Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-03-21
LEGEND OF pARAcELsus.
The Trick by Which lie Rae., -.
srated aud DltttnUr,jsh.a ~

me rick by Which lie Became a ca.
'e" ana Distinguished Man.
~ once happened that Paracelsus was
walking through forest when he heard
voice falling to him by name he
.ooh s, around and at length discovered
.hae ~ proceeded from afr tree, in tho
trunk OF which there was a shirt in.
closed by small stopper, scaled with
three crosses
nc spirit begged of Paracelsus to set
nm iree. This he readily promised on
oohaitlon that the spirit should bestou
IN MN madeline capable OF healing
az diseases, and q tincture which would
urn every thing it touched to gold. The
spirit acceded to his request. wbereunop
raracelsus took his pen-knife and sue
eoueu aiter some trouble, in getting out
enc stopper. A loathsome black spider
orept forth, which ran down the trunk
VI 'he Tree. Scarcely had it reached the
Rrouhd when it was changed, and he
'a'he' as II rising from the earth tall.
naeeara man with squirting red eyes,
trapped In scarlet mantel.
ne ied Paracelsus to high. oyerhano-
ing craggy mount, and with a hazel
'"ig, which he had broken off by the
10Y ne smote the rock, which, split
.Ihe win crash at the blow. divided
i'Seii In twain, and the spirit disap-
peared within it. He. however soon re-
turned with two small phials. which he
hahded to Paracelsus-a yellow one
which contained the tincture which
turned an 1t touched to gold and a white
one, holding the medicine which healed
al diseases He then smote the rock a
second time, and thereupon it instant1v
closed again.
both now set forth on their return. the
spirit directing its course toward Inns
pruck' to seize upon the magician who
nad banlshed him from that city. Now
raracelsus trembled for the conseouen-
ces which his releasing the evil one
would entail upon him who had con-
Jured MIN into the tree, and he thought
now he might rescue him. When thev
arrived once more at the fir tree he
asked the spirit If he possibly could
transform himself again into spider
ana let him see him creep into the hole.
Inc spirit said that it was not only nos
sioie nut that he would be most happy
10 make such display of his art for the
gratl1cation of his deliverer.
Accordingly he once more assumed
the form of spider and crept again in
to the well-known crevice. When he
mad done SO Paracelsus, who had kent
the stopper all ready in his hand for the
purpose, clapped it as quick as light
ming into the hole. hammered it in firm
~ with stone. and with his knife
made three fresh crosses upon it. The
spirit, mad with rage, shook the fir tree
as though he might drive out the stop-
per which Paracelsus mad thrust in. hut
MS fury was of no avail. 1t held fast
and left him there with little hope of
escape, for, on account of the great
drifts of snow from the mountains. the
forest will never be cut down. and. al
though he should call night and day.
nobody in that neigh borhood ever vent
ares near the spot.
Paracelsus, however, found that the
phlals were such as he had demanded.
and it was by their means that he after
ward became sucn a celebrated and dis
tlngushed man.-German Folk Lore.