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Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany - Rudolf Baumbach Richard von Volkmann · African Jungle Tales

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  Speaker 1: Introduction of The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany.
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  Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: visit librevox dot org. Recording by Greg Giardano. The Meadow
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  Speaker 1: Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany Introduction by Gertrude R. Schottenfels,
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  Speaker 1: Translated by Gertrude R. Schottenfels. The stories of which this
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  Speaker 1: volume is composed are taken from the German of Rudolph
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  Speaker 1: Baumbach and Richard von Vochmann, two of the most charming
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  Speaker 1: story writers of modern German literature. In my last book
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  Speaker 1: of stories, I included three stories by these two writers
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  Speaker 1: as an experiment to see if the children would find
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  Speaker 1: as great an interest in modern as in ancient German classics.
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  Speaker 1: Next to Parsival and Loengren. They liked The Seven League
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  Speaker 1: Boots and George the Dreamer best. As a result, the
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  Speaker 1: present volume was prepared one story at a time, which
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  Speaker 1: was tried with gratifying results with the various classes who
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  Speaker 1: came under my instruction while I was substituting in the
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  Speaker 1: schools of New York. Although designed especially for children of
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  Speaker 1: the fourth year. I used the stories in typewritten form
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  Speaker 1: as reading material for third and fifth year classes, and
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  Speaker 1: as material for literature with two different eighth grade classes.
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  Speaker 1: I also made use of them as story telling material
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  Speaker 1: with two different second year classes, and was pleased to
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  Speaker 1: find that they aroused an equal interest and delight in
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  Speaker 1: every one of these grades. They are taken from Boundback's
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: Summer Tales and Narrations and Fairy Tales, each of which
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  Speaker 1: is more dainty and fascinating than the last, and seemed
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  Speaker 1: to breathe forth from every page their author's love of
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  Speaker 1: nature and his native folklore. Recard von Volckmann, the author
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  Speaker 1: of six of these tales, was one of the greatest
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  Speaker 1: surgeons and surgical writers the nineteenth century has known. At
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  Speaker 1: the outbreak of the Franco Prussian War, he went to
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  Speaker 1: France at the head of the German medical service, and
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  Speaker 1: it was here, while encamped outside of the city during
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  Speaker 1: the long Siege of Paris, that he wowed away the
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  Speaker 1: hours of his enforced idleness by writing the reveries from
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  Speaker 1: which these are taken. The Reveries are a series of
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  Speaker 1: delightful stories which he sent to his children enclosed in
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  Speaker 1: his letters from his post of duty, and which were
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  Speaker 1: afterward published in book form under the assumed name of
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  Speaker 1: Ricard Leander, and immediately received the popularity they so fully merited.
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  Speaker 1: Gertrude R. Schottenfels and of introduction. Recording by Gregg Giirdano, Newport, Richie, Florida.
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  Speaker 2: Section one of The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of
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  Speaker 2: Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
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  Speaker 2: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Jim Gallagher. The
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany. The Meadow
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  Speaker 2: Sprite by Rudolph Baumbach, translated by Gertrude R. Schottenfels. There
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  Speaker 2: was once a young professor who, despite his youth, was
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  Speaker 2: so very wise, and learned that when the seven Wise
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  Speaker 2: Men of Greece chanced to visit that part of the
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  Speaker 2: world and entered into a discussion with him, appeared like
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  Speaker 2: schoolboys in comparison. One bright spring morning, the same professor
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  Speaker 2: went out into the country to hear the grass grow,
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  Speaker 2: an art which he also understood. He wandered about among
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  Speaker 2: the light green foliage of early May, and watched the butterflies,
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  Speaker 2: those bright wonders of the air, flitting about among the daisies.
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  Speaker 2: He heard the crickets in the grass, and the birds
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  Speaker 2: among the boughs, and the frogs in the meadow brook,
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  Speaker 2: all singing their song of love and spring. Suddenly he
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  Speaker 2: thought of his native village, which he had left many
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  Speaker 2: years before to enter the university, and thinking of that,
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  Speaker 2: recalled to his mind the little dark browed maid who
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  Speaker 2: had give him him a gingerbread heart, and who, to
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  Speaker 2: his great surprise, had shed bitter tears at parting, And
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  Speaker 2: a strange longing awoke in the professor's well regulated heart.
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  Speaker 2: Next morning, the same longing moved him to pack his clothes,
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  Speaker 2: take up his gnarled staff, and to wander out of
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  Speaker 2: the city gates into the green world beyond. Three days
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  Speaker 2: later he spied the blossoming fruit trees and the stee
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  Speaker 2: and blue tiled roof of his native church, and borne
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  Speaker 2: on the breeze, there was wafted to him the soft,
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  Speaker 2: sweet chimes of the belfry. I wonder if she will
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  Speaker 2: remember me, he said to himself. It is hardly to
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  Speaker 2: be expected. I fear and no doubt I shall have
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  Speaker 2: difficulty in finding the former little Gretchen among the eighteen
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  Speaker 2: year old girls of the village. But her eyes, her
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  Speaker 2: cold black eyes, will surely disclose her to me. And
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  Speaker 2: if only I chance to find her sitting on the
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  Speaker 2: stone bench in front of her door, I will just
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  Speaker 2: walk up to her, and the rest will follow quite naturally.
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  Speaker 2: Whereupon he tossed his hat up in the air and
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  Speaker 2: gave such a shout that his own voice frightened him.
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  Speaker 2: Then he looked around him sheepishly, fearful lest some one
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  Speaker 2: had witnessed his foolishness. But with the exception of a
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  Speaker 2: field mouse fleeing hastily to the shelter of its hole,
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  Speaker 2: not a living creature was to be seen. With heart
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  Speaker 2: beating high with hope, he entered the town. The chimes
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  Speaker 2: were silent now, but he heard instead the strains of
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  Speaker 2: violin and flute. A wedding procession was wending its way
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  Speaker 2: through the narrow village streets. The bridegroom, a young and
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  Speaker 2: stalwart peasant, looked as proud and happy as if the
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  Speaker 2: whole world were his. The bride, decked in snowy array,
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  Speaker 2: held her eyes modestly downward beneath her bridal wreath. But once,
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  Speaker 2: just as they were passing the professor, she raised her
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  Speaker 2: lids for a moment, and those large coal black eyes
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  Speaker 2: told him instantly who it was walking beneath that gleaming wreath.
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  Speaker 2: And the poor fellow turned on his heel, and all unrecognized,
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  Speaker 2: retraced his steps. It was high noon, the fields shone
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  Speaker 2: green and gold in the sun, and where the streamlet flowed,
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  Speaker 2: thousands and thousands of glistening sparks danced upon its surface.
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  Speaker 2: All creation rejoiced in the light and warmth, all but
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  Speaker 2: the poor professor. To day, the bright light seemed to
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  Speaker 2: hurt his eyes, and he shielded him with his hand
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  Speaker 2: as he strode onward. After going some distance, he was
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  Speaker 2: joined by traveler who seemed to be returning from a long,
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  Speaker 2: long journey, for he looked like a walking cloud of dust.
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  Speaker 2: Good friend, quoth the stranger, The sun dazzles your eyes,
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  Speaker 2: said no. The other replied that it did well. If
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  Speaker 2: such is the case, I know of Noah, the better
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  Speaker 2: remedy than these smoked glasses which I wear. Try them
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  Speaker 2: once with these words. He removed them from his eyes
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  Speaker 2: and handed them to the professor the latter. Just to gratify,
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  Speaker 2: the amiable stranger adjusted the sad colored glasses to his eyes,
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  Speaker 2: and sure enough they instantly ceased smarting. The sunshine lost
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  Speaker 2: its bright glare, The meadows died here and there with red,
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  Speaker 2: blue and yellow flowers. The trees and bushes, and even
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  Speaker 2: the blue sky overhead turned to a dull and cheerless gray,
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  Speaker 2: all of which seemed eminently appropriate to the disappointed color.
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  Speaker 2: Are your glasses for sale? He inquired? They are in
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  Speaker 2: good hands, returned the stranger, and I have another pair
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  Speaker 2: with me. Keep them. I pray you as a remembrance,
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  Speaker 2: my dear professor. What you know me, cried the other,
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  Speaker 2: May I ask who I am? Finished the stranger. My
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  Speaker 2: name is Slean. Farewell, And with these words he would
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  Speaker 2: drew into a field path and was soon lost to view.
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  Speaker 2: The professor, however, fastened the glasses more securely on his
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  Speaker 2: nose and continued his homeward way. Many years had passed
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  Speaker 2: since the events just related, and the Professor had grown
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  Speaker 2: to be a crusty old bachelor who had forgotten how
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  Speaker 2: to enjoy anything. He still made excurgeons into the country,
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  Speaker 2: but the green trees and glowing flowers no longer attracted
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  Speaker 2: his notice. He plucked the flowers by their roots, carried
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  Speaker 2: them home, or he pressed and dried them. Then he
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  Speaker 2: laid the flower mumpies between gray blotting papers and wrote
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  Speaker 2: their names in Latin underneath. This was his one enjoyment,
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  Speaker 2: if enjoyment it may be called. Once in one of
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  Speaker 2: his wanderings, he came to an out of the way valley,
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  Speaker 2: where a little brook ran merrily along and turned the mill.
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  Speaker 2: And since he was very thirsty, he asked the old woman,
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  Speaker 2: who was sunning herself before the door, if she would
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  Speaker 2: please give him a drink. The old dame rose at
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  Speaker 2: once and offered him her seat while she went inside
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  Speaker 2: for the drink. A few minutes later, a young girl
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  Speaker 2: emerged from the house with bread and milk in her hands,
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  Speaker 2: which she set before this stranger at the door. He
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  Speaker 2: wished very much to see if she were ugly, but
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  Speaker 2: it was impossible for him to tell through his smoked glasses,
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  Speaker 2: and he did not wish to remove them, for far
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  Speaker 2: the son would hurt his eyes. In silence, he ate
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  Speaker 2: the proffered food, and, as the miller's daughter refused to
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  Speaker 2: take pay for it, He extended his hand in farewell
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  Speaker 2: and went on, but she stood still, looking after him
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  Speaker 2: until he disappeared among the bushes. Then she went back
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  Speaker 2: into the house, wondering would have befallen the sad looking stranger.
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  Speaker 2: The meadow valley must have fostered some rare plants on
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  Speaker 2: its grassy bosom for exactly three days. Afterwards, he came
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  Speaker 2: that way again, and again he called it the mill.
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  Speaker 2: Then he took to calling regularly every few days, and
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  Speaker 2: soon became a welcome guest. He brought the old grandmother's sugar, coffee, snuff,
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  Speaker 2: and some other sensible gift, and always entertained the miller
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  Speaker 2: with edifying conversation. But never once did he offer to
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  Speaker 2: exchange a word with the miller's golden haired daughter, but
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  Speaker 2: tinted himself with watching her every move through his gray glasses.
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  Speaker 2: This did not escape the miller's notice, you may be
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  Speaker 2: very sure, and he often slightly nudged his mother, who
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  Speaker 2: nodded her gray head comprehendingly. One day, as the professor
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  Speaker 2: left the mill and was walking along the edge of
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  Speaker 2: the meadow, he noticed a mole caught in a trap,
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  Speaker 2: endeavoring to struggle itself free. From the death snare. The
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  Speaker 2: kind hearted man went over, freed the little prisoner, and
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  Speaker 2: set it on the ground. Then man and mole each
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  Speaker 2: went his way. But that same evening, as he sat
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  Speaker 2: in his study, a bat flew in the professor's open window.
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  Speaker 2: This was no uncommon occurrence. But on the back of
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  Speaker 2: this particular bat there sat a little elf, man little
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  Speaker 2: larger than your thumb. He dismounted in front of the
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  Speaker 2: astonished man and made a sweeping courtesy. What do you wish,
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  Speaker 2: asked the scholar, in not two friendly tones, go to
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  Speaker 2: some half witted writer and leave sensible people to work undisturbed.
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  Speaker 2: The elf, however, took it all in good part. He
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  Speaker 2: drew near seated himself upon the inkstand, and said, nay,
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  Speaker 2: do not chide me or drive me away, since I
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  Speaker 2: have come in all friendliness this morning you rescued me
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  Speaker 2: from an evil plight. I was the mole you released
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  Speaker 2: from the trap. Merely and pray, what is the character
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  Speaker 2: you now assume, asked the scholar, looking at the little
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  Speaker 2: man attentively through his spectacles. It was a very elegant
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  Speaker 2: little figure. Indeed, and if the professor had not had
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  Speaker 2: on gray glasses, he would have observed that the little
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  Speaker 2: man was clad in a green coat and bright yellow cap.
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  Speaker 2: I am Vernunculus, the meadow sprite, rejoined the midget. My
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  Speaker 2: servants tend the plants and grasses. Some of them washed
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  Speaker 2: the plants with dew, others combed them with sunbeams, and
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  Speaker 2: still others carry nourishment to their roots. These latter I
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  Speaker 2: wished to surprise at the work this morning, and disguised
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  Speaker 2: myself as a mole so as to be unrecognized by them.
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  Speaker 2: While in this form, I fell into a trap from
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  Speaker 2: which you rescued me. Therefore, I have come here to
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  Speaker 2: thank you and to offer you a service in return.
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  Speaker 2: Let me hear what it is, said the other. You
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  Speaker 2: are a very learned man, continued the other. You know
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  Speaker 2: all the flowers and plants that grow on the mountains
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  Speaker 2: and fields, and in the forests and meadows. But there
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  Speaker 2: is one plant you do not know. What is it,
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  Speaker 2: asked the professor. Now all attention. It is a little
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  Speaker 2: flower called heart's ease. No I do not know it,
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  Speaker 2: admitted the professor. Well I do, said the elf, and
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  Speaker 2: I will tell you where you may find it. If
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  Speaker 2: you follow the mill pond with which you are already
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  Speaker 2: acquainted to its very source. You will come upon some rocks,
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  Speaker 2: among which there is a cave which is said to
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  Speaker 2: be a dwarf's cave. There, just before its entrance, the
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  Speaker 2: flower hearts Ease blooms. But mind you, it blossoms only
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  Speaker 2: on the Sunday following Pentecost, and only at the hour
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  Speaker 2: of sunrise. But whosoever is on the spot at that
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  Speaker 2: magic hour may pluck the blossom. Have I made myself
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  Speaker 2: clear fully, replied the scholar. Then fairly well, said the elfman,
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  Speaker 2: mounting his winged steed, and he flew straight away through
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  Speaker 2: the open window, leaving the professor rubbing his eyes in
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  Speaker 2: amazement and wondering if he were really awake. Finally, he
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  Speaker 2: shook his head and buried himself in a volume bound
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  Speaker 2: in parchment. A few days after, the miller's pretty daughter
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  Speaker 2: and her grandmother were sitting before the door spinning. It
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  Speaker 2: was the hour of twilight, and as their wheels were drowned,
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  Speaker 2: the old dame was telling the young girl of Lady Bertchuck,
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  Speaker 2: the good spirit of the South, who had rewarded industrious
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  Speaker 2: spinners by presenting them with huge knots of flax, which
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  Speaker 2: afterwards changed into yellow gold, and other of her marvelous doings.
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  Speaker 2: She also related the story of the sleeping man of
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  Speaker 2: the Dwarf's Cave, who was under a magic spell and
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  Speaker 2: must sleep on till awakened by some maiden's kiss. Only
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  Speaker 2: once every hundred years did he become visible, And then
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  Speaker 2: should some maiden be on the spot, with three kisses,
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  Speaker 2: she could break the magic spell and become his bride
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  Speaker 2: as a reward. So the old name spun her stories,
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  Speaker 2: and the pretty granddaughter spun them still farther, as though
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  Speaker 2: they were the threads of flax revolving through her slender fingers.
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  Speaker 2: The stars rose in the heavens. It was the blossoming
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  Speaker 2: time of the elder, and presently their sweet scent overcame
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  Speaker 2: the maiden, and she could scarcely keep her drowsy lids open.
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  Speaker 2: So she sought her chamber and retired in the night.
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  Speaker 2: It seemed to her that a little elf man wearing
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  Speaker 2: a green coat and a golden cap, appeared to her, and,
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  Speaker 2: regarding her in the most friendly way, said you, lucky child.
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  Speaker 2: For you and no other is the treasure of the
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  Speaker 2: cave destined. Tomorrow is the day upon which the sleepy
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  Speaker 2: man of the cave becomes visible at sunrise. He may
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  Speaker 2: be seen slumbering at the entrance of the cave. And
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  Speaker 2: if you will not be timid, but will kiss him
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  Speaker 2: three times, the spell which binds him will be broken,
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  Speaker 2: and he will be your own. But be very careful
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  Speaker 2: not to speak a word or even let a sound
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  Speaker 2: escape you while breaking the enchantment, for if you do,
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  Speaker 2: the slumber will sink three thousand fathoms beneath the earth,
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  Speaker 2: and be obliged to sleep another hundred years ere he
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  Speaker 2: can be released. Thus spaked the elf and vanished. The
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  Speaker 2: maiden awoke and rubbed her rise, and through the slats
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  Speaker 2: of the shutters beheld the first gray streaks of dawn.
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  Speaker 2: A sweet odor, as of new mown hay filled the room.
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  Speaker 2: Then the girl arose and dressed herself, and softly left
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  Speaker 2: the room and the house. She went along, carefully holding
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  Speaker 2: up her long dress from the dewy grass, till she
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  Speaker 2: reached the dwarf's cave. The forest birds began to sleepily,
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  Speaker 2: bestir themselves and tune their throats in the branches overhead.
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  Speaker 2: The white mist sank to the ground and disappeared in
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  Speaker 2: long streaks across the meadows, and the tops of the
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  Speaker 2: pine trees gleamed golden in the sunshine. There stood the
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  Speaker 2: miller's daughter before the entrance of the cave, and there
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  Speaker 2: on the mossy stone sat a man fast asleep, just
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  Speaker 2: as the elf had. She almost screamed aloud, so closely
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  Speaker 2: did the slumber resemble the professor, yes, even to the
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  Speaker 2: smoked glasses which he wore upon his nose. Fortunately she
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  Speaker 2: remembered the sprite's warning, and noiselessly, but with fast beating heart,
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  Speaker 2: she made her way to his side, piously, resolving to
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  Speaker 2: break the spell which bound him. Nor strange to say,
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  Speaker 2: did the task now seem so distasteful to her. Bending
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  Speaker 2: lightly over him, she kissed him on the lips, and
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  Speaker 2: the sleeper made a movement as though he would fain awaken.
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  Speaker 2: She kissed him a second time, and he awoke and
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  Speaker 2: stared at her through his spectacles as if she were
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  Speaker 2: a ghost. But she gathered up her courage and pressed
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  Speaker 2: a third kiss on his lips. Thereupon, here rose with
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  Speaker 2: such haste that his glasses fell from his nose to
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  Speaker 2: the ground, where they lay in splinters. And now, after
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  Speaker 2: so many years he beheld for the first time, the bright,
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  Speaker 2: joyous green of early spring, the very colored flowers, and
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  Speaker 2: the heavenly blue of the sky o'erhead. And in the
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  Speaker 2: midst of all this splendor he saw a maiden as
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  Speaker 2: beautiful as a june rose, and as slender as a lily.
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  Speaker 2: He quickly strode to her side and returned the kisses
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  Speaker 2: with interest. And the meadow sprite vernunculus sat upon a
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  Speaker 2: marsh marigold and danced for joy with the bees. Then
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  Speaker 2: he sprang down so hastily that he left the flowers
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  Speaker 2: swaying in the breeze, and went on attending to his
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  Speaker 2: all important work. He had indeed kept his word. The
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  Speaker 2: Professor had found his heart's ease in the Miller's daughter,
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  Speaker 2: her fate and of the Meadow Sprite. Recording by Jim Gallagher.
• 17:40
  Speaker 3: Chapter two, The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany.
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  Speaker 3: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 17:51
  Speaker 3: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 17:56
  Speaker 3: visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by James Carroll, The Merrow
• 18:05
  Speaker 3: Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany. The King of
• 18:09
  Speaker 3: macaroon Land by Richard Vaughan Volkmann, translated by Gertrude R. Schottenfels.
• 18:17
  Speaker 3: The King of Macaroonland had just risen from bed and
• 18:21
  Speaker 3: was being dressed for the day by the minister of
• 18:24
  Speaker 3: the household. The minister was about to hold out a
• 18:28
  Speaker 3: stocking into which the royal foot was to be thrust,
• 18:31
  Speaker 3: when he noticed a hole in the hill. He deftly
• 18:35
  Speaker 3: turned the stocking round, hoping it had escaped the royal eye,
• 18:39
  Speaker 3: which usually concerned itself more with its owner's fine boots
• 18:44
  Speaker 3: than with his stockings. But luck was against him, for
• 18:48
  Speaker 3: the King had observed the hole, and snatching the stocking
• 18:52
  Speaker 3: out of the minister's hand, he exclaimed, tragically, of what
• 18:57
  Speaker 3: aveal is it that I am king? When I have
• 19:00
  Speaker 3: no queen to look after me? Suppose I take on
• 19:04
  Speaker 3: to myself a wife. What think you? The minister replied
• 19:09
  Speaker 3: that he considered a fine idea, one which he himself
• 19:14
  Speaker 3: had been on the point of suggesting, had he not
• 19:17
  Speaker 3: felt sure that the King would that very day give
• 19:20
  Speaker 3: utterance to it. Very good, the king rejoined, but do
• 19:25
  Speaker 3: you for one moment imagine it will be an easy
• 19:28
  Speaker 3: task to find a princess who will suit me to
• 19:32
  Speaker 3: be sure, replied the other, not only one, but ten.
• 19:38
  Speaker 3: But the King at once proceeded to dispossess his mind
• 19:42
  Speaker 3: of the idea that the task would be a light one.
• 19:46
  Speaker 3: He told how how his ideal and requirements were, and
• 19:50
  Speaker 3: declared that, even should he chance to meet with the
• 19:53
  Speaker 3: princess who fulfilled them all, there was yet another condition,
• 19:58
  Speaker 3: more wearing than all the o to be considered. And pray,
• 20:03
  Speaker 3: what may that be? Asked the minister. The King replied,
• 20:09
  Speaker 3: you know how surpassingly fond I am of Gingerbread. Well
• 20:14
  Speaker 3: be she never so beautiful and clever and suitable in
• 20:18
  Speaker 3: every other respect? Unless she can beg Gingerbread exactly to
• 20:24
  Speaker 3: my liking, neither too hard nor too soft, I shall
• 20:28
  Speaker 3: not marry her. Then he added that in all his
• 20:33
  Speaker 3: broad realm he had never yet met any one who
• 20:37
  Speaker 3: properly understood the art of baking it. The minister was
• 20:41
  Speaker 3: indeed alarmed, but quickly pulling himself together, he assured his
• 20:46
  Speaker 3: majesty that he had no doubt but that he would
• 20:50
  Speaker 3: speedily find a princess well versed in that particular branch
• 20:55
  Speaker 3: of culinary lore. We will seek her together, said the King,
• 21:01
  Speaker 3: and sure enough the very next day they set out
• 21:05
  Speaker 3: on a round of visits to all the nobles of
• 21:07
  Speaker 3: the realm who chanced to have marriagible daughters. They could
• 21:12
  Speaker 3: find but three, however, sufficiently beautiful and clever to appear
• 21:17
  Speaker 3: to the King's fastidious taste. But the best lad plans,
• 21:23
  Speaker 3: as we all know, oftentimes go astray, and, as bad
• 21:28
  Speaker 3: luck would have it, the King found out all too
• 21:31
  Speaker 3: sound that not one of the three knew how to
• 21:35
  Speaker 3: bake gingerbread. The first one readily confessed her inner body
• 21:40
  Speaker 3: to do so as soon as his majesty broached the subject,
• 21:45
  Speaker 3: But she added, I can bake the most delicious almond cakes,
• 21:49
  Speaker 3: which I am sure you will like equally well. The
• 21:53
  Speaker 3: King declared it must be ginger bread or nothing, and
• 21:58
  Speaker 3: resumed his search. The second princess smacked her lips when
• 22:03
  Speaker 3: she heard the word, and exclaimed, angrily, have done with
• 22:08
  Speaker 3: your nonsense, A princess who can bake gingerbread? There is
• 22:13
  Speaker 3: none who ever heard of such foolishness. But the king
• 22:19
  Speaker 3: heard worst of all at the hands of the third princess.
