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| The Nix combed her long black hair. In old German folklore a 'nixie' is a water fairy or mermaid. These are 'shape-shifters' and appear in a variety of forms. They can be malevolent or good. |
There was once upon a time, a miller who lived with
his wife in great contentment. They had money and
land, and their prosperity increased year by year more
and more. But ill-luck comes like a thief in the night, as their
wealth had increased so did it again decrease, year by year.
At last the miller could hardly call the mill in which he lived
his own. He was in great distress, and when he lay down after
his day's work, found no rest, but full of care, tossed about in
his bed.
One morning, he rose before daybreak and went out into the
open air, thinking that perhaps there his heart might become
lighter. As he was stepping over the mill-dam, the first sunbeam was just breaking forth, and he heard a rippling sound
in the pond. He turned round and perceived a beautiful
woman, rising slowly out of the water. Her long hair, which
she was holding off her shoulders with her soft hands, fell
down on both sides, and covered her white body.
He saw that she was the Nix of the Mill-pond, and in his
fright did not know whether he should run away or stay where
he was.
But the Nix made her sweet voice heard, called him by his
name, and asked him why he was so sad? The miller was at
first struck dumb, but when he heard her speak so kindly, he
took heart, and told her how he had formerly lived in wealth
and happiness, but that now he was so poor that he did not
know what to do.
"Be easy," answered the Nix, " I will make you richer and
happier than you have ever been before, only you must promise
to give me the young thing which has just been born in your
house."
"What else can that be," thought the miller, "but a young
puppy or kitten?" and he promised her what she desired.
The Nix descended into the water again, and he hurried back
to his mill, consoled and in good spirits. He had not yet
reached it, when the maid-servant came out of the house, and
cried to him to rejoice, for his wife had a little boy. The miller
stood as if struck by lightning. He saw very well that the
cunning Nix had been aware of it, and had cheated him.
Hanging his head, he went up to his wife's bedside and
when she said, " Why do you not rejoice over the fine boy? "
he told her what had befallen him, and what kind of a promise
he had given to the Nix. " Of what use to me are riches and
prosperity?" he added, " if I am to lose my child; but what
can I do?"
Even the relations, who had come thither to wish them joy,
did not know what to say. In the meantime prosperity again
returned to the miller's house. All that he undertook succeeded; it was as if presses and coffers filled themselves of their
own accord, and as if money multiplied nightly in the cupboards. It was not long before his wealth was greater than it
had ever been before. But he could not rejoice over it untroubled, the bargain which he had made with the Nix tormented his soul.
Whenever he passed the mill-pond, he feared she might ascend and remind him of his debt. He never let the boy himself
go near the water. "Beware," he said to him, " if you do but
touch the water, a hand will rise, seize you, and draw you
down."
But as year after year went by, and the Nix did not show
herself again, the miller began to feel at ease. The boy grew
up to be a youth and was apprenticed to a huntsman. When
he had learnt everything, and had become an excellent huntsman, the lord of the village took him into his service. In the
village lived a beautiful and true-hearted maiden, who pleased
the huntsman. When his master perceived that, he gave him a
little house, the two were married, lived peacefully and happily, and loved each other with all their hearts.
One day, the huntsman was chasing a roe. And when the
animal turned aside from the forest into the open country, he
pursued it and at last shot it. He did not notice that he was
now in the neighborhood of the dangerous mill-pond, and went,
after he had disembowelled the stag, to the water, in order to
wash his blood-stained hands.
Scarcely, however, had he dipped them in than the Nix ascended, smilingly wound her dripping arms around him, and
drew him quickly down under the waves, which closed over
him.
When it was evening, and the huntsman did not return home, his wife grew alarmed. She went out to seek him, and
as he had often told her that he had to be on his guard against
the snares of the Nix, and dared not venture into the neighborhood of the mill-pond, she already suspected what had happened. She hastened to the water, and when she found his
hunting-pouch lying on the shore, she could no longer have any
doubt of the misfortune.
Lamenting her sorrow, and wringing her hands, she called
on her beloved by name, but in vain. She hurried across to the
other side of the pond, and called him anew. She reviled the
Nix with harsh words, but no answer followed. The surface of
the water remained calm, only the crescent moon stared steadily back at her. The poor woman did not leave the pond.
With hasty steps, she paced round and round it, without resting a moment, sometimes in silence, sometimes uttering a loud
cry, sometimes softly sobbing. At last her strength came to an
end, she sank down to the ground and fell into a heavy
sleep.
Presently a dream took possession of her. She was anxiously climbing upward between great masses of rock. Thorns
and briars caught her feet, the rain beat in her face, and the
wind tossed her long hair about. When she had reached the
summit, quite a different sight presented itself to her. The
sky was blue, the air soft, the ground sloped gently downward,
and on a green meadow, filled with flowers of every color, stood
a pretty cottage. She went up to it and opened the door.
