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I began once more to shout and halloo and again went rollicking over the hills, free from care. Then I would think: to renounce everything, everything, down to the wooden cows that I carved myself - this is how I then interpreted true Christianity, according to the letter - that would be such a sad, wretched thing to do.

Meanwhile, the Kohlwald was overrun with ever-increasing number of goats, and the horses that were pastured there in the grassy clearings were sometimes harried and stampeded by the goat-boys. Once these lads put nettles under the horses' tails, and a few cast themselves over a crag as they fled and were killed. This caused much trouble, and all herding in the Kohlwald was forbidden. After this I herded the flock for a while on our own land. Then my brother took my place and so my life as a goatherd came to an end.

21. New affairs, new cares:

For now the word was: Into harness with the boy, under the yoke with him! He is big enough! My father hustled me about in a truly masterful manner, and I was to serve him in forest and field exactly as a hireling would have done. He overworked me nearly all the time, I had not yet the strength that he supposed from my size, and yet I wanted to be strong and leave no heavy burden lying. In his company or with the day-labourers I worked willingly, but as soon as he sent me to some task alone I was lazy and idle, gazing long upon heaven and earth, and giving myself up to I know not what thoughts and fancies, the free life of a goatherd had quite spoiled me. This brought down upon me much scolding and even blows, and this severity was necessary, though at the time I could see no need for it.

Every July especially

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there was at times labour almost too heavy to be borne. Often, almost melting away with sweat, I would lie down for very weariness at full length on the ground, and ask myself: whether things went on so drearily everywhere in the world? Should I run away forthwith? Surely in other places there would be bread without such a devilish price to pay for it. On the Creutzegg, as I was herding the goats, I had met with many lads who, as they told me, had done well for themselves far away from their homeland. And much more of the same nonsense, but again I thought: "No! It would be wrong to run away from father and mother. Why, suppose I were to buy a piece of ground from them, till it and make good money out of it, then with the profits I could build a little house there and live there by myself. Why yes!", said I one day, "it must be done at once! But what if father should refuse? Well, nothing venture, nothing win".

So I took my courage in both hands, and on the next evening I asked father to make over a piece of land to me. Well, he perceived the full extent of my foolishness, but did not let me see it and asked only what I intended to do with it. "Ah!", said I, "I will clear it and make good grazing land and put by the profits." Without wasting more words he said: "Take the upper meadow, then, I'll give it to you for five guilders." This was nothing but jest, here at Wattwil such a piece of land would be worth more than a hundred guilders. I jumped for joy and began my new enterprise at once. During the day I worked for father, in the evening for myself, even by moonlight I made up bundles of the branches and twigs that I had cut before nightfall, to sell them as firewood.

One evening as I happened to be thinking about my situation, and the thought came to me: "This upper meadow of mine is too cheap! Father might change his mind and take it back, if I don't pay him some cash as earnest-money. I must look round for money, so that he can't go back on the bargain." So I went to our neighbour Jörg, told him the whole transaction, and asked him to lend me the five guilders, and until I could pay him I would pledge my land as security. He gave me the guilders without thinking what he was doing. In great delight I ran with them to

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July was the month of haymaking.

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