The happy prince and other tales and A house of pomegranate

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A HOUSE

OF POMEGRANATES
THE HAPPY PRINCE

AND OTHER
TALES

BY

OSCAR WILDE

METHUEN AND CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.

LONDON Q

First Published—

A House of Pomegranates . . 1891

The Happy Prince . . . 1888

First Issued by Methuen and Co. . 1908

' The Happy Prince' is included in thit
edition by arrangement with Mr. David
Nutt, to whom the copyright belongs.

This Edition on handmade paper is limited to 1000 copies
for the United Kingdom and America

CONTENTS

9

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES:—

PAGE

THE YOUNG KING, 3

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA, . . 31

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL, . . 67

THE STAR-CHILD, 133

THE HAPPY PRINCE AND OTHER TALES :—

THE HAPPY PRINCE, .... 167

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE, . . 187

THE SELFISH GIANT, . . . .201

THE DEVOTED FRIEND, . . . .211

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET, ... 235

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

THE YOUNG KING

TO

MARGARET LADY BROOKE

THE YOUNG KING

IT was the night before the day fixed for
his coronation, and the young King was
sitting alone in his beautiful chamber.
His courtiers had all taken their leave of him,
bowing their heads to the ground, according to
the ceremonious usage of the day, and had
retired to the Great Hall of the Palace, to
receive a few last lessons from the Professor of
Etiquette ; there being some of them who had
still quite natural manners, which in a courtier
is, I need hardly say, a very grave offence.

The lad — for he was only a lad, being but
sixteen years of age — was not sorry at their
departure, and had flung himself back with a
deep sigh of relief on the soft cushions of his
embroidered couch, lying there, wild-eyed and
open-mouthed, like a brown woodland Faun, or
some young animal of the forest newly snared
by the hunters.

And, indeed, it was the hunters who had

3

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

found him, coming upon him almost by chance
as, bare-limbed and pipe in hand, he was follow-
ing the flock of the poor goatherd who had
brought him up, and whose son he had always
fancied himself to be. The child of the old
King's only daughter by a secret marriage with
one much beneath her in station — a stranger,
some said, who, by the wonderful magicT~6f his
lute-playing, had made the young Princess love
him ; while others spoke of an artist from
Rimini, to whom the Princess had shown
much, perhaps too much honour, and who had
suddenly disappeared from the city, leaving his
work in the Cathedral unfinished — he had been,
when but a week old, stolen away from his
mother's side, as she slept, 'and given into the
charge of a common peasant and his wife, who
were without children of their own, and lived in
a remote part of the forest, more than a day's
ride from the town. Grief, or the plague, as
the court physician stated, or, as some suggested,
a swift Italian poison administered in a cup of
spiced wine, slew, within an hour of her waken-
ing, the white girl who had given him birth,
and as the trusty messenger who bare the child
across his saddle-bow stooped from his weary
horse and knocked at the rude door of the
4

THE YOUNG KING

goatherd's hut, the body of the Princess was
being lowered into an open grave that had been
dug in a deserted churchyard, beyond the city
gates, a grave where it was said that another
body was also lying, that of a young man of
marvellous and foreign beauty, whose hands
were tied behind him with a knotted cord, and
whose breast was stabbed with many red wounds.

Such, at least, was the story that men whis-
pered to each other. Certain it was that the
old King, when on his deathbed, whether moved
by remorse for his great sin, or merely desiring
that the kingdom should not pass away from
his line, had had the lad sent for, and, in the
presence of the Council, had acknowledged him
as his heir.

And it seems that from the very first moment
of his recognition he had shown signs of that
strange passion for beauty that was destined to
have so great an influence over his life. Those
who accompanied him to the suite of rooms set
apart for his service, often spoke of the cry of
pleasure that broke from his lips when he saw
the delicate raiment and rich jewels that had
been prepared for him, and of the almost fierce
joy with which he flung aside his rough leathern
tunic and coarse sheepskin cloak. He missed,

5

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

indeed, at times the fine freedom of his forest
life, and was always apt to chafe at the tedious
Court ceremonies that occupied so much of each
day, but the wonderful palace — Joyeuse, as they
called it — of which he now found himself lord,
seemed to him to be a new world fresh-fashioned
for his delight ; and as soon as he could escape
from the council-board or audience-chamber, he
would run down the great staircase, with its
lions of gilt bronze and its steps of bright por-
phyry, and wander from room to room, and
from corridor to corridor, like one who was seek-
ing to find in beauty an anodyne from pain, a
sort of restoration from sickness.

