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Rupert and Herbert

The Simpleton was wrong: Rupert and Herbert did not walk together, they seperated. And this is how it happened:

They moved towards the city and wondered what they should do with the newly acquired freedom.

"Let us go to a disko", said Rupert.

This was the opportunity to experience such. In their father's house this was frowned upon. "It's hell," they said.

When they arrived, they realized that they were not dressed appropriately. So they went back to the center and bought jeans and T-shirts. In the disco there were colorful lights that dazzled their eyes. So loud music was played, that conversation was impossible, which probably did not belong to this type of entertainment anyway. Nevertheless, some young people drew Herbert into their circle. Herbert had something about him that amused the people. Rupert was tolerated for Herbert's sake.

The next day they went to an amusement park, about which they had been informed through posters. It was pretty funny. There was a Ferris wheel, which lifted them high above the city. The haunted house was scary enough, and they scored points in arrow shooting. Then it happened again that young girls talked to Herbert.

Rupert said to Herbert: "You're wearing the ring, which makes you popular."

Herbert looked aside in an embarrassed way.

"But no!" cried Rupert. "The fairy ring has a double gold edge over the semi-precious stone; the one you're wearing, has only a simple one".

"The goldsmith could not do it any better," Herbert replied.

"You had your ring remade?" Rupert asked.

"So what," Herbert said.

Rupert cleared his throat, but did not say anything at first. After a while he prodded: "Do you think this ring will help you?"

"And you?" Herbert roared on. "How and why do you want to be successful? What goal do you have?"

In a beer-house Rupert got into a tavern-brawl. It escalated so that the police came and Rupert had to spend. a night in police custody.

"It should not go on like this," Herbert said. "The Simpleton is right. We should first of all look for the three gifts of the fairies." "That's nonsense!" countered Rupert.

"We should part!" Herbert suggested. "Let's go our separate ways:" He pulled something tiny out of his

pocket: "I received another gift from my fairy godmother ," Herbert said.

"You have what?"

"I have visited her. You did not dare to go into the magic forest." There were two tiny redwood trees. These only grow in California, and when they are 500 years old their peaks touch the clouds.

Herbert planted them in a protected location. "We meet again in one year ," he said. "As long as both trees are green, we're fine. If the left withers , I'm in danger, if the right withers you're in danger. If one of the trees die, one of us is dead."

So they parted.

And now we see how Herbert is doing.

Herbert

When Herbert had separated from Rupert, he went at first in a library. He thought it might be a compensation to a party after another, and he would come to a rest.

It was a nice tiny library. It was in an amiable, small castle with a large park. It was actually not an artificial park, but only a huge, natural meadow that was mowed three times a year, and with lots of trees - pines, larks, alder, ash, and willows at a brook . Only on the southern edge there were roses - all colors and all scents. The original owner of the small castle had won awards at rose exhibitions . The man who inherited the castle had given it to the town, and the city councilors had kept the roses. The gardener of the place, who supervised the other recreation centers, tended to the flowers with touching love.

Herbert had heard all that from the lady in the Tourist Office, whom he had asked for a library. Now he stood in front of a large, wrought iron gate, and he wondered if it was open. He pressed down the latch and expected resistance, but it could be opened easily. He went inside, he perceived vaguely the colorful fragrance of the roses, and went up a long staircase .

The use of the library was free. There was also internet access and many suggestions. He walked through the rooms. He wondered what would interest him. Botany, ornithology, animals in Africa - he had enjoyed a good education with private teachers, and everything interested him, but he did not want to get lost in detail. He then remained at an exhibition of local history.

The botany interested him very much, especially in which way plants influenced each other mutually. How the vegetation changed under the trees, depending on how tight were the crowns. And to what extent a new plant repressed indigenous plants . But there was nothing about the topic itself, and to go through books and then control things with hikes, he lacked the patience and energy.

Individual birds fascinated him - the way how the tiny body of the animal led him to do that which goes far beyond the possibilities of a great computer. And he felt with the little creatures: Some birds had a way more similar to humans than mammals, for example monogamy. But to pursue these things he lacked the drive.

To explore the local place might lead him to the other spheres of life. And it would not be so laborious.

So Herbert explored this world.

The artifacts of the valley had been gathered by a cobbler before 1900. After his death, the collection came to the museum in the next big town; this then handed it over to the library when it was possible. There were lovingly assembled objects of domestic use, culled tools of local craftsmen and farmers, old textiles like the linens in blue print that no longer exists today. Herbert felt gradually the daily lives of this generation.

In an old book he found the following story, which seemed to him to summarize the situation of the valley well :

A valley in the Alps

There is  a valley in the Alps with all the charm that such an area can have. But in this day and age it takes a lot of sensitivity to not make this disappear how it is done with so much beauty.

Several years ago, almost such a loss could have happened.

The valley is pierced by a river. It starts high up on a mountain pasture with a cattle trough. A cattle trough is actually the beginning of this water body. The river flows through the valley, is becoming broader and ends up outside the valley in a stream.

The mountains behind the cattle trough are primeval forest. Large slopes are covered by a mixture of spruce, pines, larks, beech and alder. A wild man lived there. He was chased by the people because they wanted to put him on show like Iron John from the Grimm fairy tales or the man from the woods in Hellbrunn.

Once the wild man of that valley fled into the cattle-herd of a shepherd boy who led his animals to remote pastures because he was afraid of people.

When he saw the man-pack, he pulled the Wild Man under a cow that pressed herself to a boulder, sat down in front of it and milked the cow.

When the wild man saw himself rescued, he gave the shepherd boy a piece of silver:

"I think that you can make your luck," he said. "Your peers appreciate these things".

The shepherd boy went and got his share of the silver mine on the other side of the valley. He put the assets in agriculture and forestry and for centuries his family was the leading force in the valley. Until the mid 20th century they were the largest employer.

Then there was a generation who loved the Cityand turned their backs to the valley. One of them even lost most of his assets in Monte Carlo.

Today the farming of this family is decommissioned. But the forests shine almost unused in beauty.

The family grave in a well-kept village cemetery bears witness to bygone domination.

If you hike from 1,000 meters to 300 meters height from the beginning to the end of the valley, you will find lovely side valleys with charming villages to the left and to right.

Corn fields and cow pastures, even a fenced in park for wild anmals, line the well-developed road. Near the town, people marvel at a lovingly cared pumpkin patch. The pumpkins are only as big as a football, but very nice to look at and tasty.

Then the valley widens. A larger place trying to find the connection to the new time. There is an old-timer museum in which the exhibits are always replaced, a fitness center with sauna and an education center with well-attended events. As these plans were made public, there were fears. But they bought old, uninhabited farmhouses and renovated them exquisitely. Everything fits beautifully into the landscape. And the project offer the local people jobs and the opportunity to stay.

