Madeline Brandeis

“ They began to walk on again, but Mitzi was still in a state of excitement. She clutched Fritz's arm and started to talk. Her words tumbled over on top of one another, they were in such a hurry to come out.
"You shall be a real Pied Piper, Fritz!" she chattered. "Tomorrow I'll make another speech in the park. I'll ask the people to follow you just as the children followed the Pied Piper. While you are playing you will walk away. You'll be like the Piper leading the rats and the children. Only, instead of leading them to a cave, you'll lead them to—"
"Where?" asked Fritz, wide-eyed. ”

“ Yes, Mitzi knew that she was going to like Berlin!
Fritz found musical instruments in every room. Sounds of piano and violin and flute came from all quarters of the house. No, never before in all his life had Fritz been so happy!
That evening, when the children were in bed, Mr. and Mrs. Toymaker sat talking.
"It is true," said Mr. Toymaker to his wife. "You were right. Fritz has turned beauty [Pg 158] into gold. People will pay for things even if they cannot touch them."
Mrs. Toymaker replied, "But even if they cannot touch music, music can touch them." ”

“ Toymaker set off for the market place to sell their wares.
"I do wish you would listen to Fritz's playing," said Mrs. Toymaker, as they walked along. "He has been so unhappy since that day you scolded him. Perhaps, after all, our son may be a real musician."
[Pg 78]
"Say no more about that," growled Mr. Toymaker. "I'll have no idle musicians in my family. Look at all the starving tune makers in the world! They cannot even support themselves. No! Music is foolish!"
"But," said Mrs. Toymaker, "you forget that Beethoven—"
"He was different!" snapped Mr. Toymaker. "We cannot all be geniuses!" ”

“ They passed toy shops and sausage stands. There are a thousand different kinds of sausages in Germany.
Germany is the children's gingerbread country. Think of all the childish delights that have come out of Germany: Christmas trees, cuckoo clocks, Hansel and Gretel, Grimms' Fairy Tales, and the Pied Piper!
And toys! When a toy is marked "made in Germany," we know that it is very fine, because Germany is the toy center of the world. ”

“ He became a famous composer. But when he was your age, Fritz, his father would not allow him to play."
Fritz looked at his mother. Mitzi looked at her father. The toy maker looked away from them all.
[Pg 153]
"You see," went on Mr. Schmitt, "George's father was a good man. But he did not love music. He wanted his son to be a doctor. Now, one day little George played for a powerful duke, who loved music. The duke decided to help young George.
"He said to Mr. Handel, 'You are a good man. But your son will be a great man. His music will fill people's hearts with beauty. ”

“ Mitzi was not so pleased with her day.
"Still we shall not give up," she said to Fritz. "At the next large town you must give another concert. Only we shall take care this time that there are no beggars about!"
The family left Mainz and started along the shore of the most famous river in all the world. England has her river Thames [Pg 62] (Tĕmz) . France is proud of the Seine (Sān) . Italy loves the Tiber. Russia sings of the Volga. In Austria it is the Danube. But the River Rhine is dear to Germany.
Castles on every hill have ancient legends. ”

“ But Mitzi would not tell. It was to be a secret between Fritz and herself. When they reached the next large town, Fritz was to put on the cloak. He was to play his violin dressed as the Pied Piper. Mitzi planned to bring Mr. Toymaker to the scene of the concert. She hoped to show him at last that Fritz's music could please people and make them throw money.
Mr. Toymaker was silent and sad. He wondered what would happen to them all if his business did not improve. A gypsy life was not very pleasant, after all. A cosy home was better for a German family. ”

“ Gay bath-houses dot the shores. Bathers bake themselves in the sun and rest beside the river.
"There is never any rest for me," sighed poor Mr. Toymaker.
"Perhaps, when we reach Coblenz (kō ́blĕnts) , you will sell more toys," said his wife.
"When we reach Coblenz," murmured Mitzi to Fritz, "you are to give another concert."
When they arrived in Coblenz, Mitzi said, "Come along, now, Fritz. This is our chance."
A short time later, Mr. Toymaker looked about and could not find Fritz and Mitzi.
"Where are the children?" he asked. "They are always running off." ”

