John Kreutzer read a fascinating old German folklore story “The Christmas Fairy of Strasburg”. A tale about handsome Count Otto who remained unwed and didn’t cast a glance at the fair maidens. By chance one Christmas Eve he went on a ride to a bubbly spring known as the “Fairy Well”. “He put his hands into the warm and delightfully caressing water even though it was quite cold outside. He felt a glow of joy pass through his veins, and, as he plunges his hands deeper, he fancied that his right hand was grasped by another, soft and small, which gently slipped from his finger the gold ring he always wore.  And lo! when he drew out his hand, the gold ring was gone.”
 

“Suddenly he heard the hoarse baying of the watch-hounds in the courtyard, and then the creaking of the drawbridge, as though it were being lowered. Then came to his ear the patter of many small feet on the stone staircase, and next he heard indistinctly the sound of light footsteps in the chamber adjoining his own.”

“Count Otto sprang from his couch, and as he did so there sounded a strain of delicious music, and the door of his chamber was flung open. Hurrying into the next room, he found himself in the midst of numberless Fairy beings, clad in gay and sparkling robes. They paid no heed to him, but began to dance, and laugh, and sing, to the sound of mysterious music.”