The valley becomes wider and opens into a town area. This town is surrounded by a medieval vault with a functioning moat, the town walls are covered with colorful leaves, its castles dating from the 8th to the 14th century and a church from the time of St. Virgil.

The town is not only the Middle Ages, it is considered one of the most family-friendly places in the country. There is a natural swimming pool, a universally accessible Artists Association, a theater group, a vocal and music group, an outdoor cinema, the usual offers for families and adequate child care.

The local Parish Council wanted to destroy the structure of the villages years ago. A construction company would flatten the village green, cut the splendid old lime trees and do away with the centuries-old village well to create car parking space. The shrewd peasant village priest, he is now in the village cemetery, organized a children's festival under the lime trees and the fountain. The children were issued as village children, although more than half were children from the nearby 800 year old castle which offered recreation for poor children from industrialized areas.

The priest invited all sorts of media and the newspapers wrote, what a pity it was that the beauty of this village was destroyed and how poor the children were who would be robbed of a natural playground for a car parking space. Thus, the project was thankfully gone.

It may well be that some young people from here learn little about the hustle and bustle of today's world and have to get used later to it. But is it really like this that old dogs do not learn new tricks?

The necessity of life overtakes us, and lucky is he who got to know a bit of its beauty.

And when the destruction has taken the beginning, the end is not far off.

Most young people go back to the valley at the latest in the retirement.

"Live and die in the valley", is their motto.

Herbert wondered how much had changed in recent years, and made a mental note to go to the next town and to explore the economic situation and the way people live. First, however, he left the library and walked through the village. The place was small, only about 300 inhabitants, including a building for vulnerable families whose adult residents took the bus to the next city, which had some industry so they could have jobs. The bus drove from the village green with the beautiful old lime trees and the centuries-old village fountain about which he had read, but otherwise there were no cars. He sat down on one of the benches. On the opposite bank sat an old priest.

"You probably come from far away," said the priest.

Herbert, who actually did not want to talk about himself, thought: "Why not? " and told him his family name and place of birth.

"Tourist?" the pastor asked.

"Not really," said Herbert, showed him the counterfeit ring and told of the mission to find the three treasures and the woman with the golden hair.

"More than 100 years ago," said the pastor, " young men went on the big tour for one year before they started with serious life. I Sometimes I wonder whether today, because travel is so easy, people should not live in silence for a while before they face the challenges of life. "

"How does that work?" the young man asked.

"It does not have to be a year," replied the priest, smiling. "But I know of a hut at the top of the mountain there. You can have the key, if you want."

"And how do I get fed?"

"Nearby , in summer, a milkmaid is doing her work. She will bring you food."

Herbert looked skeptical, but he thought he could take a look .

When he had the key, he went out. After he had left the inhabited areas of individual farms, he came through a dense forest. The wind rustled in the trees, and it sounded like the plaintive flute a mountain gnome and stroked his cheeks pleasantly.

When he opened the hut, Simpleton stood facing him .

"How did you get here?" he asked.

The Simpleton misunderstood him on purpose. "The milkmaid yonder," he pointed to a distant hill, "has given me the key."

"What are you doing here?"

"Seeking Hriob Zagel".

"Who is Hriob Zagel?"

The Simpleton had found out about Hriob Zagel. Now in his appointment that he had not found Hriob Zagel he was talking a long time.

"Hriob Zagel: This prince of gnomes indeed has only a small area on the Earth's surface, with a chain of mountains, but under the arable earth crust Hriob Zagel is a big, powerful man with fiery red hair and a long red tangled beard ; the beard and the hair is curled. The hair and beard are blowing in the wind and sometimes mingle with the clouds and dust, so the world becomes impenetrable. He has a loud booming voice that admonishes evil men, scares harmless people, but also calles otherworldly creatures to where he wants them.

Hriob Zagel is mischievous when he is angry or when he feels like it, but he is not evil. Nevertheless, he causes sometimes disaster, even terrible disaster, because he is thoughtless. He has a lot of compassion, but the problems have to be told to him. As a man does not know what an ant needs, even if he is of good will, to let it live, so Hriob Zagel can not empathize that man needs air, water, food to survive. Practical jokes make him happy. Sometimes he seems like a person who, to be able to laugh, tickles his neighbour to death.

He sneaks through the forest; a famous painter, Spitzweg, has painted him like this.

Hriob Zagel, the lord of the mountains, actually lives in the Giant Mountains, but people have seen him also in Tyrol. He helps poor good people, when they ask him. His particular favorite spot is the Schneekoppe in Silesia.

The mountain spirit of the Krkonoše punished naughty children, misers and thieves. The good people are rewarded. Hriob Zagel lives in the mountain, as he does in Silesia, and he loves mountain costumes like in Silesia or Tyrol.

He appears as a beggar to people whom he wants to help, to check their charity. "

What will Herbert and Simpleton do now?

Herbert and the Simpleton.

Herbert and the Simpleton.

"What do we do?" asked Herbert.

"We could stay together," suggested the Simpleton.

"Stop! Stop! This is not so easy," Herbert responded. He could imagine that he would get along better with the Simpleton than with Rupert. But the Simpleton would attach himself to him. There would be no equal partnership. At least he feared it.

"What you wanna do?" asked Herbert.

"I need to find Hriob Zagel ", said the Simpleton, and told Herbert of the Steller's Jay and the housewife.

" You can find the recipe on the Internet," said Herbert. "Hriob Zagel's leaven is generally known; that has long since been put on the Internet; you can have a look and give this housewife the recipe of the Internet -... And the Steller bird? What do we do with the Steller bird?" Herbert was thinking it over.

"Rupert wants to go beyond the pond he could take the Steller bird."

The Simpleton shook his head. He remembered all the torments he had suffered from Rupert. He did not want to entrust the delicate bird to his big brother.

"I know a captain," Herbert said, "who constantly goes back and forth between the Pazifik and the Atlantic. He could take the Steller bird."

"And where does he go there? Perhaps in an area that is completely unfamiliar to him. Here he has, after all, befriended the ravens."

"We have to look to the internet, the extent to which Steller birds live in a swarm. Perhaps they are in any case rather loners, and then he needs only the familiar environment, familiar trees, the hot climate, species, with whom he grew up..".

"We have no internet ...".

"Let's go to the farmer Beinhart. He lives halfway to the village, from which I started. He certainly will have internet access. If not, we'll just have to go to the village."

"Do you think that he allows us to stay with him overnight. I cannot do the way back in one day. We would have to walk at night in the dark."

"If we mention the priest and the milkmaid he will let us stay. I know he has a shed. We can stay there."

"Or in the open. The night is starry, it will not rain. Let's take a couple of blankets with!"

