The Shoes Made Of Human Skin

Once upon a time there lived a farmer about whom all sorts of rumors He had a bad reputation because of the treatment of his servants, and no servant stayed with him for long, whether it was from the bad food or bad treatment, or from the fact that a lot of work was required of them. Eventually it got to the point that no one wanted to hire himself out as a farmer’s servant, and at a He had to do all the servant work alone.

Once it happened that a young man in the village who had no permanent job had visited the farmer, although he was a capable man. The welcomed him with open arms, invited him into his room and let himself with him in a chat about various things. Then came to talk about servants’ relationships, and finally suggested The farmer suggested that he stay with him as a servant for the next year. But the man was reluctant to accept the bad reputation because of the debt that was owed to the farmer. However, the farmer asked him to to accept, and if it were not for longer than until he had a pair shoes would have worn out. The man thought to himself that the shoes are, after all, transient and that they eventually wear out and that he would only be there for a short time and not for life. stayed with the farmer, and the end of the story was that he gave his word.

The next spring, the servant came to the mass of the cross, and the farmer gave him a pair of new, not very sturdy shoes, telling him that if he the shoes have worn out, then his service time should be over if he wished it; but the farmer made it a condition that the servant put on a different pair of shoes every time he went to church, and The servant then willingly agreed.

Now a long time passed, and after a year there was still no more wear and tear on the shoes than when he had worn them yesterday Then he was very distressed to have given his promise but thought it would be a shame to break it and go away, although life with the farmer was miserable and unpleasant. He stayed therefore stayed with him for the next year, but even now there was no to notice any particular wear and tear on the shoes, although during During these two years he had not worn any other clothes, except when he The servant was very surprised and could not already thought that this was not right, but knew not what kind of magic trick would be used against him.

One Sunday, when he had begun his third year, he stayed at home and did not go to church; therefore he did not receive Church shoes, as was usually the case when he entered the church When all the people, including the farmer, had gone to church were, the servant began to think about his situation, and when this slavery of the peasant would end. While in such As he sat there, lost in thought, a strange man came in. The stranger noticed It was immediately apparent that the servant was very sad, and he asked him what was wrong with him and why he was not with the other people of the farm had gone to church. The servant replied, that he had no real desire to do so, he was now sitting here and think of his adversities. The stranger said that there was no His excuse would be to stay away from the church if he for a sorely tried man; for every man has his cross, and his adversities would probably be relieved by would not be easier if he stopped going to church; he should therefore go there immediately, because the day is not yet so far that he could not come to the service early enough could have been done; in addition, the work would have started a little later today, as the Service by a funeral that would have taken place beforehand, was a little late. The servant said that he could not go because he was missing his church shoes. The stranger replied that he was the shoes he had on his feet. "No," replied the servant, »I promised never to go to church with them, however long I remain in this excellent service, and for Every time I went to church I always got different shoes; but this morning I didn't want to have any because I didn't want to go with them.« The stranger asked him how long he had been in this service. »Far too long," replied the servant with a sigh, "the third year has already started." "Don't you like the service?" asked the stranger. »No, not at all,« answered the servant, »it is my greatest misfortune, that I have been here for so long." "What keeps you here?" asked the Stranger. "My promise," replied the servant, and then told he, how everything had happened. When the stranger heard his story he said that he would go straight to the church and in fact to the shoes that he would have on, and go straight to the grave that had been thrown out today; then he should put the shoes in the consecrated earth and wait to see how it would go, because the Shoes, which he has been wearing on his feet for the third year now, were made of Back strips of the skin of an old woman, and they would hold, even if he had her for all eternity, if it were his lot to be so old The servant thanked the stranger for his good advice and offered him He said goodbye and ran off to the church. When he reached the churchyard, he noticed that the shoes were bursting at the seams, but as soon as he had stepped into the earth, they dissolved at his feet, so that nothing was left but the edging and the straps. With this remaining rag on his instep he went to church where the pastor had just stepped into the pulpit. When the When the service was over, the servant went to the farmer and showed him in what condition the shoes were now, that nothing of them would be left as the mere frame, and at the same time he terminated his employment.

The man said nothing more than the words: »So today you are not stayed away from the church for nothing!«




Say of Saemund the wise [11]