Reading time for children: 3 min
„Good-day, Father Hollenthe.“ – „Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie.“ – „May I be allowed to have your daughter?“ – „Oh, yes, if Mother Malcho (Milch-cow), Brother High-and-Mighty, Sister K“setraut, and fair Katrinelje are willing, you can have her.“
„Where is Mother Malcho, then?“ – „She is in the cow-house, milking the cow.“
„Good-day, Mother Malcho.“ – „Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie.“ – „May I be allowed to have your daughter?“ – „Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Brother High-and-Mighty, Sister K“setraut, and fair Katrinelje are willing, you can have her.“ – „Where is Brother High-and-Mighty, then?“ – „He is in the room chopping some wood.“ – „Good-day, Brother High-and-Mighty.“ – „Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie.“ – „May I be allowed to have your sister?“ – „Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Sister K“setraut, and fair Katrinelje are willing, you can have her.“ – „Where is Sister K“setraut, then?“ – „She is in the garden cutting cabbages.“ – „Good-day, sister K“setraut.“ – „Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie.“ – „May I be allowed to have your sister?“ – „Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Brother High-and-Mighty, and fair Katrinelje are willing, you may have her.“ – „Where is fair Katrinelje, then?“ – „She is in the room counting out her farthings.“ – „Good day, fair Katrinelje.“ – „Many thanks, Pif-paf-poltrie.“ – „Wilt thou be my bride?“ – „Oh, yes, if Father Hollenthe, Mother Malcho, Brother High-and-Mighty, and Sister K“setraut are willing, I am ready.“
„Fair Katrinelje, how much dowry do hast thou?“ – „Fourteen farthings in ready money, three and a half groschen owing to me, half a pound of dried apples, a handful of fried bread, and a handful of spices.
And many other things are mine,
Have I not a dowry fine? „Pif-paf-poltrie, what is thy trade? Art thou a tailor?“ – „Something better.“ – „A shoemaker?“ – „Something better.“ – „A husbandman?“ – „Something better.“ – „A joiner?“ – „Something better.“ – „A smith?“ – „Something better.“ – „A miller?“ – „Something better.“ – „Perhaps a broom-maker?“ – „Yes, that’s what I am, is it not a fine trade?“
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