The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-01-20
THE STONE FAIRY.

O1OANH + ax1tA
Upon solitary rock, whose dark,
gray masses lifted themselves gloomi-
" from the clear surface of a mighty
stream, once dwelt a beautiful and
lovely fairy. Report maintained that
she was also wicked fairy. Yet no
one could say that she had ever done
him the least harm. 1t was said that
she sat closely wrapped in black inl-
penetrable veil, on the highest summit
of the cloud encircled rock, and the
sailors who passed up and down the
stream, turned far aside to the right or
to the left, whenever they caught a
glimpse of the unsightly rock i'll the
distance. The people from tho sur.
rounding country, and especially the
fishermen who lived on the banks of
the mighty stream, called her the
Stone Fairy, because she had never
appeared to any one in the beautiful
human form that was attributed to
her.
In a lonely cottage on the left bank
of the rushing stream, where in sum-
mer the adjacent orchards and waving
fields of grain decked with fresh green
the crumbling ruins of an ancient
church and ,knightly castle, lived 4
young and ruddy fisherman, who, OH
account of his cheerful and cordial
manner, was a great favorite with both
old and young. Many a fair, bright,
girlish face looked after him with ad-
miration from its hiding place among
blooming fower-pOts, as with the first
beams Of the morning sun, he undid
the fastenings of his little fishing. boat,
and with CHEEKY song steered out for
a fishing excursion OIL the free, open
flood.
On beautiful sunny morning in the
month of May, Hellmutl,as the young
man was called, had started out for his
fishing OH the stream. The soft, plash-
ing waves sparkled in the light of the
morning sun like dazzling pearls of
gold. Not breath of air was STIR
ring. Only the swans, which, with
their binding white pl,lmage, cut the
clear waters, sang inaudibly their
mysterious songs. The little birds,
too, in the tree.tOps and hedges, were
to-day unusually silent, as if they
feared, by a loud outburst of their JOY
BUSINESS, to disturb the sweet calm
which lowered over the country like I,
peaceful, invisible spirit.
Dreamily had Hellmuth stretched
himself on the bench of his gondola.
His hand mechanically guided the
rudder. Absorbed by the beauty of
the scene SO clear in the breath of the
May morning, he did not notice that
his little boat imperceptibly ap.
preached the dreaded rock a delicate
strain of music, full of tender feeling,
which seemed to come up out of the
depths, started him at last from his
revery, when he perceived that he was
already within the shadow of the aw-
full rock and that his little vessel was
on the point of being wrecked. In
stantly he drew in his sail and cast a
fearful look upwards. But, contrary
to his expectation, there was nothing
to be seen of the dreaded fairy. Only
q singularly shaped stone high above
on the very summit CLEANED in the
rays of the midday sun.
But ever SWeeter, more melOdiOus
and delicate rang out from the waters
the wonderful tones of mysterious
singer, mingling in soulful harmony
with the monotonous FLASHING of the
waves, when see! from out the gloomy
shadow of the rock-strange, myster-
ious-glides, light and graceful, q gon.
dola Of cedarwood, edged with gold,
its sails and streamers of rOse-cOlOured
silk. 4 canopy of blue satin wrought
with diamonds, extending over soft,
white couch of velvet, upon which re.
clined the graceful form of Il lovely
maiden arrayed in white. She wore !,
crown of diamOndr over her raven
tresses. and held in her right hand a
lutte, while her left grasped a pair of
golden reins, with which she guided
two swans that drew her little vessel
through the water.
AS the strange craft came along.
side of Hellmuth's little boat, it sud-
denly stopped. The maiden arose.
flushed were song and Lutte, and
around them reigned deep silence,
broken only by the fiutter of the sails
and the ripple of the waves.
. "Fear not" said the lovely appari-
ton, with clear, mel0diOus voice; #
am the fairy of the stone castle, which
here rises black and gloomy to the
clouds. / have no end of pearls and
treasures stored up within these rocky
walls. Would you like to see the in.
terror of my wonderful palace!''
Yes, beautiful lady, replied He'll
muth, in bewilderment, for he was
completely enchanted by the beauty
and angel mildness of the bright fairy.
"rhen follow me-" she said, laying
her little vessel close to the rock which
she struck with her little golden wand.
a magnificent gateway now appeared
to the sight of the wondering youth.
its gate standing wide open. Marble
steps assembled from the water to the
interior of the magic castle. And he
passed along the tessellated floors, the
fairy guiding him through all the halls
and rooms of the palace. Everywhere
was brilliancy and magniticence, and
stores of boarded treasure.
"How beautiful it is here! I would
like to dwell here forever said Hell.
mouth.
"Your wish shall he gratified." said
the lady, kindly; ''and besides, YOU
shall be lord and king of the castle if
you will stand three proofs that shall
give you.''
''Speak, fair lady, replied he:
''what must do to win your fayor.':
II am called the Stone Fairy .,;a