English
Onceuponatimetherewasamanwhohadadaughterwhowascalled“CleverAlice,”andwhenshewasgrownup,herfathersaid,“Wemustseeabouthermarrying.”
“Yes,”repliedhermother,“wheneverayoungmanshallappearwhoisworthyofher.”
Atlastacertainyouth,bynameHans,camefromadistancetomakeaproposalofmarriage;butherequiredonecondition,thatthecleverAliceshouldbeveryprudent.
“Oh,”saidherfather,“nofearofthat!shehasgotaheadfullofbrains;”andthemotheradded,“ah,shecanseethewindblowupthestreet,andhearthefliescough!”
“Verywell,”repliedHans;“butremember,ifsheisnotveryprudent,Iwillnottakeher.”
Soonafterwardtheysatdowntodinner,andhermothersaid,“Alice,godownintothecellaranddrawsomebeer.”
SoCleverAlicetookthejugdownfromthewall,andwentintothecellar,jerkingthelidupanddownonherway,topassawaythetime.
Assoonasshegotdownstairsshedrewastoolandplaceditbeforethecask,inorderthatshemightnothavetostoop,forshethoughtstoopingmightinsomewayinjureherbackandgiveitanundesirablebend.
Thensheplacedthecanbeforeherandturnedthetap,andwhilethebeerwasrunning,asshedidnotwishhereyestobeidle,shelookedaboutuponthewallaboveandbelow.
Presentlysheperceived,aftermuchpeepingintothiscornerandthatcorner,ahatchet,whichthebricklayershadleftbehind?
stickingoutoftheceilingrightaboveherhead.
AtthesightofthisCleverAlicebegantocry,saying,“Oh!
ifImarryHans,andwehaveachild,andhegrowsup,andwesendhimintothecellartodrawbeer,thehatchetwillfalluponhisheadandkillhim,”andsoshesatthereweepingwithallhermightovertheimpendingmisfortune.
Meanwhilethegoodfolksupstairswerewaitingforthebeer,butasCleverAlicedidnotcome,hermothertoldthemaidtogoandseewhatshewasstoppingfor.
ThemaidwentdownintothecellarandfoundAlicesittingbeforethecaskcryingheartily,andsheasked,“Alice,whatareyouweepingabout?”
“Ah,”shereplied,“haveInotcause?IfImarryHans,andwehaveachild,andhegrowsup,andwesendhimheretodrawbeer,thathatchetwillfalluponhisheadandkillhim.”
“Oh,”saidthemaid,“whatacleverAlicewehave!”Andsittingdown,shebegantoweep,too,forthemisfortunethatwastohappen.
Afterawhile,whentheservantdidnotreturn,thegoodfolksabovebegantofeelverythirsty;sothehusbandtoldtheboytogodownintothecellarandseewhathadbecomeofAliceandthemaid.
Theboywentdown,andtheresatCleverAliceandthemaidbothcrying,soheaskedthereason;andAlicetoldhimthesametale,ofthehatchetthatwastofallonherchild,ifshemarriedHans,andiftheyhadachild.
Whenshehadfinished,theboyexclaimed,“WhatacleverAlicewehave!”
andfellweepingandhowlingwiththeothers.
Upstairstheywerestillwaiting,andthehusbandsaid,whentheboydidnotreturn,“Doyougodown,wife,intothecellarandseewhyAlicestayssolong.”
Soshewentdown,andfindingallthreesittingtherecrying,askedthereason,andAlicetoldheraboutthehatchetwhichmustinevitablyfallupontheheadofherson.
Thenthemotherlikewiseexclaimed,“Oh,whatacleverAlicewehave!”
and,sittingdown,begantoweepasmuchasanyoftherest.
Meanwhilethehusbandwaitedforhiswife’sreturn;butatlasthefeltsoverythirstythathesaid,“ImustgomyselfdownintothecellarandseewhatiskeepingourAlice.”
Assoonasheenteredthecellar,therehefoundthefoursittingandcryingtogether,andwhenheheardthereason,healsoexclaimed,“Oh,whatacleverAlicewehave!”
andsatdowntocrywiththewholestrengthofhislungs.
Allthistimethebridegroomabovesatwaiting,butwhennobodyreturned,hethoughttheymustbewaitingforhim,andsohewentdowntoseewhatwasthematter.
Whenheentered,theresatthefivecryingandgroaning,eachoneinalouderkeythanhisneighbor.
“Whatmisfortunehashappened?”heasked.
“Ah,dearHans!”criedAlice,“ifyouandIshouldmarryoneanother,andhaveachild,andhegrewup,andwe,perhaps,sendhimdowntothiscellartotapthebeer,thehatchetwhichhasbeenleftstickinguptheremayfallonhishead,andsokillhim;anddoyounotthinkthisisenoughtoweepabout?”
“Now,”saidHans,“moreprudencethanthisisnotnecessaryformyhousekeeping;becauseyouaresuchacleverAlice,Iwillhaveyouformywife.”
And,takingherhand,heledherhome,andcelebratedtheweddingdirectly.
Aftertheyhadbeenmarriedalittlewhile,Hans,saidonemorning,“Wife,Iwillgoouttoworkandearnsomemoney;doyougointothefieldandgathersomecornwherewithtomakebread.”
“Yes,”sheanswered,“Iwilldoso,dearHans.”
Andwhenhewasgone,shecookedherselfanicemessofpottagetotakewithher.
Asshecametothefield,shesaidtoherself,“WhatshallIdo?ShallIcutfirst,oreatfirst?Aye,Iwilleatfirst!”
Thensheateupthecontentsofherpot,andwhenitwasfinished,shethoughttoherself,“Now,shallIreapfirstorsleepfirst?Well,IthinkIwillhaveanap!”
andsoshelaidherselfdownamongthecorn,andwenttosleep.
MeanwhileHansreturnedhome,butAlicedidnotcome,andsohesaid,“Oh,whataprudentAliceIhave!
Sheissoindustriousthatshedoesnotevencomehometoeatanything.”
Byandby,however,eveningcameon,andstillshedidnotreturn;soHanswentouttoseehowmuchshehadreaped;but,behold,nothingatall,andtherelayAlicefastasleepamongthecorn!
Sohomeheranveryfast,andbroughtanetwithlittlebellshangingonit,whichhethrewoverherheadwhileshestillslepton.
Whenhehaddonethis,hewentbackagainandshuttothehousedoor,and,seatinghimselfonhisstool,beganworkingveryindustriously.
Atlast,whenitwasnearlydark,thecleverAliceawoke,andassoonasshestoodup,thenetfellalloverherhair,andthebellsjingledateverystepshetook.
Thisquitefrightenedher,andshebegantodoubtwhethershewerereallyCleverAlice,andsaidtoherself,“AmIshe,oramInot?”
Thiswasaquestionshecouldnotanswer,andshestoodstillalongwhileconsideringaboutit.
Atlastshethoughtshewouldgohomeandaskwhethershewasreallyherself—supposingsomebodywouldbeabletotellher.
Whenshecameuptothehousedooritwasshut;soshetappedatthewindow,andasked,“Hans,isAlicewithin?”“Yes,”hereplied,“sheis.”
Atwhichanswershebecamereallyterrified,andexclaiming,“Ah,heaven,thenIamnotAlice!”
sheranuptoanotherhouse,intendingtoaskthesamequestion.
Butassoonasthefolkswithinheardthejinglingofthebellsinhernet,theyrefusedtoopentheirdoors,andnobodywouldreceiveher.
Sosheranstraightawayfromthevillage,andnoonehaseverseenhersince.
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