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The Gifts Of The Magician |
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Once upon a time there was an old man who lived in a little hut in
the middle of a forest. His wife was dead, and he had only one son,
whom he loved dearly. Near their hut was a group of birch trees, in
which some black-game had made their nests, and the youth had
often begged his father's permission to shoot the birds, but the old
man always strictly forbade him to do anything of the kind.
One day, however, when the father had gone to a little distance to
collect some sticks for the fire, the boy fetched his bow, and shot at
a bird that was just flying towards its nest. But he had not taken
proper aim, and the bird was only wounded, and fluttered along the
ground. The boy ran to catch it, but though he ran very fast, and
the bird seemed to flutter along very slowly, he never could quite
come up with it; it was always just a little in advance. But so
absorbed was he in the chase that he did not notice for some time
that he was now deep in the forest, in a place where he had never
been before. Then he felt it would be foolish to go any further, and
he turned to find his way home.
He thought it would be easy enough to follow the path along which
he had come, but somehow it was always branching off in
unexpected directions. He looked about for a house where he
might stop and ask his way, but there was not a sign of one
anywhere, and he was afraid to stand still, for it was cold, and there
were many stories of wolves being seen in that part of the forest.
Night fell, and he was beginning to start at every sound, when
suddenly a magician came running towards him, with a pack of
wolves snapping at his heels. Then all the boy's courage returned to
him. He took his bow, and aiming an arrow at the largest wolf,
shot him through the heart, and a few more arrows soon put the
rest to flight. The magician was full of gratitude to his deliverer,
and promised him a reward for his help if the youth would go back
with him to his house.
'Indeed there is nothing that would be more welcome to me than a
night's lodging,' answered the boy; 'I have been wandering all day in
the forest, and did not know how to get home again.
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Fairytales 
