Eric and Wolf now pursued their journey with light and hopeful hearts,
for they had got out of what was called the wild robber country, and
he knew that he was drawing near home. The thread was stronger than
ever, and every hour it helped more and more to support him. On the
two went together, Wolf trotting along with his short stick, and
sometimes snorting and blowing with fatigue like one of his own pigs.
They conversed as best they could about all they had seen.
“Did you see big Thorold the lion?” asked Wolf.
“I did,” said Eric; “he is very awful, but he was chained.”
“Lucky for you,” said Wolf, “for Ralph hunts with him and kills
travellers. He will obey none but Ralph. I heard him roaring. He is
hungry. He once ate one of my pigs, and would have ate me if he had
not first caught the porker. I escaped up a tree.”
And thus they talked, as they journeyed on through woods, and across
green plains, and over low hills, until, as they were walking along,
Wolf complained of hunger. Eric at once gave him what remained of his
large cake; but it did not suffice to appease the appetite of the
swineherd, who was, however, very grateful for what he got. To their
delight they now saw a beautiful cottage not far from their path, and,
as they approached it, an old woman with a pretty girl, who seemed to
be her daughter, came out to meet them.
“Good-day, young gentleman!” said the old woman, with a kind smile and
a courtesy; “you seem to be on your travels, and look wearied. Pray
come into my cottage, and I shall refresh you.”
“What lucky fellows we are!” said Wolf.
“We are much obliged to you for your hospitality,” replied Eric. But
alas! the thread drew him in an opposite direction; so turning to Wolf
he said, “I cannot go in.”
“Come, my handsome young gentleman,” said the young woman, “and we
shall make you so happy. You shall have such a dinner as will delight
you, I am sure; and you may remain as long as you please, and I shall
dance and sing to you; nor need you pay anything.” And she came
forward smiling and dancing, offering her arm to Eric. “Surely you
won’t be so ungallant as refuse me! you are so beautiful, and have
such lovely hair and eyes, and I never saw such a belt as you wear: do
come!”
“Come, my son,” said the old woman to Wolf, as she put her hand round
his neck.
“With all my heart,” replied Wolf; “for, to tell the truth, I am
wearied and hungry: such offers as yours one does not get every day.”
“I cannot go,” again said Eric. _They_ could not see the thread, for
to some it was invisible; but _he_ saw it, and felt it like a wire
passing away from the cottage. “Who are you, kind friends?” inquired
Eric.
“Friends of the king and of his family. Honest subjects, good people,”
said the old woman.
“Do you know Prince Eric?” asked Wolf.
“Right well!” replied the young woman. “He is a great friend of mine;
a fine tall comely youth. He calls me his own little sweetheart.”
“It is false!” said Eric; “you do not know him. You should not lie.”
But he did not tell her who he was, neither did Wolf, for Eric had
made a sign to him to be silent. “I won’t enter your dwelling,” said
Eric, “for my duty calls me away.”
They both gave a loud laugh, and said, “Hear him! Only hear a fine
young fellow talking about duty! Pleasure, ease, and liberty are for
the young. We only want to make you happy: come!”
“I shall go with you,” said Wolf; “do come, Eric.”
“Wolf, speak to me,” said Eric, whispering to the swineherd. “You know
_I_ cannot go, for my duty tells me to follow the thread. But now I
see that this is the house of the wicked, for you heard how they lied;
they neither knew the king nor his children; and they laugh, too, at
duty. Be advised, Wolf, and follow me.”
Wolf hesitated, and looked displeased. “Only for an hour, Eric.”
“Not a minute, Wolf. If you trust them more than me, go; but I am sure
you and I shall never meet again.”
“Then I will trust you, Eric,” said Wolf; “the voice in my heart tells
me to do so.”
And so they both passed on. But the old woman and the girl began to
abuse them, and call them all manner of evil names, and to laugh at
them as silly fellows. The girl threw stones at them, which made Wolf
turn round and flourish his stick over his head. At last they
re-entered the cottage, the old woman shaking her fist, and calling
out from the door, “I’ll soon send my friend Ralph after you!”
“Oh, ho! is that the way the wind blows?” exclaimed the swineherd,
with a whistle; and, grasping Eric’s arm, said, “You were right,
prince! I never suspected them. I see now they are bad.”
