Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine

Rhine with the Neckar which is one of the most famous in the world. It lies between lofty hills covered with vineyards and forests, flanked by handsome villas and garde

olf's

ancient goddess Herthe, is linked with the neighb

ons spread far and wide, and men came from all parts of Europe to learn from her what the future had in store for them. Frequently a warrior left her abode with a consuming fire kindled in his breast which would rob him of sleep for m

clad in a flowing white robe, while on the altar itself burned a faint and fitful flame. The tall, slender trees, showing fantastic and ghostly in the fading light, made a fitting background for the gleaming shrine; and the elusive, unearthly beauty o

e, fearing to break in rudely upon her m

hose dark, burning eyes met hers in deepest admiration. Something stirred in her he

failed me. Ere I tell thee thy fate I must offer sacrifice to Herthe. If thou wilt co

of the young warrior, yet she delayed also because she wished to hear hi

hetess," said he, and

, it seemed, for she could think o

ed to give him the information he sought. He was no less

priestess greeted h

ars do not speak plainly. Yet methinks thy star and m

cried the young man joyful

eeks and downcast glance

th me to my tower?" pu

ted back i

ss of Herthe is doomed an she marry. If I w

halla, and Freya shall appea

hook he

engeance of Herthe is swift-and awful. I

, and bade him meet her there on the following night at a certain hour. The lo

cely had she reached the spot ere she fancied she heard a step among the undergrowth, and turned with a glad smile, prepared to greet her lover. Imagine her

the voice of Jette, broke into a run. He was too late! The monster wolf stood over the lifeless body of his be

s called the 'Wolf's Spring,' and the

er of He

st as important a part in them as the Rhine itself. We are told that the Emperor Wenzel sold his crown for a quantity of wine; in the tale connected with Thann, in Alsace, mortar is mixed with wine instead of water, because of the scarcity of the latter commodity during the build

of stature and ugly of feature, whose quips and drolleries provided endless amusement for himself and his guests. Prominent among the jester's

d to have some amusement at his expense, and they therefore led him to a cellar in w

thirst increased at the prospect, so he produced a gimlet, bored a hole in the vat, and drank and drank till at length he could drink no more; then the fumes of the

iments of the jester's drinking bouts; but all was silent as the grave. At last they grew uneasy and crept bel

nsoled themselves with the thought that, after al

assin

in which poetic justice is meted out to the principa

f to his father's foes; and when the Pope excommunicated the monarch, gradually the Emperor's following went over to the side of his son, who then caused himself to be invested with imperial honours. The deposed sovereign, deprived of power and supporters, was compelled to go into exile; even his personal freedom was secured only as the price of his renunciation of the crown. Broken and humiliated, feeling intensely the disgrace of his position, he determined to undertake a pilgrimage to Liége, accompa

found old Kurt still holding his vigil beside the Emperor's body, and in recognition of his faithfulness he was permitted to follow the funeral cortege to Speyer. There were in the town certain good and pious folk who were touched by the serv

ll the luxury of his palace could not soothe his last moments; though he was surrounded by courtiers who assumed sorrow and walked softly, and though all his kindred were around him, he saw ever before

awful sound which told that a criminal had paid the law's last penalty, and asked one another what poor wretch had been executed. Awe and astonishm

s of W

when or wherefore this originated tradition does not relate. We are told that a young huntsman, whom the chase had driven thitherward, saw the spectre and was so stricken with her charms that day after day he visite

not doubt that his end had been a pleasant one. On his finger was a ring of quaint design which he had not bee

enneg

n, of which traces may still be found. It is rendered immortal by reas

trassburg. It is true that the Churchman was treated with every consideration, more like a guest than a captive, but he never

and beg that their uncle might be set free. On their way thither

said she. "Will you not tell a

to Windeck, where their uncle was imprisoned. "Perchance," he added t

perchance! Think you the knight of Windeck

ose eyes were already tearful at the prospect of confronting his uncle's captor;

the boy seriously. "I will draw sword

self at the boy's ardour. "We must not talk of fighting

e stopped awkwardly, and his sister's rising colour showed plai

an looked a

people of Strassburg mean to attack his castle on the morrow, and that his only means of resisting them is to dig a deep tren

