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diff --git a/25464.txt b/25464.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f924604 --- /dev/null +++ b/25464.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1353 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The King of Root Valley, by R. Reinick + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The King of Root Valley + and his curious daughter + +Author: R. Reinick + +Illustrator: T. Von Oer + R. Reinick + +Release Date: May 14, 2008 [EBook #25464] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KING OF ROOT VALLEY *** + + + + +Produced by Jason Isbell, Suzan Flanagan, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Illustration: THE +KING OF ROOT VALLEY +A FAIRY TALE] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + + THE + + KING OF ROOT VALLEY + + AND HIS CURIOUS DAUGHTER. + + A Fairy Tale. + + BY + + R. REINICK. + + With Eight Illustrations, by T. Von Oer and R. Reinick. + + LONDON: + CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. + 1856. + + + + + PRINTED BY + JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR, LITTLE QUEEN STREET, + LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS. + + + + +Contents. + + +CHAPTER THE FIRST. + PAGE + + 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 1 + +CHAPTER THE SECOND. + + THE SPRING FESTIVAL IN ROOT-VALLEY.--THE NUT-FIELD.--THE + MIGRATING BIRDS.--A STRANGE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR + APPEARANCE.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN.--THE PRINCESS + FALLS INTO RAPTURES 7 + +CHAPTER THE THIRD. + + THE WONDERFUL BROOK.--THE OVERTURNED CARRIER'S + WAGGON.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN COME TO LIFE.--THE + THREE WISHES.--THE BOX OF NUREMBERG TOYS.--THE + WANDERING RATS.--HOW HARLEQUIN BRINGS TO LIFE A WHOLE + NATION AND ARMY.--BATTLE WITH THE + RATS.--HOMAGE.--PROCESSION TO THE ROOT-VALLEY 11 + +CHAPTER THE FOURTH. + + NUTCRACKER IS BETROTHED TO THE PRINCESS OF ROOT-VALLEY, AND + TAKES POSSESSION OF THE NUTFIELD.--THE BIRDS + DEPART.--WHAT ILL COMES OF IT.--WEDDING AND PARTING 19 + +CHAPTER THE FIFTH. + + THE PUPPET-KINGDOM IS SET IN ORDER.--HAUGHTINESS OF + NUTCRACKER, HIS WIFE, AND SUBJECTS.--ANTIPATHY OF THE + TWO PEOPLES.--THE ROOT-KING ABDICATES HIS + CROWN.--NUTCRACKER A TYRANT.--PREPARATIONS FOR WAR IN + ROOT-VALLEY.--THE WAR.--HARLEQUIN'S DEATH.--FLIGHT AND + DESTRUCTION OF THE PUPPET-KINGDOM.--NUTCRACKER'S + DEATH.--THE PRINCESS SAVED 22 + +CHAPTER THE SIXTH. + + THE BIRDCATCHER AND HIS FAMILY.--HOW THE CHILDREN RETURN + HOME WITH RARE TREASURES.--NUTCRACKER'S DEAD BODY.--THE + LITTLE MAIDEN IN THE STORK'S NEST, AND WHO SHE + WAS.--AFFECTING RECONCILIATION ON THE + NUTFIELD.--THREATENING DANGER TO THE + ROOTMEN.--EMIGRATION OF THE ROOTMEN 28 + + + + +[Illustration: First Chapter.] + +The King of Root Valley + +AND + +His Curious Daughter. + +CHAPTER THE FIRST. + + 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.] + +CHAPTER THE SECOND. + + THE SPRING FESTIVAL IN ROOT-VALLEY.--THE NUT-FIELD.--THE + MIGRATING BIRDS.--A STRANGE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR + APPEARANCE.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN.--THE PRINCESS + FALLS INTO RAPTURES. + + +Several years had passed, and the Spring Festival was returning. +All was green and blooming; the trees and hedges were already in +full leaf, and rock, vale, hill and dale were clothed with +their new dress. The Rootmen had already quitted their dark +winter-quarters, and betaken themselves to their summer abodes by +the cool brook, which now once more ran purling merrily along. All +awaited with eager expectation the appearance of the winged guests. + +At length the important day arrived. It was a fine May morning; +through the young foliage of the nut-trees the sunshine played and +sparkled on flowers and turf, on pebbles and rippling waters. Early +in the morning the little Heralds, decked out in new coats of moss, +were seen riding through the Valley upon grasshoppers, and crying +aloud with a clear voice,-- + + "Come forth, ye Rootmen, all come out! + For the Spring is come, and the birds are about." + +The summons was no sooner heard, than the whole of the little +People came pouring from all sides into the Nut-field, which was +set apart for such festivals, and was on this occasion decked out +in the most beautiful manner. In the middle, upon a molehill +prettily covered with small pebbles, stood the throne for the good +King and his fair daughter; it was made of snail-shells and +mussel-shells, and cushioned with feathers. A long alley of +lilies-of-the-valley, six deep, led up to the throne; and when +the royal procession galloped up on squirrels, all the little +lily-bells rang with a lovely melody; for at each lily was +stationed a spider, to pull the bells with a thread of its cobweb. + +A solemn silence