Select Popular Tales from the German of Musaeus/Advertisement

by James Burns

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In a Series like the present, intended chiefly for the purposes of recreation, and including a considerable number of translations from foreign writers, we should hardly have been pardoned for passing over the Popular Tales of Musaeus, which have so long been established favourites in their own country. The present Volume contains such a selection from the whole Series as seemed best fitted for the general English reader; and,—in order to adapt the Stories as much as possible to popular use,—in several places, where the original was thought somewhat prolix, the Editor has not scrupled to use his judgment in condensing them.^[1] In particular, the first Legend of Rübezahl will be found to be rather a summary of the Story than a translation; the object of inserting it in this collection, indeed, being chiefly to serve as an introduction to the two Tales which follow.

Musaeus must not be looked upon as much more than an amusing writer; nor, indeed, does he profess to write with any high moral purpose; still, to those who are disposed to find it, a moral may, without much difficulty, be deduced from many of his Tales. We may observe, for instance, the hardening effects of vanity and pride in the case of the wicked Richilda; and, again, in the story of the “Nymph of the Fountain,” we see the sad results of an easy credulity on the part of the Count, who listens but too readily to the false accusations against his wife; while invisible powers are watching over her safety, and at last vindicate her innocence at the moment of her extreme peril.

We need hardly remark, that the sources of these stories are to be found in the popular legends with which Germany abounds, and many of which are known in our own country with more or less variation. The author’s manner of treating them, however, is so original and ingenious, that we almost forget that we have known them before: an old acquaintance may be said to meet us, in the pages of Musaeus, with all the freshness and interest of entire novelty; and we may well forget that the tale of “Roland’s Squires” is but an embellished version of the simple legend of the “Three Soldiers and the Dwarf,”—“Richilda” of “Snowdrop,”—“The Nymph of the Fountain” of “Catskin,” and so on. For these legends in their unadorned state, we may refer to Grimm’s famous “Kinder and Hausmärchen,” or to “Household Tales and Traditions” (in this Series), where the greater part of them will be found. These Stories are so captivating in their original form, that we almost regret, at first, that any attempt should be made to embellish them; and, indeed, nothing but the wit and cleverness of a Musaeus, or, on the other hand, the poetry and deep earnestness of a Tieck, could compensate for the loss of their simple beauty. However, we believe they may be relished in both ways; and, without further preface, we commend the following specimens to the reader.

1. To those who wish to peruse these Tales in their full form, we may mention a handsome English edition, now publishing by Cundall, and the German illustrated edition of 1842, published at Leipzig; from which last the wood-cuts in this selection have been borrowed.