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Introduction to the Text

The Gosling is a typical example of the Middle High German tradition of mären: short narrative texts written in rhyming couplets, often telling humorous stories spiked with sexual jokes and sideswipes against specific social groups, most frequently clerics. In this way, mären are similar to the French fabliaux and the Italian prose novelle.

The Gosling was probably composed in the second half of the thirteenth century CE, and its author is unknown. The text tells the story of a young monk who leaves his monastery for the first time, encountering an outside world about which he is entirely ignorant. Never having seen a woman before, he innocently asks his abbot about those that they meet, and the abbot, trying to suppress the monk’s instant fascination, tells him that these creatures are called “geese”. The abbot’s plan fails as the naive monk is soon seduced by a village girl. Unaware of his wrongdoing, he reveals his sexual encounter to the abbot, who recognizes the calamity caused by his white lie.

The motif of the young man inexperienced in the ways of the world is widespread in European medieval literature. It is central to the various medieval versions of the legend of Barlaam and Josaphat (for example, Rudolf von Ems’s Barlaam und Josaphat, also in Middle High German, composed c.1220/30) and is frequently used as a moral anecdote in sermons and exemplary literature (for example, Jacques de Vitry’s Exempla, no. 82). Although commonly found in texts intended to educate their listener, the motif’s humorous potential did not escape medieval authors and audiences, and there are a large number of burlesque medieval stories about young men who have never seen women before and yet are instantly attracted to them. For example, both the early fourteenth-century Italian text Novellino (specifically story no. 14) and Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron (composed in 1358; see specifically the introduction to the fourth day) tell variants of this story.

The Gosling is a relatively early example of this narrative tradition. With regard to its verse form, sexual humor and undertones of anticlericalism, it represents central characteristics of the mären tradition and provides an introduction this literary genre.

Introduction to the Source

Multiple variants of this text are transmitted in six manuscripts that were written between the early fourteenth and mid-fifteenth centuries CE. The manuscript that our translation is based on was composed in Würzberg (in what is now southern Germany) around the year 1350 CE. In the scholarship, it is known as manuscript E.

About this Edition

We have translated The Gosling according to Klaus Grubmüller’s edition of manuscript E (Munich, University Library, 2° Cod. ms. 731, fol. 91v–93v). His edition is published in: Novellistik des Mittelalters. Texte und Kommentare. Deutscher Klassiker-Verlag im Taschenbuch, 2014.

Further Reading

Boccaccio, Giovanni. The Decameron. Translated by Wayne A. Rebhorn. Norton, 2013.

• See the introduction of the fourth day of stories for a variant of The Gosling.

  Chinca, Mark. “The Body in some Middle High German Mären: Taming and Maiming.” Framing Medieval Bodies, edited by Sarah Kay and Miri Rubin, Manchester University Press, 1994, pp. 187–210.

  The Exempla, or Illustrative Stories from the Sermones Vulgares of Jacques de Vitry, edited by Thomas Frederick Crane. Folk-Lore Society, 1890.

  Il Novellino, The Hundred Old Tales. Translated by Edward Storer. George Routledge & Sons, 1925.

• The fourteenth tale is a variant of The Gosling.

• Exemplum no. 84 uses the trope of the inexperienced young man for moral instruction.

  Wailes, Stephen L. “Social Humor in Middle High German Mären.” Amsterdamer Beiträge zur älteren Germanistik, vol. 10, 1976, pp. 119–148.

  Wailes, Stephen L. “Mären.” Dictionary of the Middle Ages, edited by Joseph Reese Strayer, vol 8, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1987, col. 126–133.

• Short lexicon article on the literary genre.

Young, Christopher J. “At the End of the Tale. Didacticism, Ideology and the Medieval German Märe.” Mittelalterliche Novellistik im europäischen Kontext: Kulturwissenschaftliche Perspektiven, edited by Mark Chinca, Timo Reuvekamp-Felber, and Christopher J. Young, Erich Schmidt Verlag, 2006, pp. 24–47.

