Tidian's Höhle, or Cave
Below Schloss Falkenstein, in the valley where the gentle Selke winds through her flower-strewn paths, the shepherd of the Graf von Falkenstein grazed his sheep on the dew-gathering meadows.
It was the morning of St. John's Day, and every Härzer knows that St. John's Eve and St. John's Day are rich in miracles in these mountains, and unfold many a mysterious flower.
Not only at this time is the St. John's wort gathered, which is said to bear a red dewdrop at midnight—hence called St. John's blood—and to be a sure remedy against every disease; but also the Spring-wursel, or caper-spurge, which bursts open gates, and even opens the earth and the rocks; the magic wand—Wünschelruthe—Aaron's rod—which points out the spot where buried treasures or the precious metals lie hidden; and the Wunderblume—marvel of Peru—which opens the eyes of him who is so fortunate as to find this wonder-flower, so that he sees sunken or enchanted castles, and discovers untold riches in gold, diamonds, and rubies.
Tidian found a tiny blue flower, attracted to it by its perfume and its beauty, which must have been one of these miracle-working plants, for no sooner had he stuck it in his hatband than a never-before-seen cave in the side of the mountain opened its splendours to his dazzled eyes.
He entered it, his mind full of tales of buried treasures, filled his pockets with the glittering sand and stones, with the intention of offering them for sale to a jeweller in Aschersleben.
They proved to be more valuable than he had hoped, and the jeweller begged him to sell to no one but himself.
The fame of this gold speedily spread, and it happened the Graf von Falkenstein himself visited the goldsmith, when by chance this gold was spoken of.
"Yes," said the jeweller, "it is indisputable that Tidian's gold is as good again as any other."
"Tidian's gold!" cried the Earl, surprised. "Why do you give it that name?"
"The man from whom I buy it is Tidian."
Instantly it occurred to the Earl that his shepherd Tidian had lately grown rich, and he might be the seller. His avarice awoke; he hastened home, and demanded to know the cause of Tidian's wealth.
True of heart, the shepherd told him everything, showed him the concealed way to the cave, and in company they carried away much of the costly treasure; till at last avarice awaked the fear in the mind of the Earl that Tidian might at some future time reveal the secret to some one else.
This thought left him no peace. At length, to make himself secure of the entire wealth of the cave, he put out Tidian's eyes and shut him up in the castle dungeon.
Then the Earl hurried alone to the cave; he did not know that the flower which Tidian wore in his hat caused the cave to remain open.
The unhappy shepherd tore the flower in pieces, stamped upon and cursed it and the cave, and wished it to close and never again to open until, among the descendants of the Earl, a lame, a dumb, and a blind Falkenstein had ruled.
Immediately the cave shut with a thundering noise, and the greedy Earl wanders there yet, for the enchantment is not yet broken.
The Mägdesprung[[1]] and Mägdetrappe.[[2]]
[[1]] Mägdesprung—maiden's leap.
[[2]] Mägdetrappe—maiden's footprint.
In the valley of the Selke, that fair Undina of the Harz, near Alexisbad, rises the majestic rock Mägdesprung; and opposite, on the other bank of the river, the Mägdetrappe, both of which are so famed in fable.
In the latter rock one sees the impressions of giant feet, and Romance attempts to account for them. She is at least as competent to do so as anybody else, A giant virgin of the grey primeval times saw from the Mägdesprung her lover on a mountain on the opposite bank.
Her ardent love draws her to him, but she cannot climb the steep rocks, nor swim the Selke, then a torrent.
So she dares—for what will not love dare?—to leap over the wide space that divides the two rocks, leaving the impress of her feet in the rock, since called the Mägdetrappe.
Another Sage has a totally different motive.
A maiden of the Huns, a disciple of Diana, roaming fearlessly through the vale, hears from the Mägdesprung a cry of distress. She recognizes the voice that cries for aid, and her eagle eye perceives her friend being dragged away by two mountain robbers.
Her blood boils, and in the anguish of her soul the brave Hun maiden leaps the abyss, falls like an avenging angel upon the villainous mountaineers, with two blows of her spear pierces them both to the heart, and conducts her friend and favourite—for she is said to have been a Hun Queen—home to her parents.
Sage of Schloss Questenberg.[[1]]
[[1]] Questen—wreaths or garlands of flowers.
The Ritter Knaught had a lovely little daughter, whose chief pleasure was to gather wild-flowers; for this purpose she went often with her nurse into the forest. But one day her nurse lost sight of her, and not being able to find her, hastened in great terror to the castle to give the alarm.
The Ritter summons all his retainers with the horn, and they storm through the forest whole nights and days, but of the lost child no trace.
At last one day, as the father gazes from the battlements of the castle, he sees people approaching bearing the Maien,[[2]] hears their shouts of joy, and in their midst beholds his lost Rosamund, decked as Queen of the May!
[[2]] Maien—green branches of the birch used to deck the May-pole, and in Thuringia and other parts of Germany the churches at Pentecost.
A coaler had met the child wandering through the wood, took her at first for an angel, and in his hut the retainers had found her.
The happy father bestowed gifts lavishly, and instituted an annual Volksfest, and called his castle Questenberg.
To this day a popular festival is held here, but whether connected with this tradition is uncertain.
The youths of Agnesdorf have the right, by an ancient statute, of digging up a young oak on the Questenberg;[[3]] the tree must be carried, and after it is planted is decorated with wreaths of flowers.
[[3]] The custom of digging up the young oak is now limited to once every fifteen years.
They then go in procession to the parsonage, conduct the pastor to the church, when Divine service is held; after which all return in procession to the newly-planted oak, and after all have partaken of refreshments they dance around it, and the youths shoot at the target.