The Headless Dwarfs
by Andrew Lang · from The Violet Fairy Book
Adapted Version
Hans is a clever boy. He is not scared of the dark. One day, he hears about a job. Nobody wants this job. It is in a big old church. A man in the village needs help. He needs someone to ring the big bells. It is dark and scary then. But Hans is brave.
Hans goes to the man. "I can do it!" says Hans. The man is happy. "Good," says the man. "You start tonight."
Hans goes to the kitchen. The man gives Hans a bowl of soup. Hans looks at the soup. He looks at the man. Hans smiles. "May I have a big bowl?" asks Hans. "I am very hungry." The man frowns. But he gives Hans a big bowl. Hans eats it all. It is very good soup.
It is time to ring the bells. Hans climbs the tall tower. It is very dark. He hears funny noises. Giggle, giggle. He sees tiny magical creatures. They are little folk. They hide and giggle. "Shoo! Go away!" says Hans. The little folk run down the stairs.
Hans climbs higher. He finds one small creature. It is hiding inside the big bell. The creature is scared. It is shaking. "Do not be scared," says Hans. The creature looks at Hans. "I won't hurt you." "Thank you!" it squeaks. "You are kind!"
Hans pulls the rope. DONG! DONG! DONG! The bells ring loud. Then Hans goes to sleep. He sleeps all morning. The man comes. "Wake up!" says the man. Hans yawns. "I work at night," says Hans. "I sleep in the day."
The man and Hans go on a trip. They walk to another village. Hans packs food in his bag. He has bread and cheese. Hans says, "When the sun sets, I stop walking."
It starts to snow! Big white snowflakes fall. The sun goes down. Hans stops. He sits under a big tree. He eats his food. The man has no food. The man must walk in the cold. The man keeps going. He is not happy.
At night, many little creatures come. They are the forest folk. They are angry. They stamp their feet. "Go away from our forest!" they shout. Hans is surrounded. He is not scared. He is calm.
Then the small creature runs in! "Stop! Stop!" it says. The forest folk listen. "This boy was kind to me!" they hear. "He was gentle." They calm down. They go away quietly.
The little creature sits by Hans. "Thank you for being kind," it squeaks. "I know a secret. There is a box of gold coins! It is in the church wall. But you must share some with people who need help."
"I will!" says Hans. "I promise."
Hans finds the gold coins! They are shiny and bright. He gives many coins to people. They are hungry and cold. Now they have food. They have warm coats. They smile. "Thank you, Hans!" they say. Hans says goodbye to the man.
Hans gets a little house. It has a garden with red flowers. He is happy. He is warm. He has a soft bed.
Hans was kind to someone small. And that kindness came back to help him. Remember — always be kind. Even to very small creatures. Be kind to everyone. You never know who helps you.
Original Story
THE HEADLESS DWARFS
There was once a minister who spent his whole time in trying to find
a servant who would undertake to ring the church bells at midnight, in
addition to all his other duties.
Of course it was not everyone who cared to get up in the middle of the
night, when he had been working hard all day; still, a good many had
agreed to do it. But the strange thing was that no sooner had the
servant set forth to perform his task than he disappeared, as if the
earth had swallowed him up. No bells were rung, and no ringer ever came
back. The minister did his best to keep the matter secret, but it leaked
out for all that, and the end of it was that no one would enter his
service. Indeed, there were even those who whispered that the minister
himself had murdered the missing men!
It was to no purpose that Sunday after Sunday the minister gave out from
his pulpit that double wages would be paid to anyone that would fulfil
the sacred duty of ringing the bells of the church. No one took the
slightest notice of any offer he might make, and the poor man was in
despair, when one day, as he was standing at his house door, a youth
known in the village as Clever Hans came up to him. ‘I am tired of
living with a miser who will not give me enough to eat and drink,’ said
he, ‘and I am ready to do all you want.’ ‘Very good, my son,’ replied
the minister, ‘you shall have the chance of proving your courage this
very night. To-morrow we will settle what your wages are to be.’
