THE ROOT-VALLEY AND ITS INHABITANTS.--THE STORY-TELLING
GUESTS.--THE KING OF ROOT-VALLEY AND HIS CURIOUS
DAUGHTER.--THE AERIAL CHARIOT.--FESTIVITIES IN THE
TOWN.--RETURN THROUGH THE AIR FROM THE ROOF OF THE
TOWN-HOUSE.--WHIMS OF THE PRINCESS.
The road between Nuremberg and Leipsic ran in former times, in one
part, along the edge of a dark forest, which stretched into the
country far over the mountains. In the middle of this forest the
rocks enclosed a deep green valley, bordered by almost impenetrable
hedges, so that neither man nor beast could enter it. Here dwelt at
that time the merry little people of the Rootmen. They were pretty
little creatures, in form and look like human beings,--the tallest
about six inches high, and the smallest as long as your little
finger. In summer they lived in mossy bowers and under the leaves
of the tall fern; in winter they nestled among the roots of trees,
in the holes of some gnarled old trunk, and crept into the clefts
in the rocks. Their dress was fine and elegant: the little men wore
coats and hose of moss, and the little women dresses of pretty
variegated flowers, leaves, and gossamer, according as the weather
was warm or cold. They never felt the time long, having always
plenty of employment; they had to keep their roads in order, gather
in their stores, and the like; their favourite pastimes were
climbing and jumping, and arranging grand water-parties in
nutshells upon the brook which ran through their country. At other
times they would play at Hunt-the-hare with the Grasshoppers and
May-beetles, and dance the most graceful dances to the song of the
Birds: nor must it be forgotten that they understood the language
of all living creatures.
Two festivals in the year gave the little Rootmen especial delight.
On certain days in Spring and Autumn there arrived large troops of
merry guests, who were hospitably welcomed and entertained, and who
in return used to tell the inquisitive little people what was
passing in the world without.
These guests were no other than the thousands and thousands of
Birds of Passage, who in Spring came from the South, and in Autumn
from the North. The Storks told their village stories, the Swallows
twittered their fairy-tales, and the Nightingales brought with them
new and beautiful songs. There came frequently too a troop of
migrating Rats, who gave descriptions of their travels, while
Magpies and Ravens told legends and tales of marvel that made one
shudder. In this manner the little Rootmen received constantly news
of the whole wide world. Such stories of course filled them with
curiosity to make acquaintance with Men, but an innate feeling of
dread prevented the little beings from quitting their peaceful
Valley.
Now one time there reigned over this people a dear good old King,
who had one daughter, a very beautiful Princess; she was however
more full of curiosity than all other maidens in the world, nay
even more so indeed than her own little countrywomen. Her longing
to see Men and Women in the world without, of whom she had heard so
many wonderful things, had grown very strong. The good old King did
all in his power to dissuade her from this wish, representing Men
as fierce and selfish giants: "No living creature," said he, "is
secure from their mastery; the biggest elephant is obliged to dance
to their will, as well as the smallest flea." But all was of no
avail; his daughter had taken it into her head to visit the world,
and go she would. The thought of this preyed upon her mind, and she
grew more and more melancholy and thin; until at length the King
resolved to grant her wish, in the hope that the sight would
frighten her for ever, and drive away her curiosity.
A beautiful new Birds'-nest was therefore immediately selected,
cushioned with feathers and moss, and over this was fixed a shadowy
roof of leaves, as a shelter from the sun. In this car the
Root-King seated himself with the Princess; nor was it forgotten to
place in it also a delicate repast of juicy berries, honey, and
tender young buds. Two Cranes, who had practised their task for a
week previously, took up the nest with their bills, and flew with
it through the air to the nearest large Town inhabited by Men.
In a few hours the two birds were hovering with the nest over the
houses of the town. With a gentle flight they descended, and
deposited the royal aerial chariot carefully upon the tower of the
Townhouse, whence there was a view over all the streets, without
any fear of being seen. That was indeed a sight! Even the King
himself had never imagined that a city of Men could be so splendid.
The Princess too shouted and jumped with joy, until she nearly fell
out of the nest, had not one of the Cranes with his long bill
suddenly caught her by her little leg.
Now, as chance would have it, on this same day the Prince of that
country was celebrating his wedding with the daughter of a foreign
King, so that the whole city was in one blaze of splendour.
What shows and sights were there to be seen! processions, fairs,
reviews of a thousand regiments, theatres in the open air,
rope-dancers, races,--in short, it is impossible to describe them
all. But first and foremost the Prince and his young wife! how
splendid he looked in his scarlet uniform, with the star upon his
breast, moustachios, and large blue eyes; and she, in a red velvet
dress, covered with pearls and precious stones, which sparkled and
sent their light high up to the very gallery of the Townhouse.
Wherever you looked there was something new and strange, and so it
went on from early in the morning until the sun disappeared behind
the mountains.
However much all these marvellous sights delighted the old King,
his opinion of Mankind remained unaltered, and he was sorry that
his daughter should just have chosen this day to witness the most
brilliant side of Men's doings. He was however too weak to deny
himself a view of the scene; nay, he would even have remained up
there still longer, but that, as night fell and darkness came on,
some men suddenly appeared on the gallery, to illuminate the
building and let off the fireworks. The men approached the nest.
How the Princess started with affright at the sight of such
gigantic forms! The King too lost his speech from terror; and had
not the Cranes, of themselves, lifted up the stork's nest into the
air and borne it quickly off, there would have been an end of the
King and his daughter, and of our story too. However fortunately
they were just in time: and still from afar off the aerial
travellers saw the fireworks fly into the air, whizzing and
fizzing, and crackling and sparkling, from the tower of the
Townhouse, which was certainly all very splendid at a distance,
but close by would have been certain death. So the King and his
daughter returned safe and sound to their own Root-Valley.
The little Princess of course now saw well that Men were too big
for her to be able to share in their grand doings; still her old
fancies and longing returned, and even stronger than ever, although
in a somewhat altered form. She was firmly convinced that there
must be upon earth yet another race of beings as small as her own
little countrymen, but as clever and wise as Men; and so she
resolved never in her life to marry, unless a Prince of her own
size should take her for his wife; but then too he must have
exactly such an hussar's jacket, and exactly such a star on his
breast, and just the same large blue eyes, as the Man-Prince in the
city; and he must also rule over a little People, who possessed
exactly the same peculiarities as they.
These whims and fancies of his daughter made the good old King
quite sad. Right gladly would he have had a son-in-law,--but such a
one! where in the wide world was he to be found? He indeed did all
in his power to form and teach his People according to the rules
and laws of Men, but nothing came of it,--they were not a whit the
cleverer. The little fellows were never tired of _hearing_ of Men
and their doings, but to become like them--no indeed! They would
remain for ever and aye what they were,--free, merry little
Rootmen! The end of it was that the Princess got no husband, and
the King no son-in-law.
[Illustration: Second Chapter.]