Princess Ilse : a story of the Harz Mountains ; and, The Will-o'-the wisp

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The Will-o’-the-Wisps.

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN,

BOSTON :

J. E. TILTON AND COMPANY.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by J. E. TILTON & COMPANY,

In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

Gift

W. L. Sljioeniaker 7 S »06

Stereotyped by C. J. Peters & Son.

Press of Geo. C. Rand & Avery.

THE STORY TO THE READER,

Dear Reader, —

I beg you above all things not to confound me with the tradition of the beautiful Princess Use, who, with her treasures and castle, sank long, long years ago, beneath the Ilsen-stone ; and who, in the early morning hours, still rises to bathe in the fountain, as your guide will tell you, when, on a sure-footed donkey, you have ridden up over the Ilsenburg Schlossberg to the beautiful cliffs which bear the name of the princess, and of the stream which flows through the valley.

I am not the Legend ; am only the plain, simple little Story, without title to your favor, dear reader ; and can neither support myself by tradition, nor lay any claim to the advantages of nationality so highly prized in these days.

The Legend is a distant cousin of mine, much more distinguished than myself; and her relationship with me and my equals has always displeased her. Since, very recently, the high honor has again been done her of having her likeness

portrayed on the walls of a magnificent temple of art by a

THE STORY TO THE READER.

man blessed of God, — the greatest master of this century, and of many centuries, — she will not even give me a glance. If you, dear reader, dwell perchance in that splendid capital, or have been there, where a noble, art-loving king is erecting that temple, you cannot have missed seeing, what no one fails to see, the wonderful work in progress ; and will thus know, too, my distant cousin, — how she sits there, listening to the ravens shrieking in her ears, and with her staff rakes among mould and ruins, bringing to light men’s bones, crowns, and ancient weapons. She needs such curiosities to establish her rank among men, to prove her veracity and old nobility. I can do nothing of the sort ; am not noble, not even authentic : and yet it would cause me bitter grief, if you, dear reader, should chide me as a little liar. I would so gladly tell you the truth ! and do take all pains ; but as I am a little vagrant, without any cultivation, even without the most ordinary education, how can I be clever ? Then, too, you must pardon me, dear reader, if I am not very historical, and make all sorts of mistakes, geographical, geological, and chronological. I have learned nothing ; consequently can give no information. How it looked just after the Deluge in the German fatherland, I have heard from the Stones, that assert that they were there at the time ; and since neither you nor I were there, dear reader, nor anybody else, who might have written an account of matters, we may as well, for once, believe the statement of the Stones,

THE STORY TO THE READER.

I run through the country, looking round : and where a flower, an old ruin, a field, or a tree, pleases me, I give a rap, saying, “ Oh ! tell me about your life ; ” and then I sit down, and fall asleep, and in dreams there glide before me pictures in all sorts of colors, as I sketch them for you here. Before falling asleep^ I pray fervently to the blessed Lord God : therefore, perhaps, sometimes a few grains of truth drop into my airy web. And it will please me most of all, dear reader, if you can find any to-day in Little Use ; but I am unable to do any thing to further this, and can answer for nothing. I am a stupid little thing ; and therefore, dear reader, neither call me to account, nor question me ; for I have no answer for wise people. Put up with me as I am. On your good opinion, dear reader, much depends : therefore, if possible, like me a little.

With esteem, and in all humility.

Your Faithful Story.

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PEINCESS ILSE.

There was fearful confusion among the waters at the Deluge, when they had all rushed together, overflowing the mountains, and rolling their wild waves over the highest peaks ; and when, finally, the Lord took pity on the poor earth, caused heaven’s bright light to cleave the gray cloud-curtain, and commanded the waters to separate, and seek their homeward way in the valleys, neither brooks nor streams might have found their old beds, had not bands of good angels descended to the earth, and carefully guided them in the right paths.

As long lines of high mountain-chains peered forth from the flood, angels alighted on their crests, and on all sides slowly descended to the val-

PEmCESS ILSE.

leys, driving the waters before them ; and, as they came lower and lower, they ordered the courses of brooks and streams, marked out the ocean’s limits, and bound the lakes fast in jagged, rocky chains, or green girdles of forest and meadow. With broad fans, and brooms of sunbeams, they then worked away on the wet earth, so busily brushing the mire from the grass, and drying the heavy foliage of the trees, that the great mist-dust which they raised hung like vapor-veils in the clefts of the mountains.

