Adelbert von Chamisso's poem "A Tragic Story" unveils the comedic yet philosophical tale of a wise man, distinguished by his long pigtail. However, the sage is deeply perturbed by the fact that the pigtail hangs behind him, out of his direct sight, thus causing him both wonder and sorrow. Unwilling to accept this circumstance, he swears to change the pigtail's position, deciding it should hang before him.
He goes on to state that he has discovered the solution to his problem and confidently attempts to turn around. Much to his dismay, no matter how many times he turns, the pigtail remains stubbornly behind him. He spends the entire day spinning around, trying every possible direction and movement, such as right, left, up, down, and diagonally. Regardless of his ceaseless efforts, the pigtail unwaveringly hangs at his back.
The sage's vain attempt to trick nature or change the natural order of things brings a humorous angle to the poem. Instead of accepting his situation, he exhausts himself with his futile efforts while the pigtail retains its natural position. Despite the light-hearted narrative, this poem subtly delivers a philosophical message about the futility of attempting to alter the course of nature or reality. The sage's actions could reflect mankind's tendency to manipulate their circumstances according to their whims and fancies, only to realize the hard truth that certain things remain unaltered despite all efforts. The pigtail at the back is a humorous metaphor for inevitable realities in life that we cannot change and must learn to accept to find peace.