Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-05-01
THE FAIRIES OF TIE WENGERN
MOUNTAIN. 49,

Whatever you may think, there are
still fairies in the Wengern Mountains
Hans and Gretel knew it quite WE'LL. and
so did Nils, the cobbler. You might
have said Nils was unfortunate, for he
was lame and crooked, and though he
was not an old fellow, yet there was not
one of his kin to say "God bless thee
So, as nobody cared for him, he took to
caring for all the world; for the old men
at the almshouse; for the stray dogs that
skunk about the alleys; but especially for
Hans and Gretel, who must have been
cold and hungry but for him. No doubt
Nils himself was sometimes hungry, since
the loaf that would have made one very
comfortable was hardly enough for three,
but then the children had claim upon
Nils; he had taken them for debt, and so
in way they belonged to him. Their
father was Peter Larsen, who had been q
clock-maker when there were any to buy
clocks at Brunden, but who lay; dying
one morning between dusk and dag light
with no one to sit by HIM but Nils the
eobb:er.
"Ah, Mis-" said Peter, II am going
without ever paying You the money /
owe you."
'It does not matter" said Nils, cheer
fully, II will take the tools for the debt.
Some man may like to buy them"
But the tools are pledged to the
miller; he takes them away this even
ing, II
"sol Then will take the COW, and the
children can still have their milk"
ut is the butcher who has the COW;
he drove her of on Friday.
"6ol Then should like the clock. It
is famous thing to have clock like
that in ones house to cry the hour when
one lies awake
"Tbe clock is pledged to the doctor
and the bed to Hanne Petersen" said the
sick man, growing blue and pinched as
he spoke. Everything is pledged but
the children, and they must starve."
"Why, then," said Nils, shifting his
hands. together, II will even take the
children. Leok you, Peter, I will take
them Tor the debt"
He put his hands on Gretel and Hans,
who stood very still and frightened on
either side of him, and at that moment
the sun rose. It shone into the mans face,
and filled the room with strange wonder
full light. No one spoke, neither Nils or
Peter; they only looked at each other.
By and by Gretel went to the window
and drew the curtain.
1.-THE sun blinds my father,' she said.
"He does not see it; he is in greater
light" said Nils.
Then he took the children by the hand
and led them away, but at the door he
turned back and went to the bedside.
"Wherever you have gone," he said to
the dead man, "you may know that l
have taken the children. I will answer
or tho,n at the Judgment"
Afterwards the miller took away the
tools, and Hanne Petersen came for the
bed, and the great clock licked in the
doctors hall, and nothing was left to the
dead man but the box in which he was
carried away to burial; but he looked so
peaceful think he did not mind. Hans
and Gretsl wept, but there is au end to
every thing, whether joy or sorrow, and
they were soon comforted. They had
almost forgotten that they were orphans
when one day the pastor stopped to say
to Nils:
"These children should not eat your
bread: They should be cared for at the
aims house,"
Nils bowed very respectfully.
II have taken them for debt" he said
Gin these times one takes what he Can
get.''
The pastor shook his head, and rode
on laughing.
"Do we eat thy bread. Nils?" asked
little Gretel, coming to his knee.
''Thou art my blessing" said Nils,
stroking her yellow hair; "The pastor is
good man, but he studies much. II
is bad for the wits to read much, in
books"
1t was about this time that Nils bought
for Hans and Gretel some picture books
won 1erful picture. books, such as they
sell nowhere but at the fair at Konigs-
burg. There was long table with rows
upon rows of them, not shut up, but set
open, 80 that one could see the CAV pic
lures and eve n read little Of the stories.
Nils stood looking at them when the
pastor came by.
"See," he said to his companion, "this
is theefellow who takes two poor children
in payment of debt and starves himself
to feed them"
He drew silver coin from his pocket.
"Tnere," said he, "buy the younglinga
some picture books"
So Nils bought two books, and fine
ones they were promise you, with such
stories of knights and FAIRIES as make one
dream dreams in the day times.
Hans and Gretel read them sitting
under the great tree with their heads
close together and their eyes wide open
with establishment. - II -.
"Dost think they are truea" asked
Gretel. e..
"Not now" SAID Hans; "There were
once fairies many years ago; it mus
have been rare to live IN those days"
But Nils said he was not sure. If one
were good and innocent and loved evory
living creature he might gee and hear q
great deal that could not we'll be told.
As for the fairies, it might be and il
might not be; stranger things were hap
pening every day; men had seen angels,
aye, and talked with them, 80 why not
with faries9
"Surely," said Gretel, "why mott" and
she looked every day to see them.
II know what l will ask theu," she
said to herself. ut is that thew will
makeNil we'll of his crooked back, and
fill his pockets with plenty of shilllngs,
80 that be can have white bread every
day and not work SO early and 50
late"
Every day Hans and Gretel went to the
forest to gather wood, and sometimes
when there had been q storm thew
brought home great loads of branches,
so that there was already pile nearly Al
high as the cottage. $685. = .4s VA:
''See what thing it. IS to have chill.
dren," Mills would say: as he looked att
II warrant me many q man in Brunden
envies me my good luck"
THAT is nothing,"n Hans would say
proudly "when am man thou shalt
have q .ahousel like the foresters, with
wood fit for the king to burn, and sit al
day and stir the fire till the. sparks> ffy
onf IF <hns rhIm, - - W <-Ft%HE z 80