Chapter 1

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THE

KING OF ROOT VALLEY

AND HIS CURIOUS DAUGHTER.

A Fairy Tale.

BY

R. REINICK.

With Eight Illustrations, by T. Von Oer and R. Reinick.

LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. 1856.

PRINTED BY JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR, LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS.

Contents.

CHAPTER THE FIRST. PAGE

THE ROOT-VALLEY AND ITS INHABITANTS.--THE STORY-TELLING GUESTS.--THE KING OF ROOT-VALLEY AND HIS CURIOUS DAUGHTER.--THE AERIAL CHARIOT.--FESTIVITIES IN THE TOWN.--RETURN THROUGH THE AIR FROM THE ROOF OF THE TOWN-HOUSE.--WHIMS OF THE PRINCESS 1

CHAPTER THE SECOND.

THE SPRING FESTIVAL IN ROOT-VALLEY.--THE NUT-FIELD.--THE MIGRATING BIRDS.--A STRANGE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR APPEARANCE.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN.--THE PRINCESS FALLS INTO RAPTURES 7

CHAPTER THE THIRD.

THE WONDERFUL BROOK.--THE OVERTURNED CARRIER'S WAGGON.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN COME TO LIFE.--THE THREE WISHES.--THE BOX OF NUREMBERG TOYS.--THE WANDERING RATS.--HOW HARLEQUIN BRINGS TO LIFE A WHOLE NATION AND ARMY.--BATTLE WITH THE RATS.--HOMAGE.--PROCESSION TO THE ROOT-VALLEY 11

CHAPTER THE FOURTH.

NUTCRACKER IS BETROTHED TO THE PRINCESS OF ROOT-VALLEY, AND TAKES POSSESSION OF THE NUTFIELD.--THE BIRDS DEPART.--WHAT ILL COMES OF IT.--WEDDING AND PARTING 19

CHAPTER THE FIFTH.

THE PUPPET-KINGDOM IS SET IN ORDER.--HAUGHTINESS OF NUTCRACKER, HIS WIFE, AND SUBJECTS.--ANTIPATHY OF THE TWO PEOPLES.--THE ROOT-KING ABDICATES HIS CROWN.--NUTCRACKER A TYRANT.--PREPARATIONS FOR WAR IN ROOT-VALLEY.--THE WAR.--HARLEQUIN'S DEATH.--FLIGHT AND DESTRUCTION OF THE PUPPET-KINGDOM.--NUTCRACKER'S DEATH.--THE PRINCESS SAVED 22

CHAPTER THE SIXTH.

THE BIRDCATCHER AND HIS FAMILY.--HOW THE CHILDREN RETURN HOME WITH RARE TREASURES.--NUTCRACKER'S DEAD BODY.--THE LITTLE MAIDEN IN THE STORK'S NEST, AND WHO SHE WAS.--AFFECTING RECONCILIATION ON THE NUTFIELD.--THREATENING DANGER TO THE ROOTMEN.--EMIGRATION OF THE ROOTMEN 28

The King of Root Valley

AND

His Curious Daughter.

CHAPTER THE FIRST.

THE ROOT-VALLEY AND ITS INHABITANTS.--THE STORY-TELLING GUESTS.--THE KING OF ROOT-VALLEY AND HIS CURIOUS DAUGHTER.--THE AERIAL CHARIOT.--FESTIVITIES IN THE TOWN.--RETURN THROUGH THE AIR FROM THE ROOF OF THE TOWN-HOUSE.--WHIMS OF THE PRINCESS.

