370

DOMESTIC MANNEHS OF THE PEUSSIANS.

thinks it unfair to strike or kick an antagonist on the ground,nor cowardly to attack a person much smaller or weaker thanhimself. Two grown men may often be seen during somestreet-brawl to flirt their hands like a fan close before eacliotber's face, in very fear of striking a blow; and, on the otlierband, two less cautious boys will, while quarrelling, slipoff their boots and proceed to batter one another's head withthe hob-nailed heels.* As an additional illustration of thebravery of the Prussian youth, \ve may cite the fact, that atthe " Schwimm-schule " (swimming-school), where the pupils aremade to d'angle in the water by ineans of a rope attached to along pole—as if they were gigantic minnows at the end of aBrobdignagian fishing-rod—grcat hulking lads may be re-peatedly found heard to howl at the dread of entering the water.

* The following is the customary scene that precedes a street encounteramong the German boys :—

Smaller Boy (throwing a stone at another, and runniny off qfterwards asfast as he can). Dau Laus-jung !—(Thou lousy brat!)

Bigger Boy irushing up to the other, and putting Ms face quite close tothat of the Smaller Boy, whilst he holds Ms clenched fist straight down by /ästhigh). Machst dau dat noch ein mal sonst gebe ich dir ein paar tüchtige auf dieBacken.—(Doest thou that again, and I will give thee something strong to strikeagainst thy cheek.)

Smaller Boy (thrusting Ms face close against that ofthe Bigger Boy, andholding Ms fist down by Ms thigh in the same manner as the other). Geh daunur Acht sonst kriegst dau auch ein paar.-—(Give heed, or eise thou wilt alsocatch something.)

Bigger Boy (nodding Ms head very rapidly, close in front of the other'sface). Dau frecher Gasse jung! dau bist in den Püdelen geboren!—(Thou im-pudent street urchin, thou be'st born in the gutters !)

Smaller Boy {showing his clenched teeth, and thrusting Ms fist furtherbehindhim). Dau Sou-hex !—(Thou pig-witch !)

Bigger Boy (also thrusting his fist further from him, and getting closer upto the other). Rühre mich nur an.—(Lay only a finger on nie.)

Smaller Boy (drawing closer to the other as well). Ich will dir dat schonzeigen.— (I will soon let thee see that.)

Bigger Boy (worhing his fist backwards and forwards by Ms side, as if hewas preparing for a stroke at billiards rather than to deal a blow at Ms anta-