Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-03-23

the prince, and went Oft to his nlghtin-
gale. Next day the princess arrived,
driving in glass coach. The queen
stood, with her son and all the court,
on the castle steps, and the prince lift
ed his beautiful bride from the car
rage. Her long silken train rustlod
behind her like the sound of forest
brook. Up stairs, in the kings hall,
was laid splendid feast, drums and
trumpets were sounded, and the prince
sat beside his bride and rejoiced in her
beauty and her wit.
That evening when he went to his
apartment he was quite shocked, be.
cause for the first time he had forgot
ten to care for his nightingale, and the
poor bird sat dumb and sat upon its
perch with its wings Imply dropping.
But when the prince had laid himself
down upon his couch she sang to him
more beautifully than ever before, and
the prince fell asleep to dream of his
bride. Once he awoke; it seemed to
him that a burning drop had fallen up
on his brow, but sleep quickly overcame
him again, and he went on dreaming.
Next day when the court had assem-
bled for more feasting the princess said
to the prince: "They say you cherish a
precious nightingale. Will you not
even let me once hear its voice?"
And the prince ordered servant to
bring the birds cage to him. But the
nightingale sat dumb on her perch and
hid her head under her wing. Only
when her master opened the little door
did she fly to him, and perched upon
his hand she lifted up her voice.
The lords and ladies all held their
breath as they listened. They had new
er heard such song before.
They heard the spring zephyrs stir
among the tree tops, the gurgliny of the
brooks, and through it all the passion
ately sad song of lover. Poor nightin-
gale!
The young princess went close to her
betrothed and laying her hand upon his
arm said: Beloved, give me the night
ingale. 1t is the first boon | have ever
asked of you.
And the prince nodded. Take her,"
he said; she is yours
Then the nightingale beat her wings
and raised her voice again. Her song
sounded like the lamentation of suf-
ering heart. Suddenly she ceased and
fluttered Imply from the princes hand
to the ground.
"Her heart is broken, said some one,
and the courtiers gathered around. But
a dreadful feeling of fear came over
them all, for there on the floor, instead
of bird, lay the body of a beautiful
maiden, whose pale lips were stained
with blood.
The guests scattered like a flock of
doves at sight Of hawk. The bride
called her servants to her and rode at
once away. But the old queen in a
blaze of fury ordered that the body of
the enchantress who had bewitched
her son with her satanic arts should be
given to the flames.
The unfortunate girls body was
burned by the executioner, but from the
ashes there grew an elder tree with
fragrant many cupped blossoms. By
that the people knew that the maiden
had been no witch and that her soul
had gone to happiness.
But from that moment all joy had
vanished forever from the princes
heart. From early morn to dusk he sat
beneath the elder tree and unused sadly.
One evening they found him lying be-
meath it quite dead, and in three days
time the tree had also withered. From
tho German.