Why the Schildburgers Decided to Save Themselves from Their Great Wisdom with Foolishness

The next day, the residents of Schilda gathered under a large linden tree on the market square. In the summer, they held their meetings here, while in the winter, the tavern served as their town hall, with the spot by the stove reserved for the chairman.

Being wise and sensible people, they quickly resolved all the contentious and complicated matters, and then moved on to the main issue: what they should do to ensure they would no longer be called away from home. They weighed all the pros and cons—the harm caused and the benefits they had received from foreign princes—and soon it became clear to them that the benefits did not nearly outweigh the damage. It was then that they conducted a thorough poll among the residents: how should they proceed from now on?

If only you could have heard the wise speeches that flowed, how clever the advice was, and how eloquently people spoke!

Some believed that they should simply dismiss the princes and nobles with a wave of the hand. Others argued that they should not refuse them outright but instead give them such bad advice that the princes would leave Schilda and its inhabitants alone of their own accord.

Finally, an elderly townsman stepped forward, asked for the floor, and delivered the following speech:

— "For example, I think this way: since we, the Schildburgers, were taken away from our hearths because of our wisdom and clear minds, then, in my opinion, we should save ourselves through foolishness and clownery. Then no one will bother us or call us away. Therefore, from this day on, all of us, from the youngest to the oldest, must act like complete fools in the most serious manner possible, and whatever foolish idea comes to any of our minds, they must immediately carry it out. However, know this: playing the fool or the jester is no small art. Sometimes, a thoughtless person takes on such a task, and instead of laughter, it results in tears. Or worse: someone might decide to play the fool and end up becoming one in truth. But we, the Schildburgers, are not threatened by this, for we are a wise people, and there is no one smarter than us in the world."

The Schildburgers discussed the elder's proposal with great care. The matter seemed so important to them that they decided not to rush, following the wise rule: haste makes waste. And when they had thoroughly weighed everything, they came to the conclusion that the jester's cap could bring no harm. They dispersed to their homes, pledging to each other to think carefully about which end of the jester's cap to grasp first.

Secretly, though, some of them felt uneasy. How could this be? In the twilight of their days, after so many years of wisdom, to suddenly turn into fools! Moreover, the Schildburgers realized that the task was indeed not easy: everywhere, fools outnumber the wise, and fools cannot stand having their foolishness pointed out.

But since it was a matter of the common good, they ultimately decided to bid farewell to their wisdom and become utter fools.

This concludes the part of our book that dealt with the great wisdom of the Schildburgers. Now follows the story of how the residents of Schilda saved themselves through foolishness.

More fairy tales

• How the Schildburgers Had Breakfast with the Emperor and What Riddle He Gave Them
• How the Schildbürgers Sowed Salt
• How the Schildburghers Figured Out Why It Was Dark in Their Town Hall and What They Did After That
• How the Schildburgers Bought the Fearsome Beast, the Mouse-Catcher, and Along with It, Sealed Their Doom
• The Thick, Fat Pancake