, the enchantress, heard
the song, and she herself became spellbound by the sentiment and
deep feeling expressed in the mellifluent music.

She tried to answer him, but her voice failed.

As Herman grew to manhood his ill health disappeared, and his
character changed. He became rugged and manly, and abandoned the
arts for the chase, horsemanship, and the preparations for martial
contests.

He became a renowned hunter. He rode the wildest steeds, and
ventured into places and merrily blew his horn where no huntsman
dared follow him.

The enchantress Lore, from the time she had heard his song,
disappeared from the rocks. The change that came over his person and
character seemed like enchantment: was the siren invisibly following
him?

And now a strange thing began to startle him by its mystery. When
alone, crossing a wild mountain or a ravine, he would seek to keep
up a communication by shouting through his hands,--

"Hillo-ho-o-o-o!"

Immediately a sweet voice would answer,--

"Ho-o-o-o!"

He would follow the sound.

"Hillo-ho-o-o-o!"

"Ho-o-o-o!"

It always led him towards the Lei.

He became alarmed at this occurrence. He believed that he was
followed by a spirit, and that a spell was upon him, which boded
destruction. He resolved to abandon the chase and devote himself to
the arts again.

He was sitting by the window of the castle on a summer evening. A
purple mist lay on the forests and river, and the moon poured her
light over it, making all things appear like an enchanted realm.

He heard a nightingale singing in the woods. Did ever a bird sing
like that? He listened. There was a witchery in the song. He rose
and went into the woods. The song filled the air like a shower of
golden notes. He followed it. It retreated. He went on. But the
song, more and more enchanting and alluring, floated into the
shadowy distance. He found himself at last on the Lei.

He beheld there a dazzling grotto, full of stalactites, and a nymph
of wondrous beauty on a coral throne. He felt his being thrill with
love. He was about to enter the grotto, when, oh thought of darkness
and horror! the recollection of the enchantress came to him, and he
crossed his bosom and broke the spell. He hurried home with a
beating heart.

But the temptation and vision had proved fatal to him. He was never
himself again. He dreamed constantly of