The Gosling | Daz Genselin

Ich hort sagen ein mer wie ein kloster wer rich unde erbuwen wol

als von reht ein kloster sol ir gasthus und ir spital heten niht gesatziu mal

wan zuo welhen ziten der man geriten oder gende kan

der vant daz ezzen ie bereit minneclich und unverseit

gap man swaz si mohten han. also solten noch diu klôster stan. ouch hort ich mer von in sagen

ir kloster daz wer underslagen daz die munich und ir gemach selten ieman fremder sach und seit daz selbe mer

das manic munich da wer der selten fur daz kloster kan

Nu was dar inne ein junc man der het siniu jar vertriben

daz er dar inne was beliben sit daz er was ein kindelin des muost im unbekant sin swaz lebt in dem lande

wen daz er ors nach sage erkande daz man die solde riten

Do kam ez zuo einen ziten daz der apt solt riten

des wolt er nicht biten

und wolt schaffen des klosters dinc in bat der selbe jüngelinc

daz er in fuort durch daz lant, daz im würde erkant

der site von dem lande des er vil klein erkande. der abt der gewert

I heard a story told of a splendid

and well-built monastery, as a monastery should be.

5 Their lodgings and their infirmary did not have limited meal times for whenever someone arrived on horseback or on foot

he always found a meal prepared.

10 Charitably and willingly

they gave whatever they had.1

Would that monasteries were still this way! I also heard something more about them: that their monastery was isolated

15 so that strangers seldom saw the monks and their quarters. The same story also tells that there were many monks

that seldom left the monastery.

20 As it happened, a young man lived there. He had spent all his years there.

since he was a child,

staying inside the monastery. He couldn’t have known

25 what dwelled in the land.

He had only heard tell of horses: that one could ride them.

There came a time

when the abbot needed to ride out.

30 Without delay,

he wanted to attend to the monastery’s affairs.

The same lad asked him

to take him along through the countryside so that he would learn about

35 the land’s customs

of which he knew very little. The abbot granted

den münich des er begert, wan er in einveltigen sach.

in disem sinne das geschach: er gedâht, wirt im erkant beide liut unde lant,

sô mac man im enpfelhen wol swes ein man pflegen sol.

er wirt uns ein vil nützer man. alsus fuort er in von dan.

sîn knehte niht vermiten, mit ir herren sie do riten.

ir pfert giengen schon enzelt. do si komen an daz velt swaz in vihes wider gie

der münich nimmer verlie

er sprach ie wie ist daz genant der abbet der seit imz zehant swie sin name sölt sin

ez wer rint schaf oder swin daz tet er im zuo rehte kunt Do komen sie in kurzer stunt

zuo einem hove do sie hin wolten und ouch da beliben solten

do sie der meier gesach er lief gein in unde sprach

got wilkommen lieber herre min und alle die mit iu hie sin

als man in die ors empfie der abte unt der münich gie zuo einem fiur an ir gemach alsô schier daz geschach, man zôch in abe sa zehant

ir schuohe unde ir obergewant. Nu het der wirt ein schoenez wip und ein tochter, der lip

was ze wunsche wol gestalt, sie was wol zweinzic jar alt, die ouch dort her giengen,

der abbet hiez sie sitzen nider.

the monk what he desired

as he saw that he was ignorant.

40 That transpired for this reason: he thought: “Should the lad learn about both land and people,

one could trust him with

the duties that need to be fulfilled.

45 Then he will become a very useful man for us.” With that he led him from there.

His pages didn’t hesitate to ride with their master.

Their horses cantered nicely along.

50 Once they reached the countryside, the monk never neglected to ask about whatever animal crossed his path. “What’s that called?” he would ask. The abbot readily told him

55 what its name was.

Whether cattle or sheep or swine, he informed him correctly.

After a short while they came

to a farmstead to which they were headed

60 and intended to stay. When the reeve saw them,

he approached them and said:

“God bid you welcome, my dear Sir, and all those here with you.”

65 After the horses had been taken care of, the abbot and the monks went

to rest by the fire. Right away,

someone promptly took

70 their shoes and coats.

Now, the host had a beautiful wife and a daughter whose body

was everything one could wish for. She was about twenty years old.

