The Story of a Boy Who Went Forth to Learn Fear

　　Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　A father had two sons. The oldest one was clever and intelligent, and knew how to manage everything, but the youngest one was stupid and could neither understand nor learn anything. When people saw him, they said, "He will be a burden on his father!"

　　Now when something had to be done, it was always the oldest son who had to do it. However, if the father asked him fetch anything when it was late, or even worse, at night, and if the way led through the churchyard or some other spooky place, he would always answer, "Oh, no, father, I won't go there. It makes me shudder!" For he was afraid.

　　In the evening by the fire when stories were told that made one's flesh creep, the listeners sometimes said, "Oh, that makes me shudder!" The youngest son would sit in a corner and listen with the others, but he could not imagine what they meant.

　　"They are always saying, 'It makes me shudder! It makes me shudder!' It does not make me shudder. That too must be a skill that I do not understand."

　　Now it happened that one day his father said to him, "Listen, you there in the corner. You are getting big and strong. You too will have to learn something by which you can earn your bread. See how your brother puts himself out, but there seems to be no hope for you."

　　"Well, father," he answered, "I do want to learn something. Indeed, if possible I would like to learn how to shudder. I don't understand that at all yet."

　　The oldest son laughed when he heard that, and thought to himself, "Dear God, what a dimwit that brother of mine is. Nothing will come of him as long as he lives. As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."

　　The father sighed, and answered him, "You may well learn to shudder, but you will not earn your bread by shuddering."

　　Soon afterward the sexton came to the house on a visit, and the father complained to him about his troubles, telling him how his younger son was so stupid in everything, that he knew nothing and was learning nothing. "Just think," he said, "when I asked him how he was going to earn his bread, he actually asked to learn to shudder."

　　"If there is nothing more than that," replied the sexton, "he can learn that with me. Just send him to me. I will plane off his rough edges."

　　The father agreed to do this, for he thought, "It will do the boy well."

　　So the sexton took him home with him, and he was to ring the church bell. A few days later the sexton awoke him at midnight and told him to get up, climb the church tower, and ring the bell.

　　"You will soon learn what it is to shudder," he thought. He secretly went there ahead of him. After the boy had reached the top of the tower, had turned around and was about to take hold of the bell rope, he saw a white figure standing on the steps opposite the sound hole.

　　"Who is there?" he shouted, but the figure gave no answer, neither moving nor stirring. "Answer me," shouted the boy, "or get out of here. You have no business here at night."

　　The sexton, however, remained standing there motionless so that the boy would think he was a ghost.

　　The boy shouted a second time, "What do you want here? Speak if you are an honest fellow, or I will throw you down the stairs."#p#

　　The sexton thought, "He can't seriously mean that." He made not a sound and stood as if he were made of stone.

　　Then the boy shouted to him for the third time, and as that also was to no avail, he ran toward him and pushed the ghost down the stairs. It fell down ten steps and remained lying there in a corner. Then the boy rang the bell, went home, and without saying a word went to bed and fell asleep.

　　The sexton's wife waited a long time for her husband, but he did not come back. Finally she became frightened and woke up the boy, asking, "Don't you know where my husband is? He climbed up the tower before you did."

　　"No," replied the boy, "but someone was standing by the sound hole on the other side of the steps, and because he would neither give an answer nor go away, I took him for a thief and threw him down the steps. Go there and you will see if he was the one. I am sorry if he was."

　　The woman ran out and found her husband, who was lying in the corner moaning. He had broken his leg. She carried him down, and then crying loudly she hurried to the boy's father. "Your boy," she shouted, "has caused a great misfortune. He threw my husband down the steps, causing him to break his leg. Take the good-for-nothing out of our house."

　　The father was alarmed, and ran to the sexton's house, and scolded the boy. "What evil tricks are these? The devil must have prompted you to do them."

　　"Father," he replied, "do listen to me. I am completely innocent. He was standing there in the night like someone with evil intentions. I did not know who it was, and I warned him three times to speak or to go away."

　　"Oh," said the father, "I have experienced nothing but unhappiness with you. Get out of my sight. I do not want to look at you anymore."

　　"Yes, father, and gladly. Just wait until daylight, and I will go forth and learn how to shudder. Then I shall have a skill that will support me."

　　"Learn what you will," said the father. "It is all the same to me. Here are fifty talers for you. Take them and go into the wide world, but tell no one where you come from, or who your father is, because I am ashamed of you."

　　"Yes, father, I will do just as you wish. If that is all you want from me, I can easily remember it."

　　So at daybreak the boy put his fifty talers into his pocket, and went forth on the main road, continually saying to himself, "If only I could shudder! If only I could shudder!"

