 The weird circle in this cave by the restless sea We are meant to call from out the past stories strange and weird Bellkeeper Hold the bell So all may know we are gathered again in the weird Circle Speak again the immortal tale The tapestry force it would seem often that the feuds between the houses of the great are shrouded in mystery and antiquity However, in at least one instance that of the neighboring houses of Stenoff and Ljuryn in Hungary The beginning of the feud itself was pictured in a great tapestry hanging in one of the upper rooms of the Ljuryn castle It was hung so that the observer having looked upon the disgrace of the Stenoff ancestor Could turn and look from that very room at the glory of the present Stenoff castle Once the families had been close friends and had made their homes as close to each other as possible But greed and jealousy had at least two centuries ago caused a murderous hatred between them Observe the inconceivable finale of this great feud between these two houses At first hand because of my position as personal servant and confidant to young master Frederick Ljuryn in fact Strange things began to happen the very day of the death of Frederick's father We were standing in the tapestry room Good Yes, master Frederick. I'm right here, sir. Oh Do you hear it good? Do you hear that bell? Yes, sir. It's they're tolling it for his death They don't know do they good enough that he lives on forever lives on forever. Listen to me good listen My father died last night But I knew it even before they started tolling the bell. I knew it when the last breath left his body I knew it because he and I are now the same person His life goes on in my body just as his father's life went on in his It's been so ever since the first of the lures Our spirit is undying. It has always been a great house, sir Greater than the house of Stenoff. Hey Gertner Yes greater than the Stenoff's much greater master Frederick master Frederick no longer Gertner Baron Frederick now. Yes, sir Baron Frederick Yes, Gertner Our house is greater But for one the daughter of Baron Stenoff Elsa Our Gertner. I love her. No one nothing will ever stop my marrying her Tonight when I meet her in the garden, I'll tell her that at last I can marry her But now I'm the master of luring castle very true her Baron very true, sir See Gertner Even the bell knows now that there is still a master of this castle a powerful master Everyone knows Baron Frederick that the present Baron is the greatest of all the lurens this tapestry good The fight in that scene it happened almost 200 years ago and yet It seems that it's still going on the lurens won that fight, sir Yes, and the Stenoff's war vengeance from then on even to the last of us good night Even down to me and such a hatred so will last until one family is destroyed Baron Stenoff hates me personally though Gertner and he hates me with a deadly hate Still today is the day we must meet he and I For today as happens only once a year the Baron luren and the Baron Stenoff meet to discuss affairs of state Stand by me good now while he's here take stock of what he says It wasn't long before the Baron Stenoff was announced I noticed during the interview that he looked very often at the tapestry in his eyes followed back each time to the face of Frederick Lurem as I followed his glance I could see why The face of the luren in the tapestry was exactly the face of my master The likeness and the look of proud superiority were the same From the moment the Baron Stenoff entered the room. There was a near of animosity between them Good day Baron Frederick since it is necessary Baron come in a chair here is prepared for you I see so that I may gaze directly at that a cursed tapestry It's not a favorite of yours sir I know that but it is the favorite of mine and this remember is my house You are no more polite young man than your father before you while my father's body still lies in this house Even such a man as you Baron Stenoff must feel a duty of some respect never Baron Frederick I feel respect for a luren dead or alive. There were some day you may be taken as suddenly as he was ridiculous Well, I'm a strong and healthy as a horse as That horse there in the tapestry perhaps That is a tremendous beast sir and like you Baron it was a Stenoff I Doubt that you could ever master a Stenoff horse. I did say sir. I could ride any horse alive Someday no doubt there will be one that will master you Frederick Let us hope not Baron that would indeed be unfortunate for my proposed marriage to your daughter My daughter in fact I have already asked Elsa and she has agreed Pending your consent because she knew you would never have it Our families were born only to hate and to destroy each other that is still true Baron But for one Elsa the blood must have weakened in the loren lying Frederick You would try to get the mastery of my estates now by marriage rather than murder. I warn you Frederick The hatred reflected in that horse's eyes there in the tapestry against that murdering loren Is not dead yet 200 years ago at all and murdered a Stenoff and the hatred lasts in the eyes of a tapestry horse And in the heart of a Stenoff Have you noticed Frederick the face of the loren in that tapestry? It is your face exactly while you were talking Baron I've been looking at the eyes of that horse tonight. I see that they're really like human eyes like your eyes in fact Strangely like yours. Perhaps I too shall come back after death As a horse Oh Baron remember the prophecy about our families a Lofty name shall have a fearful fall When as the driver over his horse the mortality of loren shall triumph over the immortality of Stenoff Perhaps if I would approve that I could ride a Stenoff horse perhaps Try it Try it someday Frederick. I have never heard a stranger conversation Nor have I seen such looks of hatred upon two men's countenances This being a tale of hatred can have no definite meanings for hatred itself in its very essences