martedì 30 dicembre 2014
mercoledì 3 dicembre 2014
mercoledì 12 novembre 2014
It's An Hot Media @Smartup Optima
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| It's An Hot Media - LAST22 @Smartup Optima Preview 15.11.2014 Corso Umberto I, 174 80138 Napoli |
Dal 17 Novembre 2014 al 02 Dicembre 2014
NAPOLI
LUOGO: Optima Italia S.p.A.
ENTI PROMOTORI:
Optima Italia S.p.A.
E-MAIL INFO: info@smartupoptima.com
SITO UFFICIALE: http://www.smartupoptima.com
COMUNICATO STAMPA: Ecco i 25 finalisti di Smartup Optima, il Premio di arte contemporanea, rivolto ad artisti under 40 promosso da Optima Italia S.p.A., multiutility italiana leader nella vendita di servizi integrati nei settori dell'energia e delle telecomunicazioni.
Fulvio Ambrosio, Libera Balzamo, Fabrizio Cicero, Chiara Coccorese, Giulio Delvè, Niccolò De Napoli, Ferdinando Di Maso, Danilo Donzelli, Giuseppe Fontanarosa, Gianni Gentile, Chiara Gini, LAST 22, Elisa Leonini, Pierpaolo Lista, Francesca Lolli, Andrea Marcoccia, Giacinto Occhionero, Luana Perilli, Angela Pimpinella, Paolo Puddu, Filippo Scaboro, Andrea Silva, Lamberto Teotino, Ciro Vitale, VOID, sono gli artisti selezionati dalla giuria tecnica, che esporranno dal 17 al 2 dicembre 2014 (dal lunedì al venerdì, dalle ore 10.00 alle ore 13.30 e dalle ore 14.30 alle ore 18.00) all'interno degli uffici di Optima Italia, che per l'occasione, si trasformerà in un vero e proprio spazio espositivo.
Tutti gli artisti sono stati chiamati a rappresentare, attraverso differenti tecniche quali pittura, scultura e new media, i temi inerenti all'universo Optima Italia prendendo spunto dalle parole chiave ENERGIA - COMUNICAZIONE - SEMPLIFICAZIONE DELLA VITA ― RELAX.
La proclamazione avrà luogo durante la giornata inaugurale di sabato 15 novembre. Il vincitore si aggiudicherà il premio in denaro del valore di 5.000,00 euro, assegnato dalla curatrice del Premio Alessandra Troncone, insieme a Giacomo Guidi (Direttore della galleria Giacomo Guidi), Olga Scotto di Vettimo (Critica d'arte), Massimiliano Tonelli (Direttore di Artribune), Bianco-Valente (Artisti), Antonio Pirpan (Brand Manager Optima Italia), Fabrizio Cappella (A.D. Arakne Communication).
Il premio visibilità invece va a Salvatore Spiezia. Secondo il giudizio della "giuria popolare" l'artista, con 8202 like, si è aggiudicato la possibilità di veicolare l'immagine della propria opera su alcuni dei principali network di comunicazione e informazione sia generalisti che di settore artistico. Alla sua prima edizione, Smartup Optima conta più di 600 opere in gara in soli 59 giorni di bando, numeri che confermano la voglia di arte e l'idea vincente di Optima Italia il cui primario obiettivo è offrire occasioni di crescita professionale.
Smartup Optima è un'Iniziativa frutto della voglia di sostenere le giovani leve dell'arte e, allo stesso tempo, premiare genio e talento. Nasce da una realtà imprenditoriale definita la "Google del meridione" per la sua filosofia smart e fuori dagli schemi. Fondata e costituita da giovani professionisti, Optima Italia è un'azienda solida, dinamica, che fonda il suo straordinario successo sulla forza del gruppo con l'obiettivo di migliorare e semplificare la vita di tutti. Il Premio Smartup Optima è infatti un'operazione culturale, ampia e strutturata che pone al centro la ricerca, la promozione e la valorizzazione della creatività comunicando con strumenti di facile accesso per tutti i partecipanti.
In occasione della mostra sarà presentato anche il catalogo ufficiale del Premio i cui proventi saranno interamente devoluti in beneficenza confermando, in tal modo, la specificità di Smartup Optima quale Progetto di più ampio respiro che individua nell'arte uno strumento irrinunciabile per lo sviluppo della collettività privo di vincoli sociali, culturali o economici.
venerdì 24 ottobre 2014
13x18
13x18
2.11.2014-8.12.2014
La Casa di Schiele
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| quarantaquattro artisti in trediciperdiciotto centimetri |
martedì 16 settembre 2014
Frantumi @Ricomincio dai Libri
Frantumi @Ricomincio dai libri
Fiera del Libro
San Giorgio a Cremano
21.09.2014
Use Your Confusion - Memorie ConFuse
USE YOUR CONFUSION
di Vincenzo Last22 D'Argenio e Marialaura Orlando
spot finalista di VideoVarietà 2014
- Benevento Città Spettacolo XXXV edizione -
Un muro, metafora di popolo, burocrazia e difficoltà.
