The Evening critic., 1885-04-15
THE WATERS OF YOUTH.
By RUDOLF BIMBAoH.
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN ny vIR
GINA CHAMPLIN.
[Copmighted, 1885. !

1
holding in one hand basket and Ia the
other stone jar.
She was going to meet her husband,
| wood.cutter, whom she soon espicd.
| Stand where you are" he shouted, "the
| tree is falling"
The fir tree gave a deep sigh, bent over
and fell TO tho ground with a crash.
| The wood cutter then embraced his young
vile, and they sat down to their midday
| Iepast.
~ have forgotten something" said Hans.
| rising and he cut three crosses in the tree.
! why do you do that, Hans - asked his
wife.
"The lady of the wood commands it, no
| answered. Tho crosses protect her from
the wild hunter"
The young woman opened wide her eyes.
| Did you ever meet the lady of tho
| woodP she asked, curiously.
mo. She rarely allows herself to be seem
| But to-day is the summer solstice and she
| will show herself" And Hans suddenly
called out into the wood: Lady of tho
wood, come FORTH
He did it to please his wife; but on the
holy solstice day we should not make light
of such things.
Suddenly before the couple stood little
woman, no higher than your finger, with
delicate form and beautiful face. She wore
long, white robe and in her golden hair
| spray of mistletoe.
| Hans and Crete were frightened They
| spraDg up quickly, and Crete made cour-
| tesy as well as she could.
| "You called me early" said the little
woman, pointing to the sun Just over their
heads land one good deed" she said, poiut-
ing to the tree, deserves another Gold
| and silver have l not to give but l know
something better. Come with me- No
harm will befall you. Bring your Jug with
you for you will need it,"
Saying this, she walked on. Hans
shouldeIed his AK and Crete took her Jug
and both followed the little woman.
They came to the house of the lady of
the wood, buried in the fir trees aud
nailed together with the thorns of the
rose. bushes.
The lady led her guests behind the
house, and pointed TO a brook whose wa
tiers silently flowed over the dark earth.
This is the fountain of youth" she said.
IA bath in it makes the gray haired man a
boy and the gray haired woman girl. But
IL one drinks tho water one will retain
youth until death. Fill your jug and bear
it home. But be prudent, one drop every
Sunday is enough to keep you young And
once for all, Hans, If you cast your eye on
strange woman, and you yours, Crete, on
strange man, the water will lose its
power. Remember that; now go, and fare
you WE'LL
So spoke the lady of the wood, refused the
thanks Of the lucky couple, and went into
her house.
When they reached home Hans bottled up
the precious water until the day should
come when he sighed for youth.
When the young forester came into their
garden to exchange greeting with Greto
| she kept her eyes fixed on tho fiower-bed;
and when Hans sat in the inn, aud pretty
Lisi brought him wine, he made up face
like a cat when it thunders and resolved 10
remain at home with his wife, that the
magic water might not lose its charm.
A year of love and happiness came to an
end, and two became three in the house
hold-a baby boy shouted in his cradle I'M
til his fathers heart laughed for Joy. Now,
thought he, the time has come TO open the
flask. What think you, Crete, drop of
the water of youth will do you good"
Hans went to fetch the water, and with
trembling hands loosed the cork; but oh,
woe, woe the flask fell from his hands aud
the draught of youth streamed upon the
ground.
What should he do His wife must not
know it. He filled another flask like the
first with water from the well and took it
to his wife.
ooh, what strength it gives" said Crete ;
taste drop, dear Hans"
Hans Obeyed and praised the water, ara
every Sunday they drank drop Crete
|
strength and health. He avoided confess
sion of his deed for he hoped some time to
steal away and find the fountain of youth
But wander through the forest as he might,
he never could find the abode of the lady
of the wood.
Two years passed. A little girl came to
keep the baby boy company and to Grote's
round face came second chm. She did
not see this, as she had no mirror, but
Hans saw it, and loved his portly wife all
the more.
Then came misfortune, at least, Crete
thought it such. Little Peter broke the
flask with the precious water. She filed
the jug with common water, aud kept the
secret from her husband.
Time passed on, and the couple were as
happy as the day the minister Joined their
hands; and every Sunday they drank of
the water One day Hans, while combing
, his hair, found gray lock, and thought
the time had come to confess to his wife.
Crete" he said, "the water of youth
has lost its strength. See, have found
a gray hair. / am growing old"
Crete trembled, but composing herself,
said with laugh
"a gray hair i had gray lock when
! was ten years old. Perhaps some thatch
has caught in your hair 1t colors the
hair gray. No, my dear Hans, the water
has not lost its strength" Here she threw
that l, too, have become old?"
Hans coughed.
you old2 You are blooming as rose,
and he gave her kiss.
When he was alone he said with quiet
joy,
are DID,"
And so thought the wife,
, That evening they danced gayly at the
inn and felt young. The young folks made
sport Of them, but they saw it not.
The next autumn, one day Crete lost q
tooth while eating, and grieved sorely, for
she was proud of her white teeth. She said
to her husband:
"Ths would not have happened ii the
water had not been"
Hans cried
1.-THE water must help everything Does
not child often lose tooth. You are as
young and fresh as head of celery or
have you cast your eyes on any man, that
tho water has lost its strength p
The wife laughed aloud, wiped away her
tears and kissed her old man so heartily
that he lost his breath. In the afternoon
they sat on the stone bench before their
house and sang love songs. The passers-
by said, "Foolish old people," Bat the
happy old couple heard them not.
Many years passed. The couple were
grand parents, and, although alone, were
rs happy as on their wedding day, still
drinking the water Of youth on Sunday.
The summer solstice drew nigh. Hans aud
Crete sat at their door watching the bon
fire made by tho young folk. "Dear