oward her; this she gave to the young people. "When the moon rises,"

strange tongue, she bade the brother a

he castle, for he was young and handsome and very courteous, not at all the ogre they had imagined. In falt

ingled feelings of pity and astonishment. The gentle, appealing glance of the elder, no less than the naive candour of the younger, ap

is lost liberty and meditated on the chances of escape. He was roused from a reverie by the sound of fami

ou are free! Imma and I

ed knight glanced with a new interest at her beautiful face, with its ros

till you have provided a ransom," Then, turning humorously to Imma, he added: "Wi

t knight begged her seriously to remain at Windeck as his wife-for ere nightfall the old Dean, grumbling and somewhat reluctant, wa

he castle, to find a newly made trench filled with the castle troopers. When they learned that the Dean was free they called for a truce,

ingelk

of Herthe, but when the preaching of the white monks had begun to spread Christianity among the people she left the neighbourhood. In passing by that w

ever indifferent to human suffering, drew her quickly inside, bade her seat herself by the fire, and set food and wine before her. When she had recovered a little from the effects of the storm the hermit questioned her with regard to her p

s fair guest. The wine had brought some colour to her pale cheeks and he could see

is cell in which I beg for shelter was once my own.

onk, startled in spite of himself by t

iden l

about the cell as she spoke, and picked up a piece of embroidery. "See, this is my handiwork; is it le

had finished his recital. She saw that she had him completely in her power and pressed her advantage to the uttermost. She drew closer to him, raised his hand, and pressed it to her lips. The monk surrendered himself to her caresses, and when at length she begged him to break the symbol of his

t had been sent to rescue him from the wiles of Satan and he treasured it as a sacred relic. Many came from far and near to see

Nymph of S

e in which a spring of limpid water bubbled and sparkled. Having quenched his thirst, he seated himself on a mossy bank to rest before proceeding homeward. Suddenly he saw at a little distance a damsel of unique and marvellous beauty, braid

replied graciously. "It is I who am grate

t but in the schloss itself as his wife and its mistress-for he had fallen in love with her at first sight. Indeed, so ardent was his passion that he could not conceal

replied, smiling. "Meet me to-morrow at t

ed time arrived he was already at the tryst, eagerly awaiting the approach of his beloved. When at length she

m which you drank yesterday. You saw me then for the first time, b

y this naive confession, and begged that

arry me you must remain for ever faithful. Otherwis

a of his proving unfaithful to his

life. Rumours of fighting reached him from France; he saw the knights of neighbouring fortresses leading their troops to the war, and a martial spirit stirred within him. His wife was not slow to observe that his world was no longer bounded by the castle-walls of Staufenberg, and she wisely resolved not to stand in the

ll the artless glances of his youngest daughter gave him his cue. For he saw that she had lately begun to look with some favour on the simple knight of Staufenberg, and it occurred to him that the hand of a lady of rank and beauty would be a very desirable bait. Nor was he mistaken, for the gaieties of the Frankish court had dazzled the knight, and the offer of the lady's hand completely turned his he

r at once and do penance for your sin." Though he hardly found it possible to believe the priest's assertion, the knight strove to persuade himself that it was true, and that he wa

le, the gay processions, even the beautiful bride, seemed to have no interest for him. When the hand of the l

tream washed over the feet of the bridegroom's horse, making it prance and rear. The knight was stricken with deadly terror, for he knew tha

ed the mother and child had disappeared for ever. Yet even now on a stormy night she can still be hear

