Francis, having sense enough to discover his roguery, answered him by saying: “The spirit resembled a man wearing a red cloak; you know full well how he performed the operation; and his conversation I perfectly remember;—listen attentively:—‘Stranger,’ said he to me, ‘do not trust to a certain inn-keeper, who has a figure of malice for his sign; the rogue well knew what would happen to you.—Adieu! I now quit this abode, as my time is come; and in future no spirit will make its appearance here. I am now to be transformed into a night-mare, and shall constantly torment and haunt this said inn-keeper, unless he does penance for his villainy, by lodging, feeding, and furnishing you with every thing needful, till your hair shall grow again, and fall in ringlets over your shoulders.”
At these words, the landlord was seized with a violent trembling: he crossed himself and vowed to the Virgin Mary, that he would take care of the young stranger, lodge him, and give him every thing he required free of cost. He then conducted him to his house, and faithfully fulfilled what he promised.
The spirit being no longer heard or seen, Francis was naturally looked on as a conjurer. He several times passed a night in the castle; and one evening a courageous villager accompanied him, and returned without having lost his hair. The lord of the castle, hearing that the formidable Red Cloak was no longer to be seen, was quite delighted; and gave orders that the stranger who had delivered him from this spirit should be well taken care of.
Early in the month of September, Francis’s hair began to form into ringlets, and he prepared to depart; for all his thoughts were directed towards the bridge over the Weser, where he hoped, according to the barber’s predictions, to find the friend who would point out to him the way to make his fortune.
When Francis took leave of the landlord, the latter presented him with a handsome horse well appointed, and loaded with a large cloak-bag on the back of the saddle, and gave him at the same time a sufficient sum of money to complete his journey. This was a present from the lord of the castle, expressive of his thanks for having his castle again rendered habitable.