Hans the Hedgehog

Once upon a time there was a Farmer who had quite enough of money and property to live upon, but rich as he was he lacked one piece of fortune; he had no children. Ofttimes when he went to market with the other farmers they laughed at him and asked why he had no children. At length he flew into a passion, and when he came home he said, “I will have a child, and it shall be a hedgehog.”^u Soon after this speech a child was born to him which was like a hedgehog in the upper part of its body, and formed as a boy below, and when his wife saw it she was frightened, and cried, “See what you have wished for!” So the man said, “It cannot be helped now, and it must be christened, but we can procure no godfather for it.” “We cannot call him anything else than ‘Hans the Hedgehog.’ ” said the wife; and when the priest baptized him he said, “On account of his spikes he can sleep in no common cradle.” So behind the stove a little straw was laid, upon which the child slept, and there he kept for eight years, till his father grew tired of him and wished he might die. However, the child did not, but remained in a torpid state, and one day the Farmer resolved to go to a fair which was to be held in the neighbouring town. He asked his wife what he should bring home, and she told him, “A little piece of meat and a couple of rolls of bread for the housekeeping.” Then he asked the servant, and she requested a couple of pots and a pair of stockings. Lastly he asked Hans what he liked, and the child replied. “Bring me, father, a bagpipe.” Accordingly, when the Farmer returned home he brought his wife the meat and bread, his servant the pots and stockings, and Hans the Hedgehog the bagpipe. As soon as Hans received his gift he said, “Father, go to the smithy, and let the Cock be bridled, that I may ride away upon it and never return.”

The father was glad to be freed from his son, and caused the Cock to be harnessed, and as soon as it was ready Hans the Hedgehog set himself upon it and rode away, taking with him a Boar and an Ass, which he meant to tend in the forest. But in the forest the Cock flew to the top of a lofty tree with him on its back, and there he watched the Boar and Ass for many years until there were many of them, and all the time his father knew nothing of him. While Hans sat on the tree-top he played upon his bagpipe and made beautiful music; and once a King came riding past who had lost his way in the forest, and chanced to hear him. He wondered at the sound, and sent his servants to inquire from whence the music proceeded. They looked about, but saw only a little animal upon a tree which seemed like a cock, and had a hedgehog upon its back which made the music. The King told them to ask why it sat there, and if it knew the way to his kingdom. Then Hans the Hedgehog came down from the tree, and said he would show the way if the King would promise him in writing what first met him in the royal court on his return. The King thought to himself, Hans the Hedgehog understands nothing, and I can write what I please, and so taking pen and ink he wrote something, and when he had done Hans showed him the road, and he arrived happily at home. But his daughter, seeing him at a distance, was so full of joy that she ran to met her father and kissed him. Then he remembered Hans the Hedgehog, and told her what had happened to him, and how he had promised to a wonderful animal whatever met him first, and how this animal sat upon a cock and played music. However he had written he should not have the first, for Hans the Hedgehog could not read what was written. Thereupon the Princess was glad, and said it was well done, for she could not have been given up to such a creature.

Meanwhile Hans the Hedgehog still tended his flocks and herds, and was very merry, sitting up in his tree and blowing his bagpipe. Now it happened that another King came travelling by with his attendants and courtiers, who had also lost himself and knew not how to get home, because the forest was so immense. All at once he heard the music at a distance, and said to his servant, “Go and see at once what that is.” So the servant went under the tree and saw the cock perched upon it and the hedgehog on its back, and he asked what he did up there. “I am watching my flocks and herds; but what is your desire?” was the reply. The servant said they had lost their way, and could not find their kingdom if he did not show them the road. Then Hans the Hedgehog climbed down the tree with his cock, and told the old King he would point out the path if he would give to him certainly whatever should meet him first before his royal palace. The King said “Yes,” and subscribed to it with his own hand that he should have it. When this was done Hans rode before the King on his cock, and showed him the road whereby he quickly arrived in safety in his own kingdom. As soon as he approached his court there was great rejoicing, and his only child, a daughter, who was very beautiful, ran to meet him, embraced and kissed him, in her great joy at seeing her dear father return home again. She inquired also where he had stayed so long in the world, and he told her of all his wanderings, and how he had feared he should not get back at all because he had lost his way in such a large forest, where a creature half like a hedgehog and half like a man sat upon a cock in a high tree and made beautiful music. He told her also how this animal had come down from the tree and showed him the road on condition that he gave him whatever first met him in his royal palace on his return home; and she was the first, and that made him grieve. His daughter after a while promised to go with the animal when he came, out of love to her dear father.

