Phantastes, A Faerie Romance

"But what danger is to be dreaded from him?"

Instead of answering the question, she went again to the window and

looked out, saying she feared the fairies would be interrupted by foul

weather, for a storm was brewing in the west.

"And the sooner it grows dark, the sooner the Ash will be awake," added

she.

I asked her how she knew that there was any unusual excitement in the

woods. She replied-"Besides the look of the trees, the dog there is unhappy; and the eyes

and ears of the white rabbit are redder than usual, and he frisks about

as if he expected some fun. If the cat were at home, she would have

her back up; for the young fairies pull the sparks out of her tail with

bramble thorns, and she knows when they are coming. So do I, in another

way."

At this instant, a grey cat rushed in like a demon, and

disappeared in a hole in the wall.

"There, I told you!" said the woman.

"But what of the ash-tree?" said I, returning once more to the

subject. Here, however, the young woman, whom I had met in the morning,

entered. A smile passed between the mother and daughter; and then the

latter began to help her mother in little household duties.

"I should like to stay here till the evening," I said; "and then go on

my journey, if you will allow me."

"You are welcome to do as you please; only it might be better to stay

all night, than risk the dangers of the wood then. Where are you going?"

"Nay, that I do not know," I replied, "but I wish to see all that is to

be seen, and therefore I should like to start just at sundown." "You are

a bold youth, if you have any idea of what you are daring; but a rash

one, if you know nothing about it; and, excuse me, you do not seem very

well informed about the country and its manners. However, no one comes

here but for some reason, either known to himself or to those who have

charge of him; so you shall do just as you wish."

Accordingly I sat down, and feeling rather tired, and disinclined for

further talk, I asked leave to look at the old book which still screened

the window. The woman brought it to me directly, but not before taking

another look towards the forest, and then drawing a white blind over

the window. I sat down opposite to it by the table, on which I laid the

great old volume, and read. It contained many wondrous tales of Fairy

Land, and olden times, and the Knights of King Arthur's table. I read

on and on, till the shades of the afternoon began to deepen; for in

the midst of the forest it gloomed earlier than in the open country. At

length I came to this passage-"Here it chanced, that upon their quest, Sir Galahad and Sir Percivale

rencountered in the depths of a great forest. Now, Sir Galahad was dight

all in harness of silver, clear and shining; the which is a delight

to look upon, but full hasty to tarnish, and withouten the labour of a

ready squire, uneath to be kept fair and clean. And yet withouten squire

or page, Sir Galahad's armour shone like the moon. And he rode a great

white mare, whose bases and other housings were black, but all besprent

with fair lilys of silver sheen. Whereas Sir Percivale bestrode a red

horse, with a tawny mane and tail; whose trappings were all to-smirched

with mud and mire; and his armour was wondrous rosty to behold, ne could

he by any art furbish it again; so that as the sun in his going down

shone twixt the bare trunks of the trees, full upon the knights twain,

the one did seem all shining with light, and the other all to glow with

ruddy fire. Now it came about in this wise. For Sir Percivale, after his

escape from the demon lady, whenas the cross on the handle of his sword

smote him to the heart, and he rove himself through the thigh, and

escaped away, he came to a great wood; and, in nowise cured of his

fault, yet bemoaning the same, the damosel of the alder tree encountered

him, right fair to see; and with her fair words and false countenance

she comforted him and beguiled him, until he followed her where she led

him to a---"