E sovra il dorso un nano si piccino
Che sembri di quattr' anni un fanciullino.
B. Tasso, Amadigi, C. c. st. 78.
[291] The feats of House-spirits, it is plain, may in general be ascribed to ventriloquism and to contrivances of servants and others.
[292] Von Steinen, Westfäl. Gesch. ap. Grimm, Deut. Mythol., p. 477.
[293] Oral. Cölns Vorzeit. Cöln. 1826.
[294] This legend seems to be connected with the ancient idea of the water-deities taking the souls of drowned persons to themselves. In the Edda, this is done by the sea-goddess Ran.
[295] Grimm, ut sup. p. 463.
[296] Grimm, ut sup. p. 453.
[297] A tale of this kind is to be seen in Luther's Table-talk, told by die frau doctorin, his wife. The scene of it was the river Mulda.
[298] In Swiss Härdmandle, pl. Härdmändlene.
[299] Wyss, Reise in das Berner Oberland, ii. 412. Servants is the term in the original.