the
mountain" and saluted the old nobleman with lively songs. The Counts von
Rappoltstein were the "piper-kings," the patrons of the brotherhood of
musicians and singers on the Upper Rhine. Usually these joyous birds met
at the castle of their "king" on the 8th of September, to pay him their
little tax and be generously entertained in return; but this year, on
account of the plague in the autumn, the festival had been deferred
until the third day after Christmas, but Ulrich believed 'Fortune' had
arranged it so for him.

There was plenty of singing, and the violins and rebecs, flutes, and
reed-pipes were never silent. One serenade followed another, and even at
the table a new song rang out at each new course.

The fiery wine, game and sweet cakes at the castle board undoubtedly
pleased the palate of the artisan's son, but he enjoyed feasting his
ears still more. He felt as if he were in Heaven, and thought less and
less of the grief he had endured.

Day by day Fortune shook her horn of plenty, and flung new gifts down
upon him.

He had told the stable-keepers of his power over refractory horses, and
after proving what he could do, was permitted to tame wild stallions and
ride them about the castle-yard, before the eyes of the old and young
count and the beautiful young lady. This brought him praise and gifts
of new clothes. Many a delicate hand stroked his curls, and it always
seemed to him as if his mighty spell could bestow nothing better.

One day Moor took him aside, and told him that he had commenced a
portrait of young Count Rappolstein too. The lad was obliged to be
still, having broken his foot in a fall from his horse, and as Ulrich
was of the same size and age, the artist wished him to put on the young
count's clothes and serve as a model.

The smith's son now received the best clothes belonging to his
aristocratic companion in age. The suit was entirely black, but each
garment of a different material, the stockings silk, the breeches satin,
the doublet soft Flanders velvet. Golden-yellow puffs and slashes stood
forth in beautiful relief against the darker stuff. Even the knots of
ribbon on the breeches and shoes were as yellow as a blackbird's beak.
Delicate lace trimmed the neck and fell on the hands, and a clasp of
real gems confined the black and yellow plumes in the velvet hat.

All this finery was wonderfully becoming to the smith's son, and he must
have been blind, if he had not noticed how old