't come back. Finally she grew worried and woke the boy. "Do you know where my husband is? He climbed up the tower before you did." "No, I don't know," replied the boy, "but someone was standing by the sounding hole on the other side of the steps.

He wouldn't answer or go away, so I took him for a scoundrel and threw him downstairs. Go there and see if it was him. I'd be sorry if it were." The woman ran and found her husband, who was lying in the corner moaning, with a broken leg.

She carried him down and then, with loud screams, ran to the boy's father. "Your boy," she cried, "has caused a great misfortune! He threw my husband down the steps and broke his leg. Take that good-for-nothing out of our house!" The father was terrified and ran over and scolded the boy.

"What wicked tricks are these?" he said. "The devil must have put this into your head." "Father," he replied, "please listen. I am quite innocent. He was standing there at night like someone meaning to do harm.

I didn't know who it was, and I begged him three times to speak or go away." "Ah," said the father, "I have nothing but trouble with you. Get out of my sight. I don't want to see you anymore."

"Yes, Father, gladly. Just wait until it is day. Then I will go out and learn how to shudder, and then at least I'll know one skill that will support me." "Learn what you want," said the father. "It's all the same to me. Here are fifty thalers for you. Take them and go into the wide world, and tell no one where you come from or who your father is, for I am ashamed of you." "Yes, Father, as you wish. If you desire nothing more than that, I can easily keep it in mind."

When dawn came, the boy put his fifty thalers in his pocket and set out on the highway, and he kept saying to himself, "If I could but shudder! If I could but shudder!" Then a man approached who heard this conversation the youth was having with himself.

After they had walked a little farther to where they could see the gallows, the man said to him, "Look, there is the tree where seven men have married the hangman's daughter and are now learning to fly.

Sit down here and wait until night, and you will soon learn how to shudder." "If that's all it takes," answered the youth, "it's easily done. But if I learn how to shudder that fast, you can have my fifty thalers.

Just come back to me early in the morning." Then the youth went to the gallows, sat down beneath it, and waited until evening. Because he was cold, he lit a fire. But at midnight the wind blew so sharply that, despite his fire, he couldn't get warm.

As the wind knocked the hanged men against each other, and they swayed back and forth, he thought, "You shiver down here by the fire, but how those up above must freeze and suffer!" Feeling pity for them, he raised the ladder, climbed up, untied one after another, and brought all seven down.

Then he stirred the fire, blew on it, and sat them all around it to warm themselves. But they just sat there without moving, and the fire caught their clothes. "Take care," he said, "or I will hang you up again." The dead men, however, didn't hear him.

They stayed silent and let their rags burn. This made him angry, and he said, "If you won't take care, I can't help you. I won't be burned with you," and he hung them up again, one by one. Then he sat down by his fire and fell asleep.

The next morning the man came to him and wanted to have the fifty thalers. "Well," he said, "do you know how to shudder?" "No," answered the youth. "How was I supposed to learn? Those fellows up there didn't open their mouths, and they were so stupid that they let the few old rags they had on burn." Then the man saw that he wouldn't get the fifty thalers that day, and went away saying, "I've never met anyone like this before."

The youth continued on his way and again began to mutter to himself, "Oh, if I could but shudder! Oh, if I could but shudder!" A wagoner who was walking behind him heard that and asked, "Who are you?" "I don't know," answered the youth.

Then the wagoner asked, "Where do you come from?" "I don't know." "Who is your father?" "I may not tell you." "What is that you're always muttering between your teeth?" "Oh," replied the youth, "I wish I could shudder, but no one can teach me how." "Give up your foolish chatter," said the wagoner.

"Come with me, I'll find you a place." The youth went with the wagoner, and in the evening they arrived at an inn where they wanted to stay overnight. At the entrance to the room, the youth again said quite loudly, "If I could but shudder!

If I could but shudder!" The innkeeper, who heard this, laughed and said, "If that's your desire, there ought to be a good opportunity for you here." "Oh, be quiet," said the innkeeper's wife. "So many curious people have already lost their lives.

It would be a pity and a shame if such beautiful eyes as these should never see the daylight again."

