🧚 A Historical Tale., part 7 · page 2

The border of the wood was soon reached, but no trace of the dogs was to be seen.57 They had already penetrated the thick underbrush, and a stripe in the dewy grass showed the way they had taken.58

"Wilt thou remain here, father, and watch that no wolf come out of the wood and scatter the flock?" said the son, and hurried on in the direction the dogs had taken.59

The father remained standing, keeping his eyes on the lambs; but it was not long before he heard the missing dogs bark, and fancied he heard also the voice of his son.60

He listened.61 He was not mistaken.62 The son called with all his might his father's name, who, terrified lest something dreadful had happened, hastened after the voice.63

The way he had to take was perfectly strange to him, although he had often been in the same wood before; also the forest seemed very much altered; in the place of the young, slender trees, stood primeval, mighty oaks, and under their deep shades, through an opening in the trees, rose the grey dilapidated walls of a ruined church.64

At the entrance to this church, half hidden by wild briars, trees, and ivy, he saw his son standing with a look of amazement and with an uncertain air, for he too had never discovered these ruins, and curiosity and fear of enchantment fought a sharp contest in his breast.65

The arrival of the father, however, put an end to all fear, and after a short consultation, whether they should enter the desolate, ghost-like ruins, curiosity triumphed, so much the more, since they observed that the track of the dogs led through the bushes into the wall.66 With considerable effort they made their way through the rank weeds and thorns, and reached a high portal, fallen in on one side.67 They went through it, and saw themselves surrounded by a dim twilight, since the openings in the arch ceiling were insufficient to light the interior, and the slender arched windows were so overgrown with ivy and other plants that they stood in a green night.68

They could scarcely distinguish the spot where the altar had stood, and where masses of broken, scattered stones betrayed the fury of the storm that had destroyed it.69

Approaching the spot, they were seized with trembling as they discovered an old crucifix in the wall, and, bending the knee, murmured a prayer.70

A noise startled them; looking around they perceived the dogs behind a portion of the broken altar, scratching and digging, without troubling themselves at the presence of their masters, as if they had been fastened by enchantment to the spot.71

The shepherds approached the corner where they were scraping and pawing, and looked attentively at the hole growing every moment larger and deeper in the ground, and soon a sheet-iron chest became visible.72

The dogs barked as if for joy at the discovery, stopped their work, and sprang barking from one shepherd to the other.73

The shepherds set to work to lift out the chest, which they found tremendously heavy.74 It contained a mass of gold and silver coins with a stamp of a time long past.75

Before they could recover from their astonishment, the dogs began again to scratch the ground in the same spot, and soon a second chest came to view, in which the shepherds found golden goblets, candlesticks, and other sacred vessels of immense value.76

Not till now were the dogs satisfied, but as the second chest was opened they hurried back to the flock, and displayed an unwonted zeal to fulfil their duty.77

The two shepherds repaired to the Abbess of the St. Servatius Convent in Quedlinburg, related what had occurred, and expressed a wish that two towers should be built on the new Nikolai[1] church with the found treasure.78

[1] _Nikolai_--St. Nicholas.79

At the news of the wonderful discovery, half the town went out to the wood to see the spot where the treasure had been found.80 But no ruin was to be discovered; all was vanished without leaving a trace, and even the shepherds could not find the spot again.81

If the treasure in their possession had not proved to the contrary, they would have held the whole thing for a dream.82

The Nikolai church still stands, shaded by old lindens, and at its west end the shepherds' two towers.83

The figures of the two shepherds and their dogs, hewn in the stone, still look down upon the ancient, imperial city from these towers, where they were placed so many centuries ago as memorials of a somewhat unusual unselfishness.84

The Treasure-hunters of the Sieberthal.85

Many centuries ago there lay in the valley of the little river Sieber, where now is the Long Meadow, copper-works.86

A mass of scoria, the greater part of which has been employed on the _chaussée_, once marked the spot.87

The owners of these works, who are said to have been very rich, together with the works, vanished in a single night.88

The following morning nothing remained to be seen but this huge heap of scoria.89

It was said the owners had buried their treasure in it before their disappearance.90

Soon after that event, a blue flame was seen every night between eleven and twelve on this heap of scoria, which a black man endeavoured to keep burning until midnight.91

The report of a Goldfeuer[1] in the Sieberthal soon spread, and many saw the flame, but no one was bold enough to attempt to gain the treasure.92

[1] _Goldfeuer_--Goldfire.93

At last a man from Lonau, who had experience in treasure-seeking, determined to attempt it, and engaged several workmen to assist him in the undertaking.94

On the way to the spot he commanded his men: "Let no one speak while digging, or all is lost."95 [2]96

[2] A search for all objects under enchantment must be conducted in silence.97 If one speaks, the charm is immediately broken.98

They all promised, and gave him the hand as pledge.99

Meanwhile they arrived at the spot, the work began, and soon they came to a huge cauldron filled with Holland ducats, which it was necessary to raise.100

Just as they had raised the vessel to the surface they heard wheels.101

The workmen paused and listened, when lo! a carriage appeared drawn rapidly by four doves.102

The driver cried, "Guten Abend!103 Geht's gut?"104 But not a soul replied.105

Directly after came a fellow in a trough along the same road, saying hurriedly: "Shall I not also come?" and made the most desperate efforts to reach the dove-drawn carriage.106

One of the workmen laughing, cried mockingly: "The poor devil must also drive!"107

_Hutsch_!108 In an instant blue flame and cauldron had vanished!109

The men stood gazing at each other with long faces, when instantly their hair turned grey, and they all died soon of grief and vexation.110

The Enchanted Maiden of the Zorge.111

Like Princess Lise, she sometimes appears as a serpent.112 On the Hohegeissberg, near the river Zorge, the White Maiden of the Staufenburg[1] is seen every seven years with a bunch of keys.113

[1] The Staufenburg bei Zorge.114

Once came a shepherd from Kloster Walkenried and pastured his flock in the vicinity of the mountain.115

Early in the morning the White Maiden stood on the cliffs, making her footprints in the rock, and sang gaily.116