University of Virginia Library

UPPER AND LOWER LUSATIAN STORIES.

THE Upper Lusatian language is spoken in a district
which may be marked by the towns of Löbau, Bautzen,
and Muskau, while the Lower Lusatians dwell round the
towns of Spremberg and Kottbus. Of the Upper Lusatians
the larger portion live in Saxony and the smaller in Prussian
territory; the Lower Lusatians are all Prussian subjects.

The Upper Lusatian story illustrates, in folklore style,
a moral principle of great value. The Lower Lusatian tale
is a variant of our own `Little Red Ridinghood.' But it
completes the story in such a manner as to explain the
allegorical meaning of the narrative in the sense in which I
am inclined to interpret it, as will be shown at the conclusion
of the story.

But the Slavonic remnant in Lusatia is so surrounded by
German territory, that most of its folklore has already been
pressed into the service of the Germans.

A remarkable point in the Lusatian language is the
completeness of the dual number in both nouns, adjectives,
and verbs.

XIV.—RIGHT ALWAYS REMAINS RIGHT.

There was once upon a time a huntsman, who had a son,
who was also a huntsman. He sent his son into a foreign

land, to look about him and learn something additional.
Here he went into a tavern, where he found a stranger, with
whom he entered into conversation. They told each other
all the news, till they also began to talk about right and
wrong. The stranger asserted that the greatest wrong
could be made right for money. But the huntsman opined
that right always remained right, and offered to bet three
hundred dollars upon it, if the stranger would do the same.[5]
The stranger was content therewith, and they agreed to ask
three advocates the question at once. They went to the first
advocate, and he said that it was possible to make wrong
right for money. They then went to another. He also
asserted that wrong could be made right for money. Finally,
they went to a third. He also told them that wrong could
be made right for money. They then went back again,
and as they had been going about the whole day, it wasn't
till late in the evening that they got to their tavern. The
stranger then asked the huntsman whether he still disbelieved
that the greatest wrong could be made right for
money, and the huntsman replied that he should soon be
obliged to believe it on the assertion of the three advocates,
although he was very unwilling to do so. The stranger was
willing to grant him his life if he consented to pay three
hundred dollars; but as they were talking about it, in came
a man who overpersuaded the stranger that he must needs
abide by what they had previously agreed upon. He did
not, however, do this, but only, with a red-hot iron, took
his eyesight from him, and told him at the same time, that
he would then and then only believe that right remained
right in the world, when the huntsman regained his sight.

The huntsman entreated the host of the tavern to put

him on the right road to the town. He put him on the
road to the gallows, and went his way. When the huntsman
had gone a little further, there was the end of the road,
and he heard it strike eleven. He couldn't go any further,
and remained lying where he was in hope that perhaps
somebody would come there in the morning. After a short
time he heard a clatter, and soon somebody came up; nor
was it long before a second and a third arrived. These
were three evil spirits, who quitted their bodies in the night
time, and perpetrated all manner of villainy in the world.
They began to talk together, and one said: `To-day it is a
year and a day since we were here together and related the
good deeds that we had done during the year before. A
year has again elapsed, and it is therefore time that we
should ascertain which of us has done the best action during
the past year.' The first spoke, and said: `I have deprived
the inhabitants of the city of Ramul of their water supply;
they can only be helped if somebody finds out what it is
that stops up the spring.' `What's that?' said the second;
and the first replied: `I have placed a great toad on the
spring out of which the water at other times flowed; if that
be removed, the water will spring up again as before.' The
second said: `I have caused the beauty of the princess of
Sarahawsky to disappear, and herself to fade away to skin
and bones; she cannot be helped until the silver nail, which
hangs above her bed, be pulled out.' The third said:
`Yesterday I caused a person to be deprived of his eyesight
with a red hot iron; he can only be helped by washing his
eyes with the water that is in the well not far from this
gallows.' It then struck twelve in the town, and the three
disappeared at once, but the huntsman remembered all that
he had heard, and rejoiced that it was in his power to regain
his eyesight.

Early on the morrow he heard somebody passing by, and

begged him to send him people from the town, to tell where
the healing spring was. Then all manner of people came to
him, but no one could show him the spring, save at length
one old woman. He caused himself to be led thither, and
as soon as he had washed his eyes in it, he immediately
obtained his eyesight again.

