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Page 6
CHAPTER 1
On a beautiful evening, many hundred years ago, a worthy old
fisherman sat mending his nets. The spot where he dwelt was
exceedingly picturesque. The green turf on which he had built his
cottage ran far out into a great lake; and this slip of verdure
appeared to stretch into it as much through love of its clear waters
as the lake, moved by a like impulse, strove to fold the meadow, with
its waving grass and flowers, and the cooling shade of the trees, in
its embrace of love. They seemed to be drawn toward each other, and
the one to be visiting the other as a guest.
With respect to human beings, indeed, in this pleasant spot,
excepting the fisherman and his family, there were few, or rather
none, to be met with. For as in the background of the scene, toward
the west and north-west, lay a forest of extraordinary wildness,
which, owing to its sunless gloom and almost impassable recesses, as
well as to fear of the strange creatures and visionary illusions to
be encountered in it, most people avoided entering, unless in cases
of extreme necessity. The pious old fisherman, however, many times
passed through it without harm, when he carried the fine fish which
he caught by his beautiful strip of land to a great city lying only
a short distance beyond the forest.
Now the reason he was able to go through this wood with so much ease
may have been chiefly this, because he entertained scarcely any
thoughts but such as were of a religious nature; and besides, every
time he crossed the evil-reported shades, he used to sing some holy
song with a clear voice and from a sincere heart.
Well, while he sat by his nets this evening, neither fearing nor
devising evil, a sudden terror seized him, as he heard a rushing in
the darkness of the wood, that resembled the tramping of a mounted
steed, and the noise continued every instant drawing nearer and
nearer to his little territory.
What he had fancied, when abroad in many a stormy night, respecting
the mysteries of the forest, now flashed through his mind in a
moment, especially the figure of a man of gigantic stature and snow-
white appearance, who kept nodding his head in a portentous manner.
And when he raised his eyes towards the wood, the form came before
him in perfect distinctness, as he saw the nodding man burst forth
from the mazy web-work of leaves and branches. But he immediately
felt emboldened, when he reflected that nothing to give him alarm had
ever befallen him even in the forest; and moreover, that on this open
neck of land the evil spirit, it was likely, would be still less
daring in the exercise of his power. At the same time he prayed
aloud with the most earnest sincerity of devotion, repeating a
passage of the Bible. This inspired him with fresh courage, and soon
perceiving the illusion, and the strange mistake into which his
imagination had betrayed him, he could with difficulty refrain from
laughing. The white nodding figure he had seen became transformed,
in the twinkling of an eye, to what in reality it was, a small brook,
long and familiarly known to him, which ran foaming from the forest,
and discharged itself into the lake.
But what had caused the startling sound was a knight arrayed in
sumptuous apparel, who from under the shadows of the trees came
riding toward the cottage. His doublet was violet embroidered with
gold, and his scarlet cloak hung gracefully over it; on his cap of
burnished gold waved red and violet-coloured plumes; and in his
golden shoulder-belt flashed a sword, richly ornamented, and
extremely beautiful. The white barb that bore the knight was more
slenderly built than war-horses usually are, and he touched the turf
with a step so light and elastic that the green and flowery carpet
seemed hardly to receive the slightest injury from his tread. The
old fisherman, notwithstanding, did not feel perfectly secure in his
mind, although he was forced to believe that no evil could be feared
from an appearance so pleasing, and therefore, as good manners
dictated, he took off his hat on the knight's coming near, and
quietly remained by the side of his nets.
When the stranger stopped, and asked whether he, with his horse,
could have shelter and entertainment there for the night, the
fisherman returned answer: "As to your horse, fair sir, I have no
better stable for him than this shady meadow, and no better provender
than the grass that is growing here. But with respect to yourself,
you shall be welcome to our humble cottage, and to the best supper
and lodging we are able to give you."
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