The Tale of Till Eulenspiegel

My last story was a devilish tale and ably demonstrated a moral tone that can be found in many a medieval Tale. The devil then, served to highlight the faults of others. But in that role he was not alone, for what the devil could do well, many a trickster could better. Indeed, the world over there are many examples of tricksters and trickster tales, but one of the best known in Europe was Till Eulenspiegel....

Till Eulenspiegel , from a 16th century manuscript

He was a trickster who traveled the land in disguise and delighted in his own wits. He was a con man, who stole from rich and poor alike but a person whose practical jokes however harsh serve to benefit mankind by exposing the vice, greed, foolishness and hypocrisy of others! He is said to based upon a real person who died about 1350, although his various tales don’t appear in extant print literature until 1515 in Germany. Prior to this the stories were most likely passed on orally; in songs and ballads and tales. And like many stories some of Till’s adventures are shared with other characters from other places and times. His name translates as Owl-Mirror or Owl-Glass and he is often depicted with an owl and mirror as above, although there are some that suggest in the original 'low German' his name translates as 'arse wipe'! Perhaps you should all read one of his tales and decide for yourselfs....

The Miracle Cure

One day Till Eulenspiegal came to a town disguised as a Doctor. A Dr of Physic who could cure any ill, be it sweating sickness, pestilence or the pox, Till assured one and all, all and one that he could cure them... At a price of course and he posted a large notice upon all the church doors of the town that said as much to all. Well all those who could read anyway.

Well its just so happens that the director of the local hospital heard of ‘Doctor’ Eulenspiegal's great skills at medicine and having many patients staying at his hospital and non of them seeming close to a cure he went to see Till and asked for his help. Till Eulenspiegal... Dr Eulenspiegal agreed… I’ll cure all your patients says he, be they sick with the sweat, the pestilence or the pox, I’ll cure them all… But at a price of course, and he made the director promise him 200 gilders, a fortune if he could cure them all. Indeed, says Till, If but one of your patients is not cured, then I won’t take a penny!

Well this seemed like a good deal and the director of the hospital agreed. And so it was Eulenspiegal went to the hospital and was given a small chamber in which to examine his patients and he set to seeing them one by one. He listened carefully to all that each one had to tell him, nodding sadly as each and every one told them their tales of woe. Of their foul fetid ulcerated legs and their fetid and foul boils. Boils upon their bellys, boils upon their backs and boils upon their... Boils everywhere! And Dr Eulenspigal listened patiently; he shook his head and tut, tut, tutted in all the right places, and he scribbled and scraped with a quill pen upon parchment.. But then at the end of each interview he drew the patient close by him… Listen carefully says he, for what I am about to tell you is a secret, I should not be telling you and for your own benefit you must tell no other. And each and every patient promised, they swore to Eulenspigal that they would not tell a soul! Good says he. Then know this. If I am to cure the lot of you then the only way I can do it is by burning one of your bodies and mixing the ashes into the medicine for all the rest of you to drink. If I am to cure you all then I need to pick the sickest one amongst you to burn!

Well, having told each and every one of the sick the very same thing Dr Eulenspiegal went out into the hall of the hospital and ordered a great fire be built and lit. And then summoning all the patients, Dr Till Eulenspiegal called out, Let he who is sickest amongst you step forward… But non stepped forward and so it was Eulenspiegal went from one to the next asking them one after the other if they were the most seriously ill, but all said they were not. Indeed, all agreed that were not sick at all; all agreed that they were cured, that they were as fit as fiddles! And even though some had not walked more than a few steps in many, many a year, all now ran as fast as they could from the hospital!

The patients were cured for a day or two at least and the director of the hospital was happy for a day or two at least... And Till Eulenspiegal? Well, he was even richer for many a day and more!

The End