Three Lectures on the Mystery Dramas

> (Scene Five: Tale of the Rockspring Wonder) > Once upon a time there was a boy > who lived—the only child of a poor forester— > within a woodland solitude. He knew > besides his parents hardly any other people. > His build was slender, > his skin almost transparent. > One could look long into his eyes: > they treasured deepest spirit wonders. > And though indeed few people entered > the circle of his life, > he never was in need of friends. > When in the nearby mountains > the golden sunlight glowed and glimmered, > the boy's rapt, musing eye drew forth > the spirit gold into his soul > until his heart resembled > the morning brightness of the sun.— > But when through darkening clouds > the morning sunrays could not pierce > and dreariness hung over mountain heights, > the boy's eye, too, grew dull; > a mood of sadness filled his heart.— > The spirit weaving of his narrow world > took hold of him so fully > that it was no less strange to him > than were his body and his limbs. > The trees and flowers of the woods > were all his friends: > there spoke to him from crown and calyx > and from the lofty tree-tops spirit beings > and what they whispered, he could understand.— > Such wondrous things of worlds unknown > unlocked themselves before the boy > whenever his soul conversed > with what most people would regard as lifeless. > At evening his anxious parents > from time to time missed their beloved child.— > The boy was at a spot nearby > where from the rocks a spring burst forth, > and waterdrops, dispersing thousandfold, > were scattered over stones. > When moonlight's silver glance, > in sparkling colours' sorcery, > was mirrored in the water's misty spray, > the boy could sit for hours on end > beside the rock-born spring. > And figures, formed by spirit-magic, > arose before his youthful vision > in rushing water and in moonlight's glimmer. > They grew into three women's forms > who told him of those things > toward which his soul's desire was turned.— > And when upon a gentle summer night > the boy was sitting at the spring again, > one woman of the three caught up a myriad of drops > out of the glittering spray > and gave them to the second woman. > She fashioned from the tiny drops > a chalice with a silver gleam > and passed it to the third. > She filled it with the moonlight's silver rays > and gave it to the boy, > who had beheld all this > with youthful inner sight.— > Now in the night > which followed this event, > he dreamed that he was robbed > by a fierce dragon of the chalice. > After this night the boy beheld > just three times more the wonder of the spring. > Henceforth the women came no more > although the boy sat musing > beside the rock-born spring in moonlight's silver sheen. > And when three hundred sixty weeks > had run their course three times, > the boy had long become a man > and left his parents' home and forest country > to live in a strange city. > One evening, tired from the day's hard toil, > he pondered on what life had still in store for him, > and suddenly he felt himself a boy, > caught up and carried to his rock-born spring. > Again he could behold the water-women > and this time heard them speak. > The first one said to him: > > *Remember me at any time > you feel alone in life. > I lure man's eye of soul > to starry spaces and ethereal realms. > And whosoever wills to feel me, > I offer him the draught of hope in life > out of my wonder goblet.—* > > And then the second spoke: > > *Do not forget me at the times > when courage in your life is threatened. > I lead man's yearning heart > to depths of soul and up to spirit heights. > And whosoever seeks his strength from me, > for him I forge the steel of faith in life, > shaped by my wonder hammer.—* > > The third one could be heard: > > *To me lift up your eye of spirit > when your life's riddles overwhelm you. > I spin the threads of thought that lead > through labyrinths of life and the abyss of soul. > And whosoever harbours trust in me, > for him I weave the living rays of love > upon my wonder loom.—* > > Thus it befell the man, > and in the night that followed this > he dreamed a dream: > a savage dragon prowled > in circles round about him,— > and yet could not come near him. > He was protected from that dragon by > the beings he had seen beside the rock-born spring > and who with him had left his home > for this far-distant place.