75 The two women also came there and welcomed the gentlemen. The abbot asked them to be seated.

da warn si niht wider.

sie sazen nider an die stat. der münich den abbet aber bat daz er in wizzen lieze

wie diu creature hieze

do sprach der abbet zuohant: “diz sint gense genant.”

dô sprach der münich: “crêde mich, sô sint die gense siuberlich.

wie kumt daz wir niht gense hân? die möhten sich vil wol begân

an unser klôsterweide.” des lachten si dô beide

des wirtes tohter und sîn wîp. si wundert sêre daz sîn lîp was sô rehte minneclich

unt daz er niht verstüende sich wie ein wîp er genant.

den apte vrâgten si zehant ob der herre sinnic wer. dô seit er in diu mer,

als ir ê hant vernumen,

wie der münich dar was kumen c und wie er erwahsen wer.

als dô daz selbe mer des wirtes tohter bevant, dô gedâhte si zuohant:

”er ist ein sô hêrlich man,

dêst wâr, ob ichz gefüegen kan, ich versuoch ob er diu wîp erkenne ir namen under ir lîp.” der rede si gedagt,

ir gedanc si niemen sagt des si gedâht hete.

Nû wart ez alsô spete

daz die herren slâfen solten gân: nû wolt der meier des niht lân

er hiez in betten nâch irm sît: dô was ouch sîn tohter mit;

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They were not averse to this. They sat down on the spot. But the monk asked the abbot to tell him

what these creatures were called. The abbot replied readily:

“These are called geese.”

The monk said: “My goodness! Geese are lovely.

Why don’t we have geese?

They would fit in nicely

on the pasture at the monastery.” Both the host’s wife and daughter laughed at that.

They were very surprised that he was so handsome,

yet didn’t know

what a woman was called.

Straight away, they asked the abbot

whether the gentleman was right in the head.

Then he told them the story that you have just heard

about how the monk had come to the monastery2 and grown up there.

When the host’s daughter had listened to this story,

she immediately thought:

”He’s such a gorgeous man. Truly, if I can make it happen

I will test whether he knows women in name and in the flesh.”

She kept her musing to herself; she told no one of the thoughts that she had formed.

It was now so late

that it was time for the gentlemen to go to bed.

The reeve now insisted

that beds be prepared for them as was befitting. His daughter was also present.

si schuof daz disem jungen man wart gebettet wol hin dan

von den andern verre, dar umbe daz der herre möht haben sîn gemach.

nâch sînem willen daz geschach. Dô man die herren geleit,

der wirt hiez gereit

allez daz gesinde slâfen gân, den herren ir gemach lân.

der münich niht slâfen mahte; er het manige ahte,

wie ieglich dinc wer genant daz im des tages wart erkant.

diu juncfrowe ouch ungeslafen lac mit gedanken der si pflac

wie daz würde vollebrâht daz si dâ vor hete gedâht.

dô die liute entsliefen über al, dô stuont si ûf ân allen schal und sleich zuo sînem bette dar. als ir der münich wart gewar.

er sprach zuohant: “waz mac daz sîn?” Si sprach: “Ich binz, daz junge genselîn, und hân vrostes vil erliten:

herre, ich wolt iuch gerne biten daz ir hin under liezet mich,

in der minne, daz ich

iht ervrüer, wan hie ist ez kalt.” dô waz der münich einvalt

daz er si zuo im hin under lie. in der minne daz ergie

dô si dar under zuo im kam, dô konde dirre junge manx mit ir lützel noch vil

daz man do heizzet bettespil. dô konde siz ein wênic baz. mit guoter fuoge schuof si daz daz er in kurzer stunde

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She arranged it so that the young man had his bed

far from the others so that his master

could be comfortable.

It was done according to his wishes.

Right after the gentlemen had been shown to their beds the host commanded

that all of his household should go to sleep

so that the gentlemen would be left in piece and quiet. The monk was not able to sleep.

He had many thoughts

about what each thing was called that he had encountered that day.

She also lay awake turning over in her mind how to accomplish

what she had thought of earlier.

After all the people around them had fallen asleep, she got up without a sound

and snuck over to his bed. When the monk noticed her,

he said straight away, “What might that be?” She said: “It’s me, the little gosling.

I’ve been suffering dreadfully from the cold. Sir, I would really like to ask you,

to permit me to slip under the covers out of the kindness of your heart,

so that I don’t freeze to death.”

The monk was so naive

that he let her slip under the covers. That was done out of kindness.