Upon these journeys of discovery, as he would
call them — and, indeed, they .were to him real
voyages through a marvellous land, he would
sometimes be accompanied by the slim, fair-
haired Court pages, with their floating mantles,
and gay fluttering ribands ; but more often he
would be alone, feeling through a certain quick
instinct, which was almost a divination, that the
secrets of art are best learned in secret, and
that Beauty, like Wisdom, loves the lonely
worshipper.

Many curious stories were related about him
6

THE YOUNG KING

at this period. It was said that a stout Burgo-
master, who had come to deliver a florid ora-
torical address on behalf of the citizens of the
town, had caught sight of him kneeling in real
adoration before a great picture that had just
been brought from Venice, and that seemed to
herald the worship of some new gods. On another
occasion he had been missed for several hours,
and after a lengthened search had been dis-
covered in a little chamber in one of the northern
turrets of the palace gazing, as one in a trance,
at a Greek gem carved with the figure of Adonis.
He had been seen, so the tale ran, pressing his
warm lips to the marble brow of an antique
statue that had been discovered in the bed of
the river on the occasion of the building of the
stone bridge, and was inscribed with the name
of the Bithynian slave of Hadrian. He had
passed a whole night in noting the effect of the
moonlight on a silver image of Endymion.

All rare and costly materials had certainly a
great fascination for him, and in his eagerness
to procure them he had sent away many
merchants, some to traffic for amber with the
rough fisher-folk of the north seas, some to
Egypt to look for that curious green turquoise
which is found only in the tombs of kings, and

7

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

is said to possess magical properties, some to
Persia for silken carpets and painted pottery,
and others to India to buy gauze and stained
ivory, moonstones and bracelets of jade, sandal-
wood and blue enamel and shawls of fine
wool.

But what had occupied him most was the
robe he was to wear at his coronation, the robe
of tissued gold, and the ruby-studded crown,
and the sceptre with its rows and rings of pearls.
Indeed, it was of this that he was thinking
to-night, as he lay back on his luxurious couch,
watching the great pine wood log that was burn-
ing itself out on the open hearth. The designs,
which were from the hands of the most famous
artists of the time, had been submitted to him
many months before, and he had given orders
that the artificers were to toil night and day to
carry them out, and that the whole world was
to be searched for jewels that would be worthy
of their work. He saw himself in fancy stand-
ing at the high altar of the cathedral in the fair
raiment of a King, and a smile played and
lingered about his boyish lips, and lit up with a
bright lustre his dark woodland eyes.

After some time he rose from his seat, and
leaning against the carved penthouse of the
8

chimney, looked round at the dimly-lit room.
The walls were hung with rich tapestries repre-
senting the Triumph of Beauty. A large press,
inlaid with agate and lapis-lazuli, filled one
corner, and facing the window stood a curiously
wrought cabinet with lacquer panels of powdered
and mosaiced gold, on which were placed some
delicate goblets of Venetian glass, and a cup
of dark -veined onyx. Pale poppies were
broidered on the silk coverlet of the bed, as
though they had fallen from the tired hands of
sleep, and tall reeds of fluted ivory bare up the
velvet canopy, from which great tufts of ostrich
plumes sprang, like white foam, to the pallid
silver of the fretted ceiling. A laughing Nar-
cissus in green bronze held a polished mirror
above its head. On the table stood a flat bowl
of amethyst.

Outside he could see the huge dome of the
cathedral, looming like a bubble over the
shadowy houses, and the weary sentinels pacing
up and down on the misty terrace by the river.
Far away, in an orchard, a nightingale was
singing. A faint perfume of jasmine came
through the open window. He brushed his
brown curls back from his forehead, and taking
up a lute, let his fingers stray across the cords.

