[1] It is common in England to speak of Tirol as "the Tyrol;" I have
used the name according to the custom of the country itself.
[2] The name for "the wild huntsman" in North and South Tirol.
[3] The Beatrìk of the Italian Tirol is, however, a milder spirit
than the Wilder Jäger of the northern provinces. He is also called
il cacciatore della pia caccia, because he is supposed only to hunt
evil spirits.
[4] The name in Vorarlberg.
[5] The three helpers against the plague. There are many churches so
called in Tirol.
[6] "Schliess die Kammer fein,
Sonst kommt der Norg herein."
[7] The Meierhof was the homestead of a small proprietor standing
midway between the peasant and the noble.
[8] Mistress of the Meierhof.
[9] Literally, "high lakes;" i. e. lakes on a high mountain
level. There are three such in the valley of Matsch, the inundations
of which often work sad havoc.
[10] "Morgen oder Heut
Kommt die Zahlzeit."
[11] The "home of the wolves;" a nickname given to Matsch, because
still infested by wolves.
[12] On Midsummer-day.
[13] The local names of two favourite kinds of grass.
[14] St. Martin is considered the patron of mountain pastures in Tirol.
[15] That the Norgs should be at one time represented as incapable of
comprehending what death was, and that at another their race should
be spoken of as dying out, is but one of those inconsistencies which
must constantly occur when it is attempted to describe a supernatural
order of things by an imagery taken from the natural order.
[16] From tarnen, to conceal, and Haut, skin; a tight-fitting
garment which was supposed to have the property of rendering the
wearer invisible. It was likewise sometimes supposed to convey great
strength also.
[17] Literally, "crystal palace." Burg means a palace no less than
a citadel or fortress; the imperial palace in Vienna has no other name.
[18] Ignaz von Zingerle, in discussing the sites which various local
traditions claim for the Rosengarten of King Lareyn, or Laurin, says,
"Whoever has once enjoyed the sight of the Dolomite peaks of the
Schlern bathed in the rosy light of the evening glow cannot help
fancying himself at once transported into the world of myths, and
will be irresistibly inclined to place the fragrant Rose-garden on
its strangely jagged heights, studded by nature with violet amethysts,
and even now carpeted with the most exquisite mountain-flora of Tirol."
[19] Cornfield.
[20] Nobleman's residence.
[21] In the mediæval poems the shade of the Lindenbaum is the favourite
scene of gallant adventures.
[22] The heroes of the old German poetry are frequently called by the
epithet "sword"--ein Degen stark; ein Degen hehr; Wittich der Degen,
&c., &c.
[23] Hildebrand, son of Duke Herbrand and brother of the Monk Ilsau,
one of the persons of the romance of "Kriemhild's Rose-garden," is the
Nestor of German myths. He was the instructor of Dietrich von Bern
(Theodoric of Verona). We find him sought as the wise counsellor in
various undertakings celebrated in the mediæval epics; he is reputed
to have lived to the age of 200 years.
[24] This was commonly the office of the daughter of the house.
[25] This would appear to have been the usual custom in the middle
ages after a meal.
[26] See note, p. 35.
[27] The German legends are inclined to extol the heroism of Dietrich
von Bern, better known to us as Theodoric, King of the Visigoths, who,
after his conquests in Italy, built a palace at Verona, and made it
his seat of government; but the traditions of Verona ascribe his great
strength and success, both as a hunter and warrior, to a compact with
the Evil One. His connexion with the Arians, his opposition towards
the Popes, and his violent destruction of the churches of Verona,
were sufficient to convince the popular mind at his date that his
strength was not from above. Procopius relates that his remorse for
the death of Symmachus haunted him so, that one day when the head of a
great fish was served at table, it appeared to him as the head of his
murdered relative, and he became so horrified that he was never able to
eat any thing afterwards. The Veronese tradition is, that by his pact
with the devil, evil spirits served him in the form of dogs, horses,
and huntsmen, until the time came that they drove him forth into
their own abode (Mattei Verona Illustrata). In the church of St. Zeno
at Verona this legend may be seen sculptured in bas-relief over the
door. In the mythology of some parts of Germany he is identified,
or confounded, with the Wild Huntsman (Börner, Sagen aus dem Orlagau,
pp. 213, 216, 236). In the Heldenbuch he is called the son of an evil
spirit. He is there distinguished by a fiery breath, with which he
overcomes dwarfs and giants; but he is said to be ultimately carried
off into the wilds by a demon-horse, upon which he has every day to
fight with two terrible dragons until the Judgment Day. Nork cites
a passage from Luther's works, in which he speaks of him (cursorily)
as the incarnation of evil, showing how he was regarded in Germany at
his day ("It is as if I should undertake to make Christ out of Dietrich
von Bern"--Als wenn ich aus Dietrich von Bern Christum machen wollte).