He now asked the way to the city of Ramul, and went
thither. As soon as he arrived, he told the town council
that he would restore them their water. But plenty of
people had been there already, and the city had spent a
great deal of money upon them, yet no one had effected
aught, so, as it had been all in vain, they intended to have
nothing more to do with the matter. Well, he said that he
would do it all for nothing, only they must give him some
labourers to help him. It was done. When they had dug
as far as the place where the pipes, through which the water
used to flow, were laid into the spring, he sent all the workmen
away and dug a little further himself, and behold! a
toad, like a boiler, was sitting on the spring. He removed
it, and immediately the water began to flow, and ere long
all the fountains were filled with water. The citizens got
up a grand banquet in his honour, and paid him a large sum
of money for what he had done.

He then went on and came to Sarahawsky. Then in a
short time he learnt that the princess was ill, just as he had
heard, and that no physician was able to help her; moreover
that the king had promised that the person who could cure
her malady should obtain her to wife. He therefore
equipped himself very handsomely, went to the king's palace,
and there declared that he had come from a far country, and
would cure the princess. The king replied to him that he
had scarce any hope left, but would nevertheless make the
experiment with him. The huntsman said that he would
fetch his medicine. He went out and bought all manner of

sweet comfits, and then went to the princess. He gave her
a first dose, and looked about to see in what part of her
bed's head the silver nail was sticking. Early on the
second day he came again, gave her again some of his
medicine, took the opportunity of laying hold of the nail,
and pulled it till it began to move. In the afternoon the
princess felt that she was better. The third day he came
again, and while the princess was taking the medicine,
pulled again at the bed's head, pulled the nail clean out, and
put it secretly into his pocket. At noon the princess was
so far recovered, that she wanted to have her dinner, and the
king invited the huntsman to a grand banquet. They
settled when the wedding was to take place, but the huntsman
considered that he must first go home.

And when he had got home, he went again to the tavern
where he had lost the sight of his eyes, and the stranger was
there also. They began to tell each other all the news,
and the huntsman related what he had heard under the
gallows; how he had discovered the water, and finally how
he had regained the sight of his eyes, and said that the
stranger must now believe that in the world right always
remained right. The stranger marvelled exceedingly, and
said that he would believe it.

After this the huntsman went on and came to his
princess, and they had a grand wedding festival, which
lasted a whole week. The stranger bethought himself that
he, too, would go under the gallows; peradventure he
might also hear some such things as the huntsman had
heard, and might in consequence also obtain a princess to
wife. And when the year had elapsed, he also went there.
He heard it strike one, and in a short time he heard a clatter;
then up came somebody again, and it wasn't long before a
second and third arrived. They began to talk together, and
one said: `It cannot but be, that some one overheard us

last year, and through that everything that we have done is
ruined. Let us, therefore, make a careful search before we
again recount to each other what we have done.' They
immediately began to search, and found the stranger. They
tore him into three pieces and hung them up on the three
corners of the gallows.

When the old king died they took the huntsman for king,
and if he has not died, he is reigning still at the present day,
and firmly believes that in his realm right will always
remain right.

XV.—LITTLE RED HOOD.

Once upon a time, there was a little darling damsel, whom
everybody loved that looked upon her, but her old granny
loved her best of all, and didn't know what to give the dear
child for love. Once she made her a hood of red samite,
and since that became her so well, and she, too, would wear
nothing else on her head, people gave her the name of `Red
Hood.' Once her mother said to Red Hood, `Go; here is
a slice of cake and a bottle of wine; carry them to old
granny. She is ill and weak, and they will refresh her.
But be pretty behaved, and don't peep about in all corners
when you come into her room, and don't forget to say
"Good-day." Walk, too, prettily, and don't go out of the
road, otherwise you will fall and break the bottle, and then
poor granny will have nothing.' Red Hood said, `I will
observe everything well that you have told me,' and gave
her mother her hand upon it.

But granny lived out in a forest, half an hour's walk from
the village. When Red Hood went into the forest, she met
a wolf. But she did not know what a wicked beast he was,
and was not afraid of him. `God help you, Red Hood!'
said he. `God bless you, wolf!' replied she. `Whither so
early, Red Hood?' `To granny.' `What have you there