• 22:22
  Speaker 3: She did not even give him a chance to ask
• 22:25
  Speaker 3: the question. On the contrary, she forestalled it by asking
• 22:30
  Speaker 3: if he could play the jew's harp. He was obliged
• 22:33
  Speaker 3: to say no, and she refused to marry him, although
• 22:37
  Speaker 3: she admitted that she regretted the necessity of doing so,
• 22:41
  Speaker 3: for he suited her in every other respect. But all
• 22:46
  Speaker 3: my life, she said, I have vowed I would wed
• 22:49
  Speaker 3: no man who could not play the instrument of which
• 22:53
  Speaker 3: I am so inordinately fond. So the King and his
• 22:58
  Speaker 3: worthy minister rep turned home empty handed, and the King
• 23:02
  Speaker 3: was much dejected, although he declared he presumed nought could
• 23:07
  Speaker 3: have come of it anyway, since he had an inward
• 23:10
  Speaker 3: feeling that she could not be a gingerbread. But a
• 23:15
  Speaker 3: king must have a queen. So, after several years had elapsed,
• 23:21
  Speaker 3: his Majesty again broached the subject to his minister, but
• 23:25
  Speaker 3: he said, sadly he had given up the idea of
• 23:28
  Speaker 3: finding a princess who could bake his favorite. Would the
• 23:32
  Speaker 3: minister kindly go to the first one and ask her
• 23:36
  Speaker 3: to be his bride? The latter went, but returned in
• 23:41
  Speaker 3: due time with the tidings that his Majesty was a
• 23:45
  Speaker 3: trifle too late. The princess had already married another king,
• 23:50
  Speaker 3: the one from the land where the capers grow, and
• 23:53
  Speaker 3: had betaken herself thither a year or so previously. Then
• 24:00
  Speaker 3: go to the second one, begged the King, and see
• 24:03
  Speaker 3: if she will wed me. The minister departed to do
• 24:08
  Speaker 3: his bring. He returned, however, with the sad news that
• 24:12
  Speaker 3: her father greatly regretted that he could not comply with
• 24:16
  Speaker 3: the Majesty's request. He would indeed love to have the
• 24:20
  Speaker 3: King for a son in law, but unfortunately his daughter
• 24:25
  Speaker 3: had died in the meantime. This was a great blow.
• 24:31
  Speaker 3: But after meditating upon the matter for some time, the
• 24:35
  Speaker 3: King decided to dispatch his messenger to the third charmer.
• 24:39
  Speaker 3: Perhaps she too had seen fit in the meantime to
• 24:43
  Speaker 3: change her mind about the Jew's harp. But he awaited
• 24:47
  Speaker 3: the minister's return with great anxiety this time, for she
• 24:52
  Speaker 3: was his last hope. Unfortunately, in this instance, the fates
• 24:57
  Speaker 3: saw fit to be kind, for where she told the
• 25:00
  Speaker 3: King's messenger that although it had been the dream of
• 25:03
  Speaker 3: her youth to have a husband who could play the
• 25:06
  Speaker 3: Jew's harp, she had found that dreams were fleeting, especially
• 25:11
  Speaker 3: those of youth. She realized that she could never have
• 25:16
  Speaker 3: her wish, and since the King placed her in every
• 25:20
  Speaker 3: other respect, she would consent to wed him. When the
• 25:25
  Speaker 3: King heard these good tidings, he fell upon the minister's
• 25:28
  Speaker 3: neck in gratitude and promised him high rewards for his
• 25:32
  Speaker 3: kind offices. Then he set about preparing for the bride.
• 25:37
  Speaker 3: Bright flags and banners were hung all over the city,
• 25:41
  Speaker 3: and garlands of roses were stretched across the streets from
• 25:44
  Speaker 3: one house to another. The wedding was celebrated with so
• 25:48
  Speaker 3: much pomp and magnificence that for fourteen days no one
• 25:53
  Speaker 3: in the city could talk of anything else. For a
• 25:58
  Speaker 3: whole year, the King and queen very happily, and jew's
• 26:02
  Speaker 3: harps and gingerbread were apparently forgotten. Then came a day
• 26:07
  Speaker 3: upon which the King arose with his left foot first,
• 26:12
  Speaker 3: in consequence of which everything went wrong. The imperial crown
• 26:17
  Speaker 3: fell down, and the little cross at the top was
• 26:19
  Speaker 3: broken off. To make matters worse, it rained the livelong day.
• 26:25
  Speaker 3: The minister brought in the new maps of the kingdom,
• 26:28
  Speaker 3: and the King saw with anger that they had been
• 26:31
  Speaker 3: painted red instead of blue, as he had ordered. And
• 26:36
  Speaker 3: to cap the climax, the queen had a raging headache. Therefore,
• 26:42
  Speaker 3: you will not be surprised, I am sure to hear
• 26:46
  Speaker 3: that for the first time since their marriage. The royal
• 26:49
  Speaker 3: power began to quarrel. Why they themselves could not have
• 26:53
  Speaker 3: told you, except that the king was cross, and with
• 26:57
  Speaker 3: the contrariness usual to women kind, the queen would have
• 27:02
  Speaker 3: the last word. When they had been exchanging compliments for
• 27:06
  Speaker 3: some moments, the Queen shrugged her shoulders in the most
• 27:10
  Speaker 3: provoking fashion and said, I should think you would keep
• 27:14
  Speaker 3: still and not find fault with everything you say. You
• 27:18
  Speaker 3: are not so perfect yourself, if I remember rightly, you
• 27:22
  Speaker 3: cannot even play the Jew's hard But hardly had the
• 27:27
  Speaker 3: words left her lips than the King rejoined spitefully, and
• 27:32
  Speaker 3: you do not even know how to bake gingerbread. Now,
• 27:36
  Speaker 3: for the first time, words failed the queen, and she
• 27:41
  Speaker 3: was quite still, leaving the last word to the King.
• 27:47
  Speaker 3: He withdrew into his own apartment, rubbed his hands to
• 27:51
  Speaker 3: gather in glee, and said to himself, it is a
• 27:55
  Speaker 3: good thing for me. My wife does not know how
• 27:58
  Speaker 3: to bake gingerbread with What else could I have retorted
• 28:02
  Speaker 3: when she reproached me with nigh in a body to
• 28:05
  Speaker 3: play the Jew's harp, But the Queen curdled down in
• 28:09
  Speaker 3: one corner of the sofa in her own room and
• 28:12
  Speaker 3: wept bitter tears. She scored herself most roundly for having
• 28:17
  Speaker 3: been so foolish as to quarrel with the King, and
• 28:22
  Speaker 3: most especially did she grieve over having taunted him with
• 28:26
  Speaker 3: his shortcomings as a musician. She told herself woefully that
• 28:31
  Speaker 3: she could have done nothing more stupid had she tried.
• 28:37
  Speaker 3: But the more the King thought the matter over, the
• 28:40
  Speaker 3: better pleased he became, till finally he stood before his
• 28:44
  Speaker 3: wife's picture and began to whistle his favorite malady. Suddenly
• 28:50
  Speaker 3: he noticed a cobweb on the painting, just over her
• 28:53
  Speaker 3: royal nose. So he mounted a chair and carefully brushed
• 28:58
  Speaker 3: it off with his handkerchiefs. She certainly was in a rage,
• 29:03
  Speaker 3: the dear little wife. I believe I'll go and see
• 29:06
  Speaker 3: what she is doing. He opened the door and started
• 29:11
  Speaker 3: down the long hall leading to her room. Now, as
• 29:15
  Speaker 3: I have already told you, this was the day upon
• 29:18
  Speaker 3: which everything went wrong. Therefore you need not wonder when
• 29:23
  Speaker 3: you hear that, although it was quite dark outside, the
• 29:27
  Speaker 3: groom of the chambers had neglected to light the lamps.
• 29:32
  Speaker 3: The King went down the dark hall toward the queen's room,
• 29:36
  Speaker 3: carefully feeling his way with both arms. Suddenly he encountered
• 29:40
  Speaker 3: some one in his path. Who is it, he asked?
• 29:44
  Speaker 3: It is, I said the Queen's voice, And what are
• 29:48
  Speaker 3: you seeking? My dear, He queried you to ask your
• 29:53
  Speaker 3: pardon for so grievously offending you. She responded, That is
• 29:58
  Speaker 3: entirely unnecessary, said the King, tenderly embracing her, since I
• 30:04
  Speaker 3: was really more to blame than you. Besides, I do
• 30:08
  Speaker 3: assure you I have forgotten all about it long ago.
• 30:12
  Speaker 3: But I really think for both our sakes, there are
• 30:16
  Speaker 3: two words which should be abolished from the Royal Dictionary,
• 30:19
  Speaker 3: and they are jews, harp and gingerbread, interrupted the Queen, laughing,
• 30:26
  Speaker 3: even while she secretly wiped away the lost remnants of
• 30:30
  Speaker 3: her weeping on the cover of the friendly darkness. And
• 30:34
  Speaker 3: with that our story is ended. End of chapter two.
• 30:44
  Speaker 4: Section three of The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of
• 30:49
  Speaker 4: Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 30:54
  Speaker 4: are in the public domain. For more information not to volunteer,
• 30:58
  Speaker 4: please visit abrivox dot org. The Meadows Bright and Other
• 31:04
  Speaker 4: Tales of Modern Germany. The Gold Tree by Rudolph Baumberg,
• 31:10
  Speaker 4: translated by Gertrude R. Schottenfelds. The room in which this
• 31:16
  Speaker 4: story takes place was very simply furnished. Its walls were whitewashed,
• 31:23
  Speaker 4: and their only ornament consisted of a couple of maps,
• 31:28
  Speaker 4: yellow with age. Two narrow beds stood close to the wall,
• 31:33
  Speaker 4: and on the opposite side of the room was a
• 31:36
  Speaker 4: bookshelf and a wardrobe, upon the top of which rested
• 31:40
  Speaker 4: a globe used in studying the earth. And the center
• 31:44
  Speaker 4: of the room was a long, ink stained table, and
• 31:49
  Speaker 4: at the table on two hard woolen chairs, two boys
• 31:53
  Speaker 4: about twelve years of age bent over their books. The
• 31:58
  Speaker 4: one with light hair was poring over a volume of
• 32:02
  Speaker 4: Cornelius Nepos, the first book used by students of Latin,
• 32:07
  Speaker 4: and a well thumbed dictionary. Every now and then a
• 32:12
  Speaker 4: sigh escaped him. The brown haired lad was working out
• 32:17
  Speaker 4: a problem in kubic root of the ninth power. The
• 32:20
  Speaker 4: Latin student was named John, and the mathematician Harry. Occasionally
• 32:29
  Speaker 4: the boys would raise their heads from their work to
• 32:32
  Speaker 4: gaze longingly out of the open window, through which the
• 32:37
  Speaker 4: buzzing flies flew in and out. What a shame to
• 32:42
  Speaker 4: be cooped up in an old schoolroom. Where the golden
• 32:46
  Speaker 4: sunlight bathed every tree and hedge in the garden in
• 32:50
  Speaker 4: a blaze of glory, And as if to mock them,
• 32:55
  Speaker 4: a blooming twig of lilac exhaled its sweetness right in
• 33:00
  Speaker 4: the open window. Another hour must elapse ere they could
• 33:05
  Speaker 4: gain their freedom, and the minutes crept along as slowly
• 33:09
  Speaker 4: as the snail's beneath the gooseberry bush outside. No, it
• 33:16
  Speaker 4: was impossible to shorten their misery, for just outside, in
• 33:21
  Speaker 4: the next room, their tutor, doctor Cudgel, sat at his desk,
• 33:27
  Speaker 4: and the door between the two rooms was wide open.
• 33:31
  Speaker 4: He was supposed to be busy with his writing, but
• 33:35
  Speaker 4: the boys knew well enough that he had seated himself
• 33:39
  Speaker 4: there purposely to keep his eye on them. Oh no,
• 33:45
  Speaker 4: there was no escaping that study hour. Corneliosnepos might have
• 33:51
  Speaker 4: done something better than to have crossed the old Alps,
• 33:56
  Speaker 4: grumbled John half audibly, while nine times eighty or seven
• 34:02
  Speaker 4: hundred and twenty murmured Harry in subdued undertones. Then they
• 34:07
  Speaker 4: stole a look at each other, made a grimace, and yawned.
• 34:13
  Speaker 4: Suddenly they heard a loud buzzing a beetle which had
• 34:19
  Speaker 4: been exploring the lilacs outside had flown into the room
• 34:23
  Speaker 4: by mistake. It circled round their heads three times, and
• 34:28
  Speaker 4: then fell plump into the ink. Well, it served the
• 34:34
  Speaker 4: stupid thing right for coming in here, said Harry in
• 34:38
  Speaker 4: low tones. Why didn't he stay out there in the
• 34:41
  Speaker 4: golden sunshine where he was well off, but to be
• 34:46
  Speaker 4: drowned in ink? No, really, that is too miserable a death,
• 34:51
  Speaker 4: even for a dolt. Wait, comrade, and I'll rescue you.
• 34:55
  Speaker 4: He was going to have the struggling insect out with
• 34:59
  Speaker 4: a pen, but John forestalled him in the work of
• 35:03
  Speaker 4: rescue by holding out his finger to the drowning might.
• 35:08
  Speaker 4: Then they dried him nicely on a blotter and looked
• 35:12
  Speaker 4: on with interest while he cleaned himself with his fore legs. Look,
• 35:18
  Speaker 4: he has a red breastplate and black horns, said John,
• 35:22
  Speaker 4: wiping his inky finger on his hair. He must be
• 35:25
  Speaker 4: king of the gold beetles. He lives in a castle
• 35:29
  Speaker 4: of jasamine flowers and rose petals. His musicians are crickets
• 35:34
  Speaker 4: and locusts, and he has the glow worms for his
• 35:37
  Speaker 4: torch bearers. You silly thing, cried Henry. But John continued,
• 35:44
  Speaker 4: and whoever meets this King of the gold beetles is
• 35:48
  Speaker 4: in truth born under a lucky star. Look out, Henry,
• 35:53
  Speaker 4: something is going to happen, an adventure or something out
• 35:57
  Speaker 4: of the ordinary, And to think of it, to day
• 36:01
  Speaker 4: is the first of May, and more than one wonder
• 36:05
  Speaker 4: has occurred on May day, as you well know. See
• 36:09
  Speaker 4: how he beckons us with his feelers and raises his
• 36:14
  Speaker 4: wing shields. First thing we know, he will be transformed
• 36:18
  Speaker 4: into a little elf clad in royal robes with a
• 36:22
  Speaker 4: crown of gold upon his brow. He yes, silly, he
• 36:26
  Speaker 4: will fly away, laughed Henry. Look there he goes. What
• 36:32
  Speaker 4: did I tell you? Both boys ran to the window
• 36:36
  Speaker 4: to look after the beetle, but the flashing little jewel
• 36:40
  Speaker 4: of the air had already winged his circling flight afar
• 36:44
  Speaker 4: and was out of sight beyond the garden wall. Just
• 36:48
  Speaker 4: then they heard a distinct hemming and hawing in the
• 36:53
  Speaker 4: next room, where their tutor sat, and they hastened back
• 36:57
  Speaker 4: to their lessons. Suddenly, John whis but see the wonder
• 37:02
  Speaker 4: begins and pointed to the inkstand, out of which a
• 37:07
  Speaker 4: slender green twig was growing before their very eyes. It
• 37:12
  Speaker 4: grew and grew until it touched the ceiling. We are
• 37:17
  Speaker 4: surely dreaming, declared Henry, rubbing his eyes. No, this is
• 37:22
  Speaker 4: a real life fairy tale, and we are living in it,
• 37:27
  Speaker 4: cried John rejoicingly. And the twig spread sideways and bore
• 37:33
  Speaker 4: branches and twigs with leaves and blossoms. The ceiling of
• 37:37
  Speaker 4: the room disappeared, the walls melted away as by magic,
• 37:42
  Speaker 4: and a dusky forest surrounded the astonished boys. Forward, commanded John,
• 37:49
  Speaker 4: pulling the resisting Henry along with him. Here comes our adventure.
• 37:55
  Speaker 4: The blooming shrubbery parted off its own accord and opened
• 37:59
  Speaker 4: up a part way for the boys. The sunlight broke
• 38:03
  Speaker 4: through the letters of the forest trees and lay in
• 38:06
  Speaker 4: a thousand golden flax upon the mossy carpet. Star eyed
• 38:10
  Speaker 4: blossoms of glowing colors sprang up out of the moss,
• 38:15
  Speaker 4: and curling tendrils twined about the tree trunks. Songbirds of
• 38:20
  Speaker 4: brilliant plumage fluttered in the trees overhead, and deer and
• 38:24
  Speaker 4: other forest animals sprang nimbly through the bushes. At last,
• 38:30
  Speaker 4: the trees grew less closely together, and a rosy light
• 38:34
  Speaker 4: shone through their trunks, and John whispered in tones of excitement.
• 38:39
  Speaker 4: Here it comes. They crossed an open meadow, in the
• 38:43
  Speaker 4: center of which stood a solitary tree. Yet it was
• 38:48
  Speaker 4: no ordinary tree, you may be sure no. Indeed, it
• 38:52
  Speaker 4: was the wonder tree of which John had so often heard,
• 38:57
  Speaker 4: the tree with leaves of gold. Both boys stood speechless
• 39:03
  Speaker 4: in amazement. Then suddenly a dwarf emerged from behind the tree.
• 39:09
  Speaker 4: He was no larger than a three year old child,
• 39:13
  Speaker 4: but he was not misshapen, as dwarfs so frequently are.
• 39:18
  Speaker 4: Far from it. He was beautifully formed, graceful and slender,
• 39:24
  Speaker 4: and he wore a green mantle and bore a golden
• 39:27
  Speaker 4: helmet on his head. It needed but a glance to
• 39:31
  Speaker 4: tell both boys who stood before them. He came a
• 39:36
  Speaker 4: few steps nearer and made it deep Curtsey, the enchanted
• 39:40
  Speaker 4: princess awaits her deliverer. He said, which one of you
• 39:45
  Speaker 4: will undertake the hazardous enterprise? I will, cried John in
• 39:50
  Speaker 4: eager accents. The dwarf immediately led forth as snow white steed,
• 39:57
  Speaker 4: and stood holding its golden bride. Don't go, I beg
• 40:02
  Speaker 4: of you, John, pleaded Harry fearfully. But John was already
• 40:07
  Speaker 4: in the saddle the magic horse sprang neighing in the air,
• 40:12
  Speaker 4: and with tail and main flying, sped swiftly into the forest.
• 40:17
  Speaker 4: A shining golden beetle flew ahead of them, as though
• 40:21
  Speaker 4: guiding them along. John turned around for a last look
• 40:25
  Speaker 4: at Harry and saw him still standing under the gold tree.
• 40:29
  Speaker 4: Then boy and tree disappeared from view. It was a
• 40:34
  Speaker 4: glorious ride. John sat in his saddle as securely as
• 40:38
  Speaker 4: though he were on his accustomed school chair instead of
• 40:42
  Speaker 4: a horse. He had to laugh when he thought that
• 40:46
  Speaker 4: only one short hour ago he had been sighing over
• 40:50
  Speaker 4: cornelius snappers and trembling at the thought of doctor Cudgel.
• 40:55
  Speaker 4: For in the meantime the little schoolboy in short jacket
• 40:59
  Speaker 4: had grown down into a fine looking horseman with long
• 41:03
  Speaker 4: coat and vest and sword and spurs. Thus he sped
• 41:08
  Speaker 4: through the enchanted forest at length. His horse set up
• 41:14
  Speaker 4: a friendly neighing. The forest grew lighter and lighter. A
• 41:18
  Speaker 4: few steps more, and horse and rider stopped before a
• 41:22
  Speaker 4: marble palace. Bright banners floated from its gleaming turrets and
• 41:28
  Speaker 4: bugles and trumpets sounded a glad welcome, and best of all,
• 41:34
  Speaker 4: on the balcony stood the enchanted princess, waving a snowy kerchief.
• 41:41
  Speaker 4: She resembled his neighbor Helene, with whom he had played
• 41:46
  Speaker 4: when he was a boy at school, only she was
• 41:49
  Speaker 4: larger and a thousand times more beautiful. John now sprang
• 41:55
  Speaker 4: out of the saddle and hastened up the steps, his
• 41:58
  Speaker 4: spurs jingling merrily as he went. There was a man
• 42:04
  Speaker 4: at the castle gate, the Seneschal, no doubt, but how
• 42:09
  Speaker 4: strangely familiar he seemed to our hero. Suddenly he advanced
• 42:15
  Speaker 4: toward the newcomer, stretched out his hand and gave poor
• 42:19
  Speaker 4: John a ringing box on the ear crying fell asleep,
• 42:24
  Speaker 4: Did you you sluggard?
• 42:26
  Speaker 5: Wait?
• 42:27
  Speaker 4: I'll attend to you. The enchantment came to an untimely end,
• 42:33
  Speaker 4: and John found himself once more at the inkstained table,
• 42:38
  Speaker 4: with Cornelio Snaples and his Latin dictionary clothes at hand.
• 42:44
  Speaker 4: Across from him, Harry was still busy with his figures,
• 42:49
  Speaker 4: while near by stood Doctor Cudgel, staring at him through
• 42:54
  Speaker 4: his glasses in the most forbidding manner. When their study
• 42:59
  Speaker 4: period came to an end, and the boys found themselves
• 43:03
  Speaker 4: at length in the garden, enjoying their afternoon lunch under
• 43:07
  Speaker 4: the shade of the lilacs, John told what a wonderful
• 43:11
  Speaker 4: dream he had had. How strange, cried Harry at its conclusion.
• 43:16
  Speaker 4: I myself had the self same dream, only it ended differently.
