Episode 18

The King's satisfaction was disturbed by the Great Giant stumbling along the Bridge. "Although he reeled into the midst of men and cattle in the clumsiest way his presence was felt by none."

The King remained calm. The Giant walked to the door of the Temple. "He halted and was fixed to the ground, his shadow pointed out the hours which were marked in a circle on the floor around him."

"The people pressed towards the door of the Temple. The Hawk with the mirror soared aloft caught the light of the Sun, and reflected it upon the group, which was standing on the Altar.

The King, the Queen and their attendants seemed illuminated by a heavenly splendour.

To the present hour the Bridge is swarming with travellers and the Temple is the most frequented on the whole Earth." (Goethe's text)

 

Episode 17

It is now broad day and a stately Bridge could be seen stretching with many arches across the River.

There were many foot travellers and animals upon it "flowing like two streams on their several sides and neither interrupting the other. The new King and his spouse were delighted with the motion and activity of this great people." (Goethe's text)

The Old Man asked everyone to remember and honour the Green Snake for the sacrifice and contribution she had made towards the neighbouring banks of the River now being one land.

To the Queen's surprise a fourth unknown young waiting maid appeared. She was more beautiful than any of her other three maids. She had previously carried a basket.



Episode 16

In this Reading the Youth regains full consciousness and becomes a Prince.

Whilst being between the Youth and the Lily the Old Man cried out with a loud voice, "There are three which have rule on earth, Wisdom, Appearance and Strength."

When he said these words each of the four kings reacted in different ways, with the Gold, Silver and Bronze Kings bestowing gifts upon the Youth.  The Will-o'-wisps lick the gold veins from the Mixed King who then disintegrates.

Following the Youth receiving the gifts the Old Man saw him change in demeanour in very remarkable ways. He had become a Prince.

The Prince then advised the Old Man he had forgotten the fourth power that rules all the world. The Old Man responded with his final wisdom.

 

Episode 15

We experience, rising from the River, a Temple, to the astonishment of all present.

The ground began to move in motion. The depths of the earth seemed to open for the building. The Temple mounted upwards, planks and beams came crashing in.

"The Cottage of the Ferryman, which had been severed from the ground, sank gradually down and covered the Old Man and the Youth.

Thus a fair little Temple stood erected in the middle of the large one or if you wish an Altar worthy of the Temple." (Goethe's text)

The Youth and the Lily went into the Temple.

 

 

Episode 14

We learn how the unconscious Youth is cared for intuitively and ingeniously by the community gathered around him.

All went forward towards a Sanctuary. The Will-o'-wisps unlocked the doors by stripping gold from the locks. Everyone went in. They found the four kings. During conversation between the kings and the Man with the Lamp, he found himself declaring, to the joy of the Lily - for the Third and Final time in the Story - "The Time is at Hand."

The Story is now beginning to move towards its final stages.

 

Episode 13

A community that had formed around the unconscious Youth declared in a wondrous hubbub what each had to do, their task, their duty.

They took the unconscious Youth over a most beautiful Bridge that had formed across the River.

Upon reaching the other side the Old Man asked the Green Snake, who had been the Bridge, what she had resolved upon. She replied, "To sacrifice myself rather than be sacrificed."

 

Episode 12

Lily is full of sorrow and tears.

The Snake, who had encircled the Youth, asked who could get the help of The Man with the Lamp. She asked the Woman with the Basket. The Snake was worried about the safe circle she had put around the Youth becoming "corrupted" after sunset.

Just in time the Snake saw The Man with the Lamp moving towards them at great speed. The Man explains to the Lily how he knew he was needed and starts to assess the ability of the community to rescue the Youth.



Episode 11

Lily, by touching the onyx stone, revived Mops the dog, and played with him avidly.

The Youth entered the Lily's presence. He became completely exasperated by her playing with an "ugly" dog rather than attending to him.

In desperation he said he wished to be turned to stone, too, by the touch of the Lily. So he touched her.

