“Oh,” cried Hans, “was the man drowned?”
“No,” answered his mother, “he was not drowned. The great god drew him down, down to the bottom of the lake, where he has a wonderful palace. In it there are all kinds of strange creatures.”
“But what does the man do down there? Is he still alive?”
“Yes; Mummel will not let him die; but keeps him, and makes him serve in the kitchen year after year.”
“And does he not have any rest or any holidays?”
“He does not need rest down there, because he is no longer mortal like us. But once a year he ceases, for a single night, to serve in the kitchen. He becomes a mortal again and comes back to earth.
“Every year on the day on which he committed his crime, he puts on his earthly clothes and comes up. And when he reaches the world, he suddenly finds himself at the place where he stole the treasure.
“He hears some one coming, and starts to flee with the treasure on his back. Each time, he comes to the same spot on Mummelsee, and throws the sack into the lake. Just as before, too, he tries to hide in the bushes and is caught and held by them.
“Every year Mummel, angry as before, comes up and drags the man out of the bushes, and draws him down to his palace again.