• 43:23
  Speaker 4: How did yours end? Go on, tell me all about it,
• 43:26
  Speaker 4: begged John, breathless with excitement. I did not see the
• 43:32
  Speaker 4: enchanted castle, but my dream was identical with years till
• 43:38
  Speaker 4: we came to the gold tree. Then you mounted the
• 43:41
  Speaker 4: snow white steed and rode away to release the princess,
• 43:45
  Speaker 4: where I remained behind. Shook the tree and filled all
• 43:51
  Speaker 4: my pockets with gold leaves. Then that stupid tutor woke
• 43:56
  Speaker 4: me and my glory head and end. Harry, cried John, earnestly,
• 44:02
  Speaker 4: grasping his hand. Believe me, when two people held the
• 44:07
  Speaker 4: self same dream, it is sure to come true. That
• 44:10
  Speaker 4: dream was a prophecy. You mark my words. Then the
• 44:15
  Speaker 4: boys finished their lunch and went off to play ball.
• 44:20
  Speaker 4: And was the dream fulfilled? You will ask? Indeed it was,
• 44:25
  Speaker 4: and even to the smallest detail. John became a poet
• 44:29
  Speaker 4: and rode his pegasus through the green woods of Poesy,
• 44:34
  Speaker 4: while Harry, who in the dream, shook the magic tree
• 44:38
  Speaker 4: and pocketed the Golden Leaves, became his publisher and of
• 44:44
  Speaker 4: chapter three.
• 44:52
  Speaker 5: Chapter four of The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of
• 44:56
  Speaker 5: Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 45:01
  Speaker 5: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 45:06
  Speaker 5: please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Malachi Roscoe, London,
• 45:14
  Speaker 5: United Kingdom. The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany.
• 45:21
  Speaker 5: Jonah and the Child of Fortune by Richard von Falkman,
• 45:26
  Speaker 5: translated by Gertrude R. Schottenfels. In a little village of Germany,
• 45:34
  Speaker 5: there dwelt a young man who was most unfortunate in
• 45:38
  Speaker 5: everything he undertook to do. His father had been called Jonah,
• 45:44
  Speaker 5: so Jonah was likewise his name. His parents died while
• 45:49
  Speaker 5: he was very young, and he went to live with
• 45:52
  Speaker 5: a tall, scrawny aunt, who assumed the task of rearing
• 45:56
  Speaker 5: him in the way he should go. Now, spare the
• 46:01
  Speaker 5: rod and spoil the child was no part of her creed,
• 46:05
  Speaker 5: and she punished him religiously on general principles every time
• 46:10
  Speaker 5: she returned home from early Mass. Since never a day
• 46:15
  Speaker 5: passed that she did not go to early Mass. You
• 46:18
  Speaker 5: may judge. How sad was his plight. Oh, he was very,
• 46:24
  Speaker 5: very unfortunate. If he chanced to lift a glass, it
• 46:28
  Speaker 5: was always sure to fall with a crash. And as
• 46:31
  Speaker 5: sure as he stooped to pick up the pieces, just
• 46:35
  Speaker 5: so sure was he to cut his finger. Thus he
• 46:38
  Speaker 5: fared in all things. By and by there came a
• 46:43
  Speaker 5: day upon which this scrawny aunt was gathered to her
• 46:47
  Speaker 5: last rest, and he planted as many bushes and trees
• 46:51
  Speaker 5: as her grave would hold. It almost seemed as if
• 46:55
  Speaker 5: he were bent upon heaping over her all the many
• 46:58
  Speaker 5: sticks she had broken on his back. Yet his evil
• 47:03
  Speaker 5: star was still on the ascendancy. At length, he fell
• 47:08
  Speaker 5: into a state of deep melancholy, and he resolved to
• 47:13
  Speaker 5: wander forth into the wide wide world. Worse cannot befall me,
• 47:20
  Speaker 5: he thought, And perchance I may better my condition. At
• 47:25
  Speaker 5: least there's no harm in trying. So he put all
• 47:30
  Speaker 5: his available funds in his pockets and wandered out of
• 47:34
  Speaker 5: the city gate. Outside, he paused awhile on the stone
• 47:39
  Speaker 5: bridge and leaned over the railing. He looked down at
• 47:44
  Speaker 5: the waves which were breaking in foam against the pillars
• 47:47
  Speaker 5: of the bridge, and his heart was heavy it seemed
• 47:52
  Speaker 5: to him not altogether right for him to leave the
• 47:55
  Speaker 5: city where he had dwelt so long. Perhaps he would
• 48:00
  Speaker 5: not have had the courage to tear himself away had
• 48:03
  Speaker 5: not the wind suddenly blown his hat from his head.
• 48:08
  Speaker 5: It fell into the river, of course, and before he
• 48:11
  Speaker 5: fully awoke from his reverie, it had drifted under the
• 48:14
  Speaker 5: bridge and was already dancing up and down the waves
• 48:18
  Speaker 5: on the other side of the stream. And every time
• 48:21
  Speaker 5: it rose on the crest of a wave, it seemed
• 48:24
  Speaker 5: to call to him mockingly, good Bye, Jonah, I am off.
• 48:29
  Speaker 5: You may stay at home if you wish. Then Jonah
• 48:33
  Speaker 5: shook the dust of his native town from his feet
• 48:36
  Speaker 5: in anger, and went on his way without a hat.
• 48:42
  Speaker 5: Occasionally he met other wanderers, singing and joking along the way.
• 48:48
  Speaker 5: They invited him to join company with them, but each
• 48:52
  Speaker 5: time he shook his head sadly and said, nay, I
• 48:57
  Speaker 5: am not fit company for any one, and would bring
• 49:00
  Speaker 5: you small luck. Indeed, I am called Jonah. No sooner
• 49:07
  Speaker 5: did they hear his name than they became silent and embarrassed,
• 49:11
  Speaker 5: and proceeded upon their way with such haste that they
• 49:15
  Speaker 5: left a cloud of dust.
• 49:16
  Speaker 6: In their wake.
• 49:19
  Speaker 5: Toward evening, he came to an inn and sat in
• 49:22
  Speaker 5: a lonely corner of the dining room with his head
• 49:25
  Speaker 5: in his hands. Before him, on the table stood a
• 49:29
  Speaker 5: tin tankard filled with wine untouched. Finally, observing his deep dejection,
• 49:37
  Speaker 5: the innkeeper's daughter crossed over to his side and touched
• 49:41
  Speaker 5: him on the shoulder. He started as if shot. She
• 49:45
  Speaker 5: asked him why he was so sad, and he told
• 49:49
  Speaker 5: her his story. As soon as she heard his name,
• 49:54
  Speaker 5: her compassion took sudden flight, and she retreated to her
• 49:58
  Speaker 5: spinning wheel and left him alone with his thoughts. And
• 50:02
  Speaker 5: thus it was where he went. After he had wandered
• 50:06
  Speaker 5: about for a few weeks, without really knowing whither he
• 50:10
  Speaker 5: was going, he chanced one day upon a wonderful large
• 50:15
  Speaker 5: garden inclosed by a high gilded railing. Through this fence
• 50:22
  Speaker 5: he could perceive many very high old trees and thick
• 50:26
  Speaker 5: low hedges, as well as open stretches of greensward babbling
• 50:32
  Speaker 5: and purling over its pebbles. A little brook wound in
• 50:36
  Speaker 5: and out among the trees, with many little bridges spanning it.
• 50:42
  Speaker 5: Tame deer and gentle doves walked up and down the
• 50:45
  Speaker 5: paths of yellow sand. They paused beside the fence and
• 50:50
  Speaker 5: stretched their heads through the iron railing to eat the
• 50:54
  Speaker 5: bread he held in his hand. In the center of
• 50:58
  Speaker 5: the garden, a stately, pallaceless towered amid the trees. Its
• 51:02
  Speaker 5: silvered turrets from which bright flags and banners were streaming,
• 51:07
  Speaker 5: glistened in the sun. He strolled along the fence till
• 51:11
  Speaker 5: he came to a large open gate, which seemed to
• 51:14
  Speaker 5: invite him to enter. A long, shady avenue led directly
• 51:20
  Speaker 5: to the castle. Utter silence reigned on all sides. But
• 51:25
  Speaker 5: near the gate he espied a sign. Aha, thought Jonah
• 51:31
  Speaker 5: to himself. That is always the way. If one ever
• 51:35
  Speaker 5: does reach a peaceful spot where an open gateway invites
• 51:39
  Speaker 5: one to rest, there is always sure to be a
• 51:42
  Speaker 5: sign posted somewhere no trespassing allowed. But to his great surprise,
• 51:50
  Speaker 5: on drawing nearer, he saw that for once he had
• 51:53
  Speaker 5: been mistaken. For this sign read no one is permitted
• 51:58
  Speaker 5: to weep in this guardarden. What a foolish inscription, cried Jonah,
• 52:04
  Speaker 5: drawing out his handkerchief and wiping his eyes to make
• 52:08
  Speaker 5: sure they had not deceived him. Then too, if it
• 52:12
  Speaker 5: really read that way, he was so accustomed to weeping
• 52:16
  Speaker 5: that he could not be sure that a stray tear
• 52:19
  Speaker 5: or two were not yet lurking in a corner of
• 52:21
  Speaker 5: his eyes. When he had assured himself that his eyes
• 52:26
  Speaker 5: were really dry, he entered the garden. The stately avenue
• 52:31
  Speaker 5: rather embarrassed him with its air of elegance, so he
• 52:35
  Speaker 5: chose a little side path leading between high hedges of
• 52:39
  Speaker 5: jasmine and roses. He followed this until he reached a
• 52:43
  Speaker 5: little wood, whose many paths all wound to a hill,
• 52:47
  Speaker 5: on the crest of which he espied a most beautiful princess.
• 52:52
  Speaker 5: In her lap lay a golden crown upon which she
• 52:56
  Speaker 5: was blowing her breath. Then she rubbed it with a
• 52:59
  Speaker 5: corner of her silken robe, and laughed in glee when
• 53:03
  Speaker 5: she beheld its polished surface. Then she smoothed her long hair,
• 53:09
  Speaker 5: and again set the crown on her head. Poor Jonah
• 53:13
  Speaker 5: was stricken dumb with fear when he beheld her. His
• 53:18
  Speaker 5: heart beat so loud that it well nigh suffocated him.
• 53:22
  Speaker 2: Whatever should he do?
• 53:24
  Speaker 5: He dropped down behind a bush. It was a barbary bush,
• 53:29
  Speaker 5: and one twig lay squarely across his face. There was
• 53:33
  Speaker 5: quite a breeze stirring, and as the twig swayed lightly
• 53:37
  Speaker 5: to and fro, a thorn kept tickling the end of
• 53:41
  Speaker 5: his nose. There was no escaping the consequences. He had
• 53:46
  Speaker 5: to sneeze aloud. The princess turned in sudden fright and
• 53:51
  Speaker 5: beheld the luckless Jonah cowering behind the bush. What do
• 53:57
  Speaker 5: you want, she cried?
• 53:59
  Speaker 2: Why are you there?
• 54:01
  Speaker 5: Do you wish to rob me?
• 54:04
  Speaker 2: Or are you afraid of me?
• 54:08
  Speaker 5: Thereupon, trembling like an aspen leaf, he emerged from his
• 54:13
  Speaker 5: hiding place behind the bush. The princess took a look
• 54:17
  Speaker 5: at him. You mean me no harm, I see, she said, laughing.
• 54:23
  Speaker 5: Come sit here beside me. My companions have all left
• 54:28
  Speaker 5: me and I am lonely. Perhaps you know some pretty
• 54:33
  Speaker 5: tale to tell me, or one to make me laugh.
• 54:37
  Speaker 5: But good, gracious, how sad you look?
• 54:40
  Speaker 2: What ails you?
• 54:43
  Speaker 5: If you did not make such a gloomy face, you
• 54:45
  Speaker 5: would be quite good looking. Well, if you really wish
• 54:51
  Speaker 5: me to, I will sit down for a moment, said Jonah.
• 54:56
  Speaker 5: But pray, who are you? I have never, in all
• 55:00
  Speaker 5: my life before beheld anyone half so beautiful. I am
• 55:06
  Speaker 5: the princess good Fortune, and this is my father's garden.
• 55:11
  Speaker 5: What are you doing here all by yourself? He asked, Oh,
• 55:16
  Speaker 5: I feed my dear and polish my crown, and then
• 55:21
  Speaker 5: then I feed my gold fish. And when you are
• 55:25
  Speaker 5: through feeding them, Oh, then my companions come back and
• 55:31
  Speaker 5: we sing and dance and laugh. What a life, What
• 55:36
  Speaker 5: a happy life, sighed Jonah. But tell me, is this
• 55:40
  Speaker 5: what you do every day? Yes, every single day, she answered.
• 55:47
  Speaker 5: But come, it's my turn to ask questions. Who are you?
• 55:52
  Speaker 5: And what is your name? Please do not ask me,
• 55:55
  Speaker 5: that beautiful princess, he begged. I am the most unfortunate
• 56:00
  Speaker 5: of mortals and have the most detestable name under the sun.
• 56:06
  Speaker 5: An ugly name is a misfortune, she replied. We have
• 56:11
  Speaker 5: a man here who is called duck Weed, and another
• 56:15
  Speaker 5: is named grease Spot. Is your name anything like that? No,
• 56:21
  Speaker 5: he replied sadly, I am Jonah. Jonah. That's enough to
• 56:28
  Speaker 5: make one die a laughing, she declared, can't you take
• 56:32
  Speaker 5: a different name. I will think up a pretty name
• 56:36
  Speaker 5: suitable for you and will ask my father to give
• 56:39
  Speaker 5: you permission to bear it. My father can do anything
• 56:42
  Speaker 5: he pleases, for he is king of this land. But mind,
• 56:47
  Speaker 5: I will do it only on condition that you wear
• 56:49
  Speaker 5: a glad face. Take your hand away from your face,
• 56:54
  Speaker 5: and stop pulling down the corners of your mouth. You
• 56:57
  Speaker 5: really have a nice mouth, but you will spoil it
• 57:00
  Speaker 5: completely if you keep on like this. There, now you
• 57:06
  Speaker 5: do look a little more sensible. But come tell me,
• 57:11
  Speaker 5: why are you always so sad? Now? I am always happy,
• 57:16
  Speaker 5: and everybody with whom I talk seems so except you.
• 57:21
  Speaker 5: Why am I so sad? Repeated Jonah? Because I have
• 57:27
  Speaker 5: always been sad all my life long? Why should I
• 57:32
  Speaker 5: be anything but sad? All I have ever had has
• 57:35
  Speaker 5: been misfortune. You say you were always joyful? How did
• 57:42
  Speaker 5: you begin being so? Oh? I had a fairy godmother.
• 57:47
  Speaker 5: She made reply, for whom my father once did a
• 57:50
  Speaker 5: great service. When I was christened. She took me in
• 57:55
  Speaker 5: her arms, kissed me upon the brow, and said, you
• 57:59
  Speaker 5: shall always be joyful and make the whole world rejoice,
• 58:03
  Speaker 5: And if by any chance a sad mortal gazes on you,
• 58:07
  Speaker 5: he shall straightway forget his woes. You shall be called
• 58:12
  Speaker 5: good fortune. Evidently, no fairy ever kissed you, Sir Jonah.
• 58:18
  Speaker 5: No indeed lamented poor Jonah never. Thereupon the princess became
• 58:24
  Speaker 5: very thoughtful. She gazed steadily at him with her large
• 58:29
  Speaker 5: blue eyes until he became quite uncomfortable. At length, she murmured,
• 58:35
  Speaker 5: I wonder if it must always be a fairy. A
• 58:39
  Speaker 5: princess has some power. Also, I do believe I'll try
• 58:43
  Speaker 5: it aloud, she said, Come here, kneel down. You are
• 58:50
  Speaker 5: far too tall. She bent down and kissed him, then
• 58:55
  Speaker 5: ran laughingly away. Before he could collect his wits, she
• 59:00
  Speaker 5: had disappeared from view. He arose very slowly. He had
• 59:06
  Speaker 5: a strange sensation, as though he had just awakened from
• 59:10
  Speaker 5: a dream, And yet it had been no dream, for
• 59:15
  Speaker 5: a wonderful happiness was beginning to steal over his heart.
• 59:21
  Speaker 5: If only I had my hat, he sighed, I would
• 59:25
  Speaker 5: toss it up into the air for joy. Then he added,
• 59:29
  Speaker 5: no doubt it would trill a round a lay and
• 59:32
  Speaker 5: soar away on skylark pinions, that's what I feel like
• 59:36
  Speaker 5: doing myself. Hip, Hip, hooray. I really believe I'm getting merry.
• 59:43
  Speaker 5: Wouldn't that be wonderful? He picked a bouquet of flowers
• 59:49
  Speaker 5: and wandered out upon the highway, singing at the top
• 59:52
  Speaker 5: of his voice. As soon as he reached the next town,
• 59:56
  Speaker 5: he bought a red velvet doublet slashed with white satin,
• 1:00:00
  Speaker 5: and a hat with a long trailing white feather. He
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 5: looked at himself in the glass and said, Jonah's my name?
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 5: Is it? Well, we'll see. Perhaps I'll be given another
• 1:00:12
  Speaker 5: name ere long, but it will have to be a
• 1:00:15
  Speaker 5: very pretty one, or I'll not take it. Then he
• 1:00:20
  Speaker 5: mounted a horse and put spurs to it that it
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 5: might prance merrily, and continued his journey. Meantime, after giving
• 1:00:29
  Speaker 5: Jonah the kiss, Princess good Fortune had run and run
• 1:00:34
  Speaker 5: at full speed. After a while, she ran more and
• 1:00:38
  Speaker 5: more slowly, and at last she sat down on a
• 1:00:42
  Speaker 5: bench not far from the castle and began to weep bitterly.
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 5: When her friends returned, they found her weeping. They endeavored
• 1:00:53
  Speaker 5: to console her, but could not so. In a great fright,
• 1:00:58
  Speaker 5: they ran to the king and told him that a
• 1:01:01
  Speaker 5: great misfortune had befallen the land. Princess good Fortune was
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 5: in the garden crying. The king turned pale with fright
• 1:01:10
  Speaker 5: when he heard it, and sprang quickly down the steps
• 1:01:14
  Speaker 5: into the garden, and there, sure enough he found the
• 1:01:19
  Speaker 5: princess on a bench, crying as though her heart would break.
• 1:01:24
  Speaker 5: Her golden crown was lying on her lap, covered with
• 1:01:28
  Speaker 5: the many tears she had shed, and glistening in the
• 1:01:31
  Speaker 5: sun as though it were set with a thousand diamonds.
• 1:01:36
  Speaker 5: The king tried in vain to comfort her, she was inconsolable,
• 1:01:42
  Speaker 5: so he led her into the castle and hastened to
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 5: despatch messengers far and wide over the land in search
• 1:01:49
  Speaker 5: of beautiful and costly gifts to lavish on her, all
• 1:01:55
  Speaker 5: to no purpose, for she remained sad and sorrowful, and
• 1:01:59
  Speaker 5: though often pressed by her father as to what had
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 5: occurred to so grieve her, would give him no satisfaction.
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 5: The king was very persistent and kept on questioning her
• 1:02:12
  Speaker 5: every day, and at last one day, in sheer desperation,
• 1:02:17
  Speaker 5: the princess broke down and told him all that had happened.
• 1:02:22
  Speaker 5: The king held up his hands in horror. Had she,
• 1:02:26
  Speaker 5: in truth, taken leave of her senses to have so
• 1:02:29
  Speaker 5: far forgotten her dignity, He could scarcely believe his ears.
• 1:02:36
  Speaker 5: Then he insisted, upon being told why she had done
• 1:02:39
  Speaker 5: such an unmaidenly thing. She replied that she pitied Jonah,
• 1:02:44
  Speaker 5: so she did it to see whether she could not
• 1:02:47
  Speaker 5: make him a little less unhappy, A pretty reason for
• 1:02:52
  Speaker 5: the princess to kiss the first hatless, ragged vagabond who
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 5: crosses her path. Stormed her father and aimed Jonah to boot.
• 1:03:02
  Speaker 5: Did any one ever hear the equal of such folly?
• 1:03:05
  Speaker 5: But he shall pay for it? The king raged on,
• 1:03:09
  Speaker 5: and dearly, I'll catch him yet, and when I do,
• 1:03:14
  Speaker 5: he shall be beheaded. That is the very least punishment
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 5: I can inflict for so dire an offense. Thereupon, he
• 1:03:24
  Speaker 5: commanded his horsemen to scatter in all directions to search
• 1:03:28
  Speaker 5: for Jonah. If you come across a young vagabond who
• 1:03:33
  Speaker 5: looks as sad as if the mice had eaten his
• 1:03:35
  Speaker 5: last bite of bread and butter away from him, and
• 1:03:39
  Speaker 5: is without a hat, fetch him thither at once, for
• 1:03:42
  Speaker 5: he it is that you are seeking. The horsemen sped
• 1:03:47
  Speaker 5: in all directions like chaff before a wind. Some few
• 1:03:51
  Speaker 5: of them passed Jonah on the way, but as he
• 1:03:55
  Speaker 5: was clad in elegant apparel and mounted on a prancing steed,
• 1:04:00
  Speaker 5: it is not at all strange that they did not
• 1:04:02
  Speaker 5: recognize him. Others hastened back to the palace with prisoners
• 1:04:07
  Speaker 5: of all descriptions, none of whom was the one so
• 1:04:10
  Speaker 5: eagerly awaited. Finally, the king became angry at the stupidity
• 1:04:16
  Speaker 5: of his messengers and scored them all roundly. But the
• 1:04:21
  Speaker 5: princess remained as sad as ever during all this time,
• 1:04:25
  Speaker 5: and came to the table every day with pale cheeks
• 1:04:28
  Speaker 5: and tear stained eyes. The king could do nought but
• 1:04:32
  Speaker 5: gaze in compassion at his once beautiful daughter, and soup
• 1:04:36
  Speaker 5: and roast grew cold. Unheeded. Weak followed weak. Then there
• 1:04:43
  Speaker 5: came a day when the whole courtyard rang with a
• 1:04:46
  Speaker 5: sudden commotion. But before the king could reach the window
• 1:04:50
  Speaker 5: to ascertain the cause, two horsemen burst into the room,
• 1:04:54
  Speaker 5: with the unfortunate Jonah between them. His hands were bound
• 1:04:59
  Speaker 5: behind his back, but his face fairly beamed, as if
• 1:05:03
  Speaker 5: nothing more to his liking could have befallen him. He
• 1:05:07
  Speaker 5: made a low courtesy, then drew himself proudly erect, and
• 1:05:11
  Speaker 5: stood before the king, awaiting his pleasure. We've caught the
• 1:05:15
  Speaker 5: fine bird at last, your majesty, said the elder of
• 1:05:19
  Speaker 5: the captors. But he certainly must have changed his plumage
• 1:05:23
  Speaker 5: in between times, for your description fits him as one's
• 1:05:27
  Speaker 5: fist fits one's eyes. We never would have found him
• 1:05:31
  Speaker 5: had not the stupid dolt, in a fit of bragging,
• 1:05:35
  Speaker 5: told us the story himself while we were all stopping
• 1:05:38
  Speaker 5: at an inn. And what do you suppose he did
• 1:05:42
  Speaker 5: when we captured and bound him, just laughed and sang
• 1:05:46
  Speaker 5: and danced for joy. And when we set him on
• 1:05:49
  Speaker 5: his horse and mounted ours on either side of him
• 1:05:52
  Speaker 5: to gallop thither, what think you he did? Scolded and
• 1:05:56
  Speaker 5: raged because we rode not more swiftly. He acted for
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 5: all the world as though he could scarcely wait to
• 1:06:04
  Speaker 5: be beheaded. If he is the saddest mortal in Christendom,
• 1:06:08
  Speaker 5: your majesty, I should indeed like to see the merriest. Thereupon,
• 1:06:14
  Speaker 5: the King crossed over to where Jonah stood, folded his arms,
• 1:06:18
  Speaker 5: and said, so you are the man who had the
• 1:06:22
  Speaker 5: temerity to allow a princess to kiss you. Yes, your majesty,
• 1:06:28
  Speaker 5: and I have been the happiest man on earth ever since.
