Clever

In the days of Kalev's son there lived in the Kungla country a very rich man King who visits his subjects every seven years in the middle of summer There was a big feast that lasted two or even three weeks lasted one after the other. The year of such a festival was again approached and it was expected to begin within a few minutes months; but this time the people still seemed unsure of themselves Hopes, because they have already done so twice, fourteen years ago and before seven years ago, the expected joy had turned into water. From pages The king's necessary provisions were adequately provided for on both occasions but no human tongue had had the chance to taste it. The thing seemed wonderful and unbelievable, but it happened There are many people everywhere who believe the truth of it Eyewitnesses confirmed. Both times - it was said - as the Guests were waiting for the prepared food and drinks An unknown strange man came to the head cook and asked him to be able to taste a few mouthfuls of food and drink; but the mere Dipping the spoon into the soup kettle and lifting the beer can to the mouth had reached out to everyone with wonderful power To empty pantries, warehouses and cellars, so that too not a grain or drop remained. Cooks and kitchen boys everyone had seen the incident and sworn about it; nevertheless it was The people's anger at the ruined joy of the festival was so great that the king asked for it To appease people, the head chef was hanged seven years ago because he had given the stranger the permission he requested. With it Now that such an annoyance would not arise again, was on my part from the king to the person who would take over the organization of the festival rich reward has been promised: and yet no one The king finally promised that he wanted to take responsibility the transferee's youngest daughter as his wife; if but the thing If the outcome were unfortunate, he would have to pay for the damage with his life.

On the border of the empire, far from the royal city, lived a wealthy farmer with three sons, the youngest of whom is already from small pointed to a sharp mind because the lawn mother him had raised him and often secretly suckled him on her breast. The That's why father called this son _Smarthead_. He looked after his sons to say: “You, the two older brothers, must use physical strength and Hand work to earn your daily bread; you, little smart head, you can get around in the world through your mind and get over yourself your brothers soar." -- Before his death he divided fields and Meadows were divided equally between his two older sons. Dem Recently he gave so much travel money that he could go into the wide world could to try his luck. The father's body was still there Tables didn't get cold, as did the older brothers and their youngest They took away everything down to the last kopeck, then threw it away out the door and called after him scornfully: “You clever head should go rise above us and get ahead in the world only through your understanding, That’s why the money could be a bother to you!”

The youngest brother took advantage of the disfavor of his two brothers senses and set off without a care in the world. »God probably gives “Happiness!” he used the saying as a consolation and companion taken home; he whistled away his gloomy thoughts and left easy step further. When he started to feel hungry, he hit coincidentally met two traveling journeymen. Its pleasant The journeymen liked his character and his jokes and gave him as When she was resting, she was deprived of her food, and so Smart Head brought her first day ended happily. He separated from the journeymen before evening and went happily for bass, because the feeling of satiety left no worries for the next day. A place to stay for the night was available to him anywhere the green lawn the hallway beneath him and the blue sky the roof above formed him; a stone under the head served as a soft sleeping pillow. The next morning he came to a lonely farm. In front of the door A young woman sat and cried miserably. Smarthead asked what she was up to very distressed, and learned the following: "I have a bad husband, who beats me every day when I don't keep up with his great moods can satisfy. Today he ordered me to feed him a fish for the night cook, which shouldn't be fish, and which has eyes, but not on have heads. Where in the world should I find such an animal?" -- "Don't cry, young woman" - she consoled Smarty: "your husband wants a crab that lives in water but is not a fish, and that He also has eyes, but not in his head." The woman thanked him for the good thing instructions, gave him something to eat and a sack of bread to take with him on the journey, which he could live on for many days. Now that he has this unexpected help had become, he immediately decided to go to the royal city, where Prudence must be most valuable, and where he can be sure of his happiness hoped to find.

