In the Soup!
The Busy Farmer and His Wife
Fritzl was a diligent farmer who had a devoted wife named Liesi. Together, they raised a little baby called Kindli and a dog named Spitz. Besides the patch of land on which they built their home, they owned a shed containing a cow, two goats, three pigs, and a few geese. Like all farmers, they worked extremely hard.
It was Fritzl’s responsibility to plow the ground, sow the seeds, and hoe the weeds. When it was time to cut the hay, he would do that, too, raking and stacking the hay into great sheaves to dry under the sun. On hot days, as the sun beat down on the land, Fritzl often felt quite overheated while laboring in the fields.
Meanwhile, Liesi took care of household chores—keeping their home clean, cooking meals, churning the butter, and tending to both the barnyard animals and their baby. They were busy from dawn until dusk, but Fritzl often felt that he was the only one putting in hard work.
The Great Switch
Upon returning home in the evening, Fritzl would wipe his brow and lament about how tired he was, claiming that Liesi had an easier job. One day, he remarked, “What a hot day it was! You have no idea how hard I work, Liesi. Housework is nothing!”
“Well, if that’s what you think,” replied Liesi. “Let’s take turns! Tomorrow, you can do my chores while I go out to cut the hay.” Fritzl chuckled and agreed, thinking how simple it would be: all he would need to do was relax on the grass, keep an eye on Kindli, prepare some meat, and cook soup.
But when the next morning arrived, Liesi carried her scythe into the fields, while Fritzl ambled into the kitchen to fry some meat. The sizzling noise excited him. As he daydreamed about drinking apple cider with his meal, he realized he needed to fetch it from the cellar. He set the frying pan on the edge of the fireplace and rushed down.
Chaos in the Kitchen
As Fritzl poured cider, he heard strange noises coming from the kitchen. Alarmed, he rushed upstairs just in time to see Spitz, the dog, escaping with the meat in his mouth. “Stop, thieving dog!” he shouted, but Spitz was too quick. Fritzl returned, panting and resigned, only to discover he had forgotten about the cider. He dashed down to the cellar, but it was too late; the barrel was emptying into the cellar.
“What’s gone is gone,” he muttered, trying to cheer himself. Next, he decided to churn the butter outside under a tree while keeping an eye on Kindli, who played nearby. But he suddenly remembered the cow had not been watered that day. Fritzl ran to the barn, filled a bucket with fresh water for the thirsty cow, and had an idea.
The roof, covered with moss and grass, would be a perfect spot for the cow to graze while he churned butter. He led the cow up, and while he worked, Kindli climbed onto the churn, causing it to tip over, covering herself in creamy butter. Fritzl rushed to rescue her and laid her in the sun to dry, but he was quickly reminded about the soup that still needed to be made.
The Soup Pot Surprise
Realizing time was running out, Fritzl hurried to the garden to gather vegetables—onions, potatoes, carrots, and more. Balancing an armful, he forgot to close the garden gate. As he prepared to cook, he grew concerned about the cow on the roof. To secure her, he tied a rope around her waist and sent the other end down the chimney, tying it around his own waist.
Just as he was ready to start cooking, the cow rolled off the roof, yanking Fritzl up the chimney. When Liesi returned home for lunch, she was aghast at the sight of the cow dangling precariously from the roof. Without hesitation, she cut the rope, and while rescuing the cow, Fritzl plummeted into the large soup pot, a mixture of tomatoes, cabbage, and spices swirling around him.
Liesi quickly pulled Fritzl out of the pot, finding him a sight to behold—tomato juice in his eyes, a cabbage leaf in his hair, a sprig of parsley over one ear. Amidst the chaos, he confessed all that had transpired and vowed never to switch jobs again. Understanding the importance of both their roles, he said to Liesi, “Leave me to my fields, and you can take care of the home. I now know that my work is not harder than yours.”
With this newfound respect for each other’s labor, they both agreed to share their work, leading to a happier life together. And that is how they lived, learning to appreciate their respective roles in harmony, with a few stories to tell about the day in the soup.
