Page:Select Popular Tales from the German of Musaeus.djvu/93



VERY wealthy Count squandered away all his riches and possessions. He lived like a king, and kept open table every day; whoever appeared at his castle, whether knight or squire, was richly feasted for three days, and all his guests went away rejoicing. His court swarmed with pages in gold embroidery, running footmen, and lackeys in handsome livery, and, in his stalls, fed countless horses and hounds. Through this lavish expenditure, his treasures were exhausted. He mortgaged one city after another, sold his jewels and plate, dismissed his ser- vants, and shot his hounds; nothing remained to him of his entire property, but an old castle in a forest, a virtuous wife, and three wondrously beautiful daughters.

In this castle he dwelt, forsaken by all the world; the Countess and her daughters themselves attended to the culinary depart- ment; but, not being versed in gastronomy, they could only boil potatoes. These frugal repasts pleased the old Count so little, that he became morose and peevish, and stormed and scolded through the wide forsaken halls, till the dismantled walls re- echoed these outbursts of ill-humour.

One fine summer’s morning, he seized his hunting-spear in a passion, and hastened to the forest, to shoot a buck, that he might, for once, have a savoury meal. This forest was said to be an unlucky spot; many travellers had been led astray in it, and many (either strangled by demons or devoured by wild beasts) had never returned. The Count feared not; he strode vigorously over hill and dale, and scrambled through bushes and thickets, without meeting with any game. Growing weary, he sat down under an oak, to make his dinner off some boiled potatoes and a little salt, the sole contents of his wallet. By chance he raised his eyes, and behold! a savage bear was approaching. The poor Count was horribly frightened at the sight; he could not escape by flight, and he was not armed for an encounter with a Bear. He seized his spear to defend himself as well as he could. The monster drew near; suddenly it stopped, and growled forth distinctly these words: “Robber! plunclerest thou my honey-tree?—Thou shalt •expiate the crime with thy life!”—“Ah!” supplicated the