Everywhere he went he heard nothing but talk of the king's summer festival. When he found out what kind of reward he was getting was promised, who would establish the feast, he took counsel with himself, whether it was not possible to take over the matter. If it succeeds -- like this he said to himself - all of a sudden I'm on my way to the world happiness. What should I fear? In the worst case scenario, it would I lose my life, we have to die alone one day, be it sooner or later. If I start at the right end, why should it doesn't work? Maybe I'm luckier than the others. And there would be Even if the king doesn't give me his daughter, he has to give her to me pay out the promised wages in money that will make me a rich man. With these thoughts he strode forward, singing and whistling like one Lark, sometimes rested in the shade of a bush from the heat of the day out, slept the night under a tree or in the open air, and reached out happy one evening in the royal city after he arrived in the morning had emptied his bread bag to the bottom. Requested the following day he gains access to the king. He saw that he was dealing with someone who was shy and enterprising people and so it became easy Trade agreement. Then the king asked: "What is your name?" The man of his own replied: »My baptismal name is Nicodemus, but I was always at home Called _Smarthead_ to indicate that I wasn't foolish am." "I will leave you this name," said the king, "because Your head will have to answer for all the damage if things go wrong goes!"

_Smarthead_ asked the king for seven hundred workers and made them start preparing for the festival without delay. He left twenty large ones Riegen are listed in the style of manorial cattle stables in a square came to a standstill, leaving a wide courtyard space in the middle into which a single large gate led. In the heated rooms He had large cooking pits and cauldrons built in walls, and the ovens with them Iron grates on which to fry meat, blood dumplings and sausages. Other rows were used for brewing beer with kettles and large skids so that the boilers were at the top and the runners at the bottom. And others Houses without fireplaces were built to provide shelter for cold weather to serve dishes, one of which is brown bread, the other of yeast bread, the third to store white bread etc. All necessary provisions, like flour, groats, meat, salt, fat. Butter and the like were on the The courtyard was piled up, and then fifty soldiers were placed on guard in front of them Gate placed so that no thief's finger could touch anything. The King inspected the preparations every day and praised _Schlaukopfs_ skill and cleverness. In addition, a few dozen more ovens were installed Built outdoors, and in front of each oven there was a separate detachment of guards set up. A thousand fattened oxen were slaughtered for the festival, two hundred calves, five hundred pigs and piglets, ten thousand sheep and many other small animals, in herds from all sides was rounded up. On the rivers you could see barges and boats Country roads constantly supply freight trucks with provisions, namely goods The loads have been moving for weeks now. We were alone in beer brewed seven thousand Ahm. Albeit the seven hundred assistants from early on worked until late and occasionally took on day laborers were, most of the worry and effort fell on _Schlaukopf_, because his insight had to guide the others in all respects. the chefs, He had strictly warned bakers and brewers not to to allow someone else's mouth to taste the food and drink; Anyone who acted against this order was threatened with the gallows. Should But if such a greedy stranger shows up somewhere, he must be the same be brought immediately before the chief organizer of the festival.

On the morning of the first day of the festival, _Schlaukopf_ received news that a... An unknown old man came into a kitchen and killed the cook I asked permission to take the soup out of the soup with a ladle It costs little, which the cook doesn't give him on his own was allowed. _Smarthead_ ordered the stranger to be brought forward, and soon A small old man with gray hair appeared, looking humble He asked permission to taste the festive food and drink. _Smarthead_ told him to come with him to one of the kitchens, he wanted to go there if necessary it was possible to fulfill the expressed wish. As they walked, He looked carefully to see if there wasn't anything strange about the old man be discovered. Then he saw a shining gold ring on it Ring finger of the old man's left hand. As she entered the kitchen were, _Smarthead_ asked: "What kind of security can you give me? "No harm will come if I let you taste the food?" "My lord "Sir," replied the stranger, "I have nothing to pledge to you give it." _Smarthead_ pointed to the beautiful golden ring and demanded him as a pawn. The old rogue resisted this by saying: assured that the ring was a souvenir of his late wife and him According to a vow, I was never allowed to give it up because otherwise Misfortune could come. “Then it’s not possible for me either "I can fulfill your desires," said Clever, "without a deposit Don't let anyone taste anything solid or liquid." The old man The lust incited him so much that he finally gave up his ring as a pawn gave. As he was about to dip the spoon into the kettle, he replied _Smarthead_ from behind with the back of a hatchet so powerful Blow on the head that the strongest fattened ox would fall over, but the old rascal did not sink, but only staggered a little. _Smarthead_ now grabbed his beard with both hands and let go bring ropes with which the old man's hands and feet were tied, whereupon he was pulled up by his legs on a beam. _Smarthead_ called out to him mockingly: “Now wait until the holidays are over, then we want to continue to settle accounts with each other. The ring, in In the meantime, the one in which your strength lies remains as a pledge to me." The old man had to be content for better or worse; he could, tied up like him was, not moving hand or foot.

