Long ago, giants lived among the lonely mountains. Now there was a
great castle, called Burg Niedeck, that stood on top of the highest
mountain of Alsace, and here the most powerful of the giants lived
with his wife and family. He had one child, named Freda.
Freda was as tall as a church steeple. She was a curious child, and
very fond of prying about and looking at things which she had been
told to leave alone. She was allowed to roam all about the mountains,
and to play in the woods and forest, but she was not allowed to go
down into the valley where the little people lived.
These little peasants tilled the ground, and planted corn and wheat
and barley, and pruned their vines, and dug ditches, things the giants
could not do. And the giants lived by taking what the little people
raised. Now, it was said that the first time a peasant found his way
up into Burg Niedeck it would be the end of the giants. But Burg
Niedeck was very high and difficult to reach and no peasant had ever
thought of trying to get there.
One day Freda was playing outside the castle gates in the sunshine.
The valley looked so cool and green and shady that, seeing no one
about, she went down the mountain-side to find out what was below.
Presently she saw, in a field in which she was standing, a peasant
plowing. He had two horses and the iron of the plow shone and
glistened.
With a cry of delight Freda knelt down.
"What a dear little toy!" she said. "I will take it home to play
with."
Spreading out her handkerchief on the ground, she carefully lifted the
plow and the horses and the poor peasant and set them down in the
middle. Then, taking the corners of the handkerchief in her hand, she
ran up the mountain-side, skipping and jumping for pleasure. It was
like the coming of an earthquake.
Her father met her at the gate.
"Well, little one," he said, "what is pleasing you so?"
"Look!" said Freda, spreading out her handkerchief. "I have found a
most wonderful new toy." And she lifted out the plow and the peasant.
The old giant frowned, and shook his head in anger.
"What have you done, thoughtless one?" he stormed. "That is no toy.
Have you not heard that as soon as a peasant comes to Burg Niedeck
there will be an end of the giants forever? Take it back instantly to
the valley and perhaps the spell will not break."
Sadly Freda took the plow and the horses and the peasant back and set
them in the field. But it was too late. That night all the giants
disappeared, and in the morning Burg Niedeck stood in ruins. And to
this day no giant has ever been seen there.