Page:Foreign Tales and Traditions (Volume 1).djvu/223

 THE DWARF

AND THE INVISIBLE CAP

A HARZ LEGEND.

Jacob’s greatest pleasure was his bagpipes. Almost before the morning dawned he was puffing upon them, and he puffed away at night when all other honest people were in bed. Though this afforded much pleasure to Jacob, it was not so well-relished by his neighbours.

In a cavern of the mountain upon which Jacob generally took his seat lived a dwarf, who, at the christenings and weddings of the surrounding country, made himself very useful by lending the people knives and pewter plates. Wherever he found a good reception, the dwarf proved very friendly, and was well liked by all. Now to this dwarf, the eternal puffing that went on above his head became very tiresome; he therefore one day took his way up the mountain, and with much politeness requested the shepherd to give up his music for a little; but Jacob, casting a contemptuous look on the diminutive figure before him, insolently answered: “What right have you to command me? And what does it signify to me though your head should ache again when I blow my pipes?” And from that time Jacob blew away more furiously at his bagpipes than ever.

The dwarf resolved on revenge; but concealed his anger under the mask of friendship, and strove to win by degrees the confidence of the shepherd. He soon succeeded in this;