Elfeldt, the principal place of the Rhein-Gau, was, in ancient times, a well-known Roman station, named Alta Villa. Hence its present name, by elision and corruption. In the fourteenth century Elfeldt was raised to the rank of a town by Ludwig of Bavaria; and placed under the stewardships of the counts of Elz, an old family resident in the neighbourhood, and who subsequently took up their abode in the castle, which still exists on the river's edge.

It is of the fortunes of one of these nobles that the following wild legend tells the tale; which, truth being spoken, must be taken with large allowances for veraciousness; and adopted with considerable caution as to implicit belief.

VOL. II.

FF

THE KNIGHT AND THE YELLOW DWARF.

The bravest knight was Ferdinand,

By the broad Rhine the boldest ;
In blood full rich, though poor in land—
From lords of lineage oldest.

A worldling through the world he flung;
And kissed and courted, played and sung;
And loved a luscious story-

And wildly wished for glory.

Yet still such life can no man long,

When lack of means o'erpowers;

The fruits of love too oft belong

Alone to golden showers.

This thought his high heart aye did sap,
And point him e'en in pleasure's lap ;
But joys to grasp which failed him,
And wants whose memory quailed him.

A tournament the kaiser gave,

His nuptial feast's rejoicing-

From the Danube to the North Sea's wave
Was heard but lyre's sweet voicing.

Not to the Rhine they all belong-
From Ister, Neister, Po, Thames, throng
Bold knights and dames, bright glancing,
To tourney, feast, and dancing.

And Ferdinand, in shame and grief,

Through his emptied halls is rushing;

In vain he thinks to find relief,

The nectar'd wine-cup crushing.

By poverty forbade the feast,

He seeks some dread abyss in haste,

His days to end designing

His soul to death consigning.

But 'gainst him on his course there came

A little dwarf, all yellow;

In face and clothing quite the same :

And spake thus the poor fellow :

"Faint-hearted knight, what would'st thou do?
Would'st sell thyself—and priceless, too?
From th' East to the sun's hiding
Would'st the richest peer be biding?"

"But what to do?" inquired the knight, Whilst hope his dim eyes brighten— "Hear! for each sack of gold so bright You me henceforth shall lighten." The little Malabar outsaid:

"A single hair from off thy head, Of gratitude the token,

For me must then be broken."

"A single hair ?—a hundred take," Cried Ferdinand, delighted,

And plucks up heart: "But one I'll break,"
The dwarf said, ere he flyted.

He then cut off the little hair,
And handed him a sack so fair,
A thousand florins folding -

His guilt's first earnest holding.

And Ferdinand bethought him now

'T were dreams that might provoke him: But in his hand the gold's bright glow

From mood like this soon woke him.

He speeds his home in haste unto,
And peace or rest he never knew,
Till to both balls and tourneys
In brave plight forth he journeys.

His clothing cost the pigmy wight

Of sacks, yea, more than twenty;
His horse, a brilliant barb, snow-white,
Had purple housings plenty.
Of sky-blue steel his harness shone--
His sword-hilt held an opal stone--
Two heron-plumes his helmet:
Two gold rings on his shield met.

Thus dight, he for the jousts quick makes,
Impelled by high desire;

His arm the proudest prize there takes
His eye love's brightest fire.

On him the gay dames scarce did gaze,
When hearts flew forth in eyes' bland rays;
And Ferdinand's agreement

As kissing's cheek was ne meant.

When feast and tourney finished were,
To court the monarch spake him :
He goes, and ere his fourth year there,
Is sad as sin can make him.
The dwarf each day departure took ;
But midnight's chimes had never struck,
When he was aye appearing

Another sack still bearing.

Life's rude enjoyments soon exhaust
A giant's strength and power:
By gout an arm and foot's use lost—
His stagnate blood steals slower;
And, half a corpse, diseased he lies
Upon his damask couch, and cries,
"Here! doctor, 's ducats many!”—
He can't get ease from any!

His fevered fancy now portrays
His sins, in sight dismaying;
Like fearful furies, in a blaze,

Before his eyes they 're baying.
In burning pain, with curses dread,
He tears the thinn'd hairs from his head;

With impious hands, for ever,

Then seeks life's thread to sever!

Unhelp'd his glaive he cannot use ;
The prince of hell then praying
Unto his aid one slight glance shews
The dwarf beside him staying;--

He reaches him a rope of hair,

Here, take," he says, "this guerdon fair

I had from thee, and try it :"

They found him hanging by it!

INGELHEIMER AUE.

Ingelheimer Aue, an island in the Rhine, not far from Mainz, is also said to have been a favourite resort of Charlemagne for the purposes of fishing; a recreation in which, as it has been already stated, he took great delight. Among the current traditions respecting that potentate which crowd on the inquirer at every step in this part of the Rhenish land, is the one which succeeds; and which purports to explain a part of the history of a family long famous in the genealogy of German houses the ancient and noble race of Swan. It runs thus in

the most approved versions :

GERHARD SWAN AND THE COUNTESS OF CLEVES.

One day as Charlemagne stood musing at the door of his pavilion, on the island of Ingelheim, looking over the broad and bounding Rhine, he was aware of a large white swan, which drew after it a light boat, containing a noble knight, and which slowly approached the shore near where the tent stood. The knight was armed at all points, cap-à-pie, and had a golden chain around his neck, from which depended a written paper. The swan touched the shore, and the knight sprang from the boat. He then made for the pavilion; on which the swan and boat swam to the centre of the stream, and were soon lost to sight.

"Go," said the king to Navilon, or Nibelung, one of his most trusty knights," meet you yon stranger, and bring him hither."

Navilon went forth without delay to obey the king's behest. "You are welcome to Ingelheim pavilion," said he to the stranger knight, as he reached him his hand; "the kaiser would fain converse with you."