Now the banquet began, to which thousands of people came Pages had flocked. Although the catering was a full three weeks lasted, there was neither lack of food nor drink, but rather There was still a good bit of everything left.

The people were full of thanks and praise for the king and the manufacturer Solid. When the king wanted to pay him his stipulated wages, said _Smarthead_: "I still have a little business with the stranger before I receive my wages." Then he took seven strong men with him, whom he had supplied with powerful clubs, and led them to where he had hanged the old man on a beam three weeks ago had hung up. »You men! Hold the club firmly in your fist and processed the old man, that he this bath and our hospitality in "Don't forget it in your life!" All seven of the men now began To torture the old man horribly, so much so that she almost took his life had; but from her hard blows the rope finally broke. The Little man fell down and disappeared underground in an instant, leaving behind but a wide opening. Smarthead said, “I have a deposit, with which I have to follow him. Bring the king many thousand greetings and tell him that if I don't come back, he may give me my wages distribute among the poor."

He now crawled through the same loophole through which the old man had gone had disappeared, into the depths. At first he found the path very narrow, but A few fathoms deeper it became much wider, making it easy to move forward could come. Carved steps protected the foot from slipping the darkness did not slip. _Smarthead_ had been gone for a while when he came to a door. He peered through a small opening and saw three young ones Girls sit and the old man he knows well, whose head belongs to one the girl lay in her lap. The girl said: »If I had another couple Just press the bump with the blade and the swelling and pain will go away.” _Smarthead_ thought, this is definitely the place I was at three weeks ago on the back of the hatchet. He made up his mind, so long behind to wait at the door until the master of the house has gone to sleep and that fire was extinguished. The old man asked: “Help me into the room so that I can I lay down in bed, my body is completely out of joints, I can neither hand nor foot.” He was then led into the bedchamber. During the twilight, when the girls had left the room, _Smarthead_ crept in and found a hiding place behind him Beer barrel.

The girls soon returned and spoke quietly to each other not to wake up old dad. "The bump on the head wouldn't mean anything." said one, -- "and the contorted body would fix itself restore, but the lost power ring is an irreplaceable one It's a shame, and it probably torments the old man more than his physical one Pain." When you later heard the old man snoring, _Schlaukopf_ stepped out from his hiding place and became friends with the girls. At first They probably looked frightened, but the cunning young man knew to calm their fears so that they would stay there for the night let. He had discovered that the old man had two of the girls have special things, a famous sword and a whip from Rowan tree, and he intended to take both with him. The crop created a bridge on the sea in front of its owner, and with that Swords allowed the most numerous army to be destroyed. The following evening _Schlaukopf_ had properly taken possession of the sword and the switch, and had escaped before daybreak with the help of the youngest girl. But In front of the door he no longer found the old loophole, but one large courtyard and the sea continued to wave behind the paddock.

