 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Giselle
The local gamekeeper Hillarion, in the mean time was very in love with the girl who danced around the village picking wildflowers, and was jealous of her affection for the mysterious Loys. Unbeknownst to both Hillarion and Giselle Loys was actually a count in disguise. The handsome count had noticed the young girl in the fields and come to the village to win her love hiding who he truly was. Over and over Giselle would run off from her chores to talk to Loys, asking him often "Do you really love me", "Of course", Loys would always answer, and then Giselle would giggle and run off and they would dance merrily. This deeply hurt Hillarion’s feeling and Giselle was aware of this and was sorry for it, but she did not love Hillarion. Giselle’s mother soon called her inside. As she stepped indoors, an idea suddenly popped into Hillarion’s mind. As all the villagers soon headed indoors, Hillarion drew his dagger and snuck inside Loy’s cottage. Later he emerged from the cottage confused about the long velvet cloak and shining silver sword in his hands. Before he could think why a peasant man would own such things Hillarion was pushed aside by a crowd coming into the clearing alongside several noblemen, the duke, and the countess Bathilde. Bathilde noticed Giselle in the crowd and asked her what she did all day. "I dance", she replied shyly. "And are you in love as well?" "Yes", but she could not find Loys in the crowd, so she leaped and twirled for the countess delighting her to no end. When she finished dancing and her audience went to rest she saw Loys returning. She ran to him to tell him about her meeting with the countess, but before she could say a word Hillarion ran between them. "This man is not who you think he is", Hillarion said to Giselle. "Look at the crest on this sword I found in his cottage", he said , thrusting the sword in their faces. Giselle could not believe what she saw, but before she could question Loys the sound of a trumpet was heard and Bathilde called to Loys, calling him Count Albrecht. "What are you doing here", Bathilde questioned. Giselle understood now. "He is going to marry me , leave us alone", shrieked Giselle. "No, he is going to marry me! ", retorted Bathilde snydly. This was too much for Giselle. She couldn’t take this. Running to Loys then Hillarion then to her mother, not recognizing anybody Giselle’s mind began to spin and she collapsed and died right there.
At midnight another figure appeared in the dark woods, Myrtha queen of the wilis. She summoned all her subject from all over the world, and soon many feathery winged wilis circled her. These were the dancing spirits of girls succumbed by death before their weddings. The wilis came about every night searching for a partner to accompany them in a dance lasting til dawn. Giselle was among them. Dancing and twirling as she once had but with a veil of sadness seeming to hang over her. Just as suddenly as they had come the wilis darted into the brush. A person had come into the woods, to Giselle’s grave. It was Albrecht. He had brought lilies and was crying. His lies had killed the pretty girl dancing in the fields. The girl he had fallen in love with. When he looked up, there she was. Giselle, floating above him. Joyous, he stood up, to hold her, but she flitted away. Albrecht ran through the woods chasing his lost love. Hillarion had become lost in the woods and was found by the wilis. Myrtha ahd hypontized him. He danced and danced accompanying every wili. Images became blurred and he was so tired that he stumbled to his death in a pond. The wilis were now in search for a new partner. It was soon that they caught up with Albrecht. Knowing the danger he was in, Giselle stepped between the wili queen and her love, telling him that he would be safe by the cross on her grave, that the cross and her love would protect him. The queen Myrtha had never experienced such resistance, but knew she could do nothing. Knowing this, she commanded Giselle to dance. Knowing the danger, but his love for Giselle being stronger, Albrecht rushed to her side and danced with her the whole length of the night, becoming tireder and tireder as each hour danced away, but no matter what Giselle stayed with him the whole night, protecting him. He pleaded with the wilis to let them go, but they refused. When light began to peek through the branches of the trees in the forest the wilis were suddenly gone. Albrecht was still alive thanks to the love of Giselle, whom he would never see again.
|
|
This site was developed for ThinkQuest Junior by Team J002266. © Copyright 2000. Email us with questions, comments or suggestions. |
If you traveled back to a small village long, long ago to a little cottage
you might see a pretty little girl dancing on the lawn. This is Giselle. Giselle
lived with her mother and she was always happy, dancing around and dreaming
about Loys a fellow villager she had fallen in love with the first time she saw
him.
A short time after Giselle’s death Hillarion went into the woods to visit
Giselles grave. It was a cold night and images of death and ghostly shadows
seemed to follow him. Frightened, he ran deep into the forest.