But the youth said, "However difficult it may be, I will learn it. That's why I set out." He pestered the innkeeper until the man told him that not far from there stood a haunted castle, where anyone could easily learn what shuddering was, if he would watch in it for three nights.

The king had promised that whoever would dare should wed his daughter, who was the most beautiful maiden the sun ever shone upon. Great treasures also lay in the castle, guarded by evil spirits, and these treasures would then be freed and make a poor man rich.

Many men had already gone into the castle, but none had ever come out again.

The youth went to the king the next morning and said that, if allowed, he would watch three nights in the haunted castle. The king looked at him, and since the youth pleased him, he said, "You may ask for three things to take into the castle with you, but they must be lifeless." The youth answered, "Then I ask for a fire, a turning lathe, and a cutting board with a knife." The king had these things carried into the castle for him during the day.

When night was approaching, the youth went up, made a bright fire in one of the rooms, placed the cutting board and knife beside it, and sat down by the turning lathe. "Oh, if I could but shudder!" he said.

"But I won't learn it here either." Toward midnight he was about to poke the fire, and as he blew on it, something suddenly cried from a corner, "Mew, mew, how cold we are!" "You simpletons!" he cried. "What are you whining about?

If you are cold, come and sit by the fire and warm yourselves." No sooner had he said that than two great black cats sprang forward with a tremendous leap and sat down on each side of him, looking savagely at him with their fiery eyes.

After a short time, when they had warmed themselves, they said, "Comrade, shall we have a game of cards?" "Why not?" he replied. "But show me your paws first." They stretched out their claws. "Oh," he said, "what long nails you have!

Wait, I must cut them for you." He seized them by the necks, put them on the cutting board, and screwed their feet fast. "I have looked at your fingers," he said, "and I don't feel like playing cards anymore." And he struck them dead and threw them into the fish pond.

When he had disposed of them and was about to sit down again by his fire, out from every hole and corner came black cats and black dogs with red-hot chains, more and more of them, until he could no longer move.

They yelled horribly, got onto his fire, pulled it apart, and tried to put it out. He watched them quietly for a while, but when they went too far, he seized his cutting knife and cried, "Get away, you vermin!" and began to strike them down.

Some of them ran away, the others he killed and threw into the fish pond. When he came back, he fanned the embers of his fire again and warmed himself. As he sat there, his eyes would no longer stay open, and he felt sleepy.

He looked around and saw a great bed in the corner. "That's just the thing for me," he said, and got into it. Just as he was about to close his eyes, the bed began to move on its own and rolled across the whole castle.

"That's right," he said, "but go faster." Then the bed rolled as if six horses were harnessed to it, up and down, over thresholds and steps — but suddenly, hop, hop, it turned upside down and lay on top of him like a mountain.

He threw the quilts and pillows into the air, climbed out, and said, "Now anyone who likes can drive," and lay down by his fire and slept until daylight. In the morning the king came, and when he saw him lying there on the ground, he thought the evil spirits had killed him.

He said, "It is a pity — he is a handsome man." The youth heard it, got up, and said, "It hasn't come to that yet." The king was astonished, but very glad, and asked how he had fared. "Very well indeed," he answered.

"One night is over — the other two will pass as well." Then he went to the innkeeper, who opened his eyes wide and said, "I never expected to see you alive again! Have you learned to shudder yet?" "No," he said. "It's all in vain. If only someone would tell me."

The second night he again went up into the old castle, sat down by the fire, and once more began his old song, "If I could but shudder." When midnight came, there was an uproar and a noise of tumbling about. At first it was low, but it grew louder and louder.

Then it was quiet for a while, and at last, with a loud scream, half a man fell down the chimney and landed before him. "Hello!" he cried. "Another half belongs to this. This is too little!" Then the uproar began again — a roaring and howling — and the other half fell down too.

"Wait," he said, "I'll build up the fire a little for you." When he had done that and looked around, the two pieces had joined together, and a frightful man was sitting in his place. "That's no part of our bargain," said the youth.

"The bench is mine." The man tried to push him away, but the youth wouldn't allow it. He shoved him off with all his strength and sat down again in his own place. Then more men fell down, one after another.