Un uomo ostinato, provato e confuso, metafora delle discipline artistiche.
Si scontrano su uno spazio bianco, pronto a essere tela su cui poter modellare qualsiasi cosa. L'ostinazione lascia solo un segno, un segno di sangue.
Rossa passione, per il ricordo di un amore che sfida il tempo e lo spazio, giungendo ferito, senza mai arrendersi, alla XXXV edizione.
venerdì 1 agosto 2014
It's an Hot Media #SmartUpOptima
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| It's an Hot Media! - stencil tagliato a mano e light painting. Stampa digitale su forex. cm. 100x100. Opera finalista al concorso di arte contemporanea Smart Up Optima 2014. |
martedì 1 luglio 2014
Frantumi #3 Vetro - Gavrilo Princip
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| Gavrilo Princip
Frantumi #3 Vetro
[...] sul ponte stretto, alcuni bambini profumati, guance lisce, lanciavano pezzi di pane ai piccioni. I genitori poco discosti, li controllavano. Il motore monocilindrico di alcune Gräf&Stift in manovra rimbombava, riempiendo l’aria di sbuffi azzurrini di carburante, i riflessi dell’impero austro-ungarico. Un nutrito gruppo di uomini, poggiati al parapetto del ponte, guardava i nuovissimi veicoli con curiosità e ammirazione [...]
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domenica 29 giugno 2014
Frantumi #3 Vetro - Prefazione
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| Francesco Ferdinando e Sofia di Hohenberg - Sarajevo 28.06.1914 - Vidovdan |
Frantumi #3 Vetro - Prefazione
[…]un turbinio di materia vivente che finisce col perdere ogni singola forma, per non esserne schiava, per poter prendersi la libertà di trascenderla. Un districarsi in una giungla di contrari per far risuonare la loro armonia discorde, di eraclitea memoria, attraverso la musicalità delle parole. Sullo sfondo Sarajevo, città il cui fascino è tutto nelle contraddizioni, nel suo essere crocevia di culture, religioni e storie differenti[…]
Guido Bianchini
lunedì 23 giugno 2014
Frantumi #2 Schegge - François Coty
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| François Coty
Frantumi #2 Schegge
[...]il vento entra tiepido nella camera, agita i vestiti leggeri, leviga i corpi. Sai, Gilda, a Parigi ho conosciuto François Coty, ha uno strano sorriso, come se volesse sapere tutto di chi gli sta di fronte[...]
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domenica 22 giugno 2014
Frantumi #2 Schegge - Prefazione
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| Artiglieria italiana abbandonata, dopo lo sfondamento austro-ungarico a Caporetto.
Frantumi #2 Schegge - Prefazione
[…] qui, come nel “Deserto dei Tartari”, l’ambiente militare
è la culla d’attesa di un evento che potenzialmente scavalcherà lo steccato
della routine per passare nel territorio della storia delle umane gesta, oppure
non succederà e quella attesa sognante, come ne “Il sabato del villaggio” sarà
stato l’evento stesso […]
Ernesto Razzano
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lunedì 16 giugno 2014
Frantumi #1 Polvere - Laocoonte
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| Laocoonte |
[...] circondati dall’attesa della fine imminente, le loro vene pulsavano di amatolo e TNT. Nitrato di ammonio tra i denti [...]
venerdì 13 giugno 2014
Frantumi #1 Polvere - Prefazione
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| Napoli, Santa Chiara dopo i bombardamenti. |
Frantumi #1 Polvere - Prefazione
Scaraventare il lettore nel frastuono silenzioso di un bombardamento. Dipingere un momento storico con poche scene. Narrare il passato e riuscire ad essere istintivamente credibili. Mario Francesco Simeone non tenta neanche alla lontana di semplificare la costruzione del racconto, di ammorbidire la sintassi, di imboccare il lettore […]
Flavio Ignelzi
martedì 10 giugno 2014
Giubba dell'arciduca Francesco Ferdinando - Frantumi #3 Vetro
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| Giubba dell'arciduca Francesco Ferdinando perforata dai colpi, dopo l'attentato (1863-1914). Archivio centrale dello Stato. Album 18, negativo 1108 |
[...]il suo tight sembrava fuori posto in quel momento e in quella situazione. Incrostato di pigmento rosso e blu, le serate mondane erano scivolate sopra il tessuto, lasciando l’alone delle voci vellutate, degli sguardi compiacenti [...]
