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volume 1.1 a jFiimUs jlckusvayn*: ©rbotc# to 7iitrr,nttur, aatricnlturr, j/Hccltnulco, Salutation, iFot rian ,ms Bomnstir MntcUisrnrc, <rr.
BY C, R. HANLEITER.
[p©[ETKY 0
“ Much yet remains unsung.”
THE SISTERS.
.MINA—FIRST SISTER.
Sister, shall we dance to-dny ?
Round my waist thy while arms twine,
Turn thy rosy cheek my way—■
Let thy bright Imir mix with mine :
Those soft curls of sunny hue,
Have our golden fish's dye,
And those eyes of tender blue,
Are the color of the sky.
’Tis our mother plays so sweet,
Tripit with ihy fairy feet.
MILLICEXT—SECOND SISTER.
Sister, I would lend ihec, fain,
To our arbour cool and fair—
I have made a daisy chain,
For thy glossy, flaxen hair :
Blue as violets thine eye,
And the cheek, all downy, glows
Like the snow-white butteifly,
When it settle* on a rose.
Follow, where our fountain showers.
Drops of silver midst the flow eis.
BOTH SISTERS.
Lis'en, ‘tis our mother calls —
See, she glides among the trees;
Round her many a blossom falls,
Scattered by tlie fanning breeze.
Wc will steal by yonder mound,
When she stops to rest at last;
Tuen we’ll reach her at a bound,
And our arms shall hold her fast,
Mother, to thy bosom prest,
Say which sister loves thee best !
OLD ©[ERffiMKj TALSo
THE BOAR WOLF.
In the mountainous region, called the
Bergstrasse, which lies along the banks of
the Rhine, it was formerly the custom for
the young men, when they came to a cer
tain age, to enroll themselves in a company
of hunters, for the express purpose of pur
suing mid destroying wolves ; for which rea
son, the hand was called the wolf-slaughter
crs. Indeed, that part of the country is so
craggy, so full of caverns, and so crowded
with woods, that it is the place in the world
most fitted for the harbour of wild beasts,
and accordingly, there were in former times
a vast number to he found there; so many,
in fact, that had not the wolf-slaughterers
been very active,daring young men.it would
have been almost impossible to have resided
there; and it was only by their exertions,
that the villagers of Fiendenhcim were able
to preserve any cattle. Many ages ago,
and long before the invention of fire-arms,
there were at the head of this hand, two
young men, who were particularly success
ful iu their attempts against the wolves. —
They were both strong, fearless, and well
skilled in the use of their weapons, and they
were considered as chiefs of the troop, be
cause each had destroyed more wild beasts,
with his own hands, than any other two he
longing to it, although, between themselves,
the number was equal; for if Hendrick, (so
one was called,) at any time bail the advan
tage, Wolfgang, the other, never desisted
from the chase till he had brought home the
head of a wolf, to reduce their conquests to
the same level. This rivalry was, however,
not the occasion of any enn.ity between
these young men ; for, as they had been
brought up from children together, they
were accustomed to stiive for the same
pi izes, and engage in the same undertakings,
so that they were always most pleased when
both succeeded in the same degree. In
deed, it is said, that when one had the su
jtcriority, he always relaxed his exertions,
till the other came up with h’m, mid that
they retained this habit in the chase ; for
Wolfgang has been known, after be bad
killed one beast, to miss the next purposely,
that Hendrick might strike it; and Hen
drick lias done the same, when fortune was
on his side. Another reason why there was
no quarrel between them, perhaps, was, that
they were both equally handsome. Not
that they were alike in feature, though they
were of the same height; for Wolfgang’s
beauty had e boldness in it, which Hen
drick’s wanted, hut then Hendrick’s counte
nance was calm and interesting, and as their
tempers agreed with their persons, each
thought his own exterior the best, so that
envy did not threaten to render their friend
ship of short duration. There is, however,
always some stumbling block in the way of
perfect happiness, and this the friends met
with.
