Clever Hans
by
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
The mother of Hans said: ‘Whither away, Hans?’
Hans answered: ‘To Gretel.’
‘Behave well, Hans.’
‘Oh, I’ll behave well. Goodbye, mother.’
‘Goodbye, Hans.’
Hans comes to Gretel.
‘Good day, Gretel.’
‘Good day, Hans. What do you bring that is good?’
‘I bring nothing, I want to have something given me.’
Gretel presents Hans with a needle, Hans says: ‘Goodbye, Gretel.’
‘Goodbye, Hans.’
Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows the cart home.
‘Good evening, mother.’
‘Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?’
‘With Gretel.’
‘What did you take her?’
‘Took nothing; had something given me.’
‘What did Gretel give you?’
‘Gave me a needle.’
‘Where is the needle, Hans?’
‘Stuck in the hay-cart.’
‘That was ill done, Hans. You should have stuck the needle in your sleeve.’
‘Never mind, I’ll do better next time.’
‘Whither away, Hans?’
‘To Gretel, mother.’
‘Behave well, Hans.’
‘Oh, I’ll behave well. Goodbye, mother.’
‘Goodbye, Hans.’
Hans comes to Gretel.
‘Good day, Gretel.’
‘Good day, Hans. What do you bring that is good?’
‘I bring nothing. I want to have something given to me.’
Gretel presents Hans with a knife.
‘Goodbye, Gretel.’
‘Goodbye, Hans.’
Hans takes the knife, sticks it in his sleeve, and goes home.
‘Good evening, mother.’
‘Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?’
‘With Gretel.’
‘What did you take her?’
‘Took her nothing, she gave me something.’
‘What did Gretel give you?’
‘Gave me a knife.’
‘Where is the knife, Hans?’
‘Stuck in my sleeve.’
‘That’s ill done, Hans, you should have put the knife in your pocket.’
‘Never mind, will do better next time.’
‘Whither away, Hans?’
‘To Gretel, mother.’
‘Behave well, Hans.’
‘Oh, I’ll behave well. Goodbye, mother.’
‘Goodbye, Hans.’
Hans comes to Gretel.
‘Good day, Gretel.’
‘Good day, Hans. What good thing do you bring?’
‘I bring nothing, I want something given me.’