　　A man came up to him and heard this conversation that the boy was holding with himself, and when they had walked a little farther to where they could see the gallows, the man said to him, "Look, there is the tree where seven men got married to the rope maker's daughter, and are now learning how to fly. Sit down beneath it, and wait until night comes, and then you will learn how to shudder."

　　"If there is nothing more than that," answered the boy, "I can do it easily. But if I learn how to shudder that quickly, you shall have my fifty talers. Just come back to me tomorrow morning."

　　Then the boy went to the gallows, sat down beneath them, and waited until evening. Because he was cold, he made himself a fire. However, at midnight there came up such a cold wind that in spite of his fire he could not get warm. And as the wind pushed the hanged men against each other, causing them to move to and fro, he thought, "You are freezing down here next to the fire. Those guys up there must really be freezing and suffering." Feeling pity for them, he put up the ladder, and climbed up, untied them, one after the other, and then brought down all seven.

　　Then he stirred up the fire, blew into it, and set them all around it to warm themselves. But they just sat there without moving, and their clothes caught fire. So he said, "Be careful, or I will hang you up again."

　　The dead men, however, heard nothing and said nothing, and they let their rags continue to burn. This made him angry, and he said, "If you won't be careful, I can't help you. I don't want to burn up with you." So he hung them up again all in a row. Then he sat down by his fire and fell asleep.

　　The next morning the man came to him and wanted to have the fifty talers. He said, "Well, do you know how to shudder?"

　　"No," he answered. "Where would I have learned it? Those fellows up there did not open their mouths. They were so stupid that they let the few old rags which they had on their bodies catch fire."

　　Then the man saw that he would not be getting the fifty talers that day. He went away saying, "Never before have I met such a fellow."

　　The boy went on his way as well, and once more began muttering to himself, " Oh, if only I could shudder! Oh, if only I could shudder!"

　　A cart driver who was walking along behind him heard this and asked, "Who are you?"

　　"I don't know," replied the boy.#p#

　　Then the cart driver asked, "Where do you come from?"

　　"I don't know."

　　"Who is your father?"

　　"I am not permitted to say."

　　"What are you always muttering to yourself?"

　　"Oh," replied the boy, "I want to be able shudder, but no one can teach me how."

　　"Stop that foolish chatter," said the cart driver. "Come, walk along with me, and I will see that I get a place for you."

　　The boy went with the cart driver, and that evening they came to an inn where they decided to spend the night. On entering the main room, the boy again said quite loudly, "If only I could shudder! If only I could shudder!"

　　Hearing this, the innkeeper laughed and said, "If that is your desire, there should be a good opportunity for you here."

　　"Oh, be quiet," said the innkeeper's wife. "Too many meddlesome people have already lost their lives. It would be a pity and a shame if his beautiful eyes would never again see the light of day."

　　But the boy said, "I want to learn to shudder, however difficult it may be. That is why I left home."

　　He gave the innkeeper no rest, until the latter told him that there was a haunted castle not far away where a person could very easily learn how to shudder, if he would just keep watch there for three nights. The king had promised that whoever would dare to do this could have his daughter in marriage, and she was the most beautiful maiden under the sun. Further, in the castle there were great treasures, guarded by evil spirits. These treasures would then be freed, and would make a poor man rich enough. Many had entered the castle, but no one had come out again.

　　The next morning the boy went to the king and said, "If it be allowed, I will keep watch three nights in the haunted castle."

　　The king looked at him, and because the boy pleased him, he said, "You may ask for three things to take into the castle with you, but they must be things that are not alive."

　　To this the boy replied, "Then I ask for a fire, a lathe, and a woodcarver's bench with a knife."

　　The king had all these things carried into the castle for him during the day. When night was approaching, the boy went inside and made himself a bright fire in one of the rooms, placed the woodcarver's bench and knife beside it, and sat down at the lathe.

　　"Oh, if only I could shudder!" he said. "But I won't learn it here either."

　　Towards midnight he decided to stir up his fire. He was just blowing into it when a cry suddenly came from one of the corners, "Au, meow! How cold we are!"

　　"You fools," he shouted, "what are you crying about? If you are cold, come and sit down by the fire and warm yourselves."

　　When he had said that, two large black cats came with a powerful leap and sat down on either side of him, looking at him savagely with their fiery eyes.

　　A little while later, after warming themselves, they said, "Comrade, shall we play a game of cards?"

　　"Why not?" he replied, "But first show me your paws."

　　So they stretched out their claws.

　　"Oh," he said, "what long nails you have. Wait. First I will have to trim them for you."

　　With that he seized them by their necks, put them on the woodcarver's bench, and tightened them into the vice by their feet. "I have been looking at your fingers," he said, "and my desire to play cards has disappeared," and he struck them dead and threw them out into the water.

