DER DERWISCH UND DER ZERSCHLAGENE KRUG
by Friedrich Giese · from Türkische Märchen
Adapted Version
The Dervish was a good man. He lived a quiet life. A kind merchant lived near him. The merchant gave him food. He gave him oil. He gave him honey. He did this every day. The Dervish took the food.
The Dervish saved some food. He saved the oil. He saved the honey. He put it in a big pot. The pot got fuller. It got fuller every day. The pot was heavy now.
The Dervish looked at the pot. It was very full. He sat and thought. "I can sell this," he thought. "I will get money." He thought about this. He thought about what to do. This was a good idea.
"I will buy a sheep," he thought. "With the money." The sheep will have babies. Many, many babies. I will have many sheep. So many sheep! My sheep will grow big. I will be happy.
"I will be rich. I will marry a kind woman. We will have a family. We will have a nice home." He smiled. He liked this dream very much.
"We will have a son," he thought. "He will be a good boy. I will teach him much. He will learn a lot. He will be very clever." He will grow well. This made him happy.
"But what if?" he thought. "What if my son is naughty? What if he does not listen? He must listen to me." He thought. He did not like it.
The Dervish was deep in his dream. He held his stick. He held it up high. He wanted to show his son. "You must listen to me!" he thought. He waved his stick in the air.
The big pot was on a shelf. It was above his head. He waved his stick. He waved it hard. He forgot about the pot. But he hit the pot! He hit it by mistake. Oh no!
CRASH! The pot broke. All the oil fell down. All the honey fell down. It went on his head. It went on his beard. It covered his face. He was very sticky. He was very sad. His dream was gone.
Dreaming is good. Do not break real things.
Original Story
58. DER DERWISCH UND DER ZERSCHLAGENE KRUG
Ein frommer Mann lebte neben einem Kaufmann, der ihn in den Dingen dieses Lebens um Rat fragte. Der Kaufmann verkaufte Öl und Honig und gewann dabei sehr viel. Der fromme Mann widmete sich ganz dem Dienste Gottes. Deswegen schenkte der Kaufmann ihm in allem Glauben, hatte die Sorge für seinen Unterhalt übernommen und schickte ihm jeden Tag eine bestimmte Menge Öl und Honig. Der Derwisch gebrauchte davon etwas für seinen täglichen Unterhalt, den Rest sparte er sich auf. Im Lauf der Zeit sammelte er sich davon einen Krug an und kam auf den Gedanken, ihn mit Gewinn zu verkaufen. Als er ihn sich eines Tages ansah und in Gedanken versunken war, überlegte er, wieviel Maß Honig und Öl er wohl fasse. Er schätzte ihn auf zehn Maß und sagte: „Das Beste ist, daß ich ihn für zehn Dirhem verkaufe und mir für das Geld zehn Schafe kaufe. Diese werden nach sechs Monaten Junge bekommen und jedes wird zwei Lämmer haben. In einem Jahre werden es vierzig bis fünfzig sein und in zehn Jahren werden daraus Herden entstehen. Davon werde ich einige verkaufen und reich werden. Dann werde ich ein schönes junges Mädchen aus vornehmer Familie heiraten. Diese wird in neun Monaten mir einen Sohn, wie ein Engel, gebären. Nach einiger Zeit werde ich ihn in allen Wissenschaften und Künsten unterrichten. Wenn er dann heranwächst, kann es vorkommen, daß er nicht tut, was ich will. Dann werde ich ihn züchtigen, und zwar werde ich das mit diesem Stocke in meiner Hand tun.“ Er hob den Stock hoch und war so in seine Träumerei versunken, daß er seinen ungehorsamen Sohn vor sich zu haben glaubte, und schlug stark auf den Krug ein. Nun stand der Krug oben auf einem Brett, und er saß darunter. Als er auf den Krug einschlug, zerbrach dieser, und das Öl und der Honig floß ihm über Haar und Bart.
