THE KING OF THE SWANS:
OR DELPHINE THE GOOD.
FROM THE GERMAN.
There was once a little girl, who was called Delphine, so good and cheerful, that she was a favorite with everybody. This good girl had a friend called Hilda, who was also a good girl, and they loved each other dearly.
In the winter, when the snow was lying deep upon hill and field, Hilda fell sick, and her parents were in great anxiety on her account. She was quite unable to eat—was burning with fever heat, and shivering with cold, by turns,—and though she was tenderly nursed, could get no relief.
If any of her young friends visited her, she would say to them, “Give me strawberries, who will go and find me some strawberries, that I may get well and not die?” Then her father and mother would say, “Dear Hilda, it is winter now, and there are none to be found this season.”
Hilda would then raise herself up in bed, and say, “Far away over the high hill there, and through the forest, is a green slope; there I can see plenty of strawberries.
“Who will go and fetch them for me—only one of those nice red berries—only one!” The children left the room, saying, to each other, “What nonsense poor Hilda talked about; she must be dreaming.” But Delphine was much troubled that she could not help her friend. All at once she said, “Who will go with me over the mountains to seek for strawberries? It will be some comfort to poor Hilda if she sees us going over the hill to seek for them.” But no one would go with her.
So Delphine set out alone, for she wished to do all she could to help her friend, though she had to go through a deep and dangerous forest. After she left the forest, she came to the hill. A small trodden foot-path led up to the top and down again on the other side; she then came to a wood of tall oak and beech trees. She passed through without having met a single adventure; she then came to a place where three paths met. She stood still a moment, not knowing which to take, when, quite unexpectedly, she saw a little man approaching through the trees. He had a green hat upon his head, with a feather as white as snow. His dress was made of the softest swan’s down. He carried an ivory bow on his shoulder, and a small silver hunting horn hung at his side. “What do you want here, little damsel?” he said, in a friendly voice.
“Ah!” said Delphine, “I have a sick friend, who longs for strawberries, and says they will make her well again. I know very well that it is winter, but I hope to find something here that she will like, and I hope that I shall not return quite empty-handed.”
“Come with me then,” said the little hunter. “I will show you a place where you may find what you are in search of.” He went on before, leading her through many winding paths, until the forest appeared lighter, the air warmer and more spring-like. At last they came to a great iron door. The little man unlocked it, saying, “Now, if you go straight forward, you will find what you seek.”
Delphine would have thanked the good man, but he vanished instantly. After walking a few steps farther, she came to a green slope.
Here winter had entirely disappeared. The sun shone warmer in the cloudless sky; the birds sang merrily, and a few steps farther she beheld the ground covered with fine strawberries. How the good little maiden rejoiced! she quickly filled the little basket she brought with her, and hastened back with them to her dear sick friend. But some how in her haste she could not find her way back. She came to the iron palisades which surrounded the place, but all her attempts to find the gate were fruitless. In her anxiety, she ran this way and that; still no gate was to be seen. Then she heard the sound of a whistle, and she exclaimed, with joy, “I hear a living sound, some one, surely, is in this wood who will be kind enough to show me the way out.”
She hastily traversed the thicket in another direction, and suddenly beheld a scene which caused her great surprise. Before her laid a large, green meadow, and beyond this a clear lake, on which a number of stately and beautiful swans were swimming very gracefully. In the middle of the lake was a small island, upon which stood a charming palace, surrounded by flower gardens and orange groves. As she drew near the shore of the lake, she perceived a little man, who had a less friendly aspect than the hunter of the forest. He had a large head, with rough hair, and a grey beard, so long that it reached to his knees; in one hand he held a whistle, and in the other a switch.
Delphine was afraid to speak to him, and stood still, at a little distance. She soon observed that his office was to take care of the swans, and prevent their going out of the water. When any did so, he whistled to them, and if they did not obey him, he stretched out his switch, which had the remarkable property of lengthening or shortening—just as he wished to have it. Delphine could see no one save this little old man, nor any mode of reaching the palace; therefore she gained courage to say, “Good friend, can you show me how to get out of the forest? I wish to go home.” The grey-beard looked at her in surprise, but did not speak; he merely made her understand, by signs, that she should sit down, which she did.