• 1:06:33
  Speaker 2: Laughed the other.
• 1:06:35
  Speaker 5: Lock him up in a dungeon, roared the king. To
• 1:06:39
  Speaker 5: morrow he shall be executed. The horseman hastened to lead
• 1:06:44
  Speaker 5: him to the dungeon tower, and the king walked up
• 1:06:47
  Speaker 5: and down his chamber lost in thought. What a terrible affair,
• 1:06:53
  Speaker 5: he mused, I have the rascal. It is true, and
• 1:06:58
  Speaker 5: he shall die tomorrow, but we will that restore my
• 1:07:02
  Speaker 5: beloved daughter's lost happiness. Then he stole softly to her
• 1:07:08
  Speaker 5: chamber door to listen at the keyhole. But the sounds
• 1:07:13
  Speaker 5: of muffled sobs that reached his ear made him shake
• 1:07:16
  Speaker 5: his head sadly and retreat to his own room. After
• 1:07:22
  Speaker 5: thinking it all over once more, he sent for his
• 1:07:26
  Speaker 5: secret counselor. To him he imparted the whole story of
• 1:07:30
  Speaker 5: the princess's folly. The latter thought it all over carefully,
• 1:07:35
  Speaker 5: ere he offered his advice. At length. He said, I
• 1:07:39
  Speaker 5: know not whether it will prove effectual, but at any rate,
• 1:07:44
  Speaker 5: it can do no harm to try. It is known
• 1:07:49
  Speaker 5: that this Jonah was formerly very sad, it is now
• 1:07:53
  Speaker 5: the prince of jollity. Also that our beautiful princess, who
• 1:07:59
  Speaker 5: was formerly always merry, is now inconsolably sad. Therefore, it
• 1:08:05
  Speaker 5: is plainly evident there was magic in the kiss which
• 1:08:09
  Speaker 5: worked the change. Clearly, the kiss is to blame for
• 1:08:13
  Speaker 5: it all. Likewise, there can be but one remedy. Jonah
• 1:08:19
  Speaker 5: must give the princess back her kiss, or your majesty.
• 1:08:23
  Speaker 5: But the king waxed wrath, and declared such a proceeding
• 1:08:28
  Speaker 5: quite impossible and quite contrary to all the customs of
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 5: his race. Your Majesty must regard the entire affair as
• 1:08:35
  Speaker 5: an official act, therefore a state secret. Then all will
• 1:08:40
  Speaker 5: be well once more, and no one will dare breathe
• 1:08:43
  Speaker 5: a word about it. After arguing the matter at some length,
• 1:08:49
  Speaker 5: the king was won over, so he donned his robes
• 1:08:53
  Speaker 5: of state and called all his knights and courtiers to
• 1:08:57
  Speaker 5: the presence. Chamber guards were at once despatched to the
• 1:09:01
  Speaker 5: dungeon to lead the prisoner thither. As soon as he
• 1:09:05
  Speaker 5: was seated on the throne, the king sent for his daughter,
• 1:09:09
  Speaker 5: without telling her why her presence was desired. She came
• 1:09:13
  Speaker 5: at once and took her place at his side. Perfect
• 1:09:17
  Speaker 5: silence reigned until the door opened to admit Jonah. The
• 1:09:23
  Speaker 5: King addressed the culprit as follows. You shall be beheaded tomorrow,
• 1:09:30
  Speaker 5: as I have already said, But before that event takes place,
• 1:09:34
  Speaker 5: you will now this very instant, and in the presence
• 1:09:38
  Speaker 5: of my assembled court, returned to my daughter the kiss
• 1:09:42
  Speaker 5: she so rashly bestowed upon you. If such is your desire,
• 1:09:48
  Speaker 5: O king returned Jonah, I will most gladly comply with
• 1:09:53
  Speaker 5: your request. And were it possible for a mortal man
• 1:09:56
  Speaker 5: to be more happy than I am at the present moment,
• 1:10:00
  Speaker 5: no doubt I shall speedily become so we shall see,
• 1:10:05
  Speaker 5: interrupted the king harshly. It is just possible that there
• 1:10:09
  Speaker 5: may be a mistake in your calculations this time. But Jonah,
• 1:10:14
  Speaker 5: his face wreathed in smiles, did not appear to be listening. Instead,
• 1:10:20
  Speaker 5: he crossed over to where the princess stood, took her
• 1:10:24
  Speaker 5: tenderly in his arms, and bestowed a rapturous kiss upon
• 1:10:28
  Speaker 5: her lips by the order of the king, he whispered laughingly.
• 1:10:34
  Speaker 5: She clasped her arms around his neck, and there they
• 1:10:38
  Speaker 5: stood lost in ecstasy. Well, my daughter, are you happy?
• 1:10:45
  Speaker 5: Once more? Broke in the king a little bit. Dear father,
• 1:10:50
  Speaker 5: answered the princess. But you know it will not be
• 1:10:54
  Speaker 5: for long. Yes, yes, returned the latter. I see if
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 5: the scheme had been a success, he would have become
• 1:11:04
  Speaker 5: sorrowful again by this time. But there he stands, as
• 1:11:09
  Speaker 5: smiling and as unabashed as ever. Whatever shall we do?
• 1:11:16
  Speaker 5: Then the princess dropped her eyes and softly answered, I know,
• 1:11:20
  Speaker 5: dear father, and I shall tell you, But it must
• 1:11:24
  Speaker 5: be told in secret. Thereupon the king retired into the antechamber,
• 1:11:31
  Speaker 5: and what took place there none ever knew. Only when
• 1:11:36
  Speaker 5: they returned, the King led her straight over to Jonah,
• 1:11:40
  Speaker 5: placed her hand in his, and spake to the assembled court,
• 1:11:45
  Speaker 5: courtiers and friends, it is useless to struggle against fate.
• 1:11:51
  Speaker 5: God's will be done. This is my dear son, who
• 1:11:56
  Speaker 5: will reign in my stead when I die. I bid
• 1:12:00
  Speaker 5: you give him welcome. And so Jonah became a prince
• 1:12:07
  Speaker 5: and went to live in the stately palace. And he
• 1:12:10
  Speaker 5: gave the princess so many kisses that in time she
• 1:12:14
  Speaker 5: became even happier than before, and he was no longer Jonah.
• 1:12:20
  Speaker 7: No.
• 1:12:21
  Speaker 5: Indeed, instead she called him by the prettiest names she
• 1:12:26
  Speaker 5: could think of, a different one each day, and each
• 1:12:30
  Speaker 5: one lovelier than the last end of chapter four. Recording
• 1:12:39
  Speaker 5: by Malachi Roscoe, London, United Kingdom.
• 1:12:48
  Speaker 7: Section five of The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of
• 1:12:51
  Speaker 7: Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:12:57
  Speaker 7: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:13:01
  Speaker 7: please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by April six, zero
• 1:13:05
  Speaker 7: nine zero California, United States of America. The Meadows Sprite
• 1:13:10
  Speaker 7: and other Tales of modern Germany. The Water Sprite's Fiddlesticks
• 1:13:15
  Speaker 7: by Rudolph Bombash, translated by Gertrude are Schottenfels. There once
• 1:13:21
  Speaker 7: was a little boy named Frederic, who had neither father
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 7: nor mother. He was such a beautiful child that when
• 1:13:27
  Speaker 7: he played on the street outside his door, people stopped
• 1:13:30
  Speaker 7: to look at him and asked to whom does the
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 7: little one belong? Then the surly old woman, who had
• 1:13:36
  Speaker 7: raised him on thin bra and plentiful scoldings, would answer,
• 1:13:40
  Speaker 7: he is a poor little orphan, and the best thing
• 1:13:42
  Speaker 7: for him would be if his heavenly father would see
• 1:13:45
  Speaker 7: fit to take him home. But Frederick had no longings
• 1:13:48
  Speaker 7: for the kingdom of heaven. He was very well satisfied
• 1:13:52
  Speaker 7: with things as they were down here, and he throve
• 1:13:55
  Speaker 7: like the red thistle behind his foster mother's house. He
• 1:13:58
  Speaker 7: had no playmates. When the other boys of the village
• 1:14:01
  Speaker 7: built bark canoes and sent them floating down the mill
• 1:14:05
  Speaker 7: pond or romped together in the hay, Frederick sat at
• 1:14:08
  Speaker 7: the meadows, imitating the whistle of the different birds. One day,
• 1:14:13
  Speaker 7: while engaged in this pleasing occupation. He was approached by
• 1:14:16
  Speaker 7: Old Nick, a bird catcher by trade. He was greatly
• 1:14:20
  Speaker 7: impressed by the boy's beauty and cleverness, and made overtures
• 1:14:24
  Speaker 7: of friendship. From that time on, the two were inseparable
• 1:14:27
  Speaker 7: and could be frequently seen before the hut of the
• 1:14:30
  Speaker 7: bird catcher, sitting close together and chatting like two old
• 1:14:33
  Speaker 7: companions in arms. Nick not only knew how to relate
• 1:14:37
  Speaker 7: wonderful tales of the forest, but he also could play
• 1:14:40
  Speaker 7: on the fiddle, and undertook to instruct Frederick in this art,
• 1:14:44
  Speaker 7: having first presented him with an old fiddle which he
• 1:14:47
  Speaker 7: had mended for him. His pupil certainly did him credit,
• 1:14:51
  Speaker 7: for before a month had passed, Frederick could play several
• 1:14:54
  Speaker 7: popular songs quite well. Indeed, the old bird catcher was
• 1:14:58
  Speaker 7: highly elated and predicted that if God spared his life,
• 1:15:02
  Speaker 7: Frederick would someday be first violent at church consecrations. When
• 1:15:07
  Speaker 7: the lad was fifteen years old, all the neighbors met
• 1:15:09
  Speaker 7: together in solemn conclave to hold discourse over him. They
• 1:15:13
  Speaker 7: decided that it was about time for him to learn
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 7: something properly useful with which to earn his living. When
• 1:15:19
  Speaker 7: they asked him what he would like to be, he
• 1:15:21
  Speaker 7: answered a musician. Whereupon the good people held up their
• 1:15:25
  Speaker 7: hands in horror. Then from among them, a man who
• 1:15:28
  Speaker 7: was held in high regard, stepped forward, grasped the boy's hand,
• 1:15:33
  Speaker 7: and said, with dignity, I will try to make something
• 1:15:36
  Speaker 7: worthy out of him. Then all the neighbors crowded around
• 1:15:39
  Speaker 7: him and congratulated him, for they considered him very fortunate
• 1:15:43
  Speaker 7: to have found such a master. He was a man
• 1:15:46
  Speaker 7: of no little importance. He shaved the peasant's hair and beards,
• 1:15:51
  Speaker 7: bled the fever patience, pulled out bad teeth and occasionally
• 1:15:55
  Speaker 7: good ones by mistake. He was the village barber, but
• 1:15:58
  Speaker 7: people always referred to him as the doctor, for in
• 1:16:01
  Speaker 7: those days the village barber was also a surgeon and
• 1:16:04
  Speaker 7: a dentist, as you may perhaps have heard before. On
• 1:16:08
  Speaker 7: the same day, Frederick entered the house of his employer
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 7: and began his duties by fetching his master's beer from
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 7: the ale house. Gradually he learned how to make lather
• 1:16:18
  Speaker 7: and strop a razor, and to do all the other
• 1:16:21
  Speaker 7: things pertaining to his profession. His master was pleased with
• 1:16:24
  Speaker 7: him in every respect except his music, for he would
• 1:16:28
  Speaker 7: persist in practicing zealously every spare moment he found. This,
• 1:16:32
  Speaker 7: according to the barber's view, was a mere waste of time,
• 1:16:36
  Speaker 7: since music belonged to the propheless arts. Thus two years
• 1:16:39
  Speaker 7: passed by. Then there came a day upon which Frederick
• 1:16:43
  Speaker 7: was to make a test of his skill as apprentice.
• 1:16:46
  Speaker 7: If it met with his master's approval, he would become
• 1:16:49
  Speaker 7: a journeyman and might start out into the world to
• 1:16:51
  Speaker 7: seek his fortune while traveling. The test consisted of shaving
• 1:16:56
  Speaker 7: his masters's beard satisfactorily, and that was no joke, can
• 1:17:00
  Speaker 7: assure you. The eventful day came round. The barber sat
• 1:17:04
  Speaker 7: in the chair, a white towel round his neck, and
• 1:17:07
  Speaker 7: leaned back. Frederick lathered his stout double chin, stropped the razor,
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 7: and began his task. But suddenly outside the door or
• 1:17:15
  Speaker 7: heard the sound of violin and flute. A bear leader
• 1:17:18
  Speaker 7: with a dancing bear was passing that way. When the
• 1:17:21
  Speaker 7: apprentice heard the music, his hand involuntarily twitched and left
• 1:17:25
  Speaker 7: a long, bloody gash from his ear to his nose
• 1:17:29
  Speaker 7: across his master's cheek. Alas poor f F. Frederick, The chair
• 1:17:33
  Speaker 7: upon which the barber sat was thrown hastily backward on
• 1:17:36
  Speaker 7: to the floor in a raging fury. The bleeding man
• 1:17:38
  Speaker 7: sprang upon his pupil and gave him a ringing box
• 1:17:42
  Speaker 7: on the ear. Then he threw open the door, pointed
• 1:17:45
  Speaker 7: to it, and cried, go to the cuckoo. Thereupon Frederick
• 1:17:49
  Speaker 7: packed his various belongings, took his fiddle under his arm,
• 1:17:52
  Speaker 7: and went to the cuckoo. Now the cuckoo lived in
• 1:17:55
  Speaker 7: an oak tree in the forest, and as luck would
• 1:17:57
  Speaker 7: have it, chanced to be at home when Frederick called.
• 1:18:01
  Speaker 7: He patiently heard the young man's story through to the end,
• 1:18:04
  Speaker 7: then shook his wings and said, young friend, if I
• 1:18:08
  Speaker 7: wished to help every one who is sent to me,
• 1:18:10
  Speaker 7: I should have my hands more than full. Times are
• 1:18:14
  Speaker 7: very hard, and I am glad that I have been
• 1:18:16
  Speaker 7: able to dispose of my own children tolerably well. I've
• 1:18:19
  Speaker 7: put my eldest son out to board in the family
• 1:18:22
  Speaker 7: of wagtails. Neighbor Redstart has taken my second son into
• 1:18:26
  Speaker 7: his house, while my third, who is a girl, has
• 1:18:29
  Speaker 7: been adopted by an old hedge sparrow. My friend the Wren,
• 1:18:33
  Speaker 7: is taking care of my two youngest ones. As for myself,
• 1:18:36
  Speaker 7: I must keep on the go from morn till night
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 7: to make both ends meet. For the last fourteen days,
• 1:18:42
  Speaker 7: I have subsisted entirely upon hairy caterpillars, and I am
• 1:18:45
  Speaker 7: sure your stomach could never stand such food. No, sorry,
• 1:18:50
  Speaker 7: though I am to say so, I can do nothing
• 1:18:52
  Speaker 7: to help you thereat. Frederick hung his head sorrowfully, said
• 1:18:57
  Speaker 7: good bye, and went away. He had not gone far, however,
• 1:19:00
  Speaker 7: when the bird called after him, Stop, Frederick, Perhaps I
• 1:19:04
  Speaker 7: can't help you. After all. An idea has just occurred
• 1:19:07
  Speaker 7: to me. Come along, saying which he spread his wings
• 1:19:10
  Speaker 7: and flew along ahead of Frederick. The latter had some
• 1:19:14
  Speaker 7: difficulty in following his leader, since the undergrowth was very
• 1:19:17
  Speaker 7: dense and thorn hedges were plentiful along the way. At last,
• 1:19:21
  Speaker 7: the sunlight was visible between the trunks of the trees
• 1:19:25
  Speaker 7: and shone sparkling on the water. Here we are, said
• 1:19:28
  Speaker 7: the cuckoo, alighting on an alder bough. Before them lay
• 1:19:32
  Speaker 7: a dark green fish pond, which was fed by a
• 1:19:34
  Speaker 7: foaming waterfall. Reeds and yellow irises grew along its bank,
• 1:19:39
  Speaker 7: and snowy water lilies, with their broad green leaves, floated
• 1:19:42
  Speaker 7: on its surface. Now watch out, said the clever bird,
• 1:19:46
  Speaker 7: When the sun sinks and the spray of the waterfall
• 1:19:49
  Speaker 7: gleams with the seven colors of the rainbow. Then the
• 1:19:53
  Speaker 7: water spry will come up from the bottom of the pond,
• 1:19:56
  Speaker 7: where he dwelves in a crystal palace, and sit on
• 1:19:59
  Speaker 7: the shore. But do not be afraid. On the contrary,
• 1:20:02
  Speaker 7: Speak to him, and the rest will follow it of itself.
• 1:20:06
  Speaker 7: Frederick gratefully thanked the cuckoo, who winged his swift flight
• 1:20:09
  Speaker 7: back into the forest. When the spray of the waterfall
• 1:20:12
  Speaker 7: gleamed with the seven colors of the rainbow, sure enough
• 1:20:16
  Speaker 7: the water spry came up from his crystal palace. He
• 1:20:19
  Speaker 7: had on a red coat and a white collar. His
• 1:20:22
  Speaker 7: hair was green and hung down to his shoulders in
• 1:20:24
  Speaker 7: a tangled mane. He seated himself on a rock which
• 1:20:28
  Speaker 7: reared itself above the glassy surface of the water, and
• 1:20:31
  Speaker 7: let his feet dangle in the pond while he began
• 1:20:34
  Speaker 7: to comb his hair with his ten fingers. It was
• 1:20:37
  Speaker 7: a tedious task, for tangled in its thick masses were seaweed, duckweed,
• 1:20:41
  Speaker 7: and little snail shells. And while he was combing it,
• 1:20:44
  Speaker 7: he made a very wry face. This is exactly the
• 1:20:47
  Speaker 7: right time for my interview, said Frederick to himself. Thereupon
• 1:20:52
  Speaker 7: he screwed up his courage and emerged from the alder hedge,
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 7: where he had until now been hiding. He lifted his
• 1:20:58
  Speaker 7: hat and said, in his mother polite way, good evening,
• 1:21:01
  Speaker 7: master Sprite. But no sooner had his voice broken the stillness,
• 1:21:05
  Speaker 7: than the sprite plumped into the water and dove beneath
• 1:21:09
  Speaker 7: like a frightened frog. In a little while he ventured
• 1:21:12
  Speaker 7: to stretch his head out of the water and ask,
• 1:21:14
  Speaker 7: in no friendly tones, Well, what do you want. I'm
• 1:21:17
  Speaker 7: an experienced barber, began Frederick, and with your kind permission,
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 7: I should like to comb your hair for you. Indeed,
• 1:21:24
  Speaker 7: I should consider it a great honor if you would
• 1:21:26
  Speaker 7: allow me to do so. Thereupon the sprite climbed out
• 1:21:30
  Speaker 7: of the stream and exclaimed, rejoicingly, indeed, you come at
• 1:21:33
  Speaker 7: a most opportune moment. What trouble and vexation have I
• 1:21:37
  Speaker 7: not had with my hair? Since my aunt the Laura
• 1:21:39
  Speaker 7: Lae so beastly deserted me, and after all I have
• 1:21:43
  Speaker 7: done for her, the young grateful creature, one morning she disappeared,
• 1:21:48
  Speaker 7: and my golden comb was also missing. Now I am
• 1:21:50
  Speaker 7: told she sits on a rock in the rhine, making
• 1:21:53
  Speaker 7: love to a boatman and a little skiff. My golden
• 1:21:56
  Speaker 7: comb will soon be gone. With these words, he took
• 1:21:58
  Speaker 7: a seat on a stone, and Frederick drew forth his
• 1:22:01
  Speaker 7: shaving outfit, fastened a white towel round his neck, and
• 1:22:05
  Speaker 7: combed and oiled his hair till it was as smooth
• 1:22:07
  Speaker 7: as silk. Then he parted it in the middle from
• 1:22:10
  Speaker 7: his forehead to his neck, took off the towel, and
• 1:22:13
  Speaker 7: scraped a sweeping bow. The sprite got up and looked
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 7: with approval at his image in the water. What do
• 1:22:19
  Speaker 7: you charge, he asked. Frederick was about to make his
• 1:22:23
  Speaker 7: usual reply, as much as you wish to pay, when
• 1:22:26
  Speaker 7: fortunately it occurred to him that there is no time
• 1:22:28
  Speaker 7: like the present, and that one should strike while the
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 7: iron is hot. So he cleared his throat and began
• 1:22:34
  Speaker 7: the story of his life.
• 1:22:35
  Speaker 8: And so you would like.
• 1:22:36
  Speaker 7: To become a musician, asked the sprite. When Frederick was through, Well,
• 1:22:41
  Speaker 7: take your fiddle and let me hear you play. Whereupon
• 1:22:43
  Speaker 7: the young man took his fiddle, tuned the strings, and
• 1:22:46
  Speaker 7: played his best piece, And as he finished, he looked
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 7: expectantly at the sprite. The latter merely grinned and made
• 1:22:53
  Speaker 7: a wry face. Then he reached among the reeds and
• 1:22:56
  Speaker 7: drew forth a violin and bow, which he adjusted and
• 1:22:59
  Speaker 7: began to play. Upon such playing, poor Frederick had never heard.
• 1:23:04
  Speaker 7: At first it sounded like the wind sighing among the reeds,
• 1:23:08
  Speaker 7: then like the raging of a waterfall, and last of
• 1:23:11
  Speaker 7: all like a gently flowing stream. The birds in the
• 1:23:14
  Speaker 7: branches overhead hushed their singing, the bees ceased their humming,
• 1:23:19
  Speaker 7: and even the fishes raised their heads out of the
• 1:23:21
  Speaker 7: pond to listen to the sweet strains. Tears came into
• 1:23:25
  Speaker 7: Frederick's eyes, and he raised his hands entreatingly and said, please,
• 1:23:29
  Speaker 7: master Sprite, take me as your pupil. That is impossible,
• 1:23:33
  Speaker 7: replied the sprite. It is also unnecessary, for if you
• 1:23:37
  Speaker 7: will but leave me your comb, I promise you that
• 1:23:40
  Speaker 7: you shall become the greatest musician the world has ever known,
• 1:23:43
  Speaker 7: a violinist without a rival. Frederick rejoiced. You may have
• 1:23:48
  Speaker 7: my entire outfit, if you wish, he cried, impulsively, reaching
• 1:23:52
  Speaker 7: it to him as he spoke. The sprite grasped it
• 1:23:55
  Speaker 7: eagerly and instantly sank beyond view. Wait a moment wait
• 1:23:59
  Speaker 7: a moment, ried the poor young man, But he might
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 7: as well have spared his breath, for no ripple stirred
• 1:24:05
  Speaker 7: the placid surface of the water. He waited one hour,
• 1:24:08
  Speaker 7: waited two, but neither saw nor heard anything of the sprite.
