shine, the spirits of those ancient knights who once swayed with iron sceptre all the trembling land. In fearful guise rise up twelve long white figures out of the mouldering vaults, the ruins of a thousand years, bearing along a gigantic coffin, which they set down upon the old walls, and then silently vanish away. Then also the skeletons and skulls scattered along the cliffs may be seen in motion; but not a voice is heard.

Robbers are known to have haunted the regions of Dumburg, who ravaged the country, and despoiled or murdered poor wayfaring men and merchants, whom they met proceeding from Leipsic to Brunswick. Their treasures of gold, silver, and precious stones, with those of violated churches and convents, they heaped together and buried in caverns deep under ground, and they are still said to lie in large masses in some of the secret undiscovered cellars and vaults belonging to Dumburg.

One evening, a poor woodman engaged in felling a beech, growing behind some of the rocky ruins, saw a grey old man come forth and walk slowly into the forest. The woodman hid himself behind the tree; the man went by, and then returned towards the caverns. But the rustic was too quick for him; he slipped after him, and watched him standing at a little door which none of the villagers had ever discovered. The old man tapped softly, and said, "Open, little door!" and the door sprang open; "Shut, little door!" and the little door closed. Trembling from head to foot, the woodman had hardly presence of mind enough to mark the spot with some twigs and stones piled upon each other. He could no longer eat nor sleep, such was his curiosity to inspect what it was

the cellar with the wonderful door contained. The next evening he prepared himself; and when the sun had risen on the ensuing morning, he proceeded towards the identical caverns. Shortly he stood at the door, his teeth chattering in his head. He tapped with trembling hand at the little door, but did not venture to speak. He first listened, and listened long, but heard nothing. At length he knocked, and, hardly knowing what he did, said, "Open, little door!" The door sprang open, and he saw before him a small passage. He ventured in, and soon the path brought him to a well-lighted vault. 66 Shut, little door!" said he, quite unconsciously, as before, and the door closed behind him. He proceeded doubtfully forwards, and beheld large open vessels and bags filled with fine old dollars and heavy gold pieces. Caskets of rich pearls and jewels were also there; very costly tabernacles and images placed upon noble tables, which excited the poor man's astonishment. He crossed himself, and wished he were a thousand miles from the enchanted spot, yet could scarcely resist the temptation of appropriating some portion of these useless treasures, were it only to buy clothing for his poor wife and eight children, who were almost in rags. Shutting his eyes, he stretched out his hand, and took a few gold pieces from the bag which stood next him; he then felt to see whether his head were still fast upon his shoulders, and at last ventured to open his eyes. Next he proceeded to the dollars, took two handsful, thrust some silver plate under his arm, and turned round to go. "Come again!" cried a hollow voice, from the depths of the cavern. The whole place seemed to whirl round with the poor woodman. "Little door, open! Open, little door!" he cried, as he reached the spot in haste,

L

The door opened, and then, "Shut, little door!" he added, in a bolder voice, and it closed behind him.

He ran home as fast as his heels could carry him; said nothing about his new fortune, but piously went next Sunday to the first church, and offered two-tenths of all he had brought with him, to be given as alms to the poor. The following morning he went to town and purchased some new dresses for his wife and children, of which they were much in want. And next week he proceeded with quicker step towards the little door in the cliffs-repeated the former process— filled his pockets fuller than before, and turned to go.

"Come again," cried the same deep voice; and according to invitation, he went again and met with as good a reception as before.

He bestowed two-tenths upon the Church and the poor, and the rest he applied to the wants of his family, laying by a portion from time to time. At last he thought he should like to measure his amount of treasure; for, as it happened, he had never learned to count.

So he went to his neighbour's, a thriving wealthy man, but one who pined for more amidst his abundance-garnered up his corn-defrauded his labourers of their just hire— oppressed the widow and the orphan, though he had no family of his own. From him the woodman borrowed a measure to mete out his gold.

Now the said bushel had several chinks in it, through which the miser was in the habit, when buying, to shake a good deal of corn, filling up again from the poor salesman's heap; and when selling, to shake it back into his own; for he was wealthy, and none ventured to gainsay him. In one of

these said chinks, some bits of gold happened to stick fast, and escaped the attention of the woodman when he meted out his gold. But on returning the measure, the miser's eye was not so easily deceived. Off he went in search of the poor woodman, whom he found at work, as usual, in the forest. "What were you measuring this morning in my bushel?" said the usurer, and displayed the precious fragments he had found; at the same time, threatening his neighbour with the rack, unless he confessed every thing connected with the affair. In this case he promised to reward him, and pressed the woodman so hard, that he was compelled to reveal the whole secret, not omitting the fearful words.

From this time forth the vile usurer did nothing but devise methods and consult the woodman how best to transport the whole treasure, at one time, from the hidden places to his own house, and next, how to proceed in search of it.

The woodman entreated him to desist from his design, described the great danger, and illustrated it with a thousand hapless examples of the fate of gold-diggers. But what argument will restrain the hand of avarice from dipping into an open money-bag? By dint of threats and promises, the woodman was induced to bear the miser company as far as the door. He was to take his station there, and receive the bags, which the usurer proposed to bring out, and to conceal them among the surrounding bushes. He was promised one-half, and the Church one-tenth, for this service; while the village paupers were all to have new clothes. This was all the miser would do; though, in fact, he had concluded, within himself, that the moment he could dispense with the woodman's services, he would find an opportunity of tripping him down

the deep well under the castle walls; to give the poor nothing at all, and present the church with a few light pieces, which he was then weighing in his own mind. On the next day every thing was prepared, and, ere sunrise, the miser was on his way, with the woodman at his side. On his shoulders he carried a three-bushel sack, with a large grubbing-axe and a spade. They now approached the door, and the woodman, who did not at all like the adventure, kept at as great a distance as he well could, to receive the sacks.

66

“Open, little door!” cried the usurer, eagerly; longing to behold the gold. It opened, and he went in. Shut, little door," again he said, and the door was shut. Scarcely had he reached the vault, and saw the bags and caskets full of sparkling gold and precious stones, feeding his greedy eyes upon them for a moment, than he seized his sacks, opened one, and began to fill. Then came heavy and slow, from the further end of the cavern, its fiery eyes fixed upon the miser, a hugh black hound. It came and lay down, first upon one and then upon another of the gold bags, until it had gone over the whole. 66 Away, rapacious man!" sounded in the miser's ears; and the black hound grinned horribly in his face. Half dead with terror, he crept upon his hands and knees towards the door. But in his alarm he forgot to say,

Open, little door;" and the door remained closed. Long did the woodman await the miser's return. At length he approached the door, and thought he could hear stifled sighs and groans, mixed with a deep hollow howling; and then all was still. He now heard them ringing for service at the neighbouring church. He crossed himself, and said a prayer. Then he tapped at the door,-"Open," he said, "little door,"

E