The Golden Legend

book. ELSIE, at a distance, gathering flowers.

convent of

est older, d

oving as i

unken upon

dream

Monk Feli

weet sunshin

the su

he woodlands

was like th

ldly woe

lay the go

the boughs o

ade the sign

red their

om the

or sweet a

flowers an

that w

sunshine, ro

eded not, b

olume in

of Saint

e read of

of God's

unkno

his eyes

lity, h

ieve,

ein I ha

not understand!

n singing

bird, that

ped

the bran

si

and clear,

ousand harp st

k Felix clo

ong,

apturo

ned to t

breathed

saw, as i

and E

heavenly

lic

lden flagging

e wou

t the wond

rove i

flew aw

r hill

d of its s

the con

n the sile

ervice of

e ret

ly and in haste.In the c

or each wel

es were new

sat in the o

chaunted in

ce was the

me dus

d, gra

nd belfry and spire.

hat bro

nk Fel

ars," sai

I been

onvent in

r that

hy face!"The heart of

red with sub

, after the h

t my

ered for

ng all

elodious

utiful w

l I

of the con

their no

as if I

to me h

en hours!""Years!" s

aged monk

bench

against t

oldest mo

whole

been

God in

d humblest of

red well t

x, and

distinct

ndred y

a novice in

a monk, full

ore t

man must be the s

forth to th

e old a

tome,

and wild-

were wri

of all w

nt, since it

re they

the old

certain da

red year

th from the

elix, and

ed that s

counted am

y knew,

h had bee

stial and im

years ha

not seem

! (ELSIE comes i

e are flow

are not a

em are for

a. Prince Henry. As

t to me lik

ht the imm

ridal chamber. Elsie

y. Themselv

their

ry has t

te them fr

emind

yred Do

elestial g

as her w

nd doubted. Elsie. D

d the Sultan

end of them all. Prince H

st come

owers down

th thy han

story. Elsie. Ea

tan's d

her father

the brig

ince Henry. Just as

t Elsie. Elsie. And

ered mor

Master of

de the

e cold, d

eart," s

him; and

e my fathe

en." Prince Henry. D

tly thou

-forgott

my early

her to

my

pears o

-mark on t

hand

and removed! Elsi

ay upon

eard

er from t

g forth fro

a beauti

among the

the Lor

went dow

d the doo

d to her,

hought of m

or th

y Father

come

aster of t

n is in

ou wilt g

idal g

f bright r

e took fro

lden

the Sultan

ould be

answered hi

ds began

e said

ow red thy

ds are full

sake," an

ke is my he

I bring t

d them at

I died f

r my Fat

my electe

Sultan's

garden. Prince Henry. Would

es, very

Then the Celes

e for th

orehead he

crown of

rown of

bridal

aint C

l hear sw

the the

wers i

place the

her p

N THE FA

EB asleep in his chair. Ursula. D

es in at the

eyes are gro

isentangle

rightly up

starting). The st

e out of a pl

as sitting be

he grinding

y the wheels

cried "Elsie

so near. Ursula. I was c

see to sp

Dost thou hear? Elsie

here are Be

sitting with El

g them storie

Red Ridinghood. Gottlieb.

n his roo

walking acro

h a lamp. MAX and BERTHA follow her; and they all sing th

dsome

Father

the c

and b

our S

o the

t thou br

eing th

, we ble

hee, ado

omnip

he Lif

the Co

at al

hip and

y (at the d

ho was it

he Prince: he s

a moment, a

song. He i

him there before.

ought the hous

, alas! and

est child! Max. I love h

such fine bow

he robins and

ls in the wood! Ber

. Ah, ye

m the bottom

farm, the house

he horses an

eat oxen i

d, and the

t our love! Bertha. Did he giv

rge, round nest? Gottlieb. No,

the dear, white

e has given u

ell again. Elsie. Would I cou

and pain! Gottlieb. That no

lse. Elsie. A

f the dear God

him, in hi

racle! Gottli

n, of her

ife for that

o die in his ste

, thou foolish

hat thou dost not mean!