giovedì 5 giugno 2014
Revelli mod 14 - Frantumi #2 Schegge
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| Mitragliatrice Fiat-Revelli modello 1914 (1915-1920) |
Frantumi #2 Schegge
[...]le sue parole giocavano
sul piombo. Abiel beffardo mostro mi-
tologico, le gambe lunghe e robuste
incastrate nel treppiedi della mitra-
glia[...]
martedì 3 giugno 2014
U.N.P.A. - Frantumi #1 Polvere
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| Unione Nazionale Protezione Antiaerea (1934-1945)
Frantumi #1
Polvere
[...]i membri dell’UNPA correvano per le strade, topografia stravolta, tentando di coordinare gli interventi di soc- corso. Alti condomìni eviscerati, mo- stravano la carta da parati sporca, gli armadi senza ante senza pudore, i lampadari ancora ondeggianti[...] |
martedì 6 maggio 2014
What's going on
What’s going on – proiezione e tempera realizzata da Vincenzo D’Argenio-LAST22 allo showroom Pedicini, in occasione del festival Symbolum – è l’effetto incrinato del sogno americano.
Ozzie e Harriet abbracciano
il figlio David, sorridendo al mondo che li osserva. Capelli in piega, camicia
stirata e volti lisci, tutta la famiglia è in posa per la foto da incorniciare
e mettere sulla mensola del caminetto. Poco prima dello scatto, però, succede
qualcosa e l’immagine restituisce una sagoma vuota. Di David, sono rimasti solo
i contorni. Ozzie e Harriet dissimulano perfettamente il loro disagio, tentano ancora
di stringere la figura assente ma, tra loro, ormai, si è aperto il nulla.
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| What's Going On #3 |
The
adventures of Ozzie and Harriet è una sitcom
americana, basata sulla vita reale della famiglia Nelson e trasmessa in radio e
televisione dal 1952 al 1966. Riuscì a raggiungere un notevole successo e,
rapidamente, divenne il simbolo della tipica famiglia americana, bianca,
benestante e fiera delle stelle e delle strisce. Troppa perfezione, però, anche
per il mondo patinato trasmesso dalle antenne della ABC, considerando che, già
negli anni ’60, quegli ideali iniziavano ad apparire artificiosi. Erano i tempi
della contestazione giovanile, della guerra in Vietnam, delle lotte per i
diritti degli afroamericani, un nuovo mondo stava emergendo e Marvin Gaye si
chiedeva “cosa sta succedendo”. La serie fu cancellata e vani furono i
tentativi di cambiare ambientazioni e personaggi.
Il sogno americano è
una successione prefissata di immagini cristallizzate e rassicuranti. Le cose
occupano uno spazio ben definito, tutto deve rimanere al posto giusto, dal
taglio di capelli alle rughe d’espressione, dalla taglia della giacca alla
gradazione di bianco del sorriso. Ogni elemento non può che condurre al modello
unificante della famiglia felice e integrata, gerarchica e patriarcale,
rispettosa delle convenzioni imposte dalla cultura dominante e identificata con
i prodotti di rapido consumo. La dialettica è nullificata, il contrasto si
gioca solo sulla superficie illuminata e non lascia strascichi. In questo mondo
piatto, gli oggetti e le figure non hanno ombre.
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| What's Going On #2 |
In What’s going on, è stata compiuta un’operazione destrutturante. Nel
sogno americano, rappresentazione paradigmatica del benessere occidentale, si inserisce
un inquietante elemento di disturbo visivo e anche l’inviolabile patto di
eternità, incarnato nella prole, è destinato a sciogliersi. Le
caratterizzazioni del mondo degli adulti sono ridicolizzate, la cultura pronta
all’uso poggia la sua pretesa omologante su una vacuità che i vestiti, le mode
e gli atteggiamenti tentano di occultare. Allora, proprio il simbolo del nucleo
famigliare è attratto fatalmente verso il fondo che, con movimento opposto,
emerge e si insinua tra le salde braccia delle figure genitoriali, ritagliando
il suo posto illegittimo. Eppure, il sorriso è una smorfia acritica e perenne,
il dubbio, anche quello più atroce e messo a nudo, non riesce a scalfire la
sicurezza prefabbricata. Così, l’ombra bianca diventa presenza ingombrante e
paradossale, lo stereotipo rovesciato mostra la sua forma illogica.
