Das blaue Licht (1976)

The farmer Hans went off to war as a soldier. Having returned and been cheated out of his pay by his king, he sets off for home. Along the way, he is attacked by a robber, who turns out to be a peaceful man. Hans even helps him repair his cannon. At night, he reaches a lonely house inhabited by a witch, who gives him shelter. In return for her hospitality, he chops a load of wood the next day. When he has finished the work and is about to continue on his way, the witch stops him and asks him to fetch a light from the well. Already down in the well, Hans rightly becomes suspicious, because the witch intends to betray him. He keeps the blue light, a many-faceted crystal, and discovers its magical power: he can use it to light his tobacco pipe, which makes the little man appear. Hans had been able to hear him earlier, and the little man is bound to serve whoever possesses the light. However, he can only do as much as his master believes he can do. With the little man’s help, Hans first obtains gold from the witch’s treasure. The little man says, “Whoever has the blue light has the power.” Hans then stops at an inn, where he meets the friendly waitress Anne and forms a close friendship with her. Made bold by the little man’s help, Hans goes to the king once more to demand his pay. Not only is he turned away again, but the king is so enraged that he tries to strangle Hans with his own hands. At that very moment, the little man intervenes and grips Hans so tightly that he and Hans become invisible together. Hans then abducts the king’s conceited daughter, who has to perform household chores for him in his room at the inn, such as taking off his boots. The little man returns the princess early the next morning. The king’s men then search for Hans, track him down, and capture him after a wild chase in the village by the castle. In the dungeon, the king visits him. For some inexplicable reason, the king has taken a liking to Hans and offers to make him a general. But Hans proudly refuses and has the prison guard bring him his pack from the inn, containing his pipe and the light-crystal, in exchange for three gulden extorted from the guard. His final wish before his execution is to smoke a pipe. The little man appears, and his combative entrance, accompanied by a fierce, powerful storm wind, fills everyone present with sheer terror, so they flee as quickly as they can. Finally, the robber accidentally fires his cannon, completely destroying the gallows that had already been prepared. In fearful anticipation of death, the king makes one last attempt to ingratiate himself, but Hans coldly rejects both him and his daughter. Accompanied by the robber, he leaves with Anne.