Henrik Steffens

“ In most large mountain-systems, the highest point is surrounded by inaccessible rocks, deep valleys, and wild ravines; and few of the peasantry dare to visit those lonely regions, imprinted with the stamp of mystery, whence Nature looks down, wild, enigmatical, and threatening upon the distant plains. ”

“ Rubezahl sometimes amuses himself at the expense of the poor women who come to pick up little pieces of fire-wood about the mountain; but he never fails to recompense them for the trouble and vexation his tricks may have occasioned them. To poor children, too, if deserving, he occasionally makes valuable presents. ”

“ As all the tales of the Giant Mountains are founded on the existence of this capricious sprite, they do not exhibit that depth of feeling which we occasionally meet with in the traditions of other mountainous regions ”

“ But should some worthless profligate think to retrieve his shattered fortune by Rubezahl’s bounty, he finds himself wofully outwitted. The ordinary bargain is made to be sure, and the fellow, as usual, wins the wager, and rides gaily off, chuckling over his success ”

“ This brings the mysterious more familiarly near; and what in other mountains has a destructive and gloomy power over the spirits of mankind, appears here like a light dream; the powerful spirits of the mountains only indulge themselves in a few antic tricks, and men talk of them without fear. ”

“ The 33rd of these is that his name comes from numbering neeps or turnips: as if the spirit, in the excess of his avarice, could not abstain from counting the most trifling of his possessions,—the turnips of his garden. This derivation has in our days obtained most credit from the authority of Musæus, the well-known writer of Tales; only, according to him, the appellation does not mark the avarice of the spirit—for of this feature the world of tradition knows nothing—it is grounded on a love adventure. For many thousand years, Musæus relates, Rubezahl had inhabited the Giant Mountains ”

“ For instance, he delights to outwit and punish the rascally Jewish horse-venders, by sometimes presenting himself to them under the appearance of a wealthy nobleman, mounted upon a fine steed which he wishes to dispose of. The horse-dealer is, of course, allowed to drive an excellent bargain ”