UNDINE'S STORY
Undine lost her wilful ways on her wedding-day.
Her foster-parents watched her, bewildered, so gentle was she, so
thoughtful. She, who had but seldom flung her arms around them,
embraced them now, and thanked them with tears in her eyes for all
their care. Nor would she let them go, until she saw that the old
woman wished to prepare breakfast.
Then she herself flew to the hearth, and making her foster-mother
rest, she swept and dusted, and prepared the meal. It was strange that
she had never thought of doing this before.
And those who dwelt with her, as they watched her grow so gracious, so
gentle, learned to love her even more than in the days when she had
been wild and wilful.
One evening Undine, with Huldbrand by her side, wandered along the
bank of the forest stream.
The knight marvelled that the waters had suddenly grown peaceful, and
that now again they were gliding quietly along their usual course.
'To-morrow,' said his fair wife sorrowfully, 'to-morrow you can ride
forth where you will.'
'But,' said Huldbrand, 'you know well that if I go I will not leave
you behind.'
'I do not think you will leave me, Huldbrand. Yet carry me across to
yonder little island, for there I will tell to you the story of the
maiden you have made your wife. It may be that when you have heard it,
you will ride away alone into the wide world.'
Then silently the knight carried her, as she wished, across the stream
to the tiny island, and laid her down on the green grass. It was on
this very spot that he had found her on the night of the terrible
storm.
'Sit there, where I can look into your eyes as I tell my tale,' said
his wife, 'for as I look I shall be able to see what you are thinking,
nor will there be any need for you to tell me.'
'In the world,' said Undine, 'there are many beings whom mortals
seldom see, for should these beings hear a mortal drawing near, they
quickly hide themselves. These beings of whom I tell you are spirits
that dwell in fire, earth, air and water.
'Those who dwell in the flames are called salamanders, nor do these
spirits wish for any other home, as they play merrily and fearlessly
among the sparkling fires.
'Deep under the earth live the gnomes, rough and fearsome spirits
they, full of malice too, should any mortal cross their path.
'In lofty forests dwell more fair and joyous spirits, guarding each
some well-loved spot from a mortal's heavy tread.
'And better known and better loved than these of whom I have told you
are the spirits who haunt the waters. These have their home in sea or
lake, in river or in little brook.
'Deep down under the blue waters, hidden from mortal eyes, are the
palaces of the water spirits. Their walls are built of crystal and are
hung with coral, their floors are paved with shining pearls.
'Deep down under the blue waters are yellow sands. There the merry
little water-spirits play their games and gambol all the glad long
days, until they leave their childhood far behind.
'Pure and fair, more fair even than the race of mortals are the
spirits of the water. Fishermen have chanced to see these water-nymphs
or mermaidens, and they have spoken of their wondrous beauty. Mortals
too have named these strange women Undines. Look upon me, Huldbrand,
look long and well, for I, your wife, am an Undine!'
The knight gazed sadly upon his beautiful wife. He wished to believe
that she was but weaving fairy tales with which to charm him through
the quiet eventide, yet as he gazed upon her he shuddered lest the
tale she told was true.
Undine saw that he shuddered, and tears sprang into her blue eyes as
she went on with her story.
'When I was a child I lived in the depths of the sea. My father's
crystal palace was my home, for he, my father, is the Lord of the
Ocean. Kühleborn is my uncle. He used to watch me with his big eyes
until I grew afraid, and even now, although I live above the waters,
he comes to me and ofttimes he frightens me as though I were again a
little child.
'Brothers and cousins, too, were mine and played with me on the yellow
sands beneath the blue sea.
'Merry were our lives and free, for the sorrows of mortals came not
near to us. We had no soul, the gift God gives to every mortal, and
without a soul no pain could enter into our lives.
'Yet my father, the King of the Ocean, longed that I, his only
daughter, should gain the great gift which is given to every mortal.
And this he wished, though well he knew that to mortals was given,
with the gift of a soul, the power to suffer.
'An Undine can gain a soul in one way alone. She must love and be
loved by one of mortal birth.
'You, Huldbrand, you have given me my soul, and should you now despise
me or drive me from you, I should suffer even as one of your own race.
'Yet if you care not to have an Undine for your wife, leave me, and I
will plunge into the waters. Then Kühleborn, my uncle, who brought me
a merry happy child to the fisherman, will come and carry me back to
my ocean home. There will I live, loving, sorrowing, for into the
depths of the blue sea will I carry my new-won soul.'
Then Huldbrand forgot everything save the great love he bore his fair
wife Undine. He took her in his arms and carried her across the
little stream, whispering to her that she should never leave him.
Together they went back to the cottage, and to the water-maiden the
little dwelling gleamed more bright than the crystal palace of the
Ocean King.