The Friendly Dwarfs

Close to the little town of Dardesheim, between Halberstadt and Brunswick, is a spring of the finest water called the Smansborn, and which flows out of a hill in which in old times the dwarfs dwelt. When the former inhabitants of the country were in want of a holiday-dress, or, at a family festival, of any rare utensils, they went and stood before this Dwarf-hill, knocked three times, and pronounced their petition in a distinct and audible tone, adding,

Before the sun is up to-morrow.
At the hill shall be the things we borrow.

The Dwarfs thought themselves sufficiently compensated if there was only some of the festive victuals set down before the hill.