Mitz and Fritz of Germany

They sat together for a long time. Mrs. Toymaker knitted. Mr. Toymaker smoked a pipe. Both were so full of serious thoughts that they did not wonder about Mitz and Fritz. They did not wonder why the children had not been there since noon. As the shadows grew longer and a little late breeze blew up, Mrs. Toymaker arose.

"I must prepare supper," she said. "I wonder where the children are."

She called, "Fritz! Mitz!" But there was no answer.

"What is that I see in the distance?" asked Mr. Toymaker.

He shaded his eyes with his hand. He looked in the direction of the setting sun. Mrs. Toymaker looked, too. Black forms were coming toward them. A crowd of people was drawing near, following some one who made music.

"Listen," said Mrs. Toymaker. "The notes of a violin!"

Mr. Toymaker stood up. The music, sweet and lively, came to them more clearly. Slowly the forms of the people grew more distinct as they drew closer.

"Why, it is a Pied Piper!" exclaimed Mrs. Toymaker. "It must be the joke of some children."

But all the time Mrs. Toymaker thought she knew who it was. She thought she knew that it was really – Yes, now there could be no doubt about it!

"It is Fritz!" cried Mrs. Toymaker. "It is our own little Fritz!"

CHAPTER XVII

THE MUSIC MASTER

The strange procession stopped before the wagon of the toy maker. The Pied Piper continued his playing. The crowd stood listening. When the piece was finished, they clapped and threw coins and shouted, "Hoch!"

Then a gentleman carrying a violin case hoisted the Pied Piper upon his shoulder. He walked over with the Pied Piper to where the toy maker stood.

"Sir," said the violin-case gentleman, "I believe this is your son."

Mr. Toymaker was so amazed that he could only nod his head.

The gentleman went on, "Your son's playing has made us all very happy. We followed his music just as the children of long ago followed the Pied Piper of Hamelin."

The people began to laugh and cheer and call for more music.

But Mr. Violin-Case said, "The concert is over. Now I am going to see Mr. Toymaker alone."

When the people had left, Mr. Violin-Case and Mr. Toymaker went into the wagon together. There they stayed for quite a long time.

Outside, Mrs. Toymaker drew her children close to her.

"Tell me," she said. "Do tell me all about it."

Mitzi said, "Good! I'll tell you, Mother. But first I must have a pretzel to eat. I have had nothing since morning."

Mitzi helped herself to a fistful of the salty, twisted crackers. She began to eat and to talk at the same time – a feat which cannot be done very well.

Her words sounded to Mrs. Toymaker like "Yummeemummee."

The mother laughed and said, "Fritz had better tell me."

Fritz began, "Mitzi believed all along that people would really like my music. She wanted to show Father. So today we went back to the same park where I played yesterday."

By this time, Mitzi had swallowed her first pretzel, so she continued the story: "I stood upon a bench. I talked very loudly so everyone could hear. I said that our father had sold Fritz's violin and that Fritz could not play for them. I said I was sorry that we could not keep our promise and give another concert. Then the gennamemmaeppa – "

"Mitzi!" laughed Mrs. Toymaker. "How can I understand you when you are eating pretzels?"

"The gentleman stepped up to us," went on Fritz.

"What gentlemen, dear?"

"The one who is in the wagon with Father," said Fritz.

"He has a red face, and he stands like this," said Mitzi.

She stuck out her stomach trying to imitate the gentleman who was rather large.

"Shame, Mitzi!" said her mother. "Go on, please, Fritz. Tell me the rest."

"The gentleman said he would help us," Fritz continued. "He took this beautiful violin out of its case and gave it to me." Tenderly Fritz laid the violin in his mother's hands. "He told me to play it. I did, and he seemed to like what I played."

"After the concert," interrupted Mitzi, "I jumped up on the bench again. I asked the people to follow Fritz just as if he were the Pied Piper."

"At first," broke in Fritz, "they laughed and didn't want to. But the gentleman urged them to do it. He said it would be fun. He said he would like to see where I would lead them."