“ Toymaker came out of the wagon with the violin-case gentleman.
"This is Mr. Schmitt," said the toy maker to his family. "Mr. Schmitt is a great music master from Berlin."
Fritz's eyes began to pop. Mitzi sat down with a jolt, her mouth open. Mrs. Toymaker felt her heart beating very fast.
The music master went up to Fritz and took his hand.
"I have just had a talk with your father, Fritz," he said. "You are coming with me to Berlin. You are all coming to live in the big city of Berlin. And you, Fritz, will study [Pg 152] and in time will become a great musician." ”

“ Children walk with teachers. Older children walk alone. As they walk they sing. They admire their country and learn. They stop overnight in these little youth inns—hotels made especially for boys and girls.
[Pg 52]
"Some day I am going with a group," said Mitzi. "I am going on hiking trips."
"Not until you are a bachfisch (bäk ́fish) ," said Fritz.
In Germany a young girl is called a "bachfisch," which means "baked fish."
But not so long ago in Germany girls did not hike and swim and play tennis. But now it is different. Girls are interested in everything, just as they are in America. ”

“ Toymaker that very few people are born with genius. Only naughty little Mitz was sure because she loved Fritz so much. She loved him and made up her mind that everyone in the world was going to find out about his beautiful music.
As they left Weimar, Mitzi squeezed her brother's hand. ”

“ Now, if Richard had been a boy musician like you, he might have played for people and—"
"Do you mean that he might have played on his trip to Prague?" asked Fritz.
"Yes," said Mitzi. "In every town. The people would have thrown him so much money that he could have bought all the bread and sausage and—"
Fritz laughed at Mitzi's wide eyes.
"Well, but what has that to do with our helping Father?" he asked.
"Don't you see?" she replied. "You shall play on the streets, and people will throw coins. Then, even if Father cannot sell toys, we shall still have money with which to buy food." ”

“ Toymaker sold nothing at his booth in the market place.
At noon he said, "There is no use staying here any longer."
He closed up his booth, and they went back to the wagon. After lunch Mr. and Mrs. Toymaker sat upon the steps of their wagon. They talked and talked about what they were to do.
"We could go to some small town and settle down," said Mrs. Toymaker. "When winter comes, a wandering life will not be very [Pg 143] pleasant. Mitz and Fritz should go to school. This gypsy life is not the best life for them." ”

“ Mountains. Mitz and Fritz had never before seen so many trees nor heard such lovely bird songs. Mrs. Toymaker told them about the famous canary birds raised in the Harz Mountains.
"They are considered the finest singers in the world," she said.
The children loved to pass through tiny villages and see the quaint costumes of the peasants. In large cities the people do not wear costumes. But in mountain hamlets they often wear the dress of their ancestors.
Mitzi was much interested in costumes just now. For Mitzi was making one. ”

“ She said, "Many people will be in Leipzig [Pg 104] for the fair. When you give your concert, I'll fetch Father and bring him to where you are playing. Oh, how surprised and pleased he'll be!"
Fritz smiled. Then he went on reading from his book while Mitzi sewed.
"'When Bach was a boy,'" read Fritz, "'his father died and he lived with his brother Christoph. One day Christoph brought home a book full of beautiful music. The little boy longed to play it. But Christoph was jealous of Sebastian's talent. He refused to let him have the music book and locked it up. ”

“ Fritz had to help his father with many things. Mitzi had to help her mother. They found no time to try their plan. But they did not forget it.
Along the road they saw much of interest. They passed small hotels for young travelers hiking about the country. In different lands there are different sports. Spain has her bullfights. England has her cricket. Switzerland's high mountains are popular for snow and ice sports. The United States plays baseball. But Germany hikes.
[Pg 50]
[Pg 51]
All over the land, in the summer time and even in winter, one meets groups of walkers. ”

“ He told his wife about it now.
"We shall travel through Germany like gypsies," he said. "There is a saying that if you cut a gypsy in ten pieces you have not killed him. You have only made ten gypsies. Theirs is a healthful life."
Mrs. Toymaker thought the plan a good one. She usually agreed with her husband. In fact, there was only one question over [Pg 30] which the toy maker and his wife really disagreed. That was the question of Fritz and his violin. Mrs. Toymaker thought it beautiful for people to make music. ”