ther! thi

e mill, in

a wolf, th

ight to the s

ft outside. Gottlieb. I am glad

t, far and wide. Max. And

r if this is th

idinghood! U

s killed a l

rowing late. Max. Ah, h

Hans is, a

hing else, the

olves. Gottlieb

fast as a li

half aslee

e nods her

epy feet ar

p upstairs. Ursula. Good-night,

orget to say

eep. Gottlieb

ertha. Go

out wit

. She is a strange

f ours. She

and fancies w

te to have

e so docile and mild! Gott

Ah no, f

l I have

isions and st

r words and w

than she

hink her bu

been of late

heavy with f

ot live till t

,--so strange! Gottlieb. I am

and thrive f

'S CH

ing. Elsie. My Re

thee, I en

n each act

fter I may

iting, hopin

l trimmed and bu

hese b

n thy hand

o have liv

uffered, th

d mocked, an

ou been buried!If my fee

our, I be

ou hast di

sin

ow where th

eding as th

dying I

ne who as

ore n

us, rese

OF GOTTLIE

bedside, weeping. Gottlieb. The

n roof and

ld Huntsman

il to me

-night with hi

lulls of the

l in the yar

s sobbing

chamber! Els

what ails thee,

sturbed and mu

our dear Pri

r rest. Gottlieb. What would

lies, not

od alone. Elsie. Nay,

t! Gottlieb. Thy

t thou mean? my

r our dear Pri

elf the of

chase his. Ursula Am I

st careless

hat it is. Elsie. 'T is th

d motionl

knoweth mor

little Ger

f breathing

e pillow bene

e beautiful

s faded wer

knew that s

pen window lo

hamber whe

was like the

s came to b

aw and felt

t difficu

die, as sh

with her, s

re dead, the

and our

llow in

d! Ursula. My child! my

ould I live?

woman is f

on and o

g heart, and

lips, and

longings

world never

ome less, bu

, not one! Ursula. It i

ace of it, l

, then. Gottlieb. Ah, w

g men! Ursula. Alas! th

beloved,

the day! Elsie. Thou wi

flowers of a

alerno,

untains, ov

pointed

l seem no

he village o

a little

. Ursula. Even

rt beats, when

rest unti

ed with se

thou wert dead?

eyes thou a

our old hea

die? Ursula. N

died for me,

for my Pr

silent; you

at our Savi

ession, to

he made

t warn us

, better la

s immortal n

thither? Gottlieb. In God's

t before! Elsie. I heard hi

ly, from s

gates of h

ision in

m standing

s mansion, vas

ing to me

Gottlieb. She

were the

her lips, an

ere of God? Ur

re we not. Go

ords that th

and new fo

hearts with d

be a dark

One, or God'

blindness

ink upon i

good in bot

God, his w

d us from t

hand is! how

sleep. Ursula. Kiss me. Go

IE goe

n awful th

huddered a

st had touc

hildish a

I see the e

glimmer i

over to

t the good m

LAGE

fessional. The Parish Pries

hy pena

better l

h thee fo

dominion

more! He

t filled thy

goes out. The Priest comes forth, an

Lord! how

to guide m

ds, that, w

y wounds, and

et, that,

r from thy

fill me wi

ead thy fl

t thy suppo

of so gre

f a castaway

drawing t

deeds, since

sented, Lo

ngs of my

ressed, what r

passed, what v

ttempted an

best, is

cannot reac

forever in

orever an

g just with

feeble han

iscouraged

n purpose, t

the discouragem

thou, Prince

me pacing

aisles of s

y footstep

with each

e world for t

y leisure a

t in the h

f comfort a

I say? I

l to do th

er, firm

though his po

cessible

artyr live and

air grows du

forth into

eds of pai

imbs, and qui

g hearts, an

ough tears, t

ore shall s

in body a

nd the dis

Goes out. Enter LUCIFER, as a Priest.