under your mantle?' `Cake and wine. We baked yesterday;
old granny must have a good meal for once, and
strengthen herself therewith.' `Where does your granny
live, Red Hood?' `A good quarter of an hour's walk
further in the forest, under yon three large oaks. There
stands her house; further beneath are the nut-trees, which
you will see there,' said Red Hood. The wolf thought
within himself, `This nice young damsel is a rich morsel.
She will taste better than the old woman; but you must
trick her cleverly, that you may catch both.' For a time he
went by Red Hood's side. Then said he, `Red Hood!
just look! there are such pretty flowers here! Why don't
you look round at them all? Methinks you don't even hear
how delightfully the birds are singing! You are as dull as
if you were going to school, and yet it is so cheerful in the
forest!' Little Red Hood lifted up her eyes, and when she
saw how the sun's rays glistened through the tops of the
trees, and every place was full of flowers, she bethought
herself, `If I bring with me a sweet smelling nosegay to
granny, it will cheer her. It is still so early, that I shall
come to her in plenty of time,' and therewith she skipped
into the forest and looked for flowers. And when she had
plucked one, she fancied that another further off was nicer,
and ran there, and went always deeper and deeper into the
forest. But the wolf went by the straight road to old
granny's, and knocked at the door. `Who's there?' `Little
Red Hood, who has brought cake and wine. Open!' `Only
press the latch,' cried granny; `I am so weak that I cannot
stand.' The wolf pressed the latch, walked in, and went
without saying a word straight to granny's bed and ate her up.
Then he took her clothes, dressed himself in them, put her
cap on his head, lay down in her bed and drew the curtains.

Meanwhile little Red Hood was running after flowers,
and when she had so many that she could not carry any
more, she bethought her of her granny, and started on the

way to her. It seemed strange to her that the door was
wide open, and when she entered the room everything
seemed to her so peculiar, that she thought, `Ah! my God!
how strange I feel to-day, and yet at other times I am so
glad to be with granny!' She said, `Good-day!' but received
no answer. Thereupon she went to the bed and undrew
the curtains. There lay granny, with her cap drawn down
to her eyes, and looking so queer! `Ah, granny! why have
you such long ears?' `The better to hear you.' `Ah,
granny! why have you such large eyes?' `The better to
see you.' `Ah, granny! why have you such large hands?'
`The better to take hold of you.' `But, granny! why have
you such a terribly large mouth?' `The better to eat you
up!' And therewith the wolf sprang out of bed at once on
poor little Red Hood, and ate her up.

When the wolf had satisfied his appetite, he lay down
again in the bed, and began to snore tremendously. A
huntsman came past, and bethought himself, `How can an
old woman snore like that? I'll just have a look to see
what it is.' He went into the room, and looked into the
bed; there lay the wolf. `Have I found you now, old
rascal?' said he. `I've long been looking for you.' He
was just going to take aim with his gun, when he bethought
himself, `Perhaps the wolf has only swallowed granny, and
she may yet be released;' therefore he did not shoot, but
took a knife and began to cut open the sleeping wolf's maw.
When he had made several cuts, he saw a red hood gleam,
and after one or two more cuts out skipped Red Hood, and
cried, `Oh, how frightened I have been; it was so dark in
the wolf's maw!' Afterwards out came old granny, still
alive, but scarcely able to breathe. But Red Hood made
haste and fetched large stones, with which they filled the
wolf's maw, and when he woke he wanted to jump up and
run away, but the stones were so heavy that he fell on
the ground and beat himself to death. Now, they were all

three merry. The huntsman took off the wolf's skin; granny
ate the cake and drank the wine which little Red Hood had
brought, and became strong and well again; and little Red
Hood thought to herself, `As long as I live, I won't go out
of the road into the forest, when mother has forbidden me.'

[Little Red Hood, like many folklore tales, is a singular
mixture of myth and morality. In Cox's `Comparative
Mythology,' vol. ii., p. 831, note, Little Redcap, or Little
Red Riding Hood, is interpreted as `the evening with her
scarlet robe of twilight,' who is swallowed up by the wolf of
darkness, the Fenris of the Edda. It appears to me that
this explanation may suit the colour of her cap or hood, but
is at variance with the other incidents of the story. I am
inclined to look upon the tale as a lunar legend, although
the moon is only actually red during one portion of the
year, at the harvest moon in the autumn. Red Hood is
represented as wandering, like Io, who is undoubtedly the
moon, through trees, the clouds, and flowers, the stars,
before she reaches the place where she is intercepted by the
wolf. An eclipse to untutored minds would naturally
suggest the notion that some evil beast was endeavouring
to devour the moon, who is afterwards rescued by the
sun, the archer of the heavens, whose bow and arrow are by
a common anachronism represented in the story by a gun.
Though the moon is masculine in Slavonic, as in German,
yet she is a lady, `my lady Luna,' in the Croatian legend
No. 53, below. In the Norse mythology, when Loki is
let loose at the end of the world, he is to `hurry in the
form of a wolf to swallow the moon' (Cox ii., p. 200). The
present masculine Slavonic word for moon, which is also that
for month, `mesic,' or `mesec,' is a secondary formation,
the original word having perished. In Greek and Latin
the moon is always feminine.]