• 1:24:13
  Speaker 7: Poor Frederick sighed deeply. It was plainly evident to him
• 1:24:17
  Speaker 7: that the false sprite had to basely betrayed him. But
• 1:24:20
  Speaker 7: what was that lying at his feet? As he turned
• 1:24:22
  Speaker 7: to go whither? He knew not. It was nothing more
• 1:24:26
  Speaker 7: nor less than the sprite's fiddlestick, lying there at the
• 1:24:29
  Speaker 7: water's edge.
• 1:24:30
  Speaker 9: He stooped to.
• 1:24:31
  Speaker 7: Pick it up, and as he did so, it sent
• 1:24:33
  Speaker 7: an electric shock from his fingertips to his very shoulder blades.
• 1:24:37
  Speaker 7: And what was more, it seemed to impel him to
• 1:24:40
  Speaker 7: try it on his fiddle. He started to play a
• 1:24:42
  Speaker 7: popular air entitled what shall a Poor Fellow Do? But
• 1:24:47
  Speaker 7: no sooner had his hand grasped the bow than an
• 1:24:51
  Speaker 7: unseen power seemed to guide his fingers, and the strings
• 1:24:53
  Speaker 7: breathed for such sweet, silvery strains as he had never
• 1:24:57
  Speaker 7: before heard except the time the sprite played violin. The
• 1:25:01
  Speaker 7: birds came fluttering thither and settled on the boughs to listen.
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 7: The fishes swam to the surface of the pond, and
• 1:25:08
  Speaker 7: the timid deer and doze came out of the forest
• 1:25:10
  Speaker 7: and stood near him to listen, with eyes that seemed
• 1:25:13
  Speaker 7: almost human in their intelligence. And Frederic knew not how
• 1:25:16
  Speaker 7: it came to pass, But every beautiful thought which came
• 1:25:20
  Speaker 7: surging through his mind and soul found instant expression through
• 1:25:23
  Speaker 7: his hand, and rang out in tones of piercing sweetness
• 1:25:27
  Speaker 7: on his old brown fiddle. Even the Sprite emerged from
• 1:25:30
  Speaker 7: his crystal palace to not approvingly at Frederick from the
• 1:25:33
  Speaker 7: surface of the water. Then he disappeared to be seen
• 1:25:36
  Speaker 7: no more, and Frederic, still playing as in a dream,
• 1:25:39
  Speaker 7: emerged from the forest and wandered for many years through
• 1:25:43
  Speaker 7: all the kingdoms of the earth, laying before kings and emperors.
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 7: Gold was fairly showered upon him, and he might have
• 1:25:50
  Speaker 7: become a very wealthy man, had he not been so
• 1:25:53
  Speaker 7: truly a musician. But as we all know, no true
• 1:25:56
  Speaker 7: artists ever accumulate fortunes. He had given away his shaving outfit,
• 1:26:00
  Speaker 7: and therefore he was compelled to let his hair grow
• 1:26:02
  Speaker 7: long like Sampson's. The other musicians observed this, and soon
• 1:26:07
  Speaker 7: began to imitate him, which did not disturb him in
• 1:26:09
  Speaker 7: the least, since imitation is this sincerest flattery, And from
• 1:26:14
  Speaker 7: that time to the present day musicians have affected long
• 1:26:17
  Speaker 7: bushy hair.
• 1:26:19
  Speaker 10: End of chapter five, Section six of The Metal Sprite
• 1:26:28
  Speaker 10: and Other Tales of Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 1:26:34
  Speaker 10: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 1:26:38
  Speaker 10: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording
• 1:26:43
  Speaker 10: by James K. White Chula Vista, The Metal Sprite and
• 1:26:48
  Speaker 10: Other Tales of Modern Germany. The Deserted Grave by Richard
• 1:26:53
  Speaker 10: von Volkmann, translated by Gertrude R. Schuttenfels. The churchyard in
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 10: which the children were wont to play lay high up
• 1:27:03
  Speaker 10: on the green mountain slope. The village to which it
• 1:27:06
  Speaker 10: belonged lay so high above the wooded valley that it
• 1:27:09
  Speaker 10: was often hidden from view by the clouds as one
• 1:27:12
  Speaker 10: passed by on the blue stream below. The churchyard, however,
• 1:27:17
  Speaker 10: lay so high above the village that its many black
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 10: crosses towered up into the very blue of the heavens.
• 1:27:24
  Speaker 10: It was considerable trouble for the villagers to carry their
• 1:27:27
  Speaker 10: dead up to the churchyard. For the path was steep
• 1:27:30
  Speaker 10: and stony until one reached the grassy meadows where the
• 1:27:33
  Speaker 10: graves lay. Yet they did it willingly, for the mountain
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 10: folks cannot live in a valley. A valley seems as
• 1:27:41
  Speaker 10: dark and narrow to them as a deep cellar would
• 1:27:44
  Speaker 10: to us. Much less would they bury their dead there. No, Indeed,
• 1:27:50
  Speaker 10: their dead must be buried high up on the mountain,
• 1:27:53
  Speaker 10: where one can see far out over the land, and
• 1:27:55
  Speaker 10: down into the valley below, where the ships sailed past.
• 1:28:00
  Speaker 10: In one corner of the churchyard was a neglected grave
• 1:28:03
  Speaker 10: upon which grew only grass and a few wild flowers,
• 1:28:06
  Speaker 10: which nobody had ever planted, for it belonged to an
• 1:28:09
  Speaker 10: old bachelor who had left neither wife nor children to
• 1:28:12
  Speaker 10: look after him. He had come thither from foreign realms.
• 1:28:17
  Speaker 10: None knew exactly where. Every morning he would climb to
• 1:28:21
  Speaker 10: the top of the mountain, where he would sit for hours.
• 1:28:25
  Speaker 10: But he had lived only a short time and had
• 1:28:27
  Speaker 10: been buried in the spot most dear to him. He
• 1:28:31
  Speaker 10: must have had a name, though none had ever heard it.
• 1:28:35
  Speaker 10: In the church records, his death was registered with three crosses,
• 1:28:39
  Speaker 10: followed by the words an old bachelor died on such
• 1:28:43
  Speaker 10: and such a day of such and such a month
• 1:28:46
  Speaker 10: in the year of our Lord so and so, all
• 1:28:50
  Speaker 10: of which was little enough. But the two children whose
• 1:28:53
  Speaker 10: father was the sexton, were extremely fond of this particular grave,
• 1:28:58
  Speaker 10: probably because they were mad it to play and walk
• 1:29:01
  Speaker 10: upon it as much as they pleased, while they dared
• 1:29:04
  Speaker 10: not so much as touch one of the other graves.
• 1:29:08
  Speaker 10: These were all carefully tended. The grass was always freshly
• 1:29:12
  Speaker 10: cut and as smooth as velvet. Then there were all
• 1:29:16
  Speaker 10: kinds of flowers growing on them, which the sexton water
• 1:29:20
  Speaker 10: daily with great pains, since he had to carry the
• 1:29:23
  Speaker 10: water up from the village. There were also wreaths and
• 1:29:27
  Speaker 10: flowers tied with bright ribbons on many of the graves.
• 1:29:32
  Speaker 10: One day, the children were playing as usual in their
• 1:29:35
  Speaker 10: favorite spot. The little boy was kneeling before the grave,
• 1:29:39
  Speaker 10: looking with great satisfaction at a hole which he had
• 1:29:42
  Speaker 10: dug in its side with his little hands. Catherine, he called,
• 1:29:48
  Speaker 10: our house is finished. I have plastered it with bright
• 1:29:51
  Speaker 10: colored pebbles and strewn flower petals over it. Come. I'll
• 1:29:56
  Speaker 10: be the father, and you the mother came running. Good
• 1:30:01
  Speaker 10: morning father, Good morning mother, he answered, how are our
• 1:30:06
  Speaker 10: children this morning? John exclaimed the little maid, you play
• 1:30:12
  Speaker 10: far too quickly. I have no children as yet, but
• 1:30:16
  Speaker 10: I will soon find a few, saying which, she disappeared
• 1:30:20
  Speaker 10: among the graves and bushes, and soon returned with both
• 1:30:23
  Speaker 10: hands full of snails. See father, she cried, all dimples,
• 1:30:29
  Speaker 10: I have now seven children, seven lovely snail children. Then
• 1:30:34
  Speaker 10: you had better put them to bed at once, as
• 1:30:36
  Speaker 10: it is already late, returned John. The little girl plucked
• 1:30:41
  Speaker 10: some leaves, which she laid in the hole, placed the
• 1:30:45
  Speaker 10: snails upon them, and covered each one over with a
• 1:30:47
  Speaker 10: green leaf. Now you keep still, John, she called out,
• 1:30:52
  Speaker 10: I must sing the children to sleep, and I must
• 1:30:55
  Speaker 10: do it all by myself. The father never helps sing
• 1:30:59
  Speaker 10: the children to sleep. You can go on with your
• 1:31:01
  Speaker 10: work till I'm through. So John went away, and Catherine
• 1:31:06
  Speaker 10: sang a lullaby in a sweet little voice. But of
• 1:31:09
  Speaker 10: a sudden one leaf began to stir, and a snail
• 1:31:13
  Speaker 10: stuck its little head out of its shell. The little
• 1:31:16
  Speaker 10: one tapped its head with her finger and said, just
• 1:31:19
  Speaker 10: you wait, Gustave, you are always the naughty one. Early
• 1:31:23
  Speaker 10: this morning you would not let me comb your hair.
• 1:31:27
  Speaker 10: Will you go to sleep at once? Then she went
• 1:31:31
  Speaker 10: on with her singing, and sure enough, before she was through,
• 1:31:34
  Speaker 10: they were all fast asleep. At least they were perfectly quiet.
• 1:31:39
  Speaker 10: John did not return immediately, so the little maiden stole
• 1:31:43
  Speaker 10: away and wondered about the churchyard in search of more snails.
• 1:31:48
  Speaker 10: She gathered a great number in her apron and then
• 1:31:51
  Speaker 10: returned to the grave, where she found John awaiting her father.
• 1:31:56
  Speaker 10: She called to him, I have found a hundred more. Listen, wife,
• 1:32:02
  Speaker 10: returned the small boy, sensibly, A hundred children are a
• 1:32:06
  Speaker 10: great many. Indeed, we have only one doll plate and
• 1:32:10
  Speaker 10: a couple of doll forks. How in the world are
• 1:32:13
  Speaker 10: the children going to eat? Besides, no mother ever has
• 1:32:17
  Speaker 10: one hundred children, and there are not one hundred names.
• 1:32:21
  Speaker 10: Take them back again, no, John, said the little one.
• 1:32:25
  Speaker 10: A hundred children are very nice. Indeed, I need every
• 1:32:29
  Speaker 10: one of them. Just then, the sexton's wife appeared with
• 1:32:33
  Speaker 10: two large slices of bread and butter, for it was
• 1:32:36
  Speaker 10: vesper time and they had had nothing to eat since noon.
• 1:32:40
  Speaker 10: She kissed the children, sat them upon the grave, and
• 1:32:43
  Speaker 10: told them not to get butter on their clean clothes.
• 1:32:46
  Speaker 10: So they sat as still as mice and ate their
• 1:32:49
  Speaker 10: bread and butter. Now, the dead man, lying so quietly
• 1:32:53
  Speaker 10: in his grave below had been listening to it all,
• 1:32:57
  Speaker 10: for the dead can hear every word which is spoken
• 1:32:59
  Speaker 10: at their graves. It recalled the time when he himself
• 1:33:03
  Speaker 10: had been a child. There had been another also, a
• 1:33:07
  Speaker 10: little girl, with whom he played. Then he thought of
• 1:33:10
  Speaker 10: a later time when he had seen her once again,
• 1:33:13
  Speaker 10: this time a full grown woman. After that he had
• 1:33:17
  Speaker 10: never heard of her again, for he had gone on
• 1:33:20
  Speaker 10: his own way, And indeed it could not have been
• 1:33:23
  Speaker 10: a very nice way. For the more he thought of it,
• 1:33:26
  Speaker 10: and the longer he listened to the innocent prattle of
• 1:33:29
  Speaker 10: the children, the sadder and sadder he grew. At last
• 1:33:33
  Speaker 10: he began to weep. And when their mother sat the
• 1:33:36
  Speaker 10: children on the grave directly over his breast, the more
• 1:33:40
  Speaker 10: and more he wept. He tried to stretch forth his
• 1:33:44
  Speaker 10: arms to clasp them to his heart, but could not,
• 1:33:49
  Speaker 10: not a muscle could he move. For over him lay
• 1:33:51
  Speaker 10: six feet of earth, and six feet of earth is
• 1:33:54
  Speaker 10: a heavy weight, I assure you, especially over one's heart.
• 1:33:58
  Speaker 10: So he cried and cried ever harder and harder, even
• 1:34:02
  Speaker 10: after the mother had taken her children away and put
• 1:34:05
  Speaker 10: them to bed. And what do you think was the
• 1:34:08
  Speaker 10: end of his tears. You will never believe it, I
• 1:34:11
  Speaker 10: am sure. But the next morning, when the sexton went
• 1:34:15
  Speaker 10: through the churchyard, he found a little spring gushing forth
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 10: from the deserted grave. It was the tears the dead
• 1:34:22
  Speaker 10: man had shed, and they bubbled directly out of the
• 1:34:25
  Speaker 10: little hole which the children had dug for their playhouse.
• 1:34:29
  Speaker 10: How the sexton rejoiced. No longer would he have to
• 1:34:32
  Speaker 10: carry water up the steep path from the village. So
• 1:34:36
  Speaker 10: he made a little channel for the spring, and lined
• 1:34:38
  Speaker 10: its banks with large confining stones to keep it in
• 1:34:42
  Speaker 10: its channel. And ever afterwards he watered the graves from
• 1:34:47
  Speaker 10: the new spring, and the flowers seemed to bloom far
• 1:34:50
  Speaker 10: brighter and more beautiful than before. He took no pains, however,
• 1:34:55
  Speaker 10: with the grave from which the water gushed forth, for
• 1:34:58
  Speaker 10: it was only an old neglect, one about which there
• 1:35:01
  Speaker 10: was no one to ask. But in spite of this fact,
• 1:35:05
  Speaker 10: the mountain wildflowers grew more abundantly here than in any
• 1:35:09
  Speaker 10: other spot, making it fully as beautiful as any other grave.
• 1:35:14
  Speaker 10: And here are the children loved to sit through the
• 1:35:16
  Speaker 10: long summer hours, building mill dams or floating paper boats
• 1:35:20
  Speaker 10: on the sparkling water end of the Deserted Grave. Recording
• 1:35:26
  Speaker 10: by James K. White Chula Vista.
• 1:35:34
  Speaker 9: Section seven of The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of
• 1:35:38
  Speaker 9: Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:35:42
  Speaker 9: are in the public domain. For more information all to volunteer,
• 1:35:46
  Speaker 9: please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Richard Agar, The
• 1:35:52
  Speaker 9: Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany. The Wishing
• 1:35:56
  Speaker 9: Ring by Richard von Wolkmann. Transfer by Gertrude r Shot
• 1:36:01
  Speaker 9: and Felt The Wishing Ring. A young man who had
• 1:36:08
  Speaker 9: formerly been on prosperous as an innkeeper and was now
• 1:36:12
  Speaker 9: a farmer, sat upon his plow one day and rested
• 1:36:15
  Speaker 9: for a moment while he wiped the sweat from his brow.
• 1:36:18
  Speaker 9: An old witch happened to pass by and asked.
• 1:36:21
  Speaker 8: Why do you work so hard when it avails you not, Johnny,
• 1:36:26
  Speaker 8: straight ahead for two days until you reach a pine
• 1:36:28
  Speaker 8: tree in the forest which stands apart by itself and
• 1:36:32
  Speaker 8: towers above every other tree around. Cut it down and
• 1:36:36
  Speaker 8: your fortune will be made. The farmer needed no second bidding,
• 1:36:41
  Speaker 8: but straightway shouldered his axe and started on his quest,
• 1:36:45
  Speaker 8: And exactly two days later he came upon the tree.
• 1:36:49
  Speaker 8: He hastened to fell it, and no sooner had it
• 1:36:51
  Speaker 8: crashed to the ground than from its topmost boughs there
• 1:36:54
  Speaker 8: fell a nest. Two eggs rolled out of the nest
• 1:36:57
  Speaker 8: and broke upon the ground. As they broke, a young
• 1:37:01
  Speaker 8: eagle emerged from one, while from the other fell.
• 1:37:04
  Speaker 9: A ring of gold. The eagle grew before his very
• 1:37:08
  Speaker 9: eyes until it attained one half the height of an
• 1:37:10
  Speaker 9: ordinary man. Then it spread its wings as though it
• 1:37:14
  Speaker 9: were anxious to try them, soared a little distance from
• 1:37:16
  Speaker 9: the ground, and cried, you have given me my freedom.
• 1:37:21
  Speaker 9: Take the ring which was in the other egg, as
• 1:37:23
  Speaker 9: a token of my thanks. It is a wishing ring.
• 1:37:27
  Speaker 9: If you turn it round your finger and make a wish,
• 1:37:29
  Speaker 9: your wish will be immediately fulfilled. But remember there is
• 1:37:34
  Speaker 9: only one wish in the ring. Therefore consider well before
• 1:37:39
  Speaker 9: you wish, that you may have no regrets. Later on thereupon,
• 1:37:44
  Speaker 9: the eagle swared high in the air, circled slowly above
• 1:37:47
  Speaker 9: the farmer's head, and then winged its way straight as
• 1:37:49
  Speaker 9: an arrow, toward the east. The man took the ring,
• 1:37:53
  Speaker 9: put it on his finger, and hastened homeward. Toward evening.
• 1:37:58
  Speaker 9: He reached a little town where he chanced to see
• 1:38:00
  Speaker 9: a goldsmith standing in front of his shop. Many costly
• 1:38:03
  Speaker 9: rings were on sale. The farmer showed his ring and
• 1:38:06
  Speaker 9: asked what it was worth. A fig, replied the goldsmith.
• 1:38:12
  Speaker 9: At that, the farmer laughed loud and merrily, and assured
• 1:38:14
  Speaker 9: him it was a wishing ring and worth more than
• 1:38:16
  Speaker 9: all the rings together which he had on sale. Now
• 1:38:19
  Speaker 9: the goldsmith was a base deceiver, and as tricky as
• 1:38:23
  Speaker 9: he was deceitual, so he invited the farmer to stay
• 1:38:26
  Speaker 9: overnight with him, saying, to entertain a man like you
• 1:38:30
  Speaker 9: with such a gem in his possession is sure to
• 1:38:33
  Speaker 9: bring one good luck. He entertained him with his choicest
• 1:38:36
  Speaker 9: wines and smoothest words, and put him to bed in
• 1:38:39
  Speaker 9: his best chamber. But in the dead of night, while
• 1:38:44
  Speaker 9: the farmer lay sunk in sleep, the goldsmith stole softly
• 1:38:48
  Speaker 9: into his room and carefully removed the wishing ring from
• 1:38:51
  Speaker 9: his finger. Then, just as carefully he replaced it with
• 1:38:57
  Speaker 9: an ordinary ring, which, to all outward appear was identical
• 1:39:01
  Speaker 9: with the one he stole. The next day, he could
• 1:39:05
  Speaker 9: scarcely wait for the farmer to take his departure. He
• 1:39:08
  Speaker 9: awoke him very early, saying, you have a long journey
• 1:39:11
  Speaker 9: ahead of you, so it a bitter your advantage to
• 1:39:13
  Speaker 9: get an early start. As soon as he had gone,
• 1:39:17
  Speaker 9: the jeweler locked his shop, hastened into his own room,
• 1:39:20
  Speaker 9: where no prying eyes might see him, and locked and
• 1:39:23
  Speaker 9: bolted the door. Then he stood in the center of
• 1:39:26
  Speaker 9: the room, turned the ring round on his finger, and cried,
• 1:39:30
  Speaker 9: I once a hundred thousand dollars. Immediately, scarcely had the
• 1:39:34
  Speaker 9: words left his lips, ere it began to rain silver
• 1:39:37
  Speaker 9: dollars down. They poured hard and shining like water in
• 1:39:41
  Speaker 9: a trough. They struck his head, his breast, and shoulders.
• 1:39:45
  Speaker 9: He began to shriek with pain and sprang to the
• 1:39:48
  Speaker 9: door to escape, But before he could reach it, he
• 1:39:50
  Speaker 9: was fell to the ground and lay there faint and bleeding.
• 1:39:54
  Speaker 9: And still the dollars came, like a veritable silver hailstorm,
• 1:39:58
  Speaker 9: until the floor collapsed beneath them strain. It caved in,
• 1:40:02
  Speaker 9: and the poor goldsmith, with all his wealth, fell into
• 1:40:05
  Speaker 9: the dark cellar. And still the dollars continued to fall
• 1:40:09
  Speaker 9: upon his lifeless form until a hundred thousand had descended.
• 1:40:14
  Speaker 9: The neighbors heard the noise and came running thither, and
• 1:40:17
  Speaker 9: when they beheld the goldsmith lying dead beneath all those hard,
• 1:40:20
  Speaker 9: shining dollars. They said, verily, it is a great misfortune
• 1:40:24
  Speaker 9: to have too much money for all to one's lot.
• 1:40:28
  Speaker 9: Then came the jeweler's heirs, who divided it all up
• 1:40:31
  Speaker 9: among themselves, and so in the end it had availed
• 1:40:35
  Speaker 9: him not Meanwhile, the farmer proceeded on his way home
• 1:40:40
  Speaker 9: with a heart full of rejoicing. He showed the ring
• 1:40:42
  Speaker 9: to his wife and said, this time it cannot fail.
• 1:40:46
  Speaker 9: Our fortune is made. But we will think it all
• 1:40:49
  Speaker 9: over carefully. Ere we decide upon our wish. His wife
• 1:40:52
  Speaker 9: was ready with her advice. Suppose we wish for that
• 1:40:56
  Speaker 9: triangle a piece of land adjoining ours. We have always
• 1:40:59
  Speaker 9: wanted it. It's not worth while, returned her husband. If
• 1:41:03
  Speaker 9: we have a little patience and worked diligently, we can
• 1:41:06
  Speaker 9: soon save enough to buy those acres. So they worked
• 1:41:09
  Speaker 9: most industriously for a year, and never before had they
• 1:41:13
  Speaker 9: had such a plentiful harvest. They were not only able
• 1:41:16
  Speaker 9: to buy the coveted piece of land, but they even
• 1:41:18
  Speaker 9: had a little money left over. See, said the man
• 1:41:23
  Speaker 9: with great joy. We do not only have the land
• 1:41:25
  Speaker 9: we wished, but our wish itself is intact, yes, indeed,
• 1:41:30
  Speaker 9: replied his wife, and a good thing it is. For
• 1:41:32
  Speaker 9: now we can buy a horse and cow. But he
• 1:41:36
  Speaker 9: only jingled the money in his pockets and asked, why
• 1:41:39
  Speaker 9: should we waste our precious wish on such beggarly trifles.