　　After he had put these two to rest, he was about to sit down again by his fire, when from every side and every corner there came black cats and black dogs on red-hot chains. More and more of them appeared until he could no longer move. They shouted horribly, then jumped into his fire and pulled it apart, trying to put it out.

　　He quietly watched them for a little while, but finally it was too much for him, and he seized his carving-knife, and cried, "Away with you, you villains!" and hacked away at them. Some of them ran away, the others he killed, and threw out into the pond. When he came back he blew into the embers of his fire until they flamed up again, and warmed himself.

　　As he thus sat there, his eyes would no longer stay open, and he wanted to fall asleep. Looking around, he saw a large bed in the corner. "That is just what I wanted," he said, and lay down in it. However, as he was about to shut his eyes, the bed began to move by itself, going throughout the whole castle.

　　"Good," he said, "but let's go faster."

　　Then the bed rolled on as if six horses were harnessed to it, over thresholds and stairways, up and down. But then suddenly, hop, hop, it tipped upside down and lay on him like a mountain. But he threw the covers and pillows into the air, climbed out, and said, "Now anyone who wants to may drive." Then he lay down by his fire, and slept until it was day.

　　In the morning the king came, and when he saw him lying there on the ground, he thought that the ghosts had killed him and that he was dead. Then said he, "It is indeed a pity to lose such a handsome person."

　　The boy heard this, got up, and said, "It hasn't come to that yet."

　　The king was astonished, but glad, and asked how he had fared.

　　"Very well," he replied. "One night is past. The two others will pass as well."

　　When he returned to the innkeeper, the latter looked astonished and said, "I did not think that I'd see you alive again. Did you learn how to shudder?"

　　"No," he said, "it is all in vain. If someone could only tell me how."

　　The second night he again went up to the old castle, sat down by the fire, and began his old song once more, "If only I could shudder!"

　　As midnight was approaching he heard a noise and commotion. At first it was soft, but then louder and louder. Then it was a little quiet, and finally, with a loud scream, half of a man came down the chimney and fell in front of him.

　　"Hey!" he shouted. "Another half belongs here. This is too little."

　　Then the noise began again. With roaring and howling the other half fell down as well.

　　"Wait," he said. "Let me blow on the fire and make it burn a little warmer for you."

　　When he had done that and looked around again. The two pieces had come together, and a hideous man was sitting in his place.

　　"That wasn't part of the wager," said the boy. "That bench is mine."

　　The man wanted to force him aside, but the boy would not let him, instead pushing him away with force, and then sitting down again in his own place.

　　Then still more men fell down, one after the other. They brought nine bones from dead men and two skulls, then set them up and bowled with them.

　　The boy wanted to play too and said, "Listen, can I bowl with you?"

　　"Yes, if you have money." #p#

　　"Money enough," he answered, "but your bowling balls are not quite round." Then he took the skulls, put them in the lathe and turned them round.

　　"There, now they will roll better," he said. "Hey! This will be fun!"

　　He played with them and lost some of his money, but when the clock struck twelve, everything disappeared before his eyes. He lay down and peacefully fell asleep.

　　The next morning the king came to learn what had happened. "How did you do this time?" he asked.

　　"I went bowling," he answered, "and lost a few pennies."

　　"Did you shudder?"

　　"How?" he said. "I had great fun, but if I only knew how to shudder."

　　On the third night he sat down again on his bench and said quite sadly, "If only I could shudder!"

　　When it was late, six large men came in carrying a coffin. At this he said, "Aha, for certain that is my little cousin, who died a few days ago." Then he motioned with his finger and cried out, "Come, little cousin, come."

　　They put the coffin on the ground. He went up to it and took the lid off. A dead man lay inside. He felt his face, and it was cold as ice.

　　"Wait," he said, "I will warm you up a little." He went to the fire and warmed his own hand, then laid it on the dead man's face, but the dead man remained cold. Then he took him out, sat down by the fire, and laid him on his lap, rubbing the dead man's arms to get the blood circulating again.

　　When that did not help either, he thought to himself, "When two people lie in bed together, they keep each other warm." So he carried the dead man to the bed, put him under the covers, and lay down next to him. A little while later the dead man became warm too and began to move.

　　The boy said, "See, little cousin, I got you warm, didn't I?"

　　But the dead man cried out, "I am going to strangle you."

　　"What?" he said. "Is that my thanks? Get back into your coffin!" Then he picked him up, threw him inside, and shut the lid. Then the six men came and carried him away again.

　　"I cannot shudder," he said. "I won't learn it here as long as I live."

　　Then a man came in. He was larger than all others, and looked frightful. But he was old and had a long white beard.

　　"You wretch," he shouted, "you shall soon learn what it is to shudder, for you are about to die."

　　"Not so fast," answered the boy. "If I am to die, I will have to be there."

