🧚 Legends and Tales., part 12 · page 2

A friendly fairy had given him an apple, which he was to smell once a year, when a prudent idea should occur to him.59

Just at the time when he first saw Huldigunde, it was time to smell the apple; he smelt, and it occurred to him that if he would win the game through give and take, he must neither give himself nor take anything from her.60

He caused his hands to be bound to his girdle, went with his marshal to court, and declared his wish to eat almonds.61

Huldigunde liked this Prince, and commanded almonds to be handed him.62 Then his marshal took them and put them in his mouth.63

The Princess inquired why he carried his hands in his girdle.64

He replied that the etiquette of his court was still more severe than at hers; it was not permitted him to take anything with his hands, only with his feet or head.65

"In that way," cried Huldigunde, "we shall never settle the game."66

Prince Otto only shrugged his shoulder, and replied, "Only when you graciously condescend to take something from my boots."67

And the court stood aghast at the bold idea.68

"Why did you come to Schloss Hohenstein with such a stupid etiquette?" cried the Almond Princess.69

"Because you are so beautiful," cried Otto; "and, if I cannot win you I can look at you."70

So Otto remained at the castle, and Huldigunde liked him better every day.71 She tried daily to beguile him into setting a hand free with offerings of fruit, flowers, even her bracelet, but Otto nodded to his marshal, who received them.72

Then she dropped her handkerchief; but Otto lifted it with the toe of his boot, and swung it carelessly to and fro, and she stooped and took it from his boot.73

So a whole year passed away, and the Princess said to herself, "An end must be made of this matter."74 So she told Otto she had the best garden in the world, and proposed to show it to him the next day.75

It was time for the Prince to smell the apple again, and a brilliant idea came to him.76

As they entered the garden, Otto exclaimed, "It is wonderfully beautiful here; and in order that we may accompany each other without any disturbing element, I pray my Princess to adopt the etiquette of my court, and permit her hands to be bound one hour; then we shall both be secure, and nothing disagreeable can happen to either of us."77

Huldigunde consented, and they walked side by side with their hands bound.78

The birds sang, the sun shone warm and clear, and from the trees the red cherries hung down to their cheeks.79

Huldigunde looked wishfully at the ripe fruit and cried, "What a pity you cannot pluck me any."80

But Otto replied, "Want knows no law," took a cherry in his mouth and offered it to her.81 The Princess could only put her mouth to his to take the cherry, and when she had the fruit between her lips--and his kiss with it--could not at the moment say, "_J'y pense_."82

And Otto cried, "Good morning, Philippine!" drew his hands from his girdle, and threw them around her her neck.83

Graf Arno's Capture.84

Arno, the wildest and most powerful robber knight of the Harz, dwelt securely enthroned in his strong Burg, the Arnstein, which lay on the Felsberg like an eagle's nest, from whose strong walls the old eagle flew daily forth for robbery and murder.85 He and his castle were inaccessible; frequently, when the inhabitants of the neighbourhood had united to storm his nest, he had sent them home with bleeding heads, and each time punished them by making worse disturbance than before.86

The citizens of the near-situated Aschersleben suffered most by these raids; for when in the sweat of the brow they had cultivated their fields, and rejoiced in view of the approaching harvest, Arno would swoop down like a bird of prey, and gather the rich grains and fruits into his barns; and when the wealthy merchants of Magdeburg, Ascherslebeh, and Nordhausen, reckoning how they could make what was worth fifty per cent. bring a hundred, travelled past, he took pity on their problem-solving souls, and relieved their weary brains of the difficult calculations and the burden of sales by carrying off their goods to his castle--sometimes, indeed, the merchants themselves, whose friends redeemed them with heavy sums.87

Often he kidnapped maidens, and it was not at all unwelcome to him, as one day, while he lay in vain in wait for booty, a troop of young girls showed itself near the wood where he lay hidden.88

It was then, and is still in some Harz villages, the custom on the wedding-day of a youthful pair to lead the bride out upon a mountain or a meadow, where her friends seek to take from her the bridal wreath.89 Dancing and singing they follow the fleeing bride, who strives to keep her treasure as long as possible, hides behind hedges and underbrush, till at last they rob her of her wreath and carry it in triumph to the bridegroom.90 It was such a bridal party that issued this day from the gates of Aschersleben, to enjoy the fun after the fashion of their ancestors, for the fairest flower of Askania, Ida, a merchant's daughter, celebrated her wedding.91

How her bridal veil and ribbons fluttered and shimmered in the wind and sun, as she in the joy of her heart, light of foot as a fawn, flew over the meadow, pursued by her laughing companions.92

Shouts of merriment and scraps of song rang over the laughing landscape to the wood where Arno lay concealed, watching the charming scene.93

"Little maiden!" thought he, "if no train of waggons comes that I prefer, I can take thee; that is not difficult, and costs no blood."94

And as the train came near, and the bride, ever in advance, would hide in the thicket, he seized her and bore her pitilessly away.95 The other maidens searched long in vain, till at last they caught sight of the fleeing robber with his booty.96

What consternation! what lamentations!97 Breathless they fled back to the town, proclaiming the dreadful news with loud cries.98

All became uproar, women ran moaning through the streets, girls locked themselves in their rooms, as if the robber were behind them, the older citizens talked and reasoned, the younger swore revenge, and the members of the town council moved with solemn steps and imposing mien toward the town hall, where the walls of the dark council chamber should become silent witnesses of all the wisdom of their puffed-up pride and self-importance.99

Evening came on, the council chamber was lighted; the palate of each worthy member of the council rebelled against the fatigue of a longer sitting, and at last the Bürgermeister raised his voice and addressed his colleagues: "It is necessary, honourable gentlemen, that we come to a decision, and as it has been proved, through reliable witnesses, that the robber of the bride is our dangerous neighbour, the Earl von Arnstein, and the crime has been committed within the territory of our town, and as such a crime is punishable with death, we sentence the said Arno to death by the hangman, do we not?"100