%Menota_entities;] > The Gosling Anonymous Transcription from the edition by Klaus Grubmüller Translation by Kathryn StarkeyBjörn K. BuschbeckRobert ForkeMae Velloso-Lyons Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Kathryn StarkeyBjörn K. BuschbeckRobert ForkeMae Velloso-Lyons Global Medieval Sourcebook

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The Gosling is a typical example of the Middle High German tradition of mären: short narrative texts written in rhyming couplets, often telling humorous stories spiked with sexual jokes and sideswipes against specific social groups, most frequently clerics. In this way, mären are similar to the French fabliaux and the Italian prose novelle.

The Gosling was probably composed in the second half of the thirteenth century CE, and its author is unknown. The text tells the story of a young monk who leaves his monastery for the first time, encountering an outside world about which he is entirely ignorant. Never having seen a woman before, he innocently asks his abbot about those that they meet, and the abbot, trying to suppress the monk's instant fascination, tells him that these creatures are called “geese”. The abbot's plan fails as the naive monk is soon seduced by a village girl. Unaware of his wrongdoing, he reveals his sexual encounter to the abbot, who recognizes the calamity caused by his white lie.

The motif of the young man inexperienced in the ways of the world is widespread in European medieval literature. It is central to the various medieval versions of the legend of Barlaam and Josaphat (for example, Rudolf von Ems's Barlaam und Josaphat, also in Middle High German, composed c.1220/30) and is frequently used as a moral anecdote in sermons and exemplary literature (for example, Jacques de Vitry's Exempla, no. 82). Although commonly found in texts intended to educate their listener, the motif's humorous potential did not escape medieval authors and audiences and there are a large number of burlesque medieval stories about young men who have never seen women before and yet are instantly attracted them. For example, both the early fourteenth-century Italian text Novellino (specifically story no. 14) and Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron (composed in 1358; see specifically the introduction to the fourth day) tell variants of this story.

The Gosling is a relatively early example of this narrative tradition. With regard to its verse form, sexual humor and undertones of anticlericalism, it represents central characteristics of the mären tradition and provides an introduction this literary genre.

Multiple variants of this text are transmitted in six manuscripts that were written between the early fourteenth and mid-fifteenth centuries CE. The manuscript that our translation is based on was composed in Würzberg (in what is now southern Germany) around the year 1350 CE. In the scholarship, it is known as manuscript E.

Please note: You will see that the manuscript images embedded in the text panel (if you click “Go to Text”) do not always match our edition of the medieval text. This is because these images are not of manuscript E (which has not yet been digitised), but of a slightly earlier manuscript which also contains The Gosling: Heidelberg Cod. Pal. germ. 341. This manuscript is available to view in its entirety here. Although the two manuscripts generally agree, there are some variations. This is a common feature of medieval texts, which are often slightly modified when they are recopied, whether by mistake (i.e. when the scribe makes an error) or deliberately (i.e. when the scribe makes an alteration).

Boccaccio, Giovanni, The Decameron, translated by Wayne A. Rebhorn. Norton, 2013. See the introduction of the fourth day of stories for a variant of The Gosling.

Chinca, Mark, “The Body in some Middle High German Mären: Taming and Maiming,” Framing Medieval Bodies, edited by Sarah Kay, Miri Rubin. Manchester University Press, 1994, pp. 187–210.

Il Novellino. The Hundred Old Tales, translated by Edward Storer. George Routledge & Sons, 1925. The fourteenth tale is a variant of The Gosling.

The Exempla, or Illustrative Stories from the Sermones Vulgares of Jacques de Vitry, edited by Thomas Frederick Crane. Folk-Lore Society, 1890. Exemplum no. 84 uses the trope of the inexperienced young man for moral instruction.

Young, Christopher J., “At the End of the Tale. Didacticism, Ideology and the Medieval German Märe,” Mittelalterliche Novellistik im europäischen Kontext: Kulturwissenschaftliche Perspektiven, edited by Mark Chinca, Timo Reuvekamp-Felber, Christopher J. Young. Erich Schmidt Verlag, 2006, pp. 24–47.

Wailes, Stephen L., “Social Humor in Middle High German Mären,” Amsterdamer Beiträge zur älteren Germanistik, vol. 10, 1976, pp. 119–148.