　　"I've got you," said the monster.

　　"Now, now, don't boast. I am just as strong as you are, and probably even stronger."

　　"We shall see," said the old man. "If you are stronger than I am, I shall let you go. Come, let's put it to the test."

　　Then the old man led him through dark passageways to a blacksmith's forge, took an ax, and with one blow drove one of the anvils into the ground.

　　"I can do better than that," said the boy, and went to the other anvil. The old man stood nearby, wanting to look on. His white beard hung down. The boy seized the ax and split the anvil with one blow, wedging the old man's beard in the crack.

　　"Now I have you," said the boy. "Now it is your turn to die." Then he seized an iron bar and beat the old man until he moaned and begged him to stop, promising that he would give him great riches. The boy pulled out the ax and released him. The old man led him back into the castle, and showed him three chests full of gold in a cellar.

　　"Of these," he said, "one is for the poor, the second one is for the king, and the third one is yours."

　　Meanwhile it struck twelve, and the spirit disappeared, leaving the boy standing in the dark. "I can find my own way out," he said. Feeling around, he found his way to the bedroom, and fell asleep by his fire.

　　The next morning the king came and said, "By now you must have learned how to shudder."

　　"No," he answered. "What is it? My dead cousin was here, and a bearded man came and showed me a large amount of money down below, but no one showed me how to shudder."

　　Then the king said, "You have redeemed the castle, and shall marry my daughter."

　　"That is all very well," said the boy, "but I still do not know how to shudder."

　　Then the gold was brought up, and the wedding celebrated, but however much the young king loved his wife, and however happy he was, he still was always saying, "If only I could shudder. If only I could shudder." With time this made her angry.

　　Her chambermaid said, "I can help. I know how he can learn to shudder."

　　She went out to the brook that flowed through the garden, and caught a whole bucketful of minnows. That night when the young king was asleep, his wife was to pull the covers off him and pour the bucketful of cold water and minnows onto him, so that the little fishes would wriggle all over him.

　　When she did this, he woke up crying out, "Oh, what is making me shudder? What is making me shudder, dear wife? Yes, now I know how to shudder." #p#

　　　有位父親，膝下有兩個兒子。大兒子聰明伶俐，遇事都能應付自如；小兒子呢，卻呆頭呆腦，啥也不懂，還啥也不學，人們看見他時都異口同聲地說：「他父親為他得操多少心哪！」

　　遇到有甚么事兒要辦的時候，總得大兒子出面去辦；不過，要是天晚了，或者深更半夜的時候，父親還要他去取甚么東西的話，而且要路過墓地，或者其它令人毛骨悚然的地方，他就會回答說：「啊，爸爸，我可不去，我害怕！」他是真的害怕。

　　晚上，一家人圍坐在火爐旁講故事，講到令人毛發(fā)悚立的時候，聽故事的人里就會有人說：「真可怕呀！」小兒子在這種時候，總是一個人坐在屋角里聽他們說話，卻怎么也不明白他們說的是甚么意思，於是他常常大聲地說：「他們都說，'我害怕！我害怕！'可我從來不害怕。我想這一定是一種本領，是一種我完全弄不懂的本領?！?/p>

　　有一天，父親對他說：「你就呆在角落里，給我聽好了。你已經是一個強壯的小伙子了，也該學點養(yǎng)活自己的本事了。你看你哥哥，多么勤奮好學；你再看看你自己，好話都當成了耳邊風?！?/p>

　　「爸爸，你說的沒錯，」小兒子回答說，「我非常愿意學點本事。要是辦得到的話，我很想學會害怕，我還一點兒也不會害怕呢?！?/p>

　　哥哥聽了這話，哈哈大笑起來，心想，「我的天哪，我弟弟可真是個傻瓜蛋；他一輩子都沒甚么指望了。三歲看小，七歲看老嘛?！垢赣H歎了一口氣，對小兒子回答說：「我保證，你早晚能學會害怕；不過，靠害怕是養(yǎng)活不了自己的?！?/p>

　　過了不多日子，教堂的執(zhí)事到他們家來作客，於是父親向他訴說了自己的心事，抱怨他的小兒子簡直傻透了，啥也不會，還啥也不學。他對執(zhí)事說：「您想一想，我問他將來打算靠甚么來養(yǎng)活自己，他卻說要學會害怕。」

　　執(zhí)事聽了回答說：「如果他想的只是這個的話，那他很快能學會的。讓他跟我走好啦，我替你整治他?！?/p>

　　父親滿口答應，心想，「不論怎么說，這小子這回該長進一點啦?！轨妒?，執(zhí)事就把小兒子帶回了家，叫他在教堂敲鐘。

　　幾天后的一個深夜，執(zhí)事把小兒子叫醒，要他起床后到教堂鐘樓上去敲鐘?！高@回我要教教你甚么是害怕?！箞?zhí)事心里想著，隨后悄悄地先上了鐘樓。小兒子來到鐘樓，轉身去抓敲鐘的繩子的時候，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)一個白色的人影兒，正對著窗口站在樓梯上。