Mario Francesco Simeone
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| What's Going On #1 |
venerdì 21 marzo 2014
#Grimmproject the video!
An iconic (re)interpretation of 13 Grimm Brothers fairy tales wheat pasted during my last Berlin's trip...
Music by:
Malvina Reynolds, Little Boxes
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.
And the people in the houses
All went to the university,
Where they were put in boxes
And they came out all the same,
And there's doctors and lawyers,
And business executives,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.
And they all play on the golf course
And drink their martinis dry,
And they all have pretty children
And the children go to school,
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university,
Where they are put in boxes
And they come out all the same.
And the boys go into business
And marry and raise a family
In boxes made of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.
giovedì 13 febbraio 2014
The golden key
* * * END * * *
The nail
At noon he rested in a town, and when he wanted to go farther the stable-boy brought out his horse and said, "A nail is wanting, sir, in the shoe of its left hind foot." - "Let it be wanting," answered the merchant; "the shoe will certainly stay on for the six miles I have still to go. I am in a hurry."
In the afternoon, when he once more alighted and had his horse fed, the stable-boy went into the room to him and said, "Sir, a shoe is missing from your horse's left hind foot. Shall I take him to the blacksmith?" - "Let it still be wanting," answered the man; "the horse can very well hold out for the couple of miles which remain. I am in haste."
He rode forth, but before long the horse began to limp. It had not limped long before it began to stumble, and it had not stumbled long before it fell down and broke its leg. The merchant was forced to leave the horse where it was, and unbuckle the trunk, take it on his back, and go home on foot. And there he did not arrive until quite late at night. "And that unlucky nail," said he to himself, "has caused all this disaster."
Hasten slowly.
* * * END * * *
The old beggar-woman
* * * END * * *
The beam
After some time the girl's wedding-day came, and she was decked out, and went in a great procession over the fields to the place where the church was. All at once she came to a stream which was very much swollen, and there was no bridge and no plank to cross it. Then the bride nimbly took her clothes up, and wanted to wade through it. And just as she was thus standing in the water, a man, and it was the enchanter, cried mockingly close beside her, "Aha! Where are thine eyes that thou takest that for water?" Then her eyes were opened, and she saw that she was standing with her clothes lifted up in the middle of a field that was blue with the flowers of blue flax. Then all the people saw it likewise, and chased her away with ridicule and laughter.
* * * END * * *
The old man made young again
* * * END * * *
The turnip
At length it was so enormous that by itself it filled a whole cart, and two oxen were required to draw it, and the farmer had not the least idea what he was to do with the turnip, or whether it would be a fortune to him or a misfortune. At last he thought, "If thou sellest it, what wilt thou get for it that is of any importance, and if thou eatest it thyself, why, the small turnips would do thee just as much good; it would be better to take it to the King, and make him a present of it."
So he placed it on a cart, harnessed two oxen, took it to the palace, and presented it to the King. "What strange thing is this?" said the King. "Many wonderful things have come before my eyes, but never such a monster as this! From what seed can this have sprung, or are you a luck-child and have met with it by chance?" - "Ah, no!" said the farmer, "no luck-child am I. I am a poor soldier, who because he could no longer support himself hung his soldier's coat on a nail and took to farming land. I have a brother who is rich and well known to you, Lord King, but I, because I have nothing, am forgotten by every one."
Then the King felt compassion for him, and said, "Thou shalt be raised from thy poverty, and shalt have such gifts from me that thou shalt be equal to thy rich brother." Then he bestowed on him much gold, and lands, and meadows, and herds, and made him immensely rich, so that the wealth of the other brother could not be compared with his. When the rich brother heard what the poor one had gained for himself with one single turnip, he envied him, and thought in every way how he also could get hold of a similar piece of luck. He would, however, set about it in a much wiser way, and took gold and horses and carried them to the King, and made certain the King would give him a much larger present in return. If his brother had got so much for one turnip, what would he not carry away with him in return for such beautiful things as these? The King accepted his present, and said he had nothing to give him in return that was more rare and excellent than the great turnip. So the rich man was obliged to put his brother's turnip in a cart and have it taken to his home. When there he did not know on whom to vent his rage and anger, until bad thoughts came to him, and he resolved to kill his brother. He hired murderers, who were to lie in ambush, and then he went to his brother and said, "Dear brother, I know of a hidden treasure, we will dig it up together, and divide it between us." The other agreed to this, and accompanied him without suspicion. While they were on their way, however, the murderers fell on him, bound him, and would have hanged him to a tree. But just as they were doing this, loud singing and the sound of a horse's feet were heard in the distance. On this their hearts were filled with terror, and they pushed their prisoner head first into the sack, hung it on a branch, and took to flight. He, however, worked up there until he had made a hole in the sack through which he could put his head. The man who was coming by was no other than a travelling student, a young fellow who rode on his way through the wood joyously singing his song. When he who was aloft saw that someone was passing below him, he cried, "Good day! You have come at a lucky time." The student looked round on every side, but did not know whence the voice came. At last he said, "Who calls me?" Then an answer came from the top of the tree, "Raise your eyes; here I sit aloft in the Sack of Wisdom. In a short time have I learnt great things; compared with this all schools are a jest; in a very short time I shall have learnt everything, and shall descend wiser than all other men. I understand the stars, and the signs of the Zodiac, and the tracks of the winds, the sand of the sea, the healing of illness, and the virtues of all herbs, birds, and stones. If you were once within it you would feel what noble things issue forth from the Sack of Knowledge."