The work had lasted many days, and was near an end, as a weary angel sat resting on one of the highest peaks of the Alps. There he had an extensive view, north and south, east and west ; and gazed thoughtfully down on the green earth, which had come forth so fresh and charming from its great bath of purification. “ How lovely it is ! ” he thought ; “ how shining in its purity ! But' will it keep itself so spotless ? Will the wretchedness and stains of guilt which have been washed away by so many waters never more appear ? Will Sin

PRINCESS ILSE.

never again press her black fingers on the blooming face of the purified earth The breast of the good angel heaved with an anxious, foreboding sigh ; and he turned his dazzled eye from the morning sun, which, blood-red, rose flaming above the horizon. He looked long in the direction where the German streams had flowed down, and saw them gliding away in the distance, — the principal currents far ahead, the lesser following, and a whole troop of satellites, little brooks and rivulets, merrily hastening in their train.

The angel rejoiced that they were so carefully guided ; that all confusion was at an end ; and that no little stream was too small and insignificant to have an angel near, always showing the right path, when, loitering and doubtful, it turned aside, and carefully guarding, when, quite too awkward and heedless, it dashed over some rocky cliff. He saw the merry Rhine, crowned with a rich vine-wreath, hurrying restlessly along; and fancied he heard in the distance the shout of joy with which he greeted his dear Moselle, as blushing she joined

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him, her tresses, too, twined with a chaplet of vineleaves.

Farther and farther off glided the waters. Their roar and their din died away in the distance, and another sound suddenly struck on the ear of the lonely angel on the Alpine peak. It was a low, sorrowful weeping and splashing very near him ; and as he rose, and stepped behind the crag whence the noise proceeded, he discovered a little Fountain enveloped in a white veil, lying on the ground, and sobbing bitterly. Compassionately he bent over her ; and as he raised her, and lifted the veil, he saw at once that it was little Use, whose green bed was ready for her far below among the valleys of the Harz. “ Poor child ! ” said the good angel : “ have you been obliged to stay up here alone on the bleak mountain ? Have all the others gone, and no one thought of carrying you ? Little Use tossed her head, and said very pertly, I have not been forgotten at all. Long enough old Weser waited and beckoned, and called me to go with her ; and Ecker and Ocker wanted

PRINCESS ILSE.

to seize me; but I did not choose to accompany them : nothing would have induced me, even if I am to pine away here. Should I descend to the valleys, and flow through the plains, like a common brook, rendering the vilest services, giving sheep and cows their water, and washing their coarse feet? — I, Princess Use ! Look at me, and see if I have not sprung from the noblest lineage. Light is my father ; the clear air, my mother ; my brother is the diamond; and the dew-pearl in the roses’ bed, my dear little sister. The waves of the flood have borne me hither, and I have dared to dash over the snowy peaks of the most ancient mountains; and the flrst sunbeam which rifted the clouds embroidered my robe with spangles. I am a princess of the purest water, and cannot, indeed, descend to the valleys. I preferred to hide myself, and pretended to be asleep; and old Weser, with the stupid brooks that know nothing better to do than run into her arms, grumbling, was Anally obliged to depart.”

The angel shook his head sorrowfully at the

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long speech of little Use, and looked very earnestly and searchingly at her pale face ; and as he gazed long and fixedly into the open, blue, childlike eyes, which were then flashing with bright, angry sparks, he saw in their clear depths dark spots moving, and knew that an evil guest was busy in little Use’s head, which, indeed, the spirit of pride had entered ; and, having driven out all pious thoughts, it stared tauntingly through the eyes of poor little Use at the good angel. This little devil of pride had turned the heads of many foolish children, even if they were not exactly princesses of the purest water; and the compassionate angel, who perceived the danger of the poor little Fountain, wished to save her at any cost.

In his eyes, which could see to such a depth. Princess Use was nothing but a naughty child; and therefore he did not call her “ Serene Highness,” or “ Highness,” but, very simply, ^^Dear Use.”

Dear Use.,'” thus spoke the angel, if you have staid up here from choice, thinking it much be-

PRINCESS ILSE.

Death your dignity to descend to the plains with the other streams, you must be quite contented here j and I do not at all understand why you are behaving in this way, weeping and lamenting.^^

Oh ! replied Child Use, when the waters were gone, dear angel, then came the Storm-wind here to sweep the mountains ; and, finding me, he began to rage. He scolded and blustered and brawled ; shook me ; and wished to hurl me from that cliff into a deep, black abyss, where there is never a gleam of daylight. I prayed and wept, and, trembling, pressed against these rocky peaks ; and finally succeeded in tearing myself from his powerful arms, and in hiding myself in this stony cleft.”

