It chanced that Count Otto, on one Christmas
Eve, ordered that a great hunt should take place
in the forest surrounding his castle. He and his
guests and his many retainers rode forth, and
the chase became more and more exciting. It
led through thickets, and over pathless tracts of
forest, until at length Count Otto found himself
separated from his companions.

He rode on by himself until he came to a spring
of clear, bubbling water, known to the people
around as the ``Fairy Well.'' Here Count Otto
dismounted. He bent over the spring and began
to lave his hands in the sparkling tide, but to his
wonder he found that though the weather was
cold and frosty, the water was warm and delightfully
caressing. He felt a glow of joy pass through
his veins, and, as he plunged his hands deeper, he
fancied that his right hand was grasped by another,
soft and small, which gently slipped from
his finger the gold ring he always wore. And, lo!
when he drew out his hand, the gold ring was gone.

Full of wonder at this mysterious event, the
count mounted his horse and returned to his
castle, resolving in his mind that the very next
day he would have the Fairy Well emptied by his
servants.

He retired to his room, and, throwing himself
just as he was upon his couch, tried to sleep; but
the strangeness of the adventure kept him restless
and wakeful.

Suddenly he heard the hoarse baying of the
watch-hounds in the courtyard, and then the
creaking of the drawbridge, as though it were
being lowered. Then came to his ear the patter of
many small feet on the stone staircase, and next
he heard indistinctly the sound of light footsteps
in the chamber adjoining his own.

Count Otto sprang from his couch, and as he
did so there sounded a strain of delicious music,
and the door of his chamber was flung open.
Hurrying into the next room, he found himself in
the midst of numberless Fairy beings, clad in gay
and sparkling robes. They paid no heed to him,
but began to dance, and laugh, and sing, to the
sound of mysterious music.

In the center of the apartment stood a splendid
Christmas Tree, the first ever seen in that country.
Instead of toys and candles there hung on
its lighted boughs diamond stars, pearl necklaces,
bracelets of gold ornamented with colored jewels,
aigrettes of rubies and sapphires, silken belts
embroidered with Oriental pearls, and daggers
mounted in gold and studded with the rarest
gems. The whole tree swayed, sparkled, and
glittered in the radiance of its many lights.

Count Otto stood speechless, gazing at all this
wonder, when suddenly the Fairies stopped dancing
and fell back, to make room for a lady of
dazzling beauty who came slowly toward him.

She wore on her raven-black tresses a golden
diadem set with jewels. Her hair flowed down
upon a robe of rosy satin and creamy velvet. She
stretched out two small, white hands to the count
and addressed him in sweet, alluring tones:--

``Dear Count Otto,'' said she, ``I come to
return your Christmas visit. I am Ernestine, the
Queen of the Fairies. I bring you something you
lost in the Fairy Well.''

And as she spoke she drew from her bosom a
golden casket, set with diamonds, and placed it in
his hands. He opened it eagerly and found within
his lost gold ring.

Carried away by the wonder of it all, and
overcome by an irresistible impulse, the count pressed
the Fairy Ernestine to his heart, while she, holding
him by the hand, drew him into the magic
mazes of the dance. The mysterious music floated
through the room, and the rest of that Fairy
company circled and whirled around the Fairy Queen
and Count Otto, and then gradually dissolved
into a mist of many colors, leaving the count and
his beautiful guest alone.

Then the young man, forgetting all his former
coldness toward the maidens of the country
round about, fell on his knees before the Fairy
and besought her to become his bride. At last
she consented on the condition that he should
never speak the word ``death'' in her presence.

The next day the wedding of Count Otto and
Ernestine, Queen of the Fairies, was celebrated
with great pomp and magnificence, and the two
continued to live happily for many years.

Now it happened on a time, that the count and
his Fairy wife were to hunt in the forest around
the castle. The horses were saddled and bridled,
and standing at the door, the company waited,
and the count paced the hall in great impatience;
but still the Fairy Ernestine tarried long in her
chamber. At length she appeared at the door of
the hall, and the count addressed her in anger.

``You have kept us waiting so long,'' he cried,
``that you would make a good messenger to send
for Death!''

Scarcely had he spoken the forbidden and fatal
word, when the Fairy, uttering a wild cry, vanished
from his sight. In vain Count Otto, overwhelmed
with grief and remorse, searched the
castle and the Fairy Well, no trace could he find
of his beautiful, lost wife but the imprint of her
delicate hand set in the stone arch above the
castle gate.

Years passed by, and the Fairy Ernestine did
not return. The count continued to grieve.
Every Christmas Eve he set up a lighted tree in
the room where he had first met the Fairy, hoping
in vain that she would return to him.

Time passed and the count died. The castle
fell into ruins. But to this day may be seen above
the massive gate, deeply sunken in the stone arch,
the impress of a small and delicate hand.

And such, say the good folk of Strasburg, was
the origin of the Christmas Tree.