STIRLING COYNE (ADAPTED)
Once, long ago, there lived near the ancient city
of Strasburg, on the river Rhine, a young and
handsome count, whose name was Otto. As the
years flew by he remained unwed, and never so
much as cast a glance at the fair maidens of the
country round; for this reason people began to
call him ``Stone-Heart.''
It chanced that Count Otto, on one Christmas
Eve, ordered that a great hunt should take place
in the forest surrounding his castle. He and his
guests and his many retainers rode forth, and
the chase became more and more exciting. It
led through thickets, and over pathless tracts of
forest, until at length Count Otto found himself
separated from his companions.
He rode on by himself until he came to a spring
of clear, bubbling water, known to the people
around as the ``Fairy Well.'' Here Count Otto
dismounted. He bent over the spring and began
to lave his hands in the sparkling tide, but to his
wonder he found that though the weather was
cold and frosty, the water was warm and delightfully
caressing. He felt a glow of joy pass through
his veins, and, as he plunged his hands deeper, he
fancied that his right hand was grasped by another,
soft and small, which gently slipped from
his finger the gold ring he always wore. And, lo!
when he drew out his hand, the gold ring was gone.
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