The Adventurous Simplicissimus · Chapter
XXXI: How the Devil Stole the Parson’s Bacon and How the Huntsman Caught Himself explained
The Huntsman, running low on provisions while lying in ambush, devises a scheme to steal food from a local parsonage.
What happens
The Huntsman, running low on provisions while lying in ambush, devises a scheme to steal food from a local parsonage. Disguised as a painter, he and a student comrade case the village, noting the parson's well-stocked kitchen and a peasant's oven full of bread. That night, they return with six men, charm the dogs, and steal the bread. The Huntsman then attempts to descend the chimney to steal bacon, but a rafter breaks, causing him to fall into the kitchen. He is nearly discovered by the cook, but blows out her light and escapes with the help of his comrades. Later, after a successful ambush, he sends the parson a valuable ring as compensation, along with a letter, and receives a gracious reply. The chapter ends with the Huntsman reflecting on his growing fame and fortune.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Appearance
The Huntsman disguises himself as a painter to gain access to the parsonage and deceive the priest and sacristan.
Greed and Money
The Huntsman's desire for reputation and booty drives him to steal even when not strictly necessary, and he later sends a valuable ring to compensate the parson.
Folly and Wisdom
The Huntsman's overconfidence leads to his fall and near-capture, but he learns to use generosity (sending the ring) to build goodwill and secure future advantages.
Characters to notice
- The Huntsman of Soest
The narrator and protagonist, who orchestrates the theft of the parson's bacon and bread to feed his starving men, and later sends a ring as recompense.
- Simplicissimus
The Huntsman is Simplicissimus himself, now a seasoned soldier and trickster, reflecting on his past exploits.
- The Hermit
Not directly present, but the Huntsman's early training in climbing hollow trees (learned from the hermit) enables his chimney descent.
Key passages
“Now must I tell you a story or two of things that happened to me before I left the dragoons: and though they are trifling, yet are they amusing to be heard: for I undertook not only great things, but despised not also small affairs, if only I could be assured that thereby I should get reputation among the people.”
The narrator recounts minor adventures from his time with the dragoons, noting that he pursued both grand and petty schemes as long as they enhanced his reputation.
The Huntsman justifies telling a seemingly trivial story by emphasizing his constant pursuit of fame.
“I took a sapphire set in a gold ring, which I had picked up on that same plundering expedition, and sent it from Rehnen to my priest by a sure hand with this letter: ... 'I swear by all that is holy that such affright was against my will, and so the more do I hope for forgiveness.'”
The Huntsman sends a valuable sapphire ring to the priest as compensation for the stolen bacon, along with a letter apologizing for the fright he caused.
This act of restitution shows the Huntsman's strategic generosity, as he seeks to maintain good relations with the local populace.
“And so did I everywhere, and gained much fame: yea, and the more I gave away and spent, the more the booty flowed in, and I conceived that I had laid out that ring well, though ’twas worth some hundred rix-dollars.”
The Huntsman reflects that his reputation and wealth grew the more he gave away, concluding that the ring was a wise investment.
This observation highlights the paradoxical nature of generosity in a wartime economy, where goodwill often yields greater returns.