The student, when he heard all this, was astonished, and said, "Blessed be the hour in which I have found thee! May not I also enter the sack for a while?" He who was above replied as if unwillingly, "For a short time I will let you get into it, if you reward me and give me good words; but you must wait an hour longer, for one thing remains which I must learn before I do it." When the student had waited a while he became impatient, and begged to be allowed to get in at once, his thirst for knowledge was so very great. So he who was above pretended at last to yield, and said, "In order that I may come forth from the house of knowledge you must let it down by the rope, and then you shall enter it." So the student let the sack down, untied it, and set him free, and then cried, "Now draw me up at once," and was about to get into the sack. "Halt!" said the other, "that won't do," and took him by the head and put him upside down into the sack, fastened it, and drew the disciple of wisdom up the tree by the rope. Then he swung him in the air and said, "How goes it with thee, my dear fellow? Behold, already thou feelest wisdom coming, and art gaining valuable experience. Keep perfectly quiet until thou becomest wiser." Thereupon he mounted the student's horse and rode away, but in an hour's time sent some one to let the student out again.
* * * END * * *
http://www.grimmstories.com/en/grimm_fairy-tales/the_turnip
Clever Grethel
It came to pass that the master one day said to her, "Grethel, there is a
guest coming this evening; prepare me two fowls very daintily." - "I
will see to it, master," answered Grethel. She killed two fowls, scalded
them, plucked them, put them on the spit, and towards evening set them before
the fire, that they might roast. The fowls began to turn brown, and were nearly
ready, but the guest had not yet arrived. Then Grethel called out to her
master, "If the guest does not come, I must take the fowls away from the
fire, but it will be a sin and a shame if they are not eaten directly, when
they are juiciest." The master said, "I will run myself, and fetch
the guest." When the master had turned his back, Grethel laid the spit
with the fowls on one side, and thought, "Standing so long by the fire
there, makes one hot and thirsty; who knows when they will come? Meanwhile, I
will run into the cellar, and take a drink." She ran down, set a jug,
said, "God bless it to thy use, Grethel," and took a good drink, and
took yet another hearty draught.
Then she went and put the fowls down again to the fire, basted them, and drove
the spit merrily round. But as the roast meat smelt so good, Grethel thought,
"Something might be wrong, it ought to be tasted!" She touched it
with her finger, and said, "Ah! how good fowls are! It certainly is a sin
and a shame that they are not eaten directly!" She ran to the window, to
see if the master was not coming with his guest, but she saw no one, and went
back to the fowls and thought, "One of the wings is burning! I had better
take it off and eat it." So she cut it off, ate it, and enjoyed it, and
when she had done, she thought, "the other must go down too, or else
master will observe that something is missing." When the two wings were
eaten, she went and looked for her master, and did not see him. It suddenly
occurred to her, "Who knows? They are perhaps not coming at all, and have
turned in somewhere." Then she said, "Hallo, Grethel, enjoy yourself,
one fowl has been cut into, take another drink, and eat it up entirely; when it
is eaten you will have some peace, why should God's good gifts be spoilt?"
So she ran into the cellar again, took an enormous drink and ate up the one
chicken in great glee. When one of the chickens was swallowed down, and still
her master did not come, Grethel looked at the other and said, "Where one
is, the other should be likewise, the two go together; what's right for the one
is right for the other; I think if I were to take another draught it would do
me no harm." So she took another hearty drink, and let the second chicken rejoin
the first.