Richard Co

tria, his deadly enemy, the plaintive notes of a familiar lay fell on their ears. The singer was a young shepherd, and one of the knights, a tro

epherd replied that he had heard it sung in the castle of Trifels. At this intelligence the str

earing soon won him the favour of the castellan's pretty niece, who persuaded her uncle to listen to his songs. During one of their stolen interviews the girl betrayed the place where the King of England was imprisoned, and that night, from beneath a window, the minstrel heard his King's well-remembered voice breathing a prayer for freedo

with the castellan's niece to return secretly at nightfall. He rode no further than an inn near Annweiler, which commanded a view of the castle. There his host info

promised to pay the reckoning. He then withdrew to seek his comrades. At dusk he returned ste

ealed themselves in the thick foliage of the underbrush. The garrison, gaily dressed, quitted the keep,

tomed signal; for a time there was no response, and the minstrel was beco

to take her with him to England. Then he beckoned to his friends, there was a sudden rush, and armed forms thronged the postern. The frightened maid

all to no purpose. When the garrison returned they were powerless to render aid, for the castellan was threatened with death should his followers attack the castle. In the end a truce was ma

Entering the inn, he recognized in the landlord the one-time shepherd-boy. From him he learnt that the castellan had perished by an unknown h

in A

ngely, the vineyards had yielded a wonderful harvest of luscious grapes, and the wine was so abundant that the supply of casks and vessels was insufficient for the demand. Therefore did it happen that the mortar used for building the steeple was mixed with wine, where

ying-

ttered harvest of death. Once, says the legend, a wayfarer, surprised by the swift-fallen night, lost himself on the plain. As he stumbled in the darkness he heard the clocks of the town near by strike the hou

in armour appeared before

ious, betrayed by his own sons, was handed over to his enemies, his crown torn from his head by his own troops? And he who would have died gladly in battle suffered the shame and dishonour that were worse than death. He lift

wanderer: "And that curse has endured through the centuries. Under this plain in mile-wide graves we faithless warri

he tumult of fighting died away. The wayfarer, sei

ass

four centuries is displayed to wonderful advantage. By the light of the stained-glass windows the famous astronomical clock in the south transept can be descried, still containing

maker of

and practices of ordinary life; he forgot his meals, forgot his sleep, cared nothing for his clothes, and would have been in evil case indeed had not his daughter Gut

d derided his occupation as the idle pastime of a mind not too well balanced. But the clockmaker, finding in his workroom all that he needed of exciteme

e-a wealthy citizen who aspired to a position of civic honour in Strassburg. In appearance he was lean, old, and ugly, with hatchet-

he had been made a magistrate, and demanded the hand of Guta,

girl to speak for herself as to her hand. When Guta heard the proposal she cast indignant glances

eg of you, for such a course might bring lasting trouble on y

to her father's arms and declared that

as you please. Heed not his threats, for when I have fini

ver doubting but that the answer would be favourable. But when Guta told him plainly that she would

e of Guta and her father. When he heard the story he was most indignant; later, when the clockmaker had left the yo

to her father till the latter had completed his great clock, which he fondly believed was soon to bring him fame and fortune. She also proposed that her lover should offer to become her father's partner-for he, too, was a

o witness his handiwork. They beheld a wonderful clock, of exquisite workmanship, and so constructed that the striking of the hour automatical

civic authorities, urged thereto by Guta's discarded lover, refused to countenance any attempt to procure the wonderful clock for the town. But soon its fame spread abroad to other cities.

and scenting a fine opportunity for revenge, contrived to raise an outcry against the proposal. "Where was the advantage," asked the magistrates, "in possessing a wonderful clock if every city in Germany was to have one?" So to preserve the uniqueness of their treasure they haled the old clockmaker before a tribunal and ordered him to cease practising his art. This he indignantly refused to do, and the council, still instigated by his enemy, finally

maged the works, after which he submitted himself to his torturers. Hardly had they carried out their cruel task when, to the consternation of the onlookers, the

cried the blind clockma

tionate care compensated in part for the loss of his eyesight and his enforced inability to practise his beloved art.

