The elf of the rose 玫瑰花精

THEELFOFTHEROSE玫瑰花精

INthemidstofagardengrewarose-tree,infullblossom,andintheprettiestofalltheroseslivedanelf.
Hewassuchalittleweething,thatnohumaneyecouldseehim.Behindeachleafoftherosehehadasleepingchamber.
Hewasaswellformedandasbeautifulasalittlechildcouldbe,andhadwingsthatreachedfromhisshoulderstohisfeet.
Oh,whatsweetfragrancetherewasinhischambers!andhowcleanandbeautifulwerethewalls!fortheyweretheblushingleavesoftherose.
Duringthewholedayheenjoyedhimselfinthewarmsunshine,flewfromflowertoflower,anddancedonthewingsoftheflyingbutterflies.Thenhetookitintohisheadtomeasurehowmanystepshewouldhavetogothroughtheroadsandcross-roadsthatareontheleafofalinden-tree.Whatwe
calltheveinsonaleaf,hetookforroads;ay,andverylongroadstheywereforhim;forbeforehehadhalffinishedhistask,thesunwentdown:hehadcommencedhisworktoolate.
Itbecameverycold,thedewfell,andthewindblew;sohethoughtthebestthinghecoulddowouldbetoreturnhome.Hehurriedhimselfasmuchashecould;buthefoundtherosesallclosedup,andhecouldnotgetin;notasinglerosestoodopen.Thepoorlittleelfwasverymuchfrightened.Hehadneverbeforebeenoutatnight,buthadalwaysslumberedsecretlybehindthewarmrose-leaves.Oh,thiswouldcertainlybehisdeath.Attheotherendofthegarden,heknewtherewasanarbor,overgrownwithbeautifulhoney-suckles.Theblossomslookedlikelargepaintedhorns;andhethoughttohimself,hewouldgoandsleepinoneofthesetillthemorning.Heflewthither;but"hush!"twopeoplewereinthearbor,-ahandsomeyoungmanandabeautifullady.Theysatsidebyside,andwishedthattheymightneverbeobligedtopart.Theylovedeachothermuchmorethanthebestchildcanloveitsfatherandmother.
"Butwemustpart,"saidtheyoungman;"yourbrotherdoesnotlikeourengagement,andthereforehesendsmesofarawayonbusiness,overmountainsandseas.Farewell,mysweetbride;forsoyouaretome."
Andthentheykissedeachother,andthegirlwept,andgavehimarose;butbeforeshedidso,shepressedakissuponitsoferventlythatthefloweropened.Thenthelittleelfflewin,andleanedhisheadonthedelicate,fragrantwalls.Herehecouldplainlyhearthemsay,"Farewell,farewell;"andhefeltthattherosehadbeenplacedontheyoungman’sbreast.Oh,howhisheartdidbeat!Thelittleelfcouldnotgotosleep,itthumpedsoloudly.Theyoungmantookitoutashewalkedthroughthedarkwoodalone,andkissedtheflowersooftenandsoviolently,thatthelittleelfwasalmostcrushed.Hecouldfeelthroughtheleafhowhotthelipsoftheyoungmanwere,andtherosehadopened,asiffromtheheatofthenoondaysun.
Therecameanotherman,wholookedgloomyandwicked.Hewasthewickedbrotherofthebeautifulmaiden.Hedrewoutasharpknife,andwhiletheotherwaskissingtherose,thewickedmanstabbedhimtodeath;thenhecutoffhishead,andburieditwiththebodyinthesoftearthunderthelinden-tree.
"Nowheisgone,andwillsoonbeforgotten,"thoughtthewickedbrother;"hewillnevercomebackagain.Hewasgoingonalongjourneyovermountainsandseas;itiseasyforamantolosehislifeinsuchajourney.Mysisterwillsupposeheisdead;forhecannotcomeback,andshewillnotdaretoquestionmeabouthim."
Thenhescatteredthedryleavesoverthelightearthwithhisfoot,andwenthomethroughthedarkness;buthewentnotalone,ashethought,-thelittleelfaccompaniedhim.Hesatinadryrolled-uplinden-leaf,whichhadfallenfromthetreeontothewickedman’shead,ashewasdiggingthegrave.Thehatwasontheheadnow,whichmadeitverydark,andthelittleelfshudderedwithfrightandindignationatthewickeddeed.
Itwasthedawnofmorningbeforethewickedmanreachedhome;hetookoffhishat,andwentintohissister’sroom.
Therelaythebeautiful,bloominggirl,dreamingofhimwhomshelovedso,andwhowasnow,shesupposed,travellingfarawayovermountainandsea.Herwickedbrotherstoppedoverher,andlaughedhideously,asfiendsonlycanlaugh.Thedryleaffelloutofhishairuponthecounterpane;buthedidnotnoticeit,andwenttogetalittlesleepduringtheearlymorninghours.Buttheelfslippedoutofthewitheredleaf,placedhimselfbytheearofthesleepinggirl,andtoldher,asinadream,ofthehorridmurder;describedtheplacewhereherbrotherhadslainherlover,andburiedhisbody;andtoldherofthelinden-tree,infullblossom,thatstoodcloseby.
"ThatyoumaynotthinkthisisonlyadreamthatIhavetoldyou,"hesaid,"youwillfindonyourbedawitheredleaf."
Thensheawoke,andfounditthere.Oh,whatbittertearssheshed!andshecouldnotopenherhearttoanyoneforrelief.
Thewindowstoodopenthewholeday,andthelittleelfcouldeasilyhavereachedtheroses,oranyoftheflowers;buthecouldnotfinditinhishearttoleaveonesoafflicted.Inthewindowstoodabushbearingmonthlyroses.
