elf and thy
nobler part--in this thou needest no counsel.

THE COLD HEART

INTRODUCTION

WILHELM HAUFF

Wilhelm Hauff was born on the 29th November, 1802, at Stuttgart, and
died in the same town on the 18th November, 1827, within a few days of
completing his twenty-fifth year.

Losing his father when but six years of age, he was placed in the care
of his grandfather in Tuebingen, and was later sent to a convent school
at Blaubeuren. Returning to Tuebingen, he devoted four years, 1820-24,
to the study of theology, and was appointed tutor to the family of
Baron von Huegel in Stuttgart.

It was at this time that Hauff began his remarkable literary career
with the publication in November, 1825, of his "Fairy Tale Annual for
1826." The years 1826 and 1827 saw the appearance of two succeeding
annuals of fairy stories, which were everywhere received with the most
enthusiastic admiration.

Hauff's productivity was truly amazing; in four years he wrote, besides
the fairy-tales, poems, short stories, fantasies satirical and
humourous, and the classic novel "Lichtenstein," all of which have
gained an enduring place in German literature.

Returning from a journey through France, Holland and North Germany,
Hauff was appointed to the literary editorship of the "Morgenblatt," a
position which enabled him to marry, the wedding taking place in
Noerdlingen, on the 13th February, 1827.

Hauff's journalistic duties did not interfere with his activity in
other spheres of literary work. In this last year of his short life he
continued to produce short stories and fantasies, his experiences while
on his travels furnishing him with plenty of material. Indeed, it was
while on a journey that he wrote the second "Fairy-tale Annual."

Shortly after his marriage he set himself to the composition of his
third a final "Annual"--the connecting story of which is entitled "The
Inn in Spessart," and in which occurs the story of "The Cold Heart," a
new translation of which is published in the present volume.

Hauff's brilliant career was now drawing to a close. The last work to
proceed from his pen was the playful fantasy, "Phantasien im Bremer
Ratskeller." Early in November, 1827, a daughter was born to him; but
he was already suffering from an attack of typhoid fever, to which he
succumbed on the 18th day of the same month.

Notwithstandi