They marched on, one careful step at a time, as is necessary when hiking in the mountains, so you have a firm footing and do not slip. In between simpleton was thinking, if he really wanted to give up his plan to find Hriob Zagel. And Herbert was afraid that Simpleton would behave like a child if he joined him for good. But both enjoyed the walk and insured mutually, whatever they would choose, it would not be wrong to do this hike together and to find out about the life of the Steller bird. They also looked forward to the contact with locals. It corresponded Herbert's aim to explore the surrounding area, and the Simpleton liked to be lead away from his idea to find Hriob Zagel for a while.

Herbert told the Simpleton nothing about his experiences. First he did not want to talk about it and secondly, he did not want to tell his brother.

After a long walk first higher up onto the mountain, because that was the shorter way, then past boulders to dwarf forms of spruce, larch and pine to scattered trees, strong and vigorous, alone, without the protection of forests, defying wind and weather , overgrown on the north side of moss - guideline for hikers. Then a forest mixed with spruce, fir and beech until they entered arable made land. They carefully looked for the path between fields and meadows, so as not to disturb the vegetation, and went to the farm. Outside the front door stood George, the farmer's son.

"Hello," he said with a raised eyebrow, which should express "What do you want?" .
"Have you got internet?" asked Herbert. From the look on the face of the boy, he realized that it was so.
"You need not let us look at the internet for nothing," said the Simpleton, holding a bill in front of himself. Herbert turned around in surprise and looked at the Simpleton. He had not given him credit for the self-initiative.
"Come with me!"
The boy led them into the living room, with modern decor, but which was equipped with a beautiful painted wooden cupboard and a matching chest. On a side table with a blue print tablecloth was the computer.
"You still have blue print linen?" Herbert asked, astonished, who had read in the library on the ancient art about the blue print and seen pictures.
"No, there is over there on the mountain in the next valley a woman who picked up this technique again and has created a small factory with three employees. They sell the blue print linen throughout Europe."
"Oh yes?" Probably only to tourists, Herbert thought, or locals who still remember the blue print linen of their great-grandmother.

Herbert looked around further. "What is that?" he asked. On the wall hung a beautiful picture of stained glass.

"Oh, that's just a hobby of my aunt," George replied.

"But that's a Steller's Jay," cried Herbert.

"No, it is not a Steller's Jay, it has no diadem," said the Simpleton.

"It's a long-tailed tit," explained George.

George took a third chair, and they sat to the Internet. Herbert opened "Steller's Jay" and clicked on Wikipedia.

"What do you look at?" asked George.

"The way of life of the Steller bird."

"There is no such animal here."

None of the two men answered.

"The Steller bird lives with his or her mate for their whole lives", the Simpleton was reading.

Herbert got dizzy: Just like humans should live.

"Sometimes in flocks", the Simpleton continued.

"We must read other articles beside Wikipedia. Here is a contribution from a natural society."

"They also say that Steller birds live in flocks."

"What does he eat?"

"Everything."

"Aha. - We must talk about what to do" - said Herbert.

"And this was all?" asked George.

"Mm", answered Herbert.

"No, we still must look up Hriob Zagel's sour dough”, said Herbert.

But seeing the recipy Herbert was disappointed - yeast dough from spelt and wheat, and carrots, it sounded good and interesting, but certainly Hriob Zagel added something special to it?

“Let`s go!” said Herbert. “Or do you want to stay?”

“No, let's go.”

They wandered through the fields and medows and through the forest. On the medows they saw the typically coloured cows. They went around them, because they had heard that they could be aggressive, even if normally they were quite good natured.

When they had entered the forest they heard a noise.

“Some animal”, Herbert said.

Suddenly they saw the face of a bear in the middle of the green. Herbert turned round as if to flee, then he stood up right making himself looking big. None of them had expected a bear, because there were few in this region.

“Pss”, said the Simpleton. “He is against the wind. He will not notice us.”

The bear stood on his hind paws now – he must have noticed something after all, then he turned round and went quietly away. Bears are good natured animals; yet they are big and heavy and they need much food. If they do not feel threatened and they have had enough to eat, they are not dangerous.

It had become dark and they went along boulders, small grown trees, small because of wind and weather and because of animal bites.

"This was a wonderful experience with the bear," Herbert said.

"Yes," replied the Simpleton.

Then they went down to the mountain hut.

The Simpleton leaves Herbert .

The Simpleton remained several days in the mountain cabin with Herbert. Herbert wanted, as agreed with the priest, to stay some time in the cabin, to reflect on the possibilities of life. Perhaps he would also, once or twice, go to the priest to talk to him about his thoughts. He saw the priest not as an official of a powerful organization with which he had nothing to do, but as the wise man, as he had seen him from the beginning. The Simpleton wanted, as he had set out to do, look for Hriob Zagel.

They were beautiful days. They left all problems aside, had only each other and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Autumn had already begun. The leaves of the trees coloured very gradually and almost unnoticed , and occasionally the wind tore them from the tree. The sun was mild, almost caressing. They wandered through the area, always mindful of the bear. And as they heard no complaints of the surrounding farmers, the bear would probably live of wild animals: rabbits, deer, mice, and not of cattle and sheep. They had also discovered wild bees, and of course, the bear would also feed on raspberries, blackberries, cranberries and blueberries - a real food competitor to people! Hopefully, they would let him live.

After three days, it began to storm, and Simpleton said, ". In the morning I will leave you, otherwise it will be too late to me" They talked of this and that, about the property of their father, about their feelings and desires, all very vague and indefinite, even about their relationship to Rupert. Herbert did not speak about the two trees that would eventually grow into the sky. In fact, they did not talk about their fairy godmothers at all. They were both afraid or perhaps they thought it was not important. Then they wished each a good night. When Herbert had lain down in the sweet smelling farmer's bedding, he turned his face in the pillow and wept bitterly.

So the Simpleton left Herbert. Now Herbert was alone. It was a gloomy autumn day, and Herbert wondered if Simpleton would find Hriob Zagel before the winter. They had had breakfast together and Herbert had looked after Simpleton for a long time. He did not tell him about his despair, which he had taken out of the night into the morning. The Simpleton should go his way unloaded of family responsibilities. Now that the Simpleton was gone, he tried to be master of his feelings . This could only, he felt, be done with meaningful activity. But what was a meaningful activity? The refrigerator was full. There was a refrigerator, electric light, hot water, because a small hydro power plant belonged to the cottage.

Herbert explored first all of the cottage. He went from the basement through the rooms to the attic. The basement was an earth cellar.There was even still sand here, where they had stored carrots before the invention of the refrigerator. The shelves on which you could store a particular variety of apples were still intact. Another century shone through in these facilities. You came through a trapdoor to the cellar. Adventurous ideas seized him: If he put a large rug over the trapdoor, you could not see it, and you could hide in the basement. If you went through the front door, you came into a narrow corridor. There was a kitchen on the left side, almost a sumptuous kitchen, a living room on the right side. If you then went down the corridor, there were furnished bedrooms to the left and right. Yet the toilet was outside - you would have to do wioth a pot at night.

