I was quite struck when first get my hands and eyes on the Brothers Grimm story about Hans in Luck. Few years before, I was very interested in the history of Tarot and its mysterious beginnings. One of the most outstanding cards is the Fool, the card 0. Well, exactly the same figure is featured on the pages from Grimm's Fairy Tales, first English edition, published in 1823. Called Hans in Luck, moreover, it is the first story opening the collection of tales.
It is impossible to detect now whether the picture of Hans in Luck was inspired by Tarot cards or the other way round. Nevertheless the sameness is striking and if you read the story and are interested in Tarot you'll gain some valuable insight into the nature of the mysterious card. The story is remarkable; intelligent, funny, surprising, to the point of nonsense, which makes it even more appealing.
Hans is the character who, after serving his master for seven years, is getting back home with a piece of silver, big as his head. He throws it over his shoulder wrapped in his handkerchief. Hans gets tired, as the silver is very heavy, dragging his legs slowly until he meets a horseman. He complains to the man 'I have this load to carry; to be sure it is silver, but it is so heavy that I can't hold up my head, and it hurts my shoulder sadly.' They make the exchange - piece of silver for the horse. Hans even warns the man 'I tell you one thing, -you'll have a weary task to drag it along.'
He rode merrily on for a while and soon decided to go full galloping. The horse threw him off and would run away, if not a passing by shepherd had caught it. Hans decides that riding a horse is not for him and seeing the shepherd’s cow becomes very fond of her. They change the beasts.
He's glad of the good deal he made - he now can have milk, butter and cheese every day and can walk safely wit the cow. When he got thirsty and tried to milk the cow very clumsily, she kicked him off abruptly. He lay senseless, but luckily, a butcher was approaching and told that the cow will give no milk, it's only good for slaughtering. Hans did not like beef to eat at all, but again, luckily the butcher offered Hans a pig. ‘Well, now I can have sausages, That's a different story!’, he exclaimed happily and they made a deal.
The next person he meets is a countryman with a goose. He tells Hans a pig was stolen in nearby village and it looks like there will be trouble. Hans is frightened and takes the goose for the pig very hastily. 'After all,' thinks Hans, ' I got lucky again. First there will be a capital roast, then I'll have enough goose grease for six months and the feathers I put in my pillow. My mother will be happy!'.
Eventually he came to the last village where he sees a scissor-grinder, singing merrily. Having a chat with him, Hans decides to turn a scissor-grinder himslef because it is a very profitable profession. The only thing he needs, says the scissor-grinder, is a fine grindstone. Hans gives his goose in exchange for a big, rough stone. 'Now I should be the happiest man in the world. I could have money whenever I put my hand in my pocket! I must have been born in a lucky hour; every thing that I want or wish for comes to me of itself.'
When he set off again, he became very tired, as the stone was very heavy. He stopped near a pond and drunk water. And while he was doing it he pushed the stone unknowingly and it went down into the pond. He stood up puzzled for a moment but then jumped with joy, thanking heaven for its kindness in taking away his only plague, the ugly heavy stone!
'How happy am I! No mortal was ever so lucky as I am.' Then with a light and merry heart he walked on free from all his troubles, till he at last reached his mother's house, after seven years of hard work...
