The Spitz and Hans Huckebein

Spitz and Kater get angry in vain about the unlucky raven in Wilhelm Busch's picture story (1867)

Hans Huckebein, the unlucky raven

Here lurks in the pot's cave

Hans Huckebein, the black soul.

The bone the Spitz stole,

Now wants to get it again.

So pull with growls and caws

One on the left, the other on the right.

The spitz already thinks he's winning,

Then the raven pinches him from behind.

Oh my! He jumps on Spitz's neck,

To pluck his hair out.

The spitz is already annoyed

And plucks the raven in turn.

Meanwhile, jump with the ham leg

The cat in the pot.

There they sit and stare and stare.

Don't trust the cat very much.

The cat hooks the spitz that screams,

The raven is full of joy.

He grabs it quickly because the pot isn't quite

With clever cunning the tomcat's tail.

The pot rolls. It writhes in agony

The cat's tail spirals.

And spitz and tomcat run away.

The biggest rascal stays on top!!

You can read about the ending of this story (or find it via the link in the source)

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