Herbert imagined the life in this lodge 150 years ago. In summer , however, this home had been inhabited year after year since the the cattle and sheep were still on the mountain like in summers 150 years ago, and the lady in charge was still making her special cheese.

Herbert felt alone. The cabin had certainly been inhabited all year round 150 years ago, because electricity did not exist, and therefore there was no need to settle in the village, to join to the local power grid. In winter they were snowed in, because until today there is no snow-free roads to the cabin. They moved on with skis; even now people are good at good skiing in the area.The thoughts on the history of the hut had distracted Herbert. But now his solitude came back violently. In this moment he heard a male voice, which gave him a yodel. It was George.
"Will you help me to pick cranberries?" he shouted, when he was close enough.
"Yes why not?" replied Herbert. He'd have company - being alone hurt him, although that was probably the meaning of his stay in the cabin, was it not? And the work of seeking and picking berries would be the meaningful activity which he had wished for. At least for today.
"I tell you the place," said George. "You leave the area again and will not steal me the berries."
Herbert looked at him thoughtfully. He had not seen the thing like this. He had thought that he should help Herbert to get the berry pot full for his mother. "Then I need to have some pot," he said.
"In the kitchen cupboard there should be a bucket with a lid," said George. "And you've got a rucksach, haven't you. It is easier to carry the bucket on the back. And take off your jacket. The shirt is enough. It is warm today. And then come to my mother. She will show you how to make cranberry jam."
Herbert was amazed. How come George was so nice to him? Had the priest something to do with it?

Herbert and the King

Herbert had spent a pleasant day with George and his mother. They had made cranberry jam, and Herbert had taken ten small glasses.

"Small glasses are easier to handle," Jim's mother had said. "Just take your pick from small glasses!"

Now Herbert was back in the hut. He had found wood in the shed and had made a fire. It was already too cold in the evenings to be comfortable. He thought of the Simpleton and that his fairy gift, the knitting needles, meant, he would bring every task in his life to an end. When he was looking for Hriob Zagel now, hopefully it meant he would find him, and would not go on looking for him his whole life.

Herbert thought about various events of his life, and then he remembered the trip with his father to the department house. Suddenly it interested him what had become of it. He had indeed made up his mind to keep no contact with his father, as long as he had not found the fairy ring which made the owner popular, and perhaps the woman with the golden hair, and had also so agreed with Rupert about it. It had been a half-hearted conversation with Rupert, though, as the whole search was half-hearted. But the silence in the cabin and in this landscape whirled thoughts high about his childhood. Although it was never spoken of, he began to think about the fact that his life could make up part of the business empire rather than to be supplied financially from winning. What should he do with his life in this case?

He picked up the phone. It was evening. It was his father's private number. He hoped he would find him. He wondered if his father had saved his number and would recognize right away that he was calling. Probably not. He had changed his mobile phone four times lately and did not bother about the number.

He recognized his father's voice immediately.

"Father," he said. "It's me, Herbert."

"Yes?" His father sounded curt and tired. He did not ask, what had happened to him, what he had done, where he was. He did not ask for the treasures either. Perhaps he had heard about the police case of Rupert and assumed he, Herbert, had part in it. Maybe he was just tired. Herbert decided to leave any small talk aside and to come straight to the point.

"Do you remember when you took me to the apartment building? - You know, when the community wanted it renovated or demolished and when the tenants rebelled?"

"Of course. How could I not?"

"Why have you brought me?"

"I wanted to see how you react."

"And you were probably not happy?"

"Yes and no. You had very good ideas, but did not look through everything. I was disappointed by your obvious lack of interest."

Herbert laughed a bitter laugh. "I am interested now. What has become of it? "

"I will have the houses renovated."

Herbert misunderstood him. "And now you're going to require expensive rent."

"No, the people still live there. Some of them are very old. I could not have moved them, not even to the wonderful area that you have proposed, which is much nicer -.. There they could no longer be visited by their relatives who have jobs and families near the tenement house. . This could not have been done. "

"Then you have the houses so far restored that there is no danger?"

"Well, well, it is not possible so quickly. Now the roof is repaired. It has already rained into the building."

Herbert felt that it did his father good to talk to him.

"May I come home?" he asked.

"No!" said the king.

The king and queen

The king was no king; he was the owner of a large economic empire. Forests and appartment houses belonged to him, selling chains and craft enterprises, including small and medium sized industrial plants; industrial plants are operatively connected dependent functional units which form a system. He was called "King" by all the people whose lives depended on his decisions. The king had not made himself king, he had inherited.

Already his great-great-grandfather had inherited, namely apartment buildings in the capital. That was 150 years ago. Just like his great-great-grandson today he renovated. A part he declared to be workers' settlements for the then emerging surrounding industries. With the new tenant protection laws, he found it more advantageous to allow the workers to buy the apartments or even small houses and with the proceeds he built luxury apartments. On the ground floor he had leased room to small businesses: a wine bar, a carpenter, a hatter, a general store. , He took over two or three of these businesses when the owners were not able to maintain.

That was the great-great grandfather. He introduced rules for the next generation : The successor of his two sons may sell off its shares only within the family. Leadership positions in the company are exclusively for family members only. And about the fate of the company, the shareholders vote on democratically. With these rules he held the assets in the family until today.

Where's assets, assets is added easily. The next and the next but one generation was not as efficient as the ancestor, but they managed to keep the assets not only, but also to increase slightly. Then again there was an able businessman company director. However, the empire lost through adverse circumstances almost all descendants entitled to inherit, and so only today's "King" remained.

He married young. So it happened that he was a very young father to his sons Herbert, Rupert and the Simpleton.

He was not actually interested in the empire, it would have been right for him if the father had established a joint stock company. But he had a great sense of responsibility, not only for the Empire, but for the social responsibility, which is the consequence of such an empire.

When he walked through the large halls, he did not always have the impression that the right decisions were made. Here was saved at the expense of the environment to necessary controls, there an oil catastrophe was not talked about. In an industrial plant, the places of labor were unhealthy, the workoing hours unacceptable in the other. He thought that if he were the leader of the empire he could change that. But he had to learn that his wishes were far behind the reality.

For the time being he was young, young and in love. His wife was beautiful. He had met her at the Opera Ball , and both families agreed immediately. Perhaps it was indeed arranged. That he did not know.

When he saw her for the first time, he was sitting and looking at her and looking. She was so beautiful.

"Why do you look at me?" she asked.

"You are so beautiful," he said.

"Yes? - This makes me happy."

"And you move as gracefully as a queen."

"You have to do this in long dresses," she laughed. "What do you think how long I've been practicing. First, I constantly stumbled upon it, especially on the stairs."

The young man was astonished. He had not expected that the beauty of girls was associated with work.

They had a brief courtship; both families huddled on early marriage. They got married soon. It was a beautiful wedding with lots of people, with music and dancing, a local joke-teller and a small theater group. The marriage lasted three days. And the wedding dress was remarkable. The king gladly remembered her wedding dress. It was floor length, made of silk batiste, tight, with a cape from the top to the bottom from a lace fabric. A diadem in shiny hair.

Their first years of marriage, they traveled a lot, because she liked it. Also, when she became pregnant, they traveled. They quickly got their sons, first Rupert, then Herbert, then the Simpelton. Nannies. The nannies cared more about the boys than the mother. But the king never thought about it; there was only sometimes a flash of thought like a snapshot when he vaguely considered very briefly that he lacked something in marriage. But he had a beautiful wife, and she did not want a cicisbeo, this would have to be enough.

The king sought the nanny out, the king decided the daily routine, the King discussed the athletic exercises with the nannies and examined the children's books, reading sometimes a bedtime story. The queen had her circle of friends and spent time with him.

They were not yet king and queen, because the father, the grandfather of Rupert, Herbert and the little one, decided the matters of the empire.

There was a big slump in the life of a young husband and father. He went through a company site. There was no special purpose. He would agree if his father made a joint-stock company from the empire. It was like taking a walk. So he came to the warehouse, where the products were sorted for the retail industry. Then he heard two men talking to each other. It was the department head for bakery and the boss of the warehouse.
"Place the leftover bread in the box labeled 'Meier'. The grocer in the old town just wants the bread from the bakery Meier," he heard the head of baked goods speak. "On the bread it just says the type of bread, and the seller will not ask about it. We are covered by law and can sell the bread in a good way."
The son of the empire-owner thought he did not hear right. He asked the two men, the head of baked goods and the chief of the warehouse.
"It is not right if you declare wrongly," he said.

"Nothing is incorrectly declared," cried the head of baked goods.
"You lead people astray!"
"It is their own fault if they do not look closely!"
The son of the company-owner turned to the chief of the warehouse: "Put the bread in the correct box!"
The chief of the warehouse looked confused. The son of the company-owner had never made a decision.
"Nothing there! The head, the company owner, knows and does himself like that. Do not interfere!" said the head of baked goods.

The son of the empire-owner was confused. He went to his father, who was the company's owner.
"It's all lawful," said he. "You've never bothered about the company. Do not interfere!"

He would have liked to discuss the problems with his beautiful wife, but she just laughed.
"Do not forget, we're going to the concert tonight," she said. "What do you think I should wear? For the yellow chiffon dress I would have to buy myself shoes."

No, the beautiful woman was no partner in business matters.

He did not think about it any more and lived his life of pleasure with his wife. A bit of duty brought his sons, because still he discussed things with the nannies, trying to supply the children emotionally.

Through his own nurse he met the fairy women. They lived in the woods, and his nurse had asked them to protect him.
"You know," they said to the nurse, "that our world is not the man's?"
"In the human world he will find not much protection," said the nurse.
"We do not know the ways of men and can not determine their fate," the fairies said. "Some times one of us even causes the death of a man, without wanting it, because they do not know his ways, his style and his character. Our gifts can be dangerous."
"And what else?" asked the nurse.
"Our gifts are subject to conditions."
"And that we will know before?"
"Yes, you will be told that in advance."
"What should I do?" asked the nurse.
"Go with your protégé to us in the forest, we will show ourselves."

And so it was that the son of the empire-owner went with his nurse in the forest and he met the fairy women. It was not a beautiful clearing where you imagine the fairies, but it was dense forest. The fairies stood behind the trees and behind the mist you could see a dress here, a strand of hair there. He would have liked to ask to hear their beautiful song, which is said that he was so beautiful that no human voice could join in without being rude and annoying. But he did not dare. The nurse motioned for him that it was a serious meeting.
"What do you ask from us?" asked one of the fairies.
The son of the empire-owner pulled himself together. He pressed his lips together and tried to take the situation serious.
"I would like to influence the company," he said.
"That's not our job!" roared a fairy.
And there came another. He could see her whole figure. She was sullied with young branches of conifers, about her there was something like fog. Her hair was long and moving with the surrounding mist. Her face appeared as if through a veil. Although she was so close, he could not tell whether she was old or young.
"I can give you the gift of observation," she said. "If you can observe well, it will be possible for you to draw your conclusions and to act."
"That's good," he said.
"What is the danger?" asked the nurse.
"Oh, he has already experienced," cried another fairy. "If he wants to change things for the better, someone will always be against it. And that can be very dangerous. Even if he wants to have only bread arranged in the right box."
"Will you take that on yourself?" asked the nurse her favorite.
"Yes!" was the answer.
"And what is the condition?"
"Nothing but a consequence. You'll never more be happy . You'll realize that you yourself can not change very nasty things. Do you want to take that on yourself?"
"That I'll have to"; he said.

The three gifts of the fairies

As the branches of a fir were pushed aside, behind a rock crevice was visible. From the crevice welled fog like transparent cloth, behind the fir branches shone the figure of a woman.
"Mostly we are asked for birth gifts for children," he heard. "Do you wish anything for your children?"
The nurse and the father opened their eyes and stood there with their mouths open. Then a fairy came out of the pine thicket. Her dress was woven from red sun rays.
"I will give your eldest son, Rupert, this stone. It will bring him success," she said.
It was an ordinary pebble to hold comfortably in your hand, with a glorious pattern of red lines from ferrous inclusions, but an ordinary pebble.
"And I will give your second son, Herbert, this ring. It guarantees popularity among the people, with young and old, with grand and humble."
The fairy stood on a hill, rising against the sky, her shape shimmered sky blue. The ring was a cheap silver ring, worked beautifully with filigree, but a cheap silver ring.

And there came a little thing with matted mossy hair; in her hand she held two knitting needles made of wood. "I give your Simpleton these knitting needles," she whispered. "They will help him to knit all begun to the end."

An inconspicuous, friendly fairy brought them a bag of woven raffia, so they could store their gifts.

