
FOLK-LORE AND LEGENDS - GERMANY
PREFATORY NOTE
INTRODUCTION
GAFFER DEATH.
THE LEGEND OF PARACELSUS.
HANS IN LUCK.
THE GREY MARE IN THE GARRET.
THE WATER SPIRIT.
PETER KLAUS.
THE LEGEND OF RHEINECK.
This compact volume gathers a vivid selection of German folk‑tales, ranging from breezy trickster yarns to hauntingly strange legends that echo the dense forests, roaring rivers and ancient castles of the country. Listeners will encounter familiar gems such as the clever fisherman who outwits a greedy wife, the eerie tale of the Mouse Tower, and the mischievous elves that dance in the night. The stories are bound by a common thread: a simple moral universe where virtue is rewarded and folly meets its fitting end, conveyed with a charm that feels timeless and rustic.
Beyond the moral lessons, the collection bursts with imagination—rooms hidden beneath the Kyffhäuser, a flaming castle that looms over the horizon, and a water spirit that lures unwary travelers. Each narrative is short enough for a brief listening break yet rich enough to transport the ear to a world where the supernatural and the everyday coexist. Whether you enjoy a laugh, a shiver, or a thoughtful glimpse into the mindset of early Germanic peoples, these legends offer both entertainment and a subtle window into cultural psyche.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (223K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Julie Barkley, Nannette Lewis and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2008-12-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Some of the world’s most enduring books come from writers whose names were never recorded or never revealed. “Anonymous” on a title page can mean many different things: a lost identity, a deliberate choice, or a work shaped by tradition over time.
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