The road between Nuremberg and Leipsic ran in former times, in one part, along the edge of a dark forest, which stretched into the country far over the mountains. In the middle of this forest the rocks enclosed a deep green valley, bordered by almost impenetrable hedges, so that neither man nor beast could enter it. Here dwelt at that time the merry little people of the Rootmen. They were pretty little creatures, in form and look like human beings,--the tallest about six inches high, and the smallest as long as your little finger. In summer they lived in mossy bowers and under the leaves of the tall fern; in winter they nestled among the roots of trees, in the holes of some gnarled old trunk, and crept into the clefts in the rocks. Their dress was fine and elegant: the little men wore coats and hose of moss, and the little women dresses of pretty variegated flowers, leaves, and gossamer, according as the weather was warm or cold. They never felt the time long, having always plenty of employment; they had to keep their roads in order, gather in their stores, and the like; their favourite pastimes were climbing and jumping, and arranging grand water-parties in nutshells upon the brook which ran through their country. At other times they would play at Hunt-the-hare with the Grasshoppers and May-beetles, and dance the most graceful dances to the song of the Birds: nor must it be forgotten that they understood the language of all living creatures.

Two festivals in the year gave the little Rootmen especial delight. On certain days in Spring and Autumn there arrived large troops of merry guests, who were hospitably welcomed and entertained, and who in return used to tell the inquisitive little people what was passing in the world without.

These guests were no other than the thousands and thousands of Birds of Passage, who in Spring came from the South, and in Autumn from the North. The Storks told their village stories, the Swallows twittered their fairy-tales, and the Nightingales brought with them new and beautiful songs. There came frequently too a troop of migrating Rats, who gave descriptions of their travels, while Magpies and Ravens told legends and tales of marvel that made one shudder. In this manner the little Rootmen received constantly news of the whole wide world. Such stories of course filled them with curiosity to make acquaintance with Men, but an innate feeling of dread prevented the little beings from quitting their peaceful Valley.

Now one time there reigned over this people a dear good old King, who had one daughter, a very beautiful Princess; she was however more full of curiosity than all other maidens in the world, nay even more so indeed than her own little countrywomen. Her longing to see Men and Women in the world without, of whom she had heard so many wonderful things, had grown very strong. The good old King did all in his power to dissuade her from this wish, representing Men as fierce and selfish giants: "No living creature," said he, "is secure from their mastery; the biggest elephant is obliged to dance to their will, as well as the smallest flea." But all was of no avail; his daughter had taken it into her head to visit the world, and go she would. The thought of this preyed upon her mind, and she grew more and more melancholy and thin; until at length the King resolved to grant her wish, in the hope that the sight would frighten her for ever, and drive away her curiosity.

A beautiful new Birds'-nest was therefore immediately selected, cushioned with feathers and moss, and over this was fixed a shadowy roof of leaves, as a shelter from the sun. In this car the Root-King seated himself with the Princess; nor was it forgotten to place in it also a delicate repast of juicy berries, honey, and tender young buds. Two Cranes, who had practised their task for a week previously, took up the nest with their bills, and flew with it through the air to the nearest large Town inhabited by Men.

In a few hours the two birds were hovering with the nest over the houses of the town. With a gentle flight they descended, and deposited the royal aerial chariot carefully upon the tower of the Townhouse, whence there was a view over all the streets, without any fear of being seen. That was indeed a sight! Even the King himself had never imagined that a city of Men could be so splendid. The Princess too shouted and jumped with joy, until she nearly fell out of the nest, had not one of the Cranes with his long bill suddenly caught her by her little leg.

Now, as chance would have it, on this same day the Prince of that country was celebrating his wedding with the daughter of a foreign King, so that the whole city was in one blaze of splendour.

What shows and sights were there to be seen! processions, fairs, reviews of a thousand regiments, theatres in the open air, rope-dancers, races,--in short, it is impossible to describe them all. But first and foremost the Prince and his young wife! how splendid he looked in his scarlet uniform, with the star upon his breast, moustachios, and large blue eyes; and she, in a red velvet dress, covered with pearls and precious stones, which sparkled and sent their light high up to the very gallery of the Townhouse. Wherever you looked there was something new and strange, and so it went on from early in the morning until the sun disappeared behind the mountains.

