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Check out children's author Rick Walton's books. |
| These stories provided by children's author Rick Walton's Online Library. |
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The Crystal Coffin |
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NOW LET NO ONE SAY that a poor tailor can not get on in the world and, indeed, even attain to very high honor. A very bright, active young tailor once set off on his travels, which led him into a wood, and as he did not know the way he was soon lost. Night came on, and there seemed to be nothing for it but to seek out the best resting place he could find. He could have been comfortable on a bed of soft moss, but the fear of wild beasts disturbed his mind. At last he determined to spend the night in a tree.
He sought out a tall oak tree, climbed up to the top, and felt devoutly thankful his big smoothing iron was in his pocket, for the wind in the treetops was so high he might easily have been blown away.
After some hours he noticed a light shining at a little distance. He cautiously descended and went toward the light. It led him to a little hut, woven of reeds and rushes. He knocked bravely at the door, which opened. By the light shining from within he saw an old, gray-haired man dressed in a coat made of bright-colored patches.
`Who are you, and what do you want?' asked the old man roughly.
`I am a poor tailor,' replied the youth. `I have been benighted in the forest, and I entreat you to let me take shelter in your but till morning.'
`Go your way,' said the old man, `I will have nothing to do with tramps. You. must go elsewhere.'
The tailor begged hard to be allowed to stay and the old fellow, who was by no means as cross as he appeared, at length let him come in and, after giving him some food, showed him a bed in one corner of the room.
The weary tailor required no rocking to rest, but slept sound till early morning, when he was roused from his slumbers by a tremendous noise. Loud screams and shouts pierced his dreams. The tailor sprang up, threw on his clothes with all speed, and hurried out. There he saw a huge black bull engaged in a terrible fight with a fine large stag. They rushed at each other with such fury the ground trembled under them and the air was filled with their cries. For some time it appeared uncertain which would be the victor. But at length the stag drove his antlers with such force into his opponent that the bull fell to the ground with a terrific roar.
The tailor, who had been watching the fight with amazement, was still standing motionless when the stag bounded up to him, and before he had time to escape forked him up with its great antlers, and set off at full gallop over hedges and ditches, hill and dale, through wood and water. The tailor could do nothing but hold tight to the stag's horns.
At length the stag paused before a steep rock and gently let the tailor down to the ground. The stag struck such a blow on a door in the rock that it flew open. Flames of fire rushed forth, and such clouds of steam followed that the stag had to avert its eyes. The tailor could not think how to get away from this awful wilderness and find his way back among human beings once more. As he stood hesitating, a voice from the rock cried to him:
`Step in without fear, no harm shall befall you.'
Passing through the door the tailor found himself in a spacious hall, whose ceiling, walls and floor were covered with polished tiles, carved with unknown figures. He gazed about, full of wonder, and was just preparing to walk out again when the same voice bade him:
`Tread on the stone in the middle of the hall and good luck will attend you.'
The bright, active, young tailor was now so courageous he did not hesitate to obey the order. Hardly had he stepped on the stone than it began to sink gently with him into the depths below. He found himself in a hall much the same size as the upper one, but with more in it to wonder at and admire. Round the walls were niches, in which stood glass vessels filled with some bright-colored or bluish smoke. On the floor stood two large crystal boxes opposite each other and these attracted his curiosity at once.
Stepping up to one of them, he saw a miniature of a fine castle surrounded by farms, barns, stables and a number of other buildings. Everything was tiny, but so beautifully and carefully finished it might have been the work of an accomplished artist. He would have continued gazing much longer at this remarkable curiosity had not the voice told him to turn round and look at the crystal coffin opposite.
What was his amazement to see a girl of surpassing loveliness lying in it! She lay as though sleeping, and her long, fair hair seemed to wrap her round like some costly mantle. Her eyes were closed, but the bright color in her face, and the movement of a ribbon which rose and fell with her breath, left no doubt as to her being alive.
As the tailor stood gazing at her with beating heart, the maiden suddenly opened her eyes and started with delighted surprise.