• 1:41:42
  Speaker 9: We need only work hard a little longer, and we
• 1:41:45
  Speaker 9: can soon earn our horse and cow. And sure enough,
• 1:41:48
  Speaker 9: at the end of the second year, both horse and
• 1:41:51
  Speaker 9: cow stood in their stalls. Then the man rubbed his
• 1:41:54
  Speaker 9: hands together in content and said, well, our wish is
• 1:41:58
  Speaker 9: spared for another year, and we have everything for which
• 1:42:00
  Speaker 9: we longed, have only had the most wonderful good luck.
• 1:42:04
  Speaker 9: But his wife begged him earnestly to make up his
• 1:42:06
  Speaker 9: mind what he wanted and to wish for it. He
• 1:42:10
  Speaker 9: steadfastly refused to waste his wish when they could so
• 1:42:13
  Speaker 9: easily earn what they needed. At length, she became angry
• 1:42:16
  Speaker 9: and exclaimed, I hardly recognize you nowadays. Formerly you did
• 1:42:21
  Speaker 9: nothing but grumble and pity yourself and wish for everything
• 1:42:24
  Speaker 9: under the sun. Now, when it really is in your
• 1:42:27
  Speaker 9: power to have anything you please, you hem and haw
• 1:42:29
  Speaker 9: and make excuses, and are content with everything that come along.
• 1:42:33
  Speaker 9: Why you are letting our best years slip by. You
• 1:42:36
  Speaker 9: might be a count, a king, or even an emperor
• 1:42:39
  Speaker 9: with his coffers filled with gold. But no, you can't
• 1:42:42
  Speaker 9: make up your mind what to choose. Oh, stop your
• 1:42:46
  Speaker 9: everlasting urging and nagging, rejoined her husband. We are both
• 1:42:50
  Speaker 9: still young, and life is long. Remember there is but
• 1:42:53
  Speaker 9: one wish in the ring, and that is soon used up.
• 1:42:57
  Speaker 9: The time may come when we shall be really hard pressed,
• 1:43:00
  Speaker 9: and how handy the wish will be? Then what ails you? Anyway?
• 1:43:03
  Speaker 9: What do you want? Haven't we everything we could possibly
• 1:43:06
  Speaker 9: need since I got the ring? Haven't we prospered so
• 1:43:09
  Speaker 9: that everyone is marveling? It's our good fortune. Do be reasonable.
• 1:43:13
  Speaker 9: In the meantime you can be considering what we better
• 1:43:16
  Speaker 9: wish for. And that was the end of their dispute.
• 1:43:21
  Speaker 9: Really did seem as though the ring had brought a
• 1:43:23
  Speaker 9: blessing with it, and in the course of time the
• 1:43:26
  Speaker 9: little farm became a very large one, upon whose many
• 1:43:29
  Speaker 9: acres many servants were employed, and the farmer, despite all
• 1:43:33
  Speaker 9: his wealth and prosperity, continued to work as hard as
• 1:43:36
  Speaker 9: ever from sheer force of habit. But in the evening,
• 1:43:41
  Speaker 9: when he had finished his supper, he would sit on
• 1:43:43
  Speaker 9: his doorstep in the failing twilight, smoking his pipe contentedly
• 1:43:48
  Speaker 9: and wishing his neighbors good evening. Thus many years sped by. Occasionally,
• 1:43:54
  Speaker 9: when they were all by themselves, with no one near
• 1:43:57
  Speaker 9: to overhear them, she would make him all sorts of
• 1:43:59
  Speaker 9: proper positions concerning the wish, but he always replied that
• 1:44:03
  Speaker 9: they had ample time left. And as time went on
• 1:44:06
  Speaker 9: they spoke of it less and less frequently, and finally
• 1:44:10
  Speaker 9: ceased to mention it at all. Not that they had
• 1:44:13
  Speaker 9: forgotten it, far from it. For a dozen times a
• 1:44:17
  Speaker 9: day he would turn it round on his finger, as
• 1:44:19
  Speaker 9: though about to make a wish, but he always carefully
• 1:44:22
  Speaker 9: guarded his lips from speaking it aloud. Thirty years slipped by,
• 1:44:28
  Speaker 9: then forty the farmer and his wife were old and gray,
• 1:44:32
  Speaker 9: and still the wish remained unuttered. Then the gracious old
• 1:44:37
  Speaker 9: father blessed them both and summoned them both to their
• 1:44:40
  Speaker 9: final reward in the self same night. Children and grandchildren
• 1:44:44
  Speaker 9: wept around their beer and refused to be comforted. One
• 1:44:49
  Speaker 9: of them started to remove the ring from the old
• 1:44:51
  Speaker 9: man's finger, with the intention of preserving it as a
• 1:44:53
  Speaker 9: treasured keepsake, but the eldest son interfered, saying leave it
• 1:44:57
  Speaker 9: where it is. He kept it his history a secret
• 1:45:00
  Speaker 9: all his life long. Let him carry it with him
• 1:45:03
  Speaker 9: into the grave. It is probably an old love token.
• 1:45:06
  Speaker 9: Our blessed mother also often looked at it as though
• 1:45:09
  Speaker 9: she too knew its secret. If the truth were known,
• 1:45:12
  Speaker 9: she probably gave it to himself when they were young.
• 1:45:16
  Speaker 9: So the wishing ring, which in reality was no wishing ring,
• 1:45:20
  Speaker 9: was buried with him, and he never knew the truth.
• 1:45:24
  Speaker 9: It certainly had brought them all the happiness and good
• 1:45:26
  Speaker 9: fortune one could desire, and the original ring could have
• 1:45:29
  Speaker 9: done no more. So you see, dear children, that it
• 1:45:33
  Speaker 9: all depends upon who holds possession of a thing, For
• 1:45:37
  Speaker 9: even the best of things in evil hands may prove
• 1:45:41
  Speaker 9: a curse rather than a blessing. End of section seven.
• 1:45:52
  Speaker 7: Section eight of The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of
• 1:45:55
  Speaker 7: Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:46:00
  Speaker 7: were in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:46:04
  Speaker 7: please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by April six, zero
• 1:46:10
  Speaker 7: nine zero, California, United States of America. The Meadow Sprite
• 1:46:15
  Speaker 7: and Other Tales of modern Germany. The Forgotten Chime by
• 1:46:20
  Speaker 7: Rudolph Baumbach, translated by Gertrude R. Schottenfels. Many many years ago,
• 1:46:27
  Speaker 7: there lived a man who had grown wholly out of
• 1:46:30
  Speaker 7: sympathy with his friends and things in general. Finally he
• 1:46:34
  Speaker 7: betook himself to the forest, where he built himself a hermitage, and,
• 1:46:39
  Speaker 7: renouncing the world and its follies, he found peace and
• 1:46:42
  Speaker 7: quietude in a simple woodland life. Near his abode was
• 1:46:47
  Speaker 7: a forest chapel which boasted only a painting of a
• 1:46:50
  Speaker 7: sad faced madonna in altar and one tiny bell. The
• 1:46:55
  Speaker 7: hermit took upon himself the task of ringing the bell
• 1:46:58
  Speaker 7: once every day. Close to the chapel was a cool,
• 1:47:01
  Speaker 7: curling brook bubbling out of the ground, at which he
• 1:47:04
  Speaker 7: slaked his thirst for food. He ate the wild fruits
• 1:47:08
  Speaker 7: of the forest, except when the simple hearted peasants of
• 1:47:11
  Speaker 7: the neighboring villages brought him their wholesome offerings of home
• 1:47:15
  Speaker 7: made bread and cake and jelly, with an occasional cold
• 1:47:18
  Speaker 7: roast or pot pie. Thus he lived peacefully for many
• 1:47:22
  Speaker 7: years ere he was gathered to his final rest. Then
• 1:47:26
  Speaker 7: one day some peasants found him lying on his lowly bed,
• 1:47:30
  Speaker 7: with his hands folded peacefully across his motionless breast, and
• 1:47:34
  Speaker 7: they wept tears of sorrow and regret, declaring that they
• 1:47:38
  Speaker 7: would never again meet so pious a hermit. And indeed
• 1:47:41
  Speaker 7: they were right. Far from that time on, the hermitage
• 1:47:45
  Speaker 7: was deserted, except when some roving huntsmen bent his footsteps thither,
• 1:47:50
  Speaker 7: or when some maid went to the brook to fill
• 1:47:52
  Speaker 7: her jug The straw roof became covered with patches of
• 1:47:56
  Speaker 7: dark moss and BlackBerry bushes, and clematis pushed their rain
• 1:48:00
  Speaker 7: up to the very windows. The field mice made their
• 1:48:04
  Speaker 7: homes in the hermit's leafy couch, while the red start
• 1:48:08
  Speaker 7: built his nest in the very altar. The forest and
• 1:48:11
  Speaker 7: its denizens closed in on their former possession. Spring was
• 1:48:15
  Speaker 7: about to make its entry, and the earth was preparing
• 1:48:18
  Speaker 7: to awake from its long winter sleep. The south wind
• 1:48:21
  Speaker 7: was wafted over the sea on dewy pinions. It rustled
• 1:48:25
  Speaker 7: the trees gently, and the pine cones and dry twigs
• 1:48:29
  Speaker 7: fell to the ground. The streams and brooks awoke and
• 1:48:32
  Speaker 7: gurgled softly over their pebbles to hasten on their winding way.
• 1:48:37
  Speaker 7: The snowdrops and anemones raised their timid heads amid the
• 1:48:40
  Speaker 7: forest moss. The showy spurge Laurel put on a red
• 1:48:44
  Speaker 7: silk robe, and the hoopye, with its brilliant crest, announced
• 1:48:48
  Speaker 7: the arrival of the cuckoo. The hedges shook off their
• 1:48:52
  Speaker 7: last dead leaves, and with swelling buds awaited the call
• 1:48:55
  Speaker 7: of spring. The deserted bell in the crumbling belfry looked
• 1:48:59
  Speaker 7: sadly at all these preparations for Easter. In former years,
• 1:49:02
  Speaker 7: when the bells peeled out their happy Easter chimes, it
• 1:49:06
  Speaker 7: also had raised its voice and had sung in chorus
• 1:49:09
  Speaker 7: with its haughty church tower sisters. But that time had
• 1:49:12
  Speaker 7: long since passed. No hand had touched its cord at
• 1:49:16
  Speaker 7: Easter time since the death of the hermit. There it
• 1:49:20
  Speaker 7: hung silent and forgotten in the little belfry. And no
• 1:49:23
  Speaker 7: worse fate can befall a bell than to be silent
• 1:49:26
  Speaker 7: at Easter time. It was Holy Week on ash Wednesday,
• 1:49:30
  Speaker 7: the hare came bounding through the forest and stopped in
• 1:49:33
  Speaker 7: front of the chapel to see if the little Bell
• 1:49:35
  Speaker 7: had any errands for him to do in town. I
• 1:49:38
  Speaker 7: am on my way thither, he said, I have been
• 1:49:41
  Speaker 7: chosen for the Easter rabbit, and have my hands so
• 1:49:44
  Speaker 7: full that I don't know which end my head is on.
• 1:49:47
  Speaker 7: But the bell remained silent, and the hare sped on
• 1:49:49
  Speaker 7: its way. The next night, a great noise was heard
• 1:49:53
  Speaker 7: on all sides. The deer fled to cover, thinking the
• 1:49:56
  Speaker 7: wild Huntsman was abroad. It was not the wild Huntsman, however,
• 1:50:00
  Speaker 7: it was the bells flying toward Rome to obtain the
• 1:50:03
  Speaker 7: Pope's blessing. The bell from the cloister on the mountain
• 1:50:07
  Speaker 7: across the way came over and stopped a moment to
• 1:50:09
  Speaker 7: chat with the deserted bell. Are you not coming along?
• 1:50:13
  Speaker 5: It asked?
• 1:50:14
  Speaker 7: I should dearly love to lamented the little bell, but
• 1:50:17
  Speaker 7: I have an idol all year long, and therefore dare not.
• 1:50:21
  Speaker 7: But if you really wish to do me a favor,
• 1:50:23
  Speaker 7: I beg of you. Speak a good word for me.
• 1:50:26
  Speaker 7: When you see the Holy Father in Rome. Perchance he
• 1:50:29
  Speaker 7: may send someone to ring me on Easter Sunday. Will
• 1:50:32
  Speaker 7: you do me the favor? The cloister bell muttered something
• 1:50:36
  Speaker 7: about it not being possible, then, raising itself like a
• 1:50:39
  Speaker 7: clumsy bird, it flew along after the others. The forgotten
• 1:50:43
  Speaker 7: bell was disconsolate, be content that they leave you in peace,
• 1:50:47
  Speaker 7: said the owl. These stupid forest creatures know nothing about chimes,
• 1:50:51
  Speaker 7: and besides they would disturb my meditations. But I'll build
• 1:50:55
  Speaker 7: my nest near you so that you may not feel
• 1:50:58
  Speaker 7: entirely deserted. And you will thereby, for I am one
• 1:51:01
  Speaker 7: from whom you may learn a great deal. Easter morning dawned,
• 1:51:05
  Speaker 7: The mists still clung to the mountain sides. The cool
• 1:51:09
  Speaker 7: morning breezes set the tree tops rustling like the soft
• 1:51:12
  Speaker 7: tones of a harp. The first streaks of sunrise gilded
• 1:51:15
  Speaker 7: the tops of the mountains, and the pine trees sighed
• 1:51:19
  Speaker 7: and stretched out their branches, as though just awakening from sleep.
• 1:51:24
  Speaker 7: Then the sun rose higher and higher in the heavens.
• 1:51:27
  Speaker 7: The forest birds began to flutter in their leafy nests
• 1:51:30
  Speaker 7: and to lift up their sweet voices in a song
• 1:51:33
  Speaker 7: of praise. Only the little bell remained sad and silent.
• 1:51:38
  Speaker 7: In the self same hour, a young man passed along
• 1:51:40
  Speaker 7: the highway leading through the forest. He wore a leather
• 1:51:44
  Speaker 7: jerkin and a feather in his hat, a broad hunting
• 1:51:47
  Speaker 7: knife with a deer horn handle, and a rifle hung
• 1:51:50
  Speaker 7: at his left side. He carried a heavily packed bag
• 1:51:53
  Speaker 7: of badger skin slung across his shoulders. This, together with
• 1:51:57
  Speaker 7: the staff of blackthorn, which he carried in his right hand,
• 1:52:00
  Speaker 7: betrayed the fact that he was not out hunting, but
• 1:52:04
  Speaker 7: setting out on a long journey. A little further on,
• 1:52:07
  Speaker 7: a pathway led off from the main road towards the
• 1:52:10
  Speaker 7: old mill, And at this point the stranger stayed his
• 1:52:13
  Speaker 7: steps for a moment, as though undecided which way to go,
• 1:52:17
  Speaker 7: But he quickly made up his mind. Casting a gloomy
• 1:52:20
  Speaker 7: look in the direction of the mill. He tossed his
• 1:52:23
  Speaker 7: head in disdain and let such a lusty huntsman's call
• 1:52:27
  Speaker 7: escape him that the forest rang with the echo. Then
• 1:52:30
  Speaker 7: he strode along, singing, you cool, green, leafy forest glades, farewell,
• 1:52:36
  Speaker 7: are pathways ever for fame in distant lands to see
• 1:52:40
  Speaker 7: I leave you now forever A huntsman, I with practiced
• 1:52:43
  Speaker 7: eye and skillful in the chase, Now take my flight
• 1:52:46
  Speaker 7: to seek the flight and bloody battle placed a lame
• 1:52:51
  Speaker 7: gray falcon in the woods sits pining night and day.
• 1:52:54
  Speaker 7: A magic spell enthralls him there. He cannot fly away
• 1:52:58
  Speaker 7: for a nest. He'd change rod freedom's range. He feigned
• 1:53:02
  Speaker 7: no more wood roam. This spell is o'er rise falcon sore,
• 1:53:06
  Speaker 7: and wing your swift flight home. But the last words
• 1:53:09
  Speaker 7: came with difficulty, and the half suppressed sigh at its
• 1:53:12
  Speaker 7: close accorded ill with a light hearted song. Suddenly the
• 1:53:16
  Speaker 7: young stranger left the highway and struck across the forest
• 1:53:20
  Speaker 7: in the direction of the hermitage. He stopped at the
• 1:53:22
  Speaker 7: brook to quench his thirst and drank its cool clear
• 1:53:25
  Speaker 7: water out of a wooden cup which he carried. He
• 1:53:28
  Speaker 7: emptied the last few drops on the ground, saying, well,
• 1:53:31
  Speaker 7: it's all over now. The pure cool water had evidently
• 1:53:35
  Speaker 7: failed to cool him, for he sank on the moss
• 1:53:38
  Speaker 7: under the shade of a tree near the hermitage, and
• 1:53:40
  Speaker 7: covered his face with both hands. And while he is
• 1:53:43
  Speaker 7: resting here, let me tell you his story. The previous summer,
• 1:53:48
  Speaker 7: he had returned to his native land after a long
• 1:53:50
  Speaker 7: accents and entered into the employ of the old gamekeeper.
• 1:53:54
  Speaker 7: He had seen a good bit of the world in
• 1:53:56
  Speaker 7: his day. He had scaled the Alps and hunted chamois
• 1:54:00
  Speaker 7: in company with the Emperor's retinue of huntsmen. He had
• 1:54:04
  Speaker 7: followed them to the brilliant hunting palaces where he had
• 1:54:07
  Speaker 7: beheld the gay assemblies of courtiers and beautiful ladies of
• 1:54:11
  Speaker 7: high degree. Yet no matter where he had chanced to roam,
• 1:54:15
  Speaker 7: he had carried with him, enshrined in his faithful heart,
• 1:54:18
  Speaker 7: the image of the miller's daughter. He had returned to
• 1:54:21
  Speaker 7: his old home with a heart full of sweet hopes
• 1:54:23
  Speaker 7: and a snug little sum of money which he had saved.
• 1:54:27
  Speaker 7: It had all come to not. His dream of happiness
• 1:54:30
  Speaker 7: was shattered, and he was hastening away to offer his
• 1:54:33
  Speaker 7: services as a soldier in foreign climes. And this is
• 1:54:36
  Speaker 7: how it happened. He had met her for the first
• 1:54:39
  Speaker 7: time after his return, here at this very brook, whither
• 1:54:43
  Speaker 7: she had come to draw water. He remained hidden close
• 1:54:46
  Speaker 7: by until she knelt to fill her pitcher. Then he
• 1:54:50
  Speaker 7: sprang forth with a cry of joy, and attempted to
• 1:54:53
  Speaker 7: clasp her in his arms. She was very much frightened
• 1:54:56
  Speaker 7: until she recognized him. Then her fright gave way to anger,
• 1:55:00
  Speaker 7: and following its impulse, she pushed him over backwards and
• 1:55:03
  Speaker 7: hastened from the place. Later on he tried to make
• 1:55:06
  Speaker 7: amends for his thoughtlessness. It was at the harvest festival,
• 1:55:10
  Speaker 7: when old and young were wending their joyous way to
• 1:55:13
  Speaker 7: the place where the dancing was going on. He waylaid
• 1:55:16
  Speaker 7: the pretty maiden, and, greeting her in the most friendly manner,
• 1:55:19
  Speaker 7: had offered her a fragrant nosegayest spice carnations. No sooner
• 1:55:24
  Speaker 7: had she recognized the donor than she turned on her
• 1:55:27
  Speaker 7: heel and hastened back to her father's mill. The poor
• 1:55:30
  Speaker 7: hunter was wholly disheartened, and through the unoffending flowers in
• 1:55:34
  Speaker 7: the brook. How could he know that the contrary creature
• 1:55:38
  Speaker 7: afterward fished them out of the mill dam and treasured
• 1:55:40
  Speaker 7: them most carefully till they died. A great anger against
• 1:55:44
  Speaker 7: her rose in his heart very well. He thought, you
• 1:55:47
  Speaker 7: go your way, I'll go mine, and that she might
• 1:55:50
  Speaker 7: not have the satisfaction of knowing that he took her
• 1:55:53
  Speaker 7: treatment to heart. He gathered together a few choice of spirits,
• 1:55:57
  Speaker 7: and pretty soon their wild conduct was the talk of
• 1:55:59
  Speaker 7: the countryside. Thus he spent the entire winter. With the
• 1:56:04
  Speaker 7: spring came the tidings that war had been declared against Italy,
• 1:56:07
  Speaker 7: and soon after the sound of the recruiting gun was
• 1:56:10
  Speaker 7: heard throughout the land. Later on, the streets swarmed with
• 1:56:14
  Speaker 7: troops marching forth to fight for their Emperor and fatherland.
• 1:56:19
  Speaker 7: The young hunter gave his employer notice, gave his boon
• 1:56:22
  Speaker 7: companions a farewell drink, and hastened forth towards the battlefield.
• 1:56:27
  Speaker 7: And as we already know, he had gone as far
• 1:56:29
  Speaker 7: as the hermitage, where we left him resting. As he
• 1:56:33
  Speaker 7: sat there, his sharp ear caught the sound of a
• 1:56:35
  Speaker 7: light rustling in the underbrush. His hunting instinct was instantly awake,
• 1:56:40
  Speaker 7: and with eager eyes he sought the cause. But it
• 1:56:43
  Speaker 7: was no wild animal going to drink that was stirring
• 1:56:45
  Speaker 7: among the bushes. Far from it, he could see a
• 1:56:48
  Speaker 7: white clad figure between the trunks of the pine trees.
• 1:56:52
  Speaker 7: With noiseless steps, our hunter crept behind the walls of
• 1:56:55
  Speaker 7: the cloister, for there, coming toward him was the one
• 1:56:58
  Speaker 7: he so fain would forget, yet could not. She walked slowly,
• 1:57:03
  Speaker 7: stooping now and then to pluck a flower, which she
• 1:57:06
  Speaker 7: added to the nosegay in her hand. It was the
• 1:57:10
  Speaker 7: miller's daughter, and every time she stooped, her long golden
• 1:57:13
  Speaker 7: bearredes swept the ground. When she reached the brook, she
• 1:57:17
  Speaker 7: filled her earthen jar with water and put her flowers
• 1:57:20
  Speaker 7: in it. Then entering the chapel. She placed the flowers
• 1:57:23
  Speaker 7: on the shrine before the sad eyed Madonna and knelt
• 1:57:26
  Speaker 7: down on the mossy ground before it. She repeated the abmuria,
• 1:57:31
  Speaker 7: and then proceeded to pour out her heart in prayer.
• 1:57:34
  Speaker 7: It was a prayer full of self accusation and remorse,
• 1:57:38
  Speaker 7: remorse for having driven him to danger and bloodshed. Then
• 1:57:42
  Speaker 7: she begged Heaven for a sign that he still cared
• 1:57:44
  Speaker 7: for her, in which case, she declared, she would walk
• 1:57:47
  Speaker 7: as far as her feet would carry her to rescue
• 1:57:49
  Speaker 7: him from danger. Just a sign, dear Heaven, she begged. Then, softly,
• 1:57:55
  Speaker 7: just above her head chimed the little bell in the belfry.
