Stribor’s Forest
Stribor’s Forest
I
ONE day a young man went into Stribor’s Forest and did not know that the Forest was enchanted and that all manner of magic abode there. Some of its magic was good and some was bad—to each one according to his deserts.
Now this Forest was to remain enchanted until it should be entered by someone who preferred his sorrows to all the joys of this world.
The young man set to and cut wood, and presently sat down on a stump to rest, for it was a fine winter’s day. And out of the stump slipped a snake, and began to fawn upon him. Now this wasn’t a real snake, but a human being transformed into a snake for its sins, and it could only be set free by one who was willing to wed it. The snake sparkled like silver in the sun as it looked up into the young man’s eyes.
“Dear me, what a pretty snake! I should rather like to take it home,” said the young man in fun.