Then the father straightway replied, with eagerness speaking:—­
“Sensible is your opinion, and true is also the story
Which you have told us, good mother, for so did ev’rything happen. 
But what is better is better.  ’Tis not the fortune of all men
All their life and existence to find decided beforehand;
All are not doom’d to such troubles as we and others have suffer’d. 
O, how happy is he whose careful father and mother
Have a house ready to give him, which he can successfully manage! 
All beginnings are hard, and most so the landlords profession. 
Numberless things a man must have, and ev’rything daily
Dearer becomes, so he needs to scrape together more money. 
So I am hoping that you, dear Hermann, will shortly be bringing
Home to us a bride possessing an excellent dowry,
For a worthy husband deserves a girl who is wealthy,
And ’tis a capital thing for the wish’d-for wife to bring with her
Plenty of suitable articles stow’d in her baskets and boxes. 
Not in vain for years does the mother prepare for her daughter
Stocks of all kinds of linen, both finest and strongest in texture;
Not in vain do god-parents give them presents of silver,
Or the father lay by in his desk a few pieces of money. 
For she hereafter will gladden, with all her goods and possessions,
That happy youth who is destined from out of all others to choose her. 
Yes!  I know how pleasant it makes a house for a young wife,
When she finds her own property placed in the rooms and the kitchen,
And when she herself has cover’d the bed and the table. 
Only well-to-do brides should be seen in a house, I consider,
For a poor one is sure at last to be scorn’d by her husband,
And he’ll deem her a jade who as jade first appear’d with her bundle. 
Men are always unjust, but moments of love are but transient. 
Yes, my Hermann, you greatly would cheer the old age of your father
If you soon would bring home a daughter-in-law to console me,
Out of the neighbourhood too,—­yes, out of yon dwelling, the green one! 
Rich is the man, in truth his trade and his manufactures
Make him daily richer, for when does a merchant not prosper? 
He has only three daughters; the whole of his wealth they’ll inherit. 
True the eldest’s already engaged; but then there’s the second,
And the third, who still (not for long) may be had for the asking. 
Had I been in your place, I should not till this time have waited;
Bring home one of the girls, as I brought your mother before you.

Then, with modesty, answer’d the son his impetuous father
“Truly my wish was, like yours, to marry one of the daughters
Of our neighbour.  We all, in fact, were brought up together,
Sported in youthful days near the fountain adjoining the market,
And from the rudeness of boys I often managed to save them. 
But those days have long pass’d the maidens grew up, and with reason