The Boots Made of Buffalo-Leather

Asoldier who is afraid of nothing, cares for nothing. Now such an one had received his discharge, and because he had learnt no trade, he could earn no money; and so he wandered about hither and thither, begging alms of good people. Over his shoulders hung an old weather-proof cloak, and he had still left a pair of Buffalo-leather Boots. One day, thus equipped, he went on walking through the fields without attending to the guide-posts, and at last he came to an immense forest. He did not know where he was, but he saw a man sitting upon the trunk of a tree, who was well dressed in a green huntsman’s coat. The Soldier held out his hand to him, and then laying himself down on the grass stretched out his legs. “I see you have a pair of fine shining boots on,” said he to the Huntsman; “but if you had to walk about as much as I, they would not last you very long. Look at mine! they are made of Buffalo-leather, and although they have served me a long time, they would still ‘go through thick and thin.’ ” The Huntsman made no answer; and after a while the Soldier got up and said, “I can stop here no longer; hunger urges me forward; but pray, Brother Thin-Boots, where does this path lead?” “I do not know myself,” replied the Huntsman; “I have lost myself in this forest.” “Then you are in the same plight as I,” returned the Soldier; “like and like please one another; we will remain together and seek the way.” The Huntsman only laughed, but they set out together, and kept on till nightfall. “We shall not get out of this forest to-night,” exclaimed the Soldier at last; “but I can see a light glimmering in the distance, where they will give us something to eat.” It was a stone cottage, and when they knocked at the door, an old Woman opened it. “We are seeking a night’s lodging,” said the Soldier to her, “and some fodder for our stomachs, for mine is as empty as my purse.”

“You cannot stop here,” answered the old Woman; “this is a robbers’ house, and you will be wise if you go away before they return, or you will be lost.”

“It cannot be worse,” said the Soldier; “for two days I have not eaten a morsel; and so it is all one to me whether I perish in this house or out in the forest. I shall come in and risk it!”

The Huntsman did not wish to follow, but the Soldier drawing his arm within his own, drew him in, saying, “Come, comrade; we will suffer together!”

The old Woman pitied them, and told them to creep behind the oven, and then when the robbers were satisfied and slept, she would give them something to eat. Scarcely had they hid snugly in the corner, than in came the twelve robbers; and placing themselves round the table, demanded their supper with harsh language. The old Woman soon brought in an immense dish of baked meat, and the robbers prepared to fall to. Soon the smell of the savoury mess ascended the Soldier’s nose, and he said to the Huntsman, “I can hold out no longer, I must sit down at the table and take a share!” “You will lose your life!” whispered the Huntsman, holding him fast by the arm. The Soldier began to cough loudly, and as soon as the robbers heard this, they threw aside their knives and forks, and rising hastily from the table discovered the pair behind the oven. “Aha, you rascals!” they called; “what are you sitting there in that corner for? Are you sent as spies? Just wait a bit and you shall learn how to fly on a bare branch!” “Oh! have some manners, if you please!” returned the Soldier; “give us something to eat first, and afterwards you shall do what you like with us!” The robbers were astonished to hear such bold words, and the Captain said; “Good! I see you are not afraid; eat you shall, but afterwards you shall die.” “That is to be seen,” muttered the Soldier; and sitting down at the table, he began to cut and eat in earnest. “Brother Thin-Boots,” he exclaimed to the Huntsman, “come and eat; you are hungry as well as I, and a better joint than this you could not have at home.” The Huntsman however refused; and the robbers looking at the Soldier, said to one another, “This fellow makes no ceremony.” When he had done eating, he asked for something to drink, saying, “Well the meat was good enough; now let us have a good draught of wine.” The Captain happened to be in a good humour, and so he told the old Woman to fetch a bottle of the very best wine out of the cellar. When it was brought, the Soldier drew out the cork so that it made a great noise; and then going to the Huntsman he whispered to him, “Pay attention, my brother, and you shall see a grand wonder; I will now drink the health of the whole company!” So saying, he swung the bottle over the heads of the robbers, at the same time shouting out, “You shall all live, but with your mouths open and your right hands uplifted!” Scarcely were the words out of his mouth, than the robbers all sat motionless as if they were made of stone, their mouths open and their right arms stretched out. “I see,” said the Huntsman to the Soldier, “you can do any other trick you please; but, come now, let us go home.” “Oh no. Brother Thin-Shoes!” replied the Soldier, “that were too early to march away; we have beaten the enemy and now we must take the booty. Come now, eat and drink what you like.” So they stopped there three days, and every day the old Woman had to fetch up fresh wine. The fourth day the Soldier said to his companion, “It is time now to break the spell, but that we may have a short march the old Woman shall show us the nearest road.”

As soon as they arrived at the town the Soldier went to his old comrades, and told them that he had found in the forest a nest of thieves, and if they wished he would show them where. They agreed to go, and the Soldier persuaded the Huntsman to accompany him again, and see how the robbers behaved when they were caught. So first he placed the soldiers round the robbers in a circle, and then drinking a draught of wine out of the bottle, he swung it over them and exclaimed, “You shall all live.” In a moment they had the power of motion again, but they were soon thrown down and bound hand and foot with ropes. Then they were thrown like sacks upon a waggon, and the Soldier bade his comrades drive it away to the prison. But the Huntsman, taking aside one of the soldiers, gave him a commission and sent him off to the town. They walked on, and by-and-by, as they approached the town, the Soldier perceived an immense crowd of men rushing out at the gates, hurraing loudly and waving green branches of trees in the air. Soon he saw that it was the body-guards of the King who were approaching them; and turning to the Huntsman he asked, “What does this mean?” “Do you not know,” he replied, “that the King has been absent from his kingdom for a length of time? To-day he returns and these are coming out to meet him.” “But where is the King? I do not see him,” said the Soldier. “Here he is,” answered the Huntsman; “I am the King, and I caused my return to be proclaimed.” With these words he opened his hunting-coat and showed his royal dress. The Soldier was frightened, and falling on his knees he begged the King’s pardon for having treated him so unceremoniously, and calling him by such names. The King, however, holding out his hand, said to him, “You are a brave Soldier, and have saved my life; you shall endure poverty no longer; I will care for you, and if at any time you need a piece of meat as good as we had in the robber house, come to my palace and dine with me. But before you drink healths, you must ask my permission.”