| Share page |
|
4T4 THE WONDERFUL PLANT. |
||
|
longer," said the hunter. "I will soon remove this sorrow from your heart."
Immediately he threw on his cloak, seized her in his arms, and wished himself over on the granite mountain; and in a moment they were both there. The glittering and sparkling stones lay around them on every side, so that it was quite a joy to see them; and the hunter and the maiden gathered the most beautiful and costly to carry away with them.
Now the witch, by her witchcraft, had still power over the hunter, even at that distance; so she caused his eyes to become so heavy that he could not keep them open.
So he said to the maiden, We will sit down here and rest; for I am so tired that I can scarcely put one foot before the other."
Then she seated herself, and he placed his head in her lap, and was very soon fast asleep.-
While he slept she unfastened the cloak from his shoulders, and hung it on her own, gathered up the precious stones from the granite mountain, and wished herself at home.
When the hunter had finished his nap, and awoke, he found that his beloved had betrayed him, and left him alone on the wild mountain. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "was ever such deceit in the world as this!" and for a time he sat quite still, his heart so overwhelmed with sorrow and care that he knew not what to do.
The mountain, however, belonged to wild and monstrous giants, who resided within it; and it was not long before he saw three of them striding towards him. He instantly laid himself down again, and appeared to be in a deep sleep. Up came the giants, and the first pushed him with his foot.
" Crush him with your foot," said the second.
"Ah!" said the third, scornfully, "he is not worth the trouble Let him live. He cannot remain here, and live; and if he attempts to climb higher, to the top of the mountain, the clouds will soon take him up, and carry him away."
On this the giants passed on, and as soon as they were out of sight, the hunter, who had heard every word, stood up, and climbed at once to the mountain summit.
After he had been seated there a little while, a cloud floating by caught him up and carried him away through the air for a long |
||