When she joined him under the blanket, this young man knew

next to nothing

about how to play so-called bed games with her. She knew a little bit more.

With great skill she quickly got him

des selben spiln begunde. der münech die gans brûht mit flîze, wan in dûht

im were wol und dennoch baz. alsô lange treip er daz

unz si des tages sich versach. dô stuont si ûf unde sprach: “nu sült ir nimmer verjehen

des von uns zweien ist beschehen. würde ez dem abte kunt,

man tet uns beide sâ zestunt den vil grimmeclîchen tôt.” vil tiure si im daz gebôt

daz erz geseite nimmer man. daz lobt er und gie si von dan an ir heimlîch.

ir muot was fröudenrîch

daz si was dannân kumen unt dar daz ir dâ nieman wart gewar.

Dô si kam an ir gemach,

dar nâch vil schier daz geschach daz ûf begonde gân der tac.

das nâch ouch vil unlange lac der abte und der münich dâ. si schuofen ir dinc iesâ

durch daz si wârn kumen dar. dô si daz geschuofen gar, zuohant si wider heim riten. die klôsterliute niht vermiten, dô si heim wârn kumen,

der münech wart her genumen und frâgten in zehant

wie im geviel daz lant.

dô begunde er in verjehen daz er wol hete gesehen vil dinge in dem lande des er ê niht erkande. des gelachten si vil,

sîn rede was ir aller spil.

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playing the same game.

The monk dealt with the goose eagerly, because it seemed to him

that he was feeling good and would soon feel even better.

He carried on with it

until she noticed the break of day. Then she got up and said:

“You must never tell anyone

what has happened between the two of us. If the abbot ever found out,

we would both immediately suffer a gruesome death.”

With great urgency she commanded that he never tell anyone about it.

He swore to that and she then retired to her chamber.

She was full of joy

that she had gone there and back without anyone noticing.

Soon after

she came to her chamber, the day began to dawn.

The abbot and the monk

did not stay in bed much longer.

They dealt with the affairs

for which they had come there. As soon as they had done this they rode home again.

Once they had arrived home, the brothers could not resist taking the monk aside

and eagerly asking him

how he had liked the country.

He began to tell them that he had actually seen

many things in the country that he hadn’t known before. They laughed a lot at that.

His tale entertained them greatly.

doch pflac er der kündekeit		He was clever enough
daz ir keinem wart geseit	195	that he didn’t tell any one of them
wie im des nahtes ûf der vart		during the night while on the trip.
diu junge gans ze teil wart.		how he had partaken of the goose.
daz hal er sêre, als si in hiez;		He didn’t say a word, as she had told him.
nieman er daz wizzen liez.		He let no one know about that.
Nû was ez vor der hôchzît	200	Now at that time, it was before the feast day
die in dem winter gelît,		which takes place in winter
diu wîhennaht ist genant.		and which is called Christmas.
der abte besant zuohant		The abbot immediately summoned
kelner unde koche.		cooks and cellarers.
er sprach: “uns nâhet ein woche	205	He said: “There is a week approaching
daz wir singen müezen und lesen.		when we must sing and read.
nû sült ir der herren flîzic wesen		Now, you should be attentive to the gentlemen
daz ir uns ein wirtschaft gebent.		by preparing a banquet for us.
sô die liute mit arbeit lebent,		The more tedium in people’s lives,
so sol man ir pflegen dester baz.”	210	the better they should be taken care of.”
die herren lobten alle daz.		The gentlemen all praised that.
Der junge münich stuont dâ bî.		The young monk stood there with them
Er sprach: “sît daz iuwer wille sî,		and said: “Since you wish us
daz wir vollez ampt süllen hân,		to hold full high mass, my dear master
sô sült ir nimmer verlân,	215	you should not fail
müge ez an iuwern staten sîn,		if it is in your power
so schaffet, lieber herre mîn,		to provide
daz iedem man ein gans werde:		every man with a goose.
sô wart ûf der erde		Then no one on earth
nie keinen liuten baz.”	220	will ever have had it better.”
der abbet vienc der rede haz:		The abbot became angry at these words.
er hiez in swîgen. daz geschach.		He bade him to be silent, and the monk was silent.
dar nâch er aber schier sprach:		But a second later he said:
”gense daz ist ein wirtschaft,		”Geese! That’s a feast!
ob aller wirtschaft ein überkraft	225	The most almighty of feasts
die in der werlt ieman gewan.”		that anyone in the world has ever enjoyed.”
der abt sprach zuo dem jungen man:		The abbot said to the young man:
“bruoder, tuot die rede hin.		“Brother, be silent!
wâ hin haben ir iuwern sin		Where have you left your sense
und iuwer witze getân?	230	and your reason?
nû mügt ir iuch doch wol verstân		Now, you should know
daz wir niht fleisches ezzen.		that we don’t eat meat.