After his departure there was an exchange of words among the girls raised, which became so violent that the old man woke up from the noise. Out of Their argument made it clear to him that a stranger had come here, him got up angrily and found his sword and switch stolen. "My best “My treasure has been stolen!” he roared, forgetting all the pain and pain in his body stormed out. _Smarthead_ was still sitting on the seashore and thinking about whether he should test the power of the crop or get a dry one should look for a way. Suddenly he hears a whizzing noise behind him, like someone coming from someone Wind Bride. When he looks around, he sees the old man, who looks amazing just running towards him. He jumps up and just has time to do it To beat the waves and shout: “Bridge ahead, water behind!” He has barely spoken the word when he is up a bridge in the sea, already some distance from the shore.

The old man comes to the bank, groaning and panting, and stops when he sees the thief on the bridge over the sea. Panting, he calls out: »Nicodemus, son! Where do you want to go?" - "Home, dad!" was the answer. »Nicodemus, son! you hit me on the head with the hatchet beaten and hung me by my legs from the beam?" -- "Yes, Daddy." "Nicodemus, son! you have me out of seven men had my gold ring stolen?" "Yes, Daddy!” “Nicodemus, son! are you with my daughters? "Friends?" -- "Yes, daddy." "Nicodemus, son! do you have that Stolen the sword and the whip?" "Yes, daddy." "Nicodemus, Sonny! Do you want to come back?" -- "Yes, daddy!" said _Schlaukopf_ back to the answer. In the meantime he had come so far on the bridge, that he could no longer hear the old man's speech. As he crossed the sea When he had crossed over, he asked for the nearest route to the king's city and hastened to claim his reward.

But lo and behold! He found everything here to be completely different than he had hoped. His brothers were both in the king's service, one as a coachman, the other as a valet. Both of them lived very merrily: they were rich People. When Clever asked for his reward from the king, he said: »I was expecting you for a whole year, but nothing came from you could be heard or seen, I thought you were dead and wanted yours Distribute wages among the poor according to your command. But there came one day your older brothers to inherit this reward. I threw up the matter to the court, which awarded them the reward, as it happened also deserved, because people believed that you were no longer alive. Later Your brothers entered into my service and are still in it." As _Smarthead_ heard this speech from the king, he thought he was dreaming, because As far as he was concerned he wasn't there for more than two nights the old man's underground dwelling, and then had a few days needed to return home; But now it turned out that every night had been a year long. He didn't want to sue his brothers gave them the money, thanked God that he had escaped with his life and looked around for a new service. The royal cook took him as kitchen boy, and now he had to eat the roast on the spit every day turn. His brothers despised him because of this mean behavior and didn't want to deal with him, but he still loved her. So had One evening he also told them some of what he had seen in the had seen the underworld, where the geese and ducks wore gold and silver wore feathers. The brothers reported what they had heard to the king and asked him to send their youngest brother there so that he could bring here rare birds. The king called for the kitchen boy and ordered him to set out the next morning to take the birds with him to collect precious feathers.

With a heavy heart, _Schlaukopf_ set out, but took Ring, The switch and sword that he had secretly kept with him. According to some Days later he came to the seashore and looked at the place where he was on his After escaping to land, I saw an old man sitting on a stone. As he approached, the man with a long gray beard asked him had: "Why are you so grumpy, friend?" _Smarthead_ told him the bad deal. The old man bid him good courage and be without worry and said: "As long as the power ring is in your hand, Nothing bad can happen to you." Then _Smarthead_ received a shell from him and was meant to use the magic whip to cross the bridge into the to strike the middle of the sea; then he should stand up with his left foot If he kicks the shell he will end up in the underworld, where the servants are just sleeping. He further called him out Spider web sew a sack to hold the silver and gold feathers to put swimming birds in it; then he should come back immediately. _Schlaukopf_ thanked him for the desired instructions and hurried away. The thing went as predicted; but he was hardly up with his prey When he got to the seashore, he heard the old fellow behind him gasped and heard the same sounds again as he stepped onto the bridge Questions for the first time: »Nicodemus, son! You gave me that Hit me on the head with the back of the hatchet and hit me by the legs Beams hung?" etc. until finally the question arose as to which ones the theft committed against the swimming birds. _Smarthead_ answered “yes” to every question and hurried on.

