Legend #153: The Departure of the Dwarf Nation over the Bridge
n the south side of the Harz Mountains, and especially in certain regions in
County Hohenstein, one can see many small caves in the cliffs, which for the
most part are so small that grown men have to get on their hands and knees to
enter them. Other caves, however, have spacious chambers where whole parties
of people could meet. THese caves were once inhabited by Dwarfs and are
therefore called Dwarf Holes. The Dwarfs used to have two whole kingdoms in
the area between Wakenried and Neuhof in County Hohenstein.
Once, an inhabitant of that region became aware that fruits and vegetables were being taken from his farm at night, but he was never able to catch the culprit. On the advice of a wise woman, he finally walked up and down the rows of his pea patch at the onset of darkness, swinging a stick back and forth through the air over his plants. Before long, two Dwarfs were standing in the flesh in front of him. He had succeseded in knocking off their fog caps that made them invisible. Trembling, the Dwarfs fell to their knees and confessed that their people had been robbing his fields, but that they had been forced to do so by extreme need.
The news of the captured Dwarfs stirred the whole countryside. The Dwarf People sent envoys and bargained for the release for themselves and their captured brothers. It was agreed that they were to leave this region forever. Yet, the manner in which they were to depart occasioned new bickering. The inhabitants did not want to permit the Dwarfs to depart with their collected and hidden treasures, and the Dwarf People did not want to be seen during their departure. Finally it was was agreed that the Dwarfs, without any of the citizens being present, would depart over the narrow bridge near Neuhof, and that each of them, as a toll for free passage, would deposit a certain portion of his wealth in a large kettle set out there.
The departure took place as planned. But a few curious people hid themselves under the bridge in order to at least hear the Dwarfs as they passed. Thus, they heard the clippety-clop of the eet of the tiny men for many long hours. It was as if they were listening to a very large herd of sheep crossing over the bridge.
Ever since this final great migration of the Dwarf Nation, only a few individual Dwarfs have been sighted on rare occasions. Nevertheless, a few of the Dwarfs who remained behind in the mountain caves were known on occasion to have stolen newborn babies from the houses of the farmers, leaving their own children as changelings.
Legend #154: The Parade of Dwarfs over the Mountain
n the north side of the Harz Mountains there once lived thousands of Dwarfs,
or as they were also called, Kropel. They lived in crevices and small
caves called Dwarf Holes. Near Seehausen, a town belonging to Magdeburg, the
people can point to a number of such Kropel holes. However, the Dwarfs
appear to the country people in visible form only on rare occasions,
preferring to wander around among people unseen, invisible in their fog
caps.
Many of these Dwarfs were quite benevolent, and under certain circumstances, very helpful to humans. They would lend their utensils and china to people for weddings and baptisms. But one had to take care not to incite them to anger, for then they could become malicous and ccunning, and they could do all kinds of harm to the person who offendedthem.
A baker who lived in the valley between Blankenburg and Quedlinburg noticed one day that a few of his breads were always missing. Yet try as he would he could not uncover the thief. This unrelenting thievery was gradually driving the man into poverty. Finally, he began to suspect that perhaps the Dwarfs were responsible for his misfortune. He took a swatter of supple twigs and began swinging it back and forth through the air in his bakery until he finally struck a few fog caps, knocking them off so the Dwarfs were no longer invisible.
This arose quite a disturbance and, when the baker caught a few more Dwarfs in the act of stealing bread, it finally became necessary for the entire Dwarf Nation to migrate from that region. It was also agreed that there should be recompencse for the victims of the Dwarfs' thievery, and that there should be some control over the number of Dwarfs emigrating. Therefore, a large pot was set out along the trail over Church Mountain near the village of Thale, and it was agreed that each Dwarf was to throw a coin into the vessel. After the departure of the Dwarfs, the pot was filled to the top with old coins, they were so many in number!
The Dwarf Nation gradually moved eastward beyond Warnstedt, not far from Quedlinburg. Since this migration, the Dwarfs have disappeared from this region, and there is only a rare sighting of an individual dwarf.
Legend #155: The Dwarfs of Dardesheim
ardesheim lies between Halberstadt and Brunswick. Directly north of the city
limits there is a large spring of the finest water called Smans Spring. The
spring's source lies deep within the mountain where Dwarfs once lived. If the
people who lived in the region at that time needed a dress for a special
occasion, or if they needed a special utensil for a wedding, all they had to
do waswalk up the mountain, knock three times, and state their needs in loud,
clear voices. They were required to say:
Before sunrise on the morrow,
We'll return all we do borrow.
Later, however, arguments gradually upset the fine understanding that existed between the Dwarfs and the inhabitants of the countryside. At first, the disputes did not last long. But finally the Dwarfs emigrated from the region because the taunting and ridicule of many of the farmers proved to be as unbearable as their ingratitude. Since then no Dwarfs have been seen or heard there.
Legend #148: The Dwarfs in the Tree
n summer, hordes of Dwarfs used to come down the mountainsides into the
valleys to join humans, either to help or to watch them at their work. They
especially liked to be around when it was time to make hay. Often they would
sit happily among the shady leaves of the long, heavy branches of a maple
tree. Once, however, some wicked people sawed through one of the heavy
branches at night so that it was barely held in place on the trunk of the
tree. And the next morning, when the unsuspecting little creatures climbed up
on the branch, it came crashing down throwing all the Dwarfs onto the ground
where they were laughed at. They became quite enraged and cried:
Oh, how high are the heavens,
And great is man's treachery!
We are here today, but nevermore!
