Year: 1860




Upon certain mountain in Wurtemberg
there stands castle called Reissenstein, which
belongs now to the IIelfensteinerns. 1t lies
upon steep cliffs, far up In the air, and has no
neIghborhOOd but the clouds, and at night the
moon. Just opposite to this castle, upon another
mountain, on which the Heimenstein castle
stands, Is grOttO, and there, ages ago, lived
giant He had great deal Of money, and
might have lived cOntented and happy if there
had only been other giants and gianteSSes 1t
occurred to him one day that he would build
himself a castle, such the knights had, and
the cliffs opposite seemed to him just the place
for it. But he himself was n bad workman ;
he dug out with his nails rocks as high as houses
and placed them one upon another; but they
always fell down again, and never became a
castle. So he seated himself on a rock and
called down into the valley below for workmen
carpenters, masons, stOnecatters, locksmiths
must all come and help him, and he would paw
them well. His cry was heard thrcugh all the
land of Swabia, from the KOcher to Lake
Constance, and from the Neckar to the Donau
and from every direction master workmen and
JJurneymen came. to build a castle for the
giant. 1t was dro!l to see how he sat in the
sunshine before his grOtto, and watched the
work going on upon the high cliffs. The masters
and JOurneymen were very industrious and
followed the directions which he called to them
over the valley. They had all kinds of jes S
and sport with one another about the giant
who knew nothing about building. AT last the
castle was done. and the giant went in and
looked out Of the highest window down into
the valley upon the wOrkmen. who had collected
there But on looking up, he became very
angry, for the men had sworn that everything
was done. and there, on the very window by
which he stood one nail was wanting The
builders apOlOgized, saying that no one would
trust himself to sit out Of the window in the
slr to drive IT in The giant would not listen
to them, but insisted that they should not have
enc cent OF pay until the nail was driven in


So they all entered the castle. but when thew
came to the upper window, and looked out into
ihe ar, and down into the valley which Law so
tar below. and nothing but rocks about them,
they shook their heads and walked away The
ma ter offered tenfold reward to whoever would
venture, vet no one could be found Now there
was among them brave lOcksmith, who loved
the daughter of his master and she loved him
TOO, but the father was a hard man. and would
not give her to him as his Wife because he was
poor This lad took courage, and thought he
might earn his treasure or die-for life was sad
to hlm without her He stepped up to the
master, her father, and said will YOU give
yonr daughter, if drive in the nail !'' The
father said " Yes " thinking that the boy would
eureiy fall upon the rocks and kill himself and
IN this way be would be forever rid of him.


The courageous youth took the nail and
hFmmer, uttered a short prayer, and started
tor the window. The wOrkmen raised CRY IF
JOY, which awOke the giant, who asked what
was the matter. When he heard that some ono
had been found to drive in the nail, he look led
at the young lccksmith and said You are
brave lad, and have more heart than that
rabble there; come, will help you Then he
took him by the neck, 30 that he shuddered
through marrow and bone, raised him to the
window and said - Now hammer away-I
won't let YOU fall The boy drove the nail
into the stone, and made it firm, while The
giant stroked and kissed him till he almost
killed him, and then leading him to the fore.
man, he spake thus: Give him your daugh-
ter Then going to his grotto, he brought
forth bag of money. and paid each one in
farthings and pence. Finally he came to the
brave lOcksmith, to whom he said Now 90
home, thou noble fellow; get thy master s
daughter and bring her to this castle, for it is
thine. Tie Century.