Theodor Storm. The Rain Maiden. Knecht Ruprecht and Little Hans

A startling journey into the depths of the eerie and mysterious underworld of the Rain Maiden, to defeat the malicious curse of the Fire Goblin and bring rain to a sun-drenched land, is dramatically presented in this magical tale for the young. Theodor Storm's deep attachment to folklore and legends is clearly presented in both the popular classic fairy tale The Rain Maiden (Die Regentrude) and in his widely acclaimed legendary narrative-verse poem Knecht Ruprecht. The full texts of both these works, the extraordinary world of the Rain Maiden and the centuries-old traditional tale for the family at Christmas, the legend of Saint Nicholas' evil companion, are presented in English for the first time. The delightful story for the very young, Little Hans (Der kleine Häwelmann), further enhances this short selection from Theodor Storm's best-loved tales.