
audiobook
by Freiherr von Ludwig Achim Arnim
In the moonlit hush of a riverbank, a trembling child named Bella clings to the fading promise of her absent father. The old gypsy, Braka, weaves unsettling tales of distant thrones in Egypt and a haunting three‑legged altar that seems to hold the fate of the missing duke. Their conversation drifts between whispered lullabies and the bleak reality of hunger, as Bella pieces together fragmented memories of a warm loaf and a restless dreamscape. The atmosphere shivers with a mix of superstition and quiet dread, hinting at ancient vows and a perilous journey that may bind the girl’s destiny to a hidden inheritance.
Against a backdrop of wandering refugees and mounting political unrest, the story paints a vivid portrait of a world caught between the fading medieval order and the looming shadows of empire. Listeners will be drawn into Bella’s fragile hope and the mystic folklore that surrounds her, feeling each rustle of the river and every tremor of the night as the first act unfolds.
Language
de
Duration
~4 hours (247K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2000-05-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1781–1831
A leading voice of German Romanticism, he helped bring old folk songs and stories back into literary life. His work blends folklore, imagination, and a strong feeling for the strange and poetic side of everyday experience.
View all books
by Freiherr von Ludwig Achim Arnim, Clemens Brentano

by Freiherr von Ludwig Achim Arnim

by Vinceslas-Eugène Dick

by Philippe Aubert de Gaspé

by Annie Keary, Eliza Keary

by Abraham Cahan

by Eliza Fowler Haywood