d to the
bushes, to go to his hut, and cut the plaything for his boy.

* * * * *

"In the pleasant woodland meadow below, near the beechen arbour, and by
the clear brook, which had there washed its banks to a wide basin, sat
the young knight, Conrad, and the fair one whom he had awakened from
slumber without any magic arts. The red, blue, and yellow flower-cups
pressed forth out of the grass around them, and the pair bloomed in
youth and beauty--the knight in gay accoutrements, the maiden in her
silver-bright veil, as the fairest flower that decked the enamel. He
had his arm gently round her waist, and said, looking with every
appearance of sincerity into her eye: 'By the ashes of my dear mother,
and by the holy sign on the hilt of this sword, I am, as I have named
myself to thee, lord of castles, and ruler of my own life, and I
entreat thee, thou lovely wonder of this forest, to let thy lips speak
the word which shall make me thine for ever, with the blessing of the
priest before the altar.'

"'And what word dost thou desire?' said the fair one, as she modestly
lowered her eye-lashes. 'Have not my eye, my cheek, my palpitating
bosom told all? Love[2] is a powerful queen, she pursues her path
unawares, and seizes whom she pleases, without suffering resistance.
Conduct me, before the decline of day, to the pious abbess of the
cloister at Odenwald, she will take me under her protection, and there
will I abide between quiet walls, till you come, and fetch me to your
home.'

"She was about to rise, but the young knight softly detained her, and
said, 'Let us yet remain a few moments in this spot where my happiness
sprang up, like a golden legend. I still fear that you will vanish
from my sight, like some charming wood nymph. Help me to believe in
thee and thy lovely mortality. How didst thou come hither? What had
befallen thee?'

"'This morning,' replied the fair one, 'I had fled into the forest from
my guardian, Count Archimbald, whose wicked designs, whether upon me or
my property I know not, were suddenly most frightfully apparent. Of
what use is a rich inheritance to youth and woman? She is always left
to herself and unprotected. I wished to fly to the abbess, I wished to
apply to the emperor at Mayence, indeed I scarcely knew what I wished.
Thus I came into these green halls of trees, my thoughts were not
directed to the true Aid, my thoughts were at war with Heaven.
Suddenly,