9

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

His heavy eyelids drooped, and a strange
languor came over him. Never before had he
felt so keenly, or with such exquisite joy, the
magic and the mystery of beautiful things.

When midnight sounded from the clock-
tower he touched a bell, and his pages entered
and disrobed him with much ceremony, pouring
rose-water over his hands, and strewing flowers
on his pillow. A few moments after that they
had left the room, he fell asleep.

And as he slept he dreamed a dream, and this
was his dream.

He thought that he was standing in a long,
low attic, amidst the whir and clatter of many
looms. The meagre daylight peered in through
the grated windows, and showed him the gaunt
figures of the weavers bending over their cases.
Pale, sickly-looking children were crouched on
the huge crossbeams. As the shuttles dashed
through the warp they lifted up the heavy
battens, and when the shuttles stopped they let
the battens fall and pressed the threads together.
Their faces were pinched with famine, and their
thin hands shook and trembled. Some haggard
women were seated at a table sewing. A horrible
odour filled the place. The air was foul and
10

THE YOUNG KING

heavy, and the walls dripped and streamed with
damp.

The young King went over to one of the
weavers, and stood by him and watched him.

And the weaver looked at him angrily, and
said, ' Why art thou watching me ? Art thou
a spy set on us by our master ? '

* Who is thy master ? ' asked the young
King.

' Our master ! ' cried the weaver, bitterly.
* He is a man like myself. Indeed, there is but
this difference between us — that he wears fine
clothes while I go in rags, and that while I am
weak from hunger he suffers not a little from
overfeeding.'

* The land is free,' said the young King, * and
thou art no man's slave.'

'In war,' answered the weaver, 'the strong
make slaves of the weak, and in peace the rich
make slaves of the poor. We must work to live,
and they give us such mean wages that we die.
We toil for them all day long, and they heap up
gold in their coffers, and our children fade away
before their time, and the faces of those we love
become hard and evil. We tread out the grapes,
and another drinks the wine. We sow the corn,
and our own board is empty. We have chains,

11

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

though no eye beholds them ; and are slaves,
though men call us free.'

' Is it so with all ? ' he asked.

' It is so with all,' answered the weaver, * with
the young as well as with the old, with the
women as well as with the men, with the little
children as well as with those who are stricken
in years. The merchants grind us down, and
we must needs do their bidding. The priest
rides by and tells his beads, and no man has care
of us. Through our sunless lanes creeps Poverty
with her hungry eyes, and Sin with his sodden
face follows close behind her. Misery wakes us
in the morning, and Shame sits with us at night.
But what are these things to thee ? Thou art
not one of us. Thy face is too happy.' And
he turned away scowling, and threw the shuttle
across the loom, and the young King saw that
it was threaded with a thread of gold.

And a great terror seized upon him, and he
said to the weaver,%' What robe is this that thou
art weaving ? '

'It is the robe for vthe coronation of the
young King,' he answered ;"' what is that to
thee?'

And the young King gave a loud cry and
woke, and lo ! he was in his own chamber, and
12

THE YOUNG KING

through the window he saw the great honey-
coloured moon hanging in the dusky air.

And he fell asleep again and dreamed, and
this was his dream.

He thought that he was lying on the deck of
a huge galley that was being rowed by a hundred
slaves. On a carpet by his side the master of
the galley was seated. He was black as ebony,
and his turban was of crimson silk. Great ear-
rings of silver dragged down the thick lobes of
his ears, and in his hands he had a pair of ivory
scales.

The slaves were naked, but for a ragged loin-
cloth, and each man was chained to his neighbour.
The hot sun beat brightly upon them, and the
negroes ran up and down the gangway and
lashed them with whips of hide. They stretched
out their lean arms and pulled the heavy oars
through the water. The salt spray flew from
the blades.

At last they reached a little bay, and began
to take soundings. A light wind blew from the
shore, and covered the deck and the great lateen
sail with a fine red dust. Three Arabs mounted
on wild asses rode out and threw spears at them.
The master of the galley took a painted bow

13

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

in his hand and shot one of them in the throat.
He fell heavily into the surf, and his companions
galloped away. A woman wrapped in a yellow
veil followed slowly on a camel, looking back
now and then at the dead body.

