Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-01-18

stantly vanished, but not without 50 vio-
lently bruising him that it was with some
difficulty ht succeeding in reaching home,
and narrating his Christmas experience to
the family Is they were gathered round the
fireside.
In Germany, Christmas Eve is the season
Of all Others when fairies are supposed to be
most active keeping their festival on the
mountain tops Then, we are told, the rough
stone is transformed into brilliant crystal
veins of gold starting out artistically into
magic pillsrs-beneath which graceful can
opy feasting and dancing are kept up with
protracted enthusiasm. The attendants on
these fairy-gatherings are generally beauti-
ful Swedish girls, who have unwarily par
taken OF the contents of the golden goblets
offered to them by the fairies, and thus in
stantiy fallen into their power. Accord
ing to the legendary lore found in
most parts OF Germany, the magic effect
OF these fairy potions is three-fold: AT ths
first draught from that horn he who drinks
forgets Heaven; at the second he foryets
earth; at the third he forgets his betrothed
bride"
Hence, on Christmas Eve persons are roc
commended to stay at home because the
fairies on this night delight to waylay the
lonely traveller, compelling him 10 take a
draught Of Christmas cheer from their en-
chanted goblet.
Among the large class of fo,k-tales con-
nected with this superstition, may he quoted
one which tells how, when a Christmas
feast was being given in a German village,
one of the guests, attracted by the sound of
music from without, was induced to leave
the festive scene indoors, and to wander to-
ward the spot where the music seemed to
come. He had, however, not gone many
steps when hs was met by two beautiful
girls, who asked him to join their Christmas
gambols in a neighboring field, which, after a
little persuasion, he consented to do. On
arriving at the fairies gathering, for such it
was, he was surrounded by numberless little
beings all anxious to welcome him; one of
whom handed him a cup of wine, after drink
ing which he forgot his former state, and
thought Of nothing except the feasting and
dancing of the fairies. When he had been
enjoying himself in this manner for some
time, the fairies reminded him Of his own
home; but what WIS his astonishment when
on passing through the village to find every
thing in decay, and all his relations and
friends dead, for the spell of the fairies cup
on him had lasted 100 years
One German version Of the well-kuown
legend Of the man in the moon connects this
wretched individuals solitary Imprisonment
in that isolated region with his having stolen
cabhages from his neighbor's garden on
Christmas Eve. When Just in the act of
escaping with his load he was perceived
by some passers-by, who, there and then,
conjured him up into the moon. There
he stands, in the full light Of The moon, to lie
seen by everybody. having his stolen load of
cabbages on his back for all eternity. He
only has a minutes change one day In the
year, when he is said to turn round once on
Christmas Eve.
Again, the Wild Huntsman Is said In Ger
many TO make nightly excursions through
the air for the twelve nights Of Christmas,
alarming all who hear him by his furious
progress He generally rides upon large
white horse, no less than four and twenty
fierce dogs following him. According to a
tale quoted by Mr.. Thorpe, in his Northern
Mythology" in every place through which
he passes the hedges fall with q crash, the
road opening of its own accord before him
He rides with such speed that his dogs often
fail to keep apace with him, and frequently
may be heard painting and bowling. Oc-
casionally one Is lett behind, as hap
pened one year at Wplfsdorf, where
it remained painting, bowling without inter
mission until the following Christmas Eve,
when the Wild duntsman again took it with
him. Hence vNrious precautions were for.
merly taken to prevent the Wild Huntsman
approaching any particular street.
1t is also considered dangerous to spin at
Christmas time, or the Wild Huntsman will
gallop through. On one occasion a woman
refused to take the usual warning, and bad
no sooner sat down to spin on Christmas Eve
than she fell into deep sleep, and was only
awakened BY the entrance of a stranger,
who, without any apology for intruding,
asked for her spinning wheel and commenced
spinning. Before long he used up ali the fax
she had, and on his asking for more she was
obliged to give him her supply of wool Still,
however, he kept on calling for more, and
his angry demands 50 frightened and terri
fed the POOR woman that, although
it was but in the morning, she
reused up her neighbor-a cunning old crons
and acquainted her with the strangers
mysterious conquest Happily she quickly
perceived the nature Of the visitor and hence
was not long in driving him away by magi-
cal charms; for had she not done so his
presence might have cost the woman her
Nfe.
Tradition also says that at this season Of
the year all kinds of hidden treasures are
specially revealed to mankind, in connection
with which belief the following tale
is quoted: Between Christmas Day ana
the festival Of the Epiphany, tho
newborn Divinity comes down from
from Heaven in order to wander about the
earth; on which account labor of any kind is
accounted wrong. At miinight, also, on
each of these festivals, "the heavenly doors
are thrown open; the radiant realms Of Par
adise in which the sun Gwells disclose their
treasures; the waters OF springs and rivers
become animated, turn into wine and receive
. healing efficacy; the trees put forth bios
SONS, and golden fruits ripen upon their
boughA'