Hans was quite content with this proposal, and went straight into the
kitchen to begin his work, not knowing that his new master was quite
as stingy as his old one. In the hope that his presence might be a
restraint upon them, the minister used to sit at the table during his
servants’ meals, and would exhort them to drink much and often, thinking
that they would not be able to eat as well, and beef was dearer than
beer. But in Hans he had met his match, and the minister soon found to
his cost that in his case at any rate a full cup did not mean an empty
plate.
About an hour before midnight, Hans entered the church and locked
the door behind him, but what was his surprise when, in place of the
darkness and silence he expected, he found the church brilliantly
lighted, and a crowd of people sitting round a table playing cards. Hans
felt no fear at this strange sight, or was prudent enough to hide it if
he did, and, going up to the table, sat down amongst the players. One of
them looked up and asked, ‘My friend, what are you doing here?’ and Hans
gazed at him for a moment, then laughed and answered, ‘Well, if anybody
has a right to put that question, it is I! And if I do not put it, it
will certainly be wiser for you not to do so!’
Then he picked up some cards, and played with the unknown men as if
he had known them all his life. The luck was on his side, and soon the
money of the other gamblers found its way from their pockets into his.
On the stroke of midnight the cock crew, and in an instant lights,
table, cards, and people all had vanished, and Hans was left alone.
He groped about for some time, till he found the staircase in the tower,
and then began to feel his way up the steps.
On the first landing a glimmer of light came through a slit in the wall,
and he saw a tiny man sitting there, without a head. ‘Ho! ho! my little
fellow, what are you doing there?’ asked Hans, and, without waiting for
an answer, gave him a kick which sent him flying down the stairs. Then
he climbed higher still, and finding as he went dumb watchers sitting on
every landing, treated them as he had done the first.
At last he reached the top, and as he paused for a moment to look
round him he saw another headless man cowering in the very bell itself,
waiting till Hans should seize the bell-pull in order to strike him a
blow with the clapper, which would soon have made an end of him.
‘Stop, my little friend!’ cried Hans. ‘That is not part of the bargain!
Perhaps you saw how your comrades walked down stairs, and you are going
after them. But as you are in the highest place you shall make a more
dignified exit, and follow them through the window!’
With these words he began to climb the ladder, in order to take the
little man from the bell and carry out his threat.
At this the dwarf cried out imploringly, ‘Oh, brother! spare my life,
and I promise that neither I nor my comrades will ever trouble you any
more. I am small and weak, but who knows whether some day I shall not be
able to reward you.’
‘You wretched little shrimp,’ replied Hans, ‘a great deal of good
your gratitude is likely to do me! But as I happen to be feeling in a
cheerful mood to-night I will let you have your life. But take care how
you come across me again, or you may not escape so easily!’
The headless man thanked him humbly, slid hastily down the bell rope,
and ran down the steps of the tower as if he had left a fire behind him.
Then Hans began to ring lustily.
When the minister heard the sound of the midnight bells he wondered
greatly, but rejoiced that he had at last found some one to whom he
could trust this duty. Hans rang the bells for some time, then went to
the hay-loft, and fell fast asleep.
Now it was the custom of the minister to get up very early, and to go
round to make sure that the men were all at their work. This morning
everyone was in his place except Hans, and no one knew anything about
him. Nine o’clock came, and no Hans, but when eleven struck the minister
began to fear that he had vanished like the ringers who had gone before
him. When, however, the servants all gathered round the table for
dinner, Hans at last made his appearance stretching himself and yawning.
‘Where have you been all this time?’ asked the minister.
‘Asleep,’ said Hans.
‘Asleep!’ exclaimed the minister in astonishment. ‘You don’t mean to
tell me that you can go on sleeping till mid-day?’
‘That is exactly what I do mean,’ replied Hans. ‘If one works in the
night one must sleep in the day, just as if one works in the day one
sleeps in the night. If you can find somebody else to ring the bells at
midnight I am ready to begin work at dawn; but if you want me to ring
them I must go on sleeping till noon at the very earliest.’
