Adapted from the German of Der Faule und der Fleissige by Robert Reinick.
One lovely summer morning, just as the sun rose, two travelers started on a journey.They were both strong young men, but one was a lazy fellow and the other was a worker.
As the first sunbeams came over the hills, they shone on a great castle standing on the heights, as far away as the eye could see.It was a wonderful and beautiful castle, all glistening towers that gleamed like marble, and glancing windows that shone like crystal.The two young men looked at it eagerly, and longed to go nearer.
Suddenly, out of the distance, something like a great butterfly, of white and gold, swept toward them.And when it came nearer, they saw that it was a most beautiful lady, robed in floating garments as fine as cobwebs and wearing on her head a crown so bright that no one could tell whether it was of diamonds or of dew.She stood, light as air, on a great, shining, golden ball, which rolled along with her, swifter than the wind.As she passed the travelers, she turned her face to them and smiled.
"Follow me!" she said.
The lazy man sat down in the grass with a discontented sigh."She has an easy time of it!" he said.
But the industrious man ran after the lovely lady and caught the hem of her floating robe in his grasp."Who are you, and whither are you going?" he asked.
"I am the Fairy of Fortune," the beautiful lady said, "and that is my castle.You may reach it to-day, if you will; there is time, if you waste none.If you reach it before the last stroke of midnight, I will receive you there, and will be your friend.But if you come one second after midnight, it will be too late."When she had said this, her robe slipped from the traveler's hand and she was gone.
The industrious man hurried back to his friend, and told him what the fairy had said.
"The idea!" said the lazy man, and he laughed; "of course, if a body had a horse there would be some chance, but WALK all that way? No, thank you!""Then good-by," said his friend, "I am off." And he set out, down the road toward the shining castle, with a good steady stride, his eyes straight ahead.
The lazy man lay down in the soft grass, and looked rather wistfully at the faraway towers."If I only had a good horse!" he sighed.
Just at that moment he felt something warm nosing about at his shoulder, and heard a little whinny.He turned round, and there stood a little horse! It was a dainty creature, gentle-looking, and finely built, and it was saddled and bridled.
"Hola!" said the lazy man."Luck often comes when one isn't looking for it!" And in an instant he had leaped on the horse, and headed him for the castle of fortune.The little horse started at a fine pace, and in a very few minutes they overtook the other traveler, plodding along on foot.
"How do you like shank's mare?" laughed the lazy man, as he passed his friend.
The industrious man only nodded, and kept on with his steady stride, eyes straight ahead.
The horse kept his good pace, and by noon the towers of the castle stood out against the sky, much nearer and more beautiful.Exactly at noon, the horse turned aside from the road, into a shady grove on a hill, and stopped.
"Wise beast," said his rider; "`haste makes waste,' and all things are better in moderation.I'll follow your example, and eat and rest a bit." He dismounted and sat down in the cool moss, with his back against a tree.He had a lunch in his traveler's pouch, and he ate it comfortably.Then he felt drowsy from the heat and the early ride, so he pulled his hat over his eyes, and settled himself for a nap."It will go all the better for a little rest," hesaid.
That WAS a sleep! He slept like the seven sleepers, and he dreamed the most beautiful things you could imagine.At last, he dreamed that he had entered the castle of fortune and was being received with great festivities.Everything he wanted was brought to him, and music played while fireworks were set off in his honor.The music was so loud that he awoke.He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and behold, the fireworks were the very last rays of the setting sun, and the music was the voice of the other traveler, passing the grove on foot!
"Time to be off," said the lazy man, and looked about him for the pretty horse.No horse was to be found.The only living thing near was an old, bony, gray donkey.The man called, and whistled, and looked, but no little horse appeared.After a long while he gave it up, and, since there was nothing better to do, he mounted the old gray donkey and set out again.
