Public-domain ebook
by Frary, Marie Harriette; Stebbins, Charles Maurice
Language: en301 downloads on Project Gutenberg
Subjects
In: Children & Young Adult Reading·Mythology, Legends & Folklore
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #58185.
The opening · free to read
Many, many years ago there lived in the village of Zurdorf, a queer little old woman. She was a very kind old lady and a good nurse. Often she was called upon to care for the boys and girls of the village.
They quite enjoyed being ill because she knew so many interesting stories. She told them of great knights and ladies, of castles and fairies, of the wood nymphs and the water sprites; but best of all was the story of old Father Rhine.
One night as she sat knitting, a knock came at the cottage door. She opened it and there stood a strange man, carrying a lantern of curious pattern. He did not speak, but motioned to her to follow him.
The night was dark, and the rain was pouring down in torrents. Great pools were found in the streets. Aunt Margot, as the children called the old lady, hesitated to follow the stranger. It was not, however, because she was afraid of the storm, but because the man was a stranger.
He motioned to her again. She saw that his face was kindly, and so decided to follow him. Down the dark street they passed, splashing through the deep pools of water.
Suddenly the water became deeper, and began to eddy about Margot’s ankles. She became frightened and was about to turn and flee.
“I can go no farther,” she shouted; “what manner of man art thou, and whither wouldst thou lead me?”
The old man did not answer, but caught Margot in his arms and plunged into the river Rhine. It had risen from its banks, and its eddying waters had frightened Margot.
Down, down, through cold green waters they sank. It seemed to Margot as if she were going down forever. She closed her eyes and ceased to struggle.
At last they seemed to have passed out of the water, and Margot opened her eyes. She found herself in a wonderful crystal palace. Precious stones glittered all about her. The ornaments were of silver and gold. As soon as she had recovered from her wonder, she was led into an immense chamber. Here on a bed of crystal, with silken coverings, lay a beautiful golden haired nymph, who was ill.
“I have brought you here,” said the old man, “to care for my beautiful wife. Nurse her tenderly back to health, and you shall never regret it.”
The lovely nymph was so good to look upon that old Margot took great delight in caring for her. She tended her so gently and so faithfully that the golden haired lady improved rapidly. She was soon quite well.
In soft whispers she told the old nurse that her husband was a mighty water spirit. Mortals called him Father Rhine. She had lived on the earth and was the only daughter of the Lord of Rheidt.
One day when she was at a village dance, there appeared before her a strange man. He was clad in foamy green. He asked her to tread a measure with him. Round and round they whirled until they reached the water edge. Suddenly he plunged with her into the stream, and brought her to the crystal palace, where he made her his happy wife.
“And now, kind nurse, we must soon part,” said the beautiful lady. “When Father Rhine offers to reward you, accept from him only your usual fee, no matter how much he urges you to take more. He loves honesty, but loathes greed.”
Just then Father Rhine appeared. Seeing his beloved wife quite well again, the river god beckoned to the nurse to follow him. He led her through many halls of the great castle. Finally they came to his treasure chamber. Here all around lay great heaps of gold, silver, and precious stones.
The water god was very grateful to the good nurse for saving his wife; so he bade her help herself. The old woman gazed upon the jewels longingly. How well she could use them to help the poor! She remembered, however, what the beautiful golden haired lady had told her. So she selected only a small fee such as she always received. The mysterious man urged her to take more, but she firmly refused.
Then the great water god took her by the hand and led her through a long dark corridor. Suddenly she found herself again in the cold water of the Rhine. Slowly he rose with her through the dark flood. Up and up they went until she found herself, dripping but safe, on the shore near her own house. As he beckoned adieu to her, Father Rhine flung a whole handful of gold into her lap. Then he plunged into the river again and was gone.
Ever since that time the little people of the village have loved to hear of the wonders of the crystal palace beneath the flood. So the good nurse tells it over and over again. And she never forgets to show the handful of gold which, she says, is the same Father Rhine gave her.
A handsome lad once sought a brave and noble knight, asking leave to serve him as page. The knight was greatly charmed by the graceful manners of the young lad, and was pleased with his unusual request. He granted the lad’s prayer, and never once did he have cause to regret it.
The little page did every duty with great cheerfulness and skill. He was so devoted to his master that he was able to foresee almost every wish. It was not long before he had won his master’s love, and the two became constant comrades.
The years passed swiftly by. The knight had never before been so happy, and never so successful. Everything seemed to turn out just as he wished it. Nothing had gone wrong since the day that the little page had entered his gate.
One day as the two were riding along the banks of the Rhine, they noticed a band of robbers coming toward them. These men had often sought to harm the good knight. The band was so large that it was easy to see that the brave knight could make no headway against them. There seemed to be no way of escape.
“Would to God,” cried the brave man, “that you were safe within my castle walls, my faithful little page! We are lost, my lad, but we must sell our lives as dearly as possible. Let us die like heroes. Do you get behind me, my page, and, if possible, I bid you flee.”
“My dear master,” replied the little page, “follow me. I will show you a way to escape. Follow me.”
The page put spurs to his horse and galloped along the river bank. Suddenly he turned the unwilling steed directly into the rushing stream.
“Rash boy, come back!” called the knight, dashing forward with the hope of overtaking the daring page. “Better die fighting bravely than perish miserably in the river. Come back, my page, come back!”
“Have no fear, my dear master, but follow me,” still cried the little page.
The sound of his voice rose so confidently above the noise of the wind and waves that the knight obeyed, hardly knowing what he was doing. A few minutes later the horses had found a firm footing in the river. Guided by the faithful little page, the knight safely forded the stream. He reached the farther shore just as his enemies came down to the water’s edge.
The angry robbers urged their steeds into the deep water, but no trace of ford could be found and they were forced to give up the pursuit.
The knight’s love for the little page was greatly increased after this, and the little page, too, seemed to love his master more and more. He was only happy when in his master’s presence or when doing some errand for him.
A short time after this happy escape from death the knight’s beautiful wife became suddenly ill. The knight loved her as he loved his own life, and was in great sorrow for fear that she might die.
Many wise doctors were called to her bedside, but they could do nothing. They declared that there was only one thing that would cure her--the milk of a lioness. That could not be obtained because there were no lions in the country.
The rumor of this strange remedy spread rapidly through the castle. It came to the ears of the faithful little page. He at once sprang to his feet and rushed out of the hall. An hour later, before any change had taken place in the lady’s condition, the page returned to the castle.
He went directly to the bedside of his mistress and sat down, flushed and panting. But in his hand he bore a cup full of the milk of a lioness, which was given to the patient at once. In a few moments the color crept back into the lady’s pale cheeks. A new light came into her eyes and she sank into a sweet sleep. When she awoke she was fully cured. All her strength had come back, and she was very happy.
Then the good knight went to seek the little page. He poured out to him his thanks. He could not say enough to express what he felt for his faithful servant. He wished to know all about it.
“Tell me, my sweet, faithful page,” he urged, “how you were able to get this remedy, which all my wealth could not procure.”
“My noble master,” replied the page, “I knew that a lioness was lying with her cubs in an Arabian den, and so I--”
“Arabia!” exclaimed the knight, interrupting the page, “Arabia! Did you find your way there and back in one short hour?”
“Yes, my dear master,” replied the little page, “that is the truth.” And he fixed his beautiful, truthful eyes on his master’s pale, wondering face.
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