The Lord and the Witch

In olden times, when the Lord himself still used to walk about on this earth amongst men, it once happened that a young witch found her heart’s desire in a traveling man, who was the Lord. The witch dressed as a maiden, and prepared a drink for him, and to the Lord she said, “Now, dearest, drink to me,” but when he was to drink she planned to secretly swallow the heart of a dead bird, which she would swallow again whole, every morning, until she was an old woman. The Lord drank, and when he discovered the witch’s trick he was so befooled that he thought of nothing else but her as an elder witch. And he said, “You scarcely swallowed that very strange and quite different mouthful, but you have not refreshed me. If I too had but something to eat!”

And to answer the Lord hunger, she gave him nothing but the dried leaves of a giant she had fooled, for she thought the giant would never miss it. He said, “The dried leaves are not particularly good, but you have preserved my conscience pure. Where hast thou passed thy time?” She replied, “I have been among the mountaineers, dearest; when I go I should look carefully, especially when thou seest any one stooping about to pick up a stone, but what if one should carry a bit of rock, ore, or stone in his breast or pocket?” — “Where hast thou seen that?” “Among the mountaineers, when they go out, they generally take bits with them.” To this the Lord said: “If thou hast been among mountain lads, thou hast seen and learnt something, and wilt know very well how to go about the land, but look around and above thee, for wicked birds lie in wait for poor little birds and swallow them.” “That is true,” said the young witch, “He heareth the cry and prayer of young ravens, for no sparrow or wren ever fails if one commits himself and his lawful food, evening and morning, faithfully to God; who is the Creator and Preserver of all forest and village birds.” - “Where hast thou learned this?” She answered, “When a great blast of wind tore me away I came to a church, and there heard this discourse preached.” The Lord replied, “In sooth, my dear, if thou criest unto God like the young ravens, and commended thyself, all will be well with thee, and that even if the whole world were full of wild malicious birds.” And she gave the Lord several blows, and said that it should fare ill with her. He asked her, “What dost thou long for?” - “Ah, my beloved,” was her answer, “over yonder, beyond the horse’s trail, and the giant’s den, is a cart-road highway to a court and there one finds beautiful stones. When I think of it, I feel quite sad, but who can get there? Only the birds; they can fly with the horses, over the giants and they can reach them, but a girl never.” “As you have commended thyself I will grant your wish, and should you like to return you can have that, too.” And as the Lord bade her farewell, he granted her wish, and she instantly took to the court, where she gathered a heap of stones, but at last she thought, “Of what use are all these stones if the man I long for is not home? I will go forth and see the world.” And she took leave, and travelled about for such a long time that when she finally took rest at an old castle she could no longer stand on her feet. “He who to God commits his ways, In silence suffers, waits, and prays, Preserves his faith and conscience pure, He is in God’s protection sure.”