Mitz and Fritz of Germany

by Madeline Brandeis

  "That is the statue of Gutenberg (G[=oo]'t[)e]n-b[)e]rk), the inventorof printing," said Mitzi.

  Fritz could not help thinking, just then, of all the great men who havecome out of Germany. There was this Gutenberg, born here in Mainz. Therewas Professor Einstein ([=I]n'st[=i]n), the famous scientist, born inUlm. There was--

  MAINZ]

  "Fritz! Fritz!" His sister was stamping her foot and screaming until shewas almost purple in the face. "Will you listen?" she cried. "What areyou thinking of? Come now! Stop dreaming and play your violin!"

  THE GENERAL]

  Fritz had to laugh at her stern round face and her sharp command.

  He saluted and said, "Yes, yes, General! I obey."

  Then he took up his violin and began to play. Several people stopped tolisten. They smiled but passed on. Mitzi stood on one foot and then onthe other. Frank lay at her feet, wondering why they did not go on toexplore this strange new city. Fritz played and Mitz stood, and only afew people seemed to notice them. Among these was a gentleman who puthis hand into his pocket.

  "Catch!" he said to Mitzi, as he threw her a coin.

  After some time, Fritz grew tired and Mitzi discouraged.

  "Let us go and buy sausage with this coin," said Mitzi.

  She was not altogether pleased with the way things had worked out. But,anyway, she wanted to surprise her father with the small bit they hadbeen able to make.

  They turned to leave, when all at once they heard a whining sound behindthem. They looked around. Sitting upon the church steps was a beggar. Hewore ragged clothes and was a very old man. He held out his hand to Mitzand Fritz.

  He said, "I am a beggar and I am hungry. Will you give me your coin?"

  He looked miserable. Mitzi felt sorry for him. But still she thought ofher father's pleasure if she should return home with sausages.

  She thought how she would say to her father, "It was Fritz's music thatdid it."

  CATHEDRAL AT MAINZ]

  But Fritz was tugging at her sleeve.

  "Give it to him," said the boy. "See! He is very old."

  Mitzi put her hand into the pocket of her little apron and pulled outthe precious coin. She looked at it lovingly, then she threw it to theold man.

  "Come along, Fritz," she said.

  The children turned away and left a happy beggar behind.

  CHAPTER VII

  DOWN THE RHINE AND TROUBLES

  Mr. Toymaker felt almost jolly. He counted the money he had made andchuckled.

  "At last our luck has changed," he said. "I have really sold some toys.Now, let us go on. Let us wander down the Rhine and stop at friendlyfairs along the way."

  Mitzi was not so pleased with her day.

  "Still we shall not give up," she said to Fritz. "At the next large townyou must give another concert. Only we shall take care this time thatthere are no beggars about!"

  The family left Mainz and started along the shore of the most famousriver in all the world. England has her river Thames (T[)e]mz). Franceis proud of the Seine (S[=a]n). Italy loves the Tiber. Russia sings ofthe Volga. In Austria it is the Danube. But the River Rhine is dear toGermany.

  STOLZENFELS CASTLE ON THE RHINE]

  Castles on every hill have ancient legends. The Toymaker family gazedupon beautiful, vine-covered hillsides and villages where people live bythe making of wine. The Rhine land is a wine land. Some of the bestwines in the world come from here.

  Mitz and Fritz thought of the stories of Siegfried (S[=e]g'fr[=e]d),that great hero of Wagner's operas, "Siegfried" and "The Twilight of theGods." In the Rhine land Siegfried was born.

  They thought of Charlemagne (Shaer'l[+e]-m[=a]n), that mighty conqueror,who lies sleeping in this land. They thought of dragons, of buriedtreasure, of brave heroes, of secret caves. The Rhine country is full ofsuch thoughts.

  Then they came to Bingen (B[)i]n[=g]'[)e]n).

  "The Mouse Tower!" cried Mitzi.

  "Tell us the story, please, Mother!" said Fritz.

  The children had heard this tale many times. But never before had theyheard it told while they were looking at the old tower. It stood in thecenter of the river.

