Phantastes, A Faerie Romance

If the wood was full of the creatures, it would be an

endless work to chop them so small that they could do no injury; and

then, besides, the parts would be so numerous, that the butterflies

would be in danger from the drift of flying chips. I served this one

so, however; and then told the girl to beg again, and point out the

direction in which one was coming. I was glad to find, however, that

I could now see him myself, and wondered how they could have been

invisible before. I would not allow him to walk over the child; but

while I kept him off, and she began begging again, another appeared; and

it was all I could do, from the weight of my armour, to protect her from

the stupid, persevering efforts of the two. But suddenly the right plan

occurred to me. I tripped one of them up, and, taking him by the legs,

set him up on his head, with his heels against a tree. I was delighted

to find he could not move. Meantime the poor child was walked over by

the other, but it was for the last time. Whenever one appeared, I

followed the same plan--tripped him up and set him on his head; and so

the little beggar was able to gather her wings without any trouble,

which occupation she continued for several hours in my company."

"What became of her?" I asked.

"I took her home with me to my castle, and she told me all her story;

but it seemed to me, all the time, as if I were hearing a child talk in

its sleep. I could not arrange her story in my mind at all, although it

seemed to leave hers in some certain order of its own. My wife---"

Here the knight checked himself, and said no more. Neither did I urge

the conversation farther.

Thus we journeyed for several days, resting at night in such shelter

as we could get; and when no better was to be had, lying in the forest

under some tree, on a couch of old leaves.

I loved the knight more and more. I believe never squire served his

master with more care and joyfulness than I. I tended his horse; I

cleaned his armour; my skill in the craft enabled me to repair it when

necessary; I watched his needs; and was well repaid for all by the love

itself which I bore him.

"This," I said to myself, "is a true man. I will serve him, and give him

all worship, seeing in him the imbodiment of what I would fain become.

If I cannot be noble myself, I will yet be servant to his nobleness."

He, in return, soon showed me such signs of friendship and respect, as

made my heart glad; and I felt that, after all, mine would be no lost

life, if I might wait on him to the world's end, although no smile but

his should greet me, and no one but him should say, "Well done! he was

a good servant!" at last. But I burned to do something more for him than

the ordinary routine of a squire's duty permitted.