However much all these marvellous sights delighted the old King, his opinion of Mankind remained unaltered, and he was sorry that his daughter should just have chosen this day to witness the most brilliant side of Men's doings. He was however too weak to deny himself a view of the scene; nay, he would even have remained up there still longer, but that, as night fell and darkness came on, some men suddenly appeared on the gallery, to illuminate the building and let off the fireworks. The men approached the nest. How the Princess started with affright at the sight of such gigantic forms! The King too lost his speech from terror; and had not the Cranes, of themselves, lifted up the stork's nest into the air and borne it quickly off, there would have been an end of the King and his daughter, and of our story too. However fortunately they were just in time: and still from afar off the aerial travellers saw the fireworks fly into the air, whizzing and fizzing, and crackling and sparkling, from the tower of the Townhouse, which was certainly all very splendid at a distance, but close by would have been certain death. So the King and his daughter returned safe and sound to their own Root-Valley.

The little Princess of course now saw well that Men were too big for her to be able to share in their grand doings; still her old fancies and longing returned, and even stronger than ever, although in a somewhat altered form. She was firmly convinced that there must be upon earth yet another race of beings as small as her own little countrymen, but as clever and wise as Men; and so she resolved never in her life to marry, unless a Prince of her own size should take her for his wife; but then too he must have exactly such an hussar's jacket, and exactly such a star on his breast, and just the same large blue eyes, as the Man-Prince in the city; and he must also rule over a little People, who possessed exactly the same peculiarities as they.

These whims and fancies of his daughter made the good old King quite sad. Right gladly would he have had a son-in-law,--but such a one! where in the wide world was he to be found? He indeed did all in his power to form and teach his People according to the rules and laws of Men, but nothing came of it,--they were not a whit the cleverer. The little fellows were never tired of _hearing_ of Men and their doings, but to become like them--no indeed! They would remain for ever and aye what they were,--free, merry little Rootmen! The end of it was that the Princess got no husband, and the King no son-in-law.

CHAPTER THE SECOND.

THE SPRING FESTIVAL IN ROOT-VALLEY.--THE NUT-FIELD.--THE MIGRATING BIRDS.--A STRANGE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR APPEARANCE.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN.--THE PRINCESS FALLS INTO RAPTURES.

Several years had passed, and the Spring Festival was returning. All was green and blooming; the trees and hedges were already in full leaf, and rock, vale, hill and dale were clothed with their new dress. The Rootmen had already quitted their dark winter-quarters, and betaken themselves to their summer abodes by the cool brook, which now once more ran purling merrily along. All awaited with eager expectation the appearance of the winged guests.

At length the important day arrived. It was a fine May morning; through the young foliage of the nut-trees the sunshine played and sparkled on flowers and turf, on pebbles and rippling waters. Early in the morning the little Heralds, decked out in new coats of moss, were seen riding through the Valley upon grasshoppers, and crying aloud with a clear voice,--

"Come forth, ye Rootmen, all come out! For the Spring is come, and the birds are about."

The summons was no sooner heard, than the whole of the little People came pouring from all sides into the Nut-field, which was set apart for such festivals, and was on this occasion decked out in the most beautiful manner. In the middle, upon a molehill prettily covered with small pebbles, stood the throne for the good King and his fair daughter; it was made of snail-shells and mussel-shells, and cushioned with feathers. A long alley of lilies-of-the-valley, six deep, led up to the throne; and when the royal procession galloped up on squirrels, all the little lily-bells rang with a lovely melody; for at each lily was stationed a spider, to pull the bells with a thread of its cobweb.

A solemn silence followed. The Birds had not yet made their appearance. They had probably alighted somewhere in the neighbourhood, to smooth and arrange their feathers, ruffled by their long flight; they must of course show themselves to their kind hosts in decent attire! On a sudden was heard from afar a sound, which drew nearer and nearer, the usual sign that the guests were approaching; and soon there was a great rustling in the air. First came a flock of birds flying over the forest, then more and more, until at last the whole field was quite overshadowed by the winged guests, who alighted in large flocks upon the ground.

