🧚 A Historical Tale., part 7

A powerful Kaiser was come into the district with a vast retinue and an army, had built himself a Burg on the banks of the Bode, and bestowed the land on his followers, who were to cut down trees, drain swamps, and transform the wilderness into a fruitful plain.1

The woods gave place speedily to a bare tract, and the maiden circle grew ever smaller.2 There, on the mountain west of Thale, where in its bosom the antediluvian giant animal skeletons were found, an old warrior had received permission from the Kaiser to clear the land.3

He toiled unweariedly, dug the soil, felled the trees one after the other, till of the sacred grove only three trees were left standing.4

"Now, only these three trees left," thought he to himself, stretched himself wearily in the grass to rest a minute and strengthen himself for the last stroke; but fatigue overcame him, so that he sank into a deep sleep, and only awoke when the moon and stars shone in the heavens.5

Then he saw three maidens sitting under the green roof of a maple tree, silent and mournful; their eyes were wet as if dewdrops hung in the drooping eyelashes; they uttered complaining words in soft tones like the rustling of the night wind in the leaves.6

"Let us take leave of each other," lisped softly the voice of one; "our time is come.7 When the rosy dawn awakes he will come who cut down our sisters; and as they are fallen, so must we.8 Desolate will be the spot that saw us so oft united in joy, lonely the moonlight that shone on our dance.9 The nymphs of the lake and the mountain stream will look out for us, longing for our coming, and ask, 'Where are our friends of the mountain?10 Why do they not descend when the queen of the stars illuminates our palace?'11 Happy sisters, ye are as yet safe from our mournful fate, for ye are secure in your retreat from the barbarian!"12

"Weep not, sister!" said another, with light moaning; "weep not over our inevitable destiny.13 To see that we must die grieves me not, for all our beloved are gone on before us; but that we are the last of our race, and our line becomes with us extinct, that it is that fills my heart with woe.14

"That our race might continue I would live on, and if I could appear in person to him who will come in the morning with his axe to annihilate us, I would entreat him for the blessing of life, and he would not refuse my entreaty.15

"But only night gives us being comprehensible to men; the day confines us stiff and without form in our narrow house."16

"Ah! if we could only appear to him!" added the third; "if we could only appear and beg him for life, we should not plead in vain; I have seen him mourn too, have heard him lament the beautiful forest.17

"And what benefit would it be to him to destroy us also?18 What benefit has it been to him that he has destroyed our sisters?19 Will the products of this soil repay the labour of tillage?20 But we would gladly, though invisible, help him to cultivate the land during the hours when we have a form, if he would take pity and spare the last of a great race."21

The old soldier, who had listened in surprise to this singular conversation, could contain himself no longer. "22 By the sword of my Kaiser!" he cried, springing to his feet, "cursed be the hand that should do you an injury, ye innocent beings; destroy you I will not, no, but protect and defend you with my goods, blood, and life.23

"But who are ye?24 Was it a dream that charmed my senses?"25

Terrified, the maidens had vanished at his first words.26

Now their voices resound from the trees as they reply to his question.27

"No dream has deceived thee.28 Thou hast seen the last of the wood-nymphs who adorn this mountain.29 If thou wilt protect them, so spare the trees of the wood that still stand; they will thank thee."30

Dawn broke over the mountains, the voices were silent; they sighed in the morning wind, but the soldier could not understand the tones; at first he was inclined to hold all for a dream, but what he had heard stood so clear in his mind that he finally doubted no longer, and zealously defended the three trees.31

On his dying bed he commended them to his sons, and charged them never to sell the land.32

Long the fields near the three trees thrived above all others, and at night three maiden forms could be seen following the plough in the moonlight.33

But alas! the trees and land came into the hands of an owner who held the story of the three wood-fairies for a fable, and he cut the trees down.34

Since then the mountain has been barren and fruitless, and the three sisters have never been seen with the plough again.35

The Shepherds' Towers.36

Two shepherds in Quedlinburg, father and son, poor but honest people, were once watching their flocks on the green meadows.37

It was a lovely morning; the lambs played with the wild flowers, the birds sang so joyfully in the neighbouring wood, the breezes were so mild and odorous, that the hearts of the shepherds were filled with an unusual gladness, and they both began to play a sacred air on their reed pipes.38

The bells of the royal convent began to ring, and their melodious harmonies penetrated the heart, powerful and irresistible as a voice from heaven.39

"There is something glorious in such a solemn chime," said the elder shepherd to his son, who sat near him. "40 The tones seem to come down to us from the eternal heights, and remind us of our duty and our better home."41

"It is indeed true," replied the younger. "42 The chimes possess an incomprehensible power over the mind, and awake the inner life to devotion and holy reflections; and I never look across to the towers whence those bold and fearless tones rise on the air, without seeing in them landmarks pointing to heaven."43

"Oh, what a pity!" added the father, "that our new church in the New Town must stand so long without either tower or bells.44 What a pity that a work to God's honour must remain unfinished, while the rich build palaces and heap up treasures.45 How willingly every poor person in the town would contribute, if thereby the edifice could only be completed.46 But without a special blessing from God, many years may pass away before the church is finished."47

"Father!" cried the son, interrupting the conversation, "where are our dogs?48 I don't see them by the flock, and still the faithful creatures have never yet left their post without our commands.49 What can have started them and allured them away?50 Where shall we find them again?"51

"Yonder, my son!" said the father, whose eye had swept exploringly the neighbourhood, pointing toward the near forest. "52 I see them running as fast as possible toward the wood; they scent game, no doubt, and are on the track."53

And they both whistled, and called the dogs by name, but in vain, for the hitherto so obedient animals only turned their heads slightly at the sound of the well-known voices, and then continued their wild race.54

Astonished at the unwonted disobedience, and anxious lest they might lose the dogs, the shepherds decided to follow them to the borders of the wood.55 The flock was feeding quietly in a meadow, and there was no danger of its wandering away.56