There was once a King's son who went out into the world, and he was full of thought and sad. He looked at the sky, which was so beautifully pure and blue, then he sighed, and said, "How well must all be with one up there in heaven!" Then he saw a poor gray-haired man who was coming along the road towards him, and he spoke to him, and asked, "How can I get to heaven?" The man answered, "By poverty and humility. Put on my ragged clothes, wander about the world for seven years, and get to know what misery is, take no money, but if thou art hungry ask compassionate hearts for a bit of bread; in this way thou wilt reach heaven."
Then the King's son took off his magnificent coat, and wore in its place the beggar's garment, went out into the wide world, and suffered great misery. He took nothing but a little food, said nothing, but prayed to the Lord to take him into his heaven. When the seven years were over, he returned to his father's palace, but no one recognized him. He said to the servants, "Go and tell my parents that I have come back again." But the servants did not believe it, and laughed and left him standing there. Then said he, "Go and tell it to my brothers that they may come down, for I should so like to see them again." The servants would not do that either, but at last one of them went, and told it to the King's children, but these did not believe it, and did not trouble themselves about it. Then he wrote a letter to his mother, and described to her all his misery, but he did not say that he was her son. So, out of pity, the Queen had a place under the stairs assigned to him, and food taken to him daily by two servants. But one of them was ill-natured and said, "Why should the beggar have the good food?" and kept it for himself, or gave it to the dogs, and took the weak, wasted-away beggar nothing but water; the other, however, was honest, and took the beggar what was sent to him. It was little, but he could live on it for a while, and all the time he was quite patient, but he grew continually weaker. As, however, his illness increased, he desired to receive the last sacrament. When the host was being elevated down below, all the bells in the town and neighbourhood began to ring. After mass the priest went to the poor man under the stairs, and there he lay dead. In one hand he had a rose, in the other a lily, and beside him was a paper in which was written his history.
Then the King's son took off his magnificent coat, and wore in its place the beggar's garment, went out into the wide world, and suffered great misery. He took nothing but a little food, said nothing, but prayed to the Lord to take him into his heaven. When the seven years were over, he returned to his father's palace, but no one recognized him. He said to the servants, "Go and tell my parents that I have come back again." But the servants did not believe it, and laughed and left him standing there. Then said he, "Go and tell it to my brothers that they may come down, for I should so like to see them again." The servants would not do that either, but at last one of them went, and told it to the King's children, but these did not believe it, and did not trouble themselves about it. Then he wrote a letter to his mother, and described to her all his misery, but he did not say that he was her son. So, out of pity, the Queen had a place under the stairs assigned to him, and food taken to him daily by two servants. But one of them was ill-natured and said, "Why should the beggar have the good food?" and kept it for himself, or gave it to the dogs, and took the weak, wasted-away beggar nothing but water; the other, however, was honest, and took the beggar what was sent to him. It was little, but he could live on it for a while, and all the time he was quite patient, but he grew continually weaker. As, however, his illness increased, he desired to receive the last sacrament. When the host was being elevated down below, all the bells in the town and neighbourhood began to ring. After mass the priest went to the poor man under the stairs, and there he lay dead. In one hand he had a rose, in the other a lily, and beside him was a paper in which was written his history.
When he was buried, a rose grew on one side of his grave, and a lily on the other.
Es war einmal ein Königssohn, der ging hinaus in das Feld und war nachdenklich und traurig. Er sah den Himmel an, der war so schön rein und blau, da seufzte er und sprach "wie wohl muß einem erst da oben im Himmel sein!" Da erblickte er einen armen greisen Mann, der des Weges daherkam, redete ihn an und fragte "wie kann ich wohl in den Himmel kommen?". Der Mann antwortete "durch Armut und Demut. Leg an meine zerrissenen Kleider, wandere sieben Jahre in der Welt und lerne ihr Elend kennen: nimm kein Geld, sondern wenn du hungerst, bitt mitleidige Herzen um ein Stückchen Brot, so wirst du dich dem Himmel nähern". Da zog der Königssohn seinen prächtigen Rock aus und hing dafür das Bettlergewand um, ging hinaus in die weite Welt und duldete groß Elend. Er nahm nichts als ein wenig Essen, sprach nichts, sondern betete zu dem Herrn, daß er ihn einmal in seinen Himmel aufnehmen wollte. Als die sieben Jahre herum waren, da kam er wieder an seines Vaters Schloß, aber niemand erkannte ihn. Er sprach zu den Dienern "geht und sage meinen Eltern, daß ich wiedergekommen bin". Aber die Diener glaubten es nicht, lachten und ließen ihn stehen. Da sprach er "geht und sagts meinen Brüdern, daß sie herabkommen, ich möchte sie so gerne wiedersehen". Sie wollten auch nicht, bis endlich einer von ihnen hinging und es den Königskindern sagte, aber diese glaubten es nicht und bekümmerten sich nicht darum. Da schrieb er einen Brief an seine Mutter und beschrieb ihr darin all sein Elend, aber er sagte nicht, daß er ihr Sohn wäre. Da ließ ihm die Königin aus Mitleid einen Platz unter der Treppe anweisen und ihm täglich durch zwei Diener Essen bringen. Aber der eine war bös und sprach "was soll dem Bettler das gute Essen!", behielts für sich oder gabs den Hunden und brachte dem Schwachen, Abgezehrten nur Wasser; doch der andere war ehrlich und brachte ihm, was er für ihn bekam. Es war wenig, doch konnte er davon eine Zeitlang leben; dabei war er ganz geduldig, bis er immer schwächer ward. Als aber seine Krankheit zunahm, da begehrte er das heilige Abendmahl zu empfangen. Wie es nun unter der halben Messe ist, fangen von selbst alle Glocken in der Stadt und in der Gegend an zu läuten. Der Geistliche geht nach der Messe zu dem armen Mann unter der Treppe, so liegt er da tot, in der einen Hand eine Rose, in der anderen eine Lilie, und neben ihm ein Papier, darauf steht seine Geschichte auf geschrieben. Als er begraben war, wuchs auf der einen Seite des Grabes eine Rose, auf der anderen eine Lilie heraus.