and serious Yet, I knew there was a very definite threat in the Baron Stenoff's last words And nevertheless that evening Frederick went as usual to the garden of the neighboring Stenoff Cussell to meet his lovely Elsa Elsa Frederick my darling. Oh Elsa my darling. I Was afraid you wouldn't be able to come is tonight different from any other night. I Couldn't miss seeing you like this Even if it were only for a minute Nothing could stop me. I was afraid that your father would be watching you. I Spoke to him today. You spoke to him about us. Yes He was furious. He threatened my life your life. Oh Elsa Elsa come with me now come tonight We'll be married tomorrow and live safely together safe from your father from from all the evil things that he thinks and plan I want to Frederick. I want to so much what you shall not You certainly shall not father Well, you see now don't you Baron that Elsa wishes to marry me as much as I wish to marry her I told you before that that was impossible. You're an old man Baron someday. You'll be powerless to stop us then Then even then Baron Frederick Even then you will not be safe Watch then Baron Frederick after I've died For your chance to ride a stenoff horse. What does he mean Frederick? Father, what is this? It's a part of the threat he made this afternoon a threat that shall be carried out Frederick wait and see and Now Elsa Come with me Back to the castle Baron stenoff had made his threat again. I Didn't realize how much it really affected my master until later that same night He was sitting in the room in which hung the fatal tapestry Outside everything was in confusion But there high up in the castle not a sound could be heard. I Knocked on the door Come in I'm Frederick Baron Frederick, sir. Well good now. What's all the excitement the stables the stables of stenoff Baron look out there out the window sir. They're on fire Well, is that so exciting good, but they're about to collapse sir the animals all the horses They can't save them all. It's a just vengeance on stenoff. He loved his horses best of all good If he loses them It's only the first sign that he's going to lose all he has You see they're running wild sir all the horses look they're escaping. It's strange good now that I should have been here Looking at a horse while this was going on the tapestry house. Yes I came into this room because I wanted to look at it again. It's a magnificent animal Now you see out the window there Gertner None of the horses that the presence ten of has it as big or as strong as this one Baron Frederick Baron Frederick Look there are the rules of the stables have just collapsed And I saw the Baron run into them just this minute then that's the end of him. Oh, I know, but Look at the tapestry now, sir. Look at it What about it that horse in the tapestry there it moved no The light of the fire is playing strange tricks with the figures, but no sir. Look look there now. His head has turned He's looking at you sir looking at you now right at you His eyes good They're like human eyes. They seem to grow with hate Good now look he's moving again and your shadow Baron your shadow It's fallen exactly over the figure of the man on the ground Good now look out the window there quickly. Oh, yes, sir. It is it is Running from the ruins of the stable. It's a horse exactly like this one in the tapestry Baron Baron Frederick. It's coming into your own courtyard quickly good now quickly We must get out of here down there and catch that beast quickly good no Tapestry horse It's gone from the tapestry There's nothing there now, but an empty space Quickly good now quickly lock that door and lock it securely When we reach the fire at courtyard the look of astonishment on the young Baron Frederick's face Betrayed to me that he had noticed the same thing I had The horse now before us was exactly the same beast. We'd been watching with such fascination in the tapestry It had the same enormous fawn colored body the same magnificent head the same eyes good the eyes Look at that animals eyes. They're almost like human eyes and the way they look at me They stare at me as though the beast actually hated the sight of me they're like They're like the eyes of like the eyes of Baron Stenoff good Look at him when he heard that name good when he heard that name he reared up Could it be he believed that his soul would live again in another form Good look that animal standing still Right here beside me. It's as though he wanted me to mount his back Frederick Here Elsa here Father, I know my darling. No, I Throw it all from the window, but I was powerless to do it Hold still now be quiet Frederick. What happened? He was running toward the barn Elsa He ran so wildly it was as though he were being chased by something he he seemed frightened the horses He loved his horses. He was afraid for them. He ran right into the barn Elsa Right into the flaming barn Nothing escaped the wreck Elsa nothing Except this one horse. I've never seen it before Frederick. It's not one of ours But it must have been it ran from the wreckage of that stable from that very stable where where father was killed Say it Frederick Yes, Elsa from that very barn Look Frederick look He's standing still beside you as though he wants you to mount him. Yes Perhaps I will Perhaps I will that horse sir and why not? Remember sir the tapestry well so much the better goodness so much the better if it really is If it really is what we think it is think what it will mean But remember sir remember the prophecy as the rider over his horse now good now Is the chance to prove that prophecy here? No, I have a premonition don't try to ride him. Don't please Frederick Oh now is my darling. Look, I'll I'll mount him right around the courtyard here and be right back. No Frederick Please why not wait sir wait until the horse has been rested before you try to mount him The excitement tonight all that has happened. He may be better in the morning Well, perhaps you're right good