Undine | Page 7

glad he was that she should do as she wished. But the
knight shuddered as his eyes fell upon the fisherman. The nodding head,
the white hair reminded him once again of the tall white man of the
forest.
Shaking off his fears he lifted Undine in his arms and bore her across
the stream. Already the storm was wellnigh over and the waters flowed
more quietly. It now seemed to the knight only a few steps from the
grassy plot where he had found the maiden to the green meadows
among which the cottage stood.
'Now will I hear the brave knight's story,' cried the maiden, and the old
people smiled and said they too would hear the tale.
And the sun rose slowly over the lake and the birds sang merrily on the
wet and leafy trees, as the knight began his tale.

CHAPTER IV
THE KNIGHT'S STORY
'It must be about eight days ago now,' said the knight, 'since I left my
castle of Ringstetten, and journeyed toward the city which lies beyond
the haunted forest.
'The city was gay with lords and ladies who had come thither for the
tournament which was then being held.
'I at once entered the lists, for my steed was strong and I myself was
eager for the fray. Once, as I rested from the combat, my eyes fell upon
a lady who was wondrous fair. She was looking down from a gallery
upon the tournament.
'Bertalda was the name of the beautiful maiden, and she was the
foster-child of a great duke. I knew that, as I again seized my lance, the
lady's eyes followed me into the lists, and I fought even more bravely
than before.
'In the evening a great festival was held, and here I met Bertalda, and
danced with her; indeed, evening after evening we were together until
the tournament drew to a close.'
As Huldbrand spoke these words he felt a sharp pain in his left hand. It
was hanging by his side, and as he looked down to see what had caused
the pain, he found that Undine had fastened in it her little pearly teeth.
The knight could see that the maiden's face was no longer smiling. She
looked up at him, and there was sorrow in her large blue eyes as she
whispered, 'Sir Knight, it is your own fault that I hurt you. I would not
have you praise the lady Bertalda.' Then quickly, as though ashamed of
her words, she hid her face in her hands.
As the knight went on with his story, his face was grave.
'It is true,' he said, 'that Bertalda was a lovely maiden, yet as I knew her

better I found her ways were cold and proud. She pleased me less as the
days passed by, though, as she looked upon me with favour, I begged
that as a token of it she would give me a glove.
"You shall have it," answered she, "if you will go alone through the
forest which men say is haunted, and bring me tidings of all that
happens to you."
'I cared little for her glove, but I would not tarry to be asked a second
time to go through the forest, lest the maiden should doubt my courage.'
'I thought Bertalda had loved you,' cried Undine, 'yet then had she not
driven you from her into the haunted forest.'
The knight smiled at the maiden's words and went on with his tale.
'It was but yesterday morning that I set forth on my adventure. The sun
shone bright, so bright that it was not easy to believe that evil was
lurking in the shadows beneath the rustling leaves. "I shall soon return,"
I said to myself, as I plunged into the green shade.
'But amid the maze of trees it was not long ere I lost sight of the path
by which I had entered the wood.
'"It may be that I shall lose myself in this mighty forest," I thought, "but
no other danger threatens me."
'I gazed up toward the sun, which had risen higher now than when first
I entered the wood, and as I gazed I saw a black thing among the
branches of a leafy oak.
'Was it a bear, I wondered, and my hand felt for the sword that hung by
my side.
'But it was no bear, for ere long I heard a voice mocking me with rough
and cruel words. "Aha, Sir Wiseacre," said the voice, "I am breaking
twigs off these tall trees, so that at midnight I may light a fire in which
to roast you." Then, before I could answer, the black thing grinned at

me and rustled the branches, until my steed grew restless and at length