B659 <=> B661 (BTG XXXVI Bit more about Germans, p. 660)

Chapter XXXVI Just a Wee Bit More About the Germans

BEELZEBUB began thus:

“From St. Petersburg I first of all went to what are called the Scandinavian countries, and after traveling through these countries, I settled in the chief point of the beings of the contemporary grouping called ‘Germany.’”

Having said this and having patted the curly head of Hassein, Beelzebub with a good-natured smile but with an admixture of what is called slyness, continued thus:

“Now, my boy, wishing to give you a certain understanding of the peculiar psyche of the three-brained beings of this contemporary European grouping also, I will this time change my practice, namely, of initiating you into various details for elucidating information, but will set you such a problem that from the solving of it you will in the first place exhaustively make clear to yourself the specificness of the psyche of the beings of just this European grouping, and in the second place, it will serve as ideal practice for your mentation.

“This original problem which I have devised for you is that while actively meditating, you are to deduce those logical data, the totality of which should make clear to you the very essence of the reason why just among the beings of this contemporary European grouping, in whatever part of what they call their ‘Fatherland’ they happen to be, one innocent custom obtains, according to which, whenever they gather in any place for some feast or other, or simply for what is called a ‘spree,’ they unfailingly and invariably sing one and the same song, composed by themselves and in the highest degree original, consisting of the following words: