art and part in his friend the musician’s cantrips. But the following night the churchyard troop behaved much worse than ever they had done; for though the piper’s music was not heard, yet they were seen dancing in the streets more furiously than ever, and, horrible to relate, the figures of all the young ladies of Neisse who were known to be betrothed at that time, were seen dancing along with them! Next morning Neisse was filled with lamentation and weeping, when it was discovered that all the maidens whose forms had been seen dancing with the spectres the preceding night, had been found lying dead in their beds. The citizens were now driven to despair, and resolved to encounter the wrath of their mayor rather than that of Master Wilibald. So they went in a body to their great man and told him in as plain terms as their language allowed, that he must fulfil the promise which he had made to the piper. The mayor still hesitated, but the citizens were imperious; and an unwilling consent having been drawn from the father’s lips to the marriage of his daughter to the young painter, the wedding was celebrated that very evening.
The marriage-guests had been assembled around the supper table for a considerable time, when the first stroke of eleven sounded in their ears, and immediately afterwards the distant notes of Wilibald’s bagpipe were heard approaching. With mingled fear and curiosity, in which however the latter feeling greatly predominated, they hastened to the windows and beheld the piper approaching followed by a long train of figures all arrayed in white shrouds. The fearful train drew nigh, and horrible to think, actually entered the bridal-hall, with their piper at their head, and mingled with the guests. A scene of fearful confusion ensued, for the living and dead tumbled over each other, in the alarm of the one and the confusion of the other; and many were preparing to leap from the windows in order to escape the dreadful society of sheeted ghosts, when a shout of joy resounded through the hall, and many of both parties were seen rushing into each
2 L 3
