great pains to distract him and lead him into the right path.  The goose would tell fairy-tales, and in the midst of them the brook would tinkle a ballad; a great heavy stone would caper about ludicrously; the rose stealing up affectionately behind him would creep through his locks, and the ivy stroke his careworn forehead.  But his melancholy and his gravity were obstinate.  His parents were greatly grieved; they did not know what to do.  He was healthy and ate well.  His parents had never hurt his feelings, nor until a few years since had any one been more cheerful and lively than he; always he had been at the head of every game, and was well liked by all the girls.  He was very handsome indeed, looked like a picture, danced beautifully.  Among the girls there was one sweet and very pretty child.

[Illustration:  #NOVALIS# (Friedrich von Hardenberg) EDUARD EICHENS]

She looked as though she were of wax, with hair like silk spun of gold, lips as red as cherries, a figure like a little doll, eyes black as the raven.  Such was her charm that whoever saw her might have pined away with love.  At that time Roseblossom, that was her name, cherished a heart-felt affection for the handsome Hyacinth, that was his name, and he loved her with all his life.  The other children did not know it.  A little violet had been the first to tell them; the house-cats had noticed it, to be sure, for their parents’ homes stood near each other.  When, therefore, Hyacinth was standing at night at his window and Roseblossom at hers, and the pussies ran by on a mouse-hunt, they would see both standing, and would often laugh and titter so loudly that the children would hear them and grow angry.  The violet had confided it to the strawberry, she told it to her friend, the gooseberry, and she never stopped taunting when Hyacinth passed; so that very soon the whole garden and the goods heard the news, and whenever Hyacinth went out they called on every side:  “Little Roseblossom is my sweetheart!” Now Hyacinth was vexed, and again he could not help laughing from the bottom of his heart when the lizard would come sliding up, seat himself on a warm stone, wag his little tail, and sing

  Little Roseblossom, good and kind,
  Suddenly was stricken blind. 
  Her mother Hyacinth she thought
  And to embrace him forthwith sought. 
  But when she felt the face was strange,
  Just think, no terror made her change! 
  But on his cheek pressed she her kiss,
  And she had noted naught amiss.

Alas, how soon did all this bliss pass away!  There came along a man from foreign lands; he had traveled everywhere, had a long beard, deep-set eyes, terrible eyebrows, a strange cloak with many folds and queer figures woven in it.  He seated himself in front of the house that belonged to Hyacinth’s parents.  Now Hyacinth was very curious and sat down beside him and fetched him bread and wine.  Then the man parted his white beard and told stories