ng, "catch the
child and come and stop this wench's mouth." Haennchen looked around
for the person thus addressed, but no one was in sight. A moment later,
however, Diether sprang up from a ditch, seized the frightened boy,
and ran back toward the mill. The girl had but little time in which to
decide on a course of action. If she barricaded herself in the mill,
might not the ruffian slay the child? On the other hand, if she waited
to meet him, she had no assurance that he would not kill them both. So
she retired to the mill, locked the door, and awaited what fate had in
store for her. In vain the robber threatened to kill the child and burn
the mill over her head if she would not open to him at once. Seeing that
his threats had no effect, he cast about for some means of entering the
mill. His quick eye noted one unprotected point, an opening in the wall
connected with the big mill-wheel, a by no means easy mode of ingress.
But, finding no other way, he threw the frightened child on the grass
and slipped through the aperture.

Meanwhile Haennchen, who from the position of her upper window could not
see what was going on, was pondering how she could attract the attention
of the miller or any of their neighbours. At last she hit upon a plan.

It was Sunday and the mill was at rest. If she were to set the machinery
in motion, the unusual sight of a mill at work on the day of rest would
surely point to some untoward happening. Hardly had the idea entered her
head ere the huge sails were revolving. At that very moment Diether
had reached the interior of the great drum-wheel, and his surprise and
horror were unbounded when it commenced to rotate. It was useless to
attempt to stop the machinery; useless, also, to appeal to Haennchen.
Round and round he went, till at last he fell unconscious on the
bottom of the engine, and still he went on rotating. As Haennchen had
anticipated, the miller and his family were vastly astonished to see the
mill in motion, and hastened home from church to learn the reason for
this departure from custom. Some of their neighbours accompanied them.
In a few words Haennchen told them all that had occurred; then her
courage forsook her and she fainted in the arms of the miller's eldest
son, who had long been in love with her, and whom she afterward married.

The robbers were taken in chains to Bonn, where for their many crimes
they suffered the extreme penalty of the law.

Rosebach and its Legend