Part 7 (2/2)

In earlier times, the foxes were expected by the old houses to write out their college notes; and hence arose the anecdote, that one of the most terrible of the old houses, observing a blot, which the poor copyist, in utter fear, had made upon the paper, asked grimly, pointing to it, ”Is that _Douche_, fox?” To _douchiren_, or _touchiren_, is equivalent in meaning to giving such an offence as will require a challenge. _Douche_ is Indian ink, and perhaps it would be in vain to inquire how Indian ink came to be a synonyme for a challengeable insult; the horrified and innocent youth, however, who understood this meaning, answered with precipitation, ”Pardon me, it is ink.” That is, not _douche_, or Indian ink, nor any thing meant for offence.

When a fox forgets his part, he is, in their language, immediately sent to rest. Thus it happened that an old Bursche, who probably had two dozen college half-years on his back, at a Kneip, fell into a dispute with a conceited fox. The fox finally felt himself insulted by various expressions, and in student-phrase, gave him the _Dummer junge_--in literal meaning, _stupid youth_, but in their language a challenge. The old Bursche coolly replied, ”_Stupid_ I may be, but I am not _young_.”

A general laugh arose at this repartee, and the fox was so much pleased with it, that he instantly recalled the challenge.

Another anecdote connected with the same custom, is this. A fox suffered himself to become the bearer of a challenge; an office which, according to Ch.o.r.e laws, by no means belonged to him, but to the Ch.o.r.e-Bursche. He stepped, full of self-complacency on account of his important commission, but yet with some anxiety, into the lodging of the bemossed head, and spoke. ”Watzman sends you a _Dummer junge_--a _stupid youth_.” ”Yes, I see him,” coolly answered the challenged, glancing contemptuously over his shoulder at him, and proceeding with his writing at his desk without condescending to give to the dumbfounded fox another look.

The student receives different names, according to the duration of his abode at college. While he yet vegetated in the gymnasium he was a _Frosch_--a frog. In the vacation which lay between the time of his quitting the gymnasium and entering the university, he chrysalized himself into a mule, and on entering the university, he becomes a _Kameel_--Camel. This happy transition-state of a few weeks gone by, he comes forth finally, on entering a Ch.o.r.e, a _Fox_, and runs joyfully into the new Burschen life. During the first _semester_, or half-year, he is a gold fox, which means, that he has _foxes_, or rich gold in plenty yet; or he is a _Cra.s.s-fuchs_, or fat fox, meaning that he yet swells or puffs himself up with gold. In the second half-year he becomes a _Brand-fuchs_, or fox with a brand, after the foxes of Samson. The fox year is then over, and they wash the eyes of the new-baked _Young Bursche_, since during the fox-year he was held to be blind, the fox not being endued with reason. From Young Bursche he advances next to Old Bursche, and then to Bemossed Head, the highest state of honour to which man can attain.

As the student has given to these different periods of the Burschen life different _termini technici_, so he has generally created new words for so many new circ.u.mstances; for the same cogent reasons that new Latin terms must be created for many modern things; and the creations of the Bursche stand very little in excellence behind those of the new Latinisms. We could readily furnish a small lexicon of those terms, which, however, we may very well spare the reader, as he can easily select such as please him out of the number of regular student expressions which will occur in these pages. We will here give a few examples from the learned dissertation of Herr Schluck, with his sagacious and humorous explanations.

_Burschen-Comment_--The rule of life which every honorary Bursch must follow. To live according to the _Burschen-Comment_, means to be bound by the laws of neither G.o.d nor man, and to consider oneself as better than all other men.

_1st Proof_.--Students are the sons of the Muses. The Muses are G.o.ddesses. G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses are bound by no laws; therefore neither are their sons.

_2d Proof_.--It belongs to unlimited power to decide with the sword.

But the students decide with the sword, therefore have they unlimited power. Unlimited power is one of the highest prerogatives. Princes possess only the highest prerogatives; therefore the students are princes. Princes are exalted above the law, so also are the students.

This sentence is perhaps, strengthened by the old song:--

Burschen are kings, And the proof is here: They drink all their mothers'

Pennies in beer.

which, however, were to prove, and not easily to prove, on which account I doubt not that every one will perceive the force of the reasons I have a.s.signed.

They consider themselves better and greater than all other men. At least they are firmly persuaded of it. But a firm persuasion is the same thing as conviction. He who is convinced, speaks the truth; therefore the students are better and greater than all other men.

_To make a Randal_, or to open a Randal, means to kick up a row.

_Schisser_, from the French word _cha.s.se_, one struck in flight, whence _Scha.s.ser_, or, in corrupt speech, _Scisser_, means a fearful and barefooted man. Hence also comes the technical phrase ”to be in _Verschiss_,” which indicates the most extreme condition of contempt.

He who is in _Verschiss_, is shut out of all respectable society, and is compelled to go amongst the _Knoten_, or lowest of the low.

_Fuchs_, or _Fox_.--This name is derived from the cunning and slyness of foxes, since these look about as slily and cunningly, and regard every one as their enemy and a.s.sailant, till they are rendered tame by necessity and habit. The term is not injurious as applied to a Freshman, but is an insult to an old Bursche.

_Mucker_, _Stubensitzer_, _Kopfhanger_, _Kessel_, _Wurzel_,--_Saint_, _Stay-at-Home_, _Head-hanger_, _Kettle_, _Root_.--These words are nearly synonymous, and indicate a man who scarcely dares to breathe, or to step over the door-sill; who from anxiety, or sanctimoniousness, goes with his head hanging down, or sits as continually over his books as a turkey-hen upon her eggs, or a kettle over the fire.

_Pflaster-treter_, _Pavement-treader_; _Quark_, _Curds_.--These are names of the men who are natives of the city or its vicinity.

Pavement-treaders are those who were born on the ground and site of the university, and therefore, from youth up, have trodden the very same street-pavements. The pavement-treaders are also generally styled _Patent-schissers_, since they must conduct themselves in all propriety, being under the eyes of their parents; must go about in gloves, and frocks, or untorn coats, and not smoke in the streets.

_Curds_ are so called because they come only a few miles from the city, and to whom, therefore, their mothers, as their darlings, can send, if they please, a dish of curds to their suppers.

_k.u.mmelturk_.--Is a compound of _k.u.mmel_ and _turk_, and denotes the cla.s.s of Braggadocios and Boasters, who, at the first onset, rush upon the enemy with furious outcry and riot, but at the smallest show of real danger leap back like k.u.mmel, c.u.min-seed, which a person attempts to mix with melted lard. This name also has the same meaning as _Quark_, or Curds.

_Couche_, _Re-couche_, _Contre-couche_.--These are French terms, with which silence is commanded; but as they are terms commonly used to hounds, they stand properly amongst the verbal injuries.

_Dummer Junge_, _Stupid Youth_.--Is the highest and most cutting insult, since it implies a denial of sound manly understanding and strength of capacity of him to whom it is applied.

_Schuppen oder Rennen_.--To scale, as you'd scale a fish, or to run--meaning that poking with the elbows, when two meet and neither will give way. This is a real injury.

<script>