The knight-elf

There is in one deaf corner of Scotland a deserted heathland - поросший a heather a peatbog. Speak, as if during age-old times a certain knight from the world эльфов and spirits there wandered. People saw it seldom, about time in seven years, but in all its district were afraid. After all there were cases that the person will venture to go on this heathland and will be missing. How many for it searched, as though attentively examined nearly each inch of the earth, a trace it did not find. And here people, shivering for horror, came back home after fruitless searches, shook heads and said, that gone, should be, in a captivity at the terrible knight-elfa.

The heathland was always deserted, because nobody dared to step into it and furthermore to lodge there. And here on a heathland wild animals began to be found. They easy did to themselves holes and логовища, knowing, that mortal hunters will not disturb them.

Nearby to this heathland there lived two young men - count Sent-Kler and columns Greg. They very much were on friendly terms - together went for a drive top, together hunted, and at times and battled nearby.

Both of them very much loved hunting. And here count Greg somehow time has suggested the friend to hunt on a heathland in spite of the fact that there, on hearings, the knight-elf wandered.

- I in it almost do not trust, - he has exclaimed with laughter. - In my opinion, all cock-and-bull stories about it - simply woman's fairy tales of what small children frighten that they did not run on вересковым to thickets. After all to the child there and to lose the way not for long. It is a pity, that such rich hunting grounds vanish in vain, and there is nothing us, to bearded men to listen to any fables. But count Sent-Kler at all has not smiled on these words.

- With joke evil spirit are bad, - he has objected. - and it at all fairy tales, that other travellers went on a heathland, and then were missing. But you the truth have told - it is a pity, that such hunting grounds vanish in vain because of any knight-elfa.

To think only - after all it considers this earth of the and a beret from us, mortal, the duty if we dare to step into it. However, I heard, that it is possible to be saved from the knight, it is necessary to put on myself a sign on a sacred Trinity - трилистник. Therefore give we will adhere to themselves to a hand on трилистнику. Then to be afraid to us there will be nothing.

Sir Greg has loudly burst out laughing.

- You that, for the baby consider me? - He has told. - for the child, what at first is frightened any foolish fables, and then believes, what the clover leaf can protect it? No, no, itself carry this sign if you want, and I rely only on the kind onions and arrows.

But count Sent-Kler has arrived in own way. He has not forgotten, that spoke it mother when it the small child sat at it in a lap. And she said, that to the one who carries on itself трилистник, there is nothing to be afraid of evil spells, all the same whose - the sorcerer or a witch, эльфа or a demon.

And here it has gone on a meadow, has broken a leaf of a clover and has adhered its silk scarf to a hand. Villages then on a horse and together with count Greg has gone набезлюдную a deaf heathland.

There have passed some hours. All at friends went well, and in the heat of hunting they even have forgotten about the fears. And suddenly both have pulled reins, have adhered horses and a steel is disturbing to peer at a distance.

Any unfamiliar horseman has crossed it road, and it wanted to friends to learn, who it such and whence undertook.

- Whoever it was, but, I swear, it goes quickly, - count Greg has told. - I thought, that any horse on light will not outride my racer. But now I see, that the horse of this horseman of times in seven is more quick than mine. Give we will go behind it and we learn, whence it was.

- Keep you the god to pursue it! - count Sent-Kler has exclaimed. - After all it is the knight-elf! Unless you do not see, what it not by the ground goes, and by air flies? Though at first also it seems, as if it skips on a simple game, but actually it is born by someone's mighty wings. And these wings hlo-pajut by air, as if the bird's. Yes as it is possible to keep up with it? The rainy day will come for you if you try to overtake for it.

But count Sent-Kler has forgotten, that it carries on itself(himself) a talisman which allows it to see things such what they actually. And at count Greg of such talisman is not present, and consequently eyes do not distinguish it that its friend has noticed. Therefore it also was surprised and disturbed, when count Greg has sharply spoken:

- You have directly gone mad on the knight-elfe! And so it seems to me, that this horseman simply any noble knight: he is dressed in green clothes, goes on a large black game. I love courageous equestrians and consequently I would like to learn his name and a rank. So I will pursue it at least to a world's end.

And, not having added words, count Greg has put spurs to a horse and has jumped in that party where the mysterious horseman rushed. And count Sent-Kler remained one on a heathland. Its fingers were involuntarily pulled to трилистнику, and from shivering lips pray words have flied.

