The Land Beyond the Forest: Facts, Figures, and Fancies from TransylvaniaGerard, E. (Emily)
History
The Land Beyond the Forest: Facts, Figures, and Fancies from Transylvania
Gerard, E. (Emily)
Transylvania (Romania) -- Description and travel
Sometimes the power of finding a particular treasure is supposed
only to be possessed by members of some particular family. A curious
instance of this was lately recorded in Roumania, relating to an old
ruined convent, where, according to a popular legend, a large sum of
gold is concealed. A deputation of peasants, at considerable trouble
and expense, found out the last surviving member of the family supposed
to possess the mystic power, and offered him unconditionally a very
handsome sum merely for the benefit of his personal attendance on the
spot. The gentleman in question being old, and probably sceptical,
declined the offer, to the peasants’ great disappointment.
There is hardly a ruin, mountain, or forest in Transylvania which has
not got some legend of a hidden treasure attached to it. These are
often supposed to be guarded by some animal, as a serpent, turkey,
dog, or pig; or sometimes the devil himself, in the shape of a black
buffalo, haunts the place at night and carries off those who attempt
to raise the treasure. Out of the many such tales there afloat I shall
here quote only a few, which have been collected and written down from
the words of old villagers in different places:
THE TREASURE OF DARIUS
is one of the principal treasures supposed to be somewhere concealed
on Transylvanian ground. It is said to be of immense value, and is
believed to have been secreted when the Persian king was compelled to
fly before the Scythian forces; but opinions are divided as to the
exact locality where it lies. One version, which places the treasure
in a forest in the neighborhood of Hamlesch, relates of it that fifty
years ago a poor German workman, sleeping in the forest one night,
discovered the treasure, and being versed in the formalities to be
observed on such occasions, laid upon it some article of clothing
marked with his name in token of taking possession. Then, as he did not
trust the country people, he went off to Germany to fetch his relations
to assist him in raising the treasure. But, hardly arrived at his
house, he fell ill and died; and though on his death-bed he exactly
described the place where he had seen the gold, and gave directions for
finding it, his relations were never able to hit upon the place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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