Of the Earthly Spirits or

earth, and they have all temporal things they need and desire. They are called by the common man Schrötlein little cutters/gnomes or Bergmänlin little mountain men, but by their true name they are called Sylphes sylphs or Pygmenes pygmies. They are not spirits like other spirits, but are to be reckoned equal to spirits in all capability and art. Yet they have flesh and blood like us humans, which no true spirit otherwise has. As Christ said to his disciples, when he went in to them through a locked door and they were very frightened, and said: Touch me, a spirit has no flesh nor bone as I have. Thereby he gives us to understand that a true spirit has no flesh nor bone or blood, but in its essence is to be reckoned like air or wind. That has now been explained here, and nothing more is said of this mystery. But to speak of these people, you should know that they are also not spirits, but are to be reckoned equal to spirits. But if they must be called spirits, one may call them earthly spirits, because they have their Chaos primordial space and dwelling under the earth, and not like the other true spirits in air and wind. Therefore, the? earthly spirits are particularly numerous. They hear and sense where certain? treasures lie hidden, and also where rich good ore of silver and gold exists. For in that they have their pleasure and joy; they guard it and do not like to let it go, as the miners have had much experience of them. They are also much hindered and harassed by them in many ways and manners, sometimes pursued, beaten, or thrown by them. On the other hand, they also show great benefits. They announce to one the? death, in such a way that, where one hears knocking, for the first, second, and third time, in the same place it signifies the death of the miner who has his work there. Either he will be covered by the mountain or otherwise lose his life. That is now a certain experience among the miners, and the experts in mining pay great heed to such things. They are also? the? meanest spirits above all others, who are not devils and? yet? hostile? when they wish to be evil. Thus, there is also a great difference between the Teuffel devil and these. For the devil does not die, whereas these do die. Therefore, they lack reasons?, that is, that? they die off after a long life, otherwise