The minister tried to argue the point with him, but at length the
following agreement was come to. Hans was to give up the ringing, and
was to work like the rest from sunrise to sunset, with the exception of
an hour after breakfast and an hour after dinner, when he might go to
sleep. ‘But, of course,’ added the minister carelessly, ‘it may happen
now and then, especially in winter, when the days are short, that you
will have to work a little longer, to get something finished.’
‘Not at all!’ answered Hans. ‘Unless I were to leave off work earlier
in summer, I will not do a stroke more than I have promised, and that is
from dawn to dark; so you know what you have to expect.’
A few weeks later the minister was asked to attend a christening in the
neighbouring town. He bade Hans come with him, but, as the town was only
a few hours’ ride from where he lived, the minister was much surprised
to see Hans come forth laden with a bag containing food.
‘What are you taking that for?’ asked the minister. ‘We shall be there
before dark.’
‘Who knows?’ replied Hans. ‘Many things may happen to delay our journey,
and I need not remind you of our contract that the moment the sun sets
I cease to be your servant. If we don’t reach the town while it is still
daylight I shall leave you to shift for yourself.’
The minister thought he was joking, and made no further remark. But when
they had left the village behind them, and had ridden a few miles, they
found that snow had fallen during the night, and had been blown by the
wind into drifts. This hindered their progress, and by the time they had
entered the thick wood which lay between them and their destination
the sun was already touching the tops of the trees. The horses ploughed
their way slowly through the deep soft snow and as they went Hans kept
turning to look at the sun, which lay at their backs.
‘Is there anything behind you?’ asked the minister. ‘Or what is it you
are always turning round for?’
‘I turn round because I have no eyes in the back of my neck,’ said Hans.
‘Cease talking nonsense,’ replied the minister, ‘and give all your mind
to getting us to the town before nightfall.’
Hans did not answer, but rode on steadily, though every now and then he
cast a glance over his shoulder.
When they arrived in the middle of the wood the sun sank altogether.
Then Hans reined up his horse, took his knapsack, and jumped out of the
sledge.
‘What are you doing? Are you mad?’ asked the minister, but Hans answered
quietly, ‘The sun is set and my work is over, and I am going to camp
here for the night.’
In vain the master prayed and threatened, and promised Hans a large
reward if he would only drive him on. The young man was not to be moved.
‘Are you not ashamed to urge me to break my word?’ said he. ‘If you want
to reach the town to-night you must go alone. The hour of my freedom has
struck, and I cannot go with you.’
‘My good Hans,’ entreated the minister, ‘I really ought not to leave
you here. Consider what danger you would be in! Yonder, as you see, a
gallows is set up, and two evil-doers are hanging on it. You could not
possibly sleep with such ghastly neighbours.’
‘Why not?’ asked Hans. ‘Those gallows birds hang high in the air, and
my camp will be on the ground; we shall have nothing to do with each
other.’ As he spoke, he turned his back on the minister, and went his
way.
There was no help for it, and the minister had to push on by himself, if
he expected to arrive in time for the christening. His friends were
much surprised to see him drive up without a coachman, and thought some
accident had happened. But when he told them of his conversation with
Hans they did not know which was the most foolish, master or man.
It would have mattered little to Hans had he known what they were saying
or thinking of him. He satisfied his hunger with the food he had in his
knapsack, lit his pipe, pitched his tent under the boughs of a tree,
wrapped himself in his furs, and went sound asleep. After some hours,
he was awakened by a sudden noise, and sat up and looked about him.
The moon was shining brightly above his head, and close by stood two
headless dwarfs, talking angrily. At the sight of Hans the little dwarfs
cried out:
‘It is he! It is he!’ and one of them stepping nearer exclaimed, ‘Ah,
my old friend! it is a lucky chance that has brought us here. My bones
still ache from my fall down the steps of the tower. I dare say you
have not forgotten that night! Now it is the turn of your bones. Hi!
comrades, make haste! make haste!’
Like a swarm of midges, a host of tiny headless creatures seemed to
spring straight out of the ground, and every one was armed with a club.
