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, repeal- ing a passage of the Bible. This inspired him with fresh courage; and soon perceiving the illusion, and the strange vnistake 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 foam- ing 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 sha- dows 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 ex- tremely 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 th;it 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, W'ith 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