isordered state till 1843, when it was onc

peter of

e legend of the Trumpeter of S?ckingen; it shares with "The Lorelei" and a few o

was at hand, and the snow lay thickly on the ground. For a few moments the wayfarer pondered whither he should turn for food and shelter, for his steed and the trumpet he carrie

sed to return the greeting, and entering into conversation with the horseman, he learned that he was a soldier of fortune, whereupon he invited him

ty of Heidelberg, where he had lived a gay and careless life, paying so little attention to his studies that at the end of his course his only asset was a knowledge of music, picked up from a drunken trumpeter in exchange for the wherewithal to satisfy his thirst. The legal profession, which his guardian had designed for him, wa

a procession was organized every year at S?ckingen. There, at the head of a band of girls, he beheld a maid who outshone them all in beauty and grace, and to her he immediately lost his hea

infallible signs of a lover. Indicating a castle at the edge of the river, the apparition informed Werner that his lady-love dwelt therein, and he bade him take heart and seek some mode of communicating with her. At this Werner plucked u

listen to the melting strains. When the notes had died away an attendant was dispatched to learn who the musician might be, but ere he reached the garden Werner had re

rgaretha. Henceforward his path lay in pleasant places, for the young people were thrown a great deal into each other's society, and in time it became evident that the lady returned the young s

he quietly made his way to the spot, to find that the inharmonious sounds resulted from the vain attempt of his fair pupil to play the instrument. When th

he foe at bay, but was wounded in the mêlée, and Margaretha, seeing her lover fall and being unable to reach him, took the trumpet and sounded the bugle-call he had taught her, hoping that her father would hear it and hasten his return. And

him of the circumstances and beg for his daughter's hand, but ere he could prefer his request the old man proceeded to tell him that he had but just received a letter from an old friend desiring that his son should marry Margaretha. As the young man was of noble birth, he added, and eligible in every respect he was disposed to agree to the arrangement, and he desired Werner t

culty to perform the remainder of his choral duties. Meanwhile the Pope had observed that the young man was deeply affected, and believing this to be caused by the lady's indisposition, he desired that the couple should be brought before him at the conclusion of the service. With kindly questioning he elicited the whole story, and was so touched by the romance that he immediately created W

arcoal

followed the same humble calling, and one might have supposed that the youth would be we

possessed by 'divine discontent.' The romance of the ancient forests wherein he dwelt fostered his strange longings, and in fancy he already saw himself a knight, fighting in the wars, jousting in the lists, receiving,

with braver company than courts could boast-vivid, unreal dream-people, whose shadowy presence increased his longing for the actuality. The very winds whispered mysteriously

d to himself, "and take service under

errupted by the approach of an old

what thou wouldst have. Yet must thou not forsake thy lowly occupation; that which thou dost seek will only come t

e to a distant part of the forest. Then the hermit bade him farewell and l

pose," he said to himself; "in any case, I m

hin some pieces of pure gold! A moment's reflection convinced him that the precious metal must have been melted out of the stones, so he again built a kiln, and experienced the same gratifying result. Delighted

or-a feat requiring no small courage in that remote part of the forest, where robbers and freebooters abounded-and there, without, stood a poor wayfarer, who humbly begged admittance. He was being pursued, he declared; would the charcoal-burner shelter him for a few days? Touched by the suppliant's plight, and

he time has come when you must know whom you have served so faithfully. Behold your un

young charcoal-burner sank o

humble subject who will never for

ice. It is that you may lead me by some secret path to the place where the remnant of my followers await

he told the story of his hidden treasure and with simple dignity placed it at the disposal of his sovereign, asking for

t battle they fought resulted in victory. But the most valiant stand was made by the erstwhile charcoal-burner, who found on that field the opportunity of which he had long dreamt. The Emperor showed his recognition of

n, the friend of his Emperor, the first of a long line of illu

clu

oned the sunshine which later sparkles in the wine-cup and inspires song and cheerfulness. Those, again, which are sombre and tragic have as background the gloomy forest, the dark and windy promontory which overhangs the darker river, or the secluded nunnery. In such surroundings is fostered the germ of tragedy, that feeling of the inevi

n privileged to display to the reader. But no such strains of regret upon abandoning its shores have been sung as those

fair Rhine! How

ain would ling

ene alike whe

templation th

easeless vultur

mning bosoms,

nor too somb

rude, awful y

w Earth as Autu

ee again! a

farewell to sc

colour'd by

ctantly the

gaze upon thee

hankful heart o

ts may rise, mo

te in one at

r, and soft,-the g

ly grand, the

ness, the whit

ream, the prec

owth, and Gothi

shaped as they

man's art: a

aces happy

bounties here

thy banks, though E