The three sluggards


Den dovneste


A certain King had three sons who were all equally dear to him, and he did not know which of them to appoint as his successor after his own death. When the time came when he was about to die, he summoned them to his bedside and said, "Dear children, I have been thinking of something which I will declare unto you; whichsoever of you is the laziest shall have the kingdom." The eldest said, "Then, father, the kingdom is mine, for I am so idle that if I lie down to rest, and a drop falls in my eye, I will not open it that I may sleep." The second said; "Father, the kingdom belongs to me, for I am so idle that when I am sitting by the fire warming myself, I would rather let my heel be burnt off than draw back my leg." The third said, "Father, the kingdom is mine, for I am so idle that if I were going to be hanged, and had the rope already round my neck, and any one put a sharp knife into my hand with which I might cut the rope, I would rather let myself be hanged than raise my hand to the rope." When the father heard that, he said, "Thou hast carried it the farthest, and shalt be King."
Der var engang en konge, som havde tre sønner. Han holdt lige meget af dem alle tre og vidste derfor ikke, hvem der skulle arve riget efter ham. Da han lå på sit dødsleje kaldte han på dem og sagde: "Nu skal jeg fortælle jer, hvad jeg har bestemt. Den af jer, der er den dovneste skal være konge efter min død." - "Så bliver det mig," sagde den ældste, "for jeg er så doven, at når jeg vil gå i seng, og der falder en dråbe ned i mit øje, gider jeg ikke engang lukke det for at falde i søvn." - "Nej, det bliver mig," sagde den anden, "for jeger så doven, at når jeg sidder ved ilden for at varme mig, gider jeg ikke trække benene tilbage, selv om mine hæle skulle brænde." - "Det bliver nu alligevel mig," sagde den tredie, "for jeg er så doven, at jeg ikke engang gider skære strikken over, når jeg var klynget op i galgen, selv om en rakte mig en kniv." - "Du er den dovneste," sagde kongen, "riget er dit."