The Three Apprentices

Once upon a time there were three apprentices. They had agreed to always travel together and work in the same town. But one day their masters had no more work for them. They were soon in rags and had nothing to eat. Then one of them said, "What shall we do?

We cannot stay here any longer. Let us travel once more. If we do not find any work in the next town, we will make a deal with the innkeeper there. We will write and tell him where we are, so we can always have news of each other.

Then we will go our separate ways." The others thought this was a good idea.

They set off. On the road they met a richly dressed man. He asked who they were. "We are apprentices looking for work. Until now we have stayed together, but if we cannot find anything, we will separate." "There is no need for that," said the man.

"If you do what I tell you, you shall never want for gold or work. You will become great lords and ride in carriages!" One of them said, "As long as our souls and salvation are not in danger, we will do it." "They will not," replied the man.

"I have no claim on you." But one of the others looked at the man's feet. He saw a horse's hoof and a man's foot. He did not want anything to do with him. The Devil, for that is who he was, said, "Don't worry.

I have no designs on you, but on another soul that is already half mine, and whose time will soon be up." Now the apprentices felt safe, so they agreed. The Devil told them what he wanted.

The first was to answer every question with "All three of us." The second was to say "For money." The third was to say "And quite right too!" They were to say these words one after the other and nothing else. If they broke this rule, all their money would disappear.

But as long as they obeyed, their pockets would always be full. To start them off, he gave them as much money as they could carry. He told them to go to a certain inn when they reached the town.

They went to the inn. The innkeeper came to meet them and asked if they wanted something to eat. The first replied, "All three of us." "Yes," said the host, "that is what I mean." The second said, "For money." "Of course," said the host. The third said, "And quite right too!" "Certainly it is right," said the host.

Good food and drink were brought to them. They were well looked after. After the meal came the bill. The innkeeper gave it to the first, who said, "All three of us." The second said, "For money." The third said, "And quite right too!" "Indeed it is right," said the host. "All three must pay. Without money I can give nothing." But they paid even more than he asked. The other guests watched and said, "These people must be mad." "Yes, indeed they are," said the host. "They are not very wise."

They stayed in the inn for some time. They said nothing else but "All three of us," "For money," and "And quite right too!" But they saw and knew everything that happened. One day a rich merchant came with a large sum of money.

He said to the host, "Sir, take care of my money for me. Those three crazy apprentices might steal it." The host took the money. As he carried the trunk into his room, he felt it was heavy with gold.

So he gave the three apprentices a room downstairs, while the merchant had a separate room upstairs. At midnight, when the host thought everyone was asleep, he and his wife came with an axe and struck the merchant dead. After the murder, they went back to bed.

In the morning there was a great outcry. The merchant lay dead in his bed, covered in blood. All the guests ran to see. The host said, "The three crazy apprentices have done this." The other guests agreed: "It can be no one else." The host called the apprentices and asked, "Did you kill the merchant?" "All three of us," said the first.

"For money," said the second. "And quite right too!" said the third. "There, you hear," said the host. "They confess themselves." So they were taken to prison and were to be tried. When they saw things were serious, they became afraid.

But at night the Devil came and said, "Bear it just one day longer. Do not throw away your luck. Not one hair of your head shall be hurt."

The next morning they were led before the judge. The judge asked, "Are you the murderers?" "All three of us." "Why did you kill the merchant?" "For money." "You wicked wretches, have you no horror of your sins?" "And quite right too!" "They have confessed and are still stubborn," said the judge.

"Lead them to death at once." They were taken out. The host had to go with them into the circle. The executioner's men grabbed them and were about to lead them to the scaffold, where the headsman stood with a naked sword.

Suddenly a coach drawn by four blood-red chestnut horses came speeding up, sparks flying from the stones. Someone waved a white handkerchief from the window. The headsman said, "It is a pardon coming." "Pardon! Pardon!" called the carriage. Then the Devil stepped out, looking like a very noble gentleman in beautiful clothes.

He said, "You three are innocent. Now you may speak. Tell what you have seen and heard." The eldest apprentice said, "We did not kill the merchant. The murderer is standing there in the circle." He pointed to the innkeeper. "To prove it, go into his cellar.

There you will find many others he has killed, still hanging." The judge sent the executioner's men to the cellar. They found it was just as the apprentices had said. They told the judge. Then the judge had the innkeeper led up, and his head was cut off.

The Devil said to the three apprentices, "Now I have the soul I wanted. You are free, and you have money for the rest of your lives."