131

Fair Katrinelje and Pif Paf Poltrie

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

"Good day, Father Elderberry-Tea."

"Many thanks, Pif Paf Poltrie."

"May I marry your daughter?"

"Oh, yes, if her mother Milk-Cow, her brother High-Pride, her sister Cheese-Love, and Fair Katrinelje are willing, the wedding can take place."

"Where is her mother Milk-Cow, then?"

"She is in the stall milking the cow."

"Good day, Mother Milk-Cow."

"Many thanks, Pif Paf Poltrie."

"May I marry your daughter?"

"Oh, yes, if Father Elderberry-Tea, Brother High-Pride, Sister Cheese-Love, and Fair Katrinelje are willing, the wedding can take place."

"Where is her brother High-Pride, then?"

"He is in the shed chopping wood."

"Good-day, Brother High-Pride."

"Many thanks, Pif Paf Poltrie."

"May I marry your sister?"

"Oh, yes, if Father Elderberry-Tea, Mother Milk-Cow, Sister Cheese-Love, and Fair Katrinelje are willing, the wedding can take place."

"Where is her sister Cheese-Love, then?"

"She is in the garden cutting cabbages."

"Good-day, Sister Cheese-Love."

"Many thanks, Pif Paf Poltrie."

"May I marry your sister?"

"Oh, yes, if Father Elderberry-Tea, Mother Milk-Cow, Brother High-Pride, and Fair Katrinelje are willing, the wedding can take place."

"Where is Fair Katrinelje, then."

"She is in the parlor counting out her pennies."

"Good day, Fair Katrinelje."

"Many thanks, Pif Paf Poltrie."

"Will you be my sweetheart?"

"Oh, yes, if Father Elderberry-Tea, Mother Milk-Cow, Brother High-Pride, and Sister Cheese-Love are willing, the wedding can take place."

"Fair Katrinelje, what do you have for a dowry?"

"Fourteen pennies in hand, three and a half groschen owed to me, a half pound of dried pears, a handful of pretzels, and a handful of roots, and so it is. Is that not a fine dowry?

"Pif Paf Poltrie, what is your trade? Are you a tailor?"

"Much better than that."

"A cobbler?"

"Much better than that."

"A plowman?"

"Much better than that."

"A joiner?"

"Much better than that."

"A smith?"

"Much better than that."

"A miller?"

"Much better than that."

"Perhaps a broom-maker?"

"Yes, that is what I am. Is that not a fine trade?"

• Source: Die schöne Katrinelje und Pif Paf Poltrie, Kinder- und Hausmärchen (Children's and Household Tales -- Grimms' Fairy Tales), 7th ed. (Berlin, 1857), no. 131.

• This nonsense tale was introduced into the first edition of the Grimms' collection in 1815 as number 45 of volume 2.

• The Grimms' source: the Haxthausen family.

• Translated by D. L. Ashliman. © 2001.

• Aarne-Thompson, type 2019.

Links to related sites

• The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales (Grimms' Fairy Tales).

• The Grimm Brothers' Home Page.

• D. L. Ashliman's folktexts, a library of folktales, folklore, fairy tales, and mythology.

Revised March 11, 2001.