A young girl who was in service at a farm-house in the province of
Schleswig in Germany, had to work daily so very hard that she became at
last quite dissatisfied with her lot.
One morning when her master sent her into the field after the cows, she
had to pass a hill in which people had often heard the subterranean
little folks singing and dancing. The girl thought to herself how
enviably happy those dear dwarfs in the hill must be, who work but
leisurely and sing so cheerfully. "Alas!" she exclaimed, "could I but
live with them, how gladly would I bid farewell to my present home!"
Her words were heard by one of the dwarfs, a young lad who had just been
seriously contemplating how very advisable it would be for him to look
out for a wife. So, when the girl returned from the field, he presented
himself to her, and soon persuaded her to marry him. They are said to
have lived very happily together in the hill for many years. They had
also about half-a-dozen children; funnily-small dear little creatures
these must have been, to be sure.
The dwarfs in that district possessed in former times a peculiar kind of
cradle song, of which some fragments have been caught by the listening
peasants, and are still preserved.
The music which the dwarfs produce is, as might be expected, remarkably
soft and soothing. Loud and noisy music is not at all to the taste of
the little folks. A peasant who one day had been to town to purchase
rice, raisins, and other luxuries for the wedding festival of his
daughter, which was to take place on the following morning, fell in with
one of the dwarfs near an old grave-yard situated close to the road. In
the course of conversation which they had together, the dwarf expressed
a wish that he might be permitted to witness the festivity, and promised
to bring with him for a wedding present a lump of gold as large as a
man's head.
The delighted peasant said he should be most happy to welcome the
generous guest; indeed, he should consider it quite an honour.
"_A propos!_" remarked the dwarf, just as they shook hands at parting,
"What kind of music do you have to-morrow?"
Whereupon the rejoicing peasant rather boastingly replied: "First-rate
music! We shall have trumpets and kettle-drums!"
Then the dwarf begged to be excused attending; for (he said) trumpets
and kettle-drums he could not endure.[68]