The Alraun

: Folk-lore And Legends: German

It is a well-known tradition near Magdeburg, that when a man who is a

thief by inheritance,--that is to say, whose father and grandfather

and great-grandfather before him, three generations of his family,

have been thieves; or whose mother has committed a theft, or been

possessed with an intense longing to steal something at the time

immediately preceding his birth; it is the tradition that if such a

man should be hang d, at the foot of the gallows whereon his last

breath was exhaled will spring up a plant of hideous form known as the

Alraun or Gallows Mannikin. It is an unsightly object to look at, and

has broad, dark green leaves, with a single yellow flower. The plant,

however, has great power, and whosoever is its possessor never more

knows what it is to want money.



It is a feat full of the greatest danger to obtain it. If not taken up

from the root, clean out of the soil, it is altogether valueless, and

he who makes the experiment wantonly risks his life. The moment the

earth is struck with the spade, the bitterest cries and shrieks burst

forth from it, and while the roots are being laid bare demons are

heard to howl in horrid concert. When the preparatory work is done,

and when the hand of the daring man is laid on the stem to pluck forth

his prize, then is it as if all the fiends of hell were let loose upon

him, such shrieking, such howling, such clanging of chains, such

crashing of thunder, and such flashing of forked lightning assail him

on every side. If his heart fail him but for one moment his life is

forfeit. Many a bold heart engaged in this trial has ceased to beat

under the fatal tree; many a brave man's body has been found mangled

and torn to pieces on that accursed spot.



There is, however, happily, only one day in the month, the first

Friday, on which this plant appears, and on the night of that day only

may it be plucked from its hiding-place. The way it is done is this.

Whoso seeks to win it fasts all day. At sundown he sets forth on his

fearful adventure, taking with him a coal-black hound, which has not a

single fleck of white on its whole body, and which he has compelled

likewise to fast for four-and-twenty hours previously. At midnight he

takes his stand under the gallows, and there stuffs his ears with wool

or wax, so that he may hear nothing. As the dread hour arrives, he

stoops down and makes three crosses over the Alraun, and then

commences to dig for the roots in a perfect circle around it. When he

has laid it entirely bare, so that it only holds to the ground by the

points of its roots, he calls the hound to him, and ties the plant to

its tail. He then shows the dog some meat, which he flings to a short

distance from the spot. Ravenous with hunger, the hound springs after

it, dragging the plant up by the root, but before he can reach the

tempting morsel he is struck dead as by some invisible hand.



The adventurer, who all the while stood by the plant to aid in its

uprooting should the strength of the animal prove insufficient, then

rushes forward, and, detaching it from the body of the dead hound,

grasps it firmly in both hands. He then wraps it up carefully in a

silken cloth, first, however, washing it well in red wine, and then

bears it homeward. The hound is buried in the spot whence the Alraun

has been extracted.



On reaching home the man deposits his treasure in a strong chest, with

three locks, and only visits it every first Friday in the month, or,

rather, after the new moon. On these occasions he again washes it with

red wine, and enfolds it afresh in a clean silken cloth of white and

red colours.



If he has any question to ask, or any request to make, he then puts

the one or proffers the other. If he wish to know of things in the

future, the Alraun will tell him truly, but he will only get one

answer in the moon, and nothing else will be done for him by the

plant. If he desire to obtain some substantial favour, he has it

performed for him on making his request, but then the Alraun will

answer no inquiries as to the future until the next day of visitation

shall arrive.



Whoso has this wonder of the world in his possession can never take

harm from his foes, and never sustain any loss. If he be poor, he at

once becomes rich. If his marriage be unblest by offspring, he at once

has children.



If a piece of gold be laid beside the Alraun at night, it is found to

be doubled in the morning, and so on for any sum whatsoever, but never

has it been known to be increased more than two pieces for each one.



On the demise of the owner only a youngest son can inherit the Alraun.

To inherit it effectually he must place a loaf of white bread and a

piece of money in the coffin of his father, to be buried along with

his corpse. If he fail to do so, then is the possession, like many

others of great name in the world, of no value to him. Should,

however, the youngest son fail before the father, then the Alraun

rightfully belongs to the eldest, but he must also place bread and

money in the coffin of his brother, as well as in that of his father,

to inherit it to any purpose.