The Strange Tale of the Snake Ring Read Free Page B

time the sun rose, he had left the peculiar prince’s kingdom far behind.

Chapter 4
    Thomas Travels On

    Now followed many days of travelling. The weather became hotter, and the roads drier and more dusty, but Thomas travelled steadily on. Every few days it was necessary to stop and ask for work at some farm or orchard, but this was only to earn a little money for food, which would keep him alive during the next stage of this journey.
    Once or twice he came to a great mansion or to a castle, where he tried to be taken into the service of the lord, but he had no success.
    â€œThere’s plenty of work to be had on the farms and in the vineyards,” said the steward at one enormous house, and that seemed to be the general opinion. So Thomas had, for the present, to content himself with farm work. As the summer wore on, some of the farms began the corn harvest. When that was gathered in, there was the grape harvest in the vineyards that sloped steeply down the hillsides to the great River Rhine. As usual, Thomas worked hard, and his cheerful nature made him popular with the farmers and with the other workers.
    But at last the grapes, too, were all gathered in. Thomas thought that it was time to set off again to search for a nobleman who would employ him, and thus make it possible to carry out his plan to return and marry Gerda. But just at that time, the weather changed for the worse.
    Instead of day after day of warm sunshine, there was cold, drenching rain, blown along by gale force winds, which swept across the countryside.
    This weather lasted for several weeks, and when it eventually stopped, the roads were almost knee-deep in mud. Even men on horseback were not able to travel far. The farmer who owned the vineyard where Thomas had been working, whose name was Franz, said to him:
    â€œThomas, I know you are wishing to be on your way, but you are very welcome to work here for the winter. There are lots of jobs to do indoors.”
    â€œThank you very much,” replied Thomas, “but I have told you my story, and you realise why I must go as soon as I can.”
    â€œListen to me,” said Franz seriously, “I know the weather in these parts much better than you do. When this rain has passed by, the wind will turn into the east. There will be night after night of snow, until it lies deep on all the hills. The river will run so fast and deep that it is dangerous to take out a boat. In fact, it is almost impossible to travel until the snows melt in the spring. Better to stay here than to be found frozen to death in the hills!”
    All the other workers on the farm told him the same story, and begged him, if he valued his life, to remain safe and warm on the farm until the winter had passed. Thomas agreed. Franz paid him well and gave him excellent food and lodging, and Thomas was even able to save a little money from his wages. The winter soon passed by, and Thomas was happy and comfortable in his work on the farm.
    Spring came, and the outdoor work began, but Thomas did not set off on his journey again. Franz thought to himself:
Perhaps he has forgotten his sweetheart at home, and he will be content to stay here and work for me. He is such a good worker that I should be sorry to lose him.
    But when haymaking season came round, the sweet smell of the new mown hay, and the sound of the stone on the scythe, reminded Thomas of home, and of mowing the hay by the river with Gerda. He even remembered the little song, which they had sung together. Then he began to feel guilty that he had stayed with Franz so long.
    Once he had made up his mind to continue his journey, he sought out Franz, and said to him, “Franz, you are a good friend as well as a good master. So much so, that I have stayed too long with you, when I should have been on my way. But now my thoughts are all on my home and my sweetheart, so I must go at once.”
    â€œI am very sorry to see you go,” replied Franz, “but go