Just as the friend with the gray beard had predicted, he came evening with his precious load of birds in the king's city; the A sack made of spider web held the animals so tightly that none of them could get out could. The king gave him a tip and ordered him to... to go back the following days because he had something from his older brothers Heard that the lord of the underworld owned a lot of gold and silver Household utensils, and these the king wanted for himself. _Smarthead_ dared not to defy the order, but he went away disheartened then because he couldn't have known beforehand how things would work out would. But the man with the gray beard came to him on the seashore friendly and asked him the cause of his distress. Then _Schlaukopf_ received another mussel and another handful small stone along with the following instructions: “If you go after noon When you come, the landlord lies in bed to digest, the daughters are spinning in the room, and the grandmother is scrubbing the gold and silver in the kitchen silver vessels shiny. Then nimbly climb the chimney, throw the stones tied into a lobe on the old woman's neck, follow hurry up and put the valuable equipment in the bag Spider web and then run as far as your legs want to run." _Smarthead_ thanked and did it completely as prescribed. But when he did that As the lobe moved with the stones, it stretched into one six-lion sack filled with pebbles, which the old woman closed Ground slammed. Quickly, _Schlaukopf_ had all the gold and silver ones The vessels were packed into the sack of spider webs and chased away. The “old fellow” said when he heard the rumbling of the sack The chimney had collapsed and I didn't dare look straight away. But after he had called his grandmother for a long time in vain, he had to finally go yourself. When he discovered the misfortune, he rushed to the thief to follow up, who couldn't be far away yet. _Smarthead_ was already up the sea when the pursuer came to the shore, groaning and panting. "Nicodemus, son!" etc. the old fellow repeated previous questions one after the other. The last question was: "Nicodemus, Sonny! Have you stolen my gold and silver utensils?" "Of course, Dad!” was the answer. »Nicodemus, son! you still promise "To come back?" "No, daddy!" answered Smart Head and ran up the bridge forward. Although the old fellow is after the thief scolded and cursed, but he couldn't get hold of him, because all the magic tools were in the thief's hands.

_Smarthead_ found the old man with the gray beard on the beach again, threw the heavy sack with the gold and silver things, which he only had with help of the power ring had been able to take away, and then sat down to rest the tired limbs. During the conversation he found out about the old one Manne Some things that frightened him. The old man said: “The brothers hate you and try to end you in every way, -- if you not forestalling their evil plot. They will hunt down the king, you to undertake such work in which you can easily find death. If If you come before the king this evening with your rich burden, it will be If he is friendly towards you, then ask you as the only reward of mercy, that the king's daughter was secretly brought behind the door in the evening to hear what your brothers say among themselves."

As a _smart head_ afterwards with the rich possessions, you can at least count on ten When he came before the king, he was able to estimate horse loads and he found it very good friendly and kind. _Schlaukopf_ now asked for the one from the old man specified mercy reward. The king was glad that the treasurer didn't have one demanded larger wages and ordered his daughter to go secretly in the evenings to go behind the door to hear what the coachman and the valets talk to each other. Overconfident because of the good life became, the brothers boasted about their good fortune, and what was even more simple was, they falsely insulted the king's daughter. The Kutscher said: “She came to me many times at night to be with me to sleep with me." The valet replied with a laugh: "That was because because I didn't want her anymore and closed my door on her, otherwise She would be in my bed every night." Roth was filled with shame and anger the daughter told her father, crying, what a shameless lie she had heard the servants speak with her own ears, and asked to punish the wrongdoers. The king immediately let the two of them into the house thrown in prison and the next day after they brought their guilt to court had admitted to execution. _Schlaukopf_ became the advisor King raised.

After a while a foreign king with a large army invaded country, and _Schlaukopf_ was sent into the field against the enemy. Then he pulled his sword brought from the underworld for the first time Sheath and began to mow down the enemy army, until after a short time Time Everyone had died on the bloody election site. The king was so happy about this victory that he was named _Schlaukopf_ son-in-law took.