It chanced, one evening, whilst returning
by themselves from the chase, bearing on
the points of their spears, the heads of two
Wolves, which they had just slaughtered,
that they passed through’ a deep narrow
glen, leading between high rocky hanks,
from the clefts of which grew out birch and
mountain ash trees, in such numbers, as to
over-shadow their path, anil give a wild
gloom to the space beneath. They had not
reached half way, when they heard a loud
growl, and looking carefully round, espied
a hideous monster, partly concealed amongst
tall stones and low busnes. Wolfgang cri
ed out, a hoar! a boar!” and Hendrick
exclaimed, “a wolf! a wolf!” both prepar
ing instantly to attack it. But the brute,
whjcji was employed in devouring its prey,
after displaying a frightful pair ol jaws, and
making show of resistance, turned its tail,
and fled through the qnderwood, hidden
from their view, till it reached the mouth of
the ravine, when springing suddenly our, it
escaped into a more open country. The
huntsmen, however, knowing that it must
choose to fly through the gorge of the pass,
or remain in the dell, hail hurried that way.
and were close at its heels, when it darted
from the thicket. This gave them hopes,
and giving full rein to their horses, they pur
sued it over a wide piece of heathy waste.
They had now a good opportunity for as
certaining the nature of the animal they fol
lowed , hut, not withstanding their skill in
the chase, they were unable to decide what
kind of beast it was; for, though it had the
straight hack, bushy tail, and long gallop of
a wolf, still it had the thick, bristly, and
snouted head of a boar, and its feet were not
similar to those of any animal they had seen.
They, therefore, supposed it might he some
mongrel brute, or one of the wild beasts
brought from Syria, which had broken loose
from the menagerie of the Archbishop of
Mentz. But, be it what it might, they pushed
after it with the greatest resolution, because,
when they had started it from its lurking
place, they perceived it had been tearing in
pieces the body of a child.
The direction which the monster took,
led them across a small stream, that divided
their district from the neighboring one, and
brought them, at last, into a place danger
ous for horsemen, and difficult for the pur
suit of game. It was an extensive level,
teaching from the rivulet to a distant range
of hills, and would have been a plain had it
not been covered with huge masses of de
tached rock, scattered about it, as if a large
mountain had been dashed to pieces, and
strewed over its surface. Many of the frag
ments were so large, that they resembled
small cliffs, and from their tops and sides
glow out and hung down, trees and shrubs
of every description. Several lay as if fall
en against each other, so as to leave caverns
and arches between their sides, and the red
glare of the sun, setting behind the hills,
gleamed through these openings in a wild
and beautiful manner. Other pieces were
small and plentiful, lying in heaps as well
as separately, amongst the larger masses ;
so that, though there were many roads and
passages between these rocks, still they
were rendered unsafe for hotses by these
lesser stones.
The hunters had scarcely entered this re
gion, before they lost sight of their game ;
but, hoping to regain the scent, they dashed
forward niongst the pathways, and after a
short time saw the brute turning round the
corner. This tempted them still farther,
till, after bewildering themselves amidst the
intricacies of this desert, they gave over the
pursuit, having ceased for some time to see
the monster, and, indeed it was growing so
dark, that they would not have been long
able to view it had it been before them.
They now thought of returning home to
Fiendenheim, and turned their horses the
way contrary to that which they had come,
and, as they rode along, wondering what
kind of beast they had chased, they found
that their exertion had both fatigued them,
mid made them excessively thirsty. Ac
couliiigly.they resolved to take a full draught
from the stream, when they reached it, and
agreed to ask permission of the Lord of that
domain to bring their whole troop on the
following day, to give full pursuit to so dan
gerous a monster. They were talking about
the dogs and weapons they would bring with
them, when they caught a glimpse of a light
at a short distance, and wishing to obtain, if
possible, something better than a draught
of water, to quench their thirst, they made
towards it, and arrived at the door of a resi
dence, half cottage, and half cavern, which
stood under the side of one of the largest
masses of rock, and they recollected that
this place was the habitation of a hermit, a
recluse so austere that he hardly ever suffer
ed himself to he seen by any body.
