Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-07-30
THE YELLOW BALSAM

Krummhubel still use essences made
with these simples. and this will appear
less surprising when it is known that
those inhabitants are in part descended
from the students of Prague of the ia
nous school of Paracelsus, who were
expelled during the war Of the Hussites,
and who. without doubt, were i'll posses
sion of unusual botanical secrets, the
knowledge of which is at the present
day neglected But among the herbs
which the Riesengebirge produces is one
which has become celebrated beyond all
the literature of fable. 1t is called the
yellow balsam and grows only in a
kitchen garden, of which Rubezahl has
reserved for himself the exclusive en-
joyment A marvellous power is attrib-
uted to this herb. The most durable and
the most inveterate maladies do not re-
sist it. 1t serves even to nourish the
mind, and Rubezahl permits only a
small number of his favorites to gather
it.
Once upon time a lady of distinc-
ton who resided at Liegnitz fell dam
gerously ill. Fearing for her life, she
sent for peasant of the mountains,
and promised him large reward IT
he would bring her a yellow balsam
from Rubezahl's garden. Seduced by
the temptation of gain, the peasant ven
tured to undertake the adventure. When
he had reached the wild and desert place
in which the garden is situated, he per-
ceived the wonderful plant and, Selling
a spade, he prepared to dig it up, but
while he was trenching the earth fu-
rious wind suddenly arose and voice
like thunder sounded in his ears words
which he did not comprehend He rose
up quite frightened and advanced to-
ward the place whence the noise pro-
ceeded. Scarcely was he able to resist
the wind and keep himself upright
Presently on the ridge Of a rock he saw
the movement Of a gigantic apparition.
The phantom had the human form; his
long beard hung down to his breast; a
large hooked nose gave him deformed
visage; his menacing eyes seemed to
dart lightnings, and his locks and his
cloak f1oated in the wind of the tempest
In one of his hands was an enormous
club, full of knots.
"What are you about there?" cried
this supernatural being to the peasant
The peasant, oonquering like brave
man the alarm which at first seized
him, answered: II seek the yellow bal
sam. A sick woman has promised to
pay me we'll for it. -
"That which you hold you may take
away" replied the giant, "bnt take
good care not to come second time. y
At these words he brandished his club
with terrible gesture and disappeared.
The peasant pensively descended the
mountain, and the lady thought herself
happy when she saw herself in posses
sion of the remedy which was to shorten
her sufferings. Her illness. in fact, d.
unfinished at the sight. Nevertheless, she
did not obtain a complete cure. She
again sent for the peasant.
"Have you again the courage" said
she to him, "to 60 and seek for me the
yellow balsam?"
"Madam, answered the peasant,
''the lord Of the mountain appeared tc
me the first time in terrible shape and
forbade me with threats to set my feet
again in this garden. have too much
fear Of offending him"
However, the dame conquered his
fear by the promise Of a still larger sum
than the first, aud for the second time
he determined to penetrate into Rube.
sahl's domain, but scarcely had he be.
gun to dig up the yellow balsam when
a frightful storm again arose, and the
figure appeared to him more menacine
still than he had seen it on his frs,
journey. The phantom's locks were
more disordered; his cloak foated in the
air in larger folds; lightnings flashed
from his eyes. He cried, with a voice
which made the mountain tremble
"What are you about there?"
The abysses repeated, "What are yor
about there?'
II seek the yellow balsam, answered
the peasant. "a sick woman has prom
Used to pay me we'll for it.
The giant could no longer contain hi
anger. "Madman, did I not caution
you, and you dare return? Now you pos
sess it, save yourself ii you can. =
At the same instant flames appeared
to fall on the criminal and to burn hi
face. The powerful club flew round il
the air and dashed rock near him intt
shivers The ground trembled under hi
feet. A frightful clap Of thunder assist
ed to stun him, and he fell down sense
less. He did not come to himself unit
long afterward The giant had disap
peared, and the thunder growled les
loudly, but he still thought he heart
the resounding voice Of the spirit, ant
his limbs were as il they had beer
broken. However, he grasped the bal
sam in his hand. At last, soaked will
rain, surrounded with thick fogs. showed
here and there by malevolent genii, h
Crawled from rock to rock all the nigh
and all the following day without
knowing where he was. At length |
collier, having found him half deaf
with fatigue, carried him into his cabin
There he took some repose and got rio
Of his fright, after which he hastenet
to return to Liegnitz. The lady was Dc