And whene’er the music hushes,
    Soft the pine-tree murmurs creep;
  Far away a cataract rushes—­
    Look, our noble king’s asleep!

  Meanwhile through the kingdom bounding
    Rules the dog as minister,
  Till his bark from cliffs rebounding
    Echoes to the sleeper’s ear.

  Yawning syllables he utters—­
    “Ruling is too hard a task. 
  Were I but at home,” he mutters,
    “With my queen ’tis all I’d ask.

  “On her arm my head reposes
    Free from care, how happily! 
  And her loving glance discloses
    Kingdom wide enough for me."[53]

We took leave of each other in a friendly manner, and with a light heart I began to ascend the mountain.  I was soon welcomed by a grove of stately firs, for which I entertain great respect in every regard, for these trees have not found growing to be such an easy business, and during the days of their youth it fared hard with them.  The mountain is here sprinkled with a great number of blocks of granite, and most of the trees were obliged either to twine their roots over the stones, or to split them in two, and thus laboriously to search for the soil from which to draw their nourishment.  Here and there stones lie on top of one another, forming, as it were, a gate, and over all rise the trees, twining their naked roots down over the stone portals, and only laying hold of the soil when they reach its base, so that they appear to be growing in the air; and yet, as they have forced their way up to that startling height and grown into one with the rocks, they stand more securely than their comfortable comrades, who are rooted in the tame forest soil of the level country.  So it is in life with those great men who have strengthened and established themselves by resolutely overcoming the obstacles and hindrances of their early years.  Squirrels climbed amid the fir-twigs, while, beneath, yellow deer were quietly grazing.  I cannot comprehend, when I see such a noble, lovable animal, how educated and refined people can take pleasure in hunting and killing it.  Such a creature was once more merciful than man, and suckled the pining Schmerzenreich of the holy Genofeva.  Most beautiful were the golden sun-rays shooting through the dark-green of the firs.  The roots of the trees formed a natural stairway, and everywhere my feet encountered swelling beds of moss, for the stones are here covered foot-deep, as if with light-green velvet cushions.  Everywhere a pleasant freshness and the dreamy murmur of streams.  Here and there we see water rippling silver-clear amid the rocks, washing the bare roots and fibres of trees.  Bend down toward all this ceaseless activity and listen, and you will hear, as it were, the mysterious history of the growth of the plants, and the quiet pulsations of the heart of the mountain.  In many places the water jets strongly up amid rocks and roots, forming little cascades.  It is pleasant to sit in such places.  There is such a wonderful