As soon as they had cast anchor and hauled
down the sail, the negroes went into the hold
and brought up a long rope-ladder, heavily
weighted with lead. The master of the galley
threw it over the side, making the ends fast to
two iron stanchions. Then the negroes seized
the youngest of the slaves and knocked his gyves
off, and filled his nostrils and his ears with wax,
and tied a big stone round his waist. He crept
wearily down the ladder, and disappeared into
the sea. A few bubbles rose where he sank.
Some of the other slaves peered curiously over
the side. At the prow of the galley sat a
shark-charmer, beating monotonously upon a
drum.

After some time the diver rose up out of the
water, and clung panting to the ladder with a
pearl in his right hand. The negroes seized it
from him, and thrust him back. The slaves fell
asleep over their oars. ^

Again and again he came up, and each time
that he did so he brought with him a beautiful
14

THE YOUNG KING

pearl. The master of the galley weighed them,
and put them into a little bag of green leather.

The young King tried to speak, but his tongue
seemed to cleave to the roof of his mouth, and
his lips refused to move. The negroes chattered
to each other, and began to quarrel over a string
of bright beads. Two cranes flew round and
round the vessel.

Then the diver came up for the last time, and
the pearl that he brought with him was fairer
than all the pearls of Ormuz, for it was shaped
like the full moon, and whiter than the morning
star. But his face was strangely pale, and as
he fell upon the deck the blood gushed from his
ears and nostrils. He quivered for a little, and
then he was still. The negroes shrugged their
shoulders, and threw the body overboard.

And the master of the galley laughed, and,
reaching out, he took the pearl, and when he
saw it he pressed it to his forehead and bowed.
'It shall be,' he said, 'for the sceptre of the
young King,' and he made a sign to the negroes
to draw up the anchor.

And when the young King heard this he gave
a great cry, and woke, and through the window
he saw the long grey fingers of the dawn clutch-
ing at the fading stars.

15

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

And he fell asleep again, and dreamed, and
this was his dream.

He thougKlTfhat he was wandering through
a dim wood, hung with strange fruits and with
beautiful poisonous flowers. The adders hissed
at him as he went by, and the bright parrots
flew screaming from branch to branch. Huge
tortoises lay asleep upon the hot mud. The
trees were full of apes and peacocks.

On and on he went, till he reached the out-
skirts of the wood, and there he saw an immense
multitude of men toiling in the bed of a dried-up
river. They swarmed up the crag like ants.
They dug deep pits in the ground and went
down into them. Some of them cleft the rocks
with great axes ; others grabbled in the sand.
They tore up the cactus by its roots, and trampled
on the scarlet blossoms. They hurried about,
calling to each other, and no man was idle.

From the darkness of a cavern Death and
Avarice watched them, and Death said, * I am
weary; give me a third of them and let
me go.'

But Avarice shook her head. ' They are my
servants,' she answered.

And Death said to her, ' What hast thou in
thy hand ? '
16

THE YOUNG KING

* I have three grains of corn,' she answered ;
* what is that to thee ? '

' Give me one of them,' cried Death, * to plant
in my garden ; only one of them, and I will go
away.'

* I will not give thee anything,' said Avarice,
and she hid her hand in the fold of her raiment.

And Death laughed, and took a cup, and
dipped it into a pool of water, and out of the
cup rose Ague. She passed through the great
multituderand a third of them lay dead. A cold
mist followed her, and the water-snakes ran by
her side.

And when Avarice saw that a third of the
multitude was dead she beat her breast and
wept. She beat her barren bosom, and cried
aloud. ' Thou hast slain a third of my servants,'
she cried, * get thee gone. There is war in the
mountains of Tartary, and the kings of each side
are calling to thee. The Afghans have slain
the black ox, and are marching to battle. They
have beaten upon their shields with their spears,
and have put on their helmets of iron. What
is my valley to thee, that thou shouldst tarry
in it? Get thee gone, and come here no more.'

'Nay,' answered Death, 'but till thou hast
given me a grain of corn I will not go.'

