And thus I have wandered about the Winkel forests. I have been in the
Hinter Winkel and in the ravines of the Miesenbach, in the forests of
the Kar, in Lautergraeben, and in the Wolfsgrube, in the Felsenthal and
on the pastures of the Alm, and yonder in the glen where lies the
beautiful lake. I have introduced myself to the old and made myself
known to the young. It costs trouble and there are misunderstandings.
With a few exceptions, the best of these people are not so good or the
worst so bad as I formerly believed.
I am even obliged to be a little deceptive; they must not know why I am
here. Many take me for a deserter and for that reason are friendly
toward me. To please these foresters a man must be despised and exiled
from the world, must indeed be as savage and happy-go-lucky as
themselves. Then I have been obliged to look about me for some work. I
weave baskets out of straw, I gather and prepare tinder and carve toys
for the children out of beech wood. I have already so fully gained the
confidence of the people, that they have taught me how to whet the
tools, and now I understand sharpening the axes and saws of the
wood-cutters. This brings me in many a groschen and I accept it--I
must, indeed, depend upon the work of my hands, like everyone here. My
room presents a somewhat confused appearance. And here I sit and work,
when the weather is bad outside or on long autumn evenings, among the
willow branches, the bits of wood, and the various tools. I am seldom
alone; either my housekeeper is chatting with me, or a pitch-maker,
root-digger, or charcoal-burner sits by me and smokes his pipe, watching
with a grin while I begin and finish the different things, and finally
going to work himself. Or there are children about me, listening to the
fairy-tales which I relate, or playing with the chips, until I have
finished the toy in my hands. On Sundays the forester sits with me for
hours together, hearing the story of my experiences and my plans for the
people of the Winkel woods. We talk over everything and I occasionally
write a long letter to the owner of the forest.
The wood-cutters from Lautergraeben are approaching nearer and nearer
the Winkel, and already through the silent forest I have heard the
crashing of many a falling tree. Upon the summit of the Lauter, a pale
reddish plain is spreading from day to day and in the morning sunlight
shines down in a friendly way through the dark green of the forest.
In the ravines of the Winkel, stone-breakers and ditchers are working; a
waggon road is to be built for the transportation of coal and wood.
I like to go about with the workmen, watching them and talking with
them, desirous of learning something of their life.
But occasionally the people are a little mistrustful of me and approach
me with prejudice. I often carry a little volume of Goethe with me, and
seat myself in some attractive nook to read. Many a time I have been
secretly watched while so occupied. And then the report circulates
through the forest that I am a wizard and have a book containing magic
signs. I have wondered if this peculiar reputation may not at first
have given me some advantage in carrying out my plans. The children
would surely be allowed by their parents to learn to read, if I told
them that by first understanding the magic signs, one could exorcise
devils, dig for treasure, and control the weather. I think that the
grown people themselves and even the grey-beards would drop their tools
and come to school to me. But that would be dishonourable and I should
only produce the opposite result from that which I desire. The chief
thing is, not that the people learn to read and write, but that they may
be freed from harmful prejudices and have pure hearts. Of course I
might later substitute books of morals and say,--"Here are the true
magic signs"; but those whom I had deceived would have no further
confidence in me, and the evil would be greater rather than less.
We will not sneak through a roundabout way; we will hew a straight path
through the midst of the old trees.
A few times I have read songs to the people; to the girls
_Heideroeslein_, and have taught _Christel_ to the boys. They learn the
verses quickly, and they are already much sung in the forest.
*UNREST*
And now the autumn has come. The clouds are dispersed with the morning
mists, leaving the sky bright and clear. The brilliant foliage of the
maples stands out in relief against the dark brown of the pine-forest,
while in the valley, the meadow has become green anew or glistens with
the silvery hoar-frost. In these woods the autumn is more brilliant and
almost lovelier than the spring. In the spring there is a capricious
brightness and splendour, song and exultation everywhere. The autumn,
on the contrary, is like a quiet, solemn Sabbath. No longer mindful of
the earth, Nature is then expectantly listening to heaven, and the
breath of the Almighty stirs harmonious melodies upon the golden strings
of mellow sunshine.
The sky has become so trustworthy, that it more than fulfils through the
day that which it promises in the morning with its sad and misty eyes.
One gazes into its still, blue depths.
Yonder beside the forest fire sits the shepherd-boy. He is taking some
little round things from a bag and shoving them into the fire.
"Tell me, boy, where did you get the potatoes?"