Story DNA
Moral
Do not count your chickens before they hatch, and do not let your imagination lead you to destroy what you already have.
Plot Summary
A pious dervish, supported by a merchant, saves excess oil and honey in a jug. He begins to fantasize about selling the jug, investing in sheep, becoming rich, marrying, and having a son. In his elaborate daydream, he imagines his son's disobedience and, raising his staff to strike the imaginary child, accidentally smashes the jug, spilling its contents all over himself and destroying his accumulated wealth.
Themes
Emotional Arc
contentment to foolishness to immediate regret
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This fable is a variant of a widespread motif, often attributed to 'The Barber's Tale of the Fifth Brother' in One Thousand and One Nights, or similar Indian fables. Friedrich Giese translated many Arabic and Persian tales into German.
Plot Beats (10)
- A pious dervish lives next to a wealthy merchant who supports him with daily oil and honey.
- The dervish saves the excess oil and honey in a large jug over time.
- He begins to daydream about the jug's value and how he could sell it for ten Dirhem.
- He imagines buying ten sheep with the money, which will multiply rapidly.
- He envisions becoming rich from the sheep and marrying a beautiful, noble woman.
- He dreams of having an angelic son and educating him in all sciences and arts.
- He then imagines his grown son being disobedient.
- Lost in his fantasy, he raises his staff to strike his imaginary son.
- He accidentally strikes the jug, which is placed on a shelf above him.
- The jug shatters, spilling all the oil and honey over his head and beard.
Characters
The Dervish
A man of moderate build, likely lean from a life of piety and simple living. His skin would be tanned from exposure to the sun, typical of someone living in a desert or arid region. He is not described as particularly tall or short.
Attire: Simple, unadorned robes made of coarse, natural fabric, possibly undyed or in muted earth tones, reflecting his ascetic lifestyle and devotion to God. He would likely wear a simple head covering, such as a turban or cap, consistent with a Dervish's attire in a Middle Eastern setting.
Wants: To serve God, to live a simple life, and eventually, to achieve worldly success and family life through his savings, albeit in his imagination.
Flaw: His vivid imagination and tendency to get lost in elaborate daydreams, leading to a disconnect from reality and impulsive actions.
He begins as a pious, frugal man saving his provisions. He then succumbs to an elaborate daydream of future wealth and family, which culminates in him accidentally destroying his savings, bringing him back to his original state, perhaps with a lesson learned about the perils of excessive daydreaming.
Pious, contemplative, imaginative, frugal, prone to daydreaming, easily lost in thought.
The Merchant
Likely a well-fed man of comfortable build, reflecting his prosperity. His height is not specified, but he would carry himself with the confidence of a successful businessman. His skin would be typical of a Middle Eastern man, possibly a bit lighter than the Dervish due to less outdoor exposure.
Attire: Rich, but not overly ostentatious, Middle Eastern merchant attire. Perhaps a flowing thobe or a tunic and trousers made of fine linen or light silk, in colors like deep blue, maroon, or olive green. He might wear a simple, well-made turban or a skullcap. His clothes would be clean and well-maintained, reflecting his success.
Wants: To succeed in his business, to seek counsel from the pious, and to support those he respects.
Flaw: Not explicitly stated, but perhaps a reliance on the Dervish for spiritual guidance.
Remains a static character, serving as a catalyst for the Dervish's situation by providing the provisions.
Generous, respectful, shrewd in business, trusting of the Dervish's piety.
Locations
The Derwisch's Simple Dwelling
A humble, sparsely furnished room, likely with whitewashed mud-brick walls and a simple woven mat on the floor, typical of a modest dwelling in a Middle Eastern town. A single wooden shelf or niche is built into the wall.
Mood: Quiet, contemplative, initially serene but becomes chaotic
The Derwisch daydreams about his future, culminating in him accidentally smashing the jug of oil and honey.