🧚 Legends and Tales., part 9

"Tidian's gold!" cried the Earl, surprised. "1 Why do you give it that name?"2

"The man from whom I buy it is Tidian."3

Instantly it occurred to the Earl that his shepherd Tidian had lately grown rich, and he might be the seller.4 His avarice awoke; he hastened home, and demanded to know the cause of Tidian's wealth.5

True of heart, the shepherd told him everything, showed him the concealed way to the cave, and in company they carried away much of the costly treasure; till at last avarice awaked the fear in the mind of the Earl that Tidian might at some future time reveal the secret to some one else.6

This thought left him no peace.7 At length, to make himself secure of the entire wealth of the cave, he put out Tidian's eyes and shut him up in the castle dungeon.8

Then the Earl hurried alone to the cave; he did not know that the flower which Tidian wore in his hat caused the cave to remain open.9

The unhappy shepherd tore the flower in pieces, stamped upon and cursed it and the cave, and wished it to close and never again to open until, among the descendants of the Earl, a lame, a dumb, and a blind Falkenstein had ruled.10

Immediately the cave shut with a thundering noise, and the greedy Earl wanders there yet, for the enchantment is not yet broken.11

The Mägdesprung[1] and Mägdetrappe.12 [2]13

[1] _Mägdesprung_--maiden's leap.14

[2] _Mägdetrappe_--maiden's footprint.15

In the valley of the Selke, that fair Undina of the Harz, near Alexisbad, rises the majestic rock Mägdesprung; and opposite, on the other bank of the river, the Mägdetrappe, both of which are so famed in fable.16

In the latter rock one sees the impressions of giant feet, and Romance attempts to account for them.17 She is at least as competent to do so as anybody else, A giant virgin of the grey primeval times saw from the Mägdesprung her lover on a mountain on the opposite bank.18

Her ardent love draws her to him, but she cannot climb the steep rocks, nor swim the Selke, then a torrent.19

So she dares--for what will not love dare?--to leap over the wide space that divides the two rocks, leaving the impress of her feet in the rock, since called the Mägdetrappe.20

Another _Sage_ has a totally different motive.21

A maiden of the Huns, a disciple of Diana, roaming fearlessly through the vale, hears from the Mägdesprung a cry of distress.22 She recognizes the voice that cries for aid, and her eagle eye perceives her friend being dragged away by two mountain robbers.23

Her blood boils, and in the anguish of her soul the brave Hun maiden leaps the abyss, falls like an avenging angel upon the villainous mountaineers, with two blows of her spear pierces them both to the heart, and conducts her friend and favourite--for she is said to have been a Hun Queen--home to her parents.24

Sage of Schloss Questenberg.25 [1]26

[1] _Questen_--wreaths or garlands of flowers.27

The Ritter Knaught had a lovely little daughter, whose chief pleasure was to gather wild-flowers; for this purpose she went often with her nurse into the forest.28 But one day her nurse lost sight of her, and not being able to find her, hastened in great terror to the castle to give the alarm.29

The Ritter summons all his retainers with the horn, and they storm through the forest whole nights and days, but of the lost child no trace.30

At last one day, as the father gazes from the battlements of the castle, he sees people approaching bearing the Maien,[2] hears their shouts of joy, and in their midst beholds his lost Rosamund, decked as Queen of the May!31

[2] _Maien_--green branches of the birch used to deck the May-pole, and in Thuringia and other parts of Germany the churches at Pentecost.32

A coaler had met the child wandering through the wood, took her at first for an angel, and in his hut the retainers had found her.33

The happy father bestowed gifts lavishly, and instituted an annual _Volksfest_, and called his castle Questenberg.34

To this day a popular festival is held here, but whether connected with this tradition is uncertain.35

The youths of Agnesdorf have the right, by an ancient statute, of digging up a young oak on the Questenberg;[3] the tree must be _carried_, and after it is planted is decorated with wreaths of flowers.36

[3] The custom of digging up the young oak is now limited to once every fifteen years.37

They then go in procession to the parsonage, conduct the pastor to the church, when Divine service is held; after which all return in procession to the newly-planted oak, and after all have partaken of refreshments they dance around it, and the youths shoot at the target.38

Barbarossa and the Kyffhäuser.39

On this mountain that overlooks the Golden Plain, amid the beech and oak woods that clothe it, stand the ruins of a square tower built of red sandstone, broken walls, and arches of the ancient gateway, gables, and the remains of the chapel of the fortress, where the first Electors and Emperors of Germany held their court.40

Tradition and romance linger with an irresistible fascination around these lonely ruins.41

Tradition tells us that Barbarossa never died, but remains enchanted in the heart of the Kyffhäuser.42

He sits in an ivory chair by a marble table, his head resting upon his arm, and his long red beard has overgrown the whole table like moss.43 He wears the imperial mantle, and the knightly forms of his old courtiers, like spectres, come forth from their rocky chambers and place upon his aged uncovered head the oldest crown of Germany glittering with diamonds.44 His innocent daughter is his only attendant, or, according to other legends, a dwarf.45

The Kaiser's eyes are closed, but at times he seems to awake from his enchanted slumber, and new life seems to animate the stiffened limbs.46 But he cannot awake, nor rise from his seat, nor leave the enchanted chamber until Germany's enemies are fallen and she is free.47 He seemed about to throw off the enchanted fetters in the days of Maximilian, again in Luther's time.48

At the time of the Rhine Treaty, and when the first Napoleon won the brilliant victories of Ulm, Austerlitz, and Jena, the eyes of the old Redbeard sparkled with anger and grief, and at his cry of rage, lightnings flashed through the dark chambers of the Kyffhäuser, thunders rolled through its rocky caverns, and Barbarossa slumbered again till the great victory of the Allies in the "Battle of the Nations"[1] awaked him, and at the death of Napoleon on St. Helena he broke the enchantment, and Napoleon sits in his place.49

[1] _Völkerschlacht_--battle of Leipzig.50

There are many versions of this legend.51

One holy day, a miner rambling to the Kyffhäuser, to rest under the trees and indulge in devotional reflections, saw, as he reached the ruined tower, a monk with a long grey beard, who addressed him, saying, "Come!52 I have long expected thee; thou shalt see the enchanted Kaiser.53 Graumannel has brought me the _Springwurzel_,[2] and I must have a mortal to accompany me; no evil shall befall thee."54

[2] See Tidian's Cave.55

The monk leads him to a green spot surrounded with walls, forms with the staff which he carries a circle around him and his companion, takes from his pocket a gold-coloured velvet book, and begins to murmur and read, no word of which the miner understands.56

Suddenly there is a terrible clap of thunder.57 The mountain cracks, the circle on which they stand becomes loose, and sinks slowly into the mountain; the miner, in terror, clings to the cowl of the monk.58 At last they reach firm ground.59