While she was just in the best of the eating, her master came and cried, hurry
up, "Haste thee, Grethel, the guest is coming directly after me!" -
"Yes, sir, I will soon serve up," answered Grethel. Meantime the
master looked to see that the table was properly laid, and took the great
knife, wherewith he was going to carve the chickens, and sharpened it on the
steps. Presently the guest came, and knocked politely and courteously at the
house-door. Grethel ran, and looked to see who was there, and when she saw the
guest, she put her finger to her lips and said, "Hush! hush! get away as
quickly as you can, if my master catches you it will be the worse for you; he
certainly did ask you to supper, but his intention is to cut off your two ears.
Just listen how he is sharpening the knife for it!" The guest heard the
sharpening, and hurried down the steps again as fast as he could. Grethel was
not idle; she ran screaming to her master, and cried, "You have invited a
fine guest!" - "Eh, why, Grethel? What do you mean by that?" -
"Yes," said she, "he has taken the chickens which I was just
going to serve up, off the dish, and has run away with them!" -
"That's a nice trick!" said her master, and lamented the fine chickens.
"If he had but left me one, so that something remained for me to
eat." He called to him to stop, but the guest pretended not to hear. Then
he ran after him with the knife still in his hand, crying, "Just one, just
one," meaning that the guest should leave him just one chicken, and not
take both. The guest, however, thought no otherwise than that he was to give up
one of his ears, and ran as if fire were burning under him, in order to take
them both home with him.
* * * END * * *
The thief and his master
The father goes home again, and the son learns witchcraft and thieving,
thoroughly. When the year is out, the father is full of anxiety to know how he
is to contrive to recognize his son. As he is thus going about in his trouble,
he meets a little dwarf, who says, "Man, what ails you, that you are
always in such trouble?"
"Oh," says Hans, "a year ago I placed my son with a master-thief
who told me I was to come back when the year was out, and that if I then did
not know my son when I saw him, I was to pay two hundred thalers; but if I did
know him I was to pay nothing, and now I am afraid of not knowing him and can't
tell where I am to get the money." Then the dwarf tells him to take a
small basket of bread with him, and to stand beneath the chimney. "There
on the cross-beam is a basket, out of which a little bird is peeping, and that
is your son."
Hans goes thither, and throws a little basket full of black bread in front of
the basket with the bird in it, and the little bird comes out, and looks up.
"Hollo, my son, art thou here?" says the father, and the son is
delighted to see his father, but the master-thief says, "The devil must
have prompted you, or how could you have known your son?" - "Father,
let us go," said the youth.
Then the father and son set out homeward. On the way a carriage comes driving
by. Hereupon the son says to his father, "I will change myself into a
large greyhound, and then you can earn a great deal of money by me." Then
the gentleman calls from the carriage, "My man, will you sell your
dog?" - "Yes," says the father. "How much do you want for
it?" - "Thirty thalers." - "Eh, man, that is a great deal,
but as it is such a very fine dog I will have it." The gentleman takes it
into his carriage, but when they have driven a little farther the dog springs
out of the carriage through the window, and goes back to his father, and is no
longer a greyhound.
They go home together. Next day there is a fair in the neighboring town, so the
youth says to his father, "I will now change myself into a beautiful
horse, and you can sell me; but when you have sold me, you must take off my
bridle, or I cannot become a man again." Then the father goes with the
horse to the fair, and the master-thief comes and buys the horse for a hundred
thalers, but the father forgets, and does not take off the bridle. So the man
goes home with the horse, and puts it in the stable. When the maid crosses the
threshold, the horse says, "Take off my bridle, take off my bridle."
Then the maid stands still, and says, "What, canst thou speak?" So
she goes and takes the bridle off, and the horse becomes a sparrow, and flies
out at the door, and the wizard becomes a sparrow also, and flies after him.
Then they come together and cast lots, but the master loses, and betakes
himself to the water and is a fish. Then the youth also becomes a fish, and
they cast lots again, and the master loses. So the master changes himself into
a cock, and the youth becomes a fox, and bites the master's head off, and he
died and has remained dead to this day.
* * * END * * *
The Louse and the Flea
Then the little door began to creak. On this a little broom in the corner said:
"Why art thou creaking, little door?" – "Have I not reason to
creak?
The little louse has burnt herself,
The little flea is weeping."
So the little broom began to sweep frantically. Then a little cart passed by
and said: "Why art thou sweeping, little broom?" – "Have I not
reason to sweep?
The little louse has burnt herself,
The little flea is weeping,
The little door is creaking."
So the little cart said: "Then I will run," and began to run wildly.
Then said the ash-heap by which it ran: "Why art thou running so, little
cart?" – "Have I not reason to run?
The little louse has burnt herself,
The little flea is weeping,
The little door is creaking,
The little broom is sweeping."
