Of those unthinkable tasks Prince Ulrich completed in the islands beyond the immortal sea everything has been said. I will add the history of that spirit hat which has finally earned by its wearer's deeds the fame deserved by its qualities.
Once upon a time, the sun recalled the days of yore and sent a summer unlike any suffered for an age and another age before that. A king lived then who considered any hardship nothing more than a reminder that no kingdom is so perfect that it may not be improved. The insistent summer exposed a fault, which was the paucity of shade his kingdom possessed, and thereby inspired the king to take measures thoughtful kings ought to take.
He instructed his knight Manfred in his policy and sent forth that servant who traveled north, south, east, and west, choosing the most pleasant trees and vines, plucking them out of the earth which raised them just as he made squires into knights after their parents yielded them up to his instruction, and hurling the trees toward his lord's lands where they pierced the ground in ordered rows and columns to form as fine an orchard as had ever been seen.
So fine was the orchard that a spirit of trees was minded to relocate there. Without even filling a bag with food or a pouch with money the spirit set out, for only humans are slow to act. That spirit arrived and informed the king of its intentions, for not only humans have manners. King Rudolph answered with no less politeness.
"You are most welcome, for hospitality embraces the humblest, so what should we say about more eminent petitioners? There is only the matter of the fee. Since spirits carry no money, I will content myself with your hat."
The spirit supported that idea no more than the sky supports the earth and went away. Shortly afterward a gardener came to the castle inquiring about employment opportunities. The king said no position was open at that time, but the gardener could stay there until a job became available. Room and board would be provided for a nominal fee of the gardener's hat. The wandering gardener was never seen again.
Later a queen from a foreign land passed through the kingdom with a fantastical retinue carried by zebras and riding on giraffes which stretched so far that those on the end were waking up when those in front went to bed. That queen desired to distribute gifts to the king and his people during her stay, but he swore that he would take nothing from such a beautiful and noble lady except for one thing, which was her hat as a remembrance of her visit. With that, the queen disappeared and all her followers reverted to squirrels and rabbits.
At last, the spirit returned and handed over the hat with neither grace nor complaints and took up residence in the orchard. It is that very spirit hat which Prince Ulrich wears today.
Finis
Showing posts with label ulrich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ulrich. Show all posts
Sunday, March 14, 2021
Monday, December 28, 2020
The King and the Mountain
How Prince Ulrich conquered the mountain king is all anyone can talk about, as if they have all forgotten the greatest of mountains relinquished its position long ago. If no one else will call it to mind, I suppose the task is mine.
Once upon a time, a king looked over his kingdom where no mountains ranged and no hills rolled and realized he would have no high, strong place to build his castle unless he imported one. He sent Hugo his sculptor to fetch a mountain and thought about it no more.
Hugo traveled and judged every mountain, but found none of them suitable for the project until he came across the Ebenkopf, high and wide and flat. Rejoicing, he tried to pick up the mountain and haul it away, but it blew its winds at him and dropped its rocks so that Hugo had to admit to failure for the first time. "My king, my king, the mountain is too much for me!" That was what he had to say.
The king sent his strongest knight then, and Manfred rode straight there bearing his mighty blade that was wider than Hugo and sharper too. He hewed at the mountain to make it portable, but the Ebenkopf buffeted him with boulders and wearied him with winds so that the work was hard. "My king, my king, the mountain refuses your invitation!" That was what he had to say.
Then the king remembered he had not invited the mountain at all, though he had never been so rude before. Red-faced, he sent Anselm his priest to smooth things over. Anselm put on his whitest garments and walked to the foot of the Ebenkopf where he spoke. "Lord of mountains! King Rudolph has not slept since he heard of your qualities! Before he thought his realm fair, but now he considers only the land where you dwell worth anything at all. Take pity, sky-piercing Ebenkopf, on that ruler of men and come. Accept his friendship and our regard. Before we celebrated the summer and spring. Bless us and we will celebrate you for as long as the king's castle stands.
Hearing that, the mountain decided to take a vacation in King Rudolph's lands for a millennium or two. It uprooted itself, waddled over, and set itself deep in the ground so that only the highest part of it showed itself. King Rudolph built his castle there on that hill and propitiated the Ebenkopf with a festival that is held every year to this very day.
Finis
Once upon a time, a king looked over his kingdom where no mountains ranged and no hills rolled and realized he would have no high, strong place to build his castle unless he imported one. He sent Hugo his sculptor to fetch a mountain and thought about it no more.
Hugo traveled and judged every mountain, but found none of them suitable for the project until he came across the Ebenkopf, high and wide and flat. Rejoicing, he tried to pick up the mountain and haul it away, but it blew its winds at him and dropped its rocks so that Hugo had to admit to failure for the first time. "My king, my king, the mountain is too much for me!" That was what he had to say.
The king sent his strongest knight then, and Manfred rode straight there bearing his mighty blade that was wider than Hugo and sharper too. He hewed at the mountain to make it portable, but the Ebenkopf buffeted him with boulders and wearied him with winds so that the work was hard. "My king, my king, the mountain refuses your invitation!" That was what he had to say.