They knocked at the door, however, and
it was opened, not by an old man, with a
white beard, as they expected, hut by a
beautiful girl, of about sixteen, whose face
and figure far excelled those of all thedaugh
ters of their native hamlet, and, iu truth, of
any other place they knew. She blushed
at first, and seemed inclined to close the
door again, but Wolfgang asked, in a tone
of compliment, that she would give him a
draught of milk, and Hendrick seconded
him, with such gentle supplication, that she
left almost compelled to speak ; and, then,
not likiug to refuse so small a request, she
brought out a large jug, hut of true Rhen
ish wine, which she poured out into horns,
and offered to each of the huntsmen. They
accepted her gifts with many thanks, which
she received with smiles; anil by way of
prolonging the conversation, they inquired
whethershe had seen or heard of any strange
beast near her habitation. She replied, that,
within the last days, her father had told her
that he had seen an animal that he hod nev
er seen before, and had bidden her be care
ful that she was not surprised, for that it
was very ferocious, and had carried off'the
child of one of the inhabitants of the village
of Grifhausen. She then invited them to
alight, saying that, perhaps, her parent could
tell them more concerning it.
The young men were both so fascinated
with this beauty, thut they would willingly
have spent some hours iu gaxing at sud con
versing with her; but, for some reason or
other, they obstinately refused, although she
pressed them to enter the cottage. After
a little more conversation sbq wished them
good night; and though they both iutended
MADISON, MORGAN COUNTY, GEORGIA. SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 25, 1843.
to see her again, neither of them mentioned
a word of his intention, either to her or to
his companion. Indeed, from that moment
they became so desperately jealous of each
other, (which vvasthe reason why they would
not stop that night, each looking upon the
other as a rival,) that they scarcely spoke
all the way back to Fiendenheim ; and the
next day, instead of summoning the troop
to give the beast chase, each rode separate
ly in search of the cottage, where they met,
and quarrelled for the first time; and so
bitter was their enmity afterwards, that it
would have been a pleasure to either of
them, to have run the other through with a
hoar spear.
Meantime the wild monster committed
gieat ravages throughout the surrounding
country, and it became unsafe for men un
armed, and women and children, to pass
from one village to the other; so that there
was a general alarm spread mutid about,
for a great distance. The wolf-hunters
made many attempts to destroy it, hut in
vain ; for, though it did not keep out of the
way by day, yet it was so swift, and so art
ful in eluding pursuit, that all their endeav
ors were fruitless. Even Wolfgang anil
Hendrick could gain no advantage over their
companions, except getting a little closer to
the beast than the rest. At length, the lords
of three villages, which this animal infested,
fancying that there might he some want of
energy, in the attempts to destroy it, or,
perhaps, aelittle fear, offered a reward of a
piece of land, to the man who should pro
duce its head, “to belong to him and his
heirs for ever,” besides the privilege of
choosing the fairest maiden within their do
mains as a wife, to whom they also promis
ed a portion.
This offer produced a great commotion
among the young men of the three villages,
as well as among the maidens; all of them
being willing to obtain the reward ; hut up
on Wolfgang and Hendrick it had a very
strong effect. Since first beholding the
young beauty among the rocks, they had
both .striven to gain her as a wife, but,
though she gave them equal audience, she
declared positively in favor of neither of
them. But when the reward was offered
for the head of the beast, she said she would
willingly give her hand to the huntsman
who should obtain it. Thus, besides the
hope of obtaining the reward, and the beau
ty, there was the fear that another should
gain her ; and Wolfgang said, that he would
rather the beast should tear him to pieces,
than that Hendrick should become possess
ed us her; and Hendrick said much the
same of Wolfgang. Nevertheless, the mon
ster continued his ravages, though all the
country was in arms against him, and it was
at length reported, thut Count Albert, of
Fiendenheim, was going to invite all the
knights and warriors of his acquaintance, to
come and make a grand attempt to lid his
lands of such a scourage.