`Great Heavens,' she cried, `my deliverer approaches! Quick, quick! Help. me out of my prison. Only push back the bolt of this coffin and I am free:
The tailor promptly obeyed, and she quickly pushed back the crystal lid, stepped out of the coffin, and hurried to a corner of the hall, where she wrapped herself in a large cloak. Then calling the young man to come near, and giving him an affectionate kiss, she said:
`My long-hoped-for deliverer, kind Heaven has led you to me and has at length put an end to all my sufferings. You are my destined husband. Beloved by me and endowed with every kind of riches and power, you shall spend the remainder of your life in peace and happiness. Now sit down and hear my story. I am the daughter of a great nobleman. My parents died when I was very young and left me to the care of my eldest brother, by whom I was carefully educated. We loved each other so tenderly, and our tastes and interests were so much alike, we determined never to marry but to spend our entire lives together. There was no lack of society at our home. Friends and neighbors paid us frequent visits and we kept open house for all.
`Thus it happened that, one evening, a stranger rode up to the castle and asked for hospitality as he could not reach the town that night. We granted his request with ready courtesy, and during supper he entertained us with agreeable conversation, mingled with amusing anecdotes. My brother took such a fancy to him that he pressed him to spend some days with us. After a little hesitation, the stranger consented to remain as our guest.
`We rose late from table, and my brother showed our guest to his room. I hurried to mine, but I had hardly dropped off to sleep when I was aroused by the sound of soft and charming music. I was about to call out when, to my surprise, I felt as if a heavy weight on my chest had taken all power from me, and I lay there unable to utter the slightest sound.
`Meanwhile, by the light of the night lamp, I saw the stranger enter my room, though the double doors had been securely locked. He drew near and told me that by the power of his magic arts he had caused the soft music to waken me, and had made his way through bolts and bars to offer me his hand and heart. My repugnance to his magic was so great I would not condescend to give any answer. He waited motion less for some time, hoping no doubt for a favorable reply, but as I continued silent, he angrily declared he would punish my pride and left the room in a rage.
`I spent the night in the greatest agitation, and only fell into a doze toward morning. As soon as I awoke I hurried to tell my brother all that had happened. But he had left his room, and his servant told me he had gone out at daybreak to hunt with the stranger.
`My mind misgave me. I dressed in haste, had my palfrey saddled, and rode off at full gallop toward the forest, attended by one groom only. Ere long I saw the stranger coming toward me, leading a fine stag. I asked him where he had left my brother and how he had got the stag, whose great eyes were overflowing with tears. Instead of answering he began to laugh. I flew into such a rage that I drew a pistol and fired at him, but the bullet rebounded from his breast and, struck my horse in the forehead. I fell to the ground, and the stranger muttered some words which robbed me of my senses.
`When I came to myself I was lying in a crystal coffin in this subterranean vault. The magician appeared again and told me he had transformed my brother into a stag, had reduced our castle and all its defenses to miniature and locked them up in a glass box, and after turning the members of our household into different vapors had imprisoned them in glass phials. If I would only yield to his wishes he would restore their former shapes.
`I would not say a word and he vanished, leaving me in my prison, where a deep sleep soon fell on me. Among my many dreams was a cheering one of a young man who was to come and release me. Today when I opened my eyes, I recognized you and saw my dream was fulfilled. Now help me carry out the rest of my vision. The first thing is to place the glass box which contains my castle on this large stone.'
As soon as this was done the stone gently rose and transported them into the upper hall, whence they easily carried the box into the outer air. The lady then removed the lid, and it was marvelous to watch the castle, houses and farmyards begin to grow and spread themselves till they had regained their proper size. Then the young couple returned by means of the movable stone and brought up all the glass vessels filled with smoke. No sooner were they uncorked than the vapors poured out and became transformed to living people, in whom the lady joyfully recognized her many servants and attendants.
Her delight was complete when her brother, also disenchanted, was seen coming from the forest in his human form. That very day, according to her promise, she gave her hand in marriage to the happy young tailor.
[Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm.)
(from The Green Fairy Book , by Andrew Lang)
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