[28] Wigand, man of valour.
[29] We often find the heroes' trusty swords called by a particular
name: thus Orlando's was called Durindarda, it is so inscribed in
his statue in the porch of the Duomo at Verona; and the name of King
Arthur's will occur to every one's memory.
[30] Him of Verona.
[31] This hardening power of dragons' blood was one of the mediæval
fables.
[32] Bearing a red banner thus was equivalent to a declaration of
hostile intent.
[33] These it was knightly custom for the vanquished to surrender to
him who had overcome him.
[34] The Styrian.
[35] A Schirmschlag was a scientifically-manoeuvred stroke, by which
he who dealt it concealed himself behind his shield while he aimed
at any part of his adversary's body which presented an undefended
mark. But Theodoric drew the stroke without even having a shield for
his own defence.
[36] The Norgs are not always spoken of as pagans; many stories of
them seem to consider them as amenable to Christian precepts. The
ancient church of the village of St. Peter, near the Castle of Tirol,
is said by popular tradition to have been built by them, and under
peculiar difficulties; for while they were at work, a giant who lived
in Schloss Tirol used to come every night and destroy what they had
done in the day, till at last they agreed to assemble in great force,
and complete the whole church in one day, which they did; and then,
being a complete work offered to the service of God, the giant had
no more power over it.
[37] It was an old German custom that no flagons or vessels of the
drinks should be put on the table; but as soon as a glass was emptied
it was refilled by watchful attendants.
[38] Lautertrank, by the description of its composition, seems to
have been nearly identical with our claret-cup. Moras was composed
of the juice of mulberries mixed with good old wine.
[39] Concerning Theodoric's fiery breath, see note, p. 39. All the
myths about him mention it. The following description of it occurs
in the legends of "Criemhild's Rosengarten:"--
"Wie ein Haus das dampfet, wenn man es zündet an,
So musste Dietrich rauchen, der zornige Mann.
Man sah eine rothe Flamme geh'n aus seinem Mund."
["As a house smokes when it is set on fire, so was the breath of
Theodoric, the man of great anger; a red flame might be seen darting
from his mouth."]
[40] The power of the Norgs to pass in and out through the rock is one
of the characteristics most prominently fabled of them. Sometimes we
hear of doors which opened spontaneously at their approach, but more
often the marvel of their passing in and out without any apparent
opening is descanted on.
[41] The value and efficacy ascribed in the old myths to a virgin's
blessing is one form in which the regard for maiden honour was
expressed.
[42] The dwarfs who were considered the genii of the mineral
wealth of the country were a sub-class of the genus dwarf.
Their myths are found more abundantly in North Tirol,
where the chief mines were worked.
[43] A deserted mine is called in local dialect taub.
[44] Miners.
[45] i.e. Joseph of Goign, a village near St. Johann. Such modes of
designation are found for every one, among the people in Tirol.
[46] Ann.
[47] Every body wears feathers according to their fancy in their
"Alpine hats" here, but in Tirol every such adornment is a distinction
won by merit, whether in target-shooting, wrestling, or any other
manly sport; and, like the medals of the soldier, can only be worn
by those who have made good their claim.
[48] Hof, in Tirol, denotes the proprietorship of a comfortable
homestead.
[49] To Spaniards the outline of a mountain-ridge suggests the edge
of a saw--sierra; to the Tirolese the more indented sky-line familiar
to them recalls the teeth of a comb.
[50] Garnets and carbuncles are found in Tirol in the Zillerthal,
and the search after them has given rise to some fantastic tales--of
which later.
[51] Carbuncle.
[52] Pray for him.
[53] District.
[54] Wild Georgey.
[55] In some parts of Tirol where the pastures are on steep slopes,
or reached by difficult paths--particularly the Zillerthal, on which
the scene of the present story borders--it is the custom to decide
which of the cattle is fit for the post of leader of the herd by trial
of battle. The victor is afterwards marched through the commune to
the sound of bells and music, and decked with garlands of flowers.
[56] "Just as I wanted you."
[57] Little Frederick.
[58] A local expression for a village fête.
[59] The old race of innkeepers in Tirol were a singularly trustworthy,
honourable set, acting as a sort of elder or umpire each over his
village. This is still the case in a great many valleys out of the
beaten track.
[60] "Have mercy on them!"
[61] The cry which in South Germany is equivalent to our "hurrah!"
[62] Page 76.
[63] Little Elizabeth.
[64] A local word in the Passeier-Thal for a poultry-maid.