　　「那是誰呀？」他大聲地問，可是那個影子卻不回答，一動不動地站在那兒。

　　「回話呀！」小伙子扯著嗓子吼道，「要不就給我滾開！深更半夜的你來干啥！」

　　可是執(zhí)事呢，仍然一動不動地站在那兒，想叫小伙子以為他是個鬼怪。

　　小伙子又一次大聲吼道：「你想在這兒干啥？說呀，你實話實說，不說我就把你扔到樓下去?！?/p>

　　執(zhí)事心想：「他不會那么做」，因此他依然一聲不響，一動不動地站在那兒，就像泥塑木雕的一般。

　　接著小伙子第三次沖他吼叫，可還是沒有一點兒用，於是小伙子猛撲過去，一把將鬼怪推下了樓梯。鬼怪在樓梯上翻滾了十多級，才躺在墻角不動了。接著小伙子去敲鐘，敲完鐘回到了他自己的房間后，一言未發(fā)，倒頭便睡。

　　執(zhí)事的太太左等右等卻不見丈夫回來，后來她感到很擔憂，就叫醒了小伙子，問他：「你知不知道我丈夫在哪兒？他在你之前上的鐘樓?！?/p>

　　「不知道，」小伙子回答說，「不過，有個人當時對著窗口站在樓梯上。我朝他大吼大叫，他不答話，也不走開，我想那一定是個壞蛋，就一下子把他從樓梯上推了下去。您去看看，就知道是不是您丈夫了。要是的話，我非常抱歉。」

　　執(zhí)事的太太急匆匆跑了出去，發(fā)現(xiàn)她丈夫正躺在墻角，一邊呻吟一邊歎息，因為他的一條腿給摔斷了。

　　執(zhí)事的太太把他背回了家，隨后跑去見小伙子的父親，對著他大喊大叫：「你的那個小子闖下了大禍。他把我丈夫從鐘樓的樓梯上一把給推了下來，腿都摔斷了。把這個廢物從我們家領走吧?！?/p>

　　一聽這些，父親驚慌失措，風風火火地跑到執(zhí)事家，對著兒子破口大罵：「你一定是著了魔，竟干出這等混賬事來！」

　　「爸爸，」小伙子申辯說，「一點兒都不怪我呀。您聽我說：他深更半夜的站在那里，好像是來干壞事的。我哪里知道那是誰呀！我一連三次大聲地告訴他，要么答腔兒，要么走開?！?/p>

　　「唉！」父親說道，「你只會給我召災惹禍。你給我走得遠遠的，別讓我再見到你?！?/p>

　　「好吧，爸爸，」小伙子回答說，「可得等到天亮才成。天一亮，我就去學害怕。起碼我要學會養(yǎng)活自己的本事?！?/p>

　　「你想學啥就去學吧，」父親說道，「反正對我都是一回事。給你五十個銀幣，拿著闖蕩世界去吧。記著，跟誰也別說你是從哪兒出去的，你父親是誰。有你這樣一個兒子我臉都丟光了?！?/p>

　　「那好吧，爸爸，我就照您說的去做好啦?！剐』镒踊卮鹫f，「如果您不再提別的要求的話，這事太容易辦到啦?！?/p>

　　天亮了，小伙子把那五十個銀幣裝進衣袋里，從家中走出來，上了大路。他一邊走，一邊不停地自言自語：「我要是會害怕該多好??！我要是會害怕該多好??！」

　　過了不久，有一個人從后面趕了上來，聽見了小伙子自言自語時所說的話。他們一塊兒走了一段路程，來到了一個看得見絞架的地方，這個人對小伙子說：「你瞧！那邊有棵樹，樹上一共吊著七個強盜。你坐在樹下，等到天黑了，你準能學會害怕?！?/p>

　　「如果只要我做這個的話，那太容易啦。」小伙子回答說，「要是我真的這么快就學會了害怕，我這五十個銀幣就歸你啦。明天早晨你再來一趟?！?/p>

　　小伙子說完就朝絞架走去，然后坐在絞架的下面，等著夜幕的降臨。他坐在那里感到很冷，於是就生起了一堆火?？墒且拱腼L起，寒冷難耐，他雖然烤著火，還是感到很冷。寒風吹得吊著的死屍蕩來蕩去，相互碰撞。他心想，「我坐在火堆旁還感到挺冷的，那幾個可憐的傢伙吊在那里，該多冷呀?！剐』镒拥男哪c可真好：他搭起梯子，然后爬上去，解開了這些被絞死的強盜身上的繩索，再一個接一個地把他們放下來。接著他把火撥旺，吹了又吹，使火堆熊熊燃燒起來。然后他把他們抱過來，圍著火堆坐了一圈，讓他們暖暖身子?？墒沁@些傢伙坐在那里紋絲不動，甚至火燒著了他們的衣服，他們還是一動也不動。於是小伙子對他們說：「你們在干甚么？小心點??！要不我就把你們再吊上去?！箍墒沁@些被絞死的強盜根本聽不見他的話，他們仍然一聲不吭，讓自己的破衣爛衫被火燒著。