He has understood, that its friend is already bewitched. And count Sent-Kler has decided to follow it if it is necessary, though on a world's end, and to try to remove a spell from it.

Meanwhile count Greg all skipped and skipped forward, following for the knight in green clothes. It skipped and on peatbogs, поросшим a heather, both through streams, and on mosses and at last has called in in such solitude where never in a life looked. Here barrels a cold wind as if arrived from glaciers, and on a faded grass hoarfrost laid a thick layer. Here again it was waited by such show from what any mortal would start back in horror.

He has seen the huge circle traced on the earth. The grass in this circle was absolutely not similar to a faded, frozen grass on heathlands. It was green, magnificent, juicy, and on it hundreds lungs, as shades, эльфов and fairies in wide, transparent, is dim-blue clothes that fluttered downwind as if змеистые fog shreds danced.

Spirits that shouted and sang, waved hands over a head, how mad, rushed about here and there. When they have seen count Greg - and it has stopped a horse at line of a circle, - they have begun suit it to themselves bony fingers.

- Go here, go here! - they shouted. - go, dance with us, and then we will drink for your health from a circular bowl of our master.

Strangely enough, but the charms which have held down the young count, were strong before, that it though and it was terrible to it, should go on call эльфов. It has thrown the arms round reins a neck of a horse and already wanted was to step in a circle. But here one old grey-haired эльф has separated from the colleagues and has approached to it. Should be, he has not dared to leave a vicious circle - has stopped at its most edge. Has then bent and, pretending, that wishes to lift something from the earth, has spoken hoarse whisper:

- I do not know, who you and whence you have arrived, the sir the knight. But if a life to you road, be protected to enter into a circle and to have fun with us. Instead of that you will be lost.

But count Greg only has burst out laughing.

- I have promised to catch up with the knight in green, - he has told, - and I will constrain this word even if it is fated to me to fail in an underworld. And it has crossed through line of a circle and has come to be in a thick of dancing spirits.

Here all of them have cried is even more shrill, have started singing even more loudly, have begun to spin even faster, than earlier. And then have suddenly stopped all at once, and the crowd was divided, having released pass to the middle. And here spirits signs have ordered to the count to go on this pass.

It has immediately gone and has soon come nearer to the middle of a vicious circle. There that knight sat at a table from red marble in clothes, green, as a grass which count Greg pursued so long. Before the knight on a table there was a marvellous bowl from the integral emerald, decorated with blood-red rubies.

This bowl has been filled вересковой by home-made beer, and home-made beer foamed, not overflowing nearly. The Knight-elf took a bowl in hands and with stately bow has submitted to her brother Greg. And that has suddenly felt strong thirst. Has brought a bowl to lips and began to drink.

He drank, and home-made beer did not decrease. The bowl was still full to the brim. And here for the first time heart at count Greg has trembled, and he has regretted, that was started up in so dangerous way.

But to regret was already late. He has felt, that its all body freezes, and on the person deathly pallor creeps away. Not having been in time even крикнутьо the help, it has dropped a bowl from the weakened hands and as knocked down has failed on the earth, to feet of the master эльфов.

Here the crowd of spirits has let out loud shout of a celebration. After all is not present for them большей pleasure, than to entice careless mortal into the circle and такего to bewitch, that it for long years remained with them.

But soon their exulting shouts have ceased. Spirits began чтото to mutter ишептать each other with the scared persons - their sharp hearing has caught the noise which has spiked fear in their hearts. That was noise of human steps, such resolute and assured, that spirits have guessed at once: the newcomer whoever it was, is free from evil spells. And if so, means, it can damage and take away it from them the captive.

Their fears were justified. He/she is brave count Sent-Kler came nearer to them without fear and fluctuations for it bore on itself(himself) a sacred sign.

Hardly he has seen a vicious circle as has decided to cross magic line at once. But here old grey-haired эльф, that before that spoke shortly with count Greg, has stopped it.

- Oh, a grief, a grief! - he whispered, and as grief blew from its wrinkled face. - really you, as well as your companion, has arrived to pay a tribute to the master эльфов years of the life? Listen, if there is at you a wife and the child, conjure you everything, that for you is sacred, leave from here, yet late. - And who you such and whence undertook? - The count, tenderly looking on эльфа has asked.

