Herzog Ernst

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Duke Ernest

A film by Lutz Dammbeck

This is Duke Ernest.

He lives with his beloved mother

in his dead father's castle

and wants to be a good knight.

But the times are unfavourable.

Bad harvests, famine, and other troubles

make life hard for all the knights.

And:
There are too many knights

and not enough land.

But something could end all their woes:

The legendary, magical Carbuncle Stone.

One day, at a heavenly sign, they will

set out in search of the magic stone.

While they waited for the sign,

they dozed away all day long.

Their only distraction was

preparing for the Emperor's tournament:

The event of the year!

Ernest also prepared zealously

for the tournament.

Ernest's castle

was right next to the Emperor's.

The Emperor coveted the castle,

but how could he get rid of Ernest?

His faithful counsel, the Bishop,

had an idea...

Two of the Emperor's favourite knights,

the Black Knight and his brother,

would be needed.

So it came to pass

that the knights were called

to the tournament early that year...

Ernest set off for the tournament too.

"Out of the way, runt!" cried the Black

Knight, "We're the Emperor's knights!"

"We'll see about that!" cried Ernest

boldly, and raised his lance.

"He's killed my brother!",

moaned the Black Knight.

"Throw him in the dungeon

and put him on trial!"

"That's that!"

Laughed the Black Knight.

With Ernest in the Emperor's dungeon,

the tournament began.

While Ernest anxiously awaited

his trial, the knights celebrated.

That night,

Ernest was woken by strange apparitions.

"Behold the heavenly sign!"

Cried the Bishop.

"Let us set out

for the Land of Milk and Honey!

There we will free the Carbuncle Stone

from it's custodians!"

"Wealth and inestimable treasures

await those knights

who undertake this perilous mission

and return with the Carbuncle Stone."

Many knights readied themselves

for the great expedition,

glad to be escaping the daily grind.

Meanwhile, in the Emperor's castle,

Ernest's trial began...

"I am innocent," said Ernest.

"You killed one of my favourite

knights!" cried the Emperor.

"What is the verdict?"

"Guilty! Guilty!"

Cried the other knights,

"He must forfeit his life!"

Ernest's mother threw herself

to the Emperor's feet

and begged him to spare her son.

"What now?"

Thought the Emperor,

"I have Ernest's castle anyway,

but how do I make the woman mine?

I covet her, too."

"Very well," said the Emperor.

"I will spare Ernest's life

under two conditions:

You must marry me,

and Ernest must go to the Promised Land

and bring me the Carbuncle Stone.

The Black Knight will lead the mission.

Ernest must obey him."

Glad to have escaped with his life,

Ernest swore he would find the stone.

Ernest's mother waved sadly goodbye

to Ernest as the ships put out to sea.

"Where are we going?" Ernest asked,

"What does the Stone look like?"

In the meantime,

the Emperor married Ernest's mother

and made himself at home in his castle.

Soon the ships faced a mighty storm.

For a second time,

Ernest feared for his life.

"Ach," sighed Ernest's mother,

"I wonder where Ernest is

and if he is still alive."

Ernest was alive but in great danger.

The remaining knights weighed anchor

off the coast of an unknown land.

"Beyond this mountain", said the Black

Knight, "is where the Stone must be."

It was hot.

The knights' armour was heavy

and caused them to overheat.

One knight fewer.

But the others carried on...

Deeper and deeper into the unknown land.

Next day,

the knights reached a broad plain.

Had they reached their goal?

And where were the Stone

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