followed. The Birds had not yet made their +appearance. They had probably alighted somewhere in the +neighbourhood, to smooth and arrange their feathers, ruffled by +their long flight; they must of course show themselves to their +kind hosts in decent attire! On a sudden was heard from afar a +sound, which drew nearer and nearer, the usual sign that the guests +were approaching; and soon there was a great rustling in the air. +First came a flock of birds flying over the forest, then more and +more, until at last the whole field was quite overshadowed by the +winged guests, who alighted in large flocks upon the ground. + +A general shout of joy resounded on all sides. The newly-arrived +guests were speedily refreshed with food and drink, and then an old +Stork, the most famous story-teller of his time, mounted upon a +large stone, which served him for a rostrum. He had just put on +that pleasant look with which he used to begin all his stories, he +had just cleared his throat and opened his long red bill, when on a +sudden he was interrupted by a loud murmur from the crowd, and a +strange sound, as of many carriages and horses, was heard in the +distance. The Heralds of the Root-King instantly hastened to +ascertain the cause, and presently returned announcing that a new +and strange People were coming through the forest in innumerable +troops, led by a Prince in a scarlet hussar's uniform, with large +blue eyes, and a star upon his breast: his name was Prince +Nutcracker, and with his councillor Harlequin he sought a gracious +audience of the Root-King and his daughter. + +At this news the Princess turned red as scarlet, and the King pale +as death, with affright. The Princess imagined that the Man-Prince +in the town had perceived her on the gallery of the Townhouse, and +was now coming to marry her; but the King feared that the giant +race of Men were come to destroy his subjects and conquer his +country. When however they heard that Prince Nutcracker and his +followers were not bigger than the Rootmen, the Princess's fear was +changed into such joy, that she fell on her father's neck, and +kissed his hands again and again; then the King commanded the +Stork to cease his storytelling, and the Prince with his followers +to be conducted immediately to his presence. + +How Prince Nutcracker and his councillor Harlequin happened to come +hither the following Chapter will tell. + + + + +[Illustration: Third Chapt^r.] + +CHAPTER THE THIRD. + + THE WONDERFUL BROOK.--THE OVERTURNED CARRIER'S + WAGGON.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN COME TO LIFE.--THE + THREE WISHES.--THE BOX OF NUREMBERG TOYS.--THE + WANDERING RATS.--HOW HARLEQUIN BRINGS TO LIFE A WHOLE + NATION AND ARMY.--BATTLE WITH THE + STAR.--HOMAGE.--PROCESSION TO THE ROOT-VALLEY. + + +The road from Nuremberg to Leipsic, at the time of our story, ran +in one part close to a deep hollow, through which a clear brook +wound its way. The stream flowed directly from Root-Valley, and had +the marvellous property, that whatever fell into it instantly +became alive, provided only that it had previously had the form of +some living thing. + +It chanced one day that a carrier's waggon was passing this spot on +its way to the Leipsic Fair, packed full of boxes, when on a sudden +a wheel came off, and the waggon rolled over into a hollow. Now in +the boxes were Nuremberg toys of all kinds, enough to fit out a +whole fair. When the poor carrier saw his waggon overthrown into +the hollow, where he could not get at it, off he ran in despair, +and nobody ever after heard what became of him. Certain it is that +by the upset of the waggon some of the boxes were broken, and, of +the puppets which they contained, a Nutcracker and a Harlequin +rolled into the brook. No sooner were they touched by the water, +than instantly a marvellous animation darted through their limbs. +Slowly they raised themselves, and stared at one another with +amazement. There stood Nutcracker, upon his stiff legs, like a +post, beautifully varnished over, with his bright blue eyes, his +wooden pigtail, and the star upon his breast; while Harlequin, in +his particoloured jacket, with his laughing face, clapped together +his hands and legs over his head for very joy, and hopped about +like a magpie. + +When these first signs of animation subsided into more tranquil +reflection, Harlequin opened his lips, and said, "Great Prince! +that you are a Prince, and I your merry councillor, is clear +enough, for otherwise you would have no star on your breast, and I +no merry-andrew's jacket; but what shall we do first?" + +"That is a question for _you_ to answer, not for _me_," replied +Nutcracker, whom the consciousness of his high birth had already +made grave and haughty. Muttering in his beard, he kept on moving +his under jaw up and down, and continued, "Dear Harlequin! that I +am, as you rightly say, born to be a great