- I therefrom, whence you was, - is sad have answered эльф. - I, as well as you, once were the mortal person. But I have gone on this magical heathland, and the master эльфов was to me in an appearance of the fine knight. It has seemed to me such brave, noble and magnanimous, that I have followed it and have drunk it вересковой home-made beer. And here now I am doomed to vegetate here seven long years. And your friend, the sir of columns, too has tried this damned drink and now замертво lays at feet of our master. However, he will wake up, but will wake up such what became I and the same as I, become the slave эльфов.

- Really I cannot help it earlier, than it will turn in эльфа? - Count Sent-Kler has hotly exclaimed. - I am not afraid of charms of the severe knight that has taken him prisoner for I carry a sign on the one who is stronger than it. Say more soon, the little man, that I should do - time presses!

- You can make something, the sir of columns, - said эльф, - but it is very dangerous. And if you will fail, you will be not not rescued even by force священногознака.

- What should I make? - The count has repeated.

- You should stand and wait motionlessly on a frost and a cold wind, покане the dawn will be engaged and in sacred church will not ring out to matins, - has answered old эльф. - And then slowly bypass all vicious circle nine times. Then safely step through line and approach to a table from red marble at which the master эльфов sits. On this table you will see an emerald bowl. It is decorated by rubies and filled вересковой by home-made beer. Take this bowl and carry away. But all this time do not speak words. After all that bewitched earth on which we dance, only mortal seems firm. Actually here an unsteady bog, bog, and under it huge underground lake. In that lake there lives a terrible monster. If you on this bog utter though a word, you will fail and will be lost in underground waters. Here grey-haired эльф has made a step back and has returned to crowd of others эльфов. And count Sent-Kler remained one behind line of a vicious circle. And there it, shivering from a cold, has motionlessly staid all long night.

But here the grey strip of a dawn began to dawn over tops of mountains, and it seemed to it, as if эльфы start to shrivel and thaw. When over a heathland the silent peal was carried, count Sent-Kler has started to bypass a vicious circle. Over and over again it bypassed a circle in spite of the fact that in crowd эльфов the loud angry dialect similar to remote peals of a thunder has risen. The earth under his feet as though shivered and rose, as if trying to shake from itself the unbidden visitor.

But force of a sacred sign has helped it to escape.

And here it nine times has bypassed a circle, then has safely crossed through line and has directed to the circle middle. And what its surprise when he has seen, that all эльфы which here danced was, now have frozen and lay on the earth, as if small icicles! They so have densely covered the earth, that hardly it was possible to it not to attack them.

When it has approached to a marble table, hair of its steel on end. The master sat At a table эльфов. He too has frozen and has frozen, as well as its citizens, and at his feet count Greg laid окоченелый.

And all here was motionless, except two black, as coal, ravens. They sat on the table ends as if guarding an emerald bowl, beat wings and hoarsely croaked.

Count Sent-Kler took a precious bowl, and here ravens in hands have risen in air and began to turn over his head. They furiously croaked, threatening to beat out at it from hands a bowl the sharp-clawed paws. Then frozen эльфы and their powerful master have begun to move in a dream and have risen, as if having decided to seize the impudent newcomer. But force трилистника has prevented them. If not this sacred sign not to be rescued to column Sent-Kleru. But here it has gone back with a bowl in a hand, and it was deafened by ominous noise. Ravens croaked, semifrozen эльфы squealed, and from under the earth noisy sighs of a terrible monster reached. It has hidden in the underground lake and thirsted extraction.

However brave count Sent-Kler on what did not pay attention. It resolutely went forward, trusting owing to sacred трилистника, and that force has protected it from all dangers.

As soon as has stopped a peal, count Sent-Kler has again stepped into the firm earth, for line of a vicious circle and has far flung away from itself a magical bowl эльфов.

And suddenly all frozen эльфы were gone together with the master and its marble table, and remains nobody on a magnificent grass, except count Greg. And it has slowly cleared up from the magical dream, pulled and has risen to the feet, shivering all body. He perplexed looked back around and, should be, did not remember, how here has got.

Here count Sent-Kler has run up. He has embraced the friend and did not let out from the embraces while that has not come to the senses also hot blood has not begun to flow on its veins.

Then friends have approached to that place where count SentKler has thrown a magic bowl. But there they instead of it have found only a small fragment of basalt. On it there was a pole, and in it a dewdrop.