Stories of Supernatural and Witchcraft told by German-Russians, their Ancestors and their Descendants continued....

Let me relate to you an old family tale which I believed, as a child, as being true because my grandfather insisted to his dying day that this tale is true because it happen to him.

When Time Stood Still 

As told by Ludwig Hein to his granddaughter Judy A. Remmick-Hubert

My grandfather Ludwig Hein b. 1885 Borodino as a young boy knew about a certain book in my father's library that was filled with "spells"..... One day, my grandfather and several friends [one was a Hess boy] decided to borrow this mysterious book and see if they could work it's magic. While Ludwig's father was not at home my grandfather and the other boys took the book and choose from it a spell that seem interesting. Then they placed the mysterious book back where it belonged and the boys left the house with full intentions to use the spell. By a road side, the spell was cast on a man who was driving a team of horses. Just as the spell book stated, the man, his horses and wagon were

captured and frozen in a time [warp]. Well, this really pleased my grandfather and his friends. They congratulated each other in their accomplishment.... With a huge smile on their faces they returned their attention to the man, his horses and wagon. One of the boys remembered it was important to release the man and other living creatures from the spell within a certain time frame.... Ludwig spoke the words to release the man, horses and wagon from the frozen time [warp]..... But the spell was not released and the man and horses remained frozen in the moment the spell was cast. After many tries by all, the boys realized they had not remembered the words to break the spell. There was but one thing to do, Ludwig had to find his father and get him to save the man and the horses.... Ludwig and his father Michael appeared. Michael spoke the words to break the spell..... Fortunately, it was within the time frame and as soon as the spell was released, the man, his horses and wagon moved and continued down the road as if nothing unusual had occurred. Ludwig and the boys were made to promise they would never cast this spell, again..... The frighten boys quickly agreed. It was said that when Michael returned home, he made the decision that the book of spells  was dangerous... Michael destroyed the book.

That would seem the end of this story, but is it? Was it a story of fantasy? To most people the answer would be a quick reply, "Of course it's fantasy."

I remember as a child asking my grandfather not once but many times if the tale was true. The last time I asked was shortly before he died. He'd always reply, "Yes, it's a true story. And, he added, "I'll never forget how angry my father was when he had discovered I had broken my promise of never using that old book."