It was easy to say that now, for they all thought that Amrei had brought with her a considerable fortune in cash.

In Allgau they talked for years of the wonderful way in which young Farmer Landfried had brought home his wife, and told how finely he and his wife had danced together at their wedding, and especially did they praise a waltz called “Silverstep,” the music for which they got from the lowlands.

And Damie?—­he is one of the most noted shepherds in Allgau, and has, moreover, a lofty name, for he is known in the country as “Vulture Damie.”  Why?  Because Damie has destroyed the nests of two dangerous vultures, and thus avenged himself on them for twice having stolen young lambs from him.  If it were the custom to dub men knights nowadays, he would be called “Damian of Vulturescraig.”  Moreover, the male side of the Josenhanses of Vulturescraig will die with him, for he is still a bachelor.  But he is a good uncle—­better than the one in America.  When the cattle are brought in at the end of the summer, he has many stories to tell his sister’s children, on winter nights, about life in America, about Coaly Matthew in Mossbrook Wood, and about shepherds’ adventures in the mountains of Allgau.  In particular, he knows a number of funny stories to tell about a cow which he calls his “herd-cow,” and which wears a deep-sounding bell.

And Damie said once to his sister: 

“Dame”—­for that is what he always calls her—­“Dame, your oldest boy takes after you, and uses just such words as you used to.  What do you think?—­the boy said to me today:  ’Uncle, your herd-cow is your heart-cow too, isn’t she?’ Yes, the boy is just on your pattern.”

Farmer John wanted to have his first little daughter christened “Barefoot,” but it is no longer permissible to create names out of incidents in daily life.  The name was not accepted in the church register, so that John had the child named “Barbara.”  But, on his own authority, he has changed that name to “Barefoot.”

* * * * *

JEREMIAS GOTTHELF

* * * * *

ULI, THE FARMHAND

TRANSLATIONS AND SYNOPSES

BY BAYARD QUINCY MORGAN, PH.D.

Instructor in German, University of Wisconsin

CHAPTER I

A MASTER AWAKES; A SERVANT IS AROUSED

A dark night lay upon the earth; still darker was the place where a subdued voice repeatedly called, “Johannes.”  It was a tiny chamber in a large farmhouse; the voice came from the great bed which almost filled the further end of the room.  In it lay a farmer and his wife, and to him the latter cried “Johannes” until he presently began to grumble and finally to ask, “What do you want?  What is it?”

“You’ll have to get up and fodder the stock.  It’s after half-past four, and Uli didn’t get home till after two and fell downstairs at that when he tried to get into his room.  I should think you’d have waked up, he made such a noise.  He was drunk, and now he won’t want to get up; and anyhow I’d rather he wouldn’t take a lantern into the stable while he’s tipsy.”