Peter Klaus

Cover of Nachtigal'sVolcks-Sagen(1800)

"Peter Klaus"is a Germanfolk tale.The story was written as "Der Ziegenhirt"('The Goatherd') byJohann Karl Christoph Nachtigal,who published it in 1800 under the alias Otmar.

Plot summary

The story follows a Germangoatherdfrom a village named Sittendorf, today part of the townKelbra.While looking for escaped goats, Peter Klaus is led to where others are playing games in the woods. After tasting their wine, he falls asleep and wakes up twenty years later.

Translations

"Der Ziegenhirt"has been translated into English a number of times:

• "Peter Klaus, the Goatherd" translated byThomas RoscoeforThe German Novelists(1826)
• "Peter the Goatherd" translated byEdgar TaylorforGerman Popular Storiesvolume 2 (1826) – one of only four stories in this book not by theBrothers Grimm
• "The Goatherd" translated byGeorge Godfrey CunninghamforForeign Tales and Traditions(1829) – translated viaJohann Gustav Gottlieb Büsching's 1812 collectionVolks-Sagen, Märchen und Legenden('Folktales, Fairy Tales and Legends')
• "The Goatherd" translated byWilliam John ThomsforThe Original(1832) – also translated via Büsching'sVolks-Sagen, Märchen und Legenden(1812)
• "Karl Katz" revised by Taylor from his earlier translation, forGammer Grethel(1839) – the main character's name is changed from "Peter Klaus" to "Karl Katz"
• "The Goatherd" translated byBenjamin ThorpeforYule-Tide Stories(1853)
• "Karl Katz" revised byMarian Edwardesfrom Taylor's "Karl Katz", forGrimm's Household Tales(1912)

Influence

The story was part of the inspiration for American writerWashington Irving's 1819 short story "Rip Van Winkle".

References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Wood, James,ed. (1907).The Nuttall Encyclopædia.London and New York: Frederick Warne.{{cite encyclopedia}}:Missing or empty|title=(help)