"What's the condition?" asked the nurse.
The tall fairy who had asked for his desire, got up, so she stood over him: "You must be decent."
"What's decency?" asked the nurse.
"Taking in consieration the well-being of others beside one's own, attention to the environment and animals. You know that animals are our friends. They are closer to us than you men."
"And what are the consequences, the dangers?"
No one said anything.
"What are the consequences, the dangers of success? What is the stone for my eldest, for Rupert?"
The fairy in the sun dress replied: "I can only guarantee success, I can not choose where he will succeed This he must do himself and there is a danger that he chooses wrong..."
The skyblue fairy looked down the hill: "Popularity brings responsibility. You are responsible for what you have familiarized yourself.."
That little thing with matted mossy hair looked confused. There she realized that she was committed with the gift also to provide assistance according to fairy rules. And she had been unaware until now that her gift except life coaching was also dangerous. But once given a gift could not be taken back.
The tall fairy who had asked the son of the company-owner for his desire, moved.
She raised her hand and said:. "To finish an education up to the end, maintain a friendship, to be faithful to a marriage is a valuable asset. If it is impossible that what has been started to achieve, there is a risk to squander one's life. "
The little one with the matted mossy hair looked frightened. The father saw it , and he was also frightened. But nothing was said.
The fairies blurred with the forest, the sky and the setting sun. The nurse and the father were in the thicket of the forest, and if the father had not had the stone, the silver ring and the knitting needles in the bag of raffia, they would have thought they were dreaming.

Effects on the company

"Animals are our friends, they are closer to us than people," the fairy had said. The son of the owner of the empire wondered what animals there were in the empire. But initially it was a fleeting thought. After this evening he went indeed to the concert with his wife. He loved Mozart. It was the Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra, played by good musicians. And he looked forward to it. The Queen wore the yellow chiffon dress and suitable yellow, high-heeled shoes. "How can you walk in those shoes?" he thought. But he liked it. The purse had been made by her friend from a curtain fabric. It was well suited to it. It was a wonderful evening.

The next day he remembered his livestock. He had hardly ever looked after his father's business empire and he thought that he would now be overwhelmed, to take care of all the animal factories and farms immediately. It would be better, to have a look at one. But what would his father say? Should he ask his advice? - He decided against it. Especially after the experience with the right label he assumed that his father would not understand him.

So he decided without much thinking to visit one of the factory farms of his father, which had been equipped with a brand. When he got there and wanted to speak to the manager, it turned out that he had gone to elementary school with him.

"Bert, did your familiy not have a farm yourself?" he asked.

"We could not keep it, it is decommissioned," Bert said. "Fallow. We were probably too awkward to keep ourselves at the present time."

"And where are you all now ?"

"Maria has gone through a training as a geriatric nurse who goes from family to family. Sepp is a teacher, that was planned from the outset. The twins are working in the construction. Our parents sell a few vegetables."

"You, Sepp, the twins and Mary, you could not have tried?"

"Was not to be done. The agricultural products of the industrial establishments like this one were too cheap. We could not compete. And so you're now my boss?"

"I do not know if it's good, if I confess to you that, but I have nothing to decide."

"And what are you doing here?"

"I want to watch."

"What are you doing here?"

"Honestly, honestly, I hardly dare to say it: I care for animal welfare."

"Why do you not dare to tell me that? - Because it's crazy to think about animal welfare, when it comes to selling and to cheap meat," says Bertl bitterly. "But believe me, whatever you may see here, elsewhere it's worse."

"Yes, quite possible. You have indeed received an award. That is why I am also here down. I did not want to start with the most difficult."

"You want to improve the world, that means your father's empire? How did you get it?"

The son of the empire-owner was shocked. Even though all that had been said in a flippant tone, he felt , that he might somehow find understanding here.

Bert explained: "Many people think of a pig farm with 800 animals, when it comes to industrial farming on a large scale: a huge factory hall, bright light, cheap labor. With us it is a bit different.."

The son of the empire-owner leaned over to Bert: "What about it. I do not know anything?". "We just produce this quality meat, but provide the majority to the national slaughterhouse." "We do not raise the piglets ourselves. We buy them weighing up to 30 kilograms from two nearby growers."

The fairy had given him the gift to watch in detail, so the son of the empire-owner asked: "How are the piglets treated until they have 30 kilograms?"

. "In Case Stand - that is, the sow is placed in a defined area after the birth of the piglets which is barely larger than itself, so it can not turn over, not go forward and not go backwards, but only stand and lie. - and that for a period of four weeks ".

"And yet you join in?"

"What shall I do? I have to feed a family with three children, a woman who does not earn much ..."

"How do you justify such livestock? It is obvious that a pig is capable of suffering."

"It is argued, the third, fourth time a sow volunteers to go into the box. Once inside, it does not defend itself, but is calm; the idea of the case stand is the avoidance of lost production, in other words:.. The sow cannot crush any of the piglets , which happens every now and then. "

"What will happen then?"

"When the piglets are arriving at our pig farm, they are distributed in different rooms of the house and there in individual boxes, grouped by age. The size of these boxes is about 25 square meters, the availability varies between 20 and almost 40 animals. The equipment is sparse. The animals roam on a concrete floor with small holes, through which the majority of the precipitates goes into a slurry tank under the barn. The feeding is done automatically, a trough in the middle is filled. They drink from drinking nipples on the wall."

"Then what's different with your pig farm from others?"

"In each box, an iron chain with a rubber part hangs down, to play. The animals move the rubber back and forth and tear on the chain,"

"That's all?"

"Every day they have a shower in the boxes. Each animal that wants to can get sprinkled which is calming. Quiet swines guarantee a low failure rate. At first the shower program ran automatically. However, because the temperatures vary, some animals got a cold. Now it is sprayed manually. The barn itself is largely built of wood, and that was important to us, classical factory appearance should be avoided. "

"A-a."

"The feeding takes place four times a day, each time for several hours. This is not standard, but is also intended to help calm the animals. The excitement that arises when feed for all comes at the same time, will thus be avoided."

"And whence come the food?"

"We use our own food. Corn, wheat and barley are harvested in our own fields.

We buy a soy concentrate and a mix of minerals and vitamins. The whole thing is put as mush mixed with water from pipes into the trough. Classical performance enhancer, hormones and antibiotics are not fed, they are prohibited in our country anyway. "

"What could you change in order not to jeopardize the economical efficiency too much? After all, nobody is helped if you stop and the meat is bought from a huge factory hall with glaring light and cheap labor?"

"First of all, the animals should not have to be on a floor with holes .. Straw would be good. The barn would have to have a grassy area outside that may be used by the animals."

"All that would mean investments in structural measures. To clean the straw would take a long time and so few employees could hardly cope with it. This is probably too expensive for my father."

"What's your father? He probably does not know what is necessary for a pig and how they are sold. This farm here must earn enough to cover all costs and make at least a little bit of profit. All who benefit from it would need to cut back. They all must appreciate that it is worth it."

"The animals are primarily a commodity and only secondarily feeling beings."

"Yes, but we are trying to prevent in the context of economic rearing of pigs animal suffering, where it is possible."

The mother

"Little Bear cleans up"

The little bear has just tinkered a honeycomb with Papa Bear.

'We need to make a home for bees. Then they give us honey', says Papa Bear.

Now the little bear has to wash his hands.

Mama Bear is also in the garden.

But now Mama Bear brings the Little Bear into the living room. There sits Grandma Bear.

'Play with Grandma Bear!' proposes Mama Bear.

