Marcella went, and my
mother-in-law soon disappeared in the forest, taking a direction quite
contrary to that in which the cottage stood, and leaving my father and
I, as it were, between her and Marcella. "About an hour afterwards we were startled by shrieks from the
cottage, evidently the shrieks of little Marcella. 'Marcella has burnt
herself, father,' said I, throwing down my spade. My father threw down
his, and we both hastened to the cottage. Before we could gain the
door, out darted a large white wolf, which fled with the utmost
celerity. My father had no weapon; he rushed into the cottage, and
there saw poor little Marcella expiring: her body was dreadfully
mangled, and the blood pouring from it had formed a large pool on the
cottage floor. My father's first intention had been to seize his gun
and pursue, but he was checked by this horrid spectacle; he knelt down
by his dying child, and burst into tears: Marcella could just look
kindly on us for a few seconds, and then her eyes were closed in
death. "My father and I were still hanging over my poor sister's body, when
my mother-in-law came in. At the dreadful sight she expressed much
concern, but she did not appear to recoil from the sight of blood, as
most women do. "'Poor child!' said she, 'it must have been that great white wolf
which passed me just now, and frightened me so--she's quite dead,
Krantz.' "I know it--I know it!' cried my father in agony. "I thought my father would never recover from the effects of this
second tragedy: he mourned bitterly over the body of his sweet child,
and for several days would not consign it to its grave, although
frequently requested by my mother-in-law to do so. At last he yielded,
and dug a grave for her close by that of my poor brother, and took
every precaution that the wolves should not violate her remains. "I was now really miserable, as I lay alone in the bed which I had
formerly shared with my brother and sister. I could not help thinking
that my mother-in-law was implicated in both their deaths, although I
could not account for the manner; but I no longer felt afraid of her:
my little heart was full of hatred and revenge. "The night after my sister had been buried, as I lay awake, I
perceived my mother-in-law get up and go out of the cottage. I waited
some time, then dressed myself, and looked out through the door, which
I half opened. The moon shone bright, and I could see the spot where
my brother and my sister had been buried; and what was my horror,
when I perceived my mother-in-law busily removing the stones from
Marcella's grave. "She was in her white night-dress, and the moon shone full upon her. She was digging with her hands, and throwing away the stones behind
her with all the ferocity of a wild beast. It was some time before
I could collect my senses and decide what I should do. At last, I
perceived that she had arrived at the body, and raised it up to the
side of the grave. I could bear it no longer; I ran to my father and
awoke him. "'Father! father!' cried I, 'dress yourself, and get your gun.' "'What!' cried my father, 'the wolves are there, are they?' "He jumped out of bed, threw on his clothes, and in his anxiety did
not appear to perceive the absence of his wife. As soon as he was
ready, I opened the door, he went out, and I followed him. "Imagine his horror, when (unprepared as he was for such a sight) he
beheld, as he advanced towards the grave, not a wolf, but his wife, in
her night-dress, on her hands and knees, crouching by the body of my
sister, and tearing off large pieces of the flesh, and devouring them
with all the avidity of a wolf. She was too busy to be aware of our
approach. My father dropped his gun, his hair stood on end; so did
mine; he breathed heavily, and then his breath for a time stopped. I
picked up the gun and put it into his hand. Suddenly he appeared as if
concentrated rage had restored him to double vigour; he levelled his
piece, fired, and with a loud shriek, down fell the wretch whom he had
fostered in his bosom. "'God of Heaven!' cried my father, sinking down upon the earth in a
swoon, as soon as he had discharged his gun. "I remained some time by his side before he recovered. 'Where am I?' said he, 'what has happened?--Oh!--yes, yes! I recollect now. Heaven
forgive me!' "He rose and we walked up to the grave; what again was our
astonishment and horror to find that instead of the dead body of my
mother-in-law, as we expected, there was lying over the remains of my
poor sister, a large, white she wolf. "'The white wolf!' exclaimed my father, 'the white wolf which decoyed
me into the forest--I see it all now--I have dealt with the spirits of
the Hartz Mountains.' "For some time my father remained in silence and deep thought. He then
carefully lifted up the body of my sister, replaced it in the grave,
and covered it over as before, having struck the head of the dead
animal with the heel of his boot, and raving like a madman. He walked
back to the cottage, shut the door, and threw himself on the bed; I
did the same, for I was in a stupor of amazement. "Early in the morning we were both roused by a loud knocking at the
door, and in rushed the hunter Wilfred. "'My daughter!--man--my daughter!--where is my daughter!' cried he in
a rage. "'Where the wretch, the fiend, should be, I trust,' replied my father,
starting up and displaying equal choler; 'where she should be--in
hell!--Leave this cottage or you may fare worse.' "'Ha--ha!' replied the hunter, 'would you harm a potent spirit of the
Hartz Mountains. Poor mortal, who must needs wed a weir wolf.' "'Out demon! I defy thee and thy power.' "'Yet shall you feel it; remember your oath--your solemn oath--never
to raise your hand against her to harm her.' "'I made no compact with evil spirits.' "'You did; and if you failed in your vow, you were to meet the
vengeance of the spirits. Your children were to perish by the vulture,
the wolf--'

"'Out, out, demon!' "'And their bones blanch in the wilderness. Ha!--ha!' "My father, frantic with rage, seized his axe, and raised it over
Wilfred's head to strike. "'All this I swear,' continued the huntsman, mockingly. "The axe descended; but it passed through the form of the hunter, and
my father lost his balance, and fell heavily on the floor. "'Mortal!' said the hunter, striding over my father's body, 'we have
power over those only who have committed murder. You have been guilty
of a double murder--you shall pay the penalty attached to your
marriage vow. Two of your children are gone; the third is yet to
follow--and follow them he will, for your oath is registered. Go--it
were kindness to kill thee--your punishment is--that you live!' "With these words the spirit disappeared. My father rose from the
floor, embraced me tenderly, and knelt down in prayer. "The next morning he quitted the cottage for ever. He took me with him
and bent his steps to Holland, where we safely arrived.