You will not always be so fortunate,” said the angel ; for the Storm-wind keeps strict order up here, and carries a good broom : so you must see, dear Use, that you were foolish to stay here alone, and will follow me willingly, if I lead you to good old Weser and your young companions.”

“ On no account ! ” cried little Use. “ I remain up here : I am the princess I ”

PRINCESS ILSE.

Ilse/^ said the angel in his low, gentle voice, “ dear little Use, I am kind to yon ; and you will care for me a little, and be a good child. Do you see that white morning-cloud sailing along the blue heavens ? I will summon it to float hither, and we will both get into it. You shall lie on its white cushions ; I will sit near you ; and then the cloud will speedily bear us below to the quiet valleys, where the other streams glide. And then I will put you in your little green bed, and stay with you, giving you lovely dreams, and telling you stories.’^

But Princess Use was incorrigibly obstinate; crying, always more perversely and passionately, “No, no! I will not go down: I do not choose to descend.’’ And as the angel drew nearer, and with gentle force tried to take her in his arms, she struck at him, splashing water in his face.

Sorrowfully the angel seated himself on the ground; and Princess Stubborn-head crept back into her rocky cleft, rejoicing that she had shown so much character. To the angel, who still ap-

PRINCESS ILSE.

preached her several times, trying to persuade her to accompany him, she gave short refusals.

As the good angel finally saw, that, notwithstanding his love, he had lost all influence over little Use, and that the Devil of Pride held all her thoughts prisoners, he turned, sighing, from the lost child, and sought his companions, who were still busily at work in the valleys.

But Princess Use, once more alone on the Alpine height, wished now to enjoy her sovereignty. She came forth from the crevice in the rock ; seated herself on a projecting crag; spread out her misty dress in broad folds ; and waited to see if the other mountains would not do her homage, and if the clouds would not float thither, and kiss her robe. But nothing of the sort happened, however dignified an air her little Highness assumed. At last she grew weary of this long sitting, and began to feel terribly bored, and sighed to herself gently, I would not have objected to a little ennui ^ that belongs to my station ; but so fearfully much of it even a princess need not endure.’^ As it was now

PRINCESS ILSE.

evening, the sun had set, and there sounded again in the distance the roar of the coming Storm-wind. Then the poor little Fountain shed once more hot tears of anguish; and though she took great pride in her firmness, and rejoiced that she had not followed the angel, still this sweet self-complacency could not conquer her dread of the Storm-wind.

It grew darker and darker; heavy, stupefying vapors ascended from the abyss ; in the depths, dull thunder rolled ; and little Use thought she must die of a nameless horror: she was almost suffocated by the hot, murky air which suddenly blew towards her. All at once, a pale ray of light glimmered through the thick darkness ; and, as the little Fountain looked up terrified, there was standing before her a tall, dark man, enveloped in a broad red mantle, who bowed low, and accosted her as “ Most gracious princess.’^

Such a salutation was sweet music in little Use's ears ; and she overcame her fear of the strange, mysterious figure, and listened to the enticing words with which he addressed her.

PRINCESS ILSE.

The dark man said he had long been near her ; had listened to her conversation with the angel ; and rejoiced that she had dismissed him with such contempt. He could not understand how any one could wish to drag down to the mean earth, and bury in dark valleys, so much grace and beauty, such a wonderfully charming princess. He told her of the brilliant future awaiting her, if she would allow him to serve her ; spoke of his delightful country-seat on one of the highest and most beautiful mountains of Germany. Thither he wished to carry her, and to surround her with a brilliant court, and all the splendor and magnificence which befitted her proud rank: there in joy and pleasure she should be throned, exalted far above all the earth’s rivers and rivulets.

Use’s little heart beat high in joyful excitement at all these fine promises ; and as the man opened his mantle, and drew forth a broad golden vase, whose beautifully-wrought pedestal was set with sparkling gems, and placed this vase before her, asking the lovely princess to seat herself therein,

PRINCESS ILSE.

that he might bear her to his charming Brockenberg, where countless servants were already preparing for her splendid feteSj all thought and consideration were at an end with her little Highness. In joyful haste, she sprang with both feet at once into the golden chalice, her spray dashing up, two drops of which fell on the hand of the dark man, where, hissing, they evaporated ; while a burning pain shot through little Use’s limbs.

