Reading Notes Week 14: Brothers Grimm (Hunt) - Reading B

 Margaret Hunt's Household Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm

Bearskin

• A young soldier fought in battle and when war was over, he was dismissed
• His parents were dead so he went to his brothers to ask them to take him in til war began again, but they said he could not do anything for them so he should make a living for himself
• So the young man was left with his gun, no money, and no trade
• He sat under a circle of trees when he saw a man with a cloven foot
• The man says he needs to know that the young man is fearless before he can give him money
• To prove the soldier is fearless, the man tells him to turn around, where he sees a bear
• The soldier shot the bear through the muzzle without hesitation
• the man then says there is another condition to meet
• He says the soldier can't bathe, comb his hair, cut his nails for 7 years
• he will be given a coat and cloak to wear within that time
• If the soldier dies during this time, he is the man's, but he will go free with riches if he survives
• The man hands the soldier his coat (this man is the Devil btw) and says that he will always find money in its pockets
• The man also hands him the skin of the bear, which is to be his cloak and his bed, and it is called Bearskin
• In the 2nd year, the man began to look like a monster with his overgrown hair and dirty appearance
• He gave money to the poor for them to pray he would survive the 7 years
• the 4th year, he came to an inn that would not let him, scared he would scare the horses
• but the host was persuaded by the money the soldier pulled out and let him stay in the outhouse
• An old man neighboring the outhouse was crying and when Bearskin (the soldier) approached him about it, the man said that his property had dwindled and he and his daughters would starve, plus he couldn't pay the innkeeper and would soon be put in jail
• Bearskin pulled out plenty of gold to pay the innkeeper and extra to the old man
• The old man then says that Bearskin can marry one of his daughters, and they shouldn't refuse for he has done so much for them
• The eldest screamed and ran away, and the second says she can't marry someone without a human form, but the last says he must be a good man and agrees to marry Bearskin
• Bearskin gave her have a ring, he with the other half, and told her he had to wander for 3 years more, and if he didn't come back she was free
• The youngest's older sisters made fun of her
• Bearskin continued to travel giving money to the poor for praying for him
• After 7 years, he made it to the circle of trees where he first met the Devil, who looked angry, throwing Bearskin's old coat at him, asking for his back
• The Devil then made Bearskin clean, and he once again looked like a handsome young soldier
• Bearskin went back to his bride's house, where none of them recognized him, and he was sat between the 2 eldest who thought him quite attractive
• When Bearskin asked if the man would give one of his daughters to wife, the two oldest went to fancy themselves up
• When the two had left, he threw his half of the ring to his bride, who had the other half around her neck
• The older sisters drowned and hung themselves
• The Devil then showed up to tell him he got two souls instead of his one!