ich will mich des vermezzen

ir müezt der rede buoz enpfân.” er hiez in balde dannan gân.

des getorst der münich lâzen niht. er sprach iedoch: “waz mir geschiht, guot weren gense, der sie mac han, guot unde wolgetan.”

hie mit wart er hin vertriben. die andern alle dâ beliben und schuofen um ir lîpnar. dar nâch satzten si gar beide ir singen unde ir lesen, wer des meister sölt wesen. dî daz allez wart gesat,

der abt im gewinnen bat aber disen jungen man.

er fuort in von den liuten dan an sîn heimlîch.

er bat in flîziclîch daz er im verjehe

dâ von diu rede geschehe daz er der gense begert. der münich in des gewert. dô er sô tiur wart gemant, dô verjach er im zehant reht der gense wârheit, als ich iu ê hân geseit,

wie er die gans hin under lie und sich die naht mit ir begie. dô daz der abbet bevant, trûreclichen er sprach zehant: ”leider mir, ir sît betrogen:

ich hân iu selbe verlogen. crêde mich ez was ein wîp. iuwer sinnelôser lîp

hât bî wîben gelegen.

ich solt iuwer baz hân gepflegen, sô het ich reht getân.”

buoze hier er in empfân.

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I will demand

that you do penance for your words.” Immediately after that, he ordered him to leave. The monk didn’t dare to object,

but he spoke: “No matter what happens to me,

geese would be good. For him who is able to have them, they are good and fine.”

At these words, he was thrown out.

The others all stayed there

and busied themselves with their nourishment.

Afterwards they agreed on their chanting and readings

and who should be responsible for them. When this was all agreed upon,

the abbot asked for

the young man to be brought to him. He took him away from the others to his room.

He asked him fervently to tell him

the reason why he said that he desired geese.

The monk granted him that. When he was so strongly urged, he told him without hesitation the whole truth about geese

as I have told you before:

how he lay with the goose and spent the night with her.

When the abbot discovered this

he replied right away with sadness: ”Alas, you have been betrayed.

I myself have deceived you. Believe me, that was a woman.

Your ignorant body has lain with a woman.

I should have taken better care of you, then I would have behaved dutifully.” He commanded him to do a penance.

daz geschach nâch siner bet. doch wen ich er im unreht tet: wan swaz er sünden dâ gewan, dâ was der apt schuldic an. het er im die wârheit

ungelogen und âne spot geseit, er het sich lîhte baz behuot. spot und lüge ist selten guot: si sint sünde und ouch ân êre. waz sol ich dâ von sagen mêre denne ich hân alhie getân?

ez ist mîn geloube und hân den wân daz ze Swâben noch der münich sî vil lîht zwên oder drî

die diu wîp erkennent baz. gedienten die ir meister haz,

die büezen ouch, daz ist mîn rât. hie mit die rede ein ende hât.

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The monk did as he was ordered, but I think he was treated unfairly.

For, whatever sins he committed there, the abbot was to blame for them.

If he had told him the truth honestly and without lies,

the monk would have guarded himself better. Mockery and lying are seldom good;

they are sins and they are also without honour.

What more shall I say about this than what I have already said?

It is my belief and my assumption that in Swabia there might still easily be two or three monks

who have a better understanding of women. If they annoy their superiors,

they should also do penance. This is my advice. Here the story ends.

Critical Notes

Line 11 ”Milte” (roughly: “generosity”) is regularly portrayed as a key virtue in medieval German courtly literature. Here it is related to the Christian ideal of caritas (“charity”).

Line 100 The literal translation of the Middle High German would be: “how the monk had come there.” This refers to his youth at the monastery. To clarify the reference, we specified the “there” in our translation.