man, is proved, not only +by my star, but also by three wishes which have just come into my +head. The first wish is to have a dishfull of the finest nuts, for +which I have a marvellous appetite; the second is to have a +faithful people and a brilliant army, for unquestionably I am born +to govern; the third and last wish is to marry a rich and beautiful +Princess, who shall bring me as her dowry a pretty portion of land, +where I may live with your assistance in all possible ease and +comfort, eat nuts, govern my people, and pass the time merrily. +Your duty is now to advise me how these wishes may be fulfilled." + +"Better do than advise," cried Harlequin: "only trust, my Prince, +to my merriment. Before the sun goes down, you shall be in +possession of all these trifles, or my name is not Harlequin, and +my legs will never more dance and clatter over my head." + +So saying, in a twinkling he climbed up the nearest nut-tree, and +shook it with all his might. The large nuts fell like a shower of +hail, and the hungry Prince began to crack and eat them with all +speed; and he did not feel quite revived until he had eaten his +fill. + +The second wish it was far more difficult to accomplish; +nevertheless Harlequin found ways and means to counsel in this case +likewise. The contents of the waggon, which lay scattered about, +contained people and soldiers enough; he had only to open the +boxes, and bring to life all the thousands of puppets which were +shut up in them; but unluckily the lids of the boxes were fastened +down so tight, that the united strength of the two little men was +unable to force them open. They toiled and moiled till they were +quite exhausted, but all in vain. In this perplexity a word of +advice was worth something. Nutcracker's big blue eyes started out +of his head from the mere effort of considering and contriving, +till they looked like those of a crayfish; Harlequin, on the +contrary, never lost heart or ceased his merriment for an instant. +He twirled round and round like a top, looking for help on all +sides; and before he himself thought of it, indeed an unexpected +aid came in a marvellous way. + +Afar off the brown fields which bordered the forest-glen appeared +all at once to become alive. An immense host of migrating Rats, on +their journey from the South to the North, were advancing this way, +and by chance fell directly upon the scattered heap of boxes. + +"Out of the way, my Prince!" cried Harlequin, "if we would not let +ourselves be devoured like hazelnuts." + +They both sprang on one side. The Rats, which, as every one knows, +never turn out of their road, but always go straight forward, +through field and wood, over hedge and ditch, gnawing their way +through stick and stone, fell without ado upon the chests and +boxes. The fresh young pine-wood boards were a welcome prize to +their sharp teeth, and so too the strong hempen ropes. Speedily off +fell the box-lids, one here, one there,--crack went a rope on this +side, another on that! The most splendid toys presently lay +scattered about in confusion on the road, and some of the Rats fell +to gratifying their nibbling propensity upon them. When Harlequin +beheld this, he cried aloud to the Rats, "A good appetite to you, +ye board-eaters! have you enough?" And so saying he jumped into the +brook, and flung his legs and arms about him, till the water +splashed over all the other little Nutcrackers, Harlequins, and tin +and wooden soldiers, who instantly became alive and jumped upon +their legs. + +"Follow me!" cried Harlequin: "one fool makes many,--one wise man +many wise!" And he was right. Fresh puppets kept continually rising +up and coming to life; the regiments formed themselves, the little +horses were soon harnessed to the cannons and drew them, the tin +Generals put themselves at the head of their troops, and the order +of battle was arranged against the Rats. It was indeed high time, +for many of the puppets had already fallen under the sharp teeth of +their assailants. At the sight of this, Nutcracker's spirit and +heroic courage were aroused; his eyes rolled, his jaws chattered +with very thirst of fight, his wooden pigtail accompanied all the +motions of his mouth with rapid twitchings. Impatiently he drew his +sword, and at the head of his Body-guard (who were also +Nutcrackers, but without the star, and therefore no princes) he led +his army to battle. + +And now he gave the signal to fire! Instantly all the firearms and +cannons of the innumerable regiments were discharged at the Rats, +who, terrified by the strange noise, took to flight in all haste. +Thus a brilliant victory was gained, and in place of the late +confusion of overturned boxes, there was now to be seen quite a +new world, glittering in all the colours of the rainbow. Towns +and villages, fortresses and country-houses, kitchens and +drawing-rooms, lay scattered one upon