The Adventurous Simplicissimus · Chapter
How Simplicissimus Was Present at a Dance of Witches explained
Simplicissimus, wandering in the woods, is shunned by country-folk who flee from him, fearing he is the devil.
What happens
Simplicissimus, wandering in the woods, is shunned by country-folk who flee from him, fearing he is the devil. To secure provisions, he sews his ducats into armlets made from asses' ears and continues thieving from farms. One night, while hiding in a farmhouse kitchen, he witnesses a group of witches anointing sticks and flying out the window. Curious, he sits on a bench and is magically transported to a witches' sabbath, where he observes a bizarre dance and hellish music. A demonic figure addresses him by name, terrifying him, and he crosses himself repeatedly as the scene vanishes into darkness.
Themes in this chapter
Innocence and Experience
Simplicissimus, though simple, is thrust into a terrifying supernatural experience that contrasts his naive thievery with the horror of the witches' sabbath.
Deception and Appearance
The country-folk mistake Simplicissimus for the devil due to his appearance, while the witches' seemingly ordinary objects become vehicles for flight and evil.
Characters to notice
- Simplicissimus
Narrator and protagonist; wanders in fear, steals provisions, and is accidentally transported to a witches' dance.
Key passages
“I took a handful of ducats out of my pouch and, creeping nearer to them, showed them the alluring gold and cried, 'My masters, if ye will but wait for me I will give you this handful of gold.' But as soon as they saw me and my gold, at once they took to their heels, and left their mallets and wedges together with their bag of bread and cheese; with this I filled my knapsack.”
Simplicissimus tries to bribe woodcutters with gold, but they flee in terror, leaving behind their tools and food, which he takes.
Highlights the fear Simplicissimus inspires and his resourcefulness in obtaining supplies.
“I set the kitchen door, which opened into the yard, ajar, that if any danger threatened I could at once escape, and stayed still as a mouse till I might expect the people would go to bed.”
He leaves the kitchen door slightly open to ensure a quick escape and waits quietly for the inhabitants to sleep.
Shows Simplicissimus's cautious and cunning nature during his thieving.
“I and the bench together flew straight out of the window, and left my gun and knapsack, which I had laid aside, as pay for that magical ointment.”
The bench he sat on magically flew out the window, carrying him away and leaving his belongings behind.
Describes the sudden and involuntary magical transport to the witches' gathering.
“These folk were dancing of a wondrous dance, the like of which I saw never in my life, for they had taken hands and formed many rings within one another, with their backs turned to each other like the pictures of the Three Graces, so that all faced outwards.”
The witches danced in concentric circles, facing outward, with each ring moving in opposite directions.
Depicts the strange and intricate dance of the witches at the sabbath.
“In this tumult there came to me a fellow that had under his arm a monstrous toad, full as big as a kettledrum, whose guts were dragged out through its breech and stuffed into its mouth, which looked so filthy that I was fit to vomit at it.”
A demonic figure carrying a grotesque toad approaches Simplicissimus, causing him to feel nauseated.
Illustrates the repulsive and horrifying nature of the supernatural beings at the sabbath.