Terrified, the poor child grasped the edge of the vase, as if she would swing herself out immediately, and looked up fearfully at the face of the man, who laughed, seized the vase with a powerful hand, and bid the Storm-wind rush on before, so that little Use need not fear that he would overtake her. Then, swift as an arrow, they shot through the air. And the little Fountain, as all pain had quickly passed away, grew calm, and patiently suffered herself to be borne along, not suspecting that she had given herself to the Devil when she embarked on the sparkling little vessel he offered her ; though she was perhaps a little bit anxious as

PRINCESS ILSE.

they whizzed through the black night. .And, when the vase grew unsteady from the violent motion, little Use trembled, and nestled flat in its shining bottom, drew her robes close round her, and took care not to lose one little drop, now she knew full well what agony that caused.

The night grew clear, and the moon was slowly rising as they reached the Brocken. Wild jubilees, shouts, and fifes resounded towards them ; while a throng of extraordinary figures wound in and out in motley confusion. But the lord of the Brocken commanded silence, and, placing the vase with Use on a great fiat stone as a throne, ordered his merry vassals to form a broad circle round her, and pay their homage to the water-princess.

This was a blissful moment for little Use, who felt herself at last in the right place. Proudly she rose, a slender jet of water, and shot up on high in the golden vase with dignity and grace ; bowed graciously on all sides; and bent her little head half bashfully as a loud Oh ! of admiration echoed round the circle. This was no time, how-

PRINCESS ILSE.

ever, for the Ilsen child to be humble, with the spirit of pride in her head. Sweet, intoxicating music resounded; and the enraptured little princess, dancing and bubbling, sprang up and down in the bright vase, raising and bending her curly little head, and raining clear pearl-drops back into the chalice with a pattering sound. The good full Moon, who is not very scrupulous, but shines on all beneath her, good or bad, could not forbear crowning the vain child with a lovely little diadem of sparkling silver stars ; and her broad mouth grew even broader with heartfelt pleasure as the sweet little one, smiling gratefully, looked up, and nodded to her.

Not every eye in the DeviPs court gazed meantime with rapture and astonishment on dancing little Use. There were many vain young witches in the company, who considered themselves the loveliest and most charming princesses, and saw only with bitter envy and anger another so highly honored. Two of these bold young witches stepped very close to the golden vase, scoffing at

PRINCESS ILSE.

and insulting little Use to her face. That fhing dances, turns round, and makes itself lovely,’^ said one ; “ and yet it is so thin and weak, that one could blow right through it. I only wish to know how the pale beauty would behave should she dance with the Storm-wind, and he should whirl her round as he does us.’^ ^‘Pitifully,” replied the other, and shrugged her shoulders contemptuously. “ She will never learn to ride properly on a broomstick. But do you hear how they are beating the kettle-drums and striking the cymbals over yonder ? Now we will dance a merry round, grinding the ground, and rooting out a deep marsh where bright Use shall dwell. Then all her glory will be at an end, and she must become our obedient servant, Princess Cooking-water.

Little Use’s love of dancing vanished at the young witches’ angry speech, all of which she had heard. She sat quite still again in the bottom of the vase ; saw all the wild figures going towards the other side of the mountain, and arranging themselves for the dance ,* and wondered what the

PRINCESS ILSE.

jeering words of the wicked hags could really mean. The taunt about the Storm-wind had certainly vexed her deeply ; but what she thought most about were the bog and Princess Cooking-water. But nobody had yet called her Princess Cooking-water ; and she who was to hold sway here could not possibly wait on witches. She thought of asking information from the lord of the Brocken, who, just then, was coming towards her ; but, before her words were ready, he was standing by her, and dipped his finger into the golden vase, so that little Use quivered with agony. But the Devil laughed again, saying, The night is fresh, most gracious princess : you are very cold already, and must really freeze in this shallow vase. I have a swinging-bed by the fire yonder prepared for you, in which you may rest and get warm. If you will turn your shining head the other way, you will see that the old cook, the reigning mistress of my kitchen, is busily poking the fire, and putting pretty playthings in your bed, so that the time shall not seem long. Come, let me carry you there.^^

PRINCESS ILSE.

Little Use looked the other side, and saw that a deep brass kettle was hanging over a cheerful fire, which, flaring, blazed up from the ground. The old woman who stood near it was so horrible and frightful to behold, and the toys which she threw into the kettle so extraordinary, that little Use, who had become somewhat suspicious, would not allow herself to be borne thither immediately, but said she would rather for a little while see the dance : she liked the cold very much, and sat here in her golden vase as high and as comfortable as if she were on a balcony ; was far enough off not to be troubled by the dust ; and yet could overlook every thing, and amuse herself charmingly. The Devil said, as he did not wish to destroy her pleasure, he would return for her in an hour ; and then he departed too, to join the dancers.