another, whilst thousands of +little men and animals were running about. The first thing now was, +of course, that Prince Nutcracker should receive the homage of his +subjects as their ruler. + +But there still remained the third task to be accomplished,--to +find a Princess, and with her hand to obtain a piece of land upon +which the new colony might settle. Here again Harlequin's ingenuity +soon suggested advice and aid. Some of the wounded and captured +Rats were commanded to give a description of all the Princesses +whom they had met with in the course of their travels. When they +came to tell of the beauty of the Princess of Root-Valley, the +wooden heart of Prince Nutcracker, as he listened to their +description, warmed so, that a sound shot through it as if a deal +board were cracking and splitting in a room suddenly heated. This +sound he regarded as an omen; this and no other Princess was to be +his Queen. He therefore resolved instantly to go with all his +People to where the Princess lived, and sue for her hand. + +The procession was forthwith marshalled in due order; the Rat +prisoners served as pioneers and guides; after these followed the +cavalry, then the Prince with all his Court, and behind him the +cannons and infantry. Now came rocking-horses, heavily laden with +band-boxes, in which were towns, villages, theatres, fortresses, +kitchens, and so forth, and all the furniture and cooking utensils; +behind these followed the little baggage-waggons, and tin and +wooden coaches crammed full of passengers; then people on foot, of +all sorts, in every fashion of dress from the time of Adam to the +present day. After all these came long droves of animals, large and +small, out of all the Noah's-arks and menageries which had been in +the waggon,--first the tame and then the wild animals, the latter +accompanied by tin Bedouins and Circassians, who had to watch lest +the little roaring beasts should devour each other or any other +harmless beings. And all the while Harlequins, Scaramouches, and +Pantaloons kept jumping and skipping about in the procession, and +by their tricks and merriment kept all the people in good heart and +humour on the long and arduous march. + +Meanwhile a large fleet of magnetic ships, with tin swans, ducks, +and fishes swimming around them, floated in state on the wonderful +brook, along the bank of which the procession marched. Now let the +Reader picture to himself this interminable multitude advancing in +the beautiful green woods, all amidst lilies-of-the-valley, violets +and buttercups, lettuce-leaves, nettles, and ferns, marching over +hill and dale, in a sparkling sunshine, and with a blue sky +overhead,--and withal the toil and efforts of the little wights, +the creaking of wheels, the cracking of whips, the word of command +resounding through the ranks, the music and singing when the path +was smooth and easy, and the cries and shrieks upon the bad +roads,--how pretty and animated and merry the whole scene must have +been! No wonder indeed that, along the whole way which the +procession journeyed, the birds came out of the trees and hedges, +the beetles crept out of the flowers, even the worms and snails +came out of their hiding-places, all full of curiosity to see the +sight; and no wonder too that they were all impressed with great +admiration for Prince Nutcracker, who ruled over such a splendid +people, and even made long travels with them! + +After long and arduous toil, and incredible efforts, the Colony +arrived at the large Nutfield, of which we have before heard. + + + + +[Illustration: Fourth Chapter.] + +CHAPTER THE FOURTH. + + NUTCRACKER IS BETROTHED TO THE PRINCESS OF ROOT-VALLEY, AND + TAKES POSSESSION OF THE NUTFIELD.--THE BIRDS + DEPART.--WHAT ILL COMES OF IT.--WEDDING AND PARTING. + + +Prince Nutcracker and his followers were received in the most +friendly manner by the good King of Root-Valley. The Princess was +in a sea of rapture at the brilliant appearance of the bright, +varnished, wooden Prince, who in a formal and well-turned speech +declared his love for her, together with his other wishes, in a +pleasing and appropriate manner. The old King even was so moved by +his words, that without more ado he gave him his daughter to wife, +and the whole Nutfield as her dowry. And now, when the old man +tenderly embraced his future son-in-law, all the people around +shouted with joy, and all the thousands of little birds joined in +the general jubilee, piping and singing, and clapping their wings, +amidst shouts of "Long live Prince Nutcracker and his Bride!" Then +it was arranged that the whole procession of the Puppet-people +should take possession of their new land, the Nutfield, before the +eyes of the assembled Rootmen, which immediately took place. + +As often happens in life, that dear old friends are forgotten and +put aside for new ones, so it fell out in this instance. The +migrating Birds, who had formerly been treated with the greatest +attention and respect, and who on this occasion testified their +sympathy and joy at the union of the two Peoples, had in the course +of this day to experience the mortification of seeing their old +friends turn their backs upon them. The little Root-mannikins, in +eager curiosity, pushed them back on all sides, and gave them +pretty clearly to understand that they might take to flight, and +remain away for ever. + +Indignant at such treatment, the Birds rose all together upon the +wing, like one, hovered an instant over the heads of the two +Peoples with a loud noise, and then disappeared with rapid flight +in the blue distance. + +Oh horror and alarm! What happened then? The sudden flight of these +thousands of Birds created such a rush of air, like a whirlwind, +that scarcely a man of the newly-arrived guests could keep himself +on his feet. Whole ranks of tin soldiers fell one upon another; the +cardpaper heroes, actors, and huntsmen were swept far away over the +fields; and even Prince Nutcracker himself, who was at that instant +just going in a polite manner to kiss the hand of his beloved +Princess, was so shaken that he staggered and fell, rolled down +the molehill, and lay sprawling at the foot of it with open mouth. + +An ill omen this for the power of the new Government! The great +admiration which the Rootmen had hitherto felt for their new +friends quickly turned into disdain at this catastrophe. The good +King and the fair Princess alone did not allow themselves to be +carried away by their astonishment; they instantly descended from +their throne, and helped the fallen Prince to regain his legs. But +Nutcracker broke out into bitter reproaches; he called the Birds, +who had upset him, silly high-flying fools, who set themselves +above the whole world, and overturned all rule and order. His anger +was not to be softened, until his future father-in-law promised +that, to prevent the recurrence of any similar disaster, he would +allow nothing flying to enter his kingdom, not even flying leaves. + +One by one all the little people got up on their legs again, and +the rest of the day was passed in merriment and feasting. On the +morrow the wedding of Prince Nutcracker and his fair Bride was +celebrated with the grandest solemnities; after which the two +Peoples took leave of one another in the most friendly manner; the +Root-mannikins returned to their own Valley, and the Puppet-folks +remained on the Nutfield. + + + + +[Illustration: Fifth Chapter.] + +CHAPTER THE FIFTH. + + THE PUPPET-KINGDOM IS SET IN ORDER.--HAUGHTINESS OF + NUTCRACKER, HIS WIFE, AND SUBJECTS.--ANTIPATHY OF THE + TWO PEOPLES.--THE ROOT-KING ABDICATES HIS + CROWN.--NUTCRACKER A TYRANT.--PREPARATIONS FOR WAR IN + ROOT-VALLEY.--THE WAR.--HARLEQUIN'S DEATH.--FLIGHT AND + DESTRUCTION OF THE PUPPET-KINGDOM.--NUTCRACKER'S + DEATH.--THE PRINCESS SAVED. + + +It took Prince Nutcracker a full week to put his State in order, to +erect towns, fortresses, and villages on their proper spots, and to +assign to his subjects their places and sphere of activity. All +this was admirably executed with the aid of his indefatigable +councillor Harlequin, who was the soul of the whole undertaking. +Everything too seemed to favour the new State, for as yet there had +been no cloud in the sky, no gust of wind to overthrow a company of +soldiers, no rain to wash off the beautiful colours of the castles, +or to wet the princely decorations of the great theatre. + +Thus lived the young Princess for some days with her husband in joy +and splendour. She had laid aside her old dresses of leaves, +flowers, and gossamer, and was arrayed like the most elegant +State Puppet, after the newest Paris fashions. She left off her +natural lively movements, and assumed the stiff and stately +deportment of her husband and the ladies of the Court, who +considered it unbecoming to turn their head ever so little on +one side. She almost wholly forgot how to walk, while she +was constantly driving to balls, concerts, and parades, to +cockchafer-hunts and fly-chases. Her chief delight was in finery: +every day she put on a new dress, and before her windows were shops +of all the newest fashions, so that her first glance fell upon them +when she got up in the morning. + +Her husband too, and his subjects, grew continually more and more +haughty. They looked down with contempt upon everything that was +not a Puppet, or so finely painted and varnished as they. Every +bird that flew past, or came near them, was pursued with the +greatest cruelty. + +Even the Rootmen, who came from time to time for their pleasure, +were received with more and more coldness, insomuch that they soon +ceased coming at all. Nay the good King himself was compelled to +witness how his son-in-law and his own daughter came in time to +treat him with indifference. Naturally the