B 17

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

But Avarice shut her hand, and clenched her
teeth. ' I will not give thee anything,' she
muttered.

And Death laughed, and took up a black
stone, and threw it into the forest, and out of a
thicket of wild hemlock came Fever in a robe
of flame. She passed through the multitude,
and touched them, and each man that she
touched died. The grass withered beneath her
feet as she walked.

And Avarice shuddered, and put ashes on
her head. ' Thou art cruel/ she cried ; ' thou
art cruel. There is famine in the walled cities
of India, and the cisterns of Samarcand have run
dry. There is famine in the walled cities of
Egypt, and the locusts have come up from the
desert. The Nile has not overflowed its banks,
and the priests have cursed Isis and Osiris. Get
thee gone to those who need thee, and leave me
my servants.'

* Nay,' answered Death, * but till thou hast
given me a grain of corn I will not go.'

* I will not give thee anything,' said Avarice.
And Death laughed again, and he whistled

through his fingers, and a woman came flying
through the air. Plague was written upon her
forehead, and a crowd of lean vultures wheeled
18

THE YOUNG KING

round her. She covered the valley' with her
wings, and no man was left alive.

And Avarice fled shrieking through the forest,
and Death leaped upon his red horse and gal-
loped away, and his galloping was faster than
the wind.

And out of the slime at the bottom of the
valley crept dragons and horrible things with
scales, and the jackals came trotting along the
sand, sniffing up the air with their nostrils.

And the young King wept, and said : ' Who
were these men, and for what were they seeking ? '

* For rubies for a king's crown,' answered one
who stood behind him.

And the young King started, and, turning
round, he saw a man habited as a pilgrim and
holding in his hand a mirror of silver.

And he grew pale, and said : ' For what king ? '

And the pilgrim answered : * Look in this
mirror, and thou shalt see him.'

And he looked in the mirror, and, seeing his
own face, he gave a great cry and woke, and the
bright sunlight was streaming into the room,
and from the trees of the garden and pleasaunce
the birds were singing.

And the Chamberlain and the high officers

19

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

of State came in and made obeisance to him,
and the pages brought him the robe of tissued
gold, and set the crown and the sceptre before
him.

And the young King looked at them, and
they were beautiful. More beautiful were they
than aught that he had ever seen. But he
remembered his dreams, and he said to his lords :
'Take these things away, for I will not wear
them.'

And the courtiers were amazed, and some of
them laughed, for they thought that he was
jesting.

But he spake sternly to them again, and said :
* Take these things away, and hide them from
me. Though it be the day of my coronation, I
will not wear them. For on the loom of Sorrow,""
and by the white hands of Pain, has this my
robe been woven. There is Blood in the heart
of the ruby, and Death in the heart of the pearl.'
And he told them his three dreams.

And when the courtiers heard them they
looked at each other and whispered, saying:
' Surely he is mad ; for what is a dream but a
dream, and a vision but a vision ? They are
not real things that one should heed them.
And what have we to do with the lives of those-''
20

THE YOUNG KING

who toil for us ? Shall a man not eat bread till
lie has seen the sower, nor drink wine till he has
talked with the vinedresser?'

And the Chamberlain spake to the young
King, and said, ' My lord, I pray thee set aside
these black thoughts of thine, and put on this
fair robe, and set this crown upon thy head.
For how shall the people know that thou art a
king, if thou hast not a king's raiment ? '

And the young King looked at him. ' Is it
so, indeed ? ' he questioned, * Will they not-
know me for a king if I have not a king's
raiment ? '

* They will not know thee, my lord,' cried the
Chamberlain.

' I had thought that there had been men who
were kinglike,' he answered, * but it may be as
thou sayest. And yet I will not wear this robe,
nor will I be crowned with this crown, but even
as I came to the palace so will I go forth
from it.'

And he bade them all leave him, save one
page whom he kept as his companion, a lad a
year younger than himself. Him he kept for
his service, and when he had bathed himself in
clear water, he opened a great painted chest,
and from it he took the leathern tunic and rough

21

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

sheepskin cloak that he had worn when he had
watched on the hillside the shaggy goats of the
goatherd. These he put on, and in his hand he
took his rude shepherd's staff.

