llowed me to play about your
feet, and have often kindly stroked me with your hand. Your kindness has
led me to hope that you might be able to effect my deliverance. Your
heart is as pure as that of a child, as yet ignorant of falsehood and
deception. You have all the signs which point to my rescue; a noble
lady and a beggar stood together as your sponsors, and your christening
gift was the egg of Good Fortune. I am only permitted to resume my human
form once in twenty-five years on Midsummer Eve, and to wander about the
earth for an hour, and if I should meet with a youth pure in heart, and
with your peculiarities, who would listen to my request, I might be
released from my long imprisonment. Save me, O save me from this endless
imprisonment! I beseech you in the name of all the angels."

Having thus spoken, she fell at Paertel's feet, embraced his knees, and
wept bitterly.

Paertel's heart was melted by her tears and supplications, and he begged
the maiden to stand up, and to tell him what he could do to rescue her.
"If it was possible for me to save you," said he, "I would go through
fire and water. I am filled with an unknown longing which allows me no
peace; but what I long for, I cannot tell."

The maiden answered, "Come here again to-morrow evening about sunset,
and if I meet you in my snake-form, and wind myself round your body like
a girdle, and kiss you three times, do not start or shrink back, or I
shall again be overwhelmed by the waters of enchantment, and who knows
for how many centuries?"

As she spoke, the maiden vanished from the youth's sight, and he again
heard the sighing in the leaves of the lime-tree:

"Thin-shelled is the egg of Fortune,
And the heart is full of sorrow;
Venture not to spoil your fortune."

Paertel went home and lay down to sleep before dawn, but his rest was
disturbed by wonderfully varied dreams, some beautiful, some hideous. He
sprang up with a shriek, for a dream showed him the white snake coiling
round his breast and suffocating him. But he thought no more of this
horrible picture, and firmly resolved to release the princess from the
bonds of enchantment, even if he himself should perish. Nevertheless his
heart failed him more and more as the sun sank nearer the horizon. At
the appointed time he stood by the stone under the lime-tree, and gazed,
sighing, towards heaven, praying for strength and courage, that he might
not tremble with weakness when the snake