former friendship of the +two Peoples was soon turned into bitter hatred. Before a month had +elapsed Prince Nutcracker's arrogance became so great, that he +demanded of the Rootmen a monthly tribute of two thousand of the +finest hazelnuts: at the same time he assembled his troops and +planted his fortresses in a line on the frontier of the +Root-kingdom, resolving, in case of refusal, to invade with his +army the territory of his father-in-law. + +Such a violation of all right naturally filled the gentle spirit of +the good old King with indignation. One whole day long he wept +tears of bitterness into his mossy beard; he then publicly +renounced his ungrateful daughter, and forbade her ever to come +into his sight again. At length he retired from all affairs of +government; he felt that he was too tender-hearted for such arduous +business. + +The tidings of this soon reached his daughter. Her eyes were now at +once opened, and she saw how unworthily she had given away her +hand, how from vanity she had violated her duty to her father, and +to all those who had once been dear to her. Alas, it was too late! +She tried all means to dissuade her husband from his unjust +demands, but he was resolute; and when she continued unceasingly +her entreaties, his anger turned against her likewise; he shut her +up in her room, and would not hear a word more from her. Instead of +joy and peace, her constant companions now were sorrow and +repentance. + +Meanwhile in the Root-kingdom a young and vigorous King was +elected, who shared the hostility of his people against the +insolent intruders, and forthwith declared war upon them. He +resolved by a decisive battle either to annihilate or drive them +away, and to this end he summoned his Allies from all sides to his +aid. Rabbits and moles, lizards and worms, were to invade +Nutcracker's country by an underground attack, and overthrow towns +and villages; locusts, bees, and cockchafers were to fall upon the +enemy from the air; whilst on the ground the Rootmen themselves +should assail the foe with sharp rush-lances and two-edged blades +of grass. + +The morning of the fatal battle dawned gloomily; the sky was +covered with black clouds. Clad in their green and brown moss coats +the Rootmen marched toward the Nutfield, so that the enemy did not +observe them until they were close under his fortresses. Suddenly +there burst forth a cannonade and firing from all the loopholes; +but the balls remained sticking in the moss of the assailants, who +answered the terrific discharge with loud laughter. Quickly the +army of the Rootmen pressed onward into the Nutfield: Prince +Nutcracker threw himself upon them with his Body-guard, but was +driven back; whereupon he fled into the palace, and made Harlequin +his Fieldmarshal. With wild leaps of despair Harlequin led the main +army to the field. + +But soon a general panic seized upon all. The subterranean Allies +of the enemy had already undermined the ground along which the army +of Puppets were marching, and with it the fortresses, towns, and +villages on the Nutfield; at the same time almost all the buildings +round about tumbled one upon another with a loud crash. +Fieldmarshal Harlequin himself was seized by the leg by a fierce +old Mole, who dragged him down into the earth, in spite of the most +heroic struggles: he was never seen again! + +This was the signal for a general and wild flight of Nutcracker's +brilliant army, who fled to the royal palace with the cry of "Save +yourselves as you can!" The palace consisted of strongly-built +wooden saloons, and longest withstood the labours of the +undermining animals. Here Nutcracker had already put the horses to +his State-carriage; then quickly jumping into it with his wife, he +holloa'd to the coachman, "Off and away, far out of this Valley, as +fast as you can, and as far as possible!" And all his people +crowded round the coach in wild confusion to find a refuge, for on +every side insects came flying and buzzing around in the air, and +with their wings overthrew everything that was not firmly fixed. + +Away went the fugitives, rolling over the field like a great ball. +Although hard pressed by the enemy, and with the loss of many +killed, they succeeded in creeping through the great hedge which +surrounded the Valley, and escaping into the forest. + +The reverses of the insolent Prince and his subjects now reached +their height: the very sky waged war against them, and poured down +upon them torrents of rain. Nutcracker and his Princess saw with +grief, from the windows of their coach, the torrent increasing and +overflowing the road,--their subjects, houses, and furniture swept +past in the whirlpool, one after another falling under the toils of +the march, tumbling over precipices or getting entangled in roots, +nettles, and heaps of fallen leaves, and perishing miserably. +Nutcracker's whole People were