Wilhelm und Jacob Grimm, German Legends
The small caverns in the cliffs which one may find on the south side of the Harz mountains, especially in several areas of the Hohenstein region were once inhabited by dwarves. These caverns, which are still called "dwarf caverns," are mostly so low at their entrance that grown men can only crawl inside. The interior, however, partially offers roomy accomodation for larger groups.
Between Walkenried and Neuhof in the region of Hohenstein the dwarves used to have two kingdoms.
One inhabitant of that area once noted that his fields were being pilfered each night, but he could not discover who the culprits were. Finally, he acted on the advice of a wise woman: Going out to his pea field when night had fallen, he swept his thin staff about, over the field in the air.
It did not take long before several dwarves stood tangibly before him, for he had knocked off their invisible-making hats. Trembling, the dwarves fell at his feet and confessed: That it was their people which had been stealing from the fields of the inhabitants, but this they were forced to do out of great need.
The news of the accosted dwarves spread like wildfire and the whole community was in an uproar.
The dwarf people finally sent representatives and offered to pay ransom for themselves and their accosted brothers, intending then to leave the land forever.
However, the manner in which the departure was to take place became a new bone of contention. The local inhabitants did not want to allow the dwarves to leave with all their stored and hidden treasures and the dwarves themselves did not want to be seen as they left.
Finally, it was agreed upon that the dwarves should depart by way of a narrow bridge at Neuhof and that each of them, unobserved by the inhabitants, should toss a certain quantity of their wealth as a departure toll into a container which was to be placed there.
However, several curious individuals concealed themselves beneath the bridge, at least to hear the procession of the dwarves. Thus, for many hours they heard the footsteps of the little people, as if a large herd of sheep were passing over the bridge.
Since this last great departure of the dwarves only seldom does a dwarf or two allow itself to be seen. However, even in the older times of our forefathers, sometimes the dwarves which remained behind in the mountain heights would steal new-born infants from the homes of the inhabitants, replacing them with changelings.
- Source: Wilhelm und Jacob Grimm, Deutsche Sagen, 1. Teil, Richard Dorson, Issachar Ben Ami, Vilmos Voigt, Eds., (New York: Arno Press, 1977), pp. 116-117 (no. 153).
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