　　小伙子這下子可真生氣了，於是就說：「你們一點兒都不小心，我可幫不了你們啦，我才不愿意和你們一起讓火燒死呢?！拐f完，他又把他們一個接一個地全都吊了上去。然后，他在火堆旁坐了下來，不一會兒就睡著了。

　　第二天清早，那個人來到小伙子面前，想得到他的五十個銀幣。他對小伙子說：「喂，我想你現(xiàn)在知道什么是害怕了吧？」

　　「不知道哇，」小伙子回答說，「我怎樣才能知道呢？上邊吊著的那些可憐的傢伙，怎么都不開口，個個是傻瓜，身上就穿那么點兒破破爛爛的衣服，燒著了還不在乎?！?/p>

　　聽了這話，那個人心里就明白了，他是怎么也贏不到小伙子的五十個銀幣了，於是，他就走了，走的時候說道：「我活這么大歲數還從來沒有見到過這樣的人呢。」

　　小伙子又上了路，路上又開始嘀嘀咕咕地自言自語：「我要是會害怕該多好?。∥乙菚ε略摱嗪冒?！」

　　一個從后面趕上來的車伕聽見了小伙子的話，就問道：

　　「你是誰呀？」

　　「我不知道?！剐』镒哟鸬?。

　　車伕接著問道：「你打哪兒來呀？」

　　「我不知道?！?/p>

　　「你父親是誰？」

　　「這我可不能告訴你?！?/p>

　　「你一個勁兒地在嘀咕些啥呢？」

　　「咳，」小伙子回答說，「我想學會害怕，可沒誰能教會我。」

　　「別說蠢話啦，」車伕說道，「跟我走吧。我先給你找個住的地方?！?/p>

　　小伙子跟著車伕上了路，傍晚時分他們來到了一家小旅店，打定主意要在這兒過夜。他們進屋時，小伙子又高聲大嗓門地說了起來：「我要是會害怕該多好??！我要是會害怕該多好?。　?/p>

　　店主無意中聽到了這話，就大聲地笑了起來，然后說：

　　「你要是想這個的話，這里倒是有一個好機會呀?！?p#

　　「別再說了，」店主的太太說道，「有多少冒失鬼都在那里送了命啊。要是這個小伙子的那雙漂亮的眼睛，再也見不到陽光了，那多可惜呀?！?/p>

　　聽了店主太太的這番話，小伙子卻說：「我一定要學會，不管多么艱難，我都不在乎。正是為了這個我才從家里出來闖蕩的?！剐』镒铀览p著店主不放，店主只好告訴他：離小旅店不遠，有一座魔宮，誰要想知道害怕是怎么一回事，只要在那里呆三個夜晚就行了。國王已經許下諾言，誰愿意到魔宮里一試身手，就把公主許配給誰。那位公主啊，是天底下最最美麗的少女呢。在魔宮里，藏著大量的金銀財寶，由一群惡魔把守著。誰要是能得到這些金銀財寶，就是一個窮光蛋也會成為大富翁的。不少人冒險進到魔宮里去，可是都是有去無還。

　　第二天早晨，小伙子去見國王，他對國王說：「如果能得到您的允許，我很高興到魔宮里去守夜三天。」

　　國王對小伙子上下打量了一番，覺得他挺不錯的，就回答說：「你可以去，你還可以要三樣東西帶到魔宮里去，但必須是無生命的東西?！?/p>

　　「那么，」小伙子回答說，「我就要一把火、一個木匠工作臺，還要一臺帶刀的車床?！?/p>

　　國王吩咐把小伙子所要的東西在白天搬深到魔宮里去。黃昏時分，小伙子走進魔宮，在一個房間里生起了一堆熊熊燃燒的大火，把木匠工作臺和車刀放在火堆旁邊，自己則靠著車床坐下?！肝乙菚ε略摱嗪冒?！」他說道，「沒準在這兒我還是學不會害怕。」

