Morris tribune., 1903-03-28

again and woke the prince with its
song.
One day the old queen mother
sent for the prince and said to him
'My dear son, next month you will
be eighteen years old and will then
be crowned king. A king should
alos have queen. have therefore
sought and found for you the most
beautiful and virtuous princess un-
der the sun, who also brings to you
half a kingdom as dover, and that
is something. She arrives tomor-
row, and the wedding will be cele-
brated in three days. Does this
! please you?"
"1es, my lady MOTHER" answered
the prince and went off to his night
! ingale. Next day the princess ar
rived, driving in a glass coach. The
queen stood, with her son and all
the court, on the castle steps, and
the prince lifted his beautiful bride
| from the carriage. Her long silk
en- train rustled behind her like
the sound of forest brook. Up
stairs, in the kings hall, was laid
a splendid feast. Drums and trum-
pets 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,
because for the first time he had for
| gotten to care for his nigh tingale,
and the poor bird sat dumb upon
its perch with it's wings Imply
dropping. But when the prince had
lain himself down upon his couch
it 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 upon his
brow, but sleep quickly overcame
him again, and he went on dream
ing.
Next day when the court had as
sembled for more feasting the prin-
cess said to the prince: ''They say
you cherish 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 its
perch and hid it's head under it's
wing. Only when its master opened
the little door did it fly to him, and,
perched upon his hand, it lifted up
it's voice.
The lords and ladies all held their
breath as they listened. They had
never heard such a song before.
They heard the spring zephyrs
stir among the treetops, the CUR
Cling Of the brooks, and through it
all the passionately sad song of a
lover. Poor nightingale!
The young princess went close to
her betrothed and, laying her hand
upon his arm, said: Beloved, give
me the nightingale. It is the first
boon / have ever asked of you"
And the prince nodded. 'FTake
it, " he said. cit is yours"
Then the nightingale beat it's
wings and raised it's voice again.
It's song sounded like the lamenta-
ton Of a suffering heart. Suddenly
it ceased and fluttered Imply from
the princes hand to the ground.
cts 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 a 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 I
bride called her servants to her and
rode at once away. But the old
queen in 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 bios
SONS. By that the people knew that
The maiden had been no witch and
hat her soul had gone to happiness.
But from that moment all joy had
vanished forever from the princes
leart. From early morn to dusk he
'at beneath the elder tree and unused |
'adly. One evening they found him
ying beneath it quite dead, and in
hree days time the tree had also
Vithered.-From the German.