speedily destroyed: he too had not +gone many yards, when the water unglued the joints of his coach, +and the princely pair were carried away by the flood. But the +natural strong and active spirit of the Princess was now +re-awakened by the danger. How had she once used to skip about +exultingly, and swim upon the waves in such weather! With one hand +she seized her husband's pigtail, and with the other a twig. She +tried with a spring to reach the root of a tree; but alas! the hair +of the terrified Prince was not strong enough: the pigtail remained +in her hand, and she saw her husband carried away by the torrent +and vanish from her sight. + +At first she called sorrowfully after him, but presently her +natural spirit became only the more daring. She threw off her silly +fashionable dress, soaked with the rain, which cramped her slender +limbs; and quickly clothing herself in the first leaves she could +find, climbed up like a squirrel into an old tree, and in a hole in +its branches sought shelter from the storm and the approaching +night. + + + + +[Illustration: Sixth Chapter.] + +CHAPTER THE SIXTH. + + THE BIRDCATCHER AND HIS FAMILY.--HOW THE CHILDREN RETURN + HOME WITH RARE TREASURES.--NUTCRACKER'S DEAD BODY.--THE + LITTLE MAIDEN IN THE STORK'S NEST, AND WHO SHE + WAS.--AFFECTING RECONCILIATION ON THE + NUTFIELD.--THREATENING DANGER TO THE + ROOTMEN.--EMIGRATION OF THE ROOTMEN. + + +At the time when all these wonderful occurrences happened, there +lived at the entrance of this forest an old Birdcatcher and his +family. During the two years since he had settled here, his +business had prospered remarkably; and, especially in the Spring +and Autumn, so many birds had been taken in his nets, that he had +earned many a bright dollar, and had laid by many a spare penny. + +Now once on a Spring day a heavy rain had fallen, and, strange to +say, ever since that time not a bird was longer to be seen there: +every morning the Birdcatcher found his nets torn, his limed twigs +destroyed, and even his screech-owl and other decoy-birds had +vanished from their cages and perches. And yet he knew well enough +there lived no other man in the whole forest who could have done +all this. + +One day he had sent his children with the cart deep into the +forest, to fetch brushwood. Evening came on, and they did not +return. It already began to grow dark, and as they still had not +come back, his anxiety increased, and he determined to go in search +of them. He had just crossed the threshold, when suddenly he heard +a shouting and singing at a distance in the wood. Joyous sounds! it +was his dear children, who were dragging and pushing along the +little cart, piled up and closely packed. + +"You good-for-nothing little brats, where have you been all this +time?" he exclaimed, half angrily, though overjoyed. But they +laughed, and removing the green brushwood with which they had +covered the loaded cart, they exclaimed, quite red in the face with +delight, "Only see, father, what we have here!" And, lo and behold, +the cart was filled from top to bottom with broken, bent, and +gnaw'd playthings! + +And now they went on to tell the whole story of their treasures; +and amidst a Babel of voices, all speaking together, one louder +than another, the sum and substance of the story was this. After +losing their way, they had wandered about till they came to a +narrow, smooth dale, which lost itself like a footpath in the wood. +The ground was all wet and miry from the rain. Suddenly, to their +amazement, they found all these splendid things scattered about in +radiant confusion; and, had not the sun already sunk behind the +pine-trees, they would have followed the path still further. It +seemed to have no end, but disappeared deep in the thicket, and, as +far as they could see, it was all bestrewn with similar treasures. + +The story seemed strange to their father, and he resolved to follow +the path they spoke of the next day, hoping in his own mind to +discover a track of the culprit who had decoyed away the birds and +torn his nets. + +The next morning, as soon as the dawn glimmered through the still +forest, the Birdcatcher's whole family were on their way with the +wood-cart to the dale; and, truly enough, there they found +everything as the children had described. + +"Look, look, father! there is another splendid little wooden +fellow!" exclaimed the youngest child, raking out of the mire a +little Nutcracker, bedaubed with mud, his colours all washed off, +and his pedestal lost. + +"Heyday! what a face the fellow has, and what a mouth, and what +goggling eyes!" cried all the children in one voice. + +"Silly nonsense! stupid toy!" exclaimed the old man angrily, as he +snatched the Nutcracker from them, and flung it far away into the +wood. + +But now a wonderful sight presented itself to his view. + +Out of a Crane's nest, high up on an old oak-tree, there rose