The Three Brothers

But the flute played of its own accord, and made this moan:

“Play, good master, play,

But steal not my heart away!

Me my brothers took and slew,

In the ditch my body threw,

For that hog shot down by me

That rooted up the tree.”

The nobleman then went on to the inn, and there he found the fool’s father. “Such a funny thing has happened to me,” said the nobleman. “I went and cut me out a flute from an elder-bush, and lo! it plays of its own accord!” Then the father took the flute and tried his hand at it, and it sang:

“Play, good daddy, play,

But don’t steal my heart away!

Me my brothers took and slew,

In the ditch my body threw,

For that hog shot down by me,

That rooted up the tree!”

The father was so astonished that he bought it, and took it home, and gave it to the mother for her to play upon it, and it sang:

“Play, good mammy, play,

But don’t steal my heart away!

Me my brothers took and slew,

In the ditch my body threw,

For that hog shot down by me,

That rooted up the tree!”

Then the father gave the flute to his brothers to play upon, but they wouldn’t. “Nay, but you must!” said their father. Then the younger brother took and played upon it:

“Play, my brother, play,

But don’t steal my heart away!

Me my brothers took and slew,

In the ditch my body threw,

For the hog shot down by me,

That rooted up the tree!”

Then the father gave the flute to the elder brother who had slain him, but he wouldn’t take it. “Take it and play upon it!” roared his father at him. Then he took it and played:

“Play, my brother, play,

But don’t steal my heart away!

’Twas thou who didst me slay,

And stowed my corpse away,

For the hog shot down by me,

That rooted up the tree!”

“Then it was thou who didst slay him?” cried the father. What could the elder brother do but confess it! Then they dug the dead man up, and buried him in the cemetery; but they tied the elder brother to a wild horse, which scattered his bones about the endless steppe.

But I was there, and drank wine and mead till my beard was wet.