ASHIEPATTLE: OE HANS SEEKS HIS LUCK 



Nu bin ich erwachet und 1st mir unbekant, 

 Daz mir hie vor was kiindic als min ander hant, 

 Liut unde lant, da ich von kinde bin erzogen, 

 Die sint mir fremde worden, reht' als ez si gelogen ; 

 Die mine gespilen waren, die sint trage und alt ; 



Mich griiezet maneger trage, der mich bekande e wol. 



Walther v. d. Vogelweide. 



ASHIEPATTLE, the dirty ash -lad, Hans ' der Dumm- 

 ling,' a ' Schneiderlein,' or the miller's boy, 1 sets out 

 into the world to seek his luck. He is courteous and 

 friendly to an old woman whom he meets in the forest, 

 and who possesses magical powers. He travels through 

 many kingdoms, and at last he comes to one where 

 the king is in difficulties from dragons or giants, or 

 in domestic trouble owing to his daughter declining 

 matrimony until a wooer is found who can perform 

 certain notable feats. Hans, with the aid of the afore- 

 said old woman, either achieves prodigious victories, or 

 accomplishes all the tasks proposed to him. He then 

 demands his bride, and becomes ' der junge Konig,' or 

 as the tale often winds up : 



1 The ugly idler Pervonto of II Pentamerone is the Italian, Askelad the 

 Norwegian equivalent of the German Dummling and the English Ashiepattle. 



