Page:The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, July, 1893.djvu/584

 HOUSE SPRITES (FAMILIARS) IN POMERANIA.

BY O. KNOOP.

is a collection of stories, myths, traditions, customs, and beliefs concerning house-sprites in the Pomeranian country, where such stories are unusually common. Most of those here brought together have never been published.

Mr. Knoop has gathered no less than fifty, from all parts of the province. Many of them are very similar, in some cases almost identical. The following are selected as typical. The house-sprites, sometimes identified with the devil, bear the names of Alf, Drak, Pûk and Rook or Rak.

1. At Petznick, in the district of Pynitz, it is believed that misers or economical persons who thrive in farming or in business receive their wealth at night from the Rook wh© enters through the chimney. The Rook appears in the form of a fiery mass which enters the chimney at night, and there are many persons in the village who claim to have seen the Rook.

3. At Meddersin, district of Bütow, the devil appeared as the Alf, and in a great wind lifted a big lot of linen from the grass and tried to escape with it. The woman to whom the linen belonged saw him in time and shouted after him: "Fie, Swinedirt." By this call she caused him to drop his booty.

4. He who sees the flying dragon must call out to him: "Schwiedrecks-brauder, schmiet nerre, wat du lade hest" (Swinedirt brother, drop down your load), and must quickly step under a roof else the spirit will drop on him a load of dirt, the stench of which will never leave him. If he finds shelter in time, he will find large amounts of gold and money in the place where the load dropped.

13. Sometimes the spirit has the form of a boy in a red jacket or with a red cap; again, that of a hunter. He also 504