The Hope of the Katzekopfs

on their

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2

PTE

at the carrier-pigeon, when loosed from the bag in which it has been confined, mounts up into the air, makes one brief circuit, and then pursues his way, through an unknown region, in a straight 12

d his journey of many hundred miles in the course of a single night. The spells of the Lady Abracadabra had secured him from the perils of huntsmen and hounds; but how had she bestowed upon him such marvellous speed 125of foot? The sun was setting, as we know, when the son of Count Rudolf received his unexpected dismissal from the Court of King Katzekopf: ere the moon had risen, the towers and cupolas of the city scarce broke the line of the distant horizon: by midnight, a distance which, to the ordinary traveller, would have been equivalent to a six-days’ jo

the mo

er the

r the f

er the

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Neptun

s that ar

find out

here is

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here is

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find out

with which he had been endowed. No loiterer, nor lingerer was he; “he stay’d not for brake, and he stopp’d not for sto

gone on much in their usual course; a year (for it was no more) of separation had not wrought many obvious changes, save that Count Rudolf’s health was declining; disappointed hopes, and ungratified ambition are worse diseases than fever or consumption, and they were wearing his life away. Countess Ermengarde had spent many days in calm content

me was laid aside by the children, because two felt that they could find no pleasure in it, when the third, who had been used to join in it, was absent. And walks were chosen, because they had been favourites with some one who was n

Mamma said she thought it would not be out for three days. What a pity he planted such a late-

ed the gardener. ‘Shall it be the blush-moss from Candahar? it is the choicest rose grown; but I have a promise of one for you, if you wish it.’ ‘No, Florian, that will not suit me, unless it be the latest, as well as the choicest rose that grows. I do n

one of his buds in flower! It is quite too soon to expect it; but that was a chance cluster which we observed yesterday, and,

ith her wand, and provide us each with a full-blow

of that single bud be open. I shall hail it as a good omen that

my part, I shall be quite surprised if I find that——why look here!” she suddenly exclaimed, as, being a little in advance of her

was but one bud at all advanced, and the others were tiny, tiny things, which I thought would not be in bloom for months to come! You may sa

Papa does not c

ead now; but, perhaps, he would not dislike a ros

is shook

gerness, as so pleasant a thought struck her. “Depend upon it, this is

you don’t cut them now, they will shed their leaves with 132the noon-d

lied Veronica doubtfully. “Suppose we

end me your knife, and let us c

e-gilliflower first. How sadly,” she continued, “its leaves h

we are standing here. I wonder what people mean by talking of timid hares. I am sure here they are as bold as lions. Sh! sh! get

imal made no attempt

re; and taking up a pebble, made a

s; how faint and breathless; and how soiled is its fur! It has been hunted,

feet. “Get some water, Ediltrudis! it is going to di

exhausted animal, and, as she did so, she was about to pat it gently; but no sooner did her hand light upon its head, than a shock like that from an electric ba

self, she could not persuade herself that she was not dreaming. But there was something too hearty in the embraces of Witikind, and his kisses were altogether too vehement to have come from Dreamland. Briefly, but cle

were, prepared the mother’s mind for some unexpected intelligence of her boy; for, in those days, people thought more about the unseen world, and the interference of spiritual beings i

attempt to describe the

the thresho

s in haste

hrough blind t

bounding of h

here! our long, l

that she was a Fairy without either talent or discrimination; that she ought not to have allowed the boy to quit the palace till she had secured a handsome pension for him; and that it was quite inexcusable of her to allow a child of Witikind’s high rank to return home in the form of a hare, and to be liable to be barked at by every village cur; how Witikind poured forth his re

ement here, striving to 137benefit those among whom I dwell, and to repay, so far as I can, my dear parents

and we shall see!

y giving you an opportunity of learning, by your own experience, to estimate, at their proper value, those things which are so commonly looked on as advantages, and whic

r as you could wish me to be; but so long as I can

o his mother’s arms, and mingled his kis

we must leave the

bound of twenty feet between each bump. Down to the ground as light as a feather, and then up in the air again, ever so high, almost before you could sa

our fabric, it must have been fractured; but you were more mercifully dealt with than, considering your conduct to little Witikind, you deserved. The Fairy had no malevolent intentions towards you, though she did not choose that your audacious misbehaviour should go

d the contorted Hope of the Katzekopfs traverse in the air before a bed of nettles received him. Over and over did he turn, t

or having endeavoured to turn me into a toad: you may thank your lucky stars, and my good-nature, that this

ere was no time for talking. Up the bank he flew, and pursued his painful way, “through bush, and through briar,” now over a wide expanse of gorse

the ball from the ground, and threw it over her shoulder with a jerk, much in the same manner that a porter raises a sack on his back. Then she whistled three times; her cockatrice appeared at the sound; she sprung on her embroidered saddle,—her burden still suspended from

higher, and 142that he was being borne along with such increasing rapidity, that he thought within himself that they would certainly reach the world’s end by sunrise. On, and on, and on. The moon rose and set. The night air grew colder and c

came to himself, morning had dawned, and he was aware that the Fairy was hovering at

mid air. “Now, Eigenwillig,” said she, “you are going into Fairy-land. Tak

had risen. But this was not all, for still, as he fell, he was conscious that he was no longer a compact ball, but that he was unrolling—ya

