once upon a time , long , long years ago , there lived a well - to - do old couple on a homestead up in hadeland . they had a son , who was a dragoon , a big , handsome fellow . they had a pasture in the hills , and the hut was not like most of the herdsmen 's huts ; but was well and solidly built , and even had a chimney , a roof and a window . and there they spent the summer . but when they came back home in the fall , the wood - cutters and huntsmen and fishermen . and whoever else had business in the woods at that time , noticed that the mountain folk had carried on its tricks with their herd . and among the mountain folk was a maiden who was so beautiful that her like had never been seen .
a maiden .
who was among the mountain folk ?
who was among the mountain folk ?