United States or Hong Kong ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
She is a great disciplinarian, and was loud in her praise of the plan; but the other two demurred. "He might go dead in there," said the May baby, apprehensively. "And he is such a naughty boy," said April, who had watched his reckless conduct with special disgust, "that if he once went dead he'd go straight to the Holle and stay all the time with the diable."
The door was opened, and just as the maiden was standing beneath the doorway, a heavy shower of golden rain fell, and all the gold remained sticking to her, so that she was completely covered over with it. "You shall have that because you have been so industrious," said Mother Holle, and at the same time she gave her back the shuttle which she had let fall into the well.
Within twenty-four hours Anthony was back in Eisenach, though certainly the horse on which he rode was ruined. "What matter!" he said: "I am ruined too; and I will destroy everything that can remind me of her, or of Lady Holle, or Venus the heathen woman! I will break down the apple tree and tear it up by the roots, so that it shall never bear flower or fruit more!"
Two German barons, moreover, a Count of Holle and a Count of Schwarzenberg, who at this time were on a visit to the Netherlands, omitted nothing to awaken expectations of assistance from their neighbors. Count Louis of Nassau, too, had also a short time before visited several German courts to ascertain their sentiments.
At last she said to the old woman, "I have a longing for home; and however well off I am down here, I cannot stay any longer; I must go up again to my own people." Mother Holle said, "I am pleased that you long for your home again, and as you have served me so truly, I myself will take you up again." Thereupon she took her by the hand, and led her to a large door.
The Venus mount looked like a grey mass frowning over the valley. He would willingly have cried, "Fru Holle! Fru Holle! open the hill, and let me stay there, upon the soil of my native home!" It was a sinful thought, and he crossed himself. Then a little bird sang among the bushes, and the old Minnesong came back to his thoughts: "Beyond the wood, in the quiet dale, Tandaradai!
'That's a reward for being such a good little maid, said Mother Holle, and she gave her the spindle too that had fallen into the well. Then she shut the door, and the girl found herself back in the world again, not far from her own house; and when she came to the courtyard the old hen, who sat on the top of the wall, called out: 'Click, clock, clack, Our golden maid's come back.
Lisbeth thanked the old man for his offer of help, and inquired about the roads and paths to the other peasants whose names she still had left on her writing-tablet. The Justice pointed out to her the shortest way to the nearest farm, which led across the Priests' Meadow, past the three mills and over the Holle Hills.
She it was who lured Tannhauser, the noble knight and minstrel, from the circle of the singers of the Wartburg into her mountain. Little Molly and Anthony often stood by this mountain; and once Molly said: "You may knock and say, 'Lady Holle, open the door Tannhauser is here!" But Anthony did not dare.
Only you must take care to make my bed well, and shake it thoroughly till the feathers fly -for then there is snow on the earth. I am Mother Holle. As the old woman spoke so kindly to her, the girl took courage and agreed to enter her service. She attended to everything to the satisfaction of her mistress, and always shook her bed so vigorously that the feathers flew about like snow-flakes.
Word Of The Day