When it came to he known that Wolf
gang and Hendrick had quarrelled, the in
habitants of their village were anxious to
know the cause of disagreement between
such strict friends, and they oon found it
out. But when the young men of Fienden
heim had seen the damsel, they said they
could find nothing in her so eurhauring, thut
there were many girls iu their own hamlet
far superior to her; and, in fact, that she
was mote disagreeable than pleasing. On
the other hand, the two huntsmen had told
their sisters that there could not he a great
er beauty among women, that her counte
nance was delightfully fascinating ; her eyes
of the most brilliant black, her lips glowing
coral, her nose finely formed, hei complex
ion radient with health, and her curling
tresses of the loveliest auburn. This, of
course, tempted many of the young women
to make an opportunity of seeing her, and
they agreed with the young men, that she
was any thing but agreeable. They found
her features sharp and vixen-like, her eyes
too small, and glowing more like live coals
than diamonds, her nose hooked, her com
plexion of a peculiar sallow, and her locks
elfish, snake-like, and of a fiery red colot.
Her shape, which they bail been told was
exquisite, they thought too flimsy, and her
dress was so gaudy and scanty, that they a
greed she icscmblcd one of the lost girls
who wandered about the streets of Mentz,
to tempt young men to their ruin, more than
a modest inhabitant of the district of Brock
encragg; and, in fine, they all agreed that
she had infused some philter into the wine
she had given Wolfgang and Hendrick, and
thereby deprived them of the right use of
their senses and understanding. But, what
displeased them more than any thing else,
was, that she refused to tell from whence
she came, or who her father was; nor would
she listen to any enquiries about her family,
saying, that those who liked her need not
know her friends, and that those who dis
liked her should not.
Wolfgang, as I have already said, was of
a temper somewhat impatient, and when ho
heard that Count Albert purposed calling
his friends to assist him, fearing he should
lose an opportunity of at once acquiring the
beauty, he mounted his horse, and set out
on tlie chase, swearing he would nover re
turn without the head of the monster; and,
accordingly, lie tried every art he was ac
quainted with, to surprise it unawares, for
when it was conscious of beiug pursued, no
body had any chance of coming up with it.
All his address and toil, through the heat of
the day, was, however, of ao avail to him.
Twenty times bail lie been on the point of
plunging his short sword between its ribs,
and as often had it slipped aside, and dis
appointed him. At last, towards evening,
when all the rest similarly engaged, had
given up the chase, he fancied that the ani
mal appeared lame, and exhausted with fa
tigue. Although he was scarcely otherwise
himself, this idea dissipated all his weari
ness. and hoping he might now run him
down, he borrowed a fresh horse from the
nearest house, and returning to where it
lay, hid in its lair, he forced it to rise, and
betake itself to that same plain over which
he had first pursued it, in company with
Hendrick. He had now no doubt that it
was maimed, for it ran with a limping gait,
and with less speed than before. Howev
ever, it managed to keep him at too great a
distance behind to wound it, and, taking the
same course it had formerly done, it led him
across the boundary stream, and among
those wildly scattered crags where it had
once escaped before. But as Wolfgang
had now more advantange than at that time,
both in the freshness of his horse and the
knowledge of the roads, which he had ac
quired by visiting the cottage, he was able
to keep the boarwolf (for so the monster
was called by the peasantry) in sight.
The red glare of the setting sun was now
again gleaming through the uncouth arch
ways, and along the narrow passes of the
rocks, as the impatient huntsman followed
the brute into the centre of the great level.
Here, entering upon a small sandy space,
scattered over with fragments of stone and
dead wood, Wolfgang lost sight of the ani
mal, for, as it reached the plain before him,
he could not decide the way it had taken.
His temper, which bad long been giving
way during the pursuit, now totally forsook
him, and throwing himself from his horse,
he rolled upon the sand, cursing and blas
pheming everything that canie in his mind.
He lay thus employed, at last, with his face
towards the giound, when, fancying that he
felt a strange gust of heat pass over him, he
turned his head, and beheld the figure of a
being somewhat human, but more resem
bling a devil. It had horns, and a tail, its
hoi ns curled round its ears, and its tail was
short, and turned up like a hook. It was
hairy all over, and its feet ended in hoofs,
like those of a hog.
Wolfgang was in too great a rage to trem
ble.
“ Wolfgang,” said the being, “if you
will give me power over you for ftur and
twenty hours, you shall cut ofl'lbe head of
the boai wolf.”
“ I agree,” said the huntsman, without
stopping one moment to consider.
“ Then kiss my hand in token of obedi
ence,” said the stranger.