perhaps Very well Sten of horse We'll rest you until tomorrow And then the luren for the first time will ride a stena for Frederick Way you say that Almost as though you hated the horse himself for being a stenoff a stenoff He's a stenoff all right Why it's almost as though he understood every word you say sir. Yes good I believe he does what are you two talking about? What do you mean Elsa these these things are not for you to worry about Tomorrow we will ride for tonight fire is almost burned out now You'd better go back to your room and get some sleep Elsa in the morning Then we'll see how the prophecy turns out Good night then Frederick Good night. Good night. Elsa. Shall I take the horse to our stable, sir? Yes Kirtner and quickly Be careful Frederick Please be careful There's something about that horse Last night Elsa when it was dark and there was only the light of the burning stables to see him by I'll admit He did look terrifying But today today he will look just as terrible. Well here comes Kirtner with him now. We shall see He looks like a beast from the Middle Ages Yes, they had horses like that then didn't tremendous fierce beast they were I've heard father talk about them sometimes He seemed fascinated by them your father. You know, he was fascinated by horses He studied them as though they were a science Here be all right Elsa Good now has a firm hold on him. Yeah. He is good And we're ready Watch then watch as a luring rides a sten of horse Or is it a jackass Hold hold still there. Are you still going to ride him sir more so now than ever good now here? Give me a hand up very well, sir There hold still Now the sten of horse will find the rider away we go What can we do go get another horse go after them. It's no use madam It's no use that horses as swift as the wind he's carried the Baron much too far to catch them Must be something we can do we can't let them go just like that. There may be one thing What is it? Well, I'm not certain, but there must be something some answer in that room what room Good nurse. Tell me what you're thinking in the room with the tapestry come madam with me quickly There may be an answer to take me there. I don't understand but perhaps you can show me I'll take you to the room with the tapestry the tapestry that your father hated so much the one the one with the horse in it Good. That's it that horse. There's very one That horse He was like the one Frederick is riding now. That is why we will go there. Oh here. We are madam. Here's the room Why is it locked Baron Frederick ordered it so after last night last night Did something happen up here last night the horse seemed to come alive last night as we watched it in the light of the burning stable So dark in here I'm frightened Good know the windows are open and and yet it's dark so though the room were filled with smoke. Is there a lamp Something to make more light Good. Did you hear that? Yes, madam? I heard it. We must work quickly anything may happen now was like the winning of a horse Good or alarm some kind of a light. Yes, madam. Just a moment here Here's a lot you wait until I light if there's still oil in it hurry good Mary This darkness. It's awful like a blanket over the room Last now I can see a little it's still dark Give me the lamp good. Let me look at the tapestry over here madam Good now It's gone The horse is gone. He left the tapestry last night right before we found that horse in the courtyard Good This way the door is over here. Did you hear that good? Look look ahead The whole castle seems to be on fire all at once down this way the stairs are still holding But do be careful. It's all right so far. Come on. We're almost at the door. The whole castle is on fire. This way quickly They were safe now we've got away Castle it's in place Listen horse coming this way Madam they're coming right toward us He's not afraid anymore He's laughing the horse seemed so tame. Well, look there. It's doing exactly what Baron Frederick command Frederick Frederick my darling Look there how the horse obeys him and the way he stands So still almost like a statue and his eyes so calm and almost friendly Oh, here. Let me help you down. All right Oh Gotta stop him if we killed we were sure that everything that had been inside that inferno was completely destroyed Next day we return to look over the charred ruins in some places There were still little curls of smoke coming from the heaps of refuse surely Frederick Surely everything is gone We will build it again. Also It'll be a greater castle than ever. We will build it together Frederick Build everything together now Come come quickly Baron Frederick. There's something over here. What is it good? That's something something you must see sir. Good. You look so startled. It must be something terrible. It isn't anything so awful. It's Look there sir right under that pile of rubble. That's still snooking Wait It's a piece of cloth. Yes It's a Tapestry it is Yes, it is here. Good. Here. Help me Unfold it quickly Look there Look at it Not even one scorch in all this place. It didn't burn at all And look there sir Over there in the corner. Yes. Good. Now. I see the horse It's back there in its place in the tapestry and its expression It's as though his whole spirit had been broken as though Frederick It is the same horse The horse you rode yesterday Yes, Elsa The horse I rode yesterday At last The mortality of allure and has triumphed over the immortality of a stenofe You see Elsa you see allure and has finally broken the spirit of a stenofe And it was I Frederick I who finally did it Frederick Frederick come with me now come home with me Can't we let these things be these horrible things? Can't our families be the same? Yes, my darling Yes, Elsa. I'll come with you. I'll come For at last at long last the hatred of our families is ended Now there's only one family and Its name shall be luren from the time-worn pages of the past we have brought you the story the tapestry horse Bellkeeper