The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-12-09
Sa!tScegI aMco ta@.
From ne Neig UGrR.
THE THREEF0LD DESTINY,
A FAIRY LEGEND.
DY NATHANIEL HAwTHoRHE,
AUTHOR or "rwlcc.ToLp TALES"

AUTHOR or "TwicC.Toip TALES"
have sometimes produced singular and not
unpleasant, effect, so far as my own mind was con-
ccrncd, imagininga train orincidcn,s in which the
spirit and mechanism Of the fairy legend should be
combined with the characters and manners OF la-
miius life. In the little tale which follows, a sub
ducd lingc of The wild aud wonderful is thrown
over Il sketch Of New England personasc4 and
scenery, ye, il is hoped without cniitcly ohlcra-
ting the sober hucs of nature. Rather than n sto-
ny of events claiming TO be real, it may be copsl
cred as an allegory, such the writers Of the last
century would have expressed in the shape Of an
eastern tale, but to which | have endcayorcd to
give more Iiie-likc warmth than could lie infused
in those rrncifol productions.
In Ito twilight Of II summer eve, tall, dark
figure, over which long and remote travel had
thrown m ouilnndIsh aspect, was entering village,
not in "i'airy Lnude," but within our own familiar
boundaries. The staff, on which this traveller
leaned, had been his companion from the spot
where it grew, in l!n1ostan; the hat, that over
sh1dowcd his somhrc brow, had shielded him from
the suns of Spain; but his cheek had been black
cned by the red-hoi wind of an Arabian desert, and
hid felt the frozen breath Of an Arctic rcson.-
Long soiournnng amid wild and dangerous men,
he still wore beneath his vest The ainginn which he
had once stuck into the throat Of Turkish rob-
ber In every foreign cline he had lost something
his New England characteristics; and perhaps,
fIom every people he bad uncOnsciously borrowed
a new peculiarly; so that when the worId-wan-
dcrer again rod the street of his native village, it
is no wonder that he passed unrccognised, though
exciting the gazc and curiosity Of all. Yet as his
arm casually touched that Of young woman, who
was vending her way 10 an evening lecnie she
started and almost uttered cry.
.'Raph CronGe.d!" was the name tha, she half
uriicua'cd.
"Can that be my old playmate Faith Edgcr,on'
thought the traveller, looking round at her figure,
but without pausing.
Ralph Cranfcld, from his youth upward, had frlt
himself marked out for high destiny He bad
imbibed the idea-we say not whether il were re-
veard to him by witclcrah, or in dream Of
prophecy, OF that his bronding fancy had paIned
its own dictates upon him as the oraclcs of Sybil
but he had imLbcd the idea and held it lirmcst
among bis articles of faith, that three marvellous
events of his life were 10 be confirmed 10 him by
three signs.
The FIRST of these three fatalities and perhaps tine
one on which his youthful Imagination had dwct
most fondly, was the discovery Of the maid, who
a,on, of all the maids on the earth. could make
him happy By her love. He was to roam around
the world till he should meet beautiful woman.
wearing on her bosom jewel in the shape Of a
heart whether of pearl, or ruby, emerald or
carburclo, or clanyefu opal, or perhaps price !
less diamond, Ralph Craniield little cared, SO long
as i, were heart of peculiar shape On encoun-
erins h, lovely stranger, he was bound to address
her thug: "llaiden, have brcnsh, you heavy