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[Illustration: THE
KING OF ROOT VALLEY
A FAIRY TALE]




[Illustration]




                          THE

                   KING OF ROOT VALLEY

                AND HIS CURIOUS DAUGHTER.

                      A Fairy Tale.

                          BY

                       R. REINICK.

  With Eight Illustrations, by T. Von Oer and R. Reinick.

                        LONDON:
           CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.
                         1856.




                      PRINTED BY
          JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR, LITTLE QUEEN STREET,
                  LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS.




Contents.


CHAPTER THE FIRST.
                                                            PAGE

    THE ROOT-VALLEY AND ITS INHABITANTS.--THE STORY-TELLING
        GUESTS.--THE KING OF ROOT-VALLEY AND HIS CURIOUS
        DAUGHTER.--THE AERIAL CHARIOT.--FESTIVITIES IN THE
        TOWN.--RETURN THROUGH THE AIR FROM THE ROOF OF THE
        TOWN-HOUSE.--WHIMS OF THE PRINCESS                     1

CHAPTER THE SECOND.

    THE SPRING FESTIVAL IN ROOT-VALLEY.--THE NUT-FIELD.--THE
        MIGRATING BIRDS.--A STRANGE PEOPLE MAKE THEIR
        APPEARANCE.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN.--THE PRINCESS
        FALLS INTO RAPTURES                                    7

CHAPTER THE THIRD.

    THE WONDERFUL BROOK.--THE OVERTURNED CARRIER'S
        WAGGON.--NUTCRACKER AND HARLEQUIN COME TO LIFE.--THE
        THREE WISHES.--THE BOX OF NUREMBERG TOYS.--THE
        WANDERING RATS.--HOW HARLEQUIN BRINGS TO LIFE A WHOLE
        NATION AND ARMY.--BATTLE WITH THE
        RATS.--HOMAGE.--PROCESSION TO THE ROOT-VALLEY         11

CHAPTER THE FOURTH.

    NUTCRACKER IS BETROTHED TO THE PRINCESS OF ROOT-VALLEY, AND
        TAKES POSSESSION OF THE NUTFIELD.--THE BIRDS
        DEPART.--WHAT ILL COMES OF IT.--WEDDING AND PARTING   19

CHAPTER THE FIFTH.

    THE PUPPET-KINGDOM IS SET IN ORDER.--HAUGHTINESS OF
        NUTCRACKER, HIS WIFE, AND SUBJECTS.--ANTIPATHY OF THE
        TWO PEOPLES.--THE ROOT-KING ABDICATES HIS
        CROWN.--NUTCRACKER A TYRANT.--PREPARATIONS FOR WAR IN
        ROOT-VALLEY.--THE WAR.--HARLEQUIN'S DEATH.--FLIGHT AND
        DESTRUCTION OF THE PUPPET-KINGDOM.--NUTCRACKER'S
        DEATH.--THE PRINCESS SAVED                            22

CHAPTER THE SIXTH.

    THE BIRDCATCHER AND HIS FAMILY.--HOW THE CHILDREN RETURN
        HOME WITH RARE TREASURES.--NUTCRACKER'S DEAD BODY.--THE
        LITTLE MAIDEN IN THE STORK'S NEST, AND WHO SHE
        WAS.--AFFECTING RECONCILIATION ON THE
        NUTFIELD.--THREATENING DANGER TO THE
        ROOTMEN.--EMIGRATION OF THE ROOTMEN                   28




[Illustration: First Chapter.]

The King of Root Valley

AND

His Curious Daughter.

CHAPTER THE FIRST.

    THE ROOT-VALLEY AND ITS INHABITANTS.--THE STORY-TELLING
        GUESTS.--THE KING OF ROOT-VALLEY AND HIS CURIOUS
        DAUGHTER.--THE AERIAL CHARIOT.--FESTIVITIES IN THE
        TOWN.--RETURN THROUGH THE AIR FROM THE ROOF OF THE
        TOWN-HOUSE.--WHIMS OF THE PRINCESS.


The road between Nuremberg and Leipsic ran in former times, in one
part, along the edge of a dark forest, which stretched into the
country far over the mountains. In the middle of this forest the
rocks enclosed a deep green valley, bordered by almost impenetrable
hedges, so that neither man nor beast could enter it. Here dwelt at
that time the merry little people of the Rootmen. They were pretty
little creatures, in form and look like human beings,--the tallest
about six inches high, and the smallest as long as your little
finger. In summer they lived in mossy bowers and under the leaves
of the tall fern; in winter they nestled among the roots of trees,
in the holes of some gnarled old trunk, and crept into the clefts
in the rocks. Their dress was fine