“ People who are interested in chess come to this festival from far and near. Let us stop."
[Pg 95]
Mitzi, who was busily sewing, looked up.
"What is chess?" she asked. "Is it like cheese? Is it good to eat?"
Mrs. Toymaker laughed, "No, no, little hungry one! It is a game played on a board like checkers. This town is the only one in the world where children learn chess in school."
"In school?" asked Fritz.
"Yes," said Mrs. Toymaker. "During certain [Pg 96] months each child goes to school with his chessboard. Children learn the old game just as you learn arithmetic." ”

“ But his music! A different thing! Mitzi thought it was the sweetest music in all the world. Even Mother, who had taught him all she knew, thought it beautiful. But Father? Ah, Father hated it. Fritz must never play when Father was around. Father was very severe, and he did not love music.
[Pg 17]
To the strains of "The Huntsman's Chorus" Mitzi nodded her head in time as she chewed on her bread and sausage. Frank awoke and gazed wonderingly at the boy with the violin. Frank was a dachshund (däks ́ho͝ont) —a "badger dog," in English. At one time, Frank's kind of dog was used to hunt badgers. ”

“ Fritz was standing in a far corner of the market square, playing his violin. Mitzi was standing by his side.
[Pg 69]
Coblenz is a city of manufacturing and similar industries. The fortress across the river was occupied by American soldiers after the World War. Sometimes in a quiet city people are not much hurried. Therefore they give heed to pleasant sounds. Coblenz has been a quiet city since the soldiers left.
Mitzi eagerly watched the passers-by. She smiled as Fritz played. The little dog Frank wagged his tail happily. ”

“ Mrs. Toymaker had said, "Yes, you may go. But be sure to come home early."
Fritz stayed with his father, helping him to paint some toys and to repair others. They were getting ready for a fair in Hanover, a city not far away.
So Mitzi wandered off alone—Mitz, Frank, and the sausage! They passed through an old gateway into Hamelin. What [Pg 83] a storybook town it was! Every crooked house, every narrow street reminded Mitzi of the Pied Piper legend.
THE RAT-CATCHER'S HOUSE—HAMELIN
She could almost see the funny, tall man playing on his pipes. ”

“ She wanted her brother's beautiful music to have a beautiful setting. The two children walked through Mendelssohn Street, Bach Street, Beethoven Street, and Mozart (Mō ́tzärt) Street.
"Leipzig is a wonderful city," thought Fritz. "They have named their streets after their musicians."
What would Father think of that? There was no street named after a toy maker!
Bismarck Street was named for a great German leader. The strength and wisdom of Prince Otto von Bismarck helped Germany to become a powerful nation.
[Pg 125]
In the park many people strolled to and fro. ”

“ The Toymaker family journeyed through Hanau (Hä ́nou) , home of the Grimm brothers. The children spoke of these two devoted men, who had always worked together. Some of their stories have become famous, as, for instance, "Hansel and Gretel" and "Tom Thumb."
The family moved on toward Frankfurt.
The five Rothschild brothers had lived in Frankfurt. They had become the richest men in Europe and were called "The Five Frankfurters." Mrs. Toymaker remembered that the great poet, Goethe, had been born there.
[Pg 53]
[Pg 54]
Mitzi hoped to eat her fill of sausages. ”

“ During the festival, the whole town talks and thinks and remembers Richard Wagner. In every shop window are pictures of the composer. Even a newspaper is published [Pg 40] which prints only matters concerning Richard Wagner.
Mitz and Fritz left their wagon home and began to wander through the woodland town. Fritz was so happy and excited that one would have thought it his own festival. He had read and heard much about Bayreuth.
[Pg 41]
Mitzi, too, was impressed. ”

“ The girl wore a stiff white apron. Her cheeks were rosy and plump. She had a saucy look. Her big blue eyes were fixed upon the pages of a book. She was reading to the boy. The boy wore a green blouse smeared with paint. He was busily carving a wooden elephant. The dog was brown and [Pg 10] very long. He lay asleep beside the children with his nose on the girl's lap.
These are Mitz, Fritz, and Frank. Now you have met them. And this is their father's workshop—the workshop of a German toy maker in Nuremberg (Nū ́rĕm-bûrg) , city of toys. ”