Hans de Klokkeluider : of de Duivel in den toren by Johan Fabricius
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"Hans de Klokkeluider" by Johan Fabricius is a stage play (a winter fairy tale) written in the early 20th century. Set in an old town just before Christmas, it follows Hans the bell ringer, whose steadfast bell keeps people good, as the Devil schemes to silence it by preying on Hans’s love for the innkeeper’s daughter, Gaaike. Opposed by the kindly Kerstmannetje, the tale blends whimsy, romance, and temptation in a folkloric,
moral contest. The opening of the play shows Satan and his sly servant Snuf hatching a plan at Hell’s gate to stop the church bell by tricking Hans: they will forge a noble suitor for Gaaike, complete with letter and coach, to inflame Hans’s jealousy. In the tower, Gaaike arrives, drawn by the promise of a “count,” and leaves at the sight of the glittering coach; Satan then tempts Hans with finery, a coach, and a castle, sealing the bargain when Hans accepts a splendid gown for Gaaike in exchange for the bell’s “voice.” The clapper crashes from the bell, marking its silencing. At the inn, the town bustles to celebrate Gaaike’s sudden engagement, only to panic when Hans cannot be found and the bell’s clapper is discovered at the tower’s base; as the men rush to search the canal, Gaaike, devastated, fears Hans’s fate is her fault. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Fabricius, Johan, 1899-1981 |
|---|---|
| Title | Hans de Klokkeluider : of de Duivel in den toren |
| Original Publication | 's Gravenhage: H. P. Leopold's Uitgevers-Maatschappij, 1925. |
| Note | Illustrated by the author. |
| Credits | The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net for Project Gutenberg. |
| Language | Dutch |
| LoC Class | PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures |
| Subject | Christmas plays |
| Subject | Santa Claus -- Drama |
| Subject | Devil -- Drama |
| Subject | Dutch drama -- 20th century |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 77942 |
| Release Date | Feb 15, 2026 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 213 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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