Sit down below it, and wait till night comes, and you will soon
learn how to shudder." "If that is all that is wanted," answered the
youth, "it is easily done; but if I learn how to shudder as fast as
that, thou shalt have my fifty thalers. Just come back to me early in
the morning." Then the youth went to the gallows, sat down below it,
and waited till evening came. And as he was cold, he lighted himself a
fire, but at midnight the wind blew so sharply that in spite of his fire,
he could not get warm. And as the wind knocked the hanged men against
each other, and they moved backwards and forwards, he thought to himself
"Thou shiverest below by the fire, but how those up above must freeze
and suffer!" And as he felt pity for them, he raised the ladder, and
climbed up, unbound one of them after the other, and brought down all
seven. Then he stirred the fire, blew it, and set them all round it
to warm themselves. But they sat there and did not stir, and the fire
caught their clothes. So he said, "Take care, or I will hang you up
again." The dead men, however, did not hear, but were quite silent,
and let their rags go on burning.
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