Page:Select Popular Tales from the German of Musaeus.djvu/161

Rh so far northwards as to make the country habitable, Rübezahl, already stormed in the wild mountain, roused bears and buffaloes until they fought with each other, or frightened with dreadful uproar the timid deer, driving them down from the steep precipice into the deep valley. At length, wearied of this hunting, he again departed to the regions of the lower world, and rested there a few centuries, until the wish arose once more to lay himself down in the sun, and to enjoy the view of the upper world. What was his surprise, when, on one of these visits, and looking around from the snowy summit of the Giant Mountains, he beheld the whole landscape changed! The dim impervious forests were all hewn down and converted into fruitful fields, where the rich grain was ripening. Amidst orchards of fruit-trees, full of blossom, arose the straw-thatched roofs of thriving villages, and the curling smoke peacefully ascended from many a chimney; here and there on the declivity of a hill stood a solitary fastness, as the defence and protection of the place. In the flowery meadows sheep and oxen pastured, and in the verdant copse were heard the melodious tones of the pipe.

The novelty of the scene, and the agreeableness of its first appearance, delighted the astonished prince of the domain so much, that he had no desire to interrupt the occupation or existence of these self-constituted intruding planters, who were thus labouring here without his permission; so he allowed them quietly to rest in possession of their usurped property, as a kind householder permits the social swallow, or even the troublesome sparrow, to rest beneath his roof. It even came into his mind that he would make the acquaintance of men—that strange race, that mixture of animal and spirit; that he would mingle in their society, and examine their nature and manners. For this purpose he assumed the form of a stout countryman, and hired himself as a labourer to a most respectable farmer. Whatever he took in hand prospered, and Rips, the ploughman, was considered the best labourer in the village. But his master was a glutton and a drunkard, who squandered away the wages of his faithful servant, and gave him little thanks for his trouble and labour; Rips therefore left him, and went to his neighbour, who gave him his flock of sheep to take care of. He guarded them diligently, drove them to solitary places and steep hills, where the best grass grew. The flock throve and increased wonderfully: no sheep tumbled over the rocks, and none were torn to pieces by the wolf. However, this master turned out a miser, who did not reward his good servant as he deserved; he himself stole the best ram out of the flock, and then kept the value of it from the wages of the shepherd. Upon this, Rips took leave of the greedy fellow, and entered the service of the judge; became the scourge of the thief, and laboured most zealously in the cause of justice. But the judge was a wicked man; turned aside from what was just; judged according to