  THE MOUSE TOWER OF BINGEN ON THE RHINE]

  "Long ago," began Mrs. Toymaker, "there lived a cruel bishop. When thepoor people were starving, he bought all the grain in the land. He lockedit up in his barn. The hungry villagers came to steal the grain. Whilethey were in the barn, the bishop set fire to it.

  "He said, 'These people deserve to die. They are like mice stealing froma granary.'

  "But soon he was punished for his wickedness. One day thousands of micebroke into his tower and ate him up. That is why this is called theMouse Tower."

  Said Fritz, "He deserved to be eaten!"

  Said Mitz, "I wonder how a bishop would taste to a rat."

  "Mitz! Mitz!" laughed Mrs. Toymaker. "What strange ideas you have!"

  Yet Mrs. Toymaker could hardly guess what strange things Mitzi wasreally going to do. Even Fritz did not know. Indeed, Mitzi herself wasunaware of all that lay before her.

  The Toymakers traveled along the Rhine.

  They passed the beautiful rock of the Lorelei and Mrs. Toymakertold Mitz and Fritz the famous legend of the beautiful maiden who satupon the rock combing her golden hair. She sang and called to passingships, and her voice was so beautiful that fishermen and sailors triedto reach the rock but they were always dashed to pieces on the reefs atthe foot of the cliffs.

  THE ROCK OF THE LORELEI]

  Mitz and Fritz loved this story.

  The Toymakers stopped at one or two small towns. But Mr. Toymaker soldno toys. Again he grew worried. They passed happy people bathing in theriver. Gay bath-houses dot the shores. Bathers bake themselves in thesun and rest beside the river.

  "There is never any rest for me," sighed poor Mr. Toymaker.

  "Perhaps, when we reach Coblenz (k[=o]'bl[)e]nts), you will sell moretoys," said his wife.

  "When we reach Coblenz," murmured Mitzi to Fritz, "you are to giveanother concert."

  When they arrived in Coblenz, Mitzi said, "Come along, now, Fritz. Thisis our chance."

  A short time later, Mr. Toymaker looked about and could not find Fritzand Mitzi.

  "Where are the children?" he asked. "They are always running off."

  "They have gone to the town," answered Mrs. Toymaker.

  "I did not tell them they could go," said Mr. Toymaker. "What are theyup to? They should stay and help me with my work."

  THE JUNCTION OF THE RHINE AND MOSELLE RIVERS IN COBLENZ]

  "But they finished their work," said Mrs. Toymaker.

  Mr. Toymaker grunted. He would surely have grunted more angrily had heseen what his children were doing at that moment. Fritz was standing ina far corner of the market square, playing his violin. Mitzi wasstanding by his side.

  Coblenz is a city of manufacturing and similar industries. The fortressacross the river was occupied by American soldiers after the World War.Sometimes in a quiet city people are not much hurried. Therefore theygive heed to pleasant sounds. Coblenz has been a quiet city since thesoldiers left.

  Mitzi eagerly watched the passers-by. She smiled as Fritz played. Thelittle dog Frank wagged his tail happily. Then he fell asleep on thesidewalk.

  Soon a large number of people gathered. They stood listening.

  One said to another, "The boy plays well. He is a real musician."

  Several coins were thrown.

  "I am right!" thought Mitzi. Her heart pounded with delight. "Peoplewill pay to hear my Fritz's music. They will!"

  When the day was almost done, Fritz stopped playing. Mitzi showed himthe money they had made.

  "See," she said. "Enough coins to make even Father smile! Come. Let usgive them to Father. How pleased he will be!"

  "Now, perhaps, he will like my playing," said Fritz.

  They hurried toward their wagon, where they found Mr. Toymaker very muchannoyed.

  "Why did you run away and not tell
me where you were going?" hedemanded.

  Mitzi held out the money.

  "See, Father," she said. "See what Fritz's music has brought!"

  Mr. Toymaker looked at the coins in Mitzi's hand. Then he looked at thehappy face of the little girl. And then he turned to Fritz, who wassmiling at him.

  "You are a very naughty boy!" he said.

  The smile left Fritz's face. Mitzi caught her father's arm.

  "But, Father," she said. "You don't understand. Fritz did nothing wrong.He only played his violin when he had finished the work you gave him.He played in the town, and people threw coins because they liked hismusic."

  "SEE, FATHER!"]

