Page:Tales of a Voyager to the Arctic Ocean, vol. 3 (1826).djvu/320

 for ever,’ besides the privilege of choosing the fairest maiden within their domains as a wife, to whom they also promised a portion.

“This offer produced a great commotion among the young men of the three villages, as well as among the maidens; all of them being willing to obtain the reward; but upon Wolfgang and Hendrick it had a very strong effect. Since first beholding the young beauty among the rocks, they had both striven to gain her as a wife, but, though she gave them equal audience, she declared positively in favour of neither of them. But when the reward was offered for the head of the beast, she said that she would willingly give her hand to the huntsman who should obtain it. Thus, besides the hope of obtaining the reward, and the beauty, there was the fear that another should gain her, and Wolfgang said, that he would rather the beast should tear him to pieces, than that Hendrick should become possessed of her, and Hendrick said much the same of Wolfgang. Nevertheless, the monster continued his ravages, though all the country was in arms against him, and it was at length reported, that Count Albert of Fiendenheim was going to invite