Although they were so small, yet there were such numbers of them and
they struck so hard that even a strong man could do nothing against
them. Hans thought his last hour was come, when just as the fight was at
the hottest another little dwarf arrived on the scene.
‘Hold, comrades!’ he shouted, turning to the attacking party. ‘This man
once did me a service, and I am his debtor. When I was in his power he
granted me my life. And even if he did throw you downstairs, well, a
warm bath soon cured your bruises, so you must just forgive him and go
quietly home.’
The headless dwarfs listened to his words and disappeared as suddenly as
they had come. As soon as Hans recovered himself a little he looked at
his rescuer, and saw he was the dwarf he had found seated in the church
bell.
‘Ah!’ said the dwarf, seating himself quietly under the tree. ‘You
laughed at me when I told you that some day I might do you a good turn.
Now you see I was right, and perhaps you will learn for the future not
to despise any creature, however small.’
‘I thank you from my heart,’ answered Hans. ‘My bones are still sore
from their blows, and had it not been for you I should indeed have fared
badly.’
‘I have almost paid my debt,’ went on the little man, ‘but as you have
suffered already, I will do more, and give you a piece of information.
You need not remain any longer in the service of that stingy minister,
but when you get home to-morrow go at once to the north corner of the
church, and there you will find a large stone built into the wall, but
not cemented like the rest. The day after to-morrow the moon is full,
and at midnight you must go to the spot and get the stone out of the
wall with a pickaxe. Under the stone lies a great treasure, which has
been hidden there in time of war. Besides church plate, you will find
bags of money, which have been lying in this place for over a hundred
years, and no one knows to whom it all belongs. A third of this money
you must give to the poor, but the rest you may keep for yourself.’ As
he finished, the cocks in the village crowed, and the little man was
nowhere to be seen. Hans found that his limbs no longer pained him, and
lay for some time thinking of the hidden treasure. Towards morning he
fell asleep.
The sun was high in the heavens when his master returned from the town.
‘Hans,’ said he, ‘what a fool you were not to come with me yesterday! I
was well feasted and entertained, and I have money in my pocket into the
bargain,’ he went on, rattling some coins while he spoke, to make Hans
understand how much he had lost.
‘Ah, sir,’ replied Hans calmly, ‘in order to have gained so much money
you must have lain awake all night, but I have earned a hundred times
that amount while I was sleeping soundly.’
‘How did you manage that?’ asked the minister eagerly, but Hans
answered, ‘It is only fools who boast of their farthings; wise men take
care to hide their crowns.’
They drove home, and Hans neglected none of his duties, but put up the
horses and gave them their food before going to the church corner, where
he found the loose stone, exactly in the place described by the dwarf.
Then he returned to his work.
The first night of the full moon, when the whole village was asleep, he
stole out, armed with a pickaxe, and with much difficulty succeeded in
dislodging the stone from its place. Sure enough, there was the hole,
and in the hole lay the treasure, exactly as the little man had said.
The following Sunday he handed over the third part to the village poor,
and informed the minister that he wished to break his bond of
service. As, however, he did not claim any wages, the minister made no
objections, but allowed him to do as he wished. So Hans went his way,
bought himself a large house, and married a young wife, and lived
happily and prosperously to the end of his days.
(Ehstnische Marchen.)
Story DNA
Moral
Kindness, even to the seemingly insignificant, can bring unexpected rewards, and wit often triumphs over brute force or stinginess.
Plot Summary
A stingy minister seeks a servant to ring church bells at midnight, a task from which all previous servants have vanished. Clever Hans takes the job, outwitting the minister's miserly ways and encountering mysterious card players and headless dwarfs in the church tower, one of whom he spares. Later, Hans asserts his right to rest and refuses to work past sunset, leaving the minister stranded. Attacked by the dwarfs in the woods, Hans is saved by the dwarf he previously spared, who reveals a hidden treasure. Hans unearths the treasure, shares it, leaves the minister's service, and lives a prosperous life, proving that kindness and wit lead to fortune.