“I saw that before,” replied Eric, “and knew that no good would come
to us from making their acquaintance.”
“Were they not cunning?”
“Yes; but probably, with all their smiles, flattery, and fair
promises, they would have proved more cruel in the end than either
Ralph or old Thorold.”
“What would they have done to us? Why did they meet us? Who are they,
think you?”
“I don’t know, Wolf; it was enough for me that they lied, and did not
wish us to do what was right.”
Not long after this strange adventure they reached a rising ground
from which a magnificent view burst upon them. Below there was a large
lake, surrounded by wooded hills, above which rose noble rocks fringed
with stately pines, and higher ranges of mountains beyond, some of
whose summits were covered with snow that glittered like purest
alabaster in the azure blue of the sky. Eric gave a cry of joy; for he
saw the house of one of his father’s foresters, where he had once been
with his father. “Wolf! Wolf!” he exclaimed, “look yonder; that is the
house of Darkeye the forester. We are safe!” and the thread was
leading straight down in the very direction which they wished.
Darkeye’s house was built on a small green island in the lake. The
island was like a little fort, for on every side the rocks descended
like a wall. It could only be approached by a boat, which Darkeye kept
on the island, and then by a narrow stair cut out of the rock. No
robbers could thus get near it, and Darkeye was there to give shelter
to travellers, and to help any of the poor who had to pass that way.
The thread led down to the shore and the narrow ferry. They forgot
their fatigue, and ran down till they reached the ferry. “Boat ahoy!”
shouted Eric.
By-and-by two boys were seen running out of the cottage, and after
looking cautiously at those who were calling for the boat, they rowed
off, and soon were at the shore, where stood Eric with his gold belt,
and Wolf in his rough skins. “Don’t you remember me?” asked Eric. The
boys looked astonished as they recognized the young prince, and
received him joyfully into their boat, he holding by the thread, which
seemed to cross the ferry towards the cottage.
How many questions were mutually put and answered in a few minutes!
They told him their father was at home; and how he had lately seen the
king; and how the king was anxiously looking for Eric’s return; and
how glad all on the island would be to see him. And the younger boy
told him how they had a tame otter, that fished in the lake, and a
fine golden eagle which they had got young in her nest, that lived on
the island with them; and how their mother had got another baby since
he had been there, and how happy they all were, and so on, until they
arrived at the island. And there was old Darkeye himself waiting to
receive them; and when he saw who was in the boat, he ran down the
stone steps and grasped the young prince’s hand, and drew him to his
heart. “Welcome, welcome!” said he; “I knew you had been in the
forest, but your father would not tell me anything more about you. He
only said that he longed for your coming home. But who is this?” asked
Darkeye, pointing to Wolf.
“A friend of mine,” said Eric, with a smile.
“My name is Wolf,” grunted the swineherd.
“I think I have seen him before. But no! What? Yes!” said Darkeye,
examining him; then added, as if he had discovered some old
acquaintance, “Surely I _have_ seen him. Tell me, my fine fellow, did
you――――”
It was evident Darkeye had seen Wolf killing his game, or in some
affray with the robbers. Wolf looked steadily at Darkeye, then at
Eric, but said nothing.
“O Darkeye, do not trouble poor Wolf, but let him go into the cottage,
and come you with me, as I wish to tell you all that has happened to
me during these few days.”
So, while the boys took Wolf to the cottage, and food was being
prepared, Eric told Darkeye all his adventures; and you would have
been sure that the forester was hearing something which surprised and
interested him wonderfully, had you seen his face, and how he
sometimes laughed, or knit his brows and looked angry, or sad and
solemn, or sprang to his feet from the rock on which he was sitting
beside Eric.
When Eric came to speak about the old woman and her daughter, “Ah!”
said Darkeye, “there are not worse people in that wicked country! They
say that the old woman is a witch of some kind. But whether she
poisons travellers or drowns them, I know not. No doubt she is in
league with Ralph the robber, and would have robbed you or kept you
fast in some way or other till you were handed over to him. You were
right, my prince, in all you did. The only way of being delivered from
temptation is to be brave, and do what is right, come what may.” At
last, grasping Eric by the hand, he led him back to the cottage. There
Darkeye’s wife received him like a mother, and all the children
gathered round him in surprise and admiration, he looked so brave and
lovely.