Plight of the Lutzelfrau

By Sylvia Rose

The Lutzelfrau, also known as the Christmas witch, appears on December 13 to dole out nuts and candy. Her tradition has been replaced with that of St. Lucy. At one time, Dec 13 was celebrated as the shortest day of the year, which changed in the 16th century with use of the Gregorian calendar.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sylvia Rose
• Release date: Apr 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215892121

Sylvia Rose

Hello from Canada! My stories and books are inspired by Germanic history, myth and magic. Being first generation Canadian with German heritage I also heard many fascinating tales growing up. You'll find plenty in the Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series. And, just finished Reiker For Hire, a thrilling Victorian detective crime novella trilogy.In process is a Bronze Age adventure Cult of the Fire God, in which heroine Kah'ni must leave her northern European home near the Baltic. She journeys south in a desperate quest to find her sister Shana. Hit the image link below to learn more.Visit me on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/SylviaRoseBooks/My other links are below.Click any book cover to go to the work and read a free sample! My books are always free for libraries from the Smashwords site.Be sure to peruse my blog, link below, where I post background information and reading for my novels & novellas, everything from common herbs to magic and spiritual beliefs, everyday life, natural health of ancients, gemstones, trade routes and trade goods, mythology, rituals, sacrificial rites and thriving urban centers from Neolithic, Bronze Age; German myths and history, beliefs and practices.Enjoy.

Book preview

PLIGHT of the LUTZELFRAU

from

Lora Ley – Book Six – Winter Tales

Copyright 2023 Sylvia Rose, Smashwords Edition

all rights reserved

Distributed by Smashwords

Reproduction of this work in whole or in part in any manner without express written consent is prohibited

PLIGHT of the LUTZELFRAU

A Lora Ley Novella

Table of Contents

Foreword

Plight of the Lutzelfrau

About the Author

Other Books by Sylvia Rose

Lora Ley – Book One – Secrets of the Nyx

Lora Ley – Book Two – Nibelung

Lora Ley – Book Three – The Swan Maidens

Lora Ley – Book Four – Poltergeist

Lora Ley – Book Five – The Corn Spirits

Lora Ley – Book Six – Winter Tales

The Wild Hunt – a Lora Ley novella

Reiker For Hire – a Lora Ley novella

Feast of Fools – a Lora Ley novella

Gypsy Violin

Reiker For Hire Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries

FOREWORD

Before Christianity, Germanic festivities were those of Yuletide. The Twelve Days, evergreen tree, holly, ivy, mistletoe; gifts of nuts, candy and fruit; and of course the Yule log survive the centuries, assimilated over time into the Christmas traditions of Germany and other parts of Europe.

The festival of the ancient deity Perchta falls on Jan 5 or 6, which later became Twelfth Night. As a patron of spinning and weaving, she visits households to ensure the children and servants had worked hard all year. She also checks to be sure no one spins, sews or weaves during her festive days. Her punishment can be lethal.

Once, the shortest day of the year fell on Dec 13, marking the solstice. With the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in the sixteenth century, dates changed and the shortest day fell on 21 December, when we now celebrate winter solstice.

Starting in early November and continuing into the new year, Karneval festivities erupt throughout Europe. In Germany they finish on Fat Thursday in February. In the French tradition it's Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras. That's the time to eat all the food, especially meat, left in overwinter storage, as the days warm up and natural refrigeration fails.

Karneval brings parades, processions, dance, shamanism, masks and costumes, and noise to scare away negative energies. The origins of Karneval are ancient. On long winter nights, malevolent spirits and the undead are thought to walk among the living. Some can kill with a cold touch. Others can suck out one's life essence, or drag the victim away to consume at leisure. They can bring curses, blights, famine and illness.

Best to drive them off, or protect oneself if possible. A number of charms and spells have protection properties. Are they strong enough to counter evil as it creeps through shadows, lurks in forests, scratches at windows and winds dark fingers into the mind?

When a Doppelgänger appears in the quiet town of Mittelstadt, Lora Ley and Wolf become targets of attack. Crisis reaches epic proportions as the fate of deities depends on a little old lady with a vague concept of reality. Madness and mayhem ensue, and the battle of good vs bad blasts into action.

PLIGHT of the LUTZELFRAU

For heaven's sake, Mother, said Paul, you can't get married again. You're eighty-eight years old!

You've already had four husbands, said his half-sister Angela.

You're a great-great-grandmother, said their half-brother Jan.

Edna patted his cheek. And I'll make a great great wife. She sipped mulled wine and smiled.

How much wine have you had? said her fourth husband's daughter Leona.

Enough so I can still smile. She got to her feet and picked up her cane. If that's all, I'll take my leave.

Paul stood up. He was head and shoulders taller than she. You can't leave, he said.

I certainly shall if I wish.

Mother, said Angela, this is your house.

Well … she gestured with her cane. I'm going for a walk. Be gone when I return, else I'll release the snakes.

Leona and Jan leapt to their feet. Snakes?

She doesn't have snakes, said Paul.

Edna shrugged her tiny frame into her thick winter cloak, and tucked her snow white hair into a knit hat with long ear flaps, and put up her hood. Her blue eyes gleamed ice cold from the warm depths. Poison frogs, then. Just get out of my house. Darn kids.

I'm sixty four, said Paul.

Don't care. You're still a snot-nosed brat.

Angela gasped. Mother, how can you say such things?

You make it easy. Sometimes I wonder if I'm really your mother.

Sometimes you don't recognize us, said Jan.

That would explain it, then. She put her muff on one hand and made her way into the foyer. The door bell tinkled. They went to the big bay window and watched as she walked unhurried along the narrow street, a small, bulky, dark figure meandering through the bright afternoon chill. A horse and buggy went by, wheels crunching on snow.

Her breath fogged out and her nose hairs froze. Last night had brought the first blizzard of the year. Now temperatures dropped and snow lay sparkling over rooftops, tree branches and fields. The breeze nipped her cheeks apple red. She walked past the houses leading out of town. Her cane gripped the ground well. Music came from far away. She went towards it.

Really, said Jan as he helped Angela with her winter cloak, someone should go with her. What if she starts wandering again?

She doesn't want us to go with her, said Leona. She wants us to go away. Her own children. She put a hand to her head. It's just so hard.

And she lives in this old house all alone, said Paul. Not even a butler or cook. She can well afford servants.

What if she takes a fall? said Angela.

What if she forgets who she is? Jan wrapped a scarf around his neck.

Remember the time she barricaded herself in here? said Leona. She thought we were asylum workers coming to get her. She shook her head. It's just so hard.

We ought to send her to an asylum. Paul put on his winter gloves. Imagine getting married at eighty-eight? Who's the lucky fellow? She didn't say.

Probably some guy half her age who's using her for her money. Jan got into his heavy wool coat. He and Paul went out to get the buggy as the ladies finished arranging their hats.

We should meet him, said Paul. Just to be sure he checks out. For all we know, Mother's already signed her estate over to him.

"Would she