There sat an Old Woman with white hair, who beckoned to her
kindly.
At that very moment, the poor woman awoke, day had already dawned, and she at once resolved to act in accordance
with her dream. She laboriously climbed the mountain.
Everything was exactly as she had seen it in the night. The
Old Woman received her kindly, and pointed out a chair on
which she might sit. ' You must have met with a misfortune,"
she said, " since you have sought out my lonely cottage."
With tears, the woman related what had befallen her.
"Be comforted," said the Old Woman, " I will help you.
Here is a Golden Comb for you. Tarry till the full moon has
risen, then go to the mill-pond, seat yourself on the shore, and
comb your long black hair with this comb. When you have
done, lay it down on the bank, and you will see what will happen."
The woman returned home, but the time till the full moon
came, passed slowly. At last the shining disc appeared in the
heavens, then she went out to the mill-pond, sat down and
combed her long black hair with the Golden Comb. When she
had finished, she laid it down at the water's edge.
It was not long before there was a movement in the depths,
a wave rose, rolled to the shore, and bore the comb away with
it.
In not more than the time necessary for the comb to sink to
the bottom, the surface of the water parted, and the head
of the huntsman arose. He did not speak, but looked
at his wife With sorrowful glances. At the same instant, a
second wave came rushing up, and covered the man's head.
All had vanished, the mill-pond lay peaceful as before, and
nothing but the face of the full moon shone on it.
Full of sorrow, the woman went back, but again the dream showed her the cottage of the Old Woman. Next morning,
she again set out and complained of her woes to the Wise
Woman.
The Old Woman gave her a Golden Flute, and said, "Tarry
till the full moon comes again, then take this flute. Play a
beautiful air on it, and when you have finished, lay it on the
sand. Then you will see what will happen."
The wife did as the old woman told her. No sooner was the
flute lying on the sand, than there was a stirring in the depths,
and a wave rushed up and bore the flute away with it.
Immediately afterward the water parted, and not only the
head of the man, but half of his body also arose. He stretched
out his arms longingly toward her. But a second wave came
up, covered him, and drew him down again.
"Alas, what does it profit me? " said the unhappy woman,
"that I should see my beloved, only to lose him again!"
Despair filled her heart anew, but the dream led her a third
time to the house of the Old Woman. She set out, and the
Wise Woman gave her a Golden Spinning-Wheel, consoled her
and said, "All is not yet fulfilled, tarry until the time of the
full moon. Then take the spinning-wheel, seat yourself on the
shore, and spin the spool full. When you have done that, place
the spinning-wheel near the water, and you will see what will
happen."
The woman obeyed all she said exactly. As soon as the full
moon showed itself, she carried the Golden Spinning-Wheel to
the shore, and span industriously until the flax came to an end,
and the spool was quite filled with the threads. No sooner was
the wheel standing on the shore than there was a more violent movement than before in the depths of the pond, and a mighty
wave rushed up, and bore the wheel away with it.
Immediately the head and the whole body of the man rose
into the air, in a water-spout. He quickly sprang to the shore,
caught his wife by the hand and fled.
But they had scarcely gone a very little distance, when the
whole pond rose with a frightful roar, and streamed out over
the open country. The fugitives already saw death before
their eyes, when the woman in her terror implored the help of
the Old Woman, and in an instant they were transformed, she
into a Toad, he into a Frog.
The flood which had overtaken them could not destroy them,
but it tore them apart and carried them far away.
When the water had dispersed and they both touched dry
land again, they regained their human form, but neither knew
where the other was. They found themselves among strange
people, who did not know their native land. High mountains
and deep valleys lay between them. In order to keep them-
selves alive, they were both obliged to tend sheep.
For many long years, they drove their flocks through field
and forest and were full of sorrow and longing. When spring
had once more broken forth on the earth, one day they both
went out with their flocks, and as chance would have it, they
drew near each other. They met in a valley, but did not recognize each other. Yet they rejoiced that they were no longer
so lonely. Henceforth they every day drove their flocks to the
same place. They did not speak much, but they felt comforted.
One evening when the full moon was shining in the sky, and
the sheep were already at rest, the shepherd pulled the flute out of his pocket, and played on it a beautiful but sorrowful air.
When he had finished, he saw that the shepherdess was weeping bitterly.
"Why are you weeping? " he asked.
"Alas," answered she, " thus shone the full moon when I
played this air on the flute for the last time, and the head of
my beloved rose out of the water."
He looked at her, and it seemed as if a veil fell from his eyes,
and he recognized his dear wife. And when she looked at him,
and the moon shone in his face she knew him also. They embraced and kissed each other, and no one need ask if they were
happy.
- A Nix is a river mermaid, Go here to read a fairy story about an ocean mermaid.
- I include poems about more fairies under the doll crafts index for St. Patrick's day here.
- This story was originally included in an old collection of fairy tales by the Grimm Brothers, even though it has not be reprinted for many years.
