Children's stories, German -- Translations into English; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- Germany
At that very moment, the poor woman awoke, day had already dawned,
and she at once resolved to act in accordance with her dream. She
laboriously climbed the mountain. Everything was exactly as she
had seen it in the night. The Old Woman received her kindly, and
pointed out a chair on which she might sit. “You must have met with a
misfortune,” she said, “since you have sought out my lonely cottage.”
With tears, the woman related what had befallen her.
“Be comforted,” said the Old Woman, “I will help you. Here is a Golden
Comb for you. Tarry till the full moon has risen, then go to the
mill-pond, seat yourself on the shore, and comb your long black hair
with this comb. When you have done, lay it down on the bank, and you
will see what will happen.”
The woman returned home, but the time till the full moon came, passed
slowly. At last the shining disc appeared in the heavens, then she went
out to the mill-pond, sat down and combed her long black hair with the
Golden Comb. When she had finished, she laid it down at the water’s
edge.
It was not long before there was a movement in the depths, a wave rose,
rolled to the shore, and bore the comb away with it.
In not more than the time necessary for the comb to sink to the bottom,
the surface of the water parted, and the head of the huntsman arose.
He did not speak, but looked at his wife with sorrowful glances. At
the same instant, a second wave came rushing up, and covered the man’s
head. All had vanished, the mill-pond lay peaceful as before, and
nothing but the face of the full moon shone on it.
[Illustration: SHE COMBED HER LONG BLACK HAIR]
Full of sorrow, the woman went back, but again the dream showed
her the cottage of the Old Woman. Next morning, she again set out and
complained of her woes to the Wise Woman.
The Old Woman gave her a Golden Flute, and said, “Tarry till the full
moon comes again, then take this flute. Play a beautiful air on it, and
when you have finished, lay it on the sand. Then you will see what will
happen.”
The wife did as the old woman told her. No sooner was the flute lying
on the sand, than there was a stirring in the depths, and a wave rushed
up and bore the flute away with it.
Immediately afterward the water parted, and not only the head of
the man, but half of his body also arose. He stretched out his arms
longingly toward her. But a second wave came up, covered him, and drew
him down again.
“Alas, what does it profit me?” said the unhappy woman, “that I should
see my beloved, only to lose him again?”
Despair filled her heart anew, but the dream led her a third time
to the house of the Old Woman. She sat out, and the Wise Woman gave
her a Golden Spinning-Wheel, consoled her and said, “All is not yet
fulfilled, tarry until the time of the full moon. Then take the
spinning-wheel, seat yourself on the shore, and spin the spool full.
When you have done that, place the spinning-wheel near the water, and
you will see what will happen.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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