• 1:57:59
  Speaker 7: It was but a single tone, yet it rang through
• 1:58:02
  Speaker 7: her soul like a song of joy. She raised her
• 1:58:05
  Speaker 7: eyes inquiringly, and the bell pealed once more, this time
• 1:58:09
  Speaker 7: more loud and joyously. She turned quickly, and there in
• 1:58:12
  Speaker 7: the door of the chapel stood the young hunter, extending
• 1:58:15
  Speaker 7: his arms toward her. And this time you may be
• 1:58:17
  Speaker 7: very sure she did not repulse him. The tit mice
• 1:58:21
  Speaker 7: and the goldfinch nesting amid the pines fluttered around them,
• 1:58:24
  Speaker 7: and even the timid field mice peeped out of their
• 1:58:27
  Speaker 7: burrows to behold their joyful reunion. After a while, the
• 1:58:31
  Speaker 7: young man reached for the bell rope, exclaiming, dear little bell,
• 1:58:35
  Speaker 7: you have brought us together. Now you shall announce our
• 1:58:38
  Speaker 7: happiness to the forest world. And the little bell and
• 1:58:41
  Speaker 7: the cloister belfry shone brightly in the golden sunlight and
• 1:58:45
  Speaker 7: swung untiringly to and fro while it sang its song
• 1:58:49
  Speaker 7: of praise. The preceding evening, all the distinguished church bells
• 1:58:54
  Speaker 7: from the surrounding villages had returned from their journey to Rome.
• 1:58:58
  Speaker 7: They had beheld many one, but notwithstanding all this, not
• 1:59:03
  Speaker 7: one of them sang so joyful an Easter song as
• 1:59:06
  Speaker 7: the little Bell in the forest ended. Section eight.
• 1:59:16
  Speaker 6: Section nine of The Meadows Sprite and Other Tales of
• 1:59:20
  Speaker 6: Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:59:25
  Speaker 6: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:59:29
  Speaker 6: please visit LibriVox dot org. The Meadows Sprite and Other
• 1:59:34
  Speaker 6: Tales of Modern Germany. The Wonderful Organ by Richard von Wolchmann,
• 1:59:39
  Speaker 6: translated by Gertrude R. Scottenfels. Years ago, a young organ
• 1:59:44
  Speaker 6: maker lived in Germany, he was a master workman, and
• 1:59:48
  Speaker 6: each organ he built seemed more perfect than any of
• 1:59:50
  Speaker 6: the previous ones. At last, he reached such a point
• 1:59:54
  Speaker 6: of perfection in his art that he built an organ
• 1:59:56
  Speaker 6: which played of itself whenever a bridal pair, of whose
• 1:59:59
  Speaker 6: marriage God proved entered the church in which it stood.
• 2:00:03
  Speaker 6: Just about the time he completed his masterpiece, he became
• 2:00:07
  Speaker 6: acquainted with a young girl who seemed to him the
• 2:00:09
  Speaker 6: most beautiful and pious maiden in all the country round.
• 2:00:14
  Speaker 6: Having wooed and won her, he set about making preparations
• 2:00:17
  Speaker 6: for the marriage. On the day of the wedding, they
• 2:00:20
  Speaker 6: entered the church, the bride with her bridal bouquet, and
• 2:00:24
  Speaker 6: the groom with a nosegay in his buttonhole, followed by
• 2:00:27
  Speaker 6: a long procession of their friends and relatives. But the
• 2:00:31
  Speaker 6: bridegroom's heart was filled with naught but pride and ambition.
• 2:00:35
  Speaker 6: He had no thought of his bride, nor of his maker.
• 2:00:38
  Speaker 6: He thought only of what a wonderful workman he was,
• 2:00:42
  Speaker 6: and of how the people would marvel when his organ
• 2:00:44
  Speaker 6: began to play of itself. Thus he entered the church,
• 2:00:48
  Speaker 6: but contrary to his expectations, he himself did the marveling
• 2:00:52
  Speaker 6: for to his surprise and chagrin, the organ remained silent.
• 2:00:55
  Speaker 6: What had happened, He never once thought he had anything
• 2:00:59
  Speaker 6: to do with it it. Of course, the fault must
• 2:01:02
  Speaker 6: lie with his bride. No doubt, she was not pleasing
• 2:01:04
  Speaker 6: to the Lord, he thought in his stupid pride. So
• 2:01:08
  Speaker 6: all day long he spoke no word to her, but
• 2:01:10
  Speaker 6: glowered at her in silence, And when evening came, he
• 2:01:14
  Speaker 6: quietly gathered his belongings together, and at his first opportunity,
• 2:01:18
  Speaker 6: stole out of the house and deserted his bride. He
• 2:01:24
  Speaker 6: traveled for many hundred miles and finally settled in a
• 2:01:27
  Speaker 6: strange land, where no one was acquainted with him, nor
• 2:01:30
  Speaker 6: indeed cared enough about him to inquire whence he came here.
• 2:01:34
  Speaker 6: He lived for ten long years. Then he was seized
• 2:01:39
  Speaker 6: with a sudden longing to visit his native land. There
• 2:01:42
  Speaker 6: was also a nameless fear in his heart. He could
• 2:01:45
  Speaker 6: not stop thinking of his beautiful bride, and of how
• 2:01:48
  Speaker 6: he had so basely deserted her. Where was she now
• 2:01:52
  Speaker 6: and how had she fared during his absence. He tried
• 2:01:56
  Speaker 6: in vain to still the longing in his heart, but
• 2:01:59
  Speaker 6: it finally drove him back to his native land to
• 2:02:01
  Speaker 6: sue for her forgiveness. He gathered up his belongings and
• 2:02:05
  Speaker 6: set out on his journey. He knew no pause nor rest.
• 2:02:10
  Speaker 6: Weary and footsore, he wandered day and night, and the
• 2:02:13
  Speaker 6: nearer he came to his old home, the greater grew
• 2:02:16
  Speaker 6: his impatience to get there. And even greater than his
• 2:02:19
  Speaker 6: impatience waxed the fear in his heart that perchance he
• 2:02:22
  Speaker 6: might not find her as sweet and friendly as she
• 2:02:24
  Speaker 6: had been. At length, the turrets of his native town
• 2:02:28
  Speaker 6: rose into view. How bright they gleamed in the golden sun.
• 2:02:32
  Speaker 6: They seemed to beckon him to hasten. He began to
• 2:02:35
  Speaker 6: run as fast as he could. People stood still and
• 2:02:38
  Speaker 6: stared after him. As he sped by, they shook their
• 2:02:41
  Speaker 6: heads and declared he must be either insane or a
• 2:02:44
  Speaker 6: thief to run like that. When he reached the gate
• 2:02:47
  Speaker 6: leading into town, he met a funeral. Behind the bier
• 2:02:52
  Speaker 6: walked a long procession of people, and everyone was weeping.
• 2:02:57
  Speaker 6: He inquired whose funeral was and why they wept so bitterly.
• 2:03:02
  Speaker 6: He was told that the departed was the deserted bride
• 2:03:04
  Speaker 6: of their former organ maker. They then proceeded to tell
• 2:03:08
  Speaker 6: him how dear and good and beautiful she had been.
• 2:03:12
  Speaker 6: They told of her many good deeds, and as he listened,
• 2:03:15
  Speaker 6: he learned that her last ten years had been devoted
• 2:03:18
  Speaker 6: to caring for the sick and unfortunate. Tears rose to
• 2:03:21
  Speaker 6: his eyes, but he made no reply. Instead, he bent
• 2:03:26
  Speaker 6: his head in reverence, enjoying the procession. Indeed, he even
• 2:03:30
  Speaker 6: pushed his way forward and helped to carry the coffin.
• 2:03:34
  Speaker 6: No one recognized him, nor sought to disturb his sobs
• 2:03:37
  Speaker 6: and tears with untimely questionings. Perchance they thought he had
• 2:03:41
  Speaker 6: but recently buried someone he loved. At length, they reached
• 2:03:45
  Speaker 6: the church, and as the pallbearers crossed the threshold with
• 2:03:48
  Speaker 6: the coffin, the organ began to play of itself in
• 2:03:52
  Speaker 6: such music as none had ever heard before. They set
• 2:03:57
  Speaker 6: the coffin down before the altar, and the ranger leaned
• 2:04:00
  Speaker 6: against a pillar, listening to the wondrous tones. Higher and
• 2:04:04
  Speaker 6: sweeter and clearer, they rose and swelled, until the whole
• 2:04:08
  Speaker 6: church shook and trembled. The stranger closed his eyes, for
• 2:04:13
  Speaker 6: he was tired from his long journey, but his heart
• 2:04:15
  Speaker 6: was filled with joy, for he knew by the token
• 2:04:19
  Speaker 6: of the organ that God had forgiven him, And as
• 2:04:22
  Speaker 6: the last strains died away in lingering sweetness, he fell
• 2:04:25
  Speaker 6: lifeless to the marble floor. The people hastened to his assistance,
• 2:04:31
  Speaker 6: but he was beyond all need of earthly help. When
• 2:04:34
  Speaker 6: they discovered who it was that lay before them, they
• 2:04:37
  Speaker 6: opened the coffin and placed them beside his bride. As
• 2:04:41
  Speaker 6: they closed the lid, the organ began to play once more,
• 2:04:44
  Speaker 6: but this time it was as soft as a breath
• 2:04:47
  Speaker 6: of wind. Then it ceased, and since then it has
• 2:04:52
  Speaker 6: never again been heard, except when played by human hands.
• 2:05:00
  Speaker 6: End of chapter.
• 2:05:01
  Speaker 11: Nine, Chapter ten of The Meadows Bride and Other Tales
• 2:05:06
  Speaker 11: of Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
• 2:05:11
  Speaker 11: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 2:05:14
  Speaker 11: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Kayiri Tokyo.
• 2:05:21
  Speaker 11: The Meadowsprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany The Waters
• 2:05:26
  Speaker 11: of Forgetfulness by Rudolf Baumbach, translated by Gertrude R. Schottenfelds.
• 2:05:32
  Speaker 11: In the chamber of the round Tower, which was decorated
• 2:05:34
  Speaker 11: with all sorts of sportsmenlike trophies such as antlers, weapons
• 2:05:39
  Speaker 11: and wings of wild birds sat a young man in
• 2:05:42
  Speaker 11: a wooden arm chair. He was twisting a bowstring out
• 2:05:46
  Speaker 11: of the signew of a martin and singing a merry
• 2:05:49
  Speaker 11: hunting song as he worked. He wore a hunting suit,
• 2:05:52
  Speaker 11: and his closely cropped had told the fact that he
• 2:05:55
  Speaker 11: was a servant in the employ of the owner of
• 2:05:58
  Speaker 11: the castle. His name was Hans. Overhead, a swinging hoop
• 2:06:03
  Speaker 11: was attached to the ceiling, and in it set a
• 2:06:05
  Speaker 11: hooded falcon with its wings tied together every one since
• 2:06:10
  Speaker 11: so often the hunter paused in the midst of his
• 2:06:12
  Speaker 11: work to set the slowly swinging hoop in swift emotion.
• 2:06:17
  Speaker 11: He did this so that the falcon might not fall asleep,
• 2:06:20
  Speaker 11: as it was a nestling which he was training for
• 2:06:22
  Speaker 11: the chase. And the first step in training a hunting
• 2:06:25
  Speaker 11: falcon was to discipline him for hunger and sleeplessness. Hans
• 2:06:30
  Speaker 11: was the count's falconer, and the old gentleman had kept
• 2:06:33
  Speaker 11: him more than busy. But in these latter days he
• 2:06:37
  Speaker 11: was having an easier time. The old count no longer
• 2:06:40
  Speaker 11: went hunting. No indeed, for the last year he had
• 2:06:45
  Speaker 11: lain still and silent in a stone sarcophagus decorated with
• 2:06:50
  Speaker 11: his coat of arms, and his widow. The Lady Adelaide,
• 2:06:54
  Speaker 11: sat all day long in prayer with the old chaplain,
• 2:06:58
  Speaker 11: and had no folts for the chair. But to day
• 2:07:02
  Speaker 11: the Countess was weary of the unceasing prayers and came
• 2:07:05
  Speaker 11: out of her retirement wondering for the first time all
• 2:07:08
  Speaker 11: over her estate. The song of the lusty huntsman must
• 2:07:12
  Speaker 11: have seemed a welcome change from the monotonous psalm singing
• 2:07:15
  Speaker 11: of the chaplain, for she followed the sound of the
• 2:07:18
  Speaker 11: voice until she reached the falconer's room in the tower.
• 2:07:22
  Speaker 11: Hans looked astonished when he saw the haughty lady in
• 2:07:25
  Speaker 11: her mourning veal and somber garments. He arose and bowed
• 2:07:30
  Speaker 11: to the ground. Lady Adelaide's bright eyes beamed on the
• 2:07:33
  Speaker 11: slender young man, and she smiled graciously, so graciously that
• 2:07:38
  Speaker 11: her smile seemed to him as bright as the sunshine
• 2:07:40
  Speaker 11: of May. She asked him many questions regarding the training
• 2:07:44
  Speaker 11: of falcons and the chaise, and when she went away,
• 2:07:47
  Speaker 11: she gave him such a searching look that he blushed
• 2:07:51
  Speaker 11: and turned away his head like a bashful maid of
• 2:07:53
  Speaker 11: fourteen not many days afterward, Lady Adelaide, mounted on a
• 2:07:59
  Speaker 11: snow white pall fray, rode through the forest. But this
• 2:08:02
  Speaker 11: time she was not dressed in mourning. She wore a
• 2:08:05
  Speaker 11: green velvet riding habit, and instead of a widow's veil,
• 2:08:09
  Speaker 11: she had on a sable hat with long waving plumes.
• 2:08:12
  Speaker 11: Behind her, with a gray falcon on his wrist, wrote Hans,
• 2:08:16
  Speaker 11: the falconer, whose eyes seemed to shine for joy. They
• 2:08:20
  Speaker 11: had already ridden quite a distance, and the turrets of
• 2:08:23
  Speaker 11: the castle had long since disappeared behind the broad branches
• 2:08:26
  Speaker 11: of the treetops. When Lady Adelaide turned her hat and said,
• 2:08:31
  Speaker 11: ride beside me, Hans, Hans wiling it did as she
• 2:08:34
  Speaker 11: was bade. The path was narrow, and the countess riding
• 2:08:38
  Speaker 11: habit brushed against his knee as they rode along. The
• 2:08:41
  Speaker 11: trees rusted lightly, the chaffins sang, and occasionally a timid
• 2:08:46
  Speaker 11: squirrel or rabbit would leap across their path and disappear
• 2:08:49
  Speaker 11: among the bushes. At times, the crackling of the bushes
• 2:08:53
  Speaker 11: could be heard as some larger denizen of the forest
• 2:08:56
  Speaker 11: crashed its way through the thick underbush or twigs rust
• 2:09:00
  Speaker 11: as some startled, bird fluttered noisily among the bows, and
• 2:09:04
  Speaker 11: then all was still again. And then the Countess turned
• 2:09:07
  Speaker 11: to the falconer and smilingly said, let me see, Hans,
• 2:09:11
  Speaker 11: if you're a clever huntsman, Dearest huntsmen, give me light
• 2:09:16
  Speaker 11: what sirs higher than falcon or kite? And without stopping
• 2:09:20
  Speaker 11: to think, Hans answered, Hi, flies, the falcon, Hi the kite.
• 2:09:26
  Speaker 11: Yet the eagle sourced to a greater height. Good, laughed
• 2:09:30
  Speaker 11: the Lady Adelaide, and asked the second riddle, dearest huntsman,
• 2:09:34
  Speaker 11: tell me true, what sirs higher than eagles?
• 2:09:37
  Speaker 5: Do?
• 2:09:39
  Speaker 11: The falconer thought a few moments ere he replied, higher
• 2:09:43
  Speaker 11: than eagles flied their streams the golden sunlight's glowing beams.
• 2:09:49
  Speaker 11: The countess nodded her head approvingly. Come here doing fine,
• 2:09:54
  Speaker 11: And then she asked the third one, dear sir, hide
• 2:09:58
  Speaker 11: it not from me what high than the sun can be?
• 2:10:02
  Speaker 11: But Hans had reached his intellectual limit and could think
• 2:10:06
  Speaker 11: of no suitable response. Then the gracious lady drew rein,
• 2:10:10
  Speaker 11: leaned over toward him, and whispered softly, as high as
• 2:10:15
  Speaker 11: heaven the sun's gold ball. Yet love, true love soars
• 2:10:20
  Speaker 11: over all, and then she kissed him. Two nutpeckers on
• 2:10:26
  Speaker 11: swift blue wings fluttered out of the hazel bushes and
• 2:10:29
  Speaker 11: flew chirping into the forest, eager to relate what they
• 2:10:32
  Speaker 11: had seen. And next morning, the sparrows nesting neath the
• 2:10:36
  Speaker 11: castle eves twittered to each other, tweet tweet, tweet, e
• 2:10:42
  Speaker 11: e the lady loves Hans faithfully. Yes, indeed it was
• 2:10:46
  Speaker 11: a happy time for Hans. He allowed his hair to
• 2:10:49
  Speaker 11: grow in long golden ringlets to his shoulders accustomed not
• 2:10:53
  Speaker 11: permitted to servants, and wore silver spurs and a heron's
• 2:10:56
  Speaker 11: further in his head, and such dreams as he indulged in.
• 2:11:01
  Speaker 11: He spent hours building castles in the air, each more
• 2:11:04
  Speaker 11: beautiful than the last. He did not obtain a castle, however,
• 2:11:09
  Speaker 11: but a splendid forester's lodge with antlers, earns gable, and
• 2:11:12
  Speaker 11: broad fields and meadows round. It was given to him
• 2:11:15
  Speaker 11: for life, and there he reigned as district forester. And
• 2:11:20
  Speaker 11: when the Lady Adelaide came thither to visit, he would
• 2:11:23
  Speaker 11: hasten to his doorway to wave his head at her.
• 2:11:26
  Speaker 11: Then he would lift her from the saddle and set
• 2:11:29
  Speaker 11: milk and honey and bread on the table before her.
• 2:11:32
  Speaker 11: And thus the summer, autumn, and half the winter passed.
• 2:11:36
  Speaker 11: Then came carnival time. Many guests from surrounding estates came thither,
• 2:11:41
  Speaker 11: and the castle looked almost like an inn. The forester
• 2:11:45
  Speaker 11: Hans sat alone and lonely in a secluded lodge. Only
• 2:11:48
  Speaker 11: occasionally did any of the gay doings at the castle
• 2:11:51
  Speaker 11: reach his ears. At last came tidings which were anything
• 2:11:56
  Speaker 11: but joyful to Hans. Lady Adelaide was going to be married,
• 2:12:00
  Speaker 11: surrendered tale, and it sounded like a deaf knel to
• 2:12:03
  Speaker 11: the young man's ears. He locked his house and made
• 2:12:07
  Speaker 11: his way toward the hill leading to the castle, all
• 2:12:10
  Speaker 11: the while muttering something between his teeth which did not
• 2:12:13
  Speaker 11: sound like a prayer. As he reached the foot of
• 2:12:17
  Speaker 11: the hill, where the winding path began to lead upward,
• 2:12:20
  Speaker 11: he heard hoof beats and a silvery love which pierced
• 2:12:24
  Speaker 11: his soul like a two edged sword. Down the pathway
• 2:12:28
  Speaker 11: came the Countess, riding his snow white palfrey, and at
• 2:12:31
  Speaker 11: her side was a splendid locking man in rich attire,
• 2:12:35
  Speaker 11: who rode a coalblack stallion and never took his eyes
• 2:12:38
  Speaker 11: from the face of the beautiful lady at his side.
• 2:12:42
  Speaker 11: The heart of the young hunter gave a wild frob
• 2:12:44
  Speaker 11: but he controlled himself, and seating himself on a stone
• 2:12:48
  Speaker 11: near the path, he assumed the posture of a beggar,
• 2:12:51
  Speaker 11: and as the pair approached him.
• 2:12:53
  Speaker 5: He sang.
• 2:12:55
  Speaker 11: As high as heaven the sun's gold ball. He had love,
• 2:12:59
  Speaker 11: true love sores over all. The haughty knight drew rein
• 2:13:04
  Speaker 11: and reached toward the singer with his whip, asking his companion,
• 2:13:08
  Speaker 11: what does he mean? Who is the man? The countess
• 2:13:12
  Speaker 11: turned pale, but quickly collecting her wits, replied, a crazy hunter.
• 2:13:17
  Speaker 11: Come let us go on. I shudder at his very presence.
• 2:13:22
  Speaker 11: The knight loosened his spurs and tossed a gold piece
• 2:13:25
  Speaker 11: to Hans, who was quite near to him. Hans cried
• 2:13:28
  Speaker 11: aloud and threw himself face downward on the ground. Then
• 2:13:32
  Speaker 11: the two put spurs to their horses and rode quickly away.
• 2:13:36
  Speaker 11: The hoof beats had long died away into silence before
• 2:13:39
  Speaker 11: Hans raised himself from the ground. He wiped the dust
• 2:13:43
  Speaker 11: and dirt from his face and pulled his hat over
• 2:13:46
  Speaker 11: his eyes, and went back into the forest. He kept
• 2:13:50
  Speaker 11: on walking, avoiding the beaten paths until night fell. Then
• 2:13:54
  Speaker 11: he threw himself down under a tree, wrapped himself in
• 2:13:57
  Speaker 11: his coat, and utterly worn out, fell asleep. And there
• 2:14:01
  Speaker 11: he lay, sleeping the dreamless dream of exhaustion, till the
• 2:14:05
  Speaker 11: cold air of morning awoke him. But as soon as
• 2:14:08
  Speaker 11: he arose, all his bitter grief came crowding back into
• 2:14:12
  Speaker 11: his mind like a diabolical apparition. Oh, if I could
• 2:14:17
  Speaker 11: only forget it, If I could only forget it, he
• 2:14:20
  Speaker 11: cried aloud. There's a burn somewhere in which there lies
• 2:14:24
  Speaker 11: a spring of those waters one has only to drink
• 2:14:28
  Speaker 11: to have all memory of the past fate from his mind.
• 2:14:31
  Speaker 11: Who can show me the way to the spring? I can,
• 2:14:36
  Speaker 11: said a voice near him. I am well acquainted with
• 2:14:39
  Speaker 11: the waters of forgetfulness, and such information as I possess
• 2:14:43
  Speaker 11: is at your service. Hans looked and saw a young
• 2:14:46
  Speaker 11: fellow in ragged black coves, whose bare toes peeped inquisitively
• 2:14:50
  Speaker 11: out of his worn out shoes. He claimed to be
• 2:14:53
  Speaker 11: a vagrant student who were coming enough figures four hundred
• 2:14:57
  Speaker 11: years ago. They were students who were around from one
• 2:15:00
  Speaker 11: university to another, without any definite occupation or settled aboat.
