The young Duchess of Brabant, Elsa the Beautiful, had gone into the
woods hunting, and becoming separated from her attendants, sat down to
rest under a wide-branching linden-tree.
She was sorely troubled, for many lords and princes were asking for her
hand in marriage. More urgent than all the others was the invincible
hero, Count Telramund, her former guardian, who since the death of her
father had ruled over the land with masterly hand. Now the duke, her
father, on his death-bed had promised Telramund that he might have Elsa
for wife, should she be willing; and Telramund was continually reminding
her of this. But Elsa blushed with shame at the mere thought of such a
union, for Telramund was a rough warrior, as much hated for his cruelty
as he was feared for his strength. To make matters worse he was now at
the court of the chosen King Henry of Saxony, threatening her with war
and even worse calamities.
In the shade of the linden Elsa thought of all this, and pitied her own
loneliness in that no brother or friend stood at her side to help her.
Then the sweet singing of birds seemed to comfort her, and she dropped
into a gentle sleep. As she dreamed it seemed to her that a young knight
stepped out of the depths of the forest. Holding up a small silver bell,
he spoke in friendly tones:
"If you should need my help, just ring this."
Elsa tried to take the trinket, but she could neither rise nor reach the
outstretched hand. Then she awoke.
Thinking over the apparition Elsa noted a falcon circling over her
head. It came nearer and finally settled on her shoulder. Around his
neck hung a bell exactly like that she had seen in the dream. She
loosened it, and as she did so the bird rose and flew away. But she
still held the little bell in her hand, and in her soul was fresh hope
and peace.
When she returned to the castle she found there a message, bidding her
appear before the king in Cologne on the Rhine. Filled with confidence
in the protection of higher powers, she did not hesitate to obey. In
gorgeous costume, with many followers, she set out.
King Henry was a man who loved justice and exercised it, but his kingdom
was in constant danger from inroads by wild Huns, and for this reason he
wished to do whatever would win the favor of the powerful Count
Telramund. When, however, he saw Elsa in all her beauty and innocence he
hesitated in his purpose.
The plaintiff brought forward three men who testified that the duchess
had entered into a secret union with one of her vassals. Only two of
these men were shown to be perfidious; the testimony of the other seemed
valid, though this was not enough to condemn her.
Then Telramund seized his sword, crying out that God Himself should be
the judge, and that a duel should decide the matter. So a duel was
arranged to take place three days later.
Elsa cast her eyes around the circle of nobles, but saw no one grasp his
sword in defense of her Innocence. Fear of the mighty warrior Telramund
filled them all.
Remembering the little bell, she drew it forth from her pocket and rang
it. The clear tones broke the stillness, grew louder and louder until
they reached even the distant mountains.
"My champion will appear in the contest," she said; where-upon the
count let forth such a mocking laugh that the hearts of all were filled
with intense fear.
The day of the contest was at hand. The king sat on his high throne and
watched the majestic river that sent its mighty waters through the
valley. Princes and brave knights were gathered together. Before them
stood Telramund, clad in armor, and at his side the accused Elsa,
adorned with every grace that Nature can bestow.
Three times the mighty hero challenged some one to come forward as a
champion for the accused girl, but no one stirred. Then arose from the
Rhine the sound of sweet music; something silvery gleamed in the
distance, and as it came nearer it was plain that it was a swan with
silver feathers. With a silver chain he was pulling a small ship, in
which lay sleeping a knight clad in bright armor.
When the bark landed, the knight awoke, rose, and blew three times on a
golden horn. This was the signal that he took up the challenge. Quickly
he strode into the lists.
"Your name and descent?" cried the herald.
"My name is Lohengrin," answered the stranger, "my origin royal: more it
is not necessary to tell."
"Enough," broke in the king, "nobility is written on your brow."
Trumpets gave the signal for the fight to begin. Telramund's strokes
fell thick as hail, but suddenly the stranger knight rose and with one
fearful stroke split the count's helmet and cut his head.
"God has decided," cried the king. "His judgment is right; but you,
noble knight, will help us in the campaign against the barbarian hordes
and will be the leader of the detachment which the fair duchess will
send from Brabant."
Gladly Lohengrin consented, and amid cries of delight from the assembled
people he rode over to Elsa, who greeted him as her deliverer.
Lohengrin escorted Elsa back to Brabant, and on the way love awoke in
their hearts, and they knew that they were destined for each other. In
the castle of Antwerp they were pledged, and a few weeks later the
marriage took place. As the bridal couple were leaving the cathedral,
Lohengrin said to Elsa:
"One thing I must ask of you, and that is that you never inquire
concerning my origin, for in the hour that you put that question must I
surely part from you."
It was not long after the ceremony that the cry to arms came from King
Henry, and Elsa accompanied her husband and his troops to Cologne, where
all the counts of the kingdom were assembled. Here there were many
inquiries concerning Lohengrin, and when none seemed to know of his
origin, some jealously claimed that he was the son of a heathen
magician, and that he gained his victories by the power of black arts.
Elsa, who had heard rumors of these charges, was deeply grieved; for she
knew the noble heart of her husband. He had even relieved her fears for
his safety by the assurance that he was under the protection of powers
higher than human.
But she could not banish the evil rumors from her mind, and forgetting
the warning her husband had given her on the day of her marriage, she
dropped to her knees and asked him concerning his birth.
"Dear wife," he cried in great distress, "now will I tell to you and to
the king and to all the assembled princes, what up to this time I have
kept secret; but know that the time of our parting is at hand."
Then the hero led his trembling wife before the king and his nobles who
were assembled on the banks of the Rhine.
[Illustration: ELSA ON HER KNEES BEFORE LOHENGRIN]
[Illustration: FRITHIOF AND INGEBORG IN THE TEMPLE OF BALDER]
"The son of Parsifal am I," he said, "the son of Parsifal, the keeper of
the Holy Grail. Gladly would I have helped you, O King, in your fight
against the barbarians, but an unavoidable fate calls me away. You will,
however, be victorious, and under your descendants will Germany become a
powerful nation."
When he finished speaking there was a deep silence, and then, as upon
his arrival, there rose the sound of music--not joyful this time, but
solemn, like a chant at the grave of the dead. It came nearer and again
the swan and the boat appeared.
"Farewell, dear one," Lohengrin cried, folding his wife in his arms.
"Too dearly did I hold you and your pleasant land of earth; now a higher
duty calls me."
Weeping, Elsa clung to him; but the swan song sounded louder, like a
warning. He tore himself free and stepped into the boat. Was it the ship
of death and destruction, or only the ship that carried the blessed to
the sacred place of the Grail? No one knew.
Elsa, lonely and sad, did not live long after the separation. Her only
hope was that she would be reunited to her dear husband; and she parted
willingly with her own life, as other children of earth have done when
they have lost all that they held most precious.