The Underground Ones

On a stormy night between Christmas and New Year, a man was... lost paths; as he makes his way through the deep drifts of snow As he tried to work through it, his strength weakened, so he was lucky when he found shelter from the wind under a dense juniper bush found. He wanted to spend the night here in the hope of being there in the bright morning Way easier to find. He contracted his limbs like a hedgehog, wrapped himself in his warm fur and soon fell asleep. I know not how long he had been lying there when he felt that someone was touching him shake. As he woke up from his sleep, a strange voice spoke his ear: “Farmer, oh! stand up! otherwise the snow will bury you, and you You won't come out again." The sleeper stuck his head out of the fur and opened his still sleepy eyes wide. Then he saw a man of long, slender stature before him; the man carried as a stick a young Christmas tree that was twice as tall as its bearer. "Come with me," said the man with the pine stick - "for us it is in the forest I built a fire under the trees, somewhere better to rest than here “The man didn’t like such a friendly offer rather, he stood up immediately and walked briskly strange man forward. The snowstorm raged so violently that one stopped couldn't see three step, but if the strange man his Tannenstock picked it up and called out in a stern voice: “Hoho! Stupid mother! make room!” a wide one formed in front of them Path where not a single snowflake could reach. On both sides and in Wild snowstorms were raging on the back, but it didn't bother the hikers. It was as if there was an invisible wall on either side of the storm fended off. Soon the men came to the forest, from which the The light of a fire shone towards them. "What's your name?" he asked Man with the pine stick, and the farmer replied: “Long Hans Son Hans.”

Three men dressed in white linen clothes were sitting by the fire it would be in the middle of summer. You could also see within a radius of thirty or more steps just summer beauty: the moss was dry, the plants green, and the lawn was swarming with ants and beetles. But from a distance Tall Hans' son heard the wind rushing and the snow roaring. Still What was more surprising was the burning fire, which shone brightly spread without a single cloud of smoke rising. »What do you mean, son of Tall Hans, isn't this a better resting place for the night, Than there in the open field under the juniper bush?" Hans had to do this admit it, and thank the strange man for guiding him so well had. Then he threw off his fur and wrapped it into a pillow together and lay down in the light of the fire. The man with that Tannenstock took his keg out of a bush and offered one to Hansen Drink that tasted excellent and made his heart happy. The The man with the pine stick now stretched out on the ground and talked to his comrades in a foreign language, that of our Hans didn't understand a word; So he soon fell asleep.

When he woke up, he found himself alone in a strange place where neither There was no more forest or fire. He rubbed his eyes and said that to himself remembered the experience of the night, but thought he had dreamed; but he could I don't understand how he ended up here in a completely strange place was. A strong sound came to his ears from a distance, and he felt the ground trembles beneath his feet. Hans listened for a while where the noise was coming from, and then decided to follow the sound because it hoped to meet people. So he came to the mouth of one Rock grotto from which the noise rang out and a fire shone out. When he entered the grotto, he saw an enormous forge in front of him a multitude of bellows and anvils; there were seven at each anvil workers. Foolish blacksmiths could not be found in the world be. The little men that reached up to a man's knee had heads that... were larger than their tiny bodies, and wielded hammers that were more than were twice as tall as their bearers. But they hammered with theirs heavy iron clubs attacked the anvils so bravely that the strongest ones Men could not have delivered more powerful blows. Were clothed the small blacksmiths only wear leather aprons from the neck to the waist feet were enough; on the back the bodies were naked, like God had created. In the background on the wall sat the well-known Hansen Man with the pine stick on a high block, and paid careful attention the work of the little journeymen. At his feet stood a large jug, from which the workers now and then took a drink. The Lord of Schmiede no longer wore the white clothes from yesterday, but wore a black sooty skirt and a leather belt around his hips with large buckle; with his fir stick he gave to the journeymen A wave from time to time, because the human word would be in the noise been unintelligible. It was up to him whether anyone had noticed Hans unclear, since masters and journeymen promoted their work quickly, without to pay attention to the strange man. After a few hours the little one was Blacksmiths took a break; the bellows were stopped, and the thrown to the ground with heavy hammers. Now that the workers are in the grotto left, the innkeeper rose from the block and called Hans to him: "I noticed your arrival," he said, "but there's work pushed, I couldn't talk to you sooner. Today you have to be my guest to get to know my way of life and household. Stay “Here until I take off my black clothes.” With these words He took a key out of his pocket and closed a door in it The grotto wall opened and let Hans step in.

Oh, what treasures and riches Hans saw here! lay all around Gold and silver bars were piled up and shimmered and flickered before him before your eyes. Hans wanted a pile of gold bars for fun count and had just reached five hundred and seventy when the Wirth returned and shouted with a laugh: “Just stop counting, it would help you cost too much time. You'd better take some bars from the pile, I want honor them as a souvenir of yours.” Of course, Hans wouldn’t allow himself to do something like that say twice; He grasped a gold bar with both hands and could but don't even move from the spot, let alone pick it up. The Wirth laughed and said: “You tiny flea can’t do the smallest thing To take away my presents, be content with the feast for your eyes.” With these words he led Hans into another chamber, and from there into one third, fourth and so on until finally the seventh Grotto chamber came, which was the size of a large church and equal the other from floor to ceiling with piles of gold and silver was filled. Hans was amazed at the immense treasures, with what You would have to inherit and buy all the kingdoms of the world for yourself and which were lying uselessly underground here. He asked the innkeeper: “Why are you accumulating such enormous treasure here if you don't have any? living creature from which gold and silver benefit? If this one came along Treasure into the hands of the people, so they would all become rich, and Nobody had to work or suffer hardship." "Precisely for that reason." replied the innkeeper - “I am not allowed to give the treasure to the people hand down; the whole world would perish from laziness if Nobody had to provide for their daily bread anymore. Man is created to maintain itself through work and care." Hans didn't want that to be true and emphatically denied it The host's view. Finally he asked if he could explain to him what was pious, that all the gold and silver are stored here as a man's possession and mold, and that the lord of gold is constantly striving to keep his Treasure to increase, since it already has such an exuberant abundance have? The innkeeper replied: "I'm not human if I say so I have the shape and face of one of those, but one of those higher ones Creatures created according to the order of the All-Father world to rule. According to his command, I must go with my little companions without ceasing to prepare gold and silver here under the earth, from which A small portion is published every year for people's needs will, just barely as much as they need to run their affairs operate. But no one should acquire the gift without effort. We That's why you first have to pound the gold finely, and then add the grains Mix earth, clay and sand; later, where luck would have it, they will be in found with this grant and have to be painstakingly searched out. But, Friend, we have to cut short our conversation because it's lunchtime approaches. If you would like to look at my treasure longer, then stay here, delight your heart in the splendor of gold, until I come “To call you to dinner.” With that he separated from Hans.

