From Alpine Goatherd to Teacher of Greek – Thomas Platter (1499-1582)

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After we had waited for the company about eight or nine weeks, we set out for Meissen. For me, not accustomed to travel, it was a very long journey; besides, I had to procure food on the way. Eight or nine of us travelled together – three little shooters, the others great Bacchants, as they were called. I was the smallest and youngest of the shooters. When I could not get on rapidly, then my cousin Paul went behind me with a rod or a stick and beat me on the bare legs, for I had on no trousers and but poor shoes. I no longer remember all the things that happened on the road, but a few I can still recall. For example, as we were on the journey and were speaking of all sorts of things, the Bacchants said to one another that in Meissen and Silesia it was customary for scholars to be allowed to steal geese and ducks and other edible things, and that nothing would be done to them on that account if they could only escape from the owner of the stolen things. One day we were not far from a village; there was a great flock of geese gathered together, and the herdsman was not near; for every little village had its own goose-herd; he was quite a distance off from the geese with the cowherds. Thereupon I asked my companions, the shooters, “When shall we be in Meissen, that I may be allowed to throw and kill a goose?” They said, “We are there now.” Then I took a stone, threw it, and hit one on the leg. The others flew away, but the lame one could not follow. Then I took another stone, hit it on the head, so that it fell down. For with the goats I had learned to throw well, so that no shepherd of my age could do better. Similarly I could blow the shepherd’s horn and leap with a pole; for in such arts I had practiced with my fellow herdsmen. Then I ran forward, caught the goose by the neck, and went with it under my coat through the street of the village. Then the goose-herd came running after us, crying in the village, “The boy has robbed me of my goose.” I and my fellow shooters fled, and the feet of the goose hung out from under my little coat. The peasants came out with hatchets, which they could throw, and ran after us. When I saw that I could not escape with the goose, I let it fall. Outside the village I sprang out of the road and into the thicket. But my two companions ran down the road, and were overtaken by two peasants. Then they fell down on their knees, begged for mercy, saying they had done no wrong. And when the peasants saw that they were not the ones who had let the goose fall, they returned to the village, taking the goose. I saw how they ran after my companions, and I was in great trouble, and said to myself: “Oh, God, I believe I have not crossed myself today.” For they had taught me that I should cross myself each morning. When the peasants came to the village again, they found our Bacchants in the inn – for they had gone ahead to the inn, and we followed after – and said that they should pay for the goose, which they could have done perhaps with two batz, but I know not whether they paid or not. When they came up to us, they laughed and asked us how it happened. I excused myself by saying that it was the custom of the land. But they said it is not yet time.

One time a murderer met us in the forest, eleven miles this side of Naumburg. We were all there together. At first he wished to play with our Bacchants, only that he might delay us until his companions had come together. We had at that time a very brave companion, named Antony Schalbetter, from the Visp district in Valais, who did not fear four or five, as he had already shown in Naumburg and Munich, and in other places besides. He threatened the murderer and said that he should go away. This he did. Now, it was so late that we could barely come into the nearest village, and there were two inns there, besides that only a few houses. When we entered one, there was the murderer before us with one or two others, without doubt his companions. Then we would not remain there, but went to the other inn. Soon they also came to this inn. When, now, the supper had been eaten, everyone was so busy in the house that they did not wish to give us little boys anything. For nowhere did we sit at the table at meals. Also, no one wanted to give us a bed, but, on the contrary, we had to lie in the horse-stalls. But when the older ones were shown to bed, Antony spoke to the landlord: “Landlord, it seems that you have some odd guests, and you appear not much better. I say to you, landlord, place us so that we are safe, or we will create such a disturbance that this house will be too small for you.” Thereupon the rascals asked to play chess at the table with our company (for so they called the game): I had never heard this little word before. When they had retired and I and the other little boys lay hungry in the horse-stall, in the night several persons, perhaps the landlord himself among them, came to the door of the room and tried to unlock it. Then Antony, from the inside, screwed a screw in the lock, drew the bed before the door, and struck a light; for he always had wax tapers and a tinder-box with him; then he quickly woke the other comrades. When the rogues heard this, they quickly departed. In the morning we found neither landlord nor servant. This they told to us boys. We were all overjoyed that nothing had happened to us in the stable. After we had gone a mile we met some people who, when they heard where we had spent the night, were much astonished that we had not all been murdered; for almost all the villagers were suspected murderers.