Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-07-22
stavoren; a Legend of the Zuyder Zee.
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.


More than six hundred years ago, Stavo-
rem occupied the first rank among the COM
mercal cities of Holland. The ships of her
merchants traversed every sea, and brought
to her safe harbor the choicest productions of
every cline. A trade so extensive raised the
prosperity of the city to an unprecedented
heighth. True, there was here, as every
where, many poor persons among the inhab-
itants, yet the number of the rich greatly
preponderated. Luxury and splendor, the
usual accompaniments of great riches, In
creased rapidly from the foolish pride with
which each citizen strove to excel his neigh
Dor in pomp and magniicence and costly en-
tertainments. According to tradition, there
was many houses built like palaces, their in
terriers decorated with the most superb VAIN
scoting, tapestried with the richest stuffs, and
with rarest furniture, and the doors orna-
mented with the most precious metals, in
stead of iron.
Now, none of the merchants of Stavoren
could be compared in wealth with the lady
Richberta. Fortune, which crowned all her
undertakings with the most complete and
sometimes unhoped for success, appeared de-
sirous of illustrating in her to what extent
she could lavish her gifts, and how long be-
stow her smiles upon mortal. If the ships
of this female merchant were sent to distant
countries, they always returned, not only with
costly wares, ornaments, pearls and jewels,
which were made to shine in the palace, and
bedeck the gorgeous dresses of their fair pos
SCISSOR.
Such unprecedented fortune Richberta
could not bear with that equanimity which
alone could enable her really to enjoy it.
And if it be true, as some sages say, that
great misfortune is more easily borne than
immoderate prosperity, Richberta was des-
tined to be proof of the correctness of this
assertion. Her pride kept pace with the in
crease of her treasures, and she showed it as
much in her contempt for her less fortunate
fellow beings, as in the extravagant and cost
ly banquets, which she gave less for diver
sion and enjoyment, than that the guest
might wonder at the varying splendor of her
apartments, and the costly viands and wines
from foreign lands, and envy the giver.
At one of these intoxicating and enerva-
ting festivals, which offer nothing to the soul
and leave the heart empty, a strange guest
was announced to Richberta. He said that
he had come from great distance, he had
seen the lands of many kings, and the splen-
dor of their courts, and had now come to
admire also Richberta's wealth, concerning
which fame had borne wonderful reports to
his ears.
The hattered lady invited the stranger to
seat by her side. He appeared still vig-
orous old man, in the picturesque costume Of
the east. His department was dignifed and
noble, and he approached the hostess, expect
ing from her hand the welcome which ac.
cording to the custom of his own land, is
symbolically rendered to the guest by the Of
fer of bread and SALT &c. But no bread was
to be found OIL her luxurious tables, which
groaned under the weight of rare and entic-
ing viands, and from which the simple food
of poverty was banished.
The stranger took his seat in silence, and
while refreshing himself, spoke pleasantly
and learnedly of his travels by land and sea-
of distant people and their manners, of his
adventures, their joys and misfortunes, of the
perishableness of earthly goods, and the in.
constancy Of human prosperity.
All, save Richberts, were attentive to the
words Of their strange guest. She, in he1
vanity, was impatient for him to praise hel