　　快到半夜的時候，小伙子打算往火堆里添柴，好讓火燒得旺些。正當他使勁兒吹火的時候，突然聽到從房間的一個角落里傳來的叫聲：「喵兒，喵兒，我們好冷啊！」

　　「你們這幫笨蛋，」小伙子說道，「喵喵地叫喊個啥？要是真冷，就坐過來烤烤火?！?/p>

　　他話音剛落，就一下子跳過來兩只大黑貓，在他身旁坐下，一邊坐一只，瞪大眼睛惡狠狠地盯著他。過了一會兒，兩只黑貓烤暖和了，就對小伙子說：「伙計，咱們一起打牌怎么樣？」

　　「那敢情好，」小伙子回答說，「不過呀，得先讓我看看你們的爪子?！箖芍缓谪埞姘炎ψ由炝诉^來。

　　「哎呀呀，你們的指甲好長?。　剐』镒哟舐曊f道，「等一下，我來給你們剪一剪吧?！?/p>

　　小伙子說著就掐住它們的脖子，把它們放在木匠工作臺上，牢牢地夾住它們的爪子。然后他說：「我已經看過你們的爪子了，我不喜歡和你們打牌。」說完，他把兩只黑貓給打死了，扔到了外面的水池里。

　　可是，他剛剛收拾了這兩只黑貓，準備回到火邊坐下的時候，從房間的各個角落、各個洞穴又鉆出成群的黑貓和黑狗，還拖著燒得火紅的鏈子，而且越來越多，多得連小伙子藏身的地方都沒有了。這些黑貓黑狗尖叫著，聲音非常嚇人，接著它們在火堆上踩來踩去，把火堆上燃燒的柴火拖得到處都是，想將火弄滅。起先，小伙子一聲不吭地忍受著它們的惡作劇，可等到它們鬧得太不像話了，他一把抓起車刀來，大聲喝道：「都給我滾開，你們這幫流氓！」說著他就開始左劈右砍。有的貓狗逃之夭夭，沒逃掉的就被他砍死了，扔進了外面的水池里。

　　他回屋后，把余燼吹了又吹，使火重新熊熊燃燒起來，然后坐在火邊暖和暖和身子。他這樣做著坐著，眼睛漸漸地就睜不開了，他很想睡上一覺。他環(huán)顧四周，發(fā)現(xiàn)角落里有一張大床。「這正是我需要的東西?！顾f道，然后就躺了上去。誰知他剛要合眼，大床卻開始移動，接著在魔宮中到處滾動。

　　「接著滾，挺好的，」小伙子喊叫著說，「想滾多快都行啊?！乖捯魟偮?，大床就像有六匹馬拉著似的，上下翻騰，飛也似的向前滾動，越過一道道門檻，翻越一段段樓梯。忽然間，轟隆一聲巨響，大床翻了個個兒，來了一個底朝天，像一座大山一樣壓在了小伙子的身上?？尚』镒影汛矇|枕頭甚么的猛地一掀，就鉆了出來，然后說道：「現(xiàn)在誰想乘坐，就請便吧。」

　　說完他便躺在火堆旁，一覺睡到大天亮。

　　第二天早上，國王駕到。國王看見小伙子躺在地上，以為他喪生於鬼怪，確實死了，國王於是長吁短歎，說道：「多可惜?。《鄮浀男』镒影。　?/p>

　　小伙子聽到這話，一躍而起，說道：「還沒到這份兒上！」

　　國王見此情景又驚又喜，問他情況如何。

　　「很好，」小伙子回答說，「已經過去了一夜，另外兩夜也會過去的?！?/p>

　　小伙子回到旅店，店主驚得目瞪口呆。他對小伙子說：

　　「我以為再也見不到你了。你學會害怕了嗎？」

　　「還沒有呢，」小伙子回答說，「完全是白費力氣。要是有誰能教我學會害怕就好啦！」

　　第二天晚上，小伙子又走進古老的魔宮。他在火堆旁坐下來之后，又開始老調重彈：「我要是會害怕該多好啊！」

　　時近午夜，小伙子聽見一片嘈雜聲，由遠及近，越來越響，隨后又安靜了一小會兒，接著順著煙囪跌跌撞撞下來一個半截人，一步跨到小伙子的面前?！肝?，」小伙子說，「還得有半截才行，這成甚么樣子！」

　　說完，嘈雜聲又響了起來。隨著一陣喧囂，另半截身子也搖搖晃晃地落了下來?！傅纫坏?，」小伙子說，「我把火吹旺一點?！?/p>

　　當小伙子把火吹旺了，轉過頭來時，那兩個半截身子已經合在了一起，變成了一個面目猙獰可怕的傢伙，正端坐在小伙子的座位上。

　　「我可沒這個意思，」小伙子大聲地嚷嚷說，「那座位是我的?！?/p>

　　那個傢伙想把小伙子推開，可小伙子怎么會答應呢，一用勁兒把那傢伙推開，重又坐在自己的座位上。隨后，越來越多這樣的傢伙從煙囪落到地面，他們隨身帶著九根大骨頭和兩個骷髏，把骨頭立在地上就玩起了撞柱游戲。小伙子一見心里癢癢的，也想玩這種游戲，於是就問他們：「喂，算我一個好嗎？」

