Othmar and Williswind were brother and sister. Since the death of their parents they had lived together in the beautiful castle, and had grown to love each other dearly. They were always together.
The time came when war broke out, and Othmar was called away. His going grieved Williswind sorely. Now she would have no one but the servants with her in the great Castle.
“My dear brother,” she exclaimed, “what shall I do without you?”
[94]“Sister mine,” replied Othmar, “I grieve to leave you thus alone, but you know it is impossible for me to do otherwise.”
Othmar took with him all the able bodied men. Only the old men, women and children were left at home to protect his sister.
In those days many lawless robber knights3 roamed through the forests, doing whatever pleased them. Afraid of these, Williswind ordered that the Castle gates should be kept closed all the time.
One evening as she sat in the great hall of the Castle with her servants about her, a trumpet5 sounded at the gate. The women stopped their spinning, and the men ceased their polishing of arms and armor. The Warder entered announcing that there was a pilgrim at the gate begging for shelter.
“Admit him at once,” said Williswind.
In a few moments the Warder returned, accompanied by the pilgrim.
[95]“Be welcome to our cheer, stranger. Such as we have we give freely,” said Williswind.
“Thanks, fair lady, for your kindness,” replied the stranger, glancing about the room.
The pilgrim was clad in worn garments, yet did not seem like a beggar. At times cruelty and cunning appeared in his face. Secretly he looked about as if to examine every part of the castle. His strange manner caused Williswind great uneasiness. The thought came to her that he might possibly be a robber knight4 in disguise.
In the morning, however, the pilgrim departed peaceably, and the young princess felt calm once more. The days passed quietly by and Williswind began to look forward to her brother’s return. One morning the pilgrim suddenly returned, but not this time in pilgrims garments. He was clad in full armor, and came with a large number of followers6.
[96]“I come,” he said, “to demand the hand of the Princess Williswind in marriage, and if she denies me I will take her by force.”
“I beseech7 you,” replied Williswind, “depart and leave me in peace. I have love for none but my brother, and desire only to be left here with my servants to await quietly his return.”
But the evil knight only repeated his demand, saying that he would return in three days for an answer. If at the end of that time Williswind did not consent freely, he would take the Castle by force and carry her away.
What was to be done? Her brother was too far away to come to her aid. She decided8, however, to send a message to him, asking him to come at once.
Knowing that it would be unsafe for the princess to remain in the Castle the old Warder persuaded Williswind to set out for a Convent, which was not many miles away.
[97]The robber knight, however, had left spies all about the castle and the princess had not gone very far with her followers, when they were overtaken by the knight himself.
The servants with Williswind fought bravely, but they were soon overcome. The bold knight carried Williswind and her maid off to a lonely tower in the woods.
“Here I shall leave you,” he said; “but I will return in three days to receive your answer.”
Then he locked the heavy door, and left them alone. The two captives looked about for means of escape, but they found only thick walls and heavily barred doors and windows. All about them was nothing but wilderness9, so they could expect aid from no passerby10. Escape was hopeless.
They looked about the tower for food and water, but none was to be found. The unhappy girls sat and waited anxiously.[98] They looked through the barred windows. The hours seemed days. Suddenly Williswind gave a cry of joy.
“Oh, look,” she said, “yonder is my pet raven.”
She whistled to the raven. It recognized her voice and came at once. She and Othmar had spent many happy hours together, teaching the raven to do various things. Among other things, it had learned to bring berries.
The bird at once seemed to understand everything, and went out into the woods. Soon it returned with a few berries. Back and forth11 it went during the whole day, bringing berries to the two hungry girls. The next day and the day after, it kept them supplied with this kind of food.
On the third day the robber knight reappeared. He felt sure that Williswind would by this time be ready to agree to accept him, but his hope was in vain.[99] The food which the bird had brought had increased her courage.
“Not for all the wealth of India,” she said, “would I consent to your proposal.”
Angrily the knight rode away, declaring that he would return again in three days more. The time passed very slowly in the gloomy tower. In spite of the raven’s faithful visits, the girls became faint and weak from hunger.
On the sixth day Williswind was sitting at the window, watching eagerly for the bird’s return. Suddenly she saw the figure of a knight come from the thicket12. As she looked at him, she saw that it was not the robber knight; his armor was entirely13 different. Hope came to her at once, and she called out loudly and waved her handkerchief through the bars.
The knight heard the call and turned in the direction of the tower. Williswind uttered a cry of rapture14; it was her brother. In his haste to reach home as quickly as possible, he had taken this path through the forest.
Just at this moment the robber knight came riding up. Seeing Othmar he challenged him to fight. Down across the open space before the tower the two horses came, and met with a loud clash in the center. Othmar held his saddle, but the robber knight was stretched upon the ground.
Othmar was not a little surprised when he entered the old Castle to find that it was his beloved sister who had called to him from the tower. It was not long before Williswind was safe once more in the beautiful Castle of Stolzenfels.
Othmar was greatly pleased at the skill with which the raven had provided for his sister, so he adopted a new Coat-of-Arms, with the raven as his emblem15, and set the little figure above the gate of the Castle, to tell to all the world the story of the faithful raven.
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1
raven
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| n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的 | |
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2
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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3
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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4
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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5
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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6
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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7
beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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8
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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passerby
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| n.过路人，行人 | |
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11
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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12
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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13
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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14
rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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