Half the ceiling
The mare half blanket comes from an anonymous author and addresses the motif of neglect of family members. It's about a man who doesn't care about his father. It has come down to us in two collective manuscripts from the 15th century from the Nuremberg area.
content
When a noble and rich man senses old age, he turns to his son, gives him all his belongings and in return asks him to take care of him. The son has his old man set up a nice and large room.
Some time later, the young man's wife becomes pregnant and asks to be allowed to move into the old man's room to look after her child; her husband agreed and so the soon-to-be grandfather had to move into a small room. However, he cannot stay there long, as this is to be used for the baptism of the newborn. Instead, he is pushed into the kitchen crate. However, this is also needed a few years later and the old man has to move again, first in a shed, then in a stable.
Over the years he becomes weaker, lonelier and sadder. But then he meets his young grandson. Since the old man is freezing, he asks the little one to ask his father if he can give him half a blanket to warm himself. The father suddenly realizes that he has neglected his own old father for a long time and is shocked about it. He gives him back the old, splendid room and from then on takes great care of his father until he dies one day.
This story tries to convey to the reader that they care for their loved ones. It is also taught to help the other if he has helped you.
literature
- Smaller Middle High German verse narratives. Middle High German / New High German. Selected, translated and commented by Jürgen Schulz-Grobert. Stuttgart 2006, pp. 148-167 and pp. 280-282 (= commentary).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Schulz-Grobert 2006, p. 280.