• 2:15:05
  Speaker 11: This one continued, The water which causes forgetfulness is caught
• 2:15:09
  Speaker 11: later and is to be found in Greece. Thither you
• 2:15:13
  Speaker 11: must journey, and you will find out the particulars on
• 2:15:16
  Speaker 11: the spot itself. If you would attain forgetfulness with less
• 2:15:19
  Speaker 11: trouble to yourself, come with me to the sign of
• 2:15:22
  Speaker 11: the blue grapes, which lies not far from here. The
• 2:15:25
  Speaker 11: hostess of the tavern will offer you so much forgetfulness
• 2:15:29
  Speaker 11: that your purse will become hardly less flat than mine.
• 2:15:32
  Speaker 11: Thus spake the vagrant. Hans raised himself and followed him
• 2:15:36
  Speaker 11: to the forest inn. There they drank to each other's
• 2:15:40
  Speaker 11: health all day long and half the following night, as
• 2:15:43
  Speaker 11: they lay together in perfect harmony at midnight on the
• 2:15:46
  Speaker 11: bench behind the stove. Hans had indeed forgetten everything which
• 2:15:50
  Speaker 11: oppressed and troubled him. However, with the first gray streaks
• 2:15:54
  Speaker 11: of dawn he evoke to all the bitterness of the past,
• 2:15:57
  Speaker 11: and a raging headache beside. He settled his in his
• 2:16:01
  Speaker 11: companion's score, and, bidding the letter occurred, farewell took his departure. Oh,
• 2:16:07
  Speaker 11: if one could only forget, he said, as he went along,
• 2:16:12
  Speaker 11: striking his forehead with his fist. I must find the spring,
• 2:16:16
  Speaker 11: otherwise I shall indeed take leave of my senses. On
• 2:16:20
  Speaker 11: the road there was an old, half dead willow, And
• 2:16:23
  Speaker 11: on the willow sat the raven, who turned his head
• 2:16:26
  Speaker 11: to gaze attentively at the lonely wanderer. You world wise bird,
• 2:16:31
  Speaker 11: said the huntsman. You know everything that happens upon earth.
• 2:16:35
  Speaker 11: Tell me pray werflow the waters of forgetfulness. I only
• 2:16:41
  Speaker 11: wish I knew, answered the raven, so that I myself
• 2:16:45
  Speaker 11: might drink of them. I knew of a nest in
• 2:16:47
  Speaker 11: which there were seven fat dormie which had been raised
• 2:16:51
  Speaker 11: on nuts. And yesterday when I went to see how
• 2:16:55
  Speaker 11: the dear twofs and little creatures were getting along. When
• 2:16:58
  Speaker 11: I got there, whom should I meet but the marten,
• 2:17:02
  Speaker 11: just coming away from the nest. And as I live,
• 2:17:06
  Speaker 11: not one single morsel of those dear little dormose was
• 2:17:10
  Speaker 11: to be found. And now no matter where I go
• 2:17:14
  Speaker 11: and stay, I am reminded of what I missed. I
• 2:17:17
  Speaker 11: can't get those nice, fat little dormies out of my head. Yes,
• 2:17:22
  Speaker 11: who knows where to find the watches of forgetfulness? But
• 2:17:25
  Speaker 11: do you know one thing, young man? Go to the
• 2:17:28
  Speaker 11: witch of the forest, who said, no more than all
• 2:17:31
  Speaker 11: the rest of creation put together, it is possible that
• 2:17:35
  Speaker 11: she is also acquainted with the spring of forgetfulness. Hans
• 2:17:38
  Speaker 11: thanked him and started off to find her. The witch
• 2:17:41
  Speaker 11: was at home. She sat in front of her hot spinning,
• 2:17:44
  Speaker 11: and as she spun, her white hat kept knit it nodding.
• 2:17:49
  Speaker 11: Near her sat a great tom cat with grass green eyes,
• 2:17:52
  Speaker 11: washing his paws and purring contently. The young man walked
• 2:17:57
  Speaker 11: up to the old woman, whom he greeted with great respect,
• 2:18:00
  Speaker 11: and then stated his business. I do indeed know the
• 2:18:04
  Speaker 11: spring of forgetfulness very well, said the witch. Nor shall
• 2:18:08
  Speaker 11: I withhold a drink from you if you really desire it,
• 2:18:12
  Speaker 11: my poor boy. But as you no doubt have heard before,
• 2:18:16
  Speaker 11: no work, no pay. Therefore, if you wish a glass
• 2:18:21
  Speaker 11: of this costly beverage, you must first perform free tasks
• 2:18:26
  Speaker 11: which I shall impose on you. Will you if I can,
• 2:18:30
  Speaker 11: he answered, Never fear, I shall ask nothing impossible of you.
• 2:18:36
  Speaker 11: You must cut down the trees in the woods behind
• 2:18:38
  Speaker 11: my house. That is the first thing. Hans could do
• 2:18:43
  Speaker 11: this right well. The witch gave him an axe and
• 2:18:46
  Speaker 11: led him to the spot he at Once set to work,
• 2:18:49
  Speaker 11: he tried to imagine that every swing of his axe
• 2:18:53
  Speaker 11: was a blow dealt at his rival. The trees felt
• 2:18:56
  Speaker 11: groaning to the ground beneath the lusty strokes of his axe,
• 2:19:00
  Speaker 11: and every groan they emitted did his hard good. Thus
• 2:19:04
  Speaker 11: evening came on, and Hans began to think about getting
• 2:19:07
  Speaker 11: something to eat. Since he was becoming very hungry. He
• 2:19:11
  Speaker 11: had not long to wait for a young girl came
• 2:19:14
  Speaker 11: out of the hut, carrying a basket of food and drink,
• 2:19:17
  Speaker 11: which he set before the tired wood shopper. As Hans
• 2:19:21
  Speaker 11: raised his eyes, he beheld a beautiful figure with flowing
• 2:19:25
  Speaker 11: golden hair which glistened in the last rays of the
• 2:19:29
  Speaker 11: setting sun. She was the witch's daughter. She looked at
• 2:19:33
  Speaker 11: the gloomy young woodsman with gentle eyes and paused a
• 2:19:37
  Speaker 11: moment before him, but as he said nothing, she went
• 2:19:40
  Speaker 11: away again. Then Hans fell upon the meal with great relish. Afterward,
• 2:19:46
  Speaker 11: he lay down on the bed of moss and pine bows,
• 2:19:50
  Speaker 11: which he had covered, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
• 2:19:54
  Speaker 11: But when he awoke next morning, the memory of his
• 2:19:57
  Speaker 11: pain awoke to thereat. Leased his axe attacked the tree
• 2:20:02
  Speaker 11: trunks with such force that his lusty strokes echoed for
• 2:20:05
  Speaker 11: the woodland as far as one could walk in an hour,
• 2:20:09
  Speaker 11: and in the evening, when the pretty girl brought him
• 2:20:12
  Speaker 11: his food, Hans did not look quite so gloomy as
• 2:20:15
  Speaker 11: he had the previous day, And because he felt that
• 2:20:18
  Speaker 11: he must say something, he remarked, pleasant weather to day,
• 2:20:22
  Speaker 11: isn't it? And she answered, yes, lovely weather, nodded in
• 2:20:28
  Speaker 11: a friendly manner, and returned home. Thus seven days passed by,
• 2:20:33
  Speaker 11: one just like the other, and on the seventh day
• 2:20:36
  Speaker 11: the last tree was felt. The witch came, praised him
• 2:20:40
  Speaker 11: for his industry, and said, now for the second task,
• 2:20:45
  Speaker 11: he must dig out the roots, thlow the ground, and
• 2:20:48
  Speaker 11: sow the fruit and grain. This took him seven weeks.
• 2:20:52
  Speaker 11: Each evening, after his work was done, the witch's daughter
• 2:20:56
  Speaker 11: brought him food. She sat beside him on a fallen tree,
• 2:20:59
  Speaker 11: and this with shining eyes, while he told her tales
• 2:21:02
  Speaker 11: of the outside world, And when he had finished, she
• 2:21:05
  Speaker 11: would hold out her white hand and say good night,
• 2:21:08
  Speaker 11: dear hands. Then she would return to her dwelling, and
• 2:21:12
  Speaker 11: Hans would throw himself up on his bed of bows
• 2:21:15
  Speaker 11: and instantly fall asleep. When seven weeks had passed, the
• 2:21:18
  Speaker 11: witch came round to inspect his work. She was well satisfied,
• 2:21:22
  Speaker 11: and prais his diligence. Ending with now comes the third
• 2:21:26
  Speaker 11: and last task. Out of these fallen trees. You must
• 2:21:29
  Speaker 11: build me a nice house with seven rooms. And when
• 2:21:32
  Speaker 11: he shall have finished that, you may have your cup
• 2:21:35
  Speaker 11: of forgetfulness and go where you please. Sir Hans become
• 2:21:40
  Speaker 11: an architect, and with axe and sore built a splendid house.
• 2:21:44
  Speaker 11: But it was very slow work, and took him seven
• 2:21:46
  Speaker 11: whole months, for you had no workmen to assist him. However,
• 2:21:50
  Speaker 11: he was neighver discouraged nor displeased, since he really liked
• 2:21:54
  Speaker 11: the cool, green forest, and willingly would have remained with
• 2:21:57
  Speaker 11: his present taskmaster for ever. Occasionally he would thing of
• 2:22:02
  Speaker 11: his former grief, but only as one thinks of a
• 2:22:04
  Speaker 11: bad dream from which one is glad to be awakened.
• 2:22:08
  Speaker 11: Every evening the golden haired daughter came to him with
• 2:22:12
  Speaker 11: his meal, and after he had eaten it, they would
• 2:22:15
  Speaker 11: sit on the fallen trees and sing together merry hunting
• 2:22:18
  Speaker 11: songs and songs of partings, misunderstandings and reunions. Thus seven
• 2:22:25
  Speaker 11: months rode by, and at length the house was finished.
• 2:22:28
  Speaker 11: From the threshold to the gable. Hans blended a young
• 2:22:31
  Speaker 11: fir tree on the gable according to custom, and the
• 2:22:34
  Speaker 11: girl made refts of fur boughs twined with red ash berries,
• 2:22:38
  Speaker 11: with which she decorated the walls. And then the old
• 2:22:41
  Speaker 11: witch came hobbling along on her crutch the tom cat
• 2:22:44
  Speaker 11: on her shoulder, to view his finished work. She looked
• 2:22:48
  Speaker 11: very festive, and in one hand she held a cup
• 2:22:50
  Speaker 11: carved out of wood and filled with the drink of forgetfulness. Well,
• 2:22:56
  Speaker 11: you have completed the free tasks I imposed on you,
• 2:22:59
  Speaker 11: she said, And now for your reward, this is the
• 2:23:03
  Speaker 11: cup for which you longed. Take it, and when you
• 2:23:07
  Speaker 11: drain the last drop, all memory of the past will
• 2:23:10
  Speaker 11: disappear from your mind. The huntsman stretched his hand out
• 2:23:14
  Speaker 11: for the cup, then hesitated drink, said the witch, And
• 2:23:19
  Speaker 11: forget everything as you desired everything, Yes, every single thing,
• 2:23:26
  Speaker 11: your former grief myself and me too, interrupted her pretty daughter,
• 2:23:33
  Speaker 11: shading her eyes with her hand that he might not
• 2:23:35
  Speaker 11: see her tears.
• 2:23:37
  Speaker 4: Thereat.
• 2:23:37
  Speaker 11: The young man seized the cup and threw it with
• 2:23:40
  Speaker 11: such force to the ground that it broke into pieces,
• 2:23:43
  Speaker 11: and the glistening drops lay on the ground like dew,
• 2:23:46
  Speaker 11: and he cried, mother, I stay with you. And before
• 2:23:51
  Speaker 11: he well knew how it happened, he had the girl's
• 2:23:53
  Speaker 11: head on his shoulder, and she was sobbing for joy,
• 2:23:56
  Speaker 11: and the trees rusted their approval joyously. The green corn
• 2:24:00
  Speaker 11: waved in the breeze, the birds warbled a blithe refrain,
• 2:24:04
  Speaker 11: and the old gray cat walked around and round the
• 2:24:07
  Speaker 11: happy pair, purring in sweet content. And now, dear children,
• 2:24:12
  Speaker 11: I could easily tell you that the witch changed into
• 2:24:15
  Speaker 11: a beautiful fairy, her daughter into a charming princess, in
• 2:24:18
  Speaker 11: the good, substantial house of wood, into a magnificent palace.
• 2:24:22
  Speaker 11: He might perhaps like it better, But since I prefer
• 2:24:25
  Speaker 11: to stick to the truth, we will have to leave
• 2:24:27
  Speaker 11: things as they are. Still, something wonderful did happen, after all,
• 2:24:33
  Speaker 11: wherever a drop of the waters of forgetfulness fell upon
• 2:24:36
  Speaker 11: the ground, and there sprang up a tiny flower with
• 2:24:40
  Speaker 11: eyes of heavenly blue and a heart of gold. And
• 2:24:45
  Speaker 11: wherever one was seen, countless numbers soon sprang up, and
• 2:24:49
  Speaker 11: in time they spread all over the land. And if
• 2:24:52
  Speaker 11: you do not know the name of this blue flower,
• 2:24:55
  Speaker 11: I fear you are not one of those for whom
• 2:24:58
  Speaker 11: the story was written.
• 2:25:00
  Speaker 7: End of chapter ten, Section eleven of The Meadow Sprite
• 2:25:09
  Speaker 7: and Other Tales of Modern Germany. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 2:25:14
  Speaker 7: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 2:25:18
  Speaker 7: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording
• 2:25:23
  Speaker 7: by April six zero nine zero, California, United States of America.
• 2:25:29
  Speaker 7: The Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany. The
• 2:25:32
  Speaker 7: Old Trunk by Richard Vaughan Volkmann, translated by Gertrude R. Schottenfels.
• 2:25:38
  Speaker 7: The trunk about which I am going to tell you
• 2:25:41
  Speaker 7: belonged to an old man who was accustomed to travel
• 2:25:44
  Speaker 7: a great deal. It was not a handsome trunk, quite
• 2:25:48
  Speaker 7: the contrary, for it was covered with rough seal skin,
• 2:25:51
  Speaker 7: and its corners were edged in iron. It was also
• 2:25:54
  Speaker 7: strengthened with iron bands, much as a barrel is with hoops.
• 2:25:58
  Speaker 7: It evidently had been made more with an eye to
• 2:26:01
  Speaker 7: its serviceable qualities than to its beauty. Since its advent
• 2:26:05
  Speaker 7: into the world, the moths had made their way into
• 2:26:08
  Speaker 7: its shaggy cover, and its iron trimmings had become quite rusted.
• 2:26:12
  Speaker 7: It had also received many dens and scars in the
• 2:26:15
  Speaker 7: course of its travels. The baggage handlers saw at a
• 2:26:19
  Speaker 7: glance that it could stand a great deal, and they
• 2:26:21
  Speaker 7: would not get about with such careless violence. And the
• 2:26:24
  Speaker 7: wonder is how it ever managed to survive such rough treatment.
• 2:26:28
  Speaker 7: All this was not much calculated to improve its disposition,
• 2:26:32
  Speaker 7: you may be sure. So in time it grew very
• 2:26:35
  Speaker 7: ugly and would knock into and thump against everything within
• 2:26:38
  Speaker 7: reach of its iron corners. Keep your distance, it would
• 2:26:42
  Speaker 7: say to the trunks it met in traveling, when they
• 2:26:45
  Speaker 7: complained of its ugliness, I should think you could see
• 2:26:48
  Speaker 7: how rough I am. The man to whom it belonged
• 2:26:51
  Speaker 7: was a queer person. He lived in an elegant house
• 2:26:55
  Speaker 7: which was most beautifully furnished. When he was at home,
• 2:26:58
  Speaker 7: nothing would do but that the ugly old trunk must
• 2:27:01
  Speaker 7: stand in his room, directly under a beautiful gilt mirror,
• 2:27:04
  Speaker 7: where it was woefully out of place. And when he
• 2:27:07
  Speaker 7: was traveling, the first thing he would do was to
• 2:27:09
  Speaker 7: have the trunk brought up to his room. It certainly
• 2:27:13
  Speaker 7: must be filled with gold. The people said, it is
• 2:27:15
  Speaker 7: so heavy, and he never allows it out of his sight.
• 2:27:19
  Speaker 7: But they were entirely mistaken. There was something in it,
• 2:27:22
  Speaker 7: to be sure, but gold no indeed gold. Least of all,
• 2:27:27
  Speaker 7: When the old gentleman was alone in his room, he
• 2:27:29
  Speaker 7: would press a secret spring, and up the lid would fly,
• 2:27:33
  Speaker 7: disclosing a magnificent red velvet chest trimmed with gold cord
• 2:27:37
  Speaker 7: and lace. It was a perfect beauty. But if he
• 2:27:41
  Speaker 7: thought he heard any one approaching the room, bang would
• 2:27:44
  Speaker 7: go the cover, and it would be an ugly old
• 2:27:47
  Speaker 7: trunk once more. Now, one of the maid servants employed
• 2:27:51
  Speaker 7: by the old man had more than the usual share
• 2:27:53
  Speaker 7: of curiosity, and often wondered what was in the old trunk.
• 2:27:58
  Speaker 7: She was likewise very sly, so one day she left
• 2:28:01
  Speaker 7: her shoes outside and crept noiselessly into the room in
• 2:28:05
  Speaker 7: her stocking feet, and as luck would have it, the
• 2:28:07
  Speaker 7: trunk stood open. She was quite close to it, and
• 2:28:11
  Speaker 7: when she beheld its red velvet and gold lace, she
• 2:28:14
  Speaker 7: quite forgot herself and cried, good, gracious, how beautiful it
• 2:28:18
  Speaker 7: is inside. Just then the trunk became conscious that someone
• 2:28:22
  Speaker 7: was in the room, Bang went his lid and almost
• 2:28:25
  Speaker 7: snapped her finger off, For just at that particular moment
• 2:28:29
  Speaker 7: she had been busily endeavoring to find out if the
• 2:28:32
  Speaker 7: red cover was really velvet by feeling of it out,
• 2:28:36
  Speaker 7: she screamed in pain and fright, What a nasty old
• 2:28:39
  Speaker 7: thing you are. No one dare meddle with you. And
• 2:28:43
  Speaker 7: ever after, if anyone asked her about the old trunk,
• 2:28:46
  Speaker 7: which was so jealously guarded by its master, and wished
• 2:28:49
  Speaker 7: to know if perchance some treasure was concealed therein, she
• 2:28:53
  Speaker 7: would say, there is nothing wonderful about the old trunk,
• 2:28:56
  Speaker 7: and steal less inside. Everybody has his own little peculiarities,
• 2:29:02
  Speaker 7: especially those who are old and unmarried. The old man
• 2:29:05
  Speaker 7: has made an idol of the trunk, that is all.
• 2:29:08
  Speaker 7: But she was very much mistaken, for there was something
• 2:29:11
  Speaker 7: peculiar about it, after all. Every now and then the
• 2:29:14
  Speaker 7: old gentleman would carefully lock and bolt the door. Then
• 2:29:18
  Speaker 7: he would press the secret spring and the trunk would
• 2:29:20
  Speaker 7: fly open. Next he would listen carefully to make sure
• 2:29:24
  Speaker 7: no one was lurking outside. As soon as he was
• 2:29:27
  Speaker 7: sure that no one was peeking through the keyhole, he
• 2:29:30
  Speaker 7: would lift out the velvet chest and put it on
• 2:29:33
  Speaker 7: the table. Then he would touch another hidden spring, and
• 2:29:36
  Speaker 7: the red velvet cover would fly open. And what was
• 2:29:39
  Speaker 7: inside you would never never guess, for though perfectly true,
• 2:29:44
  Speaker 7: it seems almost incredible, for no sooner was the lid
• 2:29:47
  Speaker 7: opened than out sprang a graceful little fairy, a real
• 2:29:52
  Speaker 7: live fairy, and a princess to boot. She was as
• 2:29:55
  Speaker 7: dainty and sweet as an apple blossom which had been
• 2:29:58
  Speaker 7: kissed to rosy beauty by the sun. She wore a
• 2:30:01
  Speaker 7: white and pink silk gown and high heeled pink shoes.
• 2:30:04
  Speaker 7: Two long golden barades swept the hem of her gown,
• 2:30:07
  Speaker 7: and her eyes were as blue as the august skies.
• 2:30:10
  Speaker 7: There she sat, perched on the edge of the chest,
• 2:30:12
  Speaker 7: swinging her dainty heels and telling the old man the
• 2:30:15
  Speaker 7: most charming fairy tales one could ever imagine. The old
• 2:30:19
  Speaker 7: man would lean back in his chair and listen with
• 2:30:21
  Speaker 7: all his might. But one day, when she finished relating
• 2:30:24
  Speaker 7: a story, she turned to him and said, just think
• 2:30:27
  Speaker 7: how many many beautiful stories I have told you. I
• 2:30:30
  Speaker 7: do believe, however, that they go in one ear and
• 2:30:33
  Speaker 7: out of the other. Why don't you make some use
• 2:30:36
  Speaker 7: of them? Why don't you write them down? That's a
• 2:30:39
  Speaker 7: good idea, he agreed. I can write them down, to
• 2:30:42
  Speaker 7: be sure, but they will not sound half so charming
• 2:30:45
  Speaker 7: as when told by you. I will write them down
• 2:30:48
  Speaker 7: if you wish me to. But remember, no one must
• 2:30:51
  Speaker 7: know where they came from, and least of all that
• 2:30:54
  Speaker 7: I have you hidden in my old trunk. Otherwise people
• 2:30:57
  Speaker 7: would flock here to see you, and they would want
• 2:31:00
  Speaker 7: to touch you with their clumsy fingers, and I couldn't
• 2:31:02
  Speaker 7: bear that. Besides, the red velvet on your box would
• 2:31:06
  Speaker 7: soon become very shabby. No, indeed, no one must see me,
• 2:31:11
  Speaker 7: replied the dainty little fairy. And yet how they would marvel?
• 2:31:16
  Speaker 7: Could they only know what was in your old trunk?
• 2:31:18
  Speaker 7: And she laughed in glee. Hush, said the old man,
• 2:31:21
  Speaker 7: some one is knocking at the door. Quick jump into
• 2:31:24
  Speaker 7: your box. Then he hurriedly replaced the box in the
• 2:31:28
  Speaker 7: trunk and closed a shabby lid. And when the maid
• 2:31:31
  Speaker 7: servant for it was she again entered the room with
• 2:31:34
  Speaker 7: her tray of teeth things for her master's supper. The
• 2:31:37
  Speaker 7: old trunk was standing as ugly and shabby as ever,
• 2:31:40
  Speaker 7: in its accustomed place under the mirror. And no one
• 2:31:42
  Speaker 7: ever knew of the existence of the dainty little Fairy,
• 2:31:45
  Speaker 7: nor dreamed of how she charmed away the old man's
• 2:31:48
  Speaker 7: lonely hours and made life beautiful for him. But later on,
• 2:31:52
  Speaker 7: when these stories appeared in book form, people did wonder
• 2:31:56
  Speaker 7: how such a very commonplace old gentleman could have had
• 2:31:59
  Speaker 7: some charming thoughts. End of Section eleven. End of the
• 2:32:06
  Speaker 7: Meadow Sprite and Other Tales of Modern Germany by Richard
• 2:32:09
  Speaker 7: Vaughan Volkman and Rudolf Baumbach, translated by Gertrude R. Schottenfels,