Rübezahl

A famous mountain gnome of Germany. He dwelt in the Riesengebirge, or Giant Mountains, between Silesia and Bohemia. According to legend, he abducted a princess and in order to please her, planted a big field with turnips (Rüben). She asked him to count (zählen) the turnips, and while he was thus occupied, she escaped; hence his ironic name, Rübezahl.

❧