Rübezahls Schatz (2017)

The mountain spirit Rübezahl falls in love with Rosa, a young maid who is waiting for her fiancé, Erik. The shoemaker’s apprentice has gambled away both his own money and his master’s, and must pay off his debts, leaving Rosa waiting. Meanwhile, in the guise of the hunter Montanus, the mountain spirit and Rosa grow closer. The Baroness von Harrant, meanwhile, wants to clear the forest and build a sawmill in the Giant Mountains. In the form of a wolf and a hunter, Rübezahl confronts the greedy baroness. She learns that she needs a magical Springroot, the root of Solomon’s seal, to gain access to Rübezahl’s treasure chamber. When the baroness threatens to have Rosa’s sick mother thrown into prison, Rosa reveals the secret to her mistress so she can get hold of the magical plant. The baroness instructs the maid to give Montanus a sleeping potion, but in reality she intends to poison him and defeat him once and for all. Rübezahl seems increasingly distracted by romantic matters and neglects his duty as guardian of nature. The baroness obtains the magical plant and gains access to Rübezahl’s mountain treasure. By the time the mountain spirit rushes there, it is too late: the baroness is carrying sacks full of gold out of his mountain, while he is left poisoned and trapped inside. Rosa manages to steal the Springroot and free Rübezahl from his mountain. The two realize that they have no future together and go their separate ways. Rübezahl then pays off Erik’s gambling debts. Erik swears off gambling, returns to Rosa, and wants to set up a shoemaker’s workshop with her. Rübezahl tests the baroness in the guise of a beggar. When she proves hard-hearted, he punishes her by making her ugly. He turns her stolen hoard of gold into horse droppings.