The Mythology & Folklore Database
Rübezahl is said to have attempted the same thing in Moravia. Namely, he convinced the people that he had a special powder for rats with which he wanted to exterminate all the vermin.
What happened?
The people believed him and gave him a large sum of money. They spread the powder in their houses and afterward discovered a countless number of dead mice and rats lying everywhere. Then, as Rübezahl had expressly commanded, they collected all the dead vermin and stacked them in a pile in the middle of the marketplace.
Some days later, after Rübezahl had gone away, they prepared to burn the dead vermin. And only then were the eyes opened of the deceived people. The supposed mice were nothing but small clods of dirt, little round sticks of wood, stones, and other such things. All this they had brought to the supposed mouse-pile at the marketplace, and now they were terribly ashamed.
Some claim that at that time Rübezahl, in the form of Bishop Hattons of Mainz, presented himself on top of the mouse-pile and ridiculed and laughed at the townspeople about the supposed mice.
Others tell this story as follows:
Rübezahl promised, for a certain sum of money, to drive all the rats and mice out of the town. Afterward it happened that the vermin ran to him out of the nooks and corners in such great numbers, that they covered him. He grew larger and larger so that the mice would have space on him, growing finally to a large, tall tower. He was thickly covered with mice and rats from the soles of his feet to his neck. Only his head was free. Having thus collected all the vermin, he went on his way out of the town.
But how did he make it through the town gate?
Confirming the truthfulness of this story is the fact still today the marketplace in that town is called Mice-Market.