Undine (2nd translation) | Page 5

spirit would be still less daring in the exercise of
his power. At the same time he repeated aloud a text from the Bible
with all his heart, and this so inspired him with courage that he almost
smiled at the illusion he had allowed to possess him. The white
nodding man was suddenly transformed into a brook long familiar to
him, which ran foaming from the forest and discharged itself into the
lake. The noise, however, which he had heard, was caused by a knight
beautifully apparelled, who, emerging from the deep shadows of the
wood, came riding toward the cottage. A scarlet mantle was thrown
over his purple gold-embroidered doublet; a red and violet plume
waved from his golden-colored head-gear; and a beautifully and richly
ornamented sword flashed from his shoulder-belt. The white steed that
bore the knight was more slenderly formed than war-horses generally
are, and he stepped so lightly over the turf that this green and flowery
carpet seemed scarcely to receive the slightest injury from his tread.
The old fisherman did not, however, feel perfectly secure in his mind,
although he tried to convince himself that no evil was to be feared from
so graceful an apparition; and therefore he politely took off his hat as
the knight approached, and remained quietly with his nets.
Presently the stranger drew up, and inquired whether he and his horse
could have shelter and care for the night. "As regards your horse, good
sir," replied the fisherman. "I can assign him no better stable than this
shady pasture, and no better provender than the grass growing on it.
Yourself, however, I will gladly welcome to my small cottage, and give
you supper and lodging as good as we have." The knight was well
satisfied with this; he alighted from his horse, and, with the assistance
of the fisherman, he relieved it from saddle and bridle, and turned it
loose upon the flowery green. Then addressing his host, he said: "Even
had I found you less hospitable and kindly disposed, my worthy old
fisherman, you would nevertheless scarcely have got rid of me to-day,

for, as I see, a broad lake lies before us, and to ride back into that
mysterious wood, with the shades of evening coming on, heaven keep
me from it!"
"We will not talk too much of that," said the fisherman, and he led his
guest into the cottage.
There, beside the hearth, from which a scanty fire shed a dim light
through the cleanly-kept room, sat the fisherman's aged wife in a
capacious chair. At the entrance of the noble guest she rose to give him
a kindly welcome, but resumed her seat of honor without offering it to
the stranger. Upon this the fisherman said with a smile: "You must not
take it amiss of her, young sir, that she has not given up to you the most
comfortable seat in the house; it is a custom among poor people, that it
should belong exclusively to the aged."
"Why, husband," said the wife, with a quiet smile, "what can you be
thinking of? Our guest belongs no doubt to Christian men, and how
could it come into the head of the good young blood to drive old people
from their chairs? Take a seat, my young master," she continued,
turning toward the knight; "over there, there is a right pretty little chair,
only you must not move about on it too roughly, for one of its legs is
no longer of the firmest." The knight fetched the chair carefully, sat
down upon it good-humoredly, and it seemed to him as if he were
related to this little household, and had just returned from abroad.
The three worthy people now began to talk together in the most
friendly and familiar manner. With regard to the forest, about which the
knight made some inquiries, the old man was not inclined to be
communicative; he felt it was not a subject suited to approaching night,
but the aged couple spoke freely of their home and former life, and
listened also gladly when the knight recounted to them his travels, and
told them that he had a castle near the source of the Danube, and that
his name was Sir Huldbrand of Ringstetten. During the conversation,
the stranger had already occasionally heard a splash against the little
low window, as if some one were sprinkling water against it. Every
time the noise occurred, the old man knit his brow with displeasure; but
when at last a whole shower was dashed against the panes, and bubbled

into the room through the decayed casement, he rose angrily, and called
threateningly from the window: "Undine! will you for once leave off
these childish tricks? and to-day, besides, there is a stranger knight