The Story of the Blood Red Rose

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The story is laid in the middle of the Seventeenth Century, and the incidents take place in the fanciful kingdom of Urania in the days when soldiers use cross-bows instead of guns and when laced sleeves and witches were the fashion. In a dark and gloomy grotto, the home of Hagar, the witch, burns a fire and from a rude tripod of sticks over the fire, hangs a steaming kettle. Paulo, the young huntsman, and Godiva, his sweetheart, meet in the forest. Paulo exhibits with great pride a deer which he has just killed. Godiva explains to Paulo that they must not forget their old friend, Hagar, the witch. Therefore, they make their way together to the gloomy cavern and after playfully surprising the old crone, they present her with a haunch of venison. They are much interested in the magic brew which simmers in the great pot. The witch notes their interest and explains that she is brewing a magic potion which will change a human being into an animal or other object at the desire of the partaker. While the young lovers are visiting their old friend, the witch, the king of Urania is returning from the hunt, accompanied by his retinue of gentlemen of the court. The King is thirsty, and observing in the distance the cot of a shepherd, directs his way to the humble abode for purpose of obtaining a glass of milk. While he is drinking it, the young lovers approach the shepherd's cot, the home of Godiva. The King is startled by the beauty of the young peasant girl and shows her attentions. Paulo becomes frantic with indignation. He follows the couple and when he discovers the King seizing his sweetheart and pressing his hot passionate kisses upon her face and lips, Paulo seizes the monarch by the throat and throws him to the ground. The retainers of the royal ravisher crowd to his assistance, seize Paulo, bind him, and take him to the royal castle, where he is cast into a cold, gloomy oubliette infested by rats and lighted but dimly through a tiny window. The old witch gives Godiva the magic potion and whispers to her that in time of stress and danger, she may swallow the contents and change herself into a beautiful white rose, which will never die. The King tells the story of his meeting with Godiva to his chamberlain. Together they plot, and decide finally to abduct the girl. A small body of the King's retainers is dispatched to the shepherd's cot with instructions to return with the beautiful girl. It is the King's orders. Sancha, a spy, in the employ of the queen, and her lover, overhears the conversation between the King and his chamberlain, and hastening to the Queen, tells her of the King's passion for the beautiful young shepherdess. Throwing off her cloak of royal austerity, the Queen bursts into a passionate rage, fired by jealousy, and at once plots with Sancha to dispose of her rival. But first she must have sight of this marvelously beautiful girl, so she disguises herself, and together with Sancha locates Godiva in the cavern home of the old witch. Such beauty is dangerous, the Queen decides, and orders Sancha to assassinate her. The Queen's bravos and the King's abductors meet at the shepherd's cottage. There is a fight and the King's men carry Godiva away. The King places her in the secret chamber, and endeavors to woo her, but she repulses him. Angered by her resistance, the King leads her to the dungeon and pointing exultantly through the grating, shows her the figure of Paulo, her lover, lying on the cold stones in the oubliette. There is a noise in the apartments above; Godiva realizes her peril. She calls softly to her lover, and while the attention of the King is distracted by the sounds of approaching footsteps, she tells Paulo of the magic powder and its powers. A beautiful white rose falls between the iron bars of the grating, into the hands of the abstracted young lover, who passionately kisses it. His sweetheart has come to him. Angered, the Queen enters, but the King, amazed at Godiva's disappearance, pleads ignorance of her whereabouts. In the excitement that follows, Paulo succeeds in escaping from the dungeon and becomes a wild man of the forest, his only companion being the beautiful, fragrant, white rose, which reposes always in his bosom. After a year of wandering, Paulo meets the King in the forest and kills him, but the King's bowmen avenge his death by sending an arrow into the breast of Paulo. The arrow pierces the rose in his bosom and his life's blood stains the blossom to a brilliant scarlet. His soul departs to meet her spirit which has been released from the flower.