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Von wilden Gezwergen han ich gehoret sagen Sei sei'n in hohlen Bergen; und dass sie zu Schirme tragen Eines, heisset Tarnkappe, von wunderliche Art-- Wer's hat an seinem Leibe, der soll gar wohl sein Brwahrt. NIBELUNGEN LIED. Of wild dwarfs I oft have heard men declare They dwell in hollow mountains, and for defence they wear A thing called a Tarn-cloak, of wonderful nature-- Who has it on his body, will ever be secure.
The religion of the ancient Germans, probably the same with that of the Scandinavians (note 1, contained, like it, Alfs, Dwarfs, and Giants. The Alfs have fallen from the popular creed, but the Dwarfs still retain their former dominion. Unlike those of the North, they have put off their heathen character, and, with their human neighbours, have embraced a purer faith. With the creed they seem to have adopted the spirit of their new religion also. In most of the traditions respecting them we recognize benevolence as one of the principal traits of their character.
The oldest monuments of German popular belief are the poems of the Heldenbuch (Hero-book) and the spirit-stirring of the Nibelungen Lied. In these poems the Dwarfs are actors of importance.
In the Nibelungen the dwarf Albrich appears as the guardian of the celebrated Hoard which Sifrit (Siegfried) won from the Nibelungen. The Dwarf is twice vanquished by the hero who gains his Tarn-kappe, or Mantle of Invisibility (note 2).
In the Heldenbuch we meet the Dwarf-king Laurin, whose garden Dietrich of Bern and his warriors broke into and laid waste. To repel the invader the Dwarf appears in magnicicent arrray: twenty three stanzas are occupied with the description of his banner, helmet, shield, and other accoutrements. A furious combat ensues, in which the Dwarf--whom his magic ring and girdle endow with the strength of twenty-four men, and his Hel Keplein (Tarnkappe)(note 3) renders invisible at pleasure--had long the advantage. At length, by the advice of Hidlebrand, Dietrich strikes off the Dwarf's finger, breaks his girrdle, and pulls off his Hel Keplein, and then succeeds in vanquishing his enemy. Laurin afterwwards is reconciled to the heros, and prevails on them to enter the mountain in which he dwelt, and partake of a banquet. Having them now in his power, he treacherously makes them all his prisoners. His queen, however, Dielaub's sister, whom he had stolen away from under a linden, releases them; their liberation is followed by a terrific engagement between them and Laurin, backed by a numerous host of Dwarfs. Laurin is again overcome; he loses his queen; his hill is plundered of its treasures, and himself led to Bern, and there reduced to the extremity of earning his bread by becoming a buffoon.
In Hornen Sifret"(note 4) the Dwarf Eugel renders the hero good service in his combat with the enchanted Dragon, who had carried off the fair Chrimhild from Worms, and enclosed her in the Drachenstein. When Sifrit is treacherously attacked by the Giant Kuperan, the ally of the Dragon, the Dwarf flings his Nebelkappe over him to protect him.
But the mot celebrated of Dwarfs is Elberich (note 5), who aided the emperor Otnit to gain the daughter of the Paynim Soldan of Syria.
Otnit ruled over Lombardy, and had subdued all the neighboruing nations. His subjects wished him to marry, and he held a council on the affair. No maiden mentioned wasdeemd noble enough to share his bed. At last his uncle Elias, king of the "wild Russians," says,
I know of a maiden, noble and high-born, Her no man yet hath wooed, his life who hath not lorn. She shineth like the roses, and the gold ruddy, she fair is in her person, thou must credit me; She shines o'er other women, as bright roses do, So fair a child was never; they say she good is too.
The Monarch's imagination is influenced, and, regardless of the remonstrances of his council, he determines to brave all dangers, to sail with a powerful army to Syria, and to win the maiden, or die. He regulates his kingdom, and says to his uncle,
As soon as May appeareth, with her days so clear, Then pray thou of thy friends all, their warriors to cheer, To hold themselves all ready; go things as they may, We will, with the birds singing, sail o'er the sea away.
The queen now endeavours to dissuade her son, but finding her efforts vain, resolves to aid him as far as she can. She gives him a ring, and desires him to ride towards Rome till he comes to where a linden stands before a hill, from which runs a brook, and there he will meet an adventure. She farther tells him to keep the ring uncovered, and the stone of it will direct him.
Obeying his directions, Otnit rides alone from his palace at Garda, continually looking at his ring:
Unto a heath he came then, close by the Garda lake, Where every where the flower and clover out did break; The birds were gaily singing, their notes did loudly ring He all the night had walked, he was weary with riding. The sun over the mountains and through the welking shone, Then looked he full oft on the gold and on the stone; Then saw he o'er the meadow, down tr5odden the green grass, And a pathway narrow, where small feet used to pass. Then followed he downwards, the rocky wall boldly, Till he had found the fountain, and the green linden-tree, And saw the heath wide spreading, and the linden branching high. It had upon its boughs full many a guest worthy.