King Goldemar (German:[ˈɡɔldəmaːʁ]; also spelledGoldmar,Vollmar, andVolmar;German:[ˈɡɔldmaːʁ,fɔlmaːʁ]) is adwarf orkobold fromGermanic mythology andfolklore. By theMiddle Ages, Goldemar had become the king of thedwarfs in German belief.[1] In one tale, he runs away with the daughter of a human king.[2] Fragments of an epic poem byAlbrecht von Kemenaten calledGoldemar survive. The poem tells ofDietrich's encounter with the dwarf king.[3] The king also features in "Der junge König und die Schäferin" ("The Prince and the Shepherdess") by German poetLudwig Uhland.[4] Goldemar's brothers,Alberich orElberich andElbegast, feature in other poems.[1]
According to a legend recorded byThomas Keightley in 1850, King Goldemar was akobold, a type of house spirit in Germanic belief. Goldemar lived with Neveling von Hardenberg atCastle Hardenstein at theRuhr River. Goldemar frequently interacted with mortals. He called Neveling his "brother-in-law" and often slept in the same bed with him. He skillfully played the harp, and he enjoyed gambling and throwing dice. He also exposed the misdeeds of the clergy. Goldemar brought good fortune to Neveling's household, demanding only a seat at the table, a stable for his horse, and food for himself and his animal. The spirit refused to be seen, but he would allow mortals to feel him; Keightley says that "[h]is hands were thin like those of a frog, cold and soft to the feel." After King Goldemar had lived with Neveling for three years, a curious person strewed ashes and tares about to try to see the kobold's footprints. Goldemar cut the man to pieces, put them on the fire to roast, and put the head and legs in a pot to boil. He then took the cooked meat to his chambers and ate it with glee. The next day, Goldemar was gone. He left a note over his door saying that the house would be as unlucky as it had been lucky while he lived there.[5] Hardenstein lay in a rich mining area during the Middle Ages, which may account for why the castle became associated with a subterranean sprite like Goldemar.[6]