Themes
Emotional Arc
struggle to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects common folk beliefs about hidden treasures, supernatural encounters, and the value of cleverness in overcoming social hierarchies or difficult masters. The 'gallows' reference grounds it in a pre-modern legal system.
Plot Beats (15)
- A minister needs a servant to ring church bells at midnight, but all previous servants disappear.
- Clever Hans, tired of his old miserly master, takes the job with the minister.
- Hans outsmarts the minister's attempts to feed him poorly, showing his wit.
- On his first night, Hans finds card players in the church, wins their money, and they vanish at midnight.
- Hans climbs the bell tower, kicking several headless dwarfs down the stairs.
- Hans finds a final headless dwarf in the bell, about to attack him, but spares its life after it begs for mercy.
- Hans rings the bells, then sleeps until noon, insisting on his right to rest after night work, much to the minister's dismay.
- Hans and the minister travel for a christening; Hans packs food, stating he will stop working at sunset.
- Snow delays their journey, and Hans stops working exactly at sunset, leaving the minister to continue alone.
- Hans camps in the woods and is attacked by a swarm of headless dwarfs.
- The dwarf Hans spared intervenes, stopping the attack and reminding the others of Hans's kindness.
- The grateful dwarf tells Hans about a hidden treasure in the church wall, instructing him to share a third with the poor.
- Hans returns home, calmly tells the minister he earned more sleeping than the minister did traveling.
- Hans finds the treasure, gives a third to the poor, and leaves the minister's service.
- Hans buys a house, marries, and lives happily and prosperously.
Characters
Clever Hans ★ protagonist
Strong, capable, not easily intimidated
Attire: Simple peasant clothing suitable for farm work, perhaps a tunic and breeches of coarse cloth. Carries a knapsack.
Clever, courageous, resourceful
Image Prompt & Upload
A young man in his early twenties with bright curious eyes and a clever, mischievous smile. He has tousled light brown hair beneath a worn green felt hat. He wears a simple peasant outfit consisting of a loose white linen shirt with rolled-up sleeves, brown leather suspenders over tan trousers, and sturdy scuffed boots. A small leather pouch hangs from his belt. He stands confidently with one hand on his hip and the other holding a wooden walking stick over his shoulder. His posture is relaxed yet alert, suggesting quick wit and resourcefulness. He has rosy cheeks, a slightly sun-kissed complexion, and a friendly open expression that hints at intelligence and charm. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature
The Minister ◆ supporting
Anxious, somewhat stingy, easily flustered
Attire: Clerical robes appropriate to his station, likely dark and somewhat worn.
Stingy, somewhat foolish, easily manipulated
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged man with a calm, dignified expression, wearing a black clerical suit with a white collar. He holds a large, leather-bound book against his chest with both hands. His posture is upright and composed, standing steadily. He has short, neatly combed gray hair and a trimmed beard. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Headless Dwarf (Bell Ringer) ◆ supporting
Tiny, headless, initially hostile but capable of gratitude
Attire: Unspecified, but likely simple clothing appropriate for a small, subterranean creature.
Initially hostile, vengeful, ultimately grateful
Image Prompt & Upload
A stout, headless figure with a broad, muscular build typical of a dwarf, standing firmly on sturdy legs. He wears a brown leather tunic over a rough-spun shirt, belted at the waist with a thick belt from which hangs a small bell. His thick arms are raised, one hand gripping the rope of a large brass bell suspended above him, as if in mid-swing. The neck area is smoothly severed, with no head present, and the clothing is neatly tailored around the collar. His posture is dynamic, leaning slightly back with effort, conveying a sense of purpose. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Headless Dwarfs (Attackers) ⚔ antagonist
Tiny, headless, numerous, armed with clubs
Attire: Unspecified, but likely simple clothing appropriate for small, subterranean creatures.
