Page:Select Popular Tales from the German of Musaeus.djvu/144

to collect the rubbish with which she has befooled us? In her chests there was certainly abundance of riches. Had we been wise, we should have seized the enchanted rod, without which she would have had no power over us; we should have rushed into the store-closet, and should, according to the custom and plan of warriors, have obtained booty, without allowing ourselves to be mocked by an old woman.” The discontented squire harangued yet longer in this tone, and concluded by drawing forth the rusty penny, and throwing it from him in scorn. Amarin followed the example of his companion, flourished the napkin around his head, and said, “What avails to me this rag, in these wilds where we have nothing to eat; if we find a well-furnished table, we shall not care for this!” He then abandoned it to the mournful winds, which wafted it to a neighbouring thorn, that held the love-token of the ancient lady fast on its sharp teeth. The far-sighted Sarron suspected something of concealed might in the despised gifts, and reproved the thoughtlessness of his playfellows, who, according to the common course of this world, only judged things from their outward appearance, without proving their internal worth; but he preached to deaf ears. However, he was not to be persuaded to relinquish his valueless thumbstall; on the contrary, he took occasion during his speech to make an experiment with it. He drew it on the thumb of his right hand without effect; hereupon he changed it to the left hand; and, during these experiments, he had loitered behind his companions. On a sudden Amarin stood still, and asked in astonishment, “Where is our friend Sarron?”—“Let him be; the covetous fellow seeks to recover what we have thrown away.” Sarron heard these words in silent astonishment; a cold shudder ran through him, and he scarcely knew how to contain himself, in his joy, since the secret of the thumbstall was now disclosed to him. His comrades halted to wait for him; he, however, went forward quickly on his way, and, when he was fairly in advance of them, he cried out, “You daudles, why do you lag behind? How long shall I wait for you.” Listening attentively, the two squires perceived the voice of their companion, whom they fancied behind, in front of them; they, therefore, redoubled their pace, and ran on before him without perceiving him. This pleased him still more, since he was now sure that the thumbstall imparted to him the gift of invisibility; and so he continued to deceive them, without betraying the cause of the deception, although they puzzled their heads sorely about it. They imagined their companion had slipped down from a rock into a deep valley, had broken his neck, and that his airy shadow hovered around them now, to say farewell to them. At length, tired of his game, Sarron made himself again visible, instructed his attentive companions in the qualities of the wonderful thumbstall, and reproved their thoughtlessness, so that they stood there quite stupified.