--- title: Legends and Tales., part 6 — Legends and tales of the Harz Mountains · full text with trees · page 2 description: Legends and Tales., part 6, «Legends and tales of the Harz Mountains» by Toofie Lauder: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: "'Thou bloodthirsty man, thou shalt henceforth no more hunt, but be hunted; thou shalt be thyself a stag in the place of the o --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/7/page/2/) [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 6 # Legends and Tales., part 6 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/7/) **2** \[1\] Little grey man.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") Graumännchen seemed in great embarrassment; this awakened the pity of the fisherman, and he called across that he would come and carry him over the water.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") He waded over and did as he had said.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") Graumännchen was much pleased at this kindness, thanked the fisherman in the warmest terms, and said, "Thou art a good, obliging man, and since thou hast fulfiled my wish, I could wish that thou also hadst a wish or two that I might grant."[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") "Ah!" said the fisherman, "every one has wishes.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") I have just one, but it cannot be realized."[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") "Only one?" said Graumännchen. "[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") I would grant thee willingly two or three.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") But what might be thy wish?"[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") "My greatest wish," replied the fisherman, "is to be set back five hundred years, in order that, instead of that heap of ruins across there, the Treseburg might raise its proud battlements and tower."[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") "Well," said Graumännchen, "that can easily happen," and bade him close his eyes for a minute.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") He did so, and on opening them again gazed around him in wonder, for there opposite on the dark rock stood the Treseburg, that he had so often seen in ruins.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") Really and truly there it stood, with white walls, colossal round tower at the entrance, battlements shimmering in the sunlight, and squires glittering in steel, with sword and lance.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") The fisherman almost devoured the singular picture with his eyes, and in his admiration could not turn away his gaze, till Graumännchen put an end to his puzzlement with the question, "Thy wish is granted; art thou satisfied?"[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") The fisherman hesitated, for it seemed to him at the moment as if he might add another wish.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") At the same time the immediate fulfilment of his wish appeared to have its shady sides, for the soldiers who stood on the walls of the castle grew noisy, and called down to him with abusive and threatening words, and commanded him at once to bring up all the fish and other articles of provision which he had, or his last hour was come.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") Some even, as if in joke, bent their cross-bows toward him, and one pointed iron bolt lodged in the trunk of a rotten tree close by him.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") Finally the fisherman replied, "Yes, the fulfilment of my wish is delightful, and the Treseburg is a right stately Schloss; but I should like, as my ancestors once ruled there, to be transplanted into the position of my ancestor who lived there five hundred years ago, in exactly the same circumstances."[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") "Very well," said Graumännchen; "also this wish can be granted," and bade him again to shut his eyes.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") When he opened them he found himself in a spacious hall, its stone walls adorned with armour and arms, and on a massive oak table lay also arms, partly broken, partly covered with fresh blood.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") From without, a wild deafening noise penetrated to the hall, mingled with loud shouting, sometimes a piercing cry of pain, and the clashing of arms.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") He lay himself, in steel armour, on a bench, but one arm was free from armour, and he felt a burning pain in it, and to his terror he observed a gaping wound, as from the blow of a sword, stretching from the shoulder to the elbow, and the warm blood trickled down.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") Just then a door opened, and an old squire entered and said, "I left you a moment to prepare an ointment for your wound, in order that you may yourself appear on the walls and defend the Schloss.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") The danger is great, Herr\![105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") Listen\![106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") They are storming again already, and our men are so weak from hunger and thirst, they can scarcely stand.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") "I have obeyed your command, gestrenger Herr--your Lordship--and in case of the worst have buried the treasures in the small vault, three times seven paces from the tower westward, and three times seven paces from the entrance gates to the south.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") But hark\![109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") The gates are burst in\![110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") We are lost!"[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") And the old man hastened away.[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") The transformed fisherman grew dizzy, and felt extremely uncomfortable.[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") But he had little time for reflection, for the tumult grew louder and came nearer.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") The door of the hall was broken in with heavy blows, and with loud shouts a troop of men, dripping with blood, rushed in and threw themselves in rage upon him, crying: "We have thee at last, thou foul knave! thou who hast robbed and murdered so many.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") At last the hour of retribution has come."[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") And the leader cried: "Fasten a rope to the arch of the gates, give him an hour to say his prayers, but in the deepest dungeon, and then hang him for a punishment and a warning."[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") And strong arms seized him and threw him in the dungeon on damp straw.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") There he lay, and could not for some time collect his thoughts; but when he came to his full senses a deep sorrow seized him to see what he had brought upon himself through his foolish wish.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") Now he must die as a criminal, separated from wife and children, who would never know what had become of him.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") "Ah!" cried he in anguish. "[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") Graumännchen\![122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") Graumännchen! why hast thou done this?[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") If thou hast granted me, fool that I was, two wishes, so grant me the third--the only one I have--to return home," and hot tears rolled down his face.[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") But when he had dried his eyes, and opened them again, he drew a long breath, for he lay on the banks of the Bode beside his nets, which had filled with fish; and of Schloss and Ritter was nothing to be seen--only the ruins as ever.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") Graumännchen stood by him, pressed his hand, and said with friendly smile: "Willst thou be henceforth contented, or hast thou still another wish?"[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") "\_Nein\![127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") Nein\![128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") \_" cried the fisherman decidedly, "I have not a wish but to remain what I am my life long."[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") Graumännchen took his departure with a smile, and the fisherman's dreams of castle and knight with him.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") For many years he related only to his wife what had happened, but as he grew old he told the history to his sons, that they might learn therefrom the same lesson as himself.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") They laughed to themselves, and held the whole story for a dream, save one brother, who found something very remarkable in it, and when he had a leisure hour he climbed the rock where the Treseburg had stood, observed the direction of the walls and the moat, and removed the moss, underbrush, and thorns.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") At last he seemed to have found what he sought.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") One clear moonlight night he mounted with hook and shovel to the ruins; there, where once the tower had stood, he measured three times seven paces to the west from the tower, and the same distance from the gate southward.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he began to dig and soon came to a vault.[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") The following day the villagers who had gone to gather sticks found a vault broken in, and a half-rotten chest open, but empty, and on the ground around lay scattered gold and silver coins with an unknown stamp.[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") Legend of Volkmarskeller[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") On the borders of the wood stand the ruins of the ancient Kloster Michaelstein, which we pass, and go up the valley, the brook acting as our guide.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/7/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/7/) - next →: [Legends and Tales., part 7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/8/) - ↑ back to [Legends and tales of the Harz Mountains](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74323/)