Hausen - Colorful little masterpieces

Author: (Germany) Wilhelm Hauff / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features:
Muk Muk is a dwarf. When he was sixteen, his father died. His father had owed a lot of money to his relatives, so the unkind relatives drove Muk Muk out of their home and forced him to make a living in the outside world. Muk Muk put on his father's big clothes, wore his huge headscarf, and picked up a small stick before leaving. He wandered outside for two days, feeling cold and hungry, eating wild fruits from the wilderness, and sleeping on the hard ground. On the third day, he came to a big city. When he walked in front of a tall and beautiful house, an old lady called out, "Come quickly! Come! The fragrant porridge is already cooked, and the table is set. Please come and have a full meal." The main door of the house opened, and Muk Muk saw many dogs and cats running inside. He followed them in. Just as he went up the stairs, the old lady stopped him unhappily and asked what he was doing there. "Didn't you invite everyone for porridge?" Muk Muk replied, "I'm so hungry, so I came." The old lady laughed heartily and said, "I cooked just to feed my dear cats." Muk Muk told the old lady about his background and asked if he could share some food with the cats. The old lady, hearing Muk Muk's sad story, felt sorry for him and decided to keep him at home to work. Muk Muk's job was very easy—just taking care of the old lady's six cats. He also had to look after a small dog, but it wasn't as difficult to take care of as the cats were. At first, Muk Muk did a good job, and the old lady was very satisfied with him. However, the cats gradually became mischievous. Whenever the old lady left, they would jump around wildly, making the house a mess and breaking many beautiful dishes. But as soon as the old lady returned, they would immediately become quiet and well-behaved, as if nothing had happened. Seeing the house in such a state, the old lady flew into a rage and took out her anger on Muk Muk. She didn't listen to his explanations; she only trusted her cats. Muk Muk felt very hurt and decided to leave. One morning, the old lady went out, and the little dog who liked Muk Muk tugged at his pants, as if saying, "Come with me!" The dog led him into a secret room. Muk Muk accidentally broke a bottle cap and knew he had made a mistake. He wanted to run away but saw a pair of large slippers. Since his own pair was already broken, he put on the slippers. He also picked up a walking stick and hurriedly ran outside. Muk Muk found that he was running faster and faster without getting tired at all. It turned out that the slippers had magic. That night, while sleeping, he dreamed that the little dog said to him: P18-25