TALES OF THE GERMAN HEARTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 1911, 6 July 1888, Page 34

TALES OF THE GERMAN HEARTH.

HEINO IN THE MARSH.

A FAIRY STORY.

" Our son is a great hunter,'" said the old King. " He rides every day into the forest with his crossbow ; bub he never brings back any game, however much he kills ; for he gives all that he shoots to the poor. He is a very good fellow." So said the old King to the Queen. But the deer in the forest thought something quite different. They were not afraid at all of Heino, for they had been acquainted with him now a long time, and knew that he never did them any^harm. For he always rode straight through the wood till he came to the wood end ; and at the wood end stood a little cottage, half hidden among trees and undergrowth, and with windows and house door nearly covered up with ivy and woodbine. But before the door stood little Bins-eyes, and when she saw the King's son coming her great blue eyes lit up with joy like two stars, and illumined her whole face.

But still Heino never brought home any game, and would always ride alone; and when his father went out with him he hit nothing. Then the old King saw very well that there must be something unusual about the hunting. He sent a servant to steal secretly after Heino, and so learnt all. Then the news went to his head and he was very angry ; for Heino was his only son and he thought to wed him to the daughter of a mighty king. So he called two hunting grooms, showed them a lump of gold as big as a man's head, and said it should be theirs if they would kill little Blue-eyes.

But Blue-eyes had a snow-white dove, that sat every day on the highest tree in the forest and looked towards the castle. When Heino mounted his horse to ride to Blue-eyes it flew quickly on before, beat with its wings against the window of the cottage and cried :

What is my hero doing, How fares my prince's blood ? And the dove answered : Thro' all the wdrld he's going* And Is full proud of mood. Of me is he ne'er thinking,Are his thoughts never mine ? Of thee he's never thinking, By eating or by drinking, By rain or by sunshine.

The branches are rustling, Their screen is dividing ; Heart, deare-it mistress,! Someone comas riding.

Then Blue-eyes stood at the door and' waited till Heino came.

Now as the white dovs saw, toward evening, the two grooms creeping up to the wood, she foreboded no good. She flew quickly to the castle, to Heino's window, beat against the panes till he came and opened to her, and told him what she had seen. Then he rushed breathless into the wood, and as he reached the cottage the two grooms .had already bound little Blue-eyea and were oonsulting how they shquld kill her. Then he struck off both their heads, carried the heads home, and set them before his father's door on the threshold.

The old King ? !however, coqld not sleep the whole night, but heard continually a low whimpering and moaning outside his door. With the grey of morning he aro3e and looked to see what \t was. There stood the heads of the two grooms on the threshold, and between them lay a letter from Heino, jn, which was written that he wished to know nothing more either of father or mother, and that he would lay himself every nignt on the threshold of Blue«eyes' house with his drawn sword in his hand. Whoever came there to do her harm, he woulcl strike his head off, as he had done to the two grooms, were it the King himself.

When the old King had read this he was much cast down. He went to the Queen and told her all. She, however, scolded him well for having wished to kill Blue-eyes, and said, "You have spoilt all. Who would wish always to kill every thing right off ? You men are all much too bad — the one like the other, Here now are six more shirts of yours home frcm the wash, and the collar-bands are wanting in all six again." Where are they? Torn them off, that's what you've done, because you knotted them instead of untying them patiently. And Heino is just like you. Now I shall have to put everything straight again ! " " That will do 1 that will do !" said the King, who felt very well that the Queen was right; "only be quiet and stop nagging. That won't make matters any better."

And the Queen tossed herself ceaselessly in bed all night, and considered what she should do. As soon as it was light she went to the meadow and dug up a plant that was poisonous and had black berries. Then she went into ttie wood and planted it right beside the way.

When she returned the King asked her what she had done. She answered, " I bave planted an herb in his way, on which grows a red flower ; whoso plucks it must forget his dearest."

Next morning, as Heino went through the wood, the plant" stood by the way, and had borne a beautiful red flower that sparkled in the sun, and had ao strong a, scent that it almost overpowered him. But although there had boen a heavy dew oyernipht both plant and flower were quite, dry. Then he said :

What kind of plant is this That the dew does not kiss ? Then tne plant answered : A plant that none can see B,ut a king's heir like thee. Thereupon he answered *furth t er : And if I plucked thee, say, Thou flower npon my way ? And the flower answered : Then should I bloom vet fairer, Thou haughty prince'.s son.

had found Heino. And every evening the white dove returned, and told her where Heino was and how it went with him :