"And this is where we led them," said Mitzi.

"Now," said Fritz, "Father will know that what we told him is true."

Mrs. Toymaker looked very happy. She hugged Fritz to her. Just then Mr. Toymaker came out of the wagon with the violin-case gentleman.

"This is Mr. Schmitt," said the toy maker to his family. "Mr. Schmitt is a great music master from Berlin."

Fritz's eyes began to pop. Mitzi sat down with a jolt, her mouth open. Mrs. Toymaker felt her heart beating very fast.

The music master went up to Fritz and took his hand.

"I have just had a talk with your father, Fritz," he said. "You are coming with me to Berlin. You are all coming to live in the big city of Berlin. And you, Fritz, will study and in time will become a great musician."

Mr. Schmitt stayed to supper with the family. He sat with them beside their gypsy fire. He told them about Berlin and promised to help Mr. Toymaker because of Fritz's music.

He said to the toy maker, "Your little boy has a gift from God. You must help him make it a gift to the world."

As they sat about the fire after supper Mr. Schmitt told them about another boy.

"Many years ago," he said, "there lived a boy named George Handel (Hăn´del). He was born in Halle (Häl´ẽ), a town not far from here. Today there is a statue of George Handel in the center of Halle. He became a famous composer. But when he was your age, Fritz, his father would not allow him to play."

Fritz looked at his mother. Mitzi looked at her father. The toy maker looked away from them all.

"You see," went on Mr. Schmitt, "George's father was a good man. But he did not love music. He wanted his son to be a doctor. Now, one day little George played for a powerful duke, who loved music. The duke decided to help young George.

"He said to Mr. Handel, 'You are a good man. But your son will be a great man. His music will fill people's hearts with beauty. Can you do that?'"

CHAPTER XVIII

BERLIN AND HAPPINESS

The Toymakers and Mr. Schmitt flew to Berlin in an airplane. People in Germany travel by plane as easily as we travel by train and boat. Berlin is the capital of Germany. The Berlin airport is the largest in the world.

As the children stepped out of the plane they heard music. They saw people sitting about at tables eating and drinking. These people were watching the landings of the different airships.

"Come. We shall go to my home," said Mr. Schmitt. "I have a large house near the music school. I want you to stay there with me until you find a home of your own."

They drove in a taxicab through the Brandenburg Gate and into a famous street, Unter den Linden (Ōōn´tẽr dĕn Lĭn´dĕn). New York has Fifth Avenue. London has Piccadilly Circus. Chicago has Lake Shore Drive. Edinburgh has Princes Street. And Berlin has Unter den Linden.

They drove along the wide, shady boulevard with its flower beds, lawns, and fountains. What a splendid street!

The children's joy and excitement made them unusually quiet. It was very wonderful to be riding through this fine city and to know that their struggles and hardships were over.

Mr. Toymaker had sold his wagon. Mr. Schmitt planned to find him work in a big Berlin toy shop. Later, the kind music master intended to find a cosy home for the family. Mitz and Fritz were going to school. Fritz would study music and practice on his violin. One day he would be able to give real concerts.

Mr. Schmitt lived in an old-fashioned house, which seemed beautiful to the children. It was full of ornaments and heavy furniture. Great pictures of musicians hung upon the walls.

Mitz, Fritz, and their dog immediately explored the house from attic to cellar. In the kitchen, Mitzi found a jolly cook, who gave her cookies. Yes, Mitzi knew that she was going to like Berlin!

Fritz found musical instruments in every room. Sounds of piano and violin and flute came from all quarters of the house. No, never before in all his life had Fritz been so happy!

That evening, when the children were in bed, Mr. and Mrs. Toymaker sat talking.

"It is true," said Mr. Toymaker to his wife. "You were right. Fritz has turned beauty into gold. People will pay for things even if they cannot touch them."

Mrs. Toymaker replied, "But even if they cannot touch music, music can touch them."

At last Mr. Toymaker agreed.

"It can touch their hearts," he said.

THE END