New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-03
TIE BROWN Dwarf OF RUoEx.


TEE BROWN Dwarf or RUGEM
From 81 xseAslss Jss yamsarx
ne pleasant s,c of Ruecn looks the BALTIC water DER,
10 tho sycrsandcd beaches Of tho Pomeraniap shoro
And in the town Of RsmbIn little boy and maid
Hucked tho mcadow-howcn together and in the see
alike were they in beauty, II not in their degroo
He was tho Amptman's nrst-born. tho miller's child
was she.
Now Of old tho Isle OF Rugcn was full Of Dwsrfs and
Tho brown-faced little Earth-mcn. tho people With.
out souls
And. for every man and woman TN Rugen's island
Walking IN afr and sunshine, Troll underground
1t CHANGED the little maiden ono morning strolled away
Among the haunted Ninc HRS. whore the elves and
COLLINS play.
That day. In barley fields below. tho harvesters had
OF evil voices in the air. and heard the small horns
blown
She came not back tho search for her in field and wood
They cried her east they cried her wcst but she
Lot again
@shes down among the Brown Dwasfs,p said the
dream wives wise and old.
And prayers were made, and masses said, and Ram
bins church bell tolled.
Five years her father mourncd her. and then John
Dietrich said:
IL viii find my little playmate, be she alivo dead"
He watched ing the Nine HIS he hoard tho Brown
And saw them dance by moonlight merrily in a ring
And whom their gay-robed leader tossed up his CAP of
Young Dietrich caught it fell. and thrust 1t his
The Troll came crouching at his feet and wept for
lack Of It,
pn Eye me back my magic cap for your great head
"Nay.- Dietrich said. the Dwarf who throws his
charmed cap away
Must serve Its finder at bis Will. and for his folly
.You stole my pretty Lsbcth and hid her in the EARTH
And you snail opc the door of glass and let me lead
she Will not come she's one Of us: she's mne.' the
The day is set. tho cake Is baked. tomorrow shall
wcd.s
"Thc fell fend fetch thee DIETRICH CRIED and keep
thy foul tongue STILL
Quick open to thy evil world the glass door Of the
hur
The Dwarf obcyed and youth and Troll down the long
And saw in dim and sunless light a country strange
and vast
Weird. rich and wonderful, he the elfn underand,
Its palaces OF precious stones, its streets of golden
sand.
lie came unto banquet hall with tables richly spread
Where young maiden served to him the red wine and
How she seemed among the Trolls so ugly and so
Yet palc and very sorrowful. like one who never
Her low, sweet voice, her goldbrown hair, her
der blue eyes seemed
III Or hing
he had dreamed
lie looked; he clasped her in his arms he knew tho
ong-iost one:
90 IAsbcthl See thy playmate-I am the Amptman's
She leaned her fair head his breast. and through
her sobs she spoke.
"oh; take me from this evil place and from the elfn
folk
And let me tread the grass green fields smell the
And feel the soft wind my cheek and hear the drop
ping rainl
And oh. TO hear the singing Bird the ruslng of the
tree.
The lowing cows beat Of Sheep the voices OF the
And OH upon my fathers to sit beside the door
And hear the bell of vespes ring in Rambin church
once more"
He kissed her check he kissed her lips the Brown
And tore his tangled hair and ground his long teeth
angriIy
But DIETRICH said: "For five long years this tender
Has you in your evil world and well must she
be paid
"Haste-hther bring me precious gems, the richest
Then when we the cato Of glass. you'll take your
cap once more"
No choice was left the bafed Troll. ard, murmuring
And filed the pockets of the youth and apron of the
maid.
They left the dreadful underand and passed the gate
Thew felt TIE sunshncs warm caress, they trod the
And when. beneath they the Dwarf stretch up TO
them his brown
And crooked clawlie fingers they tossed his red cap
down.
Oh. never shonc bright never sky so blue
AS hand In hand they hOmeward walked the pleasant
meadows through
And never sang the birds sweet in Rambins woods
And washed the so soft along the Baltic
shore:
And when tcncath his door, ard trees the father met
his child
The bells rang out their merrcst peal the folks with
Joy wild.
And soon from Ranbn's holy church the twain came
forth as one.
The Amptman kissed a daughter, the miller best
John Dcitrchs fame went far and wIde nurse and
maid crOoncd DER
Their cradle song: Sleep on, sleep WE'LL the Trolls
shall come -
For In the haunted Nine Hills he set cross of stone
And Elf and Brown Dwarf sought in vain a door where
door, was
Tho tower he built I'm Rambn, Rugcn's pride and
boast.
Looked DER the Baltic water to the Pomeranian coast
And. for his worth cnnobled and rich beyond compare
Count Dietrich and his lovely bride dwelt long and
happy there
-iJOHN GRFENLEAF WHITTIER
Afp 1Jub!itaiious.