And the little page opened his big blue eyes
in wonder, and said smiling to him, ' My lord,
I see thy robe and thy sceptre, but where is thy
crown ? '

And the young King plucked a spray of wild
briar that was climbing over the balcony, and
bent it, and made a circlet of it, and set it on
his own head.

' This shall be my crown,' he answered.

And thus attired he passed out of his chamber
into the Great Hall, where the nobles were
waiting for him.

And the nobles made merry, and some of
them cried out to him, ' My lord, the people
wait for their king, and thou showest them a
beggar,' and others were wroth and said, ' He
brings shame upon our state, and is unworthy
to be our master.' But he answered them not
a word, but passed on, and went down the
bright porphyry staircase, and out through the
gates of bronze, and mounted upon his horse,
and rode towards the cathedral, the little page
running beside him.
22

THE YOUNG KING

And the people laughed and said, * It is the
King's fool who is riding by,' and they mocked
him.

And he drew rein and said, * Nay, but I am
the King.' And he told them his three dreams.

And a man came out of the crowd and spake
bitterly to him, and said, ' Sir, knowest thou
not that out of the luxury of the rich cometh
the life of the poor? By your pomp we are
nurtured, and your vices give us bread. To toil
for a hard master is bitter, but to have no master-
to toil for is more bitter still. Thinkest thou
that the ravens will feed us ? And what cure
hast thou for these things ? Wilt thou say to
the buyer, " Thou shalt buy for so much," and
to the seller, " Thou shalt sell at this price " ? I
trow not. Therefore go back to thy Palace and
put on thy purple and fine linen. What hast
thou to do with us, and what we suffer ? '

'Are not the rich and the poor brothers?'
asked the young King.

'Ay,' answered the man, 'and the name of
the rich brother is Cain.'

And the young King's eyes filled with tears,
and he rode on through the murmurs of the
people, and the little page grew afraid and left
him.

23

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

And when he reached the great portal of the
cathedral, the soldiers thrust their halberts out
and said, ' What dost thou seek here ? None
enters by this door but the King.'

And his face flushed with anger, and he said
to them, *I am the King,' and waved their
halberts aside and passed in.

And when the old Bishop saw him coming in
his goatherd's dress, he rose up in wonder from
his throne, and went to meet him, and said to
him, * My son, is this a king's apparel ? And
with what crown shall I crown thee, and what
sceptre shall I place in thy hand ? Surely this
should be to thee a day of joy, and not a day
of abasement.'

* Shall Joy wear what Grief has fashioned ? '
said the young King. And he told him his
three dreams.

And when the Bishop had heard them he knit
his brows, and said, ' My son, I am an old man,
and in the winter of my days, and I know that
many evil things are done in the wide world.
The fierce robbers come down from the moun-
tains, and carry off the little children, and sell
them to the Moors. The lions lie in wait for
the caravans, and leap upon the camels. The
wild boar roots up the corn in the valley, and
24

THE YOUNG KING

the foxes gnaw the vines upon the hill. The
pirates lay waste the sea-coast and burn the
ships of the fishermen, and take their nets from
them. In the salt-marshes live the lepers ; they
have houses of wattled reeds, and none may
come nigh them. The beggars wander through
the cities, and eat their food with the dogs.
Canst thou make these things not to be ? Wilt
thou take the leper for thy bedfellow, and set
the beggar at thy board ? Shall the lion do thy
bidding, and the wild boar obey thee ? Is not
He who made misery wiser than thou art ?
Wherefore I praise thee not for this that thou
hast done, but I bid thee ride back to the
Palace and make thy face glad, and put on the
raiment that beseemeth a king, and with the
crown of gold I will crown thee, and the
sceptre of pearl will I place in thy hand. And
as for thy dreams, think no more of them.
The burden of this world is too great for one
man to bear, and the world's sorrow too heavy
for one heart to suffer.'

* Sayest thou that in this house ? ' said the
young King, and he strode past the Bishop, and
climbed up the steps of the altar, and stood
before the image of Christ.

