Hans Sprungfeld

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man."

- Springfield's motto

Hans Sprungfeld (generally known as Jebediah Springfield) is a character in the animated series The Simpsons. He is the founder of the city of Springfield, and although widely regarded as a hero by its citizens, he was actually a vicious pirate, as revealed in the episode Lisa the Iconoclast.

When the kids are assigned to do essays on Jebediah Springfield for the city's 200th anniversary, Lisa goes to the historical society to learn more about him. While checking out his possessions, Lisa tries to play his fife, accidentally discovering Springfield's secret confession, which exposes his true colors. It reads as follows:

"Know ye who read this there is more to my life than history records. Firstly, I did not tame the legendary buffalo, it was already tame, I merely shot it. Secondly, I have not always been known as Jebediah Springfield. Until 1796, I was Hans Sprungfeld, murderous pirate. And the half wits of this town will never learn the truth, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I write this confession so that my infamy will live on long after my body has succumbed to my infectious diphtheria."

He also tried to kill George Washington but was defeated. Lisa tells her family about it, but only Homer believes her. She also learns that Sprungfeld got his tongue bit off in a fight with a turk and replaced it with a silver one. Lisa and Homer then go on a mission to tell the springfieldeans the truth but no one believes them, so they convince the local authorities to dig up Springfield's grave to find out, but as it turns out there is no silver tongue. Lisa seems to give up but thanks to a dream she goes back to the historical society and finds the tongue which Hollis Hurlbut (historian and keeper of the society) confesses having hid. Lisa also shows him that Sprungfeld's confession was written in a strip from the Washington's portrait kept at the society, which got stuck in Hans' boot after their fight. Hurlbut agrees to reveal the truth, interrupting the parade so Lisa can speak to everyone, but as she realizes that the myth of Jebediah Springfield has value since it brings out the best in the townspeople, she limits herself to saying that he was a great man, to which the crowd applauds, and the parade goes on.