Gambling Hansel (De Spielhansl) is a German Fairy Tale collected by The Brothers Grimm in 1812 and collected in Children's and Household Tales (Kinder- und Hausmärchen). It is the #82 tale.
Gambling Hansel got his name from being a gamble addict. Before the day his creditors could have taken away his home, God and Saint Peter
came to him and asked for shelter for the night. He let them come in his home, but he told them he cannot give them food, in which they replied they can buy food for themselves. Peter gave Hansel 3 groschen and asked to buy some bread, so Hansel went but on his way he met the other gambling vagabonds and played away all of his groschen. When he came back home he lied to God and Peter that his money fallen into the gutter, but God knew the truth. Peter again gave him 3 groschen and sent him away, and that time Hansel did come back with a loaf.
In the next morning God asked Hansel he might beg 3 favors, he asked for pack of cards with which he could win everything, for dice with which he would win everything, and for a tree whereon every kind of fruit would grow, and from which no one who had climbed up, could descend until he bade them do so. He gave him all that and departed with Peter. With the cards and dice he got, Hansel managed to gain half the world, upon this God sent Death to Hansel to stop him from winning the whole world.
Arriving Hansel says to Death wait for awhile and climb the tree and bring some fruit for the road, Death climbed up but could no go down. So God and Peter themselves returned to Hansel and commanded him to let Death come down, Hansel did so and Death took him to the afterlife. Hansel was sent to Hell where he could still gamble with Lucifer himself, still able to use the gifts he got from God, he won all of Lucifer's devil servants from him. Hansel and his devils went to Hohenfuert and pulled up a hop-pole, and with it went to Heaven and began to thrust the pole against it, and Heaven began to crack, forcing God to let him in. Hansel began to gamble again in Heaven, causing much chaos and noise that God in the end decided to throw him down back to Earth. His soul broke into pieces, and went into the gambling vagabonds who are living this very day.
It can be read here, here and here.
Compare with Russian folktale "The Soldier And Death" (link).
In the Aarne-Thompson-Uther fairy tale index it is a Type 330A, "The Smith's Three Wishes".
Tropes
- Barred from the Afterlife: Hansel was not allowed to enter into Heaven due to his gamble addiction. He goes in Hell instead, but there he creates so much havoc by winning every gambling game that he is eventually thrown out of there as well, causing his soul to break into pieces on Earth.
- Death Takes a Holiday: When Death comes to take Hansel, he tells Death to wait and climb up on a tree. Death does so but could not go back down for 7 years, thus making people stop dying. Because it was a gift that Hansel asked from God, a tree where one can climb up but only Hansel can allow them to go back down.
- Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: When God tells Hansel he could ask for 3 wishes as thanks for his hospitality, he asks for a pack of magic cards and dice with which he could and would win everything, and a tree from which no one who had climbed up, could descend until he bade them do so. This backfires on God as Hansel almost takes over the world away from God thanks to his magic cards and dice, and when Death comes to end him, he tricks Death to climb up on a tree and could not go back down.
- God Is Inept: God grants 3 wishes for Hansel without thinking about the consequences. Hansel almost takes over the world after gaining his magic dice and cards, then everyone becomes immortal after he tricks Death to climb up on his magic tree and could not climb down.
- Kicked Out of Heaven: Hansel is so addicted to gambling that he is refused entry into Heaven. He is allowed in Hell, but there he creates so much havoc by winning every gambling game that he is eventually thrown out of there as well.
- Hanging Up on the Grim Reaper: When Death comes to take Hansel, he tells Death to wait until his current game is done and climb up on a tree. Death does so but could not go back down for 7 years, because it was a gift that Hansel asked from God, a tree where one can climb up but only Hansel can allow them to go back down.
- "Just So" Story: After being kicked out from both Heaven and Hell, Hansel's soul cracked into pieces and flied into a lot of people, this explains why people have gambling addictions today.
- Take Over the World: Hansel almost manages to do this, thanks to his magic cards and dice with which he could and would win everything, until God himself comes to stop him.