Vengeful, aggressive, easily swayed by their comrade
Image Prompt & Upload
A group of four squat, muscular dwarf-like creatures with no heads, their necks ending in ragged, glowing stumps of light. They wear mismatched, crude armor of dark iron and rusted leather, spiked pauldrons and thick gauntlets. Each holds a different crude weapon—a jagged axe, a spiked club, a barbed mace, a serrated sword. They are in aggressive, crouching postures, leaning forward as if about to charge, their headless forms angled toward the viewer. Their bodies are pale grey, with visible seams and stitches, suggesting reanimated or constructed beings. An eerie, faint luminescence pulses from their neck stumps. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Church Interior
Brilliantly lighted, with people sitting around a table playing cards.
Mood: eerie, surreal, festive
Hans encounters the card-playing ghosts and wins their money.
Image Prompt & Upload
A grand, vaulted cathedral interior bathed in brilliant, ethereal light streaming through enormous stained-glass windows. The light casts vibrant, shifting patterns of ruby red, sapphire blue, and emerald green across the polished stone floor and towering marble columns. At the center, an ornate, empty wooden table sits beneath a magnificent rose window, its surface dappled with color. Dust motes dance in the luminous shafts of light. The atmosphere is serene, sacred, and quietly magical, with intricate carved details on the pews and arches catching the glow. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
Church Tower Staircase
Dark staircase with landings, slits in the wall letting in light.
Mood: eerie, suspenseful
Hans kicks the headless dwarfs down the stairs.
Image Prompt & Upload
A tall medieval church tower spiral staircase, late afternoon golden light streaming through narrow arrow slits, illuminating dust motes in the air. Worn stone steps spiral upwards around a central pillar, cool grey stone walls with patches of damp moss. Deep shadows in the corners, warm light highlighting the texture of the ancient masonry. A single Gothic arch doorway on a landing reveals a glimpse of a cloudy sky. Atmospheric, mysterious, and ancient. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Church Bell
The very top of the church tower, containing the bell itself.
Mood: dangerous, tense
Hans confronts the dwarf in the bell and spares his life.
Image Prompt & Upload
Misty dawn light filters through Gothic stone arches at the pinnacle of an ancient church tower. The great bronze bell, green with verdigris, hangs silent in its oak yoke, its surface catching the first pale gold rays of sunrise. Dew glistens on weathered gargoyles and intricate stone carvings. Below, a sea of mist blankets the sleeping village rooftops, with only the tallest spires piercing the soft white veil. The air is cool and still, with a hint of distant woodsmoke. Cobblestone walkways wrap the tower's base, leading to a small, weathered door. Moss clings to the northern stones, and a single, hardy vine climbs toward the belfry. The palette is muted stone grey, aged bronze, and soft dawn blues and golds. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Gallows at Night
A gallows with two evil-doers hanging on it, under a bright moon.
Mood: foreboding, dangerous
Hans is attacked by the headless dwarfs but saved by the dwarf from the bell.
Image Prompt & Upload
A weathered wooden gallows stands stark on a barren hill under a luminous full moon. Thick hemp ropes dangle empty from the crossbeam, their frayed ends stirring in a cold, whispering wind. The moonlight casts long, sharp shadows across the dry, cracked earth, illuminating the splintered grain of the timbers and the rust on a discarded iron chain. In the distance, a silhouette of dead, twisted trees claw at the starless, indigo sky. The air feels heavy and still, with a palette of desaturated blues, grays, and deep blacks. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
North Corner of the Church
A large stone built into the wall, but not cemented like the rest.
Mood: secretive, hopeful
Hans finds the hidden treasure.
Image Prompt & Upload
Dusk settles over the ancient stone church, the north corner bathed in the last deep blue light of twilight. A massive, rough-hewn stone sits conspicuously in the weathered grey wall, its edges not meeting the mortar like the others. It appears deliberately placed, slightly protruding, with delicate trails of ivy and deep green moss clinging to its shaded sides. The surrounding stonework is uniform and solemn, but this singular block seems older, imbued with a silent, watchful presence. A single, faint beam of dying sunlight catches its upper edge, casting a long, dramatic shadow and hinting at a subtle, inner luminescence within the stone's grain. The air is still and cool, the atmosphere thick with quiet mystery and forgotten history. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
