In which there's another charming little story of farm magic

I'd never heard of a Nis who follows a particular animal from place-to-place, which made this story even more charming.

The Nis and the Mare (Sweden)

There was once a family who had a very fine mare, who had for many years gone, like an heirloom, from mother to daughter, because there was a Nis attached to her which brought luck to the place.

This Nis was so fond of the mare that he could hardly endure to let any mud or wet stay upon her in the stable at night, and would come himself every evening to brush her and bring her a sack of the very best feed, which he gave to her and to all the other animals on the farm and so all on that farm prospered under his care.

In time, the farm passed into the hands of a new owner, who refused to put any faith in what they told him about the mare, and he sold the mare to a poor neighbor down the road.  Within five days of his purchase, the poor farmer with the mare found his luck improved, while the income of the other fell away fast as a stone.

If now the man who had gotten the mare had only known how to be quiet and enjoy his luck, he and his children and their children after would be in flourishing circumstances until this very day.  But when he saw the quantity of good feed which came mysteriously each night into his barn, he could not resist his desire to get a sight of the Nis.

He concealed himself one evening in the stable, and at midnight he saw for himself how the Nis came and brought a sackful of feed with him.  And, as he saw the Nis, the Nis also saw him. 

With evident marks of grief, the little Nis gave the mare her food for the last time, and brushed her and combed her mane, and when he had done, turned around three times and bid her farewell.

From that day forward, the man with the mare was no luckier than any other, for each now kept his own without the help of a Nis.

image by Lennert Helje