For centuries, these tales were passed down orally, and it wasn't until the 19th century that they were collected and written down: the legends of Lorelei, the giant Rübezahl, the beautiful Melusine, or the cruel Pied Piper of Hamelin, of Tannhäuser in the Venusberg, or of the White Horse Rider on the dike. Marjana Gaponenko has retold them for this volume. The selection of the fifty most beautiful German folk legends ranges from the Frisian "Klabautermann" to the Swiss "Tell," from the Swabian "Women of Weinsberg" to "Pumphut" from Vogtland. They tell stories of witches and dwarfs, of hidden treasures, and of people's desire to understand the often puzzling reality of life. All the legends have been vividly and expressively illustrated by Burkhard Neie, making them a delight to look at and reread!.