Master Pfriem (Brothers Grimm)
Short summary
Master Pfriem was a shoemaker who constantly criticized everything and everyone around him.
He found fault with his apprentices' work, scolded his wife and servants, and criticized neighbors' construction methods. Nothing satisfied him, including a shoe he himself had made but forgot about.
One night, Master Pfriem dreamed he died and went to heaven. The apostle Peter warned him to stop finding fault with everything or he would fare poorly. Master Pfriem promised to behave but soon saw angels carrying a beam sideways and drawing water with a holey bucket. He bit his tongue, thinking these were harmless amusements. Then he saw a cart stuck in a hole, loaded with good wishes. When an angel harnessed horses behind the cart instead of in front, Master Pfriem could no longer contain himself.
Clumsy creature, what are you doing there? Has anyone ever since the world began seen a cart drawn in that way? But you, in your conceited arrogance, think that you know everything best
An inhabitant of heaven seized him and threw him out. As he fell, he glimpsed the cart being lifted by four winged horses. Master Pfriem woke up, reflecting that heaven operated differently than earth, though he still thought using winged horses was foolish.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Master Pfriems character and nature
Master Pfriem was a restless and perpetually dissatisfied shoemaker who could never find peace or contentment in anything around him. His physical appearance matched his difficult temperament - he was a small, thin man with a pale, smallpox-marked face and gray, shaggy hair.
He saw everything, criticised everything, knew everything best, and was always in the right. When he went into the streets, he moved his arms about as if he were rowing
His workshop was a place of constant turmoil, as his perfectionist nature made it impossible for any apprentice to satisfy him. The quality of work mattered little to Master Pfriem - he would find fault with even the finest craftsmanship.
No apprentice stayed more than a month with him, for he had always some fault to find with the very best work. At one time it was that the stitches were not even
His critical nature extended beyond his trade to every aspect of daily life.
Examples of his criticisms and complaints
Master Pfriem's fault-finding extended to everyone in his household and beyond. When his wife rose early to light the fire, he accused her of trying to burn down the house and wasting wood. His servants faced constant criticism for their work habits and use of supplies.
There stand the geese cackling, and forgetting their work, to gossip! And why fresh soap? Disgraceful extravagance and shameful idleness into the bargain!
His interference extended far beyond his own property. When he observed construction workers building a house, he criticized their choice of materials, their technique, and their mortar mixture. He even snatched tools from carpenters to demonstrate what he considered proper methods. A peasant with a cart loaded with clay became another target of his unsolicited advice about proper horse management. Even strangers on the street were not safe from his meddling - he once struck a girl carrying water with his flailing arms and then blamed her for the accident.
The apprentice eventually stood up to his master's unreasonable criticism, pointing out that Master Pfriem was blaming him for a shoe that the master himself had cut and worked on.
Master, you may easily be quite right about the shoe being a bad one, but it is the one which you yourself cut out, and yourself set to work at
The dream of heaven
One night, Master Pfriem dreamed that he had died and was making his way to heaven. Upon arrival, he knocked loudly at the gates, immediately complaining about the lack of a proper door knocker. When the apostle Peter opened the door, he recognized the troublesome shoemaker and issued a stern warning.
I warn you that you must give up that habit of yours, and find fault with nothing you see in heaven, or you may fare ill
Master Pfriem dismissed the warning, claiming he already knew what was proper and that everything in heaven was perfect. However, his critical nature soon reasserted itself as he observed the activities of the angels. He watched two angels carrying a beam sideways rather than lengthwise, others drawing water with a bucket full of holes, and angels helping to move a cart stuck in a hole. When he saw angels harnessing horses both in front of and behind the cart, his patience finally snapped.
Unable to contain his criticism any longer, Master Pfriem burst out with complaints about the angels' methods. His outburst resulted in immediate consequences.
one of the inhabitants of heaven seized him by the throat and pushed him forth with irresistible strength
As he was expelled from heaven, Master Pfriem saw the cart being lifted into the air by four winged horses, which gave him pause about his criticism. Upon waking, he reflected on the different ways things operated in heaven compared to earth, but ultimately concluded that it was fortunate he was not actually dead, as his household would surely make mistakes without his supervision.
It is a lucky thing for me though, that I am not really dead