　　「好哇，」他們回答說，「有錢就來玩?！?/p>

　　「錢我有的是，」小伙子回答說，「不過你們的球不太圓?！?/p>

　　說完他就抓起骷髏，放在車床上把骷髏車圓了。

　　「圓啦，」小伙子喊叫著說，「這回就滾得更順溜啦。我們會玩得很痛快！」

　　小伙子和他們一塊兒玩了起來，結果輸了一些錢。說也奇怪，午夜十二點的鐘聲響起時，眼前的一切消失得無影無蹤。於是小伙子默默地躺下睡覺。

　　第三天晚上，小伙子又坐在工作臺上，心情煩躁地叨咕：

　　「我要是會害怕該多好??！」

　　話音剛落，突然走進來一個高大的男人，個頭比小伙子見過的任何人都高，樣子特別可怕。他已上了年紀，留著長長的白鬍子。

　　「嘿，淘氣鬼！」他吼叫道，「你馬上就學會害怕啦！你死到臨頭啦！」「沒那么容易吧，」小伙子回答說，「要我死，先得我答應?！?/p>

　　「我這就宰了你?！惯@個惡魔咆哮道。

　　「忙甚么，忙甚么，」小伙子對他說，「別盡吹牛皮。我覺得我和你的勁一樣大，或許比你的勁還要大?！?/p>

　　「那咱們較量較量?！估项^兒大叫道，「要是你比我勁大，我就放你走。過來，咱們比試比試吧?！?/p>

　　他領著小伙子穿過黑乎乎的通道，來到一座鐵匠爐前。老頭兒舉起一把斧頭，猛地一下，就把一個鐵砧砸進了地里。

　　「我會干得比這更漂亮?！剐』镒右贿呎f著一邊朝另一個鐵砧走過去。老頭兒站在一旁觀看，白花花的鬍子垂在胸前。小伙子一把抓起斧頭，一斧就把鐵砧劈成兩半，還把老頭兒的鬍子緊緊地楔了進去。

　　「這下我可逮住你啦，」小伙子大叫道，「是你死到臨頭啦！」

　　說著小伙子順手抓起一根鐵棍，對著老傢伙就亂打起來，打得他鬼哭狼嚎，央求小伙子住手，并告訴小伙子說，如果他住手，他會得到一大筆財富。於是小伙子將斧頭拔了出來，放開了老傢伙的長鬍子。

　　老頭兒領著小伙子回到魔宮，給他看了三只大箱子，箱子里裝滿了黃金?！敢幌浣o窮人，」他說道，「一箱給國王，另一箱就是你的了。」

　　正說著話的當兒，午夜十二點的鐘聲敲響了，這個老妖怪一下子就無影無蹤了，只剩下小伙子一個人站在黑夜之中。

　　「我自己能離開這個地方?！剐』镒诱f道，說完就開始在四周摸索，終於找到了回房間的路?；氐椒块g后，他就在火堆旁睡著了。

　　次日早上，國王再次駕到，問小伙子：「我想這回你終於學會害怕了吧？」

　　「沒有，真的沒有，」小伙子回答說，「害怕到底是怎么回事呢？來了一個白鬍子老頭兒，讓我看了好多金子，可他并沒告訴我害怕是怎么回事??！」

　　「好吧，」國王對小伙子說，「既然你解除了宮殿的魔法，你就娶我的女兒為妻吧?！?/p>

　　「那可真是太好啦。」小伙子回答說，「可我現(xiàn)在還是不明白害怕到底是怎么回事??！」

　　黃金被取出來后，就舉行了婚禮。小伙子非常愛他的妻子，感到生活無比幸福，可是他仍然不停地嘮叨：「我要是會害怕該多好啊！我要是會害怕該多好??！」對此他年輕的妻子終於惱火了，於是她的貼身丫環(huán)對她說，「我來想個辦法，準叫他學會害怕?！?/p>

　　說罷她來到流經花園的小溪邊，讓人把滿滿一桶蝦虎魚放到屋里，然后告訴她的女主人，等到她丈夫夜里熟睡時，把被子掀開，再把桶里的魚和水一古腦倒在他身上，這樣一來，蝦虎魚就會在他全身亂蹦亂跳。

　　果然小伙子一下子就驚醒了，大喊大叫：「我害怕！哎呀，哎呀！到底是甚么使我害怕的呀？親愛的，這下我可知道害怕是怎么回事啦！」