Folk Tales
Author's Tales"Good-day, Father Hollenthe." - "Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." - "May I be allowed to have your daughter?" - "Oh, yes, if Mother Malcho (Milch-cow), Brother High-and-Mighty, Sister K"setraut, and fair Katrinelje are willing, you can have her."
"Where is Mother Malcho, then?" - "She is in the cow-house, milking the cow."
"Good-day, Mother Malcho." - "Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." - "May I be allowed to have your daughter?" - "Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Brother High-and-Mighty, Sister K"setraut, and fair Katrinelje are willing, you can have her." - "Where is Brother High-and-Mighty, then?" - "He is in the room chopping some wood." - "Good-day, Brother High-and-Mighty." - "Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." - "May I be allowed to have your sister?" - "Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Sister K"setraut, and fair Katrinelje are willing, you can have her." - "Where is Sister K"setraut, then?" - "She is in the garden cutting cabbages." - "Good-day, sister K"setraut." - "Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." - "May I be allowed to have your sister?" - "Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Brother High-and-Mighty, and fair Katrinelje are willing, you may have her." - "Where is fair Katrinelje, then?" - "She is in the room counting out her farthings." - "Good day, fair Katrinelje." - "Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie." - "Wilt thou be my bride?" - "Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Brother High-and-Mighty, and Sister K"setraut are willing, I am ready."
"Fair Katrinelje, how much dowry do hast thou?" - "Fourteen farthings in ready money, three and a half groschen owing to me, half a pound of dried apples, a handful of fried bread, and a handful of spices.
And many other things are mine,
Have I not a dowry fine?
"Pif-paf-poltrie, what is thy trade? Art thou a tailor?" - "Something better." - "A shoemaker?" - "Something better." - "A husbandman?" - "Something better." - "A joiner?" - "Something better." - "A smith?" - "Something better." - "A miller?" - "Something better." - "Perhaps a broom-maker?" - "Yes, that's what I am, is it not a fine trade?"