A general shout of joy resounded on all sides. The newly-arrived guests were speedily refreshed with food and drink, and then an old Stork, the most famous story-teller of his time, mounted upon a large stone, which served him for a rostrum. He had just put on that pleasant look with which he used to begin all his stories, he had just cleared his throat and opened his long red bill, when on a sudden he was interrupted by a loud murmur from the crowd, and a strange sound, as of many carriages and horses, was heard in the distance. The Heralds of the Root-King instantly hastened to ascertain the cause, and presently returned announcing that a new and strange People were coming through the forest in innumerable troops, led by a Prince in a scarlet hussar's uniform, with large blue eyes, and a star upon his breast: his name was Prince Nutcracker, and with his councillor Harlequin he sought a gracious audience of the Root-King and his daughter.

At this news the Princess turned red as scarlet, and the King pale as death, with affright. The Princess imagined that the Man-Prince in the town had perceived her on the gallery of the Townhouse, and was now coming to marry her; but the King feared that the giant race of Men were come to destroy his subjects and conquer his country. When however they heard that Prince Nutcracker and his followers were not bigger than the Rootmen, the Princess's fear was changed into such joy, that she fell on her father's neck, and kissed his hands again and again; then the King commanded the Stork to cease his storytelling, and the Prince with his followers to be conducted immediately to his presence.

How Prince Nutcracker and his councillor Harlequin happened to come hither the following Chapter will tell.

CHAPTER THE THIRD.

THE WONDERFUL BROOK.--THE OVERTURNED CARRIER'S WAGGON.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN COME TO LIFE.--THE THREE WISHES.--THE BOX OF NUREMBERG TOYS.--THE WANDERING RATS.--HOW HARLEQUIN BRINGS TO LIFE A WHOLE NATION AND ARMY.--BATTLE WITH THE STAR.--HOMAGE.--PROCESSION TO THE ROOT-VALLEY.

The road from Nuremberg to Leipsic, at the time of our story, ran in one part close to a deep hollow, through which a clear brook wound its way. The stream flowed directly from Root-Valley, and had the marvellous property, that whatever fell into it instantly became alive, provided only that it had previously had the form of some living thing.

It chanced one day that a carrier's waggon was passing this spot on its way to the Leipsic Fair, packed full of boxes, when on a sudden a wheel came off, and the waggon rolled over into a hollow. Now in the boxes were Nuremberg toys of all kinds, enough to fit out a whole fair. When the poor carrier saw his waggon overthrown into the hollow, where he could not get at it, off he ran in despair, and nobody ever after heard what became of him. Certain it is that by the upset of the waggon some of the boxes were broken, and, of the puppets which they contained, a Nutcracker and a Harlequin rolled into the brook. No sooner were they touched by the water, than instantly a marvellous animation darted through their limbs. Slowly they raised themselves, and stared at one another with amazement. There stood Nutcracker, upon his stiff legs, like a post, beautifully varnished over, with his bright blue eyes, his wooden pigtail, and the star upon his breast; while Harlequin, in his particoloured jacket, with his laughing face, clapped together his hands and legs over his head for very joy, and hopped about like a magpie.

When these first signs of animation subsided into more tranquil reflection, Harlequin opened his lips, and said, "Great Prince! that you are a Prince, and I your merry councillor, is clear enough, for otherwise you would have no star on your breast, and I no merry-andrew's jacket; but what shall we do first?"

"That is a question for _you_ to answer, not for _me_," replied Nutcracker, whom the consciousness of his high birth had already made grave and haughty. Muttering in his beard, he kept on moving his under jaw up and down, and continued, "Dear Harlequin! that I am, as you rightly say, born to be a great man, is proved, not only by my star, but also by three wishes which have just come into my head. The first wish is to have a dishfull of the finest nuts, for which I have a marvellous appetite; the second is to have a faithful people and a brilliant army, for unquestionably I am born to govern; the third and last wish is to marry a rich and beautiful Princess, who shall bring me as her dowry a pretty portion of land, where I may live with your assistance in all possible ease and comfort, eat nuts, govern my people, and pass the time merrily. Your duty is now to advise me how these wishes may be fulfilled."

"Better do than advise," cried Harlequin: "only trust, my Prince, to my merriment. Before the sun goes down, you shall be in possession of all these trifles, or my name is not Harlequin, and my legs will never more dance and clatter over my head."