Wailes, Stephen L., “Mären,” Dictionary of the Middle Ages, edited by Joseph Reese Strayer, vol 8. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1987, col. 126–133. Short lexicon article on the literary genre.

 daz genselin The Gosling

Manuscript E: Munich, University Library, 2° Cod., ms. 731, fol. 91v–93v.

"The Gosling" is published by The Global Medieval Sourcebook (GMS), a free, open access, and open source compendium of medieval texts in their original languages and in English translation. GMS comprises computer-readable transcriptions or editions alongside new translations of texts dating from the ninth to the sixteenth century and originating in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The GMS platform includes critical introductions as well as sources for further reading.

Transcriptions and translations are encoded in XML conforming to TEI (P5) guidelines. The original-language text is contained within <lem> tags and translations within <rdg> tags.

We have translated The Gosling according to Klaus Grubmüller's edition of manuscript E (Munich, University Library, 2° Cod. ms. 731, fol. 91v–93v). His edition is published in: Novellistik des Mittelalters. Texte und Kommentare. Deutscher Klassiker-Verlag im Taschenbuch, 2014.

 <app> <lem wit="#Transcription">Diz mere heizet daz genselin und sagt von einem münche und von einem magedin</lem> <rdg wit="#Translation">This tale is called 'The Gosling' and tells of a monk and a maiden</rdg> </app> 1 Ich hort sagen ein mer I heard a story told wie ein kloster wer of a splendid rich unde erbuwen wol and well-built monastery, als von reht ein kloster sol as a monastery should be. ir gasthus und ir spital Their lodgings and their infirmary heten niht gesatziu mal did not have limited meal times wan zuo welhen ziten der man for whenever someone arrived geriten oder gende kan on horseback or on foot der vant daz ezzen ie bereit he always found a meal prepared. minneclich und unverseit Charitably and willingly gap man swaz si mohten han. they gave whatever they had.

"Milte" (roughly: "generosity") is regularly portrayed as a key virtue in medieval German courtly literature. Here it is related to the Christian ideal of caritas ("charity").

 also solten noch diu klôster stan. Would that monasteries were still this way! ouch hort ich mer von in sagen I also heard something more about them: ir kloster daz wer underslagen that their monastery was isolated daz die munich und ir gemach so that strangers seldom saw selten ieman fremder sach the monks and their quarters. und seit daz selbe mer The same story also tells that das manic munich da wer there were many monks der selten fur daz kloster kan that seldom left the monastery. Nu was dar inne ein junc man As it happened, a young man lived there. der het siniu jar vertriben He had spent all his years there daz er dar inne was beliben since he was a child, sit daz er was ein kindelin staying inside the monastery. des muost im unbekant sin He couldn't have known swaz lebt in dem lande what dwelled in the land. wen daz er ors nach sage erkande He had only heard tell of horses: daz man die solde riten that one could ride them. Do kam ez zuo einen ziten There came a time daz der apt solt riten when the abbot needed to ride out. des wolt er nicht biten Without delay, und wolt schaffen des klosters dinc he wanted to attend to the monastery's affairs. in bat der selbe jüngelinc The same lad asked him daz er in fuort durch daz lant, to take him along through the countryside daz im würde erkant so that he would learn about der site von dem lande the land's customs des er vil klein erkande. of