Then the king remembered he had not invited the mountain at all, though he had never been so rude before. Red-faced, he sent Anselm his priest to smooth things over. Anselm put on his whitest garments and walked to the foot of the Ebenkopf where he spoke. "Lord of mountains! King Rudolph has not slept since he heard of your qualities! Before he thought his realm fair, but now he considers only the land where you dwell worth anything at all. Take pity, sky-piercing Ebenkopf, on that ruler of men and come. Accept his friendship and our regard. Before we celebrated the summer and spring. Bless us and we will celebrate you for as long as the king's castle stands.
Hearing that, the mountain decided to take a vacation in King Rudolph's lands for a millennium or two. It uprooted itself, waddled over, and set itself deep in the ground so that only the highest part of it showed itself. King Rudolph built his castle there on that hill and propitiated the Ebenkopf with a festival that is held every year to this very day.
Finis
Sunday, October 25, 2020
The King and the Count
Anyone could tell you the feats of Prince Ulrich, so today I will speak of what fewer know, which is the origin of his armor that is unlike any other.
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom that was fair, but not fair enough for its king's liking, who was always thinking how to make it better for himself and his people. When he realized what was needed was a pond, there was nothing more to do than to command his knight Manfred to fetch him one.
That knight ran to the nearest lake, which was quite far away, and drank up as much as he could. You would think me a liar if I said he drank the whole thing up, for this was generations after there were men capable of that, and indeed he only lowered the water in the lake by a foot or so. Then he ran back, sloshing all the way, one gauntlet over his mouth.
He reached the spot without losing too much of the water and spat it into the hole the king had ordered dug, filling it up as pretty as you please and forming just the sort of pond the king wanted.
The king discovered then that Manfred had gone beyond his orders and brought a guest. A single fish flew out of his mouth into the pond, and it had something to say about it. "Hey, is this courtesy? Is this manners? I was swimming along as nature insists I do, and now where am I?"
No one stays a king by being surprised, and so King Rudolph answered him straightaway. "Your pardon, but my kingdom must have a pond. I know you will agree with me about the importance of water! A pond is hard to praise without fish, and here you are, so how about this? Be my own fish and nobody else's, and I will make you the count of this pond and put the fish I acquire later under your administration."
That was as fine an offer as any fish ever had, and that fish (whose name was Ortolf) agreed to it. You will think he regretted submitting too hastily and surrendering himself to another, but you live today while this was long ago. King Rudolph kept his count in honor without the slightest breach and found him many subjects of his own, and a wife as well who was from good stock as fish reckon these things. Nor was there a truer vassal than Count Ortolf.
They dwelt there many years, the king in his castle and the count in his pond, until age afflicted Ortolf more than he could withstand for long. He did not despair at it though, for in those days men and fish did right while they were healthy and not only on their death beds in hope of escaping what they had earned for themselves. He requested a final audience with the king and was granted it, whereupon he said, "Your son has grown old enough that he should have good armor. Take these my scales and cover him in them, and the results will be to your liking."
That is just what the king did, and the squamous armor was the finest made in that age. Over the years it was worn by many owners, and now Prince Ulrich has it.
Finis
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom that was fair, but not fair enough for its king's liking, who was always thinking how to make it better for himself and his people. When he realized what was needed was a pond, there was nothing more to do than to command his knight Manfred to fetch him one.
That knight ran to the nearest lake, which was quite far away, and drank up as much as he could. You would think me a liar if I said he drank the whole thing up, for this was generations after there were men capable of that, and indeed he only lowered the water in the lake by a foot or so. Then he ran back, sloshing all the way, one gauntlet over his mouth.
He reached the spot without losing too much of the water and spat it into the hole the king had ordered dug, filling it up as pretty as you please and forming just the sort of pond the king wanted.
The king discovered then that Manfred had gone beyond his orders and brought a guest. A single fish flew out of his mouth into the pond, and it had something to say about it. "Hey, is this courtesy? Is this manners? I was swimming along as nature insists I do, and now where am I?"
No one stays a king by being surprised, and so King Rudolph answered him straightaway. "Your pardon, but my kingdom must have a pond. I know you will agree with me about the importance of water! A pond is hard to praise without fish, and here you are, so how about this? Be my own fish and nobody else's, and I will make you the count of this pond and put the fish I acquire later under your administration."
That was as fine an offer as any fish ever had, and that fish (whose name was Ortolf) agreed to it. You will think he regretted submitting too hastily and surrendering himself to another, but you live today while this was long ago. King Rudolph kept his count in honor without the slightest breach and found him many subjects of his own, and a wife as well who was from good stock as fish reckon these things. Nor was there a truer vassal than Count Ortolf.
They dwelt there many years, the king in his castle and the count in his pond, until age afflicted Ortolf more than he could withstand for long. He did not despair at it though, for in those days men and fish did right while they were healthy and not only on their death beds in hope of escaping what they had earned for themselves. He requested a final audience with the king and was granted it, whereupon he said, "Your son has grown old enough that he should have good armor. Take these my scales and cover him in them, and the results will be to your liking."
That is just what the king did, and the squamous armor was the finest made in that age. Over the years it was worn by many owners, and now Prince Ulrich has it.
Finis
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