Wolfgang kissed the hand held out to
him, and whilst he started hack, for the touch
of the being burnt his lips, it vanquished,
saying, “ chase the boarwolf to-morrow.”
The huntsman now remounted his horse,
and, without allowing himself to think of
what he had done, he hastened to the cot
tage of the beauty, with whom he staid con
versing with till daylight, for both she and
her father treated him as though they could
not treat him too well.
At day-break he saddled his steed, and
set off'to dislodge the boarwolffrotn its lurk
ing place, impatient both to make sure of
the rewards, and to return home, for, as he
had vowed not to go hack without the head,
so he had kept his word.
When Wolfgang reached the glen, where
he expected to meet the boarwolf, he found
Hendrick there with some companions, who
had risen early that morning to try the pow
ers of two large dogs, which they had pro
cured from a great distance. These were
blood-hounds of a fine breed, and were now
engaged by Hendrick, because all the other
dugs that had been employed in the chase
of this monster refused to follow it, being
so terrified, that, whenever they were pul
upon scent, they howled and slunk away in
fear. Wolfgang, elated with the kindness
so lately shown him by the beauty and her
father, and relying on the promise that he
should cut off’ the head of the boarwolf,
could not refrain tiom uttering a loud laugh
of contempt, when lie saw the pains taken
by his former fiicnd, and his associates. He
even hid him, with a sneer, “ go home and
look out for a wife, for that he meant to
marry the beauty that night himself.” Hen
drick was too intent on endeavoring to get
scent of the wild beast, to reply to these in
sults, and having ascertained that it was not
iu the dell, he hurried over the hills in search
of it; and his rival, notwithstanding his se
curity, not being willing that he should first
start the game, set off'to another spot, where
he oucc or twice had met the animal.
About an hour after this, Wolfgang un
earthed the boarwolf. It sprung from be
neath the root of an old withered yew-tree,
which grew over a low dark cave, in ’.he
side of a bank, just as the sun rose brilliant
ly from behind some opposite hills; and
when the ferocious brute opened its jaws,
to utter a hideems roar, its long tusks gleam
ed in the morning rays, and the white foam
spirted from its mouth like flakes of suow,
while its bristly hide seemed to glitter in
the light, as it throwing out sparks of fire.
The eager huntsman rushed forward after
it, eyeing with joy the ghastly grinning head,
which he expected soon to sever from its
huge, ill-fushioned carcase, and which was
to form the foundation of his fortune, and
the pledge of his union with his mistress.
lie forgot that Hendrick was also in the
field with his friends, and their unerring
dogs; or, if he thought ofhim.it was only
to enjoy the anticipated mortification of his
foitner friend, when he returned to the vil
lage, bearing with him the spoil for which
they both thirsted so ardently.
The boarwolf, however, as if conscious
that its existence was to terminate that day,
seemed resolved to exercise the strength
and perseverance of its pursuer. It took
wider and more intricate circuits than it had
ever done before, it tinned more frequent
ly to bay, and almost appeared to enjoy the
eager ouseis which the huntsman made to
overcome it; but the horse of Wolfgang
could only be brought to ride at it by the
most strcuuous endeavors of its master, ex
hibiting such evident marks of dismay at its
glaring eyeballs, and erected bristles, that
he could scarcely keep its heads towards 1t;
and when he offered to dismount, for the
purpose of attacking it with his sword, the
monster took the opportunity of making off
at full speed.