which he knew very little. der abt der gewert The abbot granted den münich des er begert, the monk what he desired wan er in einveltigen sach. as he saw that he was ignorant. in disem sinne das geschach: That transpired for this reason: er gedâht, wirt im erkant he thought: "Should the lad learn beide liut unde lant, about both land and people, sô mac man im enpfelhen wol one could trust him with swes ein man pflegen sol. the duties that need to be fulfilled. er wirt uns ein vil nützer man. Then he will become a very useful man for us." alsus fuort er in von dan. With that he led him from there. sîn knehte niht vermiten, His pages didn't hesitate mit ir herren sie do riten. to ride with their master. ir pfert giengen schon enzelt. Their horses cantered nicely along. do si komen an daz velt Once they reached the countryside, swaz in vihes wider gie the monk never neglected to ask about der münich nimmer verlie whatever animal crossed his path. er sprach ie wie ist daz genant "What's that called?" he would ask. der abbet der seit imz zehant The abbot readily told him swie sin name sölt sin what its name was. ez wer rint schaf oder swin Whether cattle or sheep or swine, daz tet er im zuo rehte kunt he informed him correctly. Do komen sie in kurzer stunt After a short while they came zuo einem hove do sie hin wolten to a farmstead to which they were headed und ouch da beliben solten and intended to stay. do sie der meier gesach When the reeve saw them, er lief gein in unde sprach he approached them and said: got wilkommen lieber herre min "God bid you welcome, my dear Sir, und alle die mit iu hie sin and all those here with you." als man in die ors empfie After the horses had been taken care of, der abte unt der münich gie the abbot and the monks went zuo einem fiur an ir gemach to rest by the fire. alsô schier daz geschach, Right away, man zôch in abe sa zehant someone promptly took ir schuohe unde ir obergewant. their shoes and coats. Nu het der wirt ein schoenez wip Now, the host had a beautiful wife und ein tochter, der lip and a daughter whose body was ze wunsche wol gestalt, was everything one could wish for. sie was wol zweinzic jar alt, She was about twenty years old. die ouch dort her giengen, The two women also came there and die herren sie empfiengen. welcomed the gentlemen. der abbet hiez sie sitzen nider. The abbot asked them to be seated. da warn si niht wider. They were not averse to this. sie sazen nider an die stat. They sat down on the spot. der münich den abbet aber bat But the monk asked the abbot daz er in wizzen lieze to tell him wie diu creature hieze what these creatures were called. do sprach der abbet zuohant: The abbot replied readily: "diz sint gense genant." "These are called geese." dô sprach der münich: "crêde mich, The monk said: "My goodness! sô sint die gense siuberlich. Geese are lovely. wie kumt daz wir niht gense hân? Why don't we have geese? die möhten sich vil wol begân They would fit in nicely an unser klôsterweide." on the pasture at the monastery." des lachten si dô beide Both the host's wife and daughter des wirtes tohter und sîn wîp. laughed at that. si wundert sêre daz sîn lîp They were very surprised that he was sô rehte minneclich was so handsome, unt daz er niht verstüende sich yet didn't know wie ein wîp er genant. what a woman was called. den apte vrâgten si zehant Straight away, they asked the abbot ob der herre sinnic wer. whether the gentleman was right in the head. dô seit er in diu mer, Then he told them the story als ir ê hant vernumen, that you have just heard wie der münich dar was kumen about how the monk had come to the monastery