Meanwhile Hans the Hedgehog tended his swine, and so many pigs were born that they filled the whole forest. Then Hans would stay no longer in the woods, and sent his father word he should clear all the stables in the village, for he was coming with such great herds that whoever wished might kill from them. At this news the father was grieved, for he thought his son had been dead long since. Soon after Hans came riding upon his cock, and driving before him his herds into the village to be killed, when there was such a slaughtering and shrieking you might have heard it eight miles off! Hans the Hedgehog did not stay long; he paid another visit to the smithy to have his cock rebri dled, then off he started again, while his father rejoiced that he should never see him again.

Hans the Hedgehog rode to the first kingdom we before mentioned, and there the King had ordered that if any one came riding upon a cock, and carrying with him a bagpipe, all should shoot at him, cut at him, and kill him, that he might not enter the castle. When, therefore, Hans the Hedgehog came riding along they pressed round him with bayonets; but he flew high up into the air over the gate to the window of the palace, and there alighting, called the King to give him what he had promised, or he would kill both him and his daughter. Then the King spoke kindly to his child and begged her to go away, that her life and his might be saved. At last she consented, turning very pale however, and her father gave her a carriage drawn by six white horses, and servants, money, and plate besides. She set herself in it, and Hans the Hedgehog by her side, with his cock and bagpipe. Then they took leave and drove away, while the King thought he should never see them again; and it happened just as he imagined, for as soon as they had gone a little way out of the city Hans the Hedgehog pulled off the Princess’s shawl and pricked her with his quills, saying, “That is your reward for falsehood! go away! I will have nothing to do with you!” With these words he hunted her home, and to her end she was despised.

Hans the Hedgehog rode away next upon his cock with his bagpipes in his hand to the second kingdom to which he had directed its King. This King had ordered that, if any one like Hans the Hedgehog came riding to the gate, the guards should present arms, admit him freely, shout Viva! and conduct him to the palace. As soon as the Princess saw the animal coming she was at first frightened, because it appeared so curious, but as soon as she recollected her promise she became reconciled. She welcomed Hans the Hedgehog, and was married to him, and afterwards they dined at the royal table, sitting side by side, and eating and drinking together. When evening came on and bedtime, the Princess said she was afraid of her husband’s spikes, but he said she need not fear, he would do her no harm. Then he told the old King to appoint four men who should watch before the chamber-door and keep up a great fire; and, when he entered and prepared to go to bed, he would creep out of his hedgehog skin and lay it down before the bed. When he had so done, the men must run in, snatch up the skin, and throw it in the fire, and keep it there till it was quite consumed.

Afterwards, when the clock struck twelve, Hans the Hedgehog entered his room, stripped off his skin, and laid it down by the bed. Immediately the four men ran in, snatched it up, and threw it into the fire, and as soon as it was consumed Hans was freed, and lay in the bed in a proper human form, but coal-black as if he was burnt. Thereupon the King sent to his physician, who washed the young prince with a precious balsam which made his skin white, so that he became quite a handsome youth. As soon as the princess saw this she jumped for joy; and the following morning they arose gladly, and were married again in due form and with great feasting; and afterwards Hans the Hedgehog received the kingdom from the hands of the old king.

When several years had passed away the young king went with his bride to his father’s house, and told him he was his son. The Farmer, however, declared he had no children. He had once, he said, had one who was covered with spikes like a hedgehog, but he had wandered away into the world. Then the king made himself known to his father, and showed that he was really his son, and the Farmer rejoiced greatly, and returned with him to his kingdom.