Instantly the Youth became unconscious and fell, lifeless, to the ground. The Snake encircled him.



Episode 10

The Snake and the Lily speak together about the prophecy for the Bridge. The Lily says that it has not been fulfilled yet. She gives the example of those crossing from either side not yet being able to do so at the same time.

The Green Snake tells the Lily what she has seen and learnt from her travels underground and conversations with the Kings. Lily becomes re-assured when the Snake tells her she has heard the phrase "The Time is at Hand," used.



Episode 09

The Old Woman is in the garden of the Lily. She praises the Lily for her beauty.

Lily is unhappy because her canary bird, frightened by a Hawk, touched the Lily and died. The Old Woman with the Basket tries to comfort the Lily, but to no avail.

The Old Woman puts the onyx stone representing her dog Mops on the ground in front of the Lily. Lily sees this as a "sign."

 



Episode 08

The Youth Prince and the Old Woman with the Basket looked at the beauty of the Bridge spanning the River. The Bridge was composed of the Green Snake in another Form.

The visible and some invisible party of travellers over the Bridge had to decide in which order they should meet the Lily.

This was because visitors to her had to meet her singularly. If they did not they would be under "pain of severities."

 

Episode 07

 The Man with the Lamp’s wife set off from their cottage with a basket of vegetables to pay the Ferryman what the Will-o’-wisps owed him for taking them across the River. She had agreed to do this.

On the way she meets the Giant who takes from her basket some of the vegetables.

When the Ferryman sees insufficient vegetables to pay the debt he is displeased, will not accept them, but does offer her an alternative.
  

 



 

 

 

Episode 06

The Man with the Lamp’s wife set off from their cottage with a basket of vegetables to pay the Ferryman what the Will-o’-wisps owed him for taking them across the River. She had agreed to do this.

On the way she meets the Giant who takes from her basket some of the vegetables.

When the Ferryman sees insufficient vegetables to pay the debt he is displeased, will not accept them, but does offer her an alternative.

 In the Ferryman’s boat was a Youth of noble form and strange dress.  

 

Episode 05

The Man with the Lamp returns to his cottage. He finds his wife very distressed following a visit by the Will-o’-wisps.  

She describes how they swept the walls of gold and when Mops their dog ate their gold coins he died.

The Man shines his Light on the dead dog and it changes into a pretty onyx stone. He shines it onto the walls and they become re-coated in gold.  

For the second time in the Tale he declares, “The Time is at hand". 

 

 

 

Episode 04

The Green Snake can now see three other kings, in addition to the Gold one.

A man holding a lamp appears through a cleft in a rock in the cavern. The kings ask him questions about their own futures and how many secrets he knows.

The Man with the Lamp is heard to say for the first of three times in the story, “The Time is at Hand."

The Lamp held by the Man has strange qualities.



Episode 03

The Green Snake goes into a cavern in the rocks where she has been many times.

Because of the Light coming from her she is able to see objects which before she only knew existed through her touching them.

She sees a statue of a king made of pure gold.

This Golden King has a conversation with the Snake about what is important to her from her experience of being able to see. The Fairy Tale is renown for this speech dialogue.



Episode 02

In this second post and audio reading we experience the effect on the Snake of her eating the gold coins the Ferryman had put into the cavern. She becomes transparent and luminous.

In Goethe’s words she experienced a “new glory” all around her. She no longer had to rely solely upon her imagination through her touch.

She was pleased with her own appearance too!

She meets the two Will-o’-wisps who ask her to take them to the Lily.



Episode 01

Goethe's Epic Fairy Tale, The Green Snake and The Beautiful Lily, offers revelation and inspiration to those who explore it with open hearts and minds.  It is a joy and masterpiece of world literature.

The scene of this first reading is where a Ferryman is woken at midnight by two travellers, "Will-o'-wisps," who urgently want to cross a swollen river between one land and another. This crossing proves to be different to what we would expect, in many ways!