Herr Lazarus And The Draken

: The Grey Fairy Book

Once upon a time there was a cobbler called Lazarus, who was very

fond of honey. One day, as he ate some while he sat at work, the

flies collected in such numbers that with one blow he killed

forty. Then he went and ordered a sword to be made for him, on

which he had written these words: ‘With one blow I have slain

forty.' When the sword was ready he took it and went out into the

world, and when he was two days' jour ey from home he came to a

spring, by which he laid himself down and slept.



Now in that country there dwelt Draken, one of whom came to the

spring to draw water; there he found Lazarus sleeping, and read

what was written on his sword. Then he went back to his people

and told them what he had seen, and they all advised him to make

fellowship with this powerful stranger. So the Draken returned to

the spring, awoke Lazarus, and said that if it was agreeable to

him they should make fellowship together.



Lazarus answered that he was willing, and after a priest had

blessed the fellowship, they returned together to the other

Draken, and Lazarus dwelt among them. After some days they told

him that it was their custom to take it in turns to bring wood

and water, and as he was now of their company, he must take his

turn. They went first for water and wood, but at last it came to

be Lazarus's turn to go for water. The Draken had a great

leathern bag, holding two hundred measures of water. This Lazarus

could only, with great difficulty, drag empty to the spring, and

because he could not carry it back full, he did not fill it at

all, but, instead, he dug up the ground all round the spring.



As Lazarus remained so long away, the Draken sent one of their

number to see what had become of him, and when this one came to

the spring, Lazarus said to him: ‘We will no more plague

ourselves by carrying water every day. I will bring the entire

spring home at once, and so we shall be freed from this burden.'



But the Draken called out: ‘On no account, Herr Lazarus, else we

shall all die of thirst; rather will we carry the water ourselves

in turns, and you alone shall be exempt.'



Next it comes to be Lazarus's turn to bring the wood. Now the

Draken, when they fetched the wood, always took an entire tree on

their shoulder, and so carried it home. Because Lazarus could not

imitate them in this, he went to the forest, tied all the trees

together with a thick rope, and remained in the forest till

evening. Again the Draken sent one of them after him to see what

had become of him, and when this one asked what he was about,

Lazarus answered: ‘I will bring the entire forest home at once,

so that after that we may have rest.'



But the Draken called out: ‘By no means, Herr Lazarus, else we

shall all die of cold; rather will we go ourselves to bring wood,

and let you be free.' And then the Draken tore up one tree, threw

it over his shoulder, and so carried it home.



When they had lived together some time, the Draken became weary

of Lazarus, and agreed among themselves to kill him; each Draken,

in the night while Lazarus slept, should strike him a blow with a

hatchet. But Lazarus heard of this scheme, and when the evening

came, he took a log of wood, covered it with his cloak, laid it

in the place where he usually slept, and then hid himself. In the

night the Draken came, and each one hit the log a blow with his

hatchet, till it flew in pieces.



Then they believed their object was gained, and they lay down

again.



Thereupon Lazarus took the log, threw it away, and laid himself

down in its stead. Towards dawn, he began to groan, and when the

Draken heard that, they asked what ailed him, to which he made

answer: ‘The gnats have stung me horribly.' This terrified the

Draken, for they believed that Lazarus took their blows for

gnat-stings, and they determined at any price to get rid of him.

Next morning, therefore, they asked him if he had not wife or

child, and said that if he would like to go and visit them they

would give him a bag of gold to take away with him. He agreed

willingly to this, but asked further that one of the Draken

should go with him to carry the bag of gold. They consented, and

one was sent with him.



When they had come to within a short; distance of Lazarus's

house, he said to the Draken: ‘Stop here, in the meantime, for I

must go on in front and tie up my children, lest they eat you.'



So he went and tied his children with strong ropes, and said to

them: ‘As soon as the Draken comes in sight, call out as loud as

you can, "Drakenflesh! Drakenflesh!"'



So, when the Draken appeared, the children cried out:

‘Drakenflesh! Drakenflesh!' and this so terrified the Draken that

he let the bag fall and fled.



On the road he met a fox, which asked him why he seemed so

frightened. He answered that he was afraid of the children of

Herr Lazarus, who had been within a hair-breadth of eating him

up. But the fox laughed, and said: ‘What! you were afraid of

the children of Herr Lazarus? He had two fowls, one of which I

ate yesterday, the other I will go and fetch now--if you do not

believe me, come and see for yourself; but you must first tie

yourself on to my tail.'



The Draken then tied himself on to the fox's tail, and went back

thus with it to Lazarus's house, in order to see what it would

arrange. There stood Lazarus with his gun raised ready to fire,

who, when he saw the fox coming along with the Draken, called out

to the fox: ‘Did I not tell you to bring me all the Draken, and

you bring me only one?'



When the Draken heard that he made off to the rightabout at once,

and ran so fast that the fox was dashed in pieces against the

stones.



When Lazarus had got quit of the Draken he built himself, with

their gold, a, magnificent house, in which he spent the rest of

his days in great enjoyment.