An Englishmen's Guide To The Efteling
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Herberg De Ersteling (Inn Ye Firstling)

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The magic donkey was brought to the Fairytale Forest in 1956 and has been producing golden coins ever since. The inn was built just around the corner in 1999.

Story

Originally a Grimm tale.

The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack

​
Table be laid, clubs to the ready and donkey lift your tail Once upon a time, there was a tailor who lived with his three sons. One day, when his sons were old enough, they set off around the world to learn a trade. The eldest wanted to become a cabinetmaker, the second born, a miller, and the youngest, a carpenter. After three years, the eldest son had finished his apprenticeship and was given a wooden table by his master. “When you say: 'Little table, cover thyself', his master told him, “a feast will appear on the table.”
On his way home, he stopped to spend the night at an inn. “I’m afraid I haven’t any food for you to eat,” said the innkeeper. “That doesn’t matter,” the boy replied and called out 'Little table, cover thyself'”. A veritable feast appeared.
That night, the innkeeper was green with envy and secretly swopped his magic table. When the boy wanted to show his father what the table could do, he called “Little table, cover thyself”, but nothing happened.
Around the same time, his brother finished his training and headed home with the magic donkey his master had given him. “When you say “Bricklebrit”,” his master had told him, “the donkey will lift its tail and shower you with golden coins.” On his way home, son number two stopped at the inn and the innkeeper discovered how he came by his golden coins. That night, the innkeeper swopped the donkey for another.
The tailor was worried about his sons. One swore his table could magic up a feast and the other thought he had a magic donkey; but when they tried, nothing happened.
Disappointed with what was going on, the tailor wrote to his youngest son who told his master what had happened. “I think that innkeeper has been stealing from your brothers and I know just what to give you.” He gave the youngest son a bag with a cudgel in it. “If you say “Out of the sack. Cudgel!”,” he told his apprentice, “the cudgel will jump out of the bag and attack anyone who is trying to harm you.” So the boy headed him and stopped at the same inn his brothers had been to. Do you think the innkeeper learnt his lesson?

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To read the full story go to the Efteling souvenir shop and purchase the Efteling Book of Fairy Tales.
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Get Donkey Lift your tail souvernirs from the Efteling webshop

Translation

The story of Herberg De Ersteling is played on audio during the show. This is in the Dutch language. Please find below a translation for your benefit.

Welcome, noble visitor to this humble inn. And rest a bit, so we can tell you stories about the wonderful things that happened here once upon a time… 
Long, long ago a mean innkeeper lived in this inn. Three sons of a poor tailor came and visited him. These had each been given special rewards for completing their apprenticeships by their masters. A wondrous donkey "Donkey lift your tail!", a magic table and a magic club
 

​The second son came to this inn after the sneaky innkeeper had already stolen his older brother's wondrous donkey.

"The fire under the cauldron is already out" the innkeeper growled
"Well I'll just supply my own meal"
said the son. 
The innkeeper who thought this was very suspicious, left the taproom to listen by the door, 

"What was it again? Euheehmm eh table lay ..? Lay thy self... Table. 
Table lay thy self! … 
Oohh, Mmmm…. 
Oh o!


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Picture
​Noble visitor, after the innkeeper heard and saw all this, he switched out the magic table with a normal table. 
When the youngest son heard about the thefts, he too went to the inn but to teach the innkeeper a lesson. 
He cried “Club out of the sack!”
The club kept on thrashing the innkeeper until he returned the magic table and wonder donkey. Afterwards there was a big celebration and they lived happily ever after!

… ah, excuse me noble guest. I see, you are continuing your journey. Have a good journey, until your next meal in Herberg De Ersteling!!
​!The videos below have English subtitles!
​The translation in a handy PDF
inn_de_ersteling.pdf
File Size: 889 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

​A compilation of all the translations of all the audio stories you may come across in the Efteling.
audio_reference_booklet_version_3.pdf
File Size: 1709 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Herberg De Ersteling

The story of Herberg De Ersteling is played on audio during the show. This is in the Dutch language. Please find below a translation for your benefit.

Welcome, noble visitor in this humble inn. And have a rest, so we can tell you stories about the wonderful things that happened long long ago… They were tough times and the people had it hard. There was a tailor who had three sons, who went into the big wide world, to seek their fortune. The eldest son became the apprentice of a furniture maker. The second son became the apprentice of a miller and the youngest son learned his craft at a carpenter.

Years went by and because the brothers worked very hard at their jobs, their masters gave them each a very special reward. The eldest son had been given a small table. A magic table, whenever you said: “Table lay thy Self!” the table would be covered with dishes fit for a king. The middle son was rewarded with a wonder donkey. Whenever you would say: “Donkey lift your tail!” gold coins would come out of its behind.  The youngest son had been given a sack in which a magic club lived. Whenever you would say:  “Club out of the sack!” then the club would come out of the sack really quickly and would beat the attacker until the owner said: ““Club in the sack!”

One evening the middle son came to this very inn with his donkey. He asked the innkeeper to supply shelter for him and his donkey. “I have room for you but it will have to be put outside” the innkeeper grumbled. The brother didn’t care for this and told the innkeeper that it was no ordinary donkey, but a wonder donkey. Whenever you would call: “Donkey lift your tail! “Then the creature would lift his tail and dozens of coins would come out of its behind. When the innkeeper saw this he could not believe his own eyes and thought: “Hey, I could use a donkey like that.” And in the middle of the night, when everyone else was asleep, the sneaky innkeeper switched the wonder donkey for an ordinary donkey. When the eldest son had been given his magic table, he too visited this inn and was submitted to a similar fate.  Because the fire under the cauldron had already been put out the tailors’ son said: “Oh, I will supply my own meal.” The innkeeper who thought this wa very suspicious left the taproom and listened at the door.

“What is keeping him? Pff, I’ll make my own meal! Ehh, eh what was it? Euh eehmm eh table lay thyself..? Lay thy self table... Table lay thy self!....Oohh, Mmmm!...Oh o!

Noble visitor, after the innkeeper heard and saw all this, he switched the magic table with a normal table. When the son went to show his gift to his father, he discovered the mischief. No matter what he tried nothing happened. The youngest son was still living at home and went to look for the inn. The innkeeper was curious and enquired as to the contents of the sack, but… the youngest son said that the innkeeper was surprised by the club. When the youngest son said: “Club out of the sack!” and clubbed the innkeeper until he would give back the wonder donkey and the wonder table. When the youngest son arrived back home with all these wondrous gifts this was cause for a great celebration. The old tailor was very proud of his sons. And they lived happily ever after and… ah, excuse me noble guest. I can see, you are travelling on. Thank you for your valued stay. Have a good journey, until next time in Herberg De Ersteling!!

1999: Inn the Firstling is built

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Image Source: Kroniek van een Sprookje

1956: Donkey Pull My Tail arrives in the playground

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Image Source: Kroniek van een Sprookje
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Image Source: Efteling Facebook

1984: Donkey Pull My Tail moves to the Herald Square

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