The Man-Wolf and Other Tales

ich ten hours in the snows of the Bl

ks upon the kid, the fowls, and the

ivers, and the heathery hil

hair, and laying his hand on the firs

ng, purple in autumn when the gr

s, Gi

ehold. We reciprocall

h moaning mountain winds, were mournfully chanting the dirge of the year, that strange wailing hymn with which they accompany the shock of t

erver had filled the "wieder komm," the "come again," with old wine of Brumberg

rd of Nideck. Drink to the last dr

was

echoed among the old walls, "To the recovery of my noble mas

etion stole gently over us, and

ceiling, and my arms hanging lazily down. I began dr

sort of deep recess where lay my bed on the ground, and consisting, as I thought I could see, of a huge bear-skin above, and I could not tell what below

castle. We are now in Hugh Lupus's tower, a place as old as the mountain itself, going as far back as the days of Charlemagne.

, you have put me i

that the count put all his most distinguished friends. Mind that:

was Hug

ow. They constructed this tower, and proclaimed, 'Now we are the masters! Woe befall the miserable wretches who shall pass without paying toll to us! We will tear the wool off their backs, and their hide too, if need be. From this watch-tower we shall command a view of the far distance all roun

s Knap

gate for us. He is an odd fellow, Fri

man of learni

oks and parchments belonging to the family. He comes and goes along the shelves of the library just like a big cat. Knapwurst knows our stor

ng a little into his head, began

ll this tower, Hugh's to

o already? What are y

g parti

your face. You are thinking of

nd the passes of the Rhéthal-you who, during all your prime of life, thought it the finest of fun to laugh at the count's gamekeepers, and to scour the mountain paths of the Schwartzwald, and boat the bushes there, and breathe the free air, and bask in th

his leisure, gathered up in the hollow of his hand a live ember, which he placed upon the b

rocked by the wind, I now prefer to return to my cavern, to drink a glass, to pick a bone of venison, and dry my plumage before a warm fire. The Count of Nideck does not disdain Sperver, the old hawk, the true man of the woods. One evening, meeting me by moonlig

nt a few minutes

nt as I used to do, and I quietly drink alo

ck that made the door vibrate;

ust of win

g; but he had not gone a couple of steps when a formidable-looking hound of the Danish breed broke into the tower, and ran to lay his heavy paws on his ma

rm round the dog's neck,

s this dog does? Do look at this

at would have pulled down and rent a buffalo. Then repelling

ow you love me. If yo

, flat, and covered with fine soft hair; his eye was keen, his paws of great length, his sides and legs a woven mass of muscles and nerves, broad over the back and shoulders, sle

g his hand over Lieverlé's massive head with pri

emed to und

in his prime. I need not tell you that he is trained to hunt the boar. Every time we come across a herd of them I tremble for Lieverlé; his attack is

resented to view his

up with them. Seeing my Lieverlé I gave a shout, I jumped off my horse, I caught him between my arms, flung him into my cloak, and brought him home. I was almost beside myself. Happily the vital parts had not been wounded. I sewed up his belly i

dog for his master; they seemed to look into the very depths of each ot

er we

t his cord to get to me-a rope of six strands; he foun

e jaws opened wide and closed again with a terrible c

you by your breeches you wo

ne else, I

ws. He began to tear it into pieces. Sperver looked at him out of the corner of his eye with great satisfaction. The

ested to fetch that bone away

sion requiring extraordi

rm thrown back over his head, one of his manly legs over a stool, and the other in front of a huge log

g, when, suddenly recollecting o

u left the mountain for the castle was it not on accoun

he drew himself up, and shaking out the ash

pain. I turned my flight in this direction: I hunt less in the woods, and I can see it all from higher up, and

or, he sat silent. I felt sorry to have awoke these melancholy recollections in him. Then, my thou

a train of unhappy thoughts. A whole world

, when a growl, deep, long, and terribl

head raised high, ears cocked up, and flashing eye, he was listening intently-listen

t a breath outside, for the wind had gone down; nothing could be heard but th

l with a hoarse, rough bark of fearful loudness. The walls re

displaying two close rows of fangs white as ivory. Still he growled. For a moment he would stop abruptly with his nose snuffing close to the wall, nex

ut being able to understand

terrible than the first ma

possesses you? A

rned the dead, hard sound of a wall of solid rock. There was

eams," said the huntsman. "Come, lie down, an

countenance of Tobias Offenloch with his lantern in one hand and his stick in the oth

ie!" he cried as he entered

row. Just fancy-he set himself up against that

oden leg, to be sure, stumping up the tower-

his lantern

of yours won't be satisfied till they have put us all out of doors. Just this minute I met Blitzen in the long gallery: he

Dogs tied up are good for nothing at all; they grow too wild. Be

hold up my stick and put my wooden leg foremost-that is my discipline. I

ts, and with both elbows on the table, his eyes expanding wit

n't mea

ing up with Gertrude in

e in no hurr

should like to sta

ave come in so late!" remarked Spe

n. The poor man would so gladly have enjoyed his widowhood. But in sp

he, rising. "What is only

ook his

ght, gen

eon. "I can see Fritz is slee

word with Trumpf, the butler. He is downstairs wi

. Good nig

forget to send for me if

you wish. Li

platform I could hear the Nideck clock strike