They brought nine dead men's legs and two skulls, set them up, and played ninepins with them. The youth wanted to play too and said, "Hey, can I join?" "Yes, if you have any money." "Enough money," he replied, "but your balls aren't quite round." He took the skulls, put them on the lathe, and turned them until they were round.

"There, now they'll roll better!" he said. "Hurrah! Now it's going well!" He played with them and lost some of his money. But when it struck twelve, everything vanished from his sight. He lay down and quietly fell asleep. Next morning the king came to see how he was.

"How did it go this time?" he asked. "I was playing ninepins," he answered, "and lost a few little coins." "Didn't you shudder then?" "Oh, what?" said he. "I had a good time. If only I knew what shuddering is!"

The third night he sat down on his bench again and said quite sadly, "If I could but shudder." When it got late, six tall men came in carrying a coffin. "Ha ha," he said, "that's certainly my little cousin who died only a few days ago." He beckoned with his finger and cried, "Come, little cousin, come." They set the coffin on the ground.

He went to it and took off the lid. A dead man lay inside. He felt his face, but it was cold as ice. "Wait," he said, "I will warm you up a bit." He went to the fire, warmed his hand, and laid it on the dead man's face, but he remained cold.

He took him out, sat down by the fire, laid him on his chest, and rubbed his arms to get the blood moving again. When that didn't help either, he thought to himself, "When two people lie in bed together, they warm each other." So he carried him to the bed, covered him over, and lay down beside him.

After a short time the dead man became warm and began to move. Then the youth said, "See, little cousin, haven't I warmed you?" But the dead man got up and cried, "Now I will strangle you!" "What!" said the youth. "Is that how you thank me?

You're going back into your coffin this instant!" He took him up, threw him inside, and shut the lid. Then the six men came and carried him away again. "I still can't manage to shudder," he said. "I'll never learn it here as long as I live."

Then a man entered who was taller than all the others and looked terrible. He was old, however, and had a long white beard. "You wretch!" he cried. "You will soon learn what shuddering is, for you will die!" "Not so fast," replied the youth.

"If I am going to die, I must have a say in it." "I will soon seize you," said the demon. "Softly, softly, don't talk so big. I am as strong as you are, and maybe even stronger." "We shall see," said the old man.

"If you are stronger, I will let you go. Come, we will try." He led him through dark passageways to a blacksmith's forge, took an axe, and with one blow struck an anvil into the ground. "I can do better than that," said the youth. He went to the other anvil.

The old man stood near to watch, and his white beard hung down. The youth seized the axe, split the anvil with one blow, and caught the old man's beard in the crack. "Now I have you," said the youth.

"Now it is you who will die." He grabbed an iron bar and beat the old man until he moaned and begged him to stop, promising him great riches. The youth pulled out the axe and let him go.

The old man led him back into the castle and showed him three chests of gold in a cellar. "One part of this is for the poor," he said, "another part for the king, and the third part is yours." At that moment it struck twelve, and the spirit vanished.

The youth was left in the dark. "I'll still find my way out," he said, and felt around until he found the room, where he slept by his fire. Next morning the king came and said, "Now you must have learned what shuddering is!" "No," he answered. "What can it be?

My dead cousin was here, and a bearded man came and showed me a lot of money down below, but no one told me what shuddering is." "Then," said the king, "you have delivered the castle, and you shall marry my daughter." "That's all very well," said he, "but I still don't know what shuddering is."

Then the gold was brought up, and the wedding was celebrated. But however much the young king loved his wife, and however happy he was, he still always said, "If I could but shudder! If I could but shudder!" Finally his wife became angry about this.

Her waiting maid said, "I will find a cure for him. He will soon learn what shuddering is." She went out to the stream that flowed through the garden and had a whole bucketful of minnows brought to her.

That night, while the young king was sleeping, his wife was to pull the covers off him and empty the bucket of cold water with the minnows over him, so that the little fish would flop about on him. When this was done, he woke up and cried, "Oh!

What makes me shudder like this? What makes me shudder like this, dear wife? Ah! Now I know what shuddering is!"