'Garden', says the little bear.

'No, it is now raining heavily,' answers Mama Bear.

Grandma Bear has brought Lego bricks. The little bear looks at the Lego bricks.

'Have a look!' Grandma Bear points to the Lego bricks.

She puts one Lego brick on the other. In no time a tower is there. Grandma Bear has built a tower.

'Building is beautiful', granny Bear says.

'Pulling down', says the Little Bear and overthrows the tower.

But then they both are building Lego houses for a while.

'Now you have to clean it up', mama bear orders.

Grandma Bear puts the Lego bricks in the box.

'No', calls Little Bear and takes the Lego bricks out again.

Now Mama Bear puts Lego bricks into the box.

'Now you!' she says to the Little Bear.

'No', the Little Bear opposes.

'I do not tidy up alone!' Mama Bear shouts.

Now the Little Bear throws in one Lego-stone. He looks to Mama Bear, who goes on tidying up. Grandma Bear does nothing more. When Mama Bear looks at him, he throws in another Lego-stone, then he looks at Mama bear mischievously.

'Now I've had enough, "says Mama Bear.

Mama Bear leaves. Little Bear begins to yell. He lies down on the floor and kicks his legs about. And he screams.

Papa bear comes.

'What's up?' asks Papa Bear.

'The little bear does not want to clean up the Lego bricks' says granny Bear.

Little Bear roars still. Papa Bear picks him up. Little Bear kicks his legs about and roars.

'Granny Bear has got to go now,' says Grandma Bear.

Little Bear stops crying and looks after granny Bear.

'Grandma Bear is in the garden,' says Mama Bear. "If you clean the Lego bricks up, you may also go into the garden. It has stopped raining. Hurry up! The strawberries are already ripe.

'Clean up!' says the little bear.

Then they all go into the garden.

On the way to the strawberry patch, they see an animal bed; which is a trough in the grass, on which an animal is located. There are also a few hairs there, and they puzzle over what animal it could have been. But they do not know. 'Cat,' says Little Bear. 'Perhaps,' answers Papa Bear. 'But it could also have been a dog or a rabbit '.

'Rabbit', says the Little Bear.

Then they enjoy the strawberries, while Papa Bear tells about his trip to the snow mountain."

The son of the empire-owner was sitting in the easy chair and listened to his wife, when she read the story to the three boys, Rupert, Herbert and Simpleton, who was just born. She had invented story herself. There were photos, photographs of the family, and they had bear heads.

The son of the empire-owner enjoyed the evening, he loved his wife and he loved his children. She was already in her nightgown, a tightly woven linen dress, close-fitting, floor-length, white, embroidered in green lace. In her arms she held the simpleton because he grew impatient when they busied themselves with the other two. He loved this atmosphere. It seemed to him as the symbol of a mother. He loved these evenings.

The way to the kingdom

The next day he was thinking again of animal welfare, that is the protection of pigs in the holding, which he had visited. He did not tell his wife anything about it. He just said he was busy and went. His wife did not like it. She wanted to know what he was doing, what he was thinking, and she wanted that he focused on her. But he knew she would not understand him.

"Bert", he asked, "How independent are you?"

"Pretty," Bert said. "As long as the money is right. Now that the company has received the award, it's pretty good."

"As you know, I have some money I can spend independently," said the son of the empire-owner. "I want that the gap bottom is abolished and the animals get straw. I've already hired a construction contractor who is to take care of the structural measures for the outdoor places for the animals, for the spout. You, please, look after workers, who must keep the barn and the outdoor places clean, and what else is necessary. Through these measures, I create jobs, too. "

"Oh!"

"Also, I want you to raise the piglets yourself without locking the mother sow into such a small place , of course."

"Is there anything else?"

"You apply that you may carry out the slaughtering on the farm. I do not want the animals to be transported through half of Europe, to be supplied to a cheap slaughter."

"Not cheap. I have very carefully selected."

"The cross-regional slaughterhouse. I know. You said that."

"Have you talked to your father?"

"No"

"That you have to but!"

"I thought you were largely autonomous. I only use money, about which I may dispose of myself."

"It's possible. I trust you, too. Still, you have to talk to your father, otherwise I do not do with."

The empire-owner immediately agreed. The young man was very surprised. But the empire-owners had already flirted with the bio-wave, and he saw also a way to put his son to prove himself. In addition, the award gave him courage. It was a great success, and the consequence of this success was that his son inherited his property.

Simpleton's Search for Hriob Zagel.

The Simpleton had left Herbert. After the manner of a simpleton, he was not thinking about what happened to Herbert. He had not understood how unhappy Herbert was. The purpose of his journey was actually to find Hriob Zagel, to find his magic knitting needles, but even if these ideas were guidelines, so he did not think so much about it. He wandered along the mountains, uphill, downhill, enjoying the beautiful scenery, waiting for something to happen. Sometimes the Steller-bird flew past him: "Have you heard anything?" he would crow, and let hear his rattling and guttural sounds. He once said: "I have found out that there are birds with a diadem in Europe, not as nice as mine, of course.." "Yes," said the Simpleton. "The crested tit". "That I do not know," said the Steller Bird. "I met a lapwing."

The Simpleton also met the housewife again. He had written down the recipe from the internet and showed it to the woman:

Ingredients:

Sourdough (approximately 16 hours at 26 °):

110g rye

110g water

Dough:

100g spelled

90g water

1g yeast

Soaker:

75g Seeds

20g flakes

35g wholemeal rye

13g salt

200ml buttermilk, cooking

Main dough:

Leaven

Dough

Soaker

35g wholemeal rye

140g Spelt wholemeal

100g wheat 550

160g carrot, coarsely grated

about 30-50ml buttermilk

Preparation:

Knead a dough from the ingredients for about 10 minutes. Then let the dough rest for half an hour, knead again briefly, smooth with a wet spoon and place in a buttered loaf pan. Cover until the dough has reached the box-shaped edge (takes about 1 1/2 hours).

Preheat oven (tin bread always bakes on the the preheated baking tray and not on the stone) and bake at 250 degrees, then 180 degrees - about 1 hour - then another 5 minutes without a box shape, and again a few minutes for recirculation for a crispy crust.

"I know," said the woman. "But there is still something missing."

"Yes, I thought so," said the Simpleton. "But I have not yet met Hriob Zagel".

Meanwhile, the small Fairy with the matted mossy hair remembered her task, to take care of her godchild, the Simpleton . Strictly speaking, she was only obliged to accompany the Simpleton, when he had taken the magic knitting needles inwardly in possession. And her sisters did not care about Herbert and Rupert, because they ignored the magic stone and the magic ring. But the small felted fairy was not taken very seriously by her sisters and had until further notice no special tasks. She also was afraid that Simpleton could go astray. To bring him back, could be too difficult or too strenuous for her. So she decided to look after him right away.