So saying, in a twinkling he climbed up the nearest nut-tree, and shook it with all his might. The large nuts fell like a shower of hail, and the hungry Prince began to crack and eat them with all speed; and he did not feel quite revived until he had eaten his fill.

The second wish it was far more difficult to accomplish; nevertheless Harlequin found ways and means to counsel in this case likewise. The contents of the waggon, which lay scattered about, contained people and soldiers enough; he had only to open the boxes, and bring to life all the thousands of puppets which were shut up in them; but unluckily the lids of the boxes were fastened down so tight, that the united strength of the two little men was unable to force them open. They toiled and moiled till they were quite exhausted, but all in vain. In this perplexity a word of advice was worth something. Nutcracker's big blue eyes started out of his head from the mere effort of considering and contriving, till they looked like those of a crayfish; Harlequin, on the contrary, never lost heart or ceased his merriment for an instant. He twirled round and round like a top, looking for help on all sides; and before he himself thought of it, indeed an unexpected aid came in a marvellous way.

Afar off the brown fields which bordered the forest-glen appeared all at once to become alive. An immense host of migrating Rats, on their journey from the South to the North, were advancing this way, and by chance fell directly upon the scattered heap of boxes.

"Out of the way, my Prince!" cried Harlequin, "if we would not let ourselves be devoured like hazelnuts."

They both sprang on one side. The Rats, which, as every one knows, never turn out of their road, but always go straight forward, through field and wood, over hedge and ditch, gnawing their way through stick and stone, fell without ado upon the chests and boxes. The fresh young pine-wood boards were a welcome prize to their sharp teeth, and so too the strong hempen ropes. Speedily off fell the box-lids, one here, one there,--crack went a rope on this side, another on that! The most splendid toys presently lay scattered about in confusion on the road, and some of the Rats fell to gratifying their nibbling propensity upon them. When Harlequin beheld this, he cried aloud to the Rats, "A good appetite to you, ye board-eaters! have you enough?" And so saying he jumped into the brook, and flung his legs and arms about him, till the water splashed over all the other little Nutcrackers, Harlequins, and tin and wooden soldiers, who instantly became alive and jumped upon their legs.

"Follow me!" cried Harlequin: "one fool makes many,--one wise man many wise!" And he was right. Fresh puppets kept continually rising up and coming to life; the regiments formed themselves, the little horses were soon harnessed to the cannons and drew them, the tin Generals put themselves at the head of their troops, and the order of battle was arranged against the Rats. It was indeed high time, for many of the puppets had already fallen under the sharp teeth of their assailants. At the sight of this, Nutcracker's spirit and heroic courage were aroused; his eyes rolled, his jaws chattered with very thirst of fight, his wooden pigtail accompanied all the motions of his mouth with rapid twitchings. Impatiently he drew his sword, and at the head of his Body-guard (who were also Nutcrackers, but without the star, and therefore no princes) he led his army to battle.

And now he gave the signal to fire! Instantly all the firearms and cannons of the innumerable regiments were discharged at the Rats, who, terrified by the strange noise, took to flight in all haste. Thus a brilliant victory was gained, and in place of the late confusion of overturned boxes, there was now to be seen quite a new world, glittering in all the colours of the rainbow. Towns and villages, fortresses and country-houses, kitchens and drawing-rooms, lay scattered one upon another, whilst thousands of little men and animals were running about. The first thing now was, of course, that Prince Nutcracker should receive the homage of his subjects as their ruler.

But there still remained the third task to be accomplished,--to find a Princess, and with her hand to obtain a piece of land upon which the new colony might settle. Here again Harlequin's ingenuity soon suggested advice and aid. Some of the wounded and captured Rats were commanded to give a description of all the Princesses whom they had met with in the course of their travels. When they came to tell of the beauty of the Princess of Root-Valley, the wooden heart of Prince Nutcracker, as he listened to their description, warmed so, that a sound shot through it as if a deal board were cracking and splitting in a room suddenly heated. This sound he regarded as an omen; this and no other Princess was to be his Queen. He therefore resolved instantly to go with all his People to where the Princess lived, and sue for her hand.