Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-11-16
The Mountain Goblin.

The Mountain Goblin.
There is an Old popular saying that on
Lord, when he expelled the fallen angels, let
some Of them drop down upon the hills
where they live still, and are called " Berg
folk mountain goblns), or. "Trolde 81
tmps). They are always afraid, and he,
away when it thunders, which is for them a
voice from heaven. Others fell down in the
alder moors they are called " Elverlok D
(alder folks, and among them the women ar,
very handsome to look at but not to trust
their backs are also hollow, like dough
trough. Others fell down in old farms ant
houses they became dwarfs aud " Nisser 81
(elve'). Sometimes they are wont to hay,
intercourse with men, and great many stor-
les about them are related which arc very
strange.
Up in Jutland, lived in large bill such a
mountain goblin together with great many
other imps. One Of his daughters was mar
ried TO the smith Of the village. The smith
was a bad man, and beat his wife. At last
she got tired of it, and one day as he wa,
going again to beat her, she took horseshoe
and broke it over him. She possessed such
an immense strength, that she easily could
have broken him in pieces too. He thought
about it, and did not beat her any more. Yet
IT was rumored abroad, and her respectful
the country people was lost, aud she was
known MS a " Trold baur' ian imp child J No
one in the parish would have any intercourse
with her. The mountain goblin got hint OF
this; aud ore Sunday when the smith and
his wife, together with other pensioners
were standing in the churchyard, waiting for
the minister, she louked ont over the bav,
where a fog was rising.
Now comes father" she said, aud he is
angry !" He came, and angry be was.
"Will you throw them to me, or will you
rather do the catching 2 o." he asked, and
looked with greedy eyes upon the church peo.
pie
1.-THE catching she said for she knew
well that he would not be so gentle when they
fell into his hands. And so the mountain
goblin seized one after another and flung them
over the roof Of the church, while the dauph
ter, standing on the other side, caught them
gently. From that time she got along very
well with the Pensioners they were ali
afraid of the mountain goblin, aud many of
that kind were scattered about the country.
The best they could do was to avoid quarrel
ing with him, and rather turn his acquaint.
ance to their profit. They knew well that
the imps had big kettles filled with gold, and
It was certainly worth while to get handful
OF it; but for that they had to be cunning
and ingenious, like the peasant of whom /
am going to tell you; as also Of his boy, who
was still more cunning.
The peasant had hill on his field which
he would not leave uncultvated he ploughed
it, but the mountain goblin, who lived in the
hill, came out and asked
" How dare you plough upon my roof"
" / did not know that it was yours said
the peasant; " but it is not advantageous for
any Of us TO let such a piece of land lie nm.
cultivated. Let me plough and SOW and
then you reap the first year what is growing
over the earth. Next year we will chauge. +"
They agreed and the peasant sowed tho first
year carrots, and the second corn. The
mountain goblin got the top part OF the car
they lived in harmony together.
But now it happened that there was to be
christening in the house of the peasant
The peasant was much embarrassed, as he
could not well omit inviting the mountain
goblin, with whom ne lived in good accord
but if the imp accepted his invitation, the
peasant would fall into bad rcpute with the
minister and the other folk of the parish.
Cunning as the peasant ordinarily was, this
time he could not find out how to act He
spoke about it to his pig-boy, who was the
more cunning of the two.
81 will help you! said the boy; and tax.
ing large bag, he went out to the hill of the
mountain goblin; he knocked, and was let in.
Then he said that be came to invite him TO
the christening. The mountain goblin nc.
cepted the invitation, and promised to come.
IL must give a christmas-present, | sup
pose; mustn't I?~
"They usually do" said the boy. and omen.
ed the bag. The imp poured money into it.
Is that sufficient 2" The boy lifted the
bag.
Most people give as much" Then all the
money IN the large money kettle was poured
into the bag.
Nobody gives more-most less
"Let me know now" sid the mountain
goblin, " the great guests you are expecting.
"Ihree priests and one bishop" said the
poy'
" That Is finei but such gentlemen look
only for eating and drinking, they dontt
care about me- Who else comes ~" Moth
Or Mary is expected ~" HIM. hm but |
ihink there will always be little place for
Wei, then comes our Lord. ~" Him,