PREFACE.

THERE are many stories about the wonderful doings of Number Nip, the legendary Spirit of the Giant Mountains in Silesia. These were first collected by Musæus, the famous German tale-writer, towards the end of last century, and they were published by him in his well-known book of "Popular Tales." Ever since then the Stories of Number Nip have been a source of endless enjoyment to both old and young in Germany.

The first translation of them into English was published in the year 1790,-three years after the death of Museus; but that translation was badly done, and it created little popular interest. About fifty years ago three of the Stories-very pleasantly written appeared in an anonymous book of interesting tales, named the "Odd Volume." In 1845 Mr. William Hazlitt published five of them, along with some others of Museus's best tales, in one of the volumes of the

"Holiday Library." Twenty years later Mr. Mark Lemon re-wrote the same five stories -compiled, as he mentions in his preface, from the early translation. All these versions, except that of 1790, have much literary merit, and they well deserve popularity. None of them, however, are suited for children; and it occurred to me, while reading the stories to my own little people, that if they were re-written in a simple style, and somewhat altered in general tone, they would form a delightful addition to our juvenile libraries. I have accordingly done my best to recast those that follow in this way; and I trust that my young readers will find some amusement in them for their winter evenings, as well as some of those good lessons which none of us can learn too soon or too well.

I have taken some liberties with parts of the original narrative, and also with certain features of Number Nip's character; but I trust that the stories as so altered will be found all the better suited for their intended purpose.

WALTER GRAHAME.

NOVEMBER 1880.

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MOUNTAINS.

UMBER NIP is a Great Spirit; and he is also a Great King.

The whole of the inside of the earth, down to its very centre, is his kingdom, and all the dwarfs and the fire spirits are his subjects. The dwarfs are ever working busily in their dark caverns making iron and copper, and gold and silver and diamonds, and all other beautiful gems; and, after making such things, they fill up the cracks and crannies of the rocks with them. The fire spirits are ever looking after the great fires which are down in the earth, stirring them up when

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