There was once a cook named Grethel, who wore shoes with red rosettes. When she walked out, she turned herself this way and that, thinking, "You certainly are a pretty girl!" Upon returning home, in her gladness, she would drink a draught of wine. As wine excites a desire to eat, she tasted the best of whatever she was cooking until satisfied, saying, "The cook must know what the food is like."
One day, her master said, "Grethel, a guest is coming this evening; prepare two fowls very daintily." "I will see to it, master," answered Grethel. She prepared the fowls and set them to roast. As they browned and the guest had not arrived, Grethel called out, "If the guest does not come, I must take the fowls from the fire, but it will be a sin and a shame not to eat them at their juiciest." The master said he would fetch the guest himself.
Once he left, Grethel, feeling hot and thirsty from the fire, decided to take a drink in the cellar. She took a good, hearty draught. Returning, she basted the fowls. The smell was so enticing that she thought she ought to taste it. Finding it delicious, she lamented it going uneaten. Seeing no one coming, she worried a wing was burning and ate it. Then, to avoid suspicion, she ate the other wing.
Still, her master did not return. She thought perhaps the guest wasn't coming. "Hallo, Grethel," she said to herself, "enjoy yourself. One fowl has been cut into; take another drink and eat it entirely." She did so with great glee. Looking at the remaining fowl, she reasoned, "Where one is, the other should be likewise." After another hearty drink, she ate the second fowl as well.
Just as she finished, her master returned, urging, "Haste thee, Grethel, the guest is coming directly after me!" "Yes, sir, I will soon serve up," she answered. The master laid the table and began sharpening a great knife to carve the chickens. The guest arrived and knocked courteously. Grethel ran to the door, put her finger to her lips, and whispered, "Hush! Get away quickly! My master intends to cut off your ears. Listen to him sharpening the knife!"
The guest heard the sharpening and fled in terror. Grethel then ran screaming to her master, "You have invited a fine guest! He has taken the chickens and run away with them!"
"That's a nice trick!" lamented the master. "If he had but left me one to eat." He ran after the guest, knife in hand, crying, "Just one, just one!" meaning the guest should leave one chicken. The guest, however, believed he was to give up one of his ears, and ran as if fire were burning under him to keep both ears safe.