a +little maiden of human form, quite enveloped in gossamer. She +climbed down from the tree like a squirrel, ran with all speed to +the spot where Nutcracker lay, dug him a grave with her hands, and, +with the aid of the two Cranes, laid him in it, and raked the earth +over the spot; after which she climbed again up the tree, and into +the nest. + +The Birdcatcher and his family stood open-mouthed, in silent +astonishment; they feared to frighten away the little maiden, but +this strange sight made them hesitate what to do. + +"So, so, then, you are the little witch who robs me of my bread!" +at last exclaimed the Birdcatcher, giving vent to his repressed +anger. "Wait there awhile, my pretty little bird: tomorrow morning +we will come again with axe and nets; we will then cut down your +tree in a trice and catch you. For the present let us see where +this path leads, and whether there are not more of you here." + +Before he had finished speaking, he espied the little maiden +peeping anxiously from under her white veil out of the nest, and +making a sign. And instantly the Cranes came flying to her, took up +the nest with their bills, raised it from the branches, and bore it +swiftly through the air. + +Who other could the little maiden be than our Princess of +Root-Valley? + +Fear of her father and her countrypeople had prevented her +returning to her native Valley. At the same time a feeling of +sorrow for the haughtiness with which she had treated the Birds +whom she had once loved, had grown so strong in her heart, that she +resolved to make amends for her former ill-conduct to these +good-natured creatures. Since the fatal day when her husband and +his people had been all destroyed, she had made her abode in this +tree, and taken under her tender care all the young birds whose +parents had died. Indeed she it really was who, in spite of her +fear of Men, had every night destroyed the Birdcatcher's nets, and +had warned the birds against venturing near him. + +At this instant however she saw the danger which threatened her +countrymen, if these selfish people should discover the +Root-kingdom. All other considerations therefore must yield. +Without delay she desired the Cranes to convey her straight to her +own Valley, where she was resolved to alight, happen what might. + +In the Nutfield, which had so recently been the scene of her false +splendour and her follies, the Rootmen happened on this very day to +be assembled. Notwithstanding her wrong conduct, they had not yet +given up the Princess, and, at the entreaties of her father, they +were met to consider what steps could be taken to search for her. + +The Cranes alighted with the nest. In an instant the repentant +daughter fell on the neck of her overjoyed father, and all the +People compassionated her, and forgave her from the bottom of their +hearts. In their delight at seeing her again, all were ready to +give themselves up to unrestrained rejoicing, but the Princess +checked their merriment. She told her People the danger which +threatened them of being discovered by Men. Anxiety and terror +seized the Rootmen at this news: it was no longer possible to +remain in the forest. They at once resolved to leave Root-Valley, +and to emigrate by subterranean passages to distant lands. + +The whole body put themselves forthwith in motion, when just at +that instant there appeared upon the rocky heights, behind the +thick hedge, the Birdcatcher with his family. If these folks had +been astonished at the first instant, how much more so were they +now, when they saw all the little Rootmen disappear in the rocks! + +Angry and impatient at not being able to get at them, the +Birdcatcher tried all he could to break through the hedge, but in +vain,--he only came off with scratched and bleeding hands. + +"Ill-luck!" he exclaimed; "had I but my axe and nets, to catch +those tiny little creatures, I might sell them in the town, or make +a show of them, and become the richest man in the world!" And +thereupon he took his whistle, and began to whistle an alluring +melody, thinking by this means to entice the little People like +birds; but this attempt was likewise in vain. All the little +Rootmen passed before his eyes into the rock, actually laughing +and making faces at him; and when the very last little elf vanished +in the rock, the opening closed. Since that time no one has ever +again seen the little Rootmen. + +The End. + +[Illustration: The End.] + +[Illustration] + + + + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES + + +Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been retained; however, some +mid-paragraph illustrations have been moved to the beginning of the +chapter. + +The caret in "Third Chapt^r" indicates a superscripted letter "r." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The King of Root Valley, by R. 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