THE GREEN SNAKE AND THE MAN WITH THE LAMP TO THE RESCUE
The Green Snake saw sailing high in the air, with purple red feathers, the Prince's Hawk, whose breast was catching the last beams of the Sun. Shortly afterwards the Man with the Lamp was seen gliding towards them across the Lake, fast and smoothly, as if he had been travelling on skates. The Snake did not change her posture.
Lily rose and called to him: "What good spirit sends thee, at that moment when we were desiring thee and desiring thee so much?"
The Man with the Lamp replied: "The spirit of my Lamp has impelled me and the Hawk has conducted me. My Lamp sparkles when I am needed and I just look about me in the sky for a signal; some bird or meteor points to the quarter towards which I am to turn. Be calm, fairest Maiden! Whether I can help, I know not; an individual helps not but he combines himself with many at the proper hour. We will postpone the evil and keep hoping. Hold thy circle fast" continued he, turning to the Snake; then set himself upon a hillock beside her and illuminated the dead body. "Bring the little bird hither too and lay it in the circle!"
The maidens took the little corpse from the basket, which the old Woman had left standing and did as he directed.
.............................................................................................................................
Is the key question and experience here to what degree the needs of others are felt, seen and acted upon, met, really listened to.
Goethe describes elsewhere in the text of the Tale how the light of the Lamp does not cast any shadow and how the light can only become present when a similar light is also present.
What could have been Goethe's intention in imagining and writing in this way at the time of the French Revolution where Schiller, to whom he was responding, was writing "Ode to Freedom" (Ode to Joy) similarly through verses 5 to 8:
Thy magic powers re- unite Deine Zauber binden weider
What custom's sword has divided Was der Mode Schwert geteilt
Beggars become Princes' brothers Bettler werden Fuerstenbrueder
Where thy gentle wing abides. Wo dein sanfter Fluegel weit.
