THE MOUNTAIN KING. A Swedish Legend. One is surprised that the legendary lore of Sweden should be so little known to the rest of Europe; for, although it is a country less explored by travellers than any other so far advanced in civilization, there is a penetrating spirit in popular poetry, that usually enables it to make its way, under every disadvantage. The incidents in the following tale are taken from an old Swedish ballad, founded on a superstition common in ancient times to that country and our own; the mythology of both nations having peopled the interior of their mountains with a powerful, vindictive, and mysterious race-objects always of terror, and sometimes of unwary love, but usually fatal to those by whom they were not sedulously shunned. "Open, open, green hill, and let a fair maid in," with the subsequent admittance of the damsel, according to her invocation, in one of our nursery-tales, is evidently akin to the fate of Isabel. She heard the bell toll, and went forth at the dawn- The mother believes that her child went to pray No prayer did fair Isabel utter that day. Where, through the gay twilight, did Isabel go? Alas! to the mountains with helmets of snow, Whose dark brows seem to frown o'er the laurel and rose On the highest of hills did fair Isabel rest, Her delicate fingers have tapped at its breast; "Rise, king of the mountains! unbar thy green door, I have seen thee in dreams! I must see thee once more." "Cease, Isabel, cease! I refuse for thy sake; In a palace of splendour, received as a queen, A rich robe is clasp'd round her by handmaids unseen Twas a moment, no more yet scem'd ages to fleet, His subjects are thronging with looks of surprise, They drew near with respect, yet she met them with awe, And wherever she turned, the same lines were impressed Of the visage imprinted so deep in her breast; So sweetly majestic-so mildly severe That her tremulous love often thrill'd into fear. But he calms her in whispers, and gems her dark hair Paved with jasper, and cover'd with deep-flowing waves. When she drank the deep love of their fathomless eyes, In the full tide of passion did Isabel fling Her fair form at the feet of the pale Mountain King; I have one peerless daughter-my sons they are seven." "No aspersions on thee have these lips ever thrown, I have dwelt on thy love and thy kindness alone." "Thou hast mention'd the babes with thy venomous breath, Thou fool! that vain boast has condemn'd them to death. "Forwaru'd, thou hast broken the merciful spell Then he struck her fair face as she knelt at his feet "Oh! the death-blow," she cried, " from thy hands will be sweet! "In this ill-fated mansion no more shalt thou stay, The glad sun in the blue depths of heaven shone bright' "A more tender farewell thy poor mother would take, But fears, my sweet daughter! thy young heart 'twould break.” Than by love's richest treasures had ever been fill'd. Thus from home and from happiness Isabel stray'd THE DWARFS OF THE NINE MOUNTAINS OF RAMBIN. From the German. THE Nine Mountains at Rambin are inhabited by dwarfs, who dance, and sing, and sport in the moonlight, and more particularly when the earth is visited by spring or summer. These dwarfs are rather mischievous than malicious; they are fond of alluring children into their power, who then are compelled to serve them in their subterraneous abodes; but this service is not hard, and at the end of fifty years, by a law of the dwarf-kingdom, they are again set at liberty; nor do these fifty years add an hour to the age of the captives; time and the sun have no influence upon these realms of middle earth; and it is farther said, that such people have ever been fortunate in the world, either from the wisdom they learnt below, or from the assistance of their masters, who have wished to recompense their servitude. The unearthly beings who dwell in the Nine Mountains belong to the class of Brown Dwarfs, and they are not malicious; but in two other mountains are White Dwarfs, and they are the friends of all in the upper world. There are also Black Dwarfs, who work the metals with an ingenuity far surpassing that of man; but their hearts are evil, and they are never to be trusted. I will now tell a story of these Brown Dwarfs in the Nine Mountains, which happened long ago; I had it, in my childhood, from Henry Fierk, who was a peasant at Giesendorf, and who was well acquainted with all such matters. You must, therefore, suppose that it is Henry who tells this story. There once lived at Rambin, a peasant, named Jacob Dietrich, with his wife and family. Of all his children, he most loved the youngest, who was then in his eighth year, and tended cows in the meadow by the Nine Mountains here the little Hans got acquainted with a cowherd, called Klas Starkwolt, a grey-headed man, whose brain was like a volume of ancient fairy tales. But if the old peasant was fond of repeating his legends, the boy was no less fond of listening to them, till at last his young fancy was so inflamed, that he could neither speak nor think of aught but dwarfs and gnomes, and golden cups, and crowns of diamonds. Above all, he wished to get a dwarfcap, for Klas had told him, that whoever was fortunate to find or gain one, might safely descend into the mountain, and have all the dwarfs at his command. At last he resolved to try, and one night stole away from home, and laid him[self on the top of the highest mountain, though his heart beat all the time like a hammer, and his breathing was as the wind of autumn. And now the clock struck twelve! On a sudden he heard a murmuring, and a whistling, and a rustling, and the song of voices, and the tramp of little feet in the dance, though as yet nothing was visible to his sight but the flowers and the leaves, that were stilly sleeping in the moon-shine. At last a cap fell close before