literature

Rosenrot

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Literature Text

Long ago, in a small village in Bavaria, lived a young boy. His father was a farmer and his mother a housewife and they lived happily in their small cottage on the outskirts of town.

One day, the boy was playing with his friends when he saw a family coming up the hill towards the village. Sitting on the family's bull was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

The family lived in a small cottage across the way from the boy and he would watch the girl whenever she passed his window, watching her every movement. He never dared to speak to her, for she was far too beautiful to ever speak with him.

During a cold night, all of the children of the vilage gathered around a great fire and listened to the elder tell great stories. The old man told a story of a rose, so beautiful that it made the angels cry. The boy watched as the girl was mystified by this story and thought up a plan to win her heart.

The next day, the boy asked the elder, "Where can I find the red rose?" and the elder told him "Deep in the earth, where the fires of hell burn eternal."

The boy took his father's shovel and dug, and he dug and dug until he found hell, but he found no red rose. He approaded the devil, sitting high on his throne.

"Where can I find the red rose?" The boy asked, no fear in his voice. The devil, curious by this young lad, grinned and said "Far across the fields, in a king's tunic."

The boy climbed out of hell and walked, and he walked and walked until he found the edge of the world, but he found no king. An old hermit sat on his stool watching the sea before him and asked the boy, "What is it you seek, lad?"

"Where can I find the red rose?" the boy demanded, exhausted. The old hermit smiled and replied, "Across the ocean, where the earth is parched and the people are darker then the night."

So the boy swam, and he swam and swam, until he found the land the old hermit spoke of. But he found no red rose. The devil sat at a great palace, a grin upon his face.

"Where can I find the red rose?" the boy begged, tears streaming down his face. "Ask your father."

The boy swam, and he walked and he walked until he returned to his home. He rushed to his father, hugging him tight. "Father! Where can I find the red rose?"

The boy's father simply turned and pointed atop a mountain.

So the boy climbed, and he climbed and he climbed. As he reached the peak of the mountain, he finally found what he had been seeking for so long... he found the red rose.

His fingers grasped it's stem and uprooted this beautiful flower. He held it high over his head in triumph. As the boy climbed down the mountain, he slipped and fell.

The rose landed at the girl's feet and the boy landed on the rocks.
A... interesting children's story that I wrote for my chilren (der!)

so ya... the ending is real sad, but it goes with the "Brothers Grimm" and other depressing German children's stories.
© 2006 - 2024 Ghosttiger
Comments4
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zuzynka's avatar
it reminds me more of Andersen´s
it is great..maybe too sad for children but I enjoyed it very much. I like that the only one who knew where the rose was was his own father who he hadn´t asked before.