The Hero of Esthonia and Other Studies in the Romantic Literature of That CountryKirby, W. F. (William Forsell)
History
The Hero of Esthonia and Other Studies in the Romantic Literature of That Country
Kirby, W. F. (William Forsell)
Estonian literature; Estonian literature -- History and criticism
The sisters were sorry to see the dawn of day, though they were no
longer obliged to spin and weave, for the old woman was locked up in
the kitchen, and could not interfere with them. That day they amused
themselves by showing their guest all over the house, and all the
treasure-chambers, but they blushed and dropped their eyes whenever he
looked at themselves.
Presently they passed through a stone door into a stone
gallery, likewise paved with stone, and after passing through
it for some little distance, arrived at a room in which the
walls and furniture were wholly of iron. "This," said the
eldest sister, "is the room of old Sarvik, where his
men-servants assemble and work or amuse themselves, and where
they are sometimes tortured in all sorts of ways."
[Pg 95]
They left this room through an iron archway which opened into a gallery
of iron, which they followed for some distance till they reached a
second room, entirely of copper, and with copper furniture. "This,"
said the eldest sister again, "is old Sarvik's room, where the maids
assemble to work or amuse themselves, and where, too, they are punished
and tormented."
From this room they passed through a copper archway into a copper
gallery, which led them presently to a third room of silver, with
silver furniture and fittings, and the chests in the corners were
filled with silver coins. Then said the second sister, "This is old
Sarvik's room, where he spends most of his time, and where he sleeps
and refreshes himself."
They passed from this room into a silver gallery, which led them into a
room of gold, with gold fittings and furniture, and the chests in the
corners were filled with gold coins. "This," said the second sister
again, "is old Sarvik's room, where he feasts and amuses himself. I was
busy yesterday for hours sweeping this room and polishing up all the
gold."
From this room they went through a golden
[Pg 96]
gallery to a fifth chamber, which was of silk, and everything
in it was silk. The walls were hung with silken raiment, and
the chests in the corners were filled with silken stuffs.
"This," said the youngest sister, "is the maidens' room, where
they deck themselves out in silk on gala days."
They passed through a silken gallery into a chamber of satin, of which
she gave a similar explanation. From this they passed to a lace
chamber, where the little girls decked themselves out.
The lace gallery from this room led them out into the enclosure, which
was paved with silver coins instead of grass.
Round the court stood seven storehouses, the first composed of
a single block of granite, the second of plates of iron, the
third of hens' eggs, the fourth of goose-eggs, the fifth of
polished quartz, the sixth of the finest eagles' eggs, and the
seventh of eggs of the Siuru.
[75]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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