Heseatedhimselfinoneoftheflowers,andgazedonthepoorgirl.Herbrotheroftencameintotheroom,andwouldbequitecheerful,inspiteofhisbaseconduct;soshedarenotsayawordtohimofherheart’sgrief.
Assoonasnightcameon,sheslippedoutofthehouse,andwentintothewood,tothespotwherethelinden-treestood;andafterremovingtheleavesfromtheearth,sheturneditup,andtherefoundhimwhohadbeenmurdered.Oh,howsheweptandprayedthatshealsomightdie!Gladlywouldshehavetakenthebodyhomewithher;butthatwasimpossible;soshetookupthepoorheadwiththeclosedeyes,kissedthecoldlips,andshookthemouldoutofthebeautifulhair.
"Iwillkeepthis,"saidshe;andassoonasshehadcoveredthebodyagainwiththeearthandleaves,shetooktheheadandalittlesprigofjasminethatbloomedinthewood,nearthespotwherehewasburied,andcarriedthemhomewithher.Assoonasshewasinherroom,shetookthelargestflower-potshecouldfind,andinthissheplacedtheheadofthedeadman,covereditupwithearth,andplantedthetwigofjasmineinit.
"Farewell,farewell,"whisperedthelittleelf.Hecouldnotanylongerenduretowitnessallthisagonyofgrief,hethereforeflewawaytohisownroseinthegarden.Buttherosewasfaded;onlyafewdryleavesstillclungtothegreenhedgebehindit.
"Alas!howsoonallthatisgoodandbeautifulpassesaway,"sighedtheelf.
Afterawhilehefoundanotherrose,whichbecamehishome,foramongitsdelicatefragrantleaveshecoulddwellinsafety.Everymorningheflewtothewindowofthepoorgirl,andalwaysfoundherweepingbytheflowerpot.Thebittertearsfelluponthejasminetwig,andeachday,asshebecamepalerandpaler,thesprigappearedtogrowgreenerandfresher.Oneshootafteranothersproutedforth,andlittlewhitebudsblossomed,whichthepoorgirlfondlykissed.Butherwickedbrotherscoldedher,andaskedherifshewasgoingmad.Hecouldnotimaginewhyshewasweepingoverthatflower-pot,anditannoyedhim.Hedidnotknowwhoseclosedeyeswerethere,norwhatredlipswerefadingbeneaththeearth.Andonedayshesatandleanedherheadagainsttheflower-pot,andthelittleelfoftherosefoundherasleep.
Thenheseatedhimselfbyherear,talkedtoherofthateveninginthearbor,ofthesweetperfumeoftherose,andthelovesoftheelves.Sweetlyshedreamed,andwhileshedreamt,herlifepassedawaycalmlyandgently,andherspiritwaswithhimwhomsheloved,inheaven.Andthejasmineopeneditslargewhitebells,andspreadforthitssweetfragrance;ithadnootherwayofshowingitsgriefforthedead.Butthewickedbrotherconsideredthebeautifulbloomingplantashisownproperty,lefttohimbyhissister,andheplaceditinhissleepingroom,closebyhisbed,foritwasverylovelyinappearance,andthefragrancesweetanddelightful.Thelittleelfoftherosefollowedit,andflewfromflowertoflower,tellingeachlittlespiritthatdweltinthemthestoryofthemurderedyoungman,whoseheadnowformedpartoftheearthbeneaththem,andofthewickedbrotherandthepoorsister.
"Weknowit,"saideachlittlespiritintheflowers,"weknowit,forhavewenotsprungfromtheeyesandlipsofthemurderedone.Weknowit,weknowit,"andtheflowersnoddedwiththeirheadsinapeculiarmanner.THEELFOFTHErosecouldnotunderstandhowtheycouldrestsoquietlyinthematter,soheflewtothebees,whoweregatheringhoney,andtoldthemofthewickedbrother.Andthebeestoldittotheirqueen,whocommandedthatthenextmorningtheyshouldgoandkillthemurderer.Butduringthenight,thefirstafterthesister’sdeath,whilethebrotherwassleepinginhisbed,
closetowherehehadplacedthefragrantjasmine,everyflowercupopened,andinvisiblythelittlespiritsstoleout,armedwithpoisonousspears.Theyplacedthemselvesbytheearofthesleeper,toldhimdreadfuldreamsandthenflewacrosshislips,andprickedhistonguewiththeirpoisonedspears.
"Nowhavewerevengedthedead,"saidthey,andflewbackintothewhitebellsofthejasmineflowers.Whenthemorningcame,andassoonasthewindowwasopened,theroseelf,withthequeenbee,andthewholeswarmofbees,rushedintokillhim.
Buthewasalreadydead.Peoplewerestandingroundthebed,andsayingthatthescentofthejasminehadkilledhim.ThenTHEELFOFTHEroseunderstoodtherevengeoftheflowers,andexplainedittothequeenbee,andshe,withthewholeswarm,buzzedabouttheflower-pot.Thebeescouldnotbedrivenaway.Thenamantookituptoremoveit,andoneofthebeesstunghiminthehand,sothathelettheflower-potfall,anditwasbrokentopieces.Theneveryonesawthewhitenedskull,andtheyknewthedeadmaninthebedwasamurderer.
Andthequeenbeehummedintheair,andsangoftherevengeoftheflowers,andofTHEELFOFTHEroseandsaidthatbehindthesmallestleafdwellsOne,whocandiscoverevildeeds,andpunishthemalso.

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