--- title: Legends and Tales., part 13 — Legends and tales of the Harz Mountains · full text with trees description: Legends and Tales., part 13, «Legends and tales of the Harz Mountains» by Toofie Lauder: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: "Yes, your Worship!" cried the chamberlain. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/14/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Legends and tales of the Harz Mountains](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/) / Legends and Tales., part 13 # Legends and Tales., part 13 Legends and Tales., part 13 of «Legends and tales of the Harz Mountains» by Toofie Lauder: the whole text, 140 sentences and 2547 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/14/page/2/) "Yes, your Worship!" cried the chamberlain.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") "Of course!" said the syndic.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") "Certainly!" echoed the town clerk.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") "Certainly!" agreed every member of the council unanimously.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") "If we take into consideration," continued the Bürgermeister, "how much damage the said Arno of Arnstein has caused, death by the sword is too mild.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Shall he not die on the wheel, or be quartered?"[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") "Of course!" said the chamberlain, with a knowing nod.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") "Certainly!" agreed the syndic.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") "How wise!" cried one part of the councillors; "How just!" another.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") "I am of opinion," resumed the Bürgermeister, "that the execution should take place immediately, before the said Arno does any more mischief."[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") "Of course! of course!" cried the assembly.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") "But--but--a--" resumed his Worship, hesitating and undecided, "we must first have the criminal in our power, and that is--not--so--easy a matter.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Can any one offer advice as to what is to be done?"[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Silence\![14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") All were dumb.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") At last one cried, "We must take him prisoner!"[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") "Quite right," voted the councillors; "he must be taken prisoner."[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") "That is also my opinion," said the Bürgermeister. "[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Nevertheless it--is--no--easy matter--to accomplish.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") We could march out at once with all the armed men we possess, and storm----"[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") "Yes, yes," cried the syndic, "we will storm the nest!"[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") "We will storm it!" exclaimed the town clerk, with a look intended to be brave.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") "How wise! how heroic!" was the praise on every lip, while the Bürgermeister continued his interrupted address: "But we have already experienced the fact that the Arnstein is not easy to seize.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") \_By force nothing can be done.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") "No, by force nothing can be done!" echoed the assembly as one man.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") "We might attempt to take him by strategy," continued the orator; "but Arno is cunning as a fox, and we should probably only expose our town to more robbery if he discovered that we were trying to waylay him."[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") "Certainly! certainly!" agreed every mouth.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") "Hence I give it as my opinion," concluded the Bürgermeister, "that as force and stratagem would only bring upon us expense and danger, and the result is uncertain, that--that--a--that we allow the matter to rest as it is, and leave the criminal to the punishment of Heaven.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Do you not think so, gentlemen?"[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") "Certainly, your Worship, certainly\![30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") How wise! how mild! how forbearing!" shouted the assembly.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The Bürgermeister rose with official dignity, dismissed his colleagues with a wave of the hand, and the exhausted councillors were in the act of retiring, when the unhappy bridegroom rushed breathless into their midst.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") "What is decided?" he cried hastily, and seized the syndic by the arm.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") "What's that to you?" growled that dignitary, who felt himself insulted by such familiarity. "[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") How do you dare to force yourself unbidden into the council chamber?"[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") "I beg your pardon, gentlemen," stammered the bridegroom, surprised. "[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") I come to give you a capital piece of advice--the idea just occurred to me."[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Every face grew long from assumed dignity.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") "What! you will give advice?[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") You--to us?"[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") But as the young man entreated them to hear him, the Bürgermeister permitted him to speak, provided he would be short.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") The bridegroom unfolded his plan, which, though unwillingly, was approved of.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Meanwhile, Arno concluded that his robbery of the bride was undiscovered, and was strengthened in this idea, as some days after he saw a group of maidens, decked in bridal array, issue forth from the town to the same meadow.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") Suddenly he resolved to carry off one of them, and when they had danced themselves weary and had thrown themselves down on the grass to rest, he rushed out of the wood, and, like a vulture, swooped down upon his prey.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") But, to his astonishment, the maiden, instead of resisting, held him fast, and the others drew forth daggers and attacked and killed his retainers.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Resistance was useless; he could not free himself from the powerful arms of the disguised soldier.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") They dragged him to Aschersleben, and shut him up in a cage, where he starved to death.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") The bridegroom put on Arno's armour, and the troop, concealed in loaded wagons, were conducted to the Arnstein by the disguised bridegroom.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") The warder saw the train approaching, and at once opened the gates to admit it.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") Too late, when all were within the walls, he discovered his error.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon they had possession of the stronghold, and the bride was restored to the bridegroom.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") The cage they still show in Aschersleben, and the meadow is still called the Dance meadow.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") There is a tradition of another knight of Arnstein, who, cold and cruel to all who in the least displeased him, was buried in the now ruined chapel.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") His ghost still haunts the ruins.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") His second wife, a cruel step-mother, who oppressed her beautiful step-daughter, keeps him company.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") She is the spinner of the Arnstein, doomed to spin on till her web breaks, when her spirit will be set free.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") Whether the ghostly monk bore relation to this cruel pair we are not told.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") He visits the ruins, probably nightly, but can only be seen every seven years by those who were born on St. John's Eve. His duty is to chastise idle and deceitful servants.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") The Pebble.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") An old, poor, but honest man left his cottage to gather sticks and healing herbs in the wood for sale in the neighbouring town.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") He soon had a huge bundle of sticks bound together for his weary, bent back--bent from the burden of toil and of years--and a luxuriance of the healing woodroofs made gathering them a light task; but when he reached the town everybody said, "What's the need of wood now, when it is summer?"[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") And the apothecary declared, "It is June, and the blossoms have already absorbed all the strength of the plants.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") You must bring them henceforth in May."[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") No one had an ear for the entreaties of the distressed man, and he set off for home hopeless and discouraged.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") He saw no way of deliverance out of his deplorable condition, no relief for his suffering wife. "[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") Yes," he sighed, "if the bell in Wimmelburg had not been melted in the last fire, the bell through which God, the good Father, cured every sick person who heard its tones, there might be help for my poor wife; or, if it is not all a fable, of the great treasure which the monks buried in Sittichenbach, and we could find it; or, if it is true about the hidden treasure in Eisleben, that only he can find who can watch four-and-twenty days and nights without closing his eyes.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") Oh\![67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") I could watch the time, for sorrow keeps me awake every night.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") But all these tales must be only fancies, and the benevolent fairies in these mountains, who used to help the poor when they were near despair, are most likely long since gone, or else my trouble would have brought them to my relief.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") And with men, oh! with men there is no pity!"[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") It seemed to him by these reflections as if a long, giant, shadowy form brushed past him in the twilight, whispering in his ear, "Do not despair."[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") He looked up, but saw nothing but the shadow of the oak under which he sat, heard nothing save the sighing of the evening wind in its branches.[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") With a tear in his eye, he took the bundle of wood on his back and went on.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") A moment after he saw a shining object on his path. "[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") Ei! what a beautiful pebble!" he thought. "[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") I will take it home for the children to play with."[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/14/page/2/) - ← previous: [Legends and Tales., part 12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/13/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/14/page/2/) - ↑ back to [Legends and tales of the Harz Mountains](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/)