e Black Pa

s my f

oste

book of th

ael was

orn at B

e of flesh

me my r

ood, and s

ay to yo

pon yon s

ghty God of

en, hell

t, heaven

devils i

ar the Black Prayer! (Lo

some and di

at any man

hole the Hous

Heaven,--yet s

walls, and

obwebs, blacke

ulpit, dust o

nches, and sta

m which such po

n on the brains

as much rea

at Bible, b

nd struck the

o remember th

the holy w

r it may

e veriest Liq

ke a filthy

ds the box f

n padlock, s

riest of th

l these ch

o keep up th

le contribution! (

this moul

stone, and scut

reat lord of

e was riot

to escape the

rlasting,

dress of a me

his wealth fo

afterward c

e finds it du

ecret for t

desire.And here, in

ilent, apa

wful porta

ced windows o

ell worn by th

two pious

village c

as an hon

e and rest! (Seats himse

priest, and

hing of an e

h these pain

ss sound of

her bosom ac

and agon

passion, hal

s daughter

esses her s

e place, the

m murderer,

ed conscience

hat thus h

s of sword

rvel, and ma

can sit her

e whole yea

the catal

eep any fai

r! never!I cannot rep

and crimes an

hen with palp

ard in the

ad, at the voic

e an archang

peculiar

earthly passi

ke to breath

s often br

and most pest

ome for ano

nd ripen an

is almost to m

murderer out

hand I learne

he twilight h

e between his

aught! (Prince Henry entering an

, penitent

crave, O F

head. Lucifer. The ben

fession,

peed to the p

already a

th holiness,

pure from ea

thou searched

e madness fi

y passion

ind? Prince Henry. By the s

passion stil

to the hous

icted and

cloudy a

een sluices

and impet

reat forest w

anch, and bo

s quivering l

grass, and fi

above, and th

om chimneys

lves to it,

s dreadful

h irresisti

thoughts an

by the stre

true inclin

o Salem! Lucifer. Alas!

the blast,

highway of

only, the

common l

gust! Prince Henry. O

llation

, and that

of rest a

ore befor

phantom fli

adman thro

gestures an

s onward,

ts awful

wretchedness

happy!

find the

e wrong! Lucifer. Be not a

mercy and h

-way her child

transgression

the Decalo

itten, "Thou s

re cases wh

instance, or

keep the on

t the Decalogu

t statute, t

and general

tood with th

tain instanc

d to the

ince. If thou

nd hopes woul

deeds, what

ave with th

of valor a

ne, and die

e last of a

a noble na

s from the

s memory of

easant. In

on and ple

s daily and

the turf of b

hed, in a cr

rve, and wit

est summons o

precious, the

ngs, of God

at has the w

her, but te

sorrow, serf

hild and a pe

within her

ness and barre

t at the he

ike this, in

eagerness t

tchedness,

it in this

nutterabl

of rest bey

h sanctions

nhale this

his fresh lif

comfort a

s, as a g

down and an

ment costly a

all live. Prince Henry. And wil

whether f

, but it lea

itten by fin

g or a curse

weakness or g

ich follow it,

of ages are

de manifest! Lucifer In a

er an evil d

devil is

d torment the

s only goo

, the Beare

l fallen an

s Father's hou

night. Prince Henry. If j

od actions

ight should

ed again. Lucifer. Yes; if

evil! Prince Henry. But th

ine absol

estriction? Lucifer. Ay

und it an

in which it ma

olve thee! Prince Henry. G

ing forth his han

tione p

dica

r et

e ?olian harp). Ta

thou in

and the gr

ou been

in ever

every

illusion o

e to deadl

! be good

only sha

se are but fa

t thee,

en n

stions of an

en now

he foul

s itself a vir

N THE FA

is decided! F

as many,

terror in

timid, a

d his myst

en sorrowf

suffered, muc

ld lead us

what his w

cided; a

you may live! Ursula. It

in her; and

orld of si

er to hims

heart resis

gel of the

he stronger. Gottlieb. As

to the Lor

sting Fath

a lamb unto t

y daughter! (URSUL

y life i

cup o

re and

, O my

refre

resto

iven wi

given

gift! Prince Hen

ieb.

enry. I

here are th

ey are alr

hat if they

HE G

e one thing

enry. Wh

granted. Els

ne from here,

g to Salerno,

ed, endeavor

rom my purpos

ilgrim to t

d, and with tho

lly, so woul

eaven, in this

tion, puttin

earth, as shoes

ince Henry. Thy wor

the lips of An

them up! Elsie. Wi

ever we depart

I promise. Elsie. Shall we n

r, only to

the ground? a

f eternal li

is world? Prince Henry. O Elsie!

is, and that wh

ng in such n

bs the balance;

row our hearts

like an empty

ounted van

ught of death

ld on life. To

as the liftin

ep into t

ent alread

hines through its

! from thy swee

whose petals

in charact