both deserved, to his friend. But when, eventually, the prize was
declared to have fallen to the younger, he cried, ashamed, 'Oh! how can
I have gained the prize? What is my merit in comparison with that of my
friend? I should never have produced anything at all good without his
advice and valuable assistance.' Then said the elder, 'And did not you
too stand by me with invaluable counsel? My picture is certainly not
bad; but yours has carried off the prize as it deserved. To strive
honestly and openly towards the same goal, that is the way of true
friends; the wreath which the victor wins confers honour also upon the
vanquished. I love you now all the more that you have so bravely
striven, and in your victory I also reap fame and honour.' And the
painter was right, was he not, Frederick? Honest contention for the
same prize, without any malicious reserve, ought to unite true friends
still more and knit their hearts still closer, instead of setting them
at variance. Ought there to be any room in noble minds for petty envy
or malicious hate?" "Never, certainly not," replied Frederick. "We are
now faithful loving brothers, and shall both in a short time construct
our masterpiece in Nuremburg, a good two-tun cask, made without fire;
but Heaven forbid that I should feel the least spark of envy if yours,
dear brother Reinhold, turned out to be better than mine." "Ha! ha!
ha!" laughed Reinhold heartily, "go on with you and your masterpiece;
you'll soon manage that to the joy of all good coopers. And let me tell
you that in all that concerns calculation of size and proportion, and
drawing plans of sections of circles, you'll find I'm your man. And
then in choosing your wood you may rely fully upon me. Staves of the
holm oak felled in winter, without worm-holes, without either red or
white streaks, and without blemish, that's what we must look for; you
may trust my eyes. I will stand by you with all the help I can, in both
deed and counsel; and my own masterpiece will be none the worse for
it." "But in the name of all that's holy," broke in Frederick here,
"why are we chattering about who is to make the best masterpiece? Are
we to have any contest about the matter?--the best masterpiece--to gain
Rose! What are we thinking about? The very thought makes me giddy."
"Marry, brother," cried Reinhold, still laughing, "there was no thought
at all of Rose. You are a dreamer. Come along, let us go on if we are
to get into the town." Freder