THE BROWN DWARF OF RUGEN.
The hint of this ballad is found in Arndt's Miirchen, Berlin, 1816. The
ballad appeared first in St. Nicholas, whose young readers were advised,
while smiling at the absurd superstition, to remember that bad
companionship and evil habits, desires, and passions are more to be
dreaded now than the Elves and Trolls who frightened the children of
past ages.
THE pleasant isle of Rugen looks the Baltic water o'er,
To the silver-sanded beaches of the Pomeranian
shore;
And in the town of Rambin a little boy and maid
Plucked the meadow-flowers together and in the
sea-surf played.
Alike were they in beauty if not in their degree
He was the Amptman's first-born, the miller's
child was she.
Now of old the isle of Rugen was full of Dwarfs
and Trolls,
The brown-faced little Earth-men, the people without
souls;
And for every man and woman in Rugen's island
found
Walking in air and sunshine, a Troll was
underground.
It chanced the little maiden, one morning, strolled
away
Among the haunted Nine Hills, where the elves
and goblins play.
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