[65] "Ich zeige Sie wo der Zimmermann das Loch gemacht hat." A Tirolese
saying for, "I'll soon show you the way to the door."
[66] Another form of Klein-Else: Else, with the diminutive, chen.
[67] This curious name was borne by a Margrave of Istria,
and three other princes at least who ruled over part of Tirol,
and who figure in the authentic history of the country. It
does not appear that the present story, however, is referable
to traditions of the life of any of these.
[68] The best public room in a Tirolese inn is so called.
[69] The homestead of a peasant proprietor.
[70] The local name of the holiday cap of the Sarnthaler women.
[71] Lieblingsbänder.
[72] Alp is used in Tirol for the green mountain pastures.
[73] Alpine herdsman.
[74] See Preface.
[75] Joch is used in Tirol when speaking of a moderately high mountain;
in most other mountain districts of Germany it means only a pass
or col.
[76] A high-lying range of mountain pasture-land.
[77] The stories of our Lord's life on earth, treated with perfect
idealism, sketching His character as He was pleased to
manifest it, or His miraculous acts, pervade the popular mythology
of all Catholic peoples. I have given one from Spain,
by the title of "Where One can Dine, Two can Dine," in
"Patrañas," of the same character as this Tirolese one; and
perhaps it is not amiss to repeat the observation I felt called
to make upon it,--that it would be the greatest mistake to
imagine that anything like irreverence was intended in such
stories. They are the simple utterances of peoples who
realized so utterly and so devoutly the facts recorded in the
Gospels that the circumstances of time and place ceased to
occupy them at all, and who were wont to make the study
of our Lord's example their rule of conduct so habitually, that
to imagine Him sharing the accidents of their own daily life
came more natural to them than to think of Him in the far-off
East. These stories were probably either adapted from
the personal traditions which the first evangelists may well
be thought to have brought with them unwritten, or invented
by themselves, in all good faith, as allegories, by means of
which to inculcate by them upon their children the application
of His maxims to their own daily acts. They demand, therefore,
to be read in this spirit for the sake of the pious intention
in which they are conceived, rather than criticised for
their rude simplicity or their anachronisms.
[78] "Praised be Jesus Christ!" This was formerly the universal
greeting all over Tirol in the house or on the road, for friend or
stranger, who answered, "For ever and ever. Amen." It is still in
common use in many parts.
[79] I must beg my readers to apply the apology contained in
the note to the last story, in its measure to this one also.
[80] Sorella, sister; with the augmentative ona, the bigger or
elder sister.
[81] The little, or younger, sister.
[82] We say, "a head of celery;" in Italy they say, "a foot of celery."
[83] A favourite vintage of Tirol.
[84] Arativo and prativo are dialectic in Wälsch Tirol for arable
and pasture land.
[85] "On our right soared the implacable ridges of the Marmolata,"
writes a modern traveller; "the sheer, hard smoothness of whose
scarped rocks filled one with a kind of horror only to look at them."
[86] "We have hay in the stables, and more also in the meadow."
[87] Berg-Segen (literally "mountain-blessing") is the form in which
Tirol in its piety expresses the ordinary word crop.
[88] See Preface.
[89] Two kinds of more or less mischievous strie, or wild fairies.
[90] "Fearless Johnny." John is a favourite name in Wälsch
Tirol, and bears some twenty or thirty variations, as Giovannazzi,
Gianaselli, Gianot, Zanetto, Zanolini, Zuani, Degiampietro
(John Peter), Zangiacomi (John James), &c.
[91] The Latin name of the god of hell remains throughout Italy,
and holds in its nurseries the place of "Old Bogie" with us.
[92] "Earthly soul, stand off three paces, and tell me your grief."
[93] Vine-trellis.
[94] Tapestry hanging before a door.
[95] Witch.
[96] A wayside cross under a little penthouse, such as is to be met
at every turn of the road in Tirol.
[97] The south wind, which does much mischief at certain times of
the year, and is most dreaded in Vorarlberg.
[98] Dialectic for a basket in Vorarlberg.
[99] It has been my aim generally, in making this collection, to
give the preference to those stories which have a moral point
to recommend them; my readers will not, perhaps, take it
amiss, however, if I present them with this specimen of a
class in which this is wanting, and which aims only at
amusement. It is, moreover, interesting from the strong
evidence it bears of extremely remote origin; for the light
way in which putting people to death, deception, and selfishness
are spoken of prove it has a pre-Christian source, while
the unimportant accessories show how details get modified
by transmission.
[100] It must be understood that it is an outside staircase that is
here alluded to, and the shutter of an unglazed window on its landing
serving for a door also.
[101] In a lordly manner.
[102] A cluster of houses too small to be designated a village.