The ash-heap said: "Then I will burn furiously," and began to burn in
clear flames. A little tree stood near the ash-heap and said: "Ash-heap,
why art thou burning?" – "Have I not reason to burn?
The little louse has burnt herself,
The little flea is weeping,
The little door is creaking,
The little broom is sweeping,
The little cart is running."
The little tree said: "Then I will shake myself," and began to shake
herself so that all her leaves fell off; a girl who came up with her
water-pitcher saw that, and said: "Little tree, why art thou shaking
thyself?" – "Have I not reason to shake myself?
The little louse has burnt herself,
The little flea is weeping,
The little door is creaking,
The little broom is sweeping,
The little cart is running,
The little ash-heap is burning."
On this the girl said: "Then I will break my little water-pitcher,"
and she broke her little water-pitcher. Then said the little spring from which
ran the water: "Girl, why art thou breaking thy water-jug?" –
"Have I not reason to break my water-jug?
The little louse has burnt herself,
The little flea is weeping,
The little door is creaking,
The little broom is sweeping,
The little cart is running,
The little ash-heap is burning,
The little tree is shaking itself."
"Oh, ho," said the spring, "then I will begin to flow," and
began to flow violently. And in the water everything was drowned, the girl, the
little tree, the little ash-heap, the little cart, the broom, the little door,
the little flea, the little louse, all together.
* * * END * * *
The singing bone
Now there lived in the country two brothers, sons of a poor man, who declared themselves willing to undertake the hazardous enterprise; the elder, who was crafty and shrewd, out of pride; the younger, who was innocent and simple, from a kind heart. The King said, "In order that you may be the more sure of finding the beast, you must go into the forest from opposite sides." So the elder went in on the west side, and the younger on the east. When the younger had gone a short way, a little man stepped up to him. He held in his hand a black spear and said, "I give you this spear because your heart is pure and good; with this you can boldly attack the wild boar, and it will do you no harm." He thanked the little man, shouldered the spear, and went on fearlessly. Before long he saw the beast, which rushed at him; but he held the spear towards it, and in its blind fury it ran so swiftly against it that its heart was cloven in twain. Then he took the monster on his back and went homewards with it to the King.
As he came out at the other side of the wood, there stood at the entrance a house where people were making merry with wine and dancing. His elder brother had gone in here, and, thinking that after all the boar would not run away from him, was going to drink until he felt brave. But when he saw his young brother coming out of the wood laden with his booty, his envious, evil heart gave him no peace. He called out to him, "Come in, dear brother, rest and refresh yourself with a cup of wine." The youth, who suspected no evil, went in and told him about the good little man who had given him the spear wherewith he had slain the boar.
The elder brother kept him there until the evening, and then they went away together, and when in the darkness they came to a bridge over a brook, the elder brother let the other go first; and when he was half-way across he gave him such a blow from behind that he fell down dead. He buried him beneath the bridge, took the boar, and carried it to the King, pretending that he had killed it; whereupon he obtained the King's daughter in marriage. And when his younger brother did not come back he said, "The boar must have killed him," and every one believed it.
But as nothing remains hidden from God, so this black deed also was to come to light. Years afterwards a shepherd was driving his herd across the bridge, and saw lying in the sand beneath, a snow-white little bone. He thought that it would make a good mouth-piece, so he clambered down, picked it up, and cut out of it a mouth-piece for his horn. But when he blew through it for the first time, to his great astonishment, the bone began of its own accord to sing:
"Ah, friend,
Thou blowest upon my bone!
Long have I lain beside the water;
My brother slew me for the boar,
And took for his wife
The King's young daughter."
Thou blowest upon my bone!
Long have I lain beside the water;
My brother slew me for the boar,
And took for his wife
The King's young daughter."
"What a wonderful horn!" said the shepherd;
"it sings by itself; I must take it to my lord the King." And when he
came with it to the King the horn again began to sing its little song. The King
understood it all, and caused the ground below the bridge to be dug up, and
then the whole skeleton of the murdered man came to light. The wicked brother
could not deny the deed, and was sewn up in a sack and drowned. But the bones
of the murdered man were laid to rest in a beautiful tomb in the churchyard.
* * * END * * *
The three snake-leaves
The King had a daughter who was very beautiful, but she was also very strange. She had made a vow to take no one as her lord and husband who did not promise to let himself be buried alive with her if she died first. "If he loves me with all his heart," said she, "of what use will life be to him afterwards?" On her side she would do the same, and if he died first, would go down to the grave with him. This strange oath had up to this time frightened away all wooers, but the youth became so charmed with her beauty that he cared for nothing, but asked her father for her. "But dost thou know what thou must promise?" said the King. "I must be buried with her," he replied, "if I outlive her, but my love is so great that I do not mind the danger." Then the King consented, and the wedding was solemnized with great splendour.