Hans now strolled again from one treasury to the other, and tried to pick up a smaller piece of gold here and there, but it was completely impossible for him. He had already said about smart people before heard how heavy gold was, but he never wanted to believe it -- now his own experiments taught him. After a while he came Wirth returns, but is so transformed that Hans sees him at the first moment didn't recognize. He wore red fire-colored silk robes, rich decorated with golden braids and golden fringes, a wide golden one A belt encircled his hips and one shimmered on his head golden crown from which gemstones sparkled like stars in one clear winter night. Instead of the pine stick, he held out a small one A stick made of fine gold in the hand, on which There were branches so that the stick looked like a sprout of the large fir tree.

After the royal owner of the treasure opened the doors Treasure chambers locked and the keys put in the pocket he took Hans by the hand and led him out Blacksmith's workshop in another room, where lunch is served for them was prepared. Tables and seats were of silver; in the middle of There was a magnificent dining table on both sides of the room silver chair. Eating and drinking utensils, such as bowls, bowls, Plates, jugs and cups were made of gold. After the innkeeper with When his guest had sat down at the table, twelve dishes were served applied to each other; the servants were just like the little men in the Blacksmiths, except that they didn't go naked but wore bright, clean clothes carried. Hansen's agility and skill were very wonderful before; for although no wings could be seen on them, they moved feel so light, as if they were spring-loaded. Since they are not until If they reached the height of the table, they always had to, like fleas hop from the floor to the table. They kept the big ones with food filled bowls and bowls in their hands, and yet they knew each other to be careful that not a drop was spilled. During the During dinner the little servants poured meth and delicious wine from the cans into the cups and handed them to the diners. The innkeeper entertained was friendly and explained various secrets to Hansen. So said he, when the subject of his nightly encounter with Hans came up: »Between Christmas and New Year I often wander around for fun Earth around to observe the goings on of people and some of to get to know them. From what I have seen and experienced so far I can't boast much. The majority of people are alive to each other's harm and annoyance. Everyone complains more or less the others, no one sees their own guilt and wrongdoing, but passes on to others what he has brought upon himself." Hans searched Possibility to deny the truth of these words, but the friendly one Wirth had him poured plenty of water, so that his tongue was finally like that It became so difficult that he could no longer say a word or understand it could hear what the landlord said. Before long he was sleeping on his I sat down in a chair and no longer knew what was happening to him.

In his sleepy state he had wonderful, colorful dreams which the gold bars were constantly floating in front of him. Since he is in the Feeling his dreams much stronger, he took a few gold bars on his back and carried her away with ease. But finally he went under The heavy load ran out of strength and he had to sit down and breathe scoop. Then he heard joking voices; he thought it was singing small blacksmith shop; The bright fire from their bellows also struck him Eye. When he blinked up, he saw green forest all around him lay on flowery lawn and no fire from bellows, but the It was a ray of sunshine that shone kindly into his face. He pulled himself together now completely freed from the bonds of sleep, but it took some time long before he could think about what had happened to him in the meantime had encountered.

When his memories finally came back, everything seemed the same to him strange and so wonderful that it matches the natural course of things didn't know how to rhyme. Hans thought about how he spent a few days in the winter went astray on a stormy night after Christmas, and What had happened later also appeared again in his mind memory. He spent the night with a strange man Fire slept, was the next day to this man, the one Tannenstock led, went as a guest, had lunch there and drank a lot - in short, he had a few days of drinking and drinking spent. But now it was complete summer all around him So there could only be magic involved. When he rose, he found Very close by there is an old fireplace, which is wonderful in the sun shone. As he took a closer look at the place, he saw that the... supposed ash heaps of fine silver dust and what is left Fires were bright gold. Oh, this happiness. Now where to get a sack from to carry the treasure home? Necessity is the mother of invention. Hans took off his winter fur, swept up the silver ashes, and there was no The little dust that was left over put the gold brands and the swept things in the fur and then tied the corners of it with his belt, so that nothing could fall out. Although the burden wasn't great, it was It became really heavy for him, so he had to carry it like a man before he found a suitable place to store his treasure hide.

In this way, through an unexpected stroke of luck, Hans suddenly became... became a rich man who could have bought a country estate. But when he took counsel with himself, he finally thought it best to leave his old place of residence and find a new one further away to choose where people didn't know him. That's where he bought it It was a nice piece of land and he still had a good bit of money left over. Then he took a wife and lived happily ever after as a rich man End. Before his death he had revealed to his children the secret like it was the underground host who made him rich. From the The story then spread through the mouths of children and grandchildren further.