Northern mythology

.
NORTH GERMAN CUSTOMS AND SUPERSTITIONS. 157
minatioii which occurs also in East Friesland.
According
to the account of a woman in Nordmohr, he is a little
fellow scarcely a foot high, whom they enclose in a
^
spind ^ '
and feed with biscuit and milk, whereby he becomes
so strong that he can carry a whole load of rye in
his mouth to his master. In Neustadt-Godens it is a
saying, when one has luck at play, that he has an Alrun
in his pocket.
The Bier-esel inhabits the cellar. He gets the beer
into the house, rinses the bottles and glasses, washes down
for all which a can of beer must
the tables and the like ;
be set for him at night ; else he would be angry and break
everything.
Grochwitz near Torgau.
DWARFS.
The most usual name for these in the north of Germany
is ' Unnererdschke ^ (Subterraneans). In the Harz they
call them '^Querje,^ 'Querxe ^ (Dwarfs). In Scharrel, in
the Saterland, they are called ^ Olkers,^ and are said to be
buried in the old grave-mounds, for which reason the vessels
found in these are called Olkerspott (Olker's pottery).
They are also called Bargmankes ^ ' (Hill-mannikins), or
'
Erdmankes ^ (Earth-mannikins)
When the dwarfs have stolen a child and left a changeling
in its stead, this must npt be touched with the hands,
but the cradle must be overturned, so that it fall out, then
with an old broom it should be swept out at the door,
when the dwarfs will come and bring back the stolen
child.
Gorlitz.
Changelings are not more than twenty years okP.
In Bergkirchen the matting of the horses^ manes is
ascribed to the Subterraneans.
1
A measure in Liineburg equal to an eighth of a schefFel or bushel.
2 Quite at variance with the preceding accounts. See pp. 43-15, and
vol. ii. pp. 174, 175.