Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-03-21


preached Heinz looked about him for
food. for he was extremely hungry.
But he had not long TO wait. From the
house OF the old woman came a maid
en-. who placed a basket with food and
drink by the side OF the exhausted
woodcutter.
AS Heinz raised his eyes he saw a
wonderfully beautiful face framed In
golden hair. through which cleaned
the last rays OF the setting sun. The
maiden was the daughter OF the old
woman I'm the woods. She looked with
gentle glance At the young fellow and
remained standing awhile before him.
but as he said nothing she went away.
Heinz ate and drank. then gathered
together pine boughs and wood moss
for resting place. lay down and slept
dreamless sleep But when he awoke
In the morning so also was his sorrow
awakened.
Then he seized the wood AZ and
hewed the trunks with such mighty
strokes that the forest resounded afar
with them. At evening. when the beau
tiful maiden brought him food. Heinz
did not appear 10 be as mela ncholy as
on the previous day and feeling that
he should say something to her. re-
marked:
cit is n beautiful day"
/ ThereupOn the maiden answered.:
"Yes. very beautiful" and nodding
assent turned homeward.
So passed seven days. one after the
other. and on the seventh day the last
tree was felled. The woman in the
woods came. praised the industrious
Heinz and said:
Now comes the second task"
Heinz must now remove the roots OF
the trees, that the earth might be cult
waited and seed and fruit sown. For
this he required seven weeks. But ev-
cry evening after his we'll finished
days work the daughter OF the wom-
an In the woods brought him food and
sat beside him on the tree trunk and
listened while Heinz told OF the world
outside. and when he had finished she
held out white hand TO him and said: {:
Z Good night. dear Heinz"
Then she went home. but Heinz
sought his couch and fell asleep at
once
When seven weeks had thus passed.
the woman in the woods came. examin-
ed the work. praised the industrious
workman and said:
Now comes the third task II Is
that you build house with seven
rooms for me from out the felled wood,
and when thou hast also finished IL
then shalt thou receive a cup OF the
water OF forgetfulness and canst 20
whittier thou wilt
So Heinz became a builder and with
AK and saw erected a stately house
The work certainly progressed slowly.
for Heinz worked without assistance.
but this he did not dislike. for he loved
the green forest. and he would have
liked best 10 remain always near the
old woman I'm the woods He certainlS =
still remembered at times his former
sorrow. but IL was like one who. hav-
Ing had a bad dream, rejOices in the
morning that he is awake. Each even
ing the daughter OF the old woman
came TO him. and they now sang to-
gether hunting songs and now songs
or separation. parting and meeting
So passed seven months. The house
was finished from threshold TO gable.
On the gable Heinz had fastened a
young pine tree. and the maiden had
bound garlands OF pine twigs and red
mountain berries and decorated the
walls
The old woman in the woods came on
her crutches. with the cat on her shOul-
der. 10 inspect the finished work She
appeared very solemn and carried in
her hand n cup carved from wood,
wherein was the water OF forgetful-
ness.
Thou hast finished the three tasks
which ! imposed upon thee" said she
land now comes thy reward. Take
this cup. and when thou shalt have
emptied IL 10 the last drop then is the
past obliterated from thy memory"
The huntsman hesitatinGly stretched
forth his hand toward the cup.
Drink" said the old woman. and
forget an
"Ailr
Yes, everything: thy former sorrow
me and
And me also" said the beautiful
maiden and placed her hand over her
eyes that she might repress her rising
tears.
Then the young fellow seized the eur
and threw IL with powerful hand TO the
earth. so that the drink rained In many
giittering drops upon the grass. and
cried:
Mother, ! remain with thee"
And before he knew what happened
TO him the maiden lay upon his breas;
and sObbed for very happiness. And
though the trees went ALLOWING and
the yellow cOrnfields round about nod
ded in the wind. the birds sang In the
branches and the white cat OF the old
woman went purring in q circle round
about the happy pair
Now, ! could without great trouble
transform the old woman in the wood:
into a beautiful fairy. her daughter
into princess and the new built
house into p glittering kings castle
but we will remain faithful TO the truth
and let everything be as II was
But. after all. something wonderful
did happen. Where the drops OF tn,
water OF fOrgctfulness had fallen on the
earth there sprang up from the ground
n dnOr fiffla fox.-rp v-Ith hoo aUonIx, 49,.