nor
on Dedication Day. When Peter learnt of this jewel of the Black Forest,
he resolved to marry her, and rode to the cottage which had been
pointed out to him. The father of the lovely girl, whose name was
Elspeth, received his distinguished visitor with surprise, but was even
more astonished when he discovered that this was the wealthy Peter, and
that he was anxious to become his son-in-law. He was not long making up
his mind, for he considered that now there would be an end to all his
troubles and poverty; therefore, without consulting Elspeth, he gave
his consent; and the good child was so obedient that she became Dame
Peter Munk without a murmur of dissent.

But it did not turn out so well for the poor girl as she had expected.
She thought she knew how to keep house, but in nothing could she please
Master Peter. She was sorry for poor people, and as her husband was a
rich man, she considered it no crime to give a penny to a beggar-woman,
or to offer an old man a "schnaps." But one day Master Peter, who had
been watching her, spoke to her roughly and angrily: "Why are you
wasting my fortune on rascals and vagabonds? Did you bring anything
with you into the house that you might give away? In your father's
house there was not enough broth to go round, and yet you are now
throwing money about as if you were a princess! Let me catch you once
more, and you shall feel the weight of my hand."

The lovely Elspeth wept in her room over her husband's ill-nature, and
she often wished she were back again in her father's mean cottage
instead of having to live in the house of the rich, avaricious and
hard-hearted Peter. Even had she known that he had a heart of marble,
and could never love anybody, not even herself, she would not have been
so greatly surprised. Whenever she sat in the porch and a beggar passed
by, taking off his hat and asking for alms, she shut her eyes in order
not to see his wretchedness; she clenched her fist as if to keep her
hand from straying against her will into her pocket in order to bestow
a farthing or so. And so it came about that people throughout the
forest began to speak despitefully of the beautiful Elspeth, saying
that she was even more miserly than Peter Munk.

But one day Elspeth was sitting in front of the house, spinning and
humming a little song, for she was in good spirits, the day was fine,
and her husband, Peter, had ridden away across the country. And as she
sat there, there came alo