Then he whistled, and presently there came a large swan from the lake, which laid itself down before him. The little old man seated himself on the swan’s back, throwing one of his arms round its neck, and away the trusty bird swam with him across the lake; there he alighted, and went into the palace. Delphine waited some time, curious to see what would happen, but she did not feel afraid. At length she saw four black swans swim from a creek of the lake, harnessed to a beautiful little green boat, adorned with silver, and shaded by a pair of wings, which covered the seats; the front was in shape like a swan’s neck.
The grey-beard sat there, looking much more agreeable than before. He gave Delphine a sign to step in, which she did; they then sailed gently across the lake, and as soon as they reached the other side, he handed her out and led her to the palace.
In the hall, sat the King of the Swans. He wore a robe of the purest white silk, bordered with swan’s down; a golden crown was upon his head, and he was surrounded by richly dressed attendants.
“What dost thou seek in my kingdom?” inquired he.
“I have found all I sought,” answered Delphine; “but I pray your majesty to let some one of your attendants direct me home, for I find I have wandered in the wrong direction.”
“Very well,” said the King, “what hast thou to offer?”
“Alas!” replied Delphine, “I have nothing at all. If I had known what you would have wished of me, I should have brought it with me from home.”
“Thou hast strawberries,” rejoined the King, “and I like them above all things. Give me thy strawberries, and then one of my servants shall show thee the way home.”
“Alas! I cannot give thee all,” continued Delphine; “they are for my sick friend, who must die if she does not get them; but I will willingly give you some of them.”
She then took several of the finest looking ones, and tied them by the stems with a riband that confined her hair, and handed them to the King.
“Thank my little daughter,” said the King. “Now go thy way, and this man shall attend thee; but do exactly as he desires.”
The old man with the grey beard waited in readiness for her, and when Delphine had taken leave of the King, he led her into the garden, tied a handkerchief about her eyes, whistled, and at the same instant took her by the arm.
She heard the rustling of wings, she felt the wind blow colder and colder, in her face, but was not conscious of moving, nor could she see anything.
At last the sound of wings ceased, and the old man set her upon the ground. “Now, my child, count twenty, and then remove the bandage and preserve it carefully; it will be required of thee at the proper time.”
As soon as the bandage was removed, she found herself standing on the hill, opposite the house of her friend, Hilda. Then she hastened to her friend, who was still in bed repeating the words, “Who will bring me strawberries to make me well?”
“There they are, dear Hilda,” said Delphine, handing her a bright red bunch. Every one was astonished, and anxious to know from whence she had brought them. But she had barely begun to relate her wonderful adventures, before Hilda had eaten all the strawberries. Then the color returned to her face, and strength to her limbs; and Hilda said, “Thank the Lord, and dear Delphine, now I am quite well!” And she rose from her bed, quite restored.
Who can tell how the parents thanked and blessed Delphine—the good, kind-hearted Delphine, whom every one praised and blessed—for her self-sacrificing benevolence and love?
One day, when Delphine was walking in the meadows with her mother, some years after this, and was looking up into the sky, she saw a black speck, which, as it descended, grew larger and larger; and as it came towards her, she saw that it was a prodigious black swan. It had on its back a tent, with golden gauze curtains, and when it alighted upon the ground where Delphine was standing, there came out of the tent a little man, with friendly eyes, who thus addressed her, “I am the King of the Swans. I have heard that you will, in a short time, celebrate a joyful festival; and as thou gavest me a present when a child, and hast grown up so good, brave, and pure a maiden, I will make thee a present in return.” Saying these words, he put upon her head a costly crown. It was made of gold, garnished with strawberry leaves; and between the leaves there sparkled red rubies, diamonds, and purple amethysts; round the rim was a beautiful gold band.
Delphine and her mother could hardly thank the King, for astonishment. But he did not give them time, for the swan rose majestically in the air, and soon became as a little black spot in the midst of the bright clouds.
Many a little boy and girl have gone over the hill, since that time, to seek the land of the Swans, in search of strawberries in winter, but have not found them; perhaps it was because they were more selfish, and not so good as Delphine.