The Water Spirit: Germanic Folklore About the middle of the sixteenth century, when Zündorf was no larger than it is at present, there lived at the end of the village, hard by the church, one of that useful class of women termed midwives. She was an honest, industrious creature, and what with ushering the new-born into life, and then assisting in making garments for them, she contrived to creep through the world in comfort, if

The Cellar of the Old Knights: Germanic Folklore There was a poor, but worthy, and withal very merry, fellow at Tilleda, who was once put to the expense of a christening, and, as luck would have it, it was the eighth. According to the custom of the time, he was obliged to give a plain feast to the child’s sponsors. The wine of the country which he put before his guests was soon exhausted, and

Hans in Luck: Germanic Folklore   Hans had served his master seven years, and at last said to him— “Master, my time is up; I should like to go home and see my mother, so give me my wages.” And the master said— “You have been a faithful and good servant, so your pay shall be handsome.” Then he gave him a piece of silver that was as big as his head. Hans took out