Northern mythology

254 EPITOME OF GERMAN MYTHOLOGY.
to the earthly, and feel solicitous for those they have left
behind. Hence the domestic sprite may be compared to a
lar familiaris, that participates in the fate of its family.
is, moreover, expressly declared in the traditions that domestic
sprites are the souls of the dead \ and the White
Lady who, through her active aid, occupies the place of a
female domestic sprite, is regarded as the ancestress of the
family, in whose dwelling she appears ^.
When domestic sprites sometimes appear in the form of
snakes, it is in connection with the belief m genii or spirits
who preserve the life and health of certain individuals.
This subject, from the lack of adequate sources, cannot be
satisfactorily followed up ; though so much is certain, that
as, according to the Roman idea, the genius has the form
of a snake ^, so, according to the German belief, this creature
was in general the symbol of the soul and of spirits.
Hence it is that in the popular traditions much is related
of snakes which resembles the traditions of domestic sprites.
Under this head wx bring the tradition, that in every
house there are two snakes, a male and a female, whose
life depends on that of the master or mistress of the family.
They do not make their appearance until these
die, and then die with them. Other traditions tell of
snakes that live together with a child, whom they watch in
the cradle, eat and drink with it. If the snake is killed,
the child declines and dies shortly after. In general,
snakes bring luck to the house in which they take up
their abode, and milk is placed for them as for the domestic
sprites'^.
It
^ Kobolds are the souls of persons that have been murdered in the
house. Grimm, D. S. No. 71. A knife sticks in their back. lb. i. p. 224.
^ See vol. iii. p. 9.
3 Servius in Virgil, .En. v. 85. " Nulhis locus sine genio est, qui per
angueni plerumque osteuditur."
4 Midler, p. 383.