inspired him with courage to proceed: "for," thought he, "it behoves me to do that which this creature wishes I should not do." On penetrating farther into the cavern, the darkness became so great, that he could no longer discern any terrifying shapes. He now proceeded, with the utmost caution, groping his way with a stick lest he should fall into some abyss, yet found nothing but a soft, mossy turf; and had he not heard at times, a strange groaning noise, his fears would have ceased altogether. At length, he reached the outlet of the cavern. He now found himself in a dreary hollow, quite inclosed by steep hills. On one side, he perceived the large sable steed of the mysterious customer for his phial, which was standing motionless as a brazen statue. Opposite to him was a spring gushing from the rock, and in this, the grim horseman was washing both his face and hands. But the horrid stream was of an inky hue, with which it stained whatever it touched; for when the gigantic figure turned round towards Richard, the latter perceived that his visage was become like that of a Moor, and thereby formed a terrific contrast to his blood-red gar

ments.

"Shudder not," cried the hideous being, "this is only one of the ceremonies which I am obliged to perform in honour of the devil. Each Friday am I bound to wash myself thus, in scorn of him whom ye call your God. I am also compelled to stain my garment afresh with my own blood-it is this which gives it a hue of so much deadly lustre :-besides a number of still more horrible ceremonies which I am obliged to undergo. I have, moreover, formed so strong a compact with the powers of darkness both for body and soul, that it is now utterly impossible for me to obtain redemption on any terms. And what do you imagine are the terms on which I have sold myself? for a a hundred thousand pieces yearly. Thus seeing how desperate is my own condition, still I am

willing to serve thee, by purchasing the imp thou carriest in thy phial, and thus to frustrate the end of all his long servitude; besides the rescuing thee from the powers of hell, will so enrage them, that, reckless of ought else, I'll do it. Then how will their impotent curses peal through the vaults of deepest hell; ha ha ha!" So saying, he began to laugh in the most frightful manner, that the very rocks re-echoed, and the sable steed, which had hitherto stood motionless, seemed to shrink with terror at the awful sound.

“Now then, friend,” added he, after a while," hast thou brought me any half-hellers?"

Upon Richard's shewing him his purse, he took three of the pieces and gave him a heller in exchange; one of which he directly paid back again, as the purchase money for the bottle-devil, that now lay crouched up melancholy at the bottom of the phial, so that he felt quite heavy. At perceiving this, the unknown purchaser laughed again most violently, and exclaimed, "Nothing can avail thee, fiend: all resistance is in vain. In token, therefore, of thy obedience, let me have instantly as much gold as my strong steed can bear.' And no sooner had he uttered the command, than the enormous beast stood panting beneath the golden load. Then the blood-red horseman having mounted on its back, it began to crawl up the perpendicular sides of the rock, just as a fly does up a wall ;-and disappeared for ever.

Richard stood for some minutes fixed to the spot in a stupor of astonishment and joy: but the air of that Stygian recess seemed troublous and heavy, while a hollow voice issuing from the dusky waves of the Black Fountain, exclaimed "Now then are all our labours frustrated, for he who while doomed to destruction could attempt the rescue of another may even yet be saved himself." Struck with horror at the sounds, although exulting at their import, Richard rushed again through

He now felt assured that he was delivered of his evil fiend for ever, and looked once more on the face of nature with feelings that had long been strangers to his bosom. Throwing himself upon the grass, he gazed in an extacy of delight on the pure, tranquil, sunny sky, while a warm gush of tears expressed that rapture and that gratitude for which he could find no words. The young merchant now became light and gay as an innocent boy, yet without any thing resembling his former levity. Without boasting, as he might well have done, how he had contrived to outwit

henceforth to the service of heaven, and soon found himself thriving in far greater prosperity, from the efforts of honest industry, than he had even enjoyed by means of the fatal talisman. And, whenever he used afterwards to relate to his awe-struck grand-children the adventures of his early days, after uttering a pious orison for the soul of his deliverer, he would add, by way of moral to his tale, "Lust not, my dear children, after ill-gotten and ill-to-be used mammon, for it is the "BottleImp," that serves us to our own destruction."

Popular Tales and Romances of Northern Nations.