  "What?" cried Mr. Toymaker. "Do you tell me that people paid to hear aboy scratching upon a fiddle? It is not true! Fritz has stolen thismoney!"

  "FRITZ HAS STOLEN THE MONEY!"]

  "Father!" gasped Fritz.

  His face had gone white. Mitzi's eyes became two round bowls.

  "Oh, Father, no!" she cried. "Fritz would never steal, and neither wouldI!"

  "Do not say another word," commanded Mr. Toymaker. "You cannot make mebelieve this story. A boy's fiddling cannot bring, in one day, moremoney than I can make in a week selling toys. No, you have stolen. And Iwill not have it."

  "THEY MUST OBEY!"]

  Mrs. Toymaker tried to make him believe Mitz and Fritz. But Mr. Toymakerwas very stubborn.

  "They are naughty children," he said to his wife. "Mitzi is always doingthings she should not do. It was she who put the boy up to it. They mustbe made to obey! Tonight they shall go to bed without any supper."

  Fritz cried himself to sleep that night. Mitzi tried to comfort him. Tobe accused of stealing! That was worse than having to go to bed withoutsupper.

  "We'll show Father, Fritz," Mitzi said bravely. "You'll see."

  Still her heart was heavy.

  "He will never believe me," said Fritz. "If only he would let me playfor him! And now he thinks that I am a thief!"

  Poor, honest little Fritz!

  CHAPTER VIII

  BONN AND BEETHOVEN

  "Please, Fritz, do not look so sad," pleaded Mitzi.

  They had arrived near the town of Bonn (B[+o]n) on the Rhine. In thedistance they could see the buildings of a large university.

  Fritz had not smiled since their terrible experience in Coblenz. Now,however, Mitzi hoped to cheer him.

  "See, Fritz," she said. "We are in the town of Beethoven(B[=a]'t[=o]-v[)e]n)."

  At the sound of this name Fritz's eyes brightened. Beethoven was one ofthe greatest musicians that ever lived.

  "I have asked Father to let us wander through the streets," said Mitzi."We may even go to the house where Beethoven was born.Come, Fritz."

  BONN]

  "DO NOT LOOK SO SAD"]

  The boy and girl started off together for the pretty little village.

  Later, Mr. and Mrs. Toymaker set off for the market place to sell theirwares.

  "I do wish you would listen to Fritz's playing," said Mrs. Toymaker, asthey walked along. "He has been so unhappy since that day you scoldedhim. Perhaps, after all, our son may be a real musician."

  "Say no more about that," growled Mr. Toymaker. "I'll have no idlemusicians in my family. Look at all the starving tune makers in theworld! They cannot even support themselves. No! Music is foolish!"

  "But," said Mrs. Toymaker, "you forget that Beethoven--"

  "He was different!" snapped Mr. Toymaker. "We cannot all be geniuses!"

  So what could poor Mrs. Toymaker say? Often the good lady had wonderedwhy it was that her husband wanted Fritz to make toys. Surely the makingof toys had not proved a happy trade for Mr. Toymaker! But it was verydifficult to argue with him, so his wife did not try.

  The children visited Beethoven's house. It is now a museum. In it aresuch relics as the musician's letters, his piano, and even his eartrumpets. For Beethoven became deaf. Imagine such a thing as a deafcomposer! Yet this wonderful man composed some of his most beautifulmusic even after he could not hear.

  BIRTHPLACE OF BEETHOVEN--BONN]

  "I have read many things about Beethoven," said Fritz to Mitzi. "But thepart I like to read about is when he was a boy."

  Then Fritz told his sister some of the things he had read: "One nightwhen Ludwig was asleep, his father came home and woke him up. He stoodat this very gate and called, 'Up, up, Ludwig, and play!' His fatherkept him at the piano all night long. Next day Ludwig was so tired thathe could not keep awake at school."

  "Why did his father do that?" asked Mitzi indignantly.

  "Because," answered Fritz, "he wanted Ludwig to be a great pianist andgive concerts."

  There is a statue of Beethoven in the main square of Bonn. In Germany astatue is called a "denkmal," which means a "think over." As Mitz andFritz looked upon this "think over," they thought over many things.