But the little princess’ pleasure gradually became very slight as she sat there alone, looking, now at the wild, horrible group of dancers ; now at the fire and caldron, into which the old woman, as she now plainly saw, was throwing loathsome

PRINCESS ILSE.

creatures, — spiders and toads and serpents and lizards ; bats, which she caught in the air as they flew round the flame, breaking their wings before she hurled them, with wild gestures, into the caldron. Fearful horror of the wicked company in which she found herself overcame little Isle ; and as she thought that she would have to go into the kettle yonder, and get warm, then what the witches had meant when they insulted, and called her Princess Cooking-water, at once became clear. In terrible death-anguish, she pressed her delicate hands together, seized her veil, and drew it to her pale face, merely to stifle the shriek which burst from her agonized breast. “ Oh,” she sighed with tears, I wish I had followed the angel ! he intended my good.” As she looked round in despair, and saw that she had been left entirely alone on this side of the mountain, that all the witches and devils were dancing, or crowding round the fire on the other, there suddenly came into her head the idea of escaping. “ Away, away ! ” she whispered, anywhere.” Quickly as the thought

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had arisen, she seated herself on the edge of the vase ; let her little white feet and transparent robes hang over it ; and, still holding on fast with both hands, looked back anxiously to see if any one was noticing her.

But no one was heeding the little princess : only the good old Moon stood on high, smiling unchanged upon her. She looked up at her with tearful eyes, so childlike and imploringly, laying her little finger on her mouth, that she really could not have found it in her heart to betray her, even if any one had asked her where little Use was. Use, seeing that she was entirely unnoticed, let go her hold, and wished to glide down to the ground very gently and quietly: but the vase was high, the granite block on which it stood still higher; and, even with all the care the little one took, there was a slight splash as she reached the ground. In great fear that some one might hear her, she slipped nimbly under the large stones. She had discreetly taken off her diadem of stars, and left it lying in the vase. Pride had brought her

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little pleasure, and nothing depended now on being a princess : the only thing was to escape very quietly and unseen.

Trembling, the little Fountain nestled between the stones, and prayed that they would protect her; and the old Stones, that had never felt before such young, throbbing life against their hard breasts, were greatly touched, and pressed against each other close around the princess, so that no eye could spy her, not even the Moon^s. Then they showed her a little fissure in the ground ; and so she made herself slender, and slipped in, and found in the soft earth-cushion, which on that side covered the mountain’s rocky skeleton, a long passage, which some little field-mouse might once have made. There little Use groped along in the darkness, and felt that the channel gradually led down the mountain. She had glided gently some distance, when the path became wider and uneven. It seemed to wind among loose masses of rock; and some stones, starting beneath her feet, rolled down the mountain before her. On she flowed in

PRINCESS ILSE.

the thick darkness. Now and then a keen breath of air struck upon her, forcing its way through the stones; and as the path, after descending more suddenly and steeply, seemed to stop, the rocks opened above her, and she saw the clear night sky, and a few little stars shedding a faint ray of light, and showing her stones, great and small, in the wildest confusion, over which no way was visible. At this very instant, the wild music, the screeches, and the fifes of the dancing witches of the Brockenberg, sounded in her ear ; and little Use, who had loitered for a moment, not knowing whither to direct her course, driven by wild terror at these sounds, dashed on, springing and rushing over the stones in breathless haste. She heeded not, if, on all sides, she flew against hard pieces of rock, striking her little head, and tearing her dress.

Away, away,” she whispered, far away, where the Prince of the Brocken and his wild bands cannot spy me ! ” The first faint streaks of morning light caused her great anxiety. ‘‘ Night is still,” she thought, “and does not betray me ; but gossip-

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ing Day will soon chatter out where I have run.^^ So she stooped and glided, bowed beneath the Stones, only coming forth now and then to get a little draught of morning air.

Between high forest-clothed mountain-ridges, a deep, dark-green ravine gradually descended to the valley ; and into this had little Use blindly rushed. Innumerable Stones, crumbling from the mountains, had rolled over each other to the bottom of the ravine, where they lay grasped by the roots of fir-trees : overgrown with moss, they looked very dark and dignified, and did not seem to intend to get out of the way of the little Stream which so thoughtlessly and hastily came springing upon them. The blessed Lord God had taken pity on poor little Use, as, chased by terror, she flew over the Stones ; and had permitted the forest to open its green doors, and take her under its protection. The forest is a holy place of refuge for erring children who have thought or done something wicked in the world without. None of the little devils who take possession of young souls