again mentioned. This makes us think of the Swiss word "simel" for "sinbel," round. See Stalder's Wörterbuch. In Meier, No. 53, we find "Open Simson." In Pröhle's Märchen für die Jugend, No. 30, where the story is amplified, it is Simsimseliger Mountain. There is also a Polish story which is very like it (see further on).
143.—Going a-travelling.
From the province of Münster. Another story current in the district of Paderborn contains new jests. There was once a stupid youth who always did what his mother bade him, but always did it wrong. When he was hired, his master told him to go to the field and sow, and while he was doing it, to say, "May this bear fruit every year a hundred-fold." He went thither, and at that very time some people came with a corpse, so he said, "May this bear fruit every year a hundred-fold." When the people heard that, they gave him a good beating. He went home and said to his mother, "Oh, mother, what has happened to me, and I only did what my master bade me." Then his mother said, "Thou shouldst have said, 'May he rest in peace.'" He went back again, and then came a knacker with a dead horse, so he said, "May he rest in peace." The knacker took that amiss, and gave him a beating. He went home again and complained to his mother, and she said, "Thou shouldst have said, 'Away with the carrion.'" He once more went to the field just as a wedding party was coming by, so he said, "Away with the carrion." They gave him a thorough beating. "Oh, mother," said he again, "what has happened to me?" and told her. She replied, "Thou shouldst have said, 'Here is mirth and gladness.'" He went back, and on his way saw a house burning, so he said, "Here is mirth and gladness!" He got another beating for it, and when he had complained to his mother, she said, "Thou shouldst have taken a bucketful of water, and have poured it on the fire." He thought of this as he passed a bee-hive, and poured a bucketful of water over it. The owner of the bees took a stick, and beat him till he ran away. "Oh, mother, what bad luck I have had." She said, "Thou shouldst have said, 'Give me some of it away with me.'" Then he passed by a cow-byre which was just being cleaned out, and took off his cap and said, "Give me some of it away with me." The stories of the deaf man who misinterprets everything, and the tailor's wife who purposely misunderstands her husband's words, and buys cakes (fladen) instead of thread (faden), a pear (birn) instead of twine (zwirn), &c., all of which are related in the Rollwagenbüchlein are like this. We must also mention the English Jann Posset, who did not serve his master better (see a Shrove-Tuesday play in Ayrer, folio 106-114). The tricks which are played on the Indian Guru Nudle by his