  "It seems strange," sighed Mitzi, "that Ludwig's father forced him toplay, while your father forbids you to."

  Fritz laughed.

  "You silly!" he said. "I am not Ludwig van Beethoven."

  Mitzi began to look like a fierce young lion. She really could lookthat way sometimes.

  "No," she said, "but you are Fritz! And you can play the violin morebeautifully than any other boy in the world."

  "Oh, Mitz, what are you saying?" laughed her brother.

  But Mitzi was firm.

  "One day we shall see," she said.

  Mr. Toymaker sold enough toys that day to buy dinner. Next day thefamily started off again along the Rhine.

  Then, after many long days of traveling, the Toymakers at last reachedthe town of Hamelin. This is the scene of the Pied Piper tale. It iswhere something remarkable is supposed to have happened to childrenyears and years ago. Hamelin is also the place where something reallydid happen to Mitzi.

  CHAPTER IX

  MITZI IN HAMELIN

  Mitz was not Mitz today. She was the Pied Piper of Hamelin! She hadstarted off for a walk through the town. With her was Frank, the longdog, and an equally long sausage. She had asked her mother's permissionto go.

  Mrs. Toymaker had said, "Yes, you may go. But be sure to come homeearly."

  Fritz stayed with his father, helping him to paint some toys and torepair others. They were getting ready for a fair in Hanover, a city notfar away.

  So Mitzi wandered off alone--Mitz, Frank, and the sausage! They passedthrough an old gateway into Hamelin. What a storybook town it was!Every crooked house, every narrow street reminded Mitzi of the PiedPiper legend.

  THE RAT-CATCHER'S HOUSE--HAMELIN]

  She could almost see the funny, tall man playing on his pipes. She couldimagine the rats scampering after him. She could hear the voices of thechildren as they followed his music. For, when the Piper had charmed theterrible rats out of Hamelin, the people refused to pay him what theyhad promised. So the tall stranger piped the children away, in order topunish the ungrateful villagers.

  Robert Browning has written a poem about it.

  Hamelin is a quiet little town. Mitzi came upon an old fountain namedafter the rat catcher. She saw an inn called the Rat Jug. Altogether itwas too magical and story-like to be true. So Mitzi became the PiedPiper.

  PIPED UPON HER SAUSAGE]

  She began to lift her feet up high. She straightened out her plumplittle shoulders. Then she raised the sausage to her lips. But she didnot eat it. The sausage became her pipe. Marching along with Frank ather heels, she piped upon her sausage and lived the old story. A fewpeople looked at her and smiled.

  Through a narrow lane she went. It was the same lane through which thePiper had led the children. Even today it is unlawful to play a pipe inthis lane. But Mitzi's pipe could only be heard by Mitzi herself. Shefollowed the pathway out of town and upon a country road.

  The lines of the poem came to her mind:

  "And to Koppelberg Hill his steps addressed, And after him the children pressed."

  She led her make-believe children up the mo
untain side--a long line ofchildren, but really, only a long dog! They reached a cave in thehillside. The sun beat down upon them and the little dog's tongue sweptthe ground. This was not strange, since Frank was so close to theground, anyway.

  BEGAN TO EAT HER PIPE]

  Mitzi sat down upon a rock and began to eat her pipe. She was still in aland of other things. She could still see the mass of children flockingafter the sweet music. She could hear their laughter as they tumbledinto the cave.

  And then it happened! Real music! It was coming closer. A tall figureappeared over the hill.

  "His queer long coat from heel to head Was half of yellow and half of red, And he himself was tall and thin, With sharp blue eyes, each like a pin."

  He stood before Mitzi and stopped playing on his pipe.

  He said, "Why are you not in the cave, Mitzi? Go into the cave with theother children."

  "I must go home to Mother and Father and Fritz," said Mitzi. "It growslate. See! The sun is sinking."

  Indeed, it had become darker, and there was a chill in the air.

  "Go into the cave, Mitzi," repeated the tall stranger quietly.

  Then he began to play the sweetest music that Mitzi had ever heard. Hewalked into the cave, prancing as he walked. Mitzi got up. She wanted torun home, but she could not. She could only follow the Piper into thecave.

  Now, at the toy maker's wagon the family began to worry. It was almostdark, and Mitzi had not come home.