The Dog and the Sparrow
A sheep-dog had not a good master, but, on the
contrary, one who let him suffer hunger. As he could stay no longer with him, he went
quite sadly away. On the road he met a sparrow who said, brother dog, why are you so sad.
The dog replied, I am hungry, and have nothing to eat. Then said the sparrow, dear
brother, come into the town with me, and I will satisy your hunger. So they went into the
town together, and when they came in front of a butcher's shop the sparrow said to the
dog, stay there, and I will pick a bit of meat down for you, and he alighted on the stall,
looked about him to see that no one was observing him, and pecked and pulled and tore so
long at a piece which lay on the edge, that it slipped down. Then the dog seized it, ran
into a corner, and devoured it. The sparrow said, now come with me to another shop, and
then I will get you one more piece that you may be satisfied. When the dog had devoured
the second piece as well, the sparrow asked, brother dog, have you now had enough. Yes, I
have had meat enough, he answered, but I have had no bread yet. Said the sparrow, you
shall have that also, come with me. Then he took him to a baker's shop, and pecked at a
couple of little buns till they rolled down, and as the dog wanted still more, he led him
to another stall, and again got bread for him. When that was consumed, the sparrow said,
brother dog, have you now had enough. Yes, he replied, now we will walk awhile outside the
town. Then they both went out on to the highway. The weather was warm, however, and when
they had walked a little way the dog said, I am tired, and would like to sleep. Well, do
sleep, answered the sparrow, and in the meantime I will seat myself on a branch. So the
dog lay down on the road, and fell fast asleep. Whilst he lay sleeping there, a waggoner
came driving by, who had a cart with three horses, laden with two barrels of wine. The
sparrow, however, saw that he was not going to turn aside, but was staying in the wheel
track in which the dog was lying, so it cried, waggoner, don't do it, or I will make you
poor. But the waggoner growled to himself, you will not make me poor, and cracked his whip
and drove the cart over the dog, and the wheels killed him. Then the sparrow cried, you
have run over my brother dog and killed him, it shall cost you your cart and horses. Cart
and horses indeed, said the waggoner. What harm can you do me. And drove onwards. Then the
sparrow crept under the cover of the cart, and pecked so long at the same bung-hole that
he got the bung out, and then all the wine ran out without the driver noticing it. But
once when he was looking behind him he saw that the cart was dripping, and looked at the
barrels and saw that one of them was empty. Unfortunate fellow that am I, cried he. Not
unfortunate enough yet, said the sparrow, and flew on to the head of one of the horses and
pecked his eyes out. When the driver saw that, he drew out his axe and wanted to hit the
sparrow, but the sparrow flew into the air, and he hit his horse on the head and it fell
down dead. Oh, what an unfortunate man am I, cried he. Not unfortunate enough yet, said
the sparrow, and when the driver drove on with the two hoses, the sparrow again crept
under the cover, and pecked the bung out of the second cask, so all the wine was spilt.
When the driver became aware of it, he again cried, oh, what an unfortunate man am I. But
the sparrow replied, not unfortunate enough yet, and seated himself on the head of the
second horse, and pecked his eyes out. The driver ran up to it and raised his axe to
strike, but the sparrow flew into the air and the blow struck the horse, which fell. Oh,
what an unfortunate man am I. Not unfortunate enough yet, said the sparrow, and lighted on
the third horse's head, and pecked out his eyes. The driver, in his rage, struck at the
sparrow without looking round, and did not hit him but killed his third horse likewise.
Oh, what an unfortunate man am I, cried he. Not unfortunate enough yet, answered the
sparrow. Now will I make you unfortunate in your home, and flew away. The driver had to
leave the waggon standing, and full of anger and vexation went home. Ah, said he to his
wife, what misfortunes I have had. My wine has run out, and the horses are all three dead.
Alas, husband, she answered, what a malicious bird has come into the house. It has
gathered together every bird there is in the world, and they have fallen on our corn up
there, and are devouring it. Then he went upstairs, and thousands and thousands of birds
were sitting in the loft and had eaten up all the corn, and the sparrow was sitting in the
midst of them. Then the driver cried, oh, what an unfortunate man am I. Not unfortunate
enough yet, answered the sparrow, waggoner, it shall cost you your life as well, and flew
out. Then the waggoner had lost all his property, and he went downstairs into the room,
sat down behind the stove and was quite furious and bitter. But the sparrow sat outside in
front of the window, and cried, waggoner, it shall cost you your life. Then the waggoner
snatched the axe and threw it at the sparrow, but it only broke the window, and did not
hit the bird. The sparrow now hopped in, placed itself on the stove and cried, waggoner,
it shall cost you your life. The latter, quite mad and blind with rage, smote the stove in
twain, and as the sparrow flew from one place to another so it fared with all his
household furniture, looking-glass, benches, table, and at last the walls of his house,
and yet he could not hit the bird. At length, however, he caught it with his hand. Then
his wife said, shall I kill it. No, cried he, that would be too merciful. It shall die
much more cruelly. And he took it and swallowed it whole. The sparrow, however, began to
flutter about in his body, and fluttered up again into the man's mouth, then it stretched
out its head, and cried, waggoner, it shall still cost you your life. The driver gave the
axe to his wife, and said, wife, kill the bird in my mouth for me. The woman struck, but
missed her blow, and hit the waggoner square on his head, so that he fell dead. But the
sparrow flew up and away.
--The End-- |
