Hans Married (Grimm)
Division into chapters is editorial.
The preparation: uncles scheme to make Hans appear wealthy
A young peasant named Hans lived with his uncle, who was determined to find him a wealthy wife. The uncle devised a clever scheme to make Hans appear prosperous to potential suitors. He seated Hans behind a hot stove and provided him with a pot of milk, plenty of white bread, and a bright newly-coined farthing.
Hans, hold that farthing fast, crumble the white bread into the milk, and stay where you are, and do not stir from that spot till I come back.
Hans obediently agreed to follow these instructions. The uncle then put on old patched trousers and set off to the neighboring village to find a suitable bride. This staging was crucial to his deceptive plan, as he intended to use Hans's simple obedience and the visual props to create an illusion of wealth and prosperity.
The arrangement: finding and securing a rich bride
The uncle approached a wealthy peasant in the next village and proposed a marriage between Hans and the man's daughter. He presented Hans as an honest and sensible man who would make a suitable husband. The wealthy father, being cautious about his daughter's future, immediately inquired about Hans's financial situation.
How is it with regard to his means? Has he bread to break?
The uncle cleverly responded with deliberate ambiguity, claiming that his nephew had a comfortable position, money in hand, and plenty of bread. Most cunningly, he mentioned that Hans had as many patches as himself, slapping his own patched trousers. In that region, small pieces of land were also called patches, creating a perfect double meaning that the greedy father misunderstood as referring to property rather than clothing repairs.
Then the miser did not want to lose this good opportunity, and said, 'If that is the case, I have nothing further to say against the marriage.'
The wealthy peasant, convinced by the deceptive presentation and eager not to miss what seemed like a profitable match, immediately agreed to the marriage arrangement. The wedding was scheduled and celebrated on the appointed day, with both families participating in the ceremony.
The wedding deception and mysterious ending
After the wedding ceremony, the young bride eagerly requested to see her new husband's property. Hans, maintaining the pretense, removed his good Sunday coat and put on his patched work clothes, explaining that he might spoil his fine garment. Together, the newlyweds walked out to survey what the bride believed would be extensive lands.
I might spoil my good coat.
As they walked, Hans pointed to various boundary lines and divided fields, but instead of claiming ownership of the land itself, he slapped the patches on his smock-frock. He told his wife that each patch belonged to him, directing her attention away from the broad landscapes to focus on his patched garment. The deception was now fully revealed - Hans owned nothing but the patches on his clothing, not the patches of land his bride had expected.
The tale concludes with a mysterious and puzzling exchange. An unknown narrator suddenly appears, asking if the listener was present at the wedding. This mysterious figure then describes attending the ceremony in fantastical attire that defied the laws of nature.
My headdress was of snow; then the sun came out, and it was melted. My coat was of cobwebs... my shoes were of glass, and... they said, 'Klink,' and broke in two.
This enigmatic ending leaves the reader with questions about the nature of reality and truth in the story, transforming a simple tale of deception into something far more mysterious and thought-provoking.