He stood before the image of Christ, and on

25

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

his right hand and on his left were the marvel-
lous vessels of gold, the chalice with the yellow
wine, and the vial with the holy oil. He knelt
before the image of Christ, and the great candles
burned brightly by the jewelled shrine, and the
smoke of the incense curled in thin blue wreaths
through the dome. He bowed his head in
prayer, and the priests in their stiff copes crept
away from the altar.

And suddenly a wild tumult came from the
street outside, and in entered the nobles with
drawn swords and nodding plumes, and shields
of polished steel. ' Where is this dreamer of
dreams ? ' they cried. ' Where is this King, who
is apparelled like a beggar — this boy who brings
shame upon our state ? Surely we will slay him,
for he is unworthy to rule over us.'

And the young King bowed his head again,
and prayed, and when he had finished his prayer
he rose up, and turning round he looked at
them sadly.

And lo ! through the painted windows came
the sunlight streaming upon him, and the sun-
beams wove round him a tissued robe that was
fairer than the robe that had been fashioned for
his pleasure. The dead staff blossomed, and-
bare lilies that were whiter than pearls. The
26

THE YOUNG KING

dry thorn blossomed, and bare roses that were
redder than rubies. Whiter than fine pearls
were the lilies, and their stems were of bright
silver. Redder than male rubies were the roses,
and their leaves were of beaten gold.

He stood there in the raiment of a king, and
the gates of the jewelled shrine flew open, and
from the crystal of the many-rayed monstrance
shone a marvellous and mystical light. He
stood there in a king's raiment, and the Glory
of God filled the place, and the saints in their
carven niches seemed to move. In the fair
raiment of a king he stood before them, and the
organ pealed out its music, and the trumpeters
blew upon their trumpets, and the singing boys
sang.

And the people fell upon their knees in awe,
and the nobles sheathed their swords and did
homage, and the Bishop's face grew pale, and
his hands trembled. ' A greater than I hath
crowned thee,' he cried, and he knelt before him.

And the young King came down from the
high altar, and passed home through the midst
of the people. But no man dared look upon his
face, for it was like the face of an angel.

27

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

TO

MRS. WILLIAM H. GRBNFELL
OF TAPLOW COURT

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

IT was the birthday of the Infanta. She
was just twelve years of age, and the sun
was shining brightly in the gardens of the
palace.

Although she was a real Princess and the
Infanta of Spain, she had only one birthday
every year, just like the children of quite poor
people, so it was naturally a matter of great
importance to the whole country that she should
have a really fine day for the occasion. And a
really fine day it certainly was. The tall striped
tulips stood straight up upon their stalks, like
long rows of soldiers, and looked defiantly across
the grass at the roses, and said : ' We are quite
as splendid as you are now.' The purple butter-
flies fluttered about with gold dust on their
wings, visiting each flower in turn ; the little
lizards crept out of the crevices of the wall, and
lay basking in the white glare ; and the pome-
granates split and cracked with the heat, and

31

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

showed their bleeding red hearts. Even the
pale yellow lemons, that hung in such profusion
from the mouldering trellis and along the dim
arcades, seemed to have caught a richer colour
from the wonderful sunlight, and the magnolia
trees opened their great globe-like blossoms of
folded ivory, and filled the air with a sweet
heavy perfume.

The little Princess herself walked up and
down the terrace with her companions, and
played at hide and seek round the stone vases
and the old moss-grown statues. On ordinary
days she was only allowed to play with children
of her own rank, so she had always to play
alone, but her birthday was an exception, and
the King had given orders that she was to invite
any of her young friends whom she liked to
come and amuse themselves with her. There
was a stately grace about these slim Spanish
children as they glided about, the boys with
their large-plumed hats and short fluttering
cloaks, the girls holding up the trains of their
long brocaded gowns, and shielding the sun from
their eyes with huge fans of black and silver.
But the Infanta was the most graceful of all,
and the most tastefully attired, after the some-
what cumbrous fashion of the day. Her robe
32

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

was of grey satin, the skirt and the wide puffed
sleeves heavily embroidered with silver, and the
stiff corset studded with rows of fine pearls.
Two tiny slippers with big pink rosettes peeped
out beneath her dress as she walked. Pink and
pearl was her great gauze fan, and in her hair,
which like an aureole of faded gold stood out
stiffly round her pale little face, she had a
beautiful white rose.

