Page:Popular Tales of the Germans (Volume 1).djvu/230

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212
THE STEALING

tune has in ſtore for thee the favour of ſurprizing a miſtreſs of the fairy race by this pool; one that, when love has domeſticated her, ſhall be willing to remain with thee. But if an earlier flame has taken poſſeſſion of thy heart, ſo that ſhe cannot enjoy thy affections, let the butterfly eſcape, elſe ſhall the torments of joyleſs wedlock fall upon thee.’

The morning had already begun to peep over the ſilent horizon, before the old man’s talkativeneſs had tacked this application to his own extraordinary ſtory. He then ſtretched himſelf on his bed of dry leaves, in order to enjoy repoſe after ſo long an interval; but a crowd of ideas floated in Friedbert’s brain, ſo party-coloured and entangled, that ſleep came not near his eye-lids. He ſeated himſelf before the entrance of the hermitage, looked toward the riſing ſun, and took every ſwallow that whizzed over his head for a ſwan.

After a few changes of the moon Bennoſlept