In this manner, the chase continued till
long past tioon, by which lime Wolfgang
had beeome so faint, with hunger and ex
haustion,that lie could scarcely keep his seat;
for he had been extremely fatigued the day
and had not closed his eves during
the night, having been too much engaged
with his mistress tolhink of sleep. Besides,
he had scarcely tasted food morn
ing of the day before, for he took nothing
hut wine at the hermitage, and this day he
would not stop one moment to assuage his
hunger at the cottages of his acquaintances,
near which he passed, lest the boarwolf
should escape, or have time to renew his
strength by rest. However, he recollected
that his mistress, when she heard that he in
tended to renew the chase early iu the morn
ing, had given him a small cake, which she
had prepared during his stay, for she said
that she was certain his eagerness would
not allow him to think of refreshment, and
that her gift would quell his appetite, and
support his strength, till he had slum the
monster. Upon this he drew the loaf from
his pocket, and ate it, with many mental
thanks for the kind attention of the giver,
and he felt his desire to slaughter the hoar
wolf increase, with his wish to obtain the
hand of so amiable a girl. As she had said,
so the cake, though small, satisfied his hun
ger, and renewed his spirits, or, rather made
them more buoyant than before. Indeed,
so much did he feel elated, that he spurted
on his horse, as if just set off in the pursuit,
and the monster was obliged to fly more
quickly than it had ever done. But the
weather, which had hitherto been hri’lhnt
and enlivening, now suddenly altered ; large
masses of dark clouds rolled up from behind
the distaut mountains, the wind rose, and
swept along the edges of the woods with
violence ; full drops of rain fell at inteivals,
and the distant waters of the river were
heard rushing along their rocky bed. Wolf
gang was too much accustomed to the field,
not to know that these signs presaged a
storm ; hut his ardour would not permit any
idea of relinquishing the pursuit to enter his
mind ; besides, he fancied these signs were
hut preludes to the death of the boarwolf,
and lie gazed at it with exultation, as, for
the third time that day, it hurried through
the dell, where lie and Hendiick hail first
discovered it. His spirits, now high and
free from fatigue, bore him along with a
feeling of triumph, and though the wind
shook the branches ofthe trees over his head,
and sighed in the most threatening manner,
he paid no attention to the impending tem
pest.
At length, as lie once more spurred along
to the rocky level, the clouds burst above
him, and a deluge of rain and hail surround
ed him instantaneously; beseemed almost
as if enclosed in a moving mass of water,
and as the drops struck against the ground
they broke into a fine mist, which rose up
on the wind like a second shower, of us if
the earth were heated and being quenched
by the rain, while large hailstones flew and
danced about in every direction, causing his
horse to start repeatedly.
So thick and heavy was the shower, that
Wolfgang lost sight of the boarwolf for a
short time, though it still kept at the same
distance before him. But an unusual dark
ness now began to add to the horrors ofthe
storm, iiot like the approach of flight, hut a
deep gloom, as if the sun were losing its
light. Thunder hurst in loud peals amongst
the hills, and flashes of lightning at times
shot along before him. Yet ali these com
bined terrors had no effect on the mind of
the huntsman ; at least he laughed at them
with the feelings of a man intoxicated ; for
the few mouthfuls lie had taken, had pro
duced a state of idea almost similar to the
effect caused by liquor, without impeding
his capability of bodily action. A hundred
times he blessed the providence of the beau
ty, in providing against his fatigue, and lie
heard the swoln waters of the boundary
stream foam amidst the stony windings of
its channel, without one impression of fear,
or suggestion of prudence.
The boarwolf chose the widest whirlpool
over which to leap, and Wolfgang sprung
boldly over the boiling vortex. lie heeded
not the laboring breath and staggering limbs
of his courser, but spurred him violently, as
ho entered the district of Brokenfcragg, along
the path which led to the hermitage, for in
that direction the monster proceeded before
him.
j number 52.
WM. T. THOMPSON, EDITOR.
The storm raged with peculiar fury in
this wild and desolate region. The wind
roared hideously, as it rushed along the nu
merous passages amongst the rocks, and the
summits of the tall trees, that giew upon
them, were bent below the crevices in which
their roofs found nourishment. Twice did
Wolfgang escape the fall of trunks, which
were torn with harsh crashes from their
beds, and many times was he nearly struck
from his saddle by pieces of stone, broken
from the margin of cliff’s by the lightning,
which now darted closely around him. But
his spirit, end his persuasion that the head
of the monster would soon become his spoil,
were unabated and unalloyed, till, just as
he approached the cottage of his mistress,
the boanvolf uttered a tremendous yell,
which was onsweied by the distant hay of
dogs. “ That Send Hendrick 1” muttered
Wolfgang, as the idea that his hated rival
might rush in between him and his reward,
glanced across his mind. He spurred, on
liis steed, more unmercifully than before,
and was in an instant close by the hermit
age. The beauty, as if fearless of wild
beasts, of lightning or of tunder, stood at
the door, waving her hand in encourage
ment to tier lover, and he thought she seem
ed to enjoy the flashes of fire that glanced
along ho foie her ; her face was bright, and
her eyes shone, her hair floated in the wind.
