Northern mythology

88 NORTH GERMAN TRADITIONS.
As the midwife in AYesterhausen was sitting one evening
in her room, some one tapped at her window, and
requested her to come out. She went out, and there
stood a Nick, who desired her to follow him. They both
proceeded to the rivulet, where the Nick taking a rod,
beat
on the water, which immediately separated into two
parts, and they went down dry-footed.
the Nickel- wife in her hour of difficulty, who in
Here she assisted
gratitude
told her, that if the Nick should ask her what remuneration
she washed, she must not ask for money, but for
some of the sweepings. She then went and took the
infant to the bath, and heard the Nickelmann's childi-en,
five of w^hom were running about, ask their father "
: Shall
we break her neck^ ?" but their father forbade them.
When the midwife had finished, the Nick asked her what
remuneration she required, when she requested, as the
w4fe had enjoined her, a little of the sweepings behind the
door. " God has counselled thee to speak thus,^' said the
Nickelmann, and gave her what she asked. He then conducted
her home. When in her own house, she looked
at the sweepings, and they had all become pure gold^.
THE PRINCESS ILSE.
On the Hsenstein there lived in ancient times a knight,
who had a daughter of surpassing beauty named Hse.
She loved the knight that dwelt in the castle on the
Westerberg opposite to them ; but at that time the two
mountains were not sejDarated from each other by the
present intervening valley. The father of tlie princess
Ilse would not consent to her union w4th the
knight, and
as they saw each other daily, in spite of his prohibition,
lie, who was a mighty giant, struck the rock through the
middle, and thereby caused the valley. In her despair
Hse cast herself down into
the raging fiood beneath, and
1
See Grimm, D. M. p. 463.
- See vol. ii. pp. 128, 130.