MANY a century back, if the old German Chronicle may be credited an aged wandering bag-piper settled at Neisse, a small town in Silesia. He lived quietly and honestly, and at first played his tunes in secret for his own amusement; but it was not long, as his neighbours delighted in listening to him, and would often in the calm of a warm midsummer evening gather round his door, whilst he called forth the cheering sounds of harmony, before Master Willibald became acquainted both with old and young, was flattered and caressed. and lived in content and prosperity,

The gallant beaux of the place, who had near his door first beheld those lovely creatures, for whose sake they had written so much bad poetry, and lost so much more valuable time, were

his constant customers for melting songs, while they drowned the softer passages with the depth of their sighs. The old citizens invited him at their solemn dinner-parties; and no bride would have deemed her wedding-feast to be completely celebrated, had not Master Wilibald played the bridal dance of his own composition. For this very purpose he had invented a most tender melody, which united gaiety and gravity, playful ideas and melancholy feelings, forming a true emblem of matrimonial life. A feeble trace of this tune is still to be found in what is called, the old German "Grandfather's Dance," which, as far down as the time of our parents, was an important requisite of a wedding feast, and is even heard now and then in our days. As often as Master Wil

libald played this tune, the prudest spinster would not refuse to dance, the stooping matron moved again her timestiffened joints, and the grey-haired grandfather danced it merrily with the blooming offspring of his children. This dance seemed really to restore youth to the old, and this was the cause of its being called, at first in jest, and afterwards generally, the "Grandfather's Dance."

A young painter, of the name of Wido, lived with Master Willibald; he was thought to be the son, or the fosterson, of the musician. The effect of the old man's art on this youth was lost. He remained silent and mournful at the most mirth-inspiring tunes Willibald played to him; and at the balls, to which he was often invited, he rarely mingled with the gay: but would retire into a corner, and fix his eyes on the loveliest fair one that graced the room, neither daring to address, nor to offer her his hand. Her father, the mayor of the town, was a proud and haughty man, who would have thought his dignity lessened, had an unknown limner cast his eye upon his daughter. But the beautiful Emma was not of her father's opinion for the young girl loved with all the ardour of a first and secret passion, the backward, though handsome youth. Often when she perceived the expressive eyes of Wido endeavouring to catch unobservedly her glances, she would abate her liveliness, and allow the youth of her heart to have the undisturbed view of her beautiful and variable features. She easily read afterwards, in his brightening face, the eloquent gratitude of his heart; and although she turned blushingly away, the fire on her cheeks, and the sparkling in her eyes, kindled new flames of love and hope in her lover's bosom.

Master Willibald had for a long time promised to assist the love-sick youth in obtaining his soul's dearest object. Sometimes he intended, like the wizards of yore, to torment the mayor with an enchanted dance, and compel him by

power

of

But

exhaustion to grant every thing; sometimes, like a second Orpheus, he proposed to carry away, by the his harmony, the sweet bride from the Tartarian abode of her father. Wido always had objections: he never would allow the parent of his fair one to be harmed by the slightest offence, and hoped to win him by perseverance and complacency.

Willibald told him, "Thou art an idiot, if thou hopest to win, by an open and honourable sentiment, like thy love, the approbation of a rich and proud old fool. He will not surrender without some of the plagues of Egypt are put in force against him. When once Emma is thine, and he no more can change what has happened, then thou wilt find him friendly and kind. I blame myself for having promised to do nothing against thy will, but death acquits every debt, and still I shall help thee in my own way."

Poor Wido was not the only one on the path of whose life the mayor strewed thorns and briars. The whole town had very little affection for their chief, and delighted to oppose him at every opportunity; for he was harsh and cruel, and punished severely the citizens for trifling and 'innocent mirth, unless they purchased pardon by the means of heavy penalties and bribes.

After the yearly wine-fair in the month of January, he was in the habit of obliging them to pay all their earnings into his treasury, to make amends for their past merriments. One day the tyrant of Neisse had put their patience to too hard a trial, and broken the last tie of obedience, from his oppressed townsmen. The malcontents had created a riot, and filled their persecutor with deadly fear; for they threatened nothing less than to set fire to his house, and to burn him, together with all the riches he had gathered by oppressing them.

At this critical moment, Wido went to Master Willibald, and said to him, "Now, my old friend, is the time when you may help me with your art, as you