English Original
A disbanded soldier, with nothing to live on, went into the forest. There he met a little man who was the Devil.
The Devil asked, "What ails you? You seem sorrowful."
"I am hungry, but have no money," replied the soldier.
The Devil said, "Hire yourself to me as my serving-man for seven years, and you shall have enough for life. But you must not wash, comb, trim yourself, cut your hair or nails, or wipe your eyes."
"All right, if there is no help for it," said the soldier, and followed the Devil down into hell. His duties were to poke the fire under the stewing kettles, keep the house clean, and sweep all dirt behind the doors. He was forbidden to look inside the kettles.
The soldier agreed. When the Devil left, the soldier saw kettles boiling all around. Overcome by curiosity, he peeked into the first kettle and saw his former corporal. "Aha! You once had me in your power, now I have you!" He dropped the lid, poked the fire, and added a fresh log.
He peeked into the second kettle and found his former ensign. "Aha! Now I have you!" He closed the lid and added another log. In the third kettle was his former general. "Aha! Now I have you!" He used bellows to make the fire blaze hotter.
Thus, he worked for seven years, following the Devil's rules about his appearance. The time felt like only half a year. When the Devil returned, he said, "Well, Hans, what have you done?"
"I poked the fire and swept the dirt behind the doors."
"But you peeked into the kettles. It's lucky you added logs, or your life would be forfeited. Your time is up. Will you go home?"
"Yes, I'd like to see my father," said Hans.
The Devil said, "For your wages, fill your knapsack with sweepings. Go home unwashed, with long hair and beard, uncut nails, and dim eyes. When asked, say you come 'From hell' and are 'The Devil's sooty brother, and my King as well.'"
Hans did so but was dissatisfied with his wages. Back in the forest, he opened his knapsack and found the sweepings had turned to pure gold. Pleased, he entered a town.
The innkeeper, terrified by Hans's horrible appearance, asked, "Whence comest thou?"
"From hell."
"Who art thou?"
"The Devil's sooty brother, and my King as well."
The innkeeper refused him entry until Hans showed the gold. Then Hans got the best room, ate and drank his fill, but did not wash or comb as instructed, and went to sleep. The innkeeper, coveting the gold, stole the knapsack that night.
Next morning, Hans discovered the theft. He composed himself, returned to hell, and told the Devil.
The Devil cleaned Hans up, gave him a knapsack full of sweepings again, and said, "Tell the innkeeper to return your money, or I will fetch him to poke the fire in your place."
Hans did so, threatening the innkeeper. The innkeeper returned the money with extra, begging for secrecy. Hans became a rich man.
He went home, bought a shabby smock, and strolled about playing music, a skill he learned in hell. An old King, delighted by his playing, promised him his eldest daughter in marriage. She refused, saying, "Rather than that, I would go into the deepest water." So the King gave him his youngest daughter, who agreed to please her father. Thus, the Devil's sooty brother married the King's daughter and inherited the whole kingdom when the aged King died.
中文翻译
一个被遣散的士兵，生活无着，走进了森林。在那里，他遇到了一个小个子男人，那人正是魔鬼。
魔鬼问道：“你有什么烦恼？你看起来很悲伤。”
“我饿了，但没有钱，”士兵回答。
魔鬼说：“如果你受雇于我，做我的仆人七年，你将一生衣食无忧。但你必须不能洗脸、梳头、修剪自己，不能剪头发或指甲，也不能擦眼睛。”
“好吧，如果别无选择，”士兵说道，并跟着魔鬼下了地狱。他的职责是拨动炖锅下的火，保持屋子清洁，并把所有灰尘扫到门后。他被禁止查看锅里面。
士兵答应了。魔鬼离开后，士兵看到周围都是沸腾的锅。好奇心驱使下，他偷看了第一口锅，看到了他以前的下士。“啊哈！你曾经控制我，现在轮到我了！”他盖上锅盖，拨了拨火，加了一根新木柴。
他偷看了第二口锅，发现了他以前的少尉。“啊哈！现在轮到我了！”他盖上锅盖，又加了一根木柴。第三口锅里是他以前的将军。“啊哈！现在轮到我了！”他用风箱把火吹得更旺。
就这样，他工作了七年，遵守着魔鬼关于他外形的规定。这段时间感觉只有半年。当魔鬼回来时，他说：“嗯，汉斯，你做了什么？”
“我拨了火，把灰尘扫到了门后。”
“但你也偷看了锅里。幸好你加了木柴，否则你的命就没了。你的时间到了。你要回家吗？”
“是的，我想看看我的父亲，”汉斯说。
魔鬼说：“作为你的工钱，用扫出来的垃圾装满你的背包。不洗脸、不梳头、留着长头发和胡子、不剪指甲、眼睛浑浊地回家。当被问及时，说你来自‘地狱’，是‘魔鬼的煤黑兄弟，也是我的国王’。”
汉斯照做了，但对他的工钱不满意。回到森林后，他打开背包，发现垃圾变成了纯金。他很高兴，走进了一个城镇。
客栈老板被汉斯可怕的外貌吓坏了，问道：“你从何处来？”
“从地狱来。”
“你是谁？”
“魔鬼的煤黑兄弟，也是我的国王。”
客栈老板拒绝他进入，直到汉斯展示了金子。然后汉斯得到了最好的房间，吃饱喝足，但没有按指示洗脸梳头，就睡觉了。客栈老板垂涎金子，当晚偷走了背包。
第二天早上，汉斯发现了失窃。他镇定下来，回到地狱，告诉了魔鬼。
魔鬼给汉斯清洗干净，又给了他一个装满垃圾的背包，并说：“告诉客栈老板还你钱，否则我会带他来替你拨火。”
汉斯照做了，威胁了客栈老板。客栈老板还了钱，还多给了一些，乞求保密。汉斯成了一个富人。
他回家去，买了一件破旧的工作服，四处闲逛演奏音乐，这是在地狱学到的技能。一位老国王对他的演奏非常喜欢，承诺将大女儿嫁给他。大女儿拒绝了，说：“我宁愿跳进最深的水里。”于是国王将小女儿许配给他，小女儿为了取悦父亲同意了。就这样，魔鬼的煤黑兄弟娶了国王的女儿，并在老国王去世后继承了整个王国。