With some difficulty she had tracked down where he was. Now she wondered how she should approach him.

So it happened that the Simpleton in the mountains met a child, a little girl with blond mossy matted hair. The fairy liked it to act as a little girl because she was herself almost a child.

The little girl was very trusting. She went up to the Simpleton and grabbed his hand. "Do you read me something?" she asked.

The Simpleton was quite surprised. He wondered what he should do. Call the police? He already took out his cell phone, then he remembered that a parent would be surely in the vicinity. How would the child otherwise be in the mountains.

"I can tell you a story," he replied. "I have nothing to read here."

And with this willingness he scored right away with the fairy.

"No, no", she refused. "I have a book."

She handed him a book of images whose figures seemed strangely alive.

"I want this story," she claimed, flipping through the book, until she found what she was looking for.

"Well then," he said and sat down on a stone, which was large enough that the girl could sit down, too. He looked through the first page in a moment, then he began to read:

"Little Bear and the Bear Girl

The little bear has got a sister, the bear girl. The little bear discovers the bear girl in the meadow. The bear girl is right next to a small stream.

The bear girl is covered with white flowers, small stars, which are on tiny bright green leaflets.

The bear girl is lying under a rock. The rocks protect the bear girl. Behind the rocks is the brook. The brook is covered with reeds.

The little bear is curious and wants to see the girl bear. But he is afraid. Therefore, he hides in the apple tree. The apple tree is so full of apples that he allows the branches hanging far down. Thus, the Little Bear may well hide. But the little bear puts his nose out curiously.

Then Mama Bear comes and leads the little bear to his sister.

"Look," said Mama Bear. "Your sister has five fingers on each hand." And she counts: "One, two, three, four, five."

Now the little bear is afraid even more, and he's hiding in the mountain ash. The rowan has many berries. One can make delicious jam from rowan berries.

"Look!" says Mama Bear. "The bear girl is awake."

The bear girl lies on the lawn.

Now the Little Bear comes to her.

"One, two, three", he counts fingers of the bear girl.

"Four, five," completes Mama Bear.

"One, two, three," repeates the Little Bear.

"Four, five," says Mama Bear.

Little Bear laughs. Then he runs away and brings his toys. He builds his toys on around the bear girl. The bear girl reaches for them. Now the Little Bear pushes his toys away. He makes a big circle of toys around the bear girl, so big that the bear girl can not reach his toys .

Now the bear girl begins to cry. Little Bear takes the toy kitten and gives it to the bear girl. Now laughs the bear girl.

Little Bear also laughs. "

Then he saw a poster with the inscription "show cave". He had been in karst caves. He liked the stalactites and stalagmites that formed strange formations. He was interested in even the grotto salamander and other cave animals. But he did not like the way tourists went through the caves. Nevertheless, he signed up for a tour and tried to start a conversation with the cave guide. The cave guide was impressed by his knowledge of green and white karst, hilly and sunken kars landscape and cave entrances and promised to make known to the hobby-cavers, to whom he belonged.

..........................

They eyed him suspiciously.

"Tomorrow we will first take a shower, then we dig ourselves in sand, and then we will again shower until we are clean. But you have to take a brush, the last shower might not be enough," one said with a mischievous grin to Rupert.

Rupert blinked.

"We pass first through mud, then sand, and finally through clean water, but we brush ourselves mutually, because we will be full of sand, the water is not enough," said another.

"You have to bring a wetsuit. At the end of the town there is a shop", recommended a woman. There were seven, including two boys, 15 and 16 years old, and two women.

The second woman said defiantly: "And tomorrow we have touse a rope."

But that did not bother him. After all, he had moved among forestry workers as a forestry student. They had occasionally used a rope.

"Six months ago, one of us has fallen 100 feet deep. He was two days in the cave until they found an expert who dared to climb down and had the necessary knowledge to bring him up, that he would not die of his injuries", she continued maliciously.

"Who was that?" asked Rupert.

"He is not here. He has not yet recovered."

The other grinned, because they realized that they made fun of Rupert.

"It's true," then one said . "You can not be careful enough -. Shall I help you to choose the wet suit?" he offered. "At 2 clock a bus is going to the shop for sports stuff."

Rupert thought briefly of his luxury car, but then decided not to make himself known as the son of one of the richest men in the world and gratefully accepted. In the sports business he appreciated the young man's friendly advice.

"Herbert!"
Rupert had entered the restaurant, and he saw Herbert.
"Rupert!"
Herbert got up and hugged Rupert.
"Where do you come from?" asked both simultaneously.
"I ended up with the cave-people", Rupert said humorously.
"And I just did a day hike in the woods ," laughed Herbert.
"Have you just talked about sinkholes?" asked Rupert. "Sinkholes are often entrances to caves."
"You're already a real expert -. This is my brother Rupert," says Herbert and turned to his local friend.
The local man laughed at Rupert, and Rupert was embarrassed.Again he was talking to Herbert's friends, and he had none of his own. The cave people had indeed invited him to a tour the next day, but left him alone for the evening. The fairy ring helped Herbert

"What do you think about our people?" the locals asked Herbert.
Rupert thought he might well have answered this question.
"I do not really know. I can not speak the language. But everyone seems very friendly. I like the many vegetable garden."
"Yes, vegetables and fruit is sold almost exclusively to tourists. We eat our own green stuff".
"It's nice when there is a whole family working in the garden. And khaki trees are fantastic. I have pilfered myself a fruit."
" Many farmers have to give up."
"Yes, you can tell by the overgrown meadows. They are fenced with stone walls. The stone walls are intricately built without binders and now overgrown with moss. Often you will also find huge piles of stones, overgrown with moss. Someone must have done a lot of work decades ago to get the meadows free of stones. "
"The farmersdisappearingis a pity. But at least we still grow vegetables for private use ..."
"Try this," said one of the locals and handed Herbert a dark blue grape, which he had brought down from a canopy. The canopy covered the whole terrace, starting from espalier trees,.
"And we also have loquats.They are not quite ripe."
He gives him a fruit for approval.

Herbert's local acquaintances came back on the first theme:
"What do you mean that our population is friendly?"
"Everyone greets in an amiable manner, although they indeed do not know me. They say Dobre dan or Zdravo."
"Dobre dan is good day and Zdravo's health."
"Shortly before I left the woods, a beautiful woman joined me. It was quite weird. She walked for a while next to me, without much to say, and then she suddenly disappeared in the bushes."
"That was a Vila fairy".
Herbert looked surprised and confused, but he did not ask.

Who is interested to read more? There is a book:

Brigitte Prem: " The Search After The Three Treasures" - "Die Suche nach den drei Schätzen BoD  März 2016

https://www.bod.de/buch/-/die-suche-nach-den-drei-schaetzen/9783839144541.html