03.男巫的毛心脏 The Warlock's Hairy Heart

3. The Warlock's Hairy Heart There was once a handsome, rich and talented young warlock, who observed that his friends grew foolish when they fell in love, gambolling and preening, losing their appetites and their dignity.

The young warlock resolved never to fall prey to such weakness, and employed Dark Arts to ensure his immunity. Unaware of his secret, the warlock's family laughed to see him so aloof and cold.

"All will change, " they prophesied, "when a maid catches his fancy! " But the young warlock's fancy remained untouched. Though many a maiden was intrigued by his haughty mien, and employed her most subtle arts to please him, none succeeded in touching his heart.

The warlock gloried in his indifference and the sagacity that had produced it. The first freshness of youth waned, and the warlock's peers began to wed, and then to bring forth children.

"Their hearts must be husks, " he sneered inwardly, as he observed the antics of the young parents around him, "shrivelled by the demands of these mewling offspring! " And once again he congratulated himself upon the wisdom of his early choice.

In due course, the warlock's aged parents died. Their son did not mourn them; on the contrary, he considered himself blessed by their demise.

Now he reigned alone in their castle. Having transferred his greatest treasure to the deepest dungeon, he gave himself over to a life of ease and plenty, his comfort the only aim of his many servants.

The warlock was sure that he must be an object of immense envy to all who beheld his splendid and untroubled solitude. Fierce were his anger and chagrin, therefore, when he overheard two of his lackeys discussing their master one day.

The first servant expressed pity for the warlock who, with all his wealth and power, was yet beloved by nobody. But his companion jeered, asking why a man with so much gold and a palatial castle to his name had been unable to attract a wife.

Their words dealt dreadful blows to the listening warlock's pride. He resolved at once to take a wife, and that she would be a wife superior to all others.