He heard her say, “Do you hear Hend
rick I” and in a moment was out of hersight
and hearing, for, having turned a corner, the
brute led him directly to the centre ofthe
level. All the fury of tlio storm seemed
likewise to tend that way, for the violence
of the wind, rain, and hail, behind him, was
almost intolerable. His horse rushed along,
as if borne by a rapid stream, striving more
to keep itself steadily than to maintain its
speed ; the lightning flashed round every
crag, and the thunder seemed lolling along
upon the earth, and jarring at every instant
with the scattered fragments of rock. Even
these he fancied tottered as be passed them,
and shook their crumbling edges on his
head ; littering and grinning whispers seem
ed to mock his ears, as he listened to the
deep mouthing* nfHendrick's blood hounds;
and the boarwolf growled and toie up the
earth, as it lied before him. However, ho
guiued upon it, and, only intent upon tho
accomplishment of his wishes, drew forth
his short sword, to make a desperate attack,
for he perceived by its agitation and iurions
howl that it would soon turn to hay. Ho
was close at his heels, as it entered upon
the sandy space in the centre of the level,
and at the instant the monster turned and
offered resistance, his horse fell dead close
beside it. The boarwolf sprung upon Wolf
gang, and ripped up his thigh with its tusk;
hut the huntsman, though writhing with
pain, struck a tremendous blow at its braw
ny neck, which cleft the spine, and tho
head hung from Us shoulders. Another
blow severed it completely ; hut at that in
stant a dense srnoke, mingled with flame,
issued from the carcass, ami the boarwolf
was changed into that fiend-like being whom
he had seen in that same place on the day
before.
“ Wolfgang,” it exclaimed to the terrified
hunter, “thou hast cut off the head of the
boarwolf; for twenty-four hours thou art
mine. Aye, and for ever!—Be thou now a
boarwolf!”
“Not now,” cried Wolfgang, gasping
with horror at the thought, “Hendrick is
coming, he will slay me.”
“ I mean it,” replied the demon, laughing
ferociously, I brought him here, bis dogs
are mine—see he comes !”
Wolfgang turned his head and sow Hend
rick rushing towards him ; he felt his figure
change, his hands became feet, his head
grew large and bristly, he sunk down to
wards the earth, end stood like a foot-foot
ed brute, but bewildered and unable either
to fly or resist.
The most hitter feelings of terror and des
pair overwhelmed his faculties. He sprung
into the air, and attempted to scream with
rage, hut he only uttered a harsh hoarse
roar, like a boarwolf. It was answered by
Hendrick, who at that moment fixed hiseyo
upon him, with a wild shout of joy; his
friends olso shouted, and the blood-hounds,
giving a tremendous yell, spiung upon him
and held him firmly with their teeth. Hend
rick leaped from his horse, and raised his
sword, and while Wolfgang vainly strove to
exclaim, “ Spare me, Hendrick! spare me!”
his rival and former friend smote off his
head at a blow, liis spirit fled with a groan,
a dreadful clap of thunder shook the earth,
u flush of lightning enveloped the group,
and scathed the bleeding body of the hunts
man ; hut Hendrick nevertheless lifted up
the head, and with his companions gave
three victorious shouts he then thrust the
point of Ids spear into tho neck, and, re
mounting his horse, rode away ftom the
plain with his associates,bearing before him,
unconsciously, the head of his once dearest
friend.
They made their way diiectly to Fiettd
ciiheitu, and Were received joyfully by the
villagers, who ran to inform Count Albert.
The count teeeived the spoil in form, ad
miring its ghastly look, and directed his
seneschal to make out the deed of gift, of
four acres of land, to Hendrick the wolf
slayet, to him and his heirs forever. H*
then hade the unfortunate huntsman choose
tho maiden he liked best for Ida bride, and
bring her to him on tho following morning,