Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-19

my raven shall show the way to the castle of
the King
The children were delighted with the
Thought OF q ride on the swans, and without
delay seated themselves upon tine birds,
which at once tapped their wings and flew
after the raven, guiding them through the
forest, while the old Witch. riding on a
broom, followed close bY. AS the birds
continued their flight through the air. the
children became frightened and held fast to
$he feathers of the swans to keep from
falling of, and the constant croaking of the
raven sounded very dismal to them. at
last they stopped. Not before the Kings
palace, but before an old tumble-down
ihouse, around which stood high, gloomy
pine trees. The old Witch then dismounted
from her broomstick and cried: "Now
come in. You shall remain here until you
learn not to make remarks about my red
nose"
She dragged the Prince and Princess from
the swans and pushed them into a cold, dark
hole under the cellar, where they wept and
begged to be freed; but the Witch gave no
heed tA their cries.
In King Laurin's court there was great
confusion when the children could not be
found. Servants ran hitber and thither,
calling for the Prince and Princess. The
Queen sat weeping in her room and the
King offered great rewards TO those who
should bring his little ones home. Brave
knights went forth in every direction, but
each returned without bringing anv knoWl-
edge of the missing children. After three
days had passed and nothing had been heard
of the fair Princess and her noble brother,
two little Gnomes, Nimbo and Brambus, be-
longing to the roval palace, went to the
King and said: "Your Majesty, we shall
L !
lives; for we love the gay young Prince and
beautiful Princess, and We want no other
reward than to serve you.''
AT these words the Kings ewes filled with
tears, and blessing the Gnomes, he bade
them depart. Nimbo and Brambus went
directly into the great forest, where they
called the children bv name, and listened
intently for a reply TO their cries. suddenly
thev came to the Witch's house, and here
they heard the sobs of the little prisoners.
The old Witch was not at home, and the
key to her door hung on the topmost branch
Of one of the pine trees.
1--WE shall climb up and get the key,"
said Nlmbo, "and when the Witch returns
she will look in vain for our Kings
children"
The brave little Gnomes began to climb
the tree; but they had gone only a short
distance when the two black swans few
upon them, pulled their hair, and beat them
with their wings until they were black and
blue. The Gnomes beat the birds with their
Sticks; but the swans seemed to receive no
injury, and were only stronger than before.
Then the old Witch, with the raven on her
shoulder, and riding on her broom, ap-
peared
"Ha, ha," she said, "you little men
Thought you could reach my key. Go home
and tell your King that he will see his chill
dren no more''
But Nimbo and BramEus were deter
mined to rescue the Prince and Princess.
And after they had run away from the
witch and had stopped in the forest to rest,
Brambus said: II have it. Tonight when
the swans, the raven and the old woman are
locked up in the little hut, we shall dig
8 way under the house and thus rescue the
children"
Nimbo approved of this plan, and the two
Gnomes ran to the castle for tools, As soon
as they saw, from their hiding place among
the bushes, the raven take the KEY from the
high branch, and had seen the Witch take
her birds into the house and lock the door.
the Gnomes began their work. They were
very quiet, and did not even speak to the
children, whose mournful sobs they could
hear. But they worked steadily ali night.
and just as the day was beginning to break
they finished the way into the dark cellar.