Gute Nacht Märchen - Jan Vettegraf

Today I'm going to tell you a fairy tale from the Netherlands with the title Jan Wittegraaf. Many, many years ago, a man from far away returned to his home country. Jan, that's what his name was, didn't know his way around. He had been away from home for so long. He wandered and wandered, and before he realized it, he had lost his way. Suddenly he was standing in front of a high mountain. He had to have lost his way, because in his home country there were no mountains far and wide. Jan felt lost. There was neither a house nor a human soul to be seen. In the west, the bright red ball of the sun sank. The evening came quickly over the country and Jan's stomach was growling, because he hadn't had anything to eat for hours. Into the deep darkness Jan tried to find a way to a house, but it seemed hopeless. Suddenly he heard a noise in the distance. It sounded like this, like this, like this. And Jan made a noise of joy. That could only be a spinning wheel. And where a spinning wheel snored, there had to be people. And there was definitely something to eat. He went forward in the direction from which the noise came and suddenly stood in front of a cave. In it sat the Spinner, a stone-old mother. It looked strange, because it had a very wide foot from the many steps of the spinning wheel and a long, protruding lower lip from the wet thread. When Jan entered, the mother looked surprised and asked, Where are you from? Since the world exists, you are the first person to enter my cave. What do you want here? I come from far away, said Jan, and am on my way to my home. I must have lost my way. I don't know myself at all now. Am I in the East, in the West, in the South or even in the North? And then I'm as hungry as a wolf. You can help him, said the Spinner. You can be my guest. Come here and sit down. Then she cut off a large slice of bread from him, smeared it thickly with butter and gave a large jug of wine to the hearty bite. When Jan had eaten and drunk, he felt like a new person. He became quick and funny and spoke eloquently with the old woman. Do you live here alone, mother soul? asked Jan. No, answered the mother. I live here with the four winds. These are my sons. The four winds are your sons? asked Jan surprised. I would like to get to know them. You can do that. Just wait a few more minutes. They'll be home soon. And really, after the first minute, something suddenly came up and roared. With him came such cold air that the tip of the nose immediately froze. This is my son, the North Wind, said the Spinner. He made a journey across the lake. Jan amazed the strong boy. He wore long hair that was wildly wavy. His face looked really haggard and his beard looked like pepper and salt and glittered with ice crystals. In the next few minutes, two more stormed in. They made such a whirl that the mother would have flown flat from her skirt. If it hadn't happened so quickly. Good day, mother, both called at the same time, although they came from opposite sides. Has our Spinner not arrived yet? The Spinner had to be the South Wind. Because the newcomers were the West Wind and the East Wind. The old woman had hardly asked her question. It got warm there, like in the middle of the hottest summer. And Jan began to yawn from fatigue. I'm so sleepy, he said to the mother. That smiled and answered. That's what the change does when my son, the South Wind, comes. He was already standing in front of them. He was a young, slim man. He wore a fluffy blonde beard, had long wavy hair and looked like a real prince in his green coat. Listen to me, my boy, said the mother. I don't like your fumbling at all. You have to be punctual like the others. But mother, don't be angry, answered the South Wind. You won't scold me if I tell you that I was very far away. Namely in the country where you don't die. Surprised, Jan heard these words. A country where you don't die? That's just as rare as the snow that burns. That's what he thought and looked at the South Wind in question. The youngest of the windmills, however, could read thoughts. You can get to know it, he promised. I'll move there again tomorrow, if you want to come with me. You are welcome to be my guest. But you have to do everything I say, otherwise you won't get there. Jan promised that with pleasure. The next morning, he was the first to find the feathers and heard the South Wind snoring in bed. Unsteadily, Jan walked up and down until the South Wind finally woke up from the steps and jumped up quickly. You really are an early riser, he said. Come on, we're about to break up. Here, I'll give you a fur hat. You have to put it on and always stay close to me, otherwise you'll get lost. And make sure that the hat doesn't fly off your head. Otherwise you'll fall into the depths and break your neck. I'll protect myself, Jan laughed and put the hat on his head. At the same moment he became invisible. He couldn't see himself. That was quite a strange feeling for him. But he didn't have time to think about it for a long time. The South Wind threw his green coat around, began to howl and... Whee! He died with Jan. They could have flown for hours. Then the South Wind pointed to a snow-white castle in the distance. It was so beautiful that Jan couldn't even imagine it in a dream. The king of the country lives there, in which you don't die. Let's fly to the castle, Jan asked. I would like to be able to see it up close. But gladly, said the South Wind, and they flew like swallows. Now the princess had just woken up and had opened the window. The South Wind rushed into the open window and took Jan with it. In the room, the South Wind whirled back and forth to find the way out again. Through the air duct, he threw all the princess's clothes at each other. And Jan, who didn't dare to wear his fur hat, suddenly stood in front of the princess as a mortal man. The South Wind couldn't help him and died. But the princess was happy to see a mortal man. A creature that came from there had to die. The two young men laughed and joked so loudly that the king heard and hurried over in amazement. When he heard of Jan's fate, he welcomed him as a guest. Jan lived as well as never before. It didn't take long before the princess and Jan fell in love with each other so much that they got married. And Jan decided to stay in the realm of immortality forever. But as it is, the longing for home cannot be suppressed. And so Jan came to the king one day and asked him to allow him to visit his old mother. The king looked at him seriously and asked, What do you want there? No living soul will know you anymore. You think you've only been with us for a year. But you've been living here for a long, long time. But Jan insisted on his request and the king didn't want to deny him the fulfillment. He gave him his best horse and warned him not to get off the horse when he said goodbye. Whatever may happen. It would be your loss, said the king. And we would have to mourn you. Don't worry, said Jan and rode away. When he came to his old home, he didn't recognize his village and the houses anymore. He rode to the mayor and had old and thick foliage copied. But it always said, There has never been a Jan Vettergraf here. An old official arrived, who was already half eaten by mice, in the cellar. He picked him up and look, there was Jan's baptism and birth name. But that was 700 years ago. The mayor became curious and invited Jan to dinner. But he thought of the king's warning and didn't get off the horse. He thanked and rode on, back to the realm of immortality. On the way, he saw an old, torn man lying under a rifle of broken wagons. The poor man moaned and complained to the stones. I want to help you, old man, said Jan. He got off the horse and freed the old man. As soon as he stood on his thin legs, he grabbed Jan by the neck and said, Now I finally have you. I had to ride all these wheels in two before I found you. You are mine. I am the dead. And Jan fell like a stone. He had lived 700 years and they had come to him like a year.