They lived now for a while happy and contented with each other, and then it befell that the young Queen was attacked by a severe illness, and no physician could save her. And as she lay there dead, the young King remembered what he had been obliged to promise, and was horrified at having to lie down alive in the grave, but there was no escape. The King had placed sentries at all the gates, and it was not possible to avoid his fate. When the day came when the corpse was to be buried, he was taken down into the royal vault with it and then the door was shut and bolted.
Near the coffin stood a table on which were four candles, four loaves of bread, and four bottles of wine, and when this provision came to an end, he would have to die of hunger. And now he sat there full of pain and grief, ate every day only a little piece of bread, drank only a mouthful of wine, and nevertheless saw death daily drawing nearer. Whilst he thus gazed before him, he saw a snake creep out of a corner of the vault and approach the dead body. And as he thought it came to gnaw at it, he drew his sword and said, "As long as I live, thou shalt not touch her," and hewed the snake in three pieces. After a time a second snake crept out of the hole, and when it saw the other lying dead and cut in pieces, it went back, but soon came again with three green leaves in its mouth. Then it took the three pieces of the snake, laid them together, as they ought to go, and placed one of the leaves on each wound. Immediately the severed parts joined themselves together, the snake moved, and became alive again, and both of them hastened away together. The leaves were left lying on the ground, and a desire came into the mind of the unhappy man who had been watching all this, to know if the wondrous power of the leaves which had brought the snake to life again, could not likewise be of service to a human being. So he picked up the leaves and laid one of them on the mouth of his dead wife, and the two others on her eyes. And hardly had he done this than the blood stirred in her veins, rose into her pale face, and coloured it again. Then she drew breath, opened her eyes, and said, "Ah, God, where am I?" - "Thou art with me, dear wife," he answered, and told her how everything had happened, and how he had brought her back again to life. Then he gave her some wine and bread, and when she had regained her strength, he raised her up and they went to the door and knocked, and called so loudly that the sentries heard it, and told the King. The King came down himself and opened the door, and there he found both strong and well, and rejoiced with them that now all sorrow was over. The young King, however, took the three snake-leaves with him, gave them to a servant and said, "Keep them for me carefully, and carry them constantly about thee; who knows in what trouble they may yet be of service to us!"
A change had, however, taken place in his wife; after she had been restored to life, it seemed as if all love for her husband had gone out of her heart. After some time, when he wanted to make a voyage over the sea, to visit his old father, and they had gone on board a ship, she forgot the great love and fidelity which he had shown her, and which had been the means of rescuing her from death, and conceived a wicked inclination for the skipper. And once when the young King lay there asleep, she called in the skipper and seized the sleeper by the head, and the skipper took him by the feet, and thus they threw him down into the sea. When the shameful deed was done, she said, "Now let us return home, and say that he died on the way. I will extol and praise thee so to my father that he will marry me to thee, and make thee the heir to his crown." But the faithful servant who had seen all that they did, unseen by them, unfastened a little boat from the ship, got into it, sailed after his master, and let the traitors go on their way. He fished up the dead body, and by the help of the three snake-leaves which he carried about with him, and laid on the eyes and mouth, he fortunately brought the young King back to life.
They both rowed with all their strength day and night, and their little boat flew so swiftly that they reached the old King before the others did. He was astonished when he saw them come alone, and asked what had happened to them. When he learnt the wickedness of his daughter he said, "I cannot believe that she has behaved so ill, but the truth will soon come to light," and bade both go into a secret chamber and keep themselves hidden from every one. Soon afterwards the great ship came sailing in, and the godless woman appeared before her father with a troubled countenance. He said, "Why dost thou come back alone? Where is thy husband?" - "Ah, dear father," she replied, "I come home again in great grief; during the voyage, my husband became suddenly ill and died, and if the good skipper had not given me his help, it would have gone ill with me. He was present at his death, and can tell you all." The King said, "I will make the dead alive again," and opened the chamber, and bade the two come out. When the woman saw her husband, she was thunderstruck, and fell on her knees and begged for mercy. The King said, "There is no mercy. He was ready to die with thee and restored thee to life again, but thou hast murdered him in his sleep, and shalt receive the reward that thou deservest." Then she was placed with her accomplice in a ship which had been pierced with holes, and sent out to sea, where they soon sank amid the waves.
* * * END * * *
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