am being restored to my natural shape,” thought he, “only to be

erbed had been placed there to receive him; and, stranger still, the green turf immediately parting asunder beneath him, he continued to fall through a chasm which opened bel

s, and most delicious fragrance? where else is every dwelling a palace, and every palace built of gold and silver, and mother-o’-pearl? and of what but Fairies could those troops of delicate, ethereal forms consist, some of

ore he was surrounded by a crowd of them, while, in a

arried in his hand like a mace, was probably the holder of some such office among the elves, as, with us mortals, is occu

s you know, dropped me just now fr

mmoderately, “what a comical lady she is! Why, h

ing as much dignity into his manner as possible, for he was altogether unaccustomed

e himself such airs, and was so selfish that nobody could endure him! What a strange choice to fix on him of all peop

mean. But I wish, gentlemen, you would let m

o eat! I tell you what, my young friend, you must take care what y

asking for food when one’s hungry!”

ddity consisted in the notion that you could get it by 147asking for it, an

,—I’ll give you money for it,”

oney?” inquired a

of, my child,” said he. “No, Prince, you must offer us something more to our taste than money,

f me?” asked the Prince, in a

iful apprentice, and then, as often as it

work am I expected to do?” i

ork for me!” answe

me.” “And me,” ad

us,” observed the bearer of the bullrush gra

want sweeping

nts digging,”

s scouring,” o

t cleaning,” re

r sweep chimneys for anybody,” said

ay they all swept like a flight of starlings, making the ai

tice has got a

irst shall cu

all n

sel o

ed no

p to

s and earns

oy’s pride enabled him to seem bold and unyielding; but when he was sure that no eye was upon him, overcome

his exalted rank; conscious within himself that all his misfortunes were the consequences of his own errors; and yet, at present, so rooted in his

induced him to dry his tears, and to endeavour to obtain for himself th

e soon found greater difficulties than he expected. The first tree which he attempted to ascend had such an unctuous, slippery bark, that he only mounted a few yards, before he involuntarily slid to the ground. And this happened again and again. The next tree he approached 151had the most luscious-looking pears imaginable, hanging quite within his reach; but when he had

nsiderable distance, in order to satisfy his thirst with its sparkling waters. But soon he discover

more and wept. But his tears this time were not those

d hungry, and thirsty in my father’s kingdom! If I die here of hunger and thirst, nobody will miss me; nobody will mourn for me! Even Nurse Ye

ed and irritated with his naughty tricks, could have seen him now, they would have pitied and soothed him! And what

k an entire reform in his 153constitution. The experience of the last twelve hours was doing more for Prince Eigenwillig, than could have been acquired in as many years at his father’s court. The course of self-examination upon which the usage he had received in Fairy-land had caused him to enter was of more real value to him t

disposed to remain in his obstinacy. “I’m not going to be a slave,” thought he, “and nobody shall compel me to work for them.” But then, after a while, he reflected that there was no compulsion in the case. So, when he got very hungry indeed, he determined he would apply to the first Fairy he saw, for some job of work which should be worth a good meal to him. No sooner had he made this resolution, than he felt rat

temper! But what a terrible punishment they are inflicting! They have certainly left me to starve!” And the Prince buried his face in his knees, and wept once more. He had not sat long,

can you set me to work? I shoul

ou?” asked

apprentice; the self-willed Prince, wh

ou. You should have asked me when I was going to the vineyard, not when I was coming from it.

hours; I am so faint for want o

eys, and clean the ditches, when you had the offer. But it can’t be helped. Nothing for n

e two; “if it be as he says, and if he be willing to work, we may a

s you wish. Suppose we give him the grapes to carry. Come Prince-Apprentice, here’s work for you, if you w

orward with alacrity: at least, w

lin, helping him to throw the basket over

isappointed. The grapes might have been bullets, to judge from their weight. The basket, instead of resting easily on his shoulder, nearly dragged him backwards. He was tempted to relinquish his task almost at the outse

t lighter. At first the relief was almost imperceptible, but the further he advanced, the more his load was

ng, had arrived at a mansion built of mother-o’-pearl, and adorned with cupolas and domes of silver, according to the usual form of Fairy architecture. Here, still bearing his burden on his back, he passed through a tennis-court of ivory, th

e we take our own repast.” And a strange repast it seemed. If the Prince had not been too much occupied with the g

ant that’s

all atom

s’ eggs, in mo

thigh, in co

d yesterday

ve ‘scaped us

dish ent

brains, dis

vows, these co

be eat by

-mites, a glo

cious rainb

, Edit. 1776, vo

his 160supper. “There’s plenty of work for him in the meadow yonder. I want to hav

al, he did not intend to do any more work; but experience had taught him wisdom; so he expressed his willingness to d

he showed the Hope of the Katzekopfs a soft bed

hose few bunches of grapes, earned with the sweat of his brow, and never had he

orced to work for his bread, as the Fairy’s apprentice. From the moment in which he made up his mind to

tset; but in a few days he got reconciled to it. And then, moreover, he had the satisfaction of finding that the kind of labour to which he was put was changed. At first, and while the Fairies thought him disposed to be obstinate and self-willed, and inclined to rebel, they

nce had thus gained the regard of her countrymen, she suddenly appeare

to say in his favour, and Claribel declared that he thought the Lady Abracadabra’

he has to unlearn every way, and how great are the trials to which he would still be exposed at home. But so far,