The three workers

 The three workers

Author: Brothers Grimm

Ages: From 8 years

Values: commitment, loyalty, justice

Once upon a time there were three colleagues who had agreed to travel the world together and always work in the same city. A time came when their employers hardly paid them anything, so they found themselves at the end of their resources and did not know what to live on.

Said one:

"How will we manage?" It is not possible to continue here any longer. We have to leave, and if we don't find work in the next city, we'll make an agreement with the guildmaster so that everyone writes to him telling him where he's staying; so we can separate with the certainty that we will have news of each other.

The others agreed that this was the best solution, and they set off. Shortly afterwards they met a very well dressed man, who asked who they were.

We are workers looking for work. Until now we have lived together, but if we cannot find accommodation for the three of us, we will separate.

"There's no need to be in a hurry about that," the man said. If you do what I tell you, you will not lack work or money. You will even become great characters, and you will go by car.

One answered:

—We are willing to do it, as long as it is neither a crime nor a sin.

"No," replied the stranger.

But one of the boys had looked at her feet and noticed that she had one of a horse and another of a man, so she didn't want to know anything about him. But the stranger that he was none other than the devil, said:

“Be calm. I am not going to hunt for your souls, but for another that is already mine in large part, and all that remains is for me to fill the measure.

Given this security they accepted the offer, and the devil explained to them what he wanted from them. The first would always answer all questions in this way: "All three"; the second: "For money," and the last: "It was fair." They had to repeat them always in the same order, refraining from pronouncing any more words. And if they violated the mandate, they would immediately be left without money, while if they complied with it, their pockets would always be full.

For the time being he gave them all the money they could carry, and he ordered them to go to a certain inn, the address of which he gave them, when they arrived in the city.

They did so, and the innkeeper came out to greet them, asking them:

-You want to eat?

The first replied:

-The three.

"Of course," replied the man; I already guessed. And the second added:

-For money.

-Naturally! exclaimed the owner.

And the third said:

“And it was fair.

"Of course it's fair!" said the innkeeper.

When they finished and it was time to pay the bill, the first one said:

-The three

"For money," added the second.

"And it was fair," finished the third.

"Of course it's fair," said the owner; All three pay, and without money I can't give anything.

They paid him more than he asked for, and seeing him, the other guests exclaimed:

“Those guys must be crazy.

"Yes, they are," said the innkeeper; They are missing a screw.

In this way they remained several days in the inn, without pronouncing more words than: "All three," - "For money," - "It was fair." But they saw and knew what was happening there.

Behold, one day a great merchant arrived with a lot of money, and said to the owner:

—Lord innkeeper, keep this amount for me, because there are three workers there who seem very strange to me, and I fear they will rob me.

The innkeeper took the traveler's suitcase to his room, and found that it was full of gold. He then assigned the three companions a room on the ground floor, and accommodated the merchant in one upstairs.

At midnight, when he saw that everyone was asleep, he entered the merchant's room with his wife and murdered him. Once the crime was committed, they both went to bed.

The following morning there was a great commotion at the inn, when the dead merchant's body was found in his bed, covered in blood. The owner told all the guests, who had gathered at the scene of the crime:

"This is the work of those three bizarre workmen."

The owner sent for them and asked:

"Did you kill the merchant?"

"All three," replied the first.

"For money," added the second.

"And it was fair," said the last.

"You heard him," the innkeeper said. They confess it themselves.

They were taken to prison to stand trial. Seeing that the thing was serious, they became afraid. But that night the devil appeared to them and said:

"Hold on another day and don't spoil your luck." They won't touch a hair on your head.

The next morning they appeared in court, and the judge proceeded to cross-examination:

Are you the murderers?

-The three

"Why did you kill the merchant?"

-For money.

— Scoundrels! exclaimed the judge. And have you not recoiled from crime?

-It was fair.

"They've confessed and they're still stubborn," the judge said. Let them be executed immediately.

They were led to the place of execution, and the innkeeper was among the spectators. When the executioner's assistants had raised them to the scaffold, where the executioner waited with his sword drawn, suddenly a coach appeared, drawn by four chestnut horses, driven at full gallop. And, from the window, a character, wrapped in a white cape, was making signs.

The executioner said:

—The pardon arrives.

And, indeed, from the car they shouted: "Grace, grace!"

The devil jumped out of the car, in the guise of a noble knight, and said:

“All three of you are innocent. You can talk now. Say what you have seen and heard. And then the elder said:

"We didn't kill the merchant." The culprit is among the spectators - and pointed to the innkeeper -. And as proof of this, let them go to the cellar of his house, where they will find many other victims.

The bailiffs were sent to verify the truth of the accusation, and when they had communicated it to the judge, he ordered that the criminal be beheaded.

Then the devil said to the three companions.

"Now I have the soul I wanted." You are free, and with money for your whole life.

The next morning they appeared in court, and the judge proceeded to cross-examination:

Are you the murderers?

-The three

"Why did you kill the merchant?"

-For money.

— Scoundrels! exclaimed the judge. And have you not recoiled from crime?

-It was fair.

"They've confessed and they're still stubborn," the judge said. Let them be executed immediately.

They were led to the place of execution, and the innkeeper was among the spectators. When the executioner's assistants had raised them to the scaffold, where the executioner waited with his sword drawn, suddenly a coach appeared, drawn by four chestnut horses, driven at full gallop. And, from the window, a character, wrapped in a white cape, was making signs.

The executioner said:

—The pardon arrives.

And, indeed, from the car they shouted: "Grace, grace!"

The devil jumped out of the car, in the guise of a noble knight, and said:

“All three of you are innocent. You can talk now. Say what you have seen and heard. And then the elder said:

"We didn't kill the merchant." The culprit is among the spectators - and pointed to the innkeeper -. And as proof of this, let them go to the cellar of his house, where they will find many other victims.

The bailiffs were sent to verify the truth of the accusation, and when they had communicated it to the judge, he ordered that the criminal be beheaded.

Then the devil said to the three companions.

"Now I have the soul I wanted." You are free, and with money for your whole life.