Page:Foreign Tales and Traditions (Volume 1).djvu/383

 to fetch me the spring-root?” inquired the lady. “My good lady,” answered the peasant, “the first time I went the lord of the mountain appeared to me in a fearful form, and threatened me so seriously that I dare not venture a second time.” But the lady conquered his fears by liberal promises; she agreed to give him a much larger sum than the first, and the peasant no longer able to resist, ventured once again to take a solitary journey into the most secret recesses of the mountain.

As soon as he began to dig the root, there arose a fearful storm in the same quarter as before, and, when he looked towards it, he beheld the same figure in a still more threatening posture. His long hair and wide mantle seemed to stream on the wind towards him, and fire shone in his eyes, while the frightful voice again screamed: “What are you doing here?” till the words were re-echoed from the barren rocks, and seemed to be shouted with redoubled violence from the profound abyss. When the peasant again answered, “I seek the spring-root; a sick lady will pay me very well for it,” the wrathful spirit spake thus: “Have I not warned you, you madman? And you dare to come once more? But you have it already; so save yourself if you can!” The fire of his gleaming eyes seemed to scorch the countenance of the bewildered peasant, while the mighty club, which the demon held, came whistling through the air, and sunk quite close beside him, deep into the solid rock. At last the peasant recovered his recollection, and hastened towards Leignitz, where the lady gave him so great a sum that he forgot all his misfortunes, and joyfully returned home. Some time had elapsed, and the lady seemed almost well; but still she had not thoroughly recovered. “If I could get the spring-root a third time I feel I would be quite well,” said she. So she sent again to the peasant, who at first refused to go to her, but an evil spirit tempted him to his destruction. “Here I am again, lady,” said the peasant; “what do you wish of me? I hope it is not to go again for the spring-root.