Once upon a time, long long ago, a young knight of the Cutting-Table traveled from the "Land of 1000 Stitches", laying in the south, in name of his majesty with a letter to Velvet-Town, the capital of the land Husqvarna.

His steps were powerful and nowhere he stayed for a longer time. Now he was on his way for many days, and because he was a good walker, he came nearer and nearer to his destination. Only some hours he had to go, when he arrived at the shore of the Dungaree-River. At this part of shore, the river has many anabranches, spreading to seas and swamps. So, the knight decided to have a break. Out of his backsack he took some food and after finishing his meal, he tooks a big golden needle and a fiddlestick from his belt. For some time he played the needle and pleased himself with the smooth melodies.

He thought, that he was alone at this wonderful place, only in company with some water birds. Some old willow trees stood near by and their long elastic twigs hung like lightgreen veils over the water.

After some time the young knight felt refreshed, put his needle and the fiddlestick back into his belt and was about standing up to keep on moving, when a young and pretty girl stood in his front. She must have come very quiet, the knight thought. The girl smiled with a tender mien and spoke:

"Mylord, don't stop playing the needle. It's so lovely to her it."

The knight was astonished and asked himself, what this young girl was doing in this wilderness, so far away from the next village.

"From where are you coming? What are you doing here in this lonelyness!?" he asked.

"I'm living nearby and when I was in my garden, I have heard your wonderful music. Please, play something more for me."

The young knight surveyed her. The girl was slim and tender, with fine white skin and long flowing hair. But he noticed, that her eyes were red. And then he scared - the tender girl did'n stand at the coast any longer, she stood in, or better, she stood on the water! And he thought, that she couldn't be a human being!

He advanced backwards and wanted to leave this weird place as soon as possible. But the girl prayed: "Please, mylord, play something more for me. I've never heard such adorable smooth melodies before."

But the knight fended and spoke: "I'm on a journey in order of my majesty and I have rested for to long, so I have to hurry. I couldn't play something for you now."

The being gripped his sleeve and answered: "So go in peace, mylord, but promise me to come back on your way home and to play for me for some time."

The knight promised it and he would promised everything only for leaving this place.

"So I will wait for and please, mylord, don't disapoint me!"

And with this last words the young girl turned around and after a short while, she disappeared between the lightgreen veils of the willow trees.

The knight respired and with hurry he leaved the coast. And again he steped powerful along his way and soon he arrived in Velvet-Town. He finsihed his order and already the next morning he reported his way home. But he wouldn't held the promise he had given to the girl. And so he decided to use a another way home, around the seascape. And with some other passangers he hired a boat, to drive navigate down the Dungaree-River for making his first step at land, after crossing the weird place where he has met the girl. For his mind, the young girl was a water ghost, of which he knowed, that they lived in seas and swamps. And he hoped, that this ghost wouldn't leave his place. And also, he was not alone - there was a boat full of other passengers around him. The ghost wouldn't appear, when so many others were there.

The boot had have a good speed, the skipper pushed himself and under the passenger, there was a good mmod. The weather was great and because it was early this morning, there was a refreshing coolness. It seemed to be a dulcet and diverting journey.

The passengers were talking and while all of this talks, no one noticed, that the boat came slower and slower. The skipper exerted himself, but after some time the boat didn't move anyway. It swam peacefully on the water holding it's place. After a short while a passenger noticed that and cried.

"Hey, Skipper, why do we stop here!? I'm in hurry!"

The skipper wiped of his sweat and said with full of cares:

"I can do what I want! It seems as if the boot would be hold by something!"

"But we have to go! We couldn't stay here in the middle of the water!"

And the Skipper again tried wih all power to set the boat free. Meanwhile the passenger get uneasy bit by bit, one looked to another and no one had any suggestions. The boat swam motionless on the river and the water seemed to begin to sweep eerie.

Suddenly the skipper said:

"It could be, that the water ghost wants a toll. And I beg you, that everyone will throw the best and precious he has into the water. Maybe, that the residents of the depth will allow us to go!"

And so they did. Every passenger was giving his precious thing he had. One throw his great embroidered jacket into the water, another wonderful yarn and another an expensive embroidery-machine. Then it came to the knight and after a short moment of delay, he took his golden needle and the fiddle stick and throw it into the water. All the other thing have sunk, but not the golden needle and the fiddle stick. They swam on the water surface. And suddenly it seamed as if the needle and the stick begun to dance on the water and all the passenger scared by viewing this. And the passengers advanced backward from the knight and cuddeld themself in a corner of the boat.

And all of them knew, that it was the knight what the water ghosts wanted to have!

In this moment the young knight understood from the bottom of his heart, why they couldn't go. It was his promise, that he had given the young girl at the sea, to play on his journey back some melodies on his golden needle for her. And he had broken this promise and so, the girl came to punish him.

Meanwhile the skipper had recovered from the scare and he said:

"As you could see, the water ghosts have a problem with you! I do not whay and it's equal! You would know why they are waiting for you. I beg you, please leave the boat - otherwise we will never come at land!"

The knight nodded and jumped into the water. All the passengers cried loud, first of scare, then of astonishment, because the young knight did'nt sunk into the depth - no, the water only seemed to swirl around his feet. He stood on the water'S surface. And without any word, the knight turned around and ran in direction of the seas and swamps. There he disappeared between the willow trees and water plants.

And his golden needle and the fiddle stick!?

They followed him.

At the moment he disappered the boat was given free. The ban was over and with easiness the skipper navigated the boat again.

The knight was never seen again, but since that time a wonderful, adorable music was to be heared at the seas and swamps of the Dungaree.River. Special in nights, when the moonlight was light and smooth and white fog was laying over waters surface, the finspun sound ascented to the nighty sky.

END

Zip as txt-file