--to add to the mystery that he delighted to
create--he doggedly looked after himself. This spring belonged to a
substantial farmer in Bertsdorf, named _Michael Simon_, though called by
the people _Twirling-stick Mike_, in commemoration of his cutting down
yearly in his wood a handsome quantity of young trees, which he
afterwards manufactured into twirling-sticks. Simon not only was master
of a good farm, but proprietor likewise of the village tavern, in which
he gave a dance every Sunday, taking care to secure for the festivity
the services of Stringstriker, to whose fiddle, it was well known, the
lads and lasses invariably danced an hour longer than to that of any
other scraper in the country.

"The visits of Stringstriker to the well were a continual vexation to
the farmer. The Dwarf asked no man's permission to draw his water, but
helped himself as often and as liberally as he thought proper, without
the slightest regard to the wants of other people, which were often left
unsatisfied by his wantonness and extravagance. It was in consequence of
this audacious appropriation, that the spring by degrees acquired the
name of THE DWARF'S WELL. Countless were the complaints and menaces of
Mike--numberless the promised threshings, if he did not give up his
thieving; but the effect of them all upon Klaus was to make him laugh
outright, fill his pipe, and strike up a jolly tune upon his fiddle.

"Now it happened that Twirling-stick Mike held a christening, and he not
only asked the Dwarf as a guest to the feast, but actually went so far
as to invite the creature to stand godfather to his child. Klaus was
mightily pleased with the honour, and behaved like a gentleman on the
occasion. He made his godson a handsome present, and promised to do a
good deal more for him, stipulating only that the child, being a boy,
should be named Nicholas after himself.

"There was a merry party at the christening, and at first matters went
on smoothly and comfortably enough; but as the eating, and drinking, and
dancing advanced, quips and cranks became very plentiful, and the
greater number, as might be expected, were flung, and not very lightly,
at the head of poor Stringstriker. The fiddler for a time received his
cuffs very manfully--but they grew intolerable at last. First, his legs
were criticised--then his lank withered arms; even his fiddling was
disparaged, and he himself pronounced highly indecorous, because he
persisted in smoking hi