The Burial Shirt, By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
A mother had a little boy of seven years
who was so attractive and good natured
that no one could look at him without
liking him, and he was dearer to her
than anything else in the world. He
suddenly died, and the mother could find
no solace. She cried day and night.
However, soon after his burial, the
child began to appear every night at
those places where he had sat and played
while still alive. When the mother
cried, he cried as well, but when
morning came he had disappeared.
The mother did not cease crying, and one
night he appeared with the white shirt
in which he had been laid into his
coffin, and with the little wreath on
his head. He sat down on the bed at her
feet and said, "Oh, mother, please stop
crying, or I will not be able to fall
asleep in my coffin, because my burial
shirt will not dry out from your tears
that keep falling on it." This startled
the mother, and she stopped crying.
The next night the child came once
again. He had a little light in his hand
and said, "See, my shirt is almost dry,
and I will be able to rest in my grave."
Then the mother surrendered her grief to
God and bore it with patience and peace,
and the child did not come again, but
slept in his little bed beneath the
earth.
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