The Parson and the Clerk

folktale · Sweden · Scandinavian

A miserly parson who refuses charity disguises himself as a tramp to turn away beggars. The clever clerk, also in disguise, torments the parson all night by pretending his corn has been spilled and his cattle let loose, while impersonating the parson to his wife. The terrified parson reforms and becomes generous.

Open in the interactive archive →