The literal translation of the Middle High German would be: "how the monk had come there". This refers to his youth at the monastery. To clarify the reference, we specified the "there" in our translation.

 und wie er erwahsen wer. and grown up there. als dô daz selbe mer When the host's daughter had listened des wirtes tohter bevant, to this story, dô gedâhte si zuohant: she immediately thought: "er ist ein sô hêrlich man, "He's such a gorgeous man. dêst wâr, ob ichz gefüegen kan, Truly, if I can make it happen ich versuoch ob er diu wîp I will test whether he knows women erkenne ir namen under ir lîp." in name and in the flesh." der rede si gedagt, She kept her musing to herself; ir gedanc si niemen sagt she told no one of the thoughts des si gedâht hete. that she had formed. Nû wart ez alsô spete It was now so late daz die herren slâfen solten gân: that it was time for the gentlemen to go to bed. nû wolt der meier des niht lân The reeve now insisted er hiez in betten nâch irm sît: that beds be prepared for them as was befitting. dô was ouch sîn tohter mit; His daughter was also present. si schuof daz disem jungen man She arranged it so that the young man wart gebettet wol hin dan had his bed von den andern verre, far from the others dar umbe daz der herre so that his master möht haben sîn gemach. could be comfortable. nâch sînem willen daz geschach. It was done according to his wishes. Dô man die herren geleit, Right after the gentlemen had been shown to their beds der wirt hiez gereit the host commanded allez daz gesinde slâfen gân, that all of his household should go to sleep den herren ir gemach lân. so that the gentlemen would be left in piece and quiet. der münich niht slâfen mahte; The monk was not able to sleep. er het manige ahte, He had many thoughts wie ieglich dinc wer genant about what each thing was called daz im des tages wart erkant. that he had encountered that day diu juncfrowe ouch ungeslafen lac She also lay awake mit gedanken der si pflac turning over in her mind wie daz würde vollebrâht how to accomplish daz si dâ vor hete gedâht. what she had thought of earlier. dô die liute entsliefen über al, After all the people around them had fallen asleep, dô stuont si ûf ân allen schal she got up without a sound und sleich zuo sînem bette dar. and snuck over to his bed. als ir der münich wart gewar. When the monk noticed her, er sprach zuohant: "waz mac daz sîn?" he said straight away, "What might that be?" Si sprach: "Ich binz, daz junge genselîn, She said: "It's me, the little gosling. und hân vrostes vil erliten: I've been suffering dreadfully from the cold. herre, ich wolt iuch gerne biten Sir, I would really like to ask you, daz ir hin under liezet mich, to permit me to slip under the covers in der minne, daz ich out of the kindness of your heart, iht ervrüer, wan hie ist ez kalt." so that I don't freeze to death." dô waz der münich einvalt The monk was so naive daz er si zuo im hin under lie. that he let her slip under the covers. in der minne daz ergie That was done out of kindness. dô si dar under zuo im kam, When she joined him under the blanket, dô konde dirre junge man this young man knew mit ir lützel noch vil next to nothing daz man do heizzet bettespil. about how to play so-called bed games with her. dô konde siz ein wênic baz. She knew a little bit more. mit guoter fuoge schuof si daz With great skill she daz er in kurzer stunde quickly got him des selben spiln begunde. playing the same game. der münech die gans brûht The monk dealt with the goose mit flîze, wan in dûht eagerly, because it seemed to him im were wol und dennoch baz. that he was feeling good and would soon feel even better. alsô lange treip er daz He carried on with it unz si des tages sich versach. until she noticed the break of day. dô stuont si ûf unde sprach: Then she got up and said: "nu sült ir nimmer verjehen "You must never tell anyone des von uns zweien ist beschehen. what has happened between the two of us. würde ez dem abte kunt, If the abbot ever found out, man tet uns beide sâ zestunt we would both immediately suffer den vil grimmeclîchen tôt." a gruesome death." vil tiure si im daz gebôt With great urgency she commanded daz erz geseite nimmer man. that he never tell anyone about it. daz lobt er und gie si von dan He swore to that and she then retired an ir heimlîch. to her chamber. ir muot was fröudenrîch She was full of joy daz si was dannân kumen unt dar that she had gone there and back daz ir dâ nieman wart gewar. without anyone noticing. Dô si kam an ir gemach, Soon after dar nâch vil schier daz geschach she came to her chamber, daz ûf begonde gân der tac. the day began to dawn. das nâch ouch vil unlange lac The abbot and the monk der abte und der münich dâ. did not stay in bed much longer. si schuofen ir dinc iesâ They dealt with the affairs durch daz si wârn kumen dar. for which they had come there. dô si daz geschuofen gar, As soon as they had done this zuohant si wider heim riten. they rode home again. die klôsterliute niht vermiten, Once they had arrived home, dô si heim wârn kumen, the brothers could not resist der münech wart her genumen taking the monk aside und frâgten in zehant and eagerly asking him wie im geviel daz lant. how he had liked the country. dô begunde er in verjehen He began to tell them daz er wol hete gesehen that he had actually seen vil dinge in dem lande many things in the country des er ê niht erkande. that he hadn't known before. des gelachten si vil, They laughed a lot at that. sîn rede was ir aller spil. His tale entertained them greatly. doch pflac er der kündekeit He was clever enough daz ir keinem wart geseit that