昔、ハンスという名の若い農夫がいて、叔父さんが金持ちの嫁さんを見つけてあげたいと思いました。それでハンスをストーブの後ろに座らせ、ストーブをとても熱くしました。それから鍋にいっぱいのミルクとたくさんの白パンをとってきて、ピカピカの新しいファージング硬貨を手に持たせ、「ハンス、そのファージングをしっかり握って、白パンをミルクに砕いて入れなよ。そして今いるところにいるんだ。おれが戻るまで動くなよ。」と言いました。「うん、全部やるよ。」とハンスは言いました。それから、叔父さんはパッチ（つぎはぎ）のついた古いズボンをはき、隣村の金持ちの農夫の娘のところに行きました。そして、「私の甥のハンスと結婚しないかね？あなたにぴったりの正直で分別のある男だよ。」と言いました。欲張りな父親が「財産についてはどうかね？砕いて入れるパンはあるかね（注）？」と尋ねました。
「ねえ、あなた、うちの若い甥は心地よいベッドがあるし、手に素晴らしいお金をもってるし、砕くたくさんのパンももっていますよ。それに私と同じくらいたくさんのパッチもありますよ。」と叔父さんは答えて、話しながらズボンのパッチ（つぎはぎ）をたたきました。しかしその地方では小さな土地の区画もまたパッチと呼ばれていました。「お手数をおかけしますが私と一緒に家へ来て見れば、すぐに私が言った通りだとわかりますよ。」すると欲張りはこの良い機会を失いたくなくて、「そういうことなら、これ以上結婚に反対して言うことはないよ。」と言いました。
それで決められた日取りで結婚式が祝われました。そして若い妻が花婿の財産を見ようと家から外へ出たとき、ハンスは礼服を脱ぎ、パッチのついた仕事着を着て、「上等な服をだめにするかもしれないからな。」と言いました。それから一緒にでかけて、ブドウ畑が見えたり畑や草地が区切られているところをどこでも指差し、仕事着の大小のパッチをたたきながら、「そのパッチはおれので、それもそうだ。おまえ、よく見てごらんよ。」と、妻が広い土地を見ないで、自分の服を、それが自分のものだから、見るべきだという意味で、ハンスは言いました。
「あなたも結婚式に出たの？」「ああ、確かにでたよ。正装してね。頭飾りは雪だったけど、お日様がでると溶けちゃったね。上着はクモの巣でできていて、イバラを通ったら破れてとれちゃった。靴はガラスでできていたんだが、石の上を歩いたらカチンと音がして、２つにわれちゃったよ。」
（注）俗語表現で「裕福なのかね」の意味らしい
There was once upon a time a young peasant named Hans, whose uncle wanted to find him a rich wife. He therefore seated Hans behind the stove, and had it made very hot. Then he fetched a pot of milk and plenty of white bread, gave him a bright newly-coined farthing in his hand, and said, "Hans, hold that farthing fast, crumble the white bread into the milk, and stay where you are, and do not stir from that spot till I come back." - "Yes," said Hans, "I will do all that." Then the wooer put on a pair of old patched trousers, went to a rich peasant's daughter in the next village, and said, "Won't you marry my nephew Hans -- you will get an honest and sensible man who will suit you?" The covetous father asked, "How is it with regard to his means? Has he bread to break?" - "Dear friend," replied the wooer, "my young nephew has a snug berth, a nice bit of money in hand, and plenty of bread to break, besides he has quite as many patches as I have," (and as he spoke, he slapped the patches on his trousers, but in that district small pieces of land were called patches also.) "If you will give yourself the trouble to go home with me, you shall see at once that all is as I have said." Then the miser did not want to lose this good opportunity, and said, "If that is the case, I have nothing further to say against the marriage."
So the wedding was celebrated on the appointed day, and when the young wife went out of doors to see the bridegroom's property, Hans took off his Sunday coat and put on his patched smock-frock and said, "I might spoil my good coat." Then together they went out and wherever a boundary line came in sight, or fields and meadows were divided from each other, Hans pointed with his finger and then slapped either a large or a small patch on his smock-frock, and said, "That patch is mine, and that too, my dearest, just look at it," meaning thereby that his wife should not stare at the broad land, but look at his garment, which was his own.
So the wedding was celebrated on the appointed day, and when the young wife went out of doors to see the bridegroom's property, Hans took off his Sunday coat and put on his patched smock-frock and said, "I might spoil my good coat." Then together they went out and wherever a boundary line came in sight, or fields and meadows were divided from each other, Hans pointed with his finger and then slapped either a large or a small patch on his smock-frock, and said, "That patch is mine, and that too, my dearest, just look at it," meaning thereby that his wife should not stare at the broad land, but look at his garment, which was his own.
"Were you indeed at the wedding?" - "Yes, indeed I was there, and in full dress. My head-dress was of snow; then the sun came out, and it was melted. My coat was of cobwebs, and I had to pass by some thorns which tore it off me, my shoes were of glass, and I pushed against a stone and they said, "Klink," and broke in two.