his feet; in an instant he seized it, and in the pride of his heart set it upon his head, when-Oh wonder! the little dancers were at once visible. The dwarf would fain have got back his cap by flattery, but Hans was inexorable, and showed his knowledge or his newlyacquired power, by ordering the little brownie to provide a supper. The dwarf was forced to obey, for his power had gone from him with his cap of invisibility. The cock now crowed for the third time, and the young light streaked the east, when "Away! away!" sounded from the bushes, and the stalks, and the flowers-and the mountain opened, and all sank below in a silver cistern. Hans was astonished in his descent at the magic glitter of the walls: they were as if inlaid with pearls and diamonds, such was their exceeding brilliance; while beneath, and in the distance, he heard the sweetest music, that stole upon his senses like Mayodours, and at length wrapped him in a gentle slumber. What time had passed he knew not, but when he awoke, his little brownie was by his side, ready to do him service; and he found himself in a chamber that was brilliant beyond the splendour of the earth. The tables were of spotless marble, the walls of emerald; and the frames of the mirrors were covered with diamonds. No sun shone in this subterranean kingdom, but the precious stones shed around a perpetual light, that was fairer and clearer than the fairest and clearest night of earth. They were the stars and the moons of this country, but their splendour was borrowed from no sun, and eclipsed by no clouds. It was mid-day when a bell rang, and the brownie said, “ Master, will you dine alone, or in the great assembly "" In the great assembly," replied Hans, whither he was on the instant conducted by his servant. Here he saw an infinite crowd of little men and women already collected, while others poured into the hall from every side; in many places the ground opened, and tables arose, covered with the most costly vessels, and the most delicious meats, and wine that sparkled in the goblets like water beneath the sun-beams. The chiefs of the little people invited Hans to their table, and placed him between their fairest maidens. The feast began, and soon the mirth waxed loud, for the dwarfs are a lively race, whose spirits are light and brilliant as the wine that bubbles in their glasses. Birds of the richest plumage were ever on the wing above them, pouring forth their songs in harmony with a strange music that floated through the air, so soft, so sweet, so wild, that it drew from its throne the anxious and delighted soul, to leave it quivering on the lips. Crowds of servants waited around the tables. Some bore about the golden cups and the chrystal fruit-baskets; some strewed the ground with flowers, that must have grown in gardens near the sun, such was their exceeding beauty, a beauty that was even undimmed by the lustre of the diamond: others scattered about odours so sweet, that the senses ached with pleasure. These servants were the children of men who had fallen into the power of the dwarfs. At first Hans was inclined to pity their estate, but when he observed their rich clothes, and their rosy cheeks, and the springiness of their steps, he thought to himself, "after all, they are not so badly off as I was in running after cows and oxen; and moreover, a time will come when they may be free again." And he thought no more of them, but sported with his little companions, happier than any earthly king upon his throne. They had sat thus for two hours, when the principal rang a little bell; in a trice sank the seats and the tables, and the company was again upon the foot. He rang a second time; and where the tables had been, there arose orange-trees, and palms, and myrtles, rich with fruit and blossom, and upon the branches sang the sweetest birds; but though their numbers were many as the sands in the desert, yet all their voices united in a perfect harmony. Hans, however, soon found out the cause; in a niche within the roof sat an aged man, who gave the note to which they were compelled to sing. He was silent as hoary Time, and spoke no mortal word, while the rest were often wont to talk too much. The old man above now sounded to the dance, and the birds all echoed back the old man's tune. In an instant the whirl began, and the little maidens, that had sat by Hans, caught him by the arms, and sprang about with him in the dance for two hours long, and yet neither his breath was short nor his feet weary. The more they danced, the wilder rose their spirits, till every soul was bathed in ecstacy. Often in the time of his old age was Hans accustomed to say, when he described this scene,-"There may be, and no doubt are, greater joys in heaven, but earthly imagination is too weak to picture them." Thus passed the first week; in the second, Hans began to walk, attended by his servant, through those meads and fields which seemed to have no end. From this may be easily imagined the vast depth below, for the outside summit of the mountain was nothing more than a little peak, clothed with shrubs and bushes. The trees, that bloomed thickly in these verdant meadows, were loaded with fruit, while milk and wine were ever flowing from the rocks. It blew, and the cheek felt no wind; it was light, and the cheek felt no sun: the waves rolled and there was no danger: one perpetual spring was upon the grass and the tree, and the leaves had never been touched by the heats of summer, the yellowness of autumn, or the frost of winter. Hans had lived thus many months, when at last he resolved to visit the schools, and become a student with the servants, for the dwarfs make a rule of instructing all the children of earth who fall into their power, as far as they may be capable of receiving their lessons. But the little people have appre |