he didn't tell any one of them wie im des nahtes ûf der vart during the night while on the trip. diu junge gans ze teil wart. how he had partaken of the goose daz hal er sêre, als si in hiez; He didn't say a word, as she had told him. nieman er daz wizzen liez. He let no one know about that. Nû was ez vor der hôchzît Now at that time, it was before the feast day die in dem winter gelît, which takes place in winter diu wîhennaht ist genant. and which is called Christmas. der abte besant zuohant The abbot immediately summoned kelner unde koche. cooks and cellarers. er sprach: "uns nâhet ein woche He said: "There is a week approaching daz wir singen müezen und lesen. when we must sing and read. nû sült ir der herren flîzic wesen Now, you should be attentive to the gentlemen daz ir uns ein wirtschaft gebent. by preparing a banquet for us. sô die liute mit arbeit lebent, The more tedium in people's lives, so sol man ir pflegen dester baz." the better they should be taken care of." die herren lobten alle daz. The gentlemen all praised that. Der junge münich stuont dâ bî. The young monk stood there with them Er sprach: "sît daz iuwer wille sî, and said: "Since you wish us daz wir vollez ampt süllen hân, to hold full high mass, my dear master sô sült ir nimmer verlân, you should not fail müge ez an iuwern staten sîn, if it is in your power so schaffet, lieber herre mîn, to provide daz iedem man ein gans werde: every man with a goose. sô wart ûf der erde Then no one on earth nie keinen liuten baz." will ever have had it better." der abbet vienc der rede haz: The abbot became angry at these words. er hiez in swîgen. daz geschach. He bade him to be silent, and the monk was silent. dar nâch er aber schier sprach: But a second later he said: "gense daz ist ein wirtschaft, "Geese! That's a feast! ob aller wirtschaft ein überkraft The most almighty of feasts die in der werlt ieman gewan." that anyone in the world has ever enjoyed." der abt sprach zuo dem jungen man: The abbot said to the young man: "bruoder, tuot die rede hin. "Brother, be silent! wâ hin haben ir iuwern sin Where have you left your sense und iuwer witze getân? and your reason? nû mügt ir iuch doch wol verstân Now, you should know daz wir niht fleisches ezzen. that we don't eat meat. ich will mich des vermezzen I will demand ir müezt der rede buoz enpfân." that you do penance for your words." er hiez in balde dannan gân. Immediately after that, he ordered him to leave. des getorst der münich lâzen niht. The monk didn't dare to object, er sprach iedoch: "waz mir geschiht, but he spoke: "No matter what happens to me, guot weren gense, der sie mac han, geese would be good. For him who is able to have them, guot unde wolgetan." they are good and fine." hie mit wart er hin vertriben. At these words, he was thrown out. die andern alle dâ beliben The others all stayed there und schuofen um ir lîpnar. and busied themselves with their nourishment. dar nâch satzten si gar Afterwards they agreed on beide ir singen unde ir lesen, their chanting and readings wer des meister sölt wesen. and who should be responsible for them. dî daz allez wart gesat, When this was all agreed upon, der abt im gewinnen bat the abbot asked for aber disen jungen man. the young man to be brought to him. er fuort in von den liuten dan He took him away from the others an sîn heimlîch. to his room. er bat in flîziclîch He asked him fervently daz er im verjehe to tell him dâ von diu rede geschehe the reason why he said daz er der gense begert. that he desired geese. der münich in des gewert. The monk granted him that. dô er sô tiur wart gemant, When he was so strongly urged, dô verjach er im zehant he told him without hesitation reht der gense wârheit, the whole truth about geese als ich iu ê hân geseit, as I have told you before: wie er die gans hin under lie how he lay with the goose und sich die naht mit ir begie. and spent the night with her. dô daz der abbet bevant, When the abbot discovered this trûreclichen er sprach zehant: he replied right away with sadness: "leider mir, ir sît betrogen: "Alas, you have been betrayed. ich hân iu selbe verlogen. I myself have deceived you. crêde mich ez was ein wîp. Believe me, that was a woman. iuwer sinnelôser lîp Your ignorant body hât bî wîben gelegen. has lain with a woman. ich solt iuwer baz hân gepflegen, I should have taken better care of you, sô het ich reht getân." then I would have behaved dutifully." buoze hier er in empfân. He commanded him to do a penance. daz geschach nâch siner bet. The monk did as he was ordered, doch wen ich er im unreht tet: but I think he was treated unfairly. wan swaz er sünden dâ gewan, For, whatever sins he committed there, dâ was der apt schuldic an. the abbot was to blame for them. het er im die wârheit If he had told him the truth ungelogen und âne spot geseit, honestly and without lies, er het sich lîhte baz behuot. the monk would have guarded himself better. spot und lüge ist selten guot: Mockery and lying are seldom good; si sint sünde und ouch ân êre. they are sins and they are also without honour. waz sol ich dâ von sagen mêre What more shall I say about this denne ich hân alhie getân? than what I have already said? ez ist mîn geloube und hân den wân It is my belief and my assumption daz ze Swâben noch der münich sî that in Swabia there might still vil lîht zwên oder drî easily be two or three monks die diu wîp erkennent baz. who have a better understanding of women. gedienten die ir meister haz, If they annoy their superiors, die büezen ouch, daz ist mîn rât. they should also do penance. This is my advice. hie mit die rede ein ende hât. Here the story ends.