From a window in the palace the sad melan-
choly King watched them. Behind him stood
his brother, Don Pedro of Aragon, whom he
hated, and his confessor, the Grand Inquisitor
of Granada, sat by his side. Sadder even than
usual was the King, for as he looked at the
Infanta bowing with childish gravity to the
assembling courtiers, or laughing behind her fan
at the grim Duchess of Albuquerque who always
accompanied her, he thought of the young
Queen, her mother, who but a short time before
— so it seemed to him — had come from the gay
country of France, and had withered away in
the sombre splendour of the Spanish court, dying
just six months after the birth of her child, and
before she had seen the almonds blossom twice
in the orchard, or plucked the second year's fruit
from the old gnarled fig- tree that stood .in the

c 33

centre of the now grass-grown courtyard. So
great had been his love for her that he had not
suffered even the grave to hide her from him.
She had been embalmed by a Moorish physician,
who in return for this service had been granted
his life, which for heresy and suspicion of magical
practices had been already forfeited, men said,
to the Holy Office, and her body was still lying-'
on its tapestried bier in the black marble chapel
of the Palace, just as the monks had borne
her in on that windy March day nearly twelve
years before. Once every month the King,
wrapped in a dark cloak and with a muffled
lantern in his hand, went in and knelt by her
side, calling out, 'Mi reina! Mi reina!' and
sometimes breaking through the formal etiquette
that in Spain governs every separate action of
life, and sets limits even to the sorrow of a King,
he would clutch at the pale jewelled hands in a
wild agony of grief, and try to wake by his mad
kisses the cold painted face.

To-day he seemed to see her again, as he had
seen her first at the Castle of Fontainebleau,
when he was but fifteen years of age, and she
still younger. They had been formally betrothed
on that occasion by the Papal Nuncio in the
presence of the French King and all the Court,
34

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

and he had returned to the Escurial bearing with
him a little ringlet of yellow hair, and the
memory of two childish lips bending down to
kiss his hand as he stepped into his carriage.
Later on had followed the marriage, hastily per-
formed at Burgos, a small town on the frontier
between the two countries, and the grand public
entry into Madrid with the customary celebra-
tion of high mass at the Church of La Atocha,
and a more than usually solemn auto-da-fe, in
which nearly three hundred heretics, amongst
whom were many Englishmen, had been de-
livered over to the secular arm to be burned.

Certainly he had loved her madly, and to the--
ruin, many thought, of his country, then at
war with England for the possession of the
empire of the New World. He had hardly ever
permitted her to be out of his sight ; for her, he
had forgotten, or seemed to have forgotten, all
grave affairs of State; and, with that terrible
blindness that passion brings upon its servants,
he had failed to notice that the elaborate cere-
monies by which he sought to please her did
but aggravate the strange malady from which
she suffered. When she died he was, for a time,
like one bereft of reason. Indeed, there is no
doubt but that he would have formally abdicated

35

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

and retired to the great Trappist monastery at
Granada, of which he was already titular Prior,
had he not been afraid to leave the little Infanta
at the mercy of his brother, whose cruelty, even
in Spain, was notorious, and who was suspected
by many of having caused the Queen's death
by means of a pair of poisoned gloves that he
had presented to her on the occasion of her visit-
ing his castle in Aragon. Even after the expira-
tion of the three years of public mourning that
he had ordained throughout his whole dominions
by royal edict, he would never suffer his ministers
to speak about any new alliance, and when the
Emperor himself sent to him, and offered him
the hand of the lovely Archduchess of Bohemia,
his niece, in marriage, he bade the ambassadors
tell their master that the King of Spain was
already wedded to Sorrow, and that though she
was but a barren bride he loved her better than
Beauty ; an answer that cost his crown the rich-
provinces of the Netherlands, which soon after,
at the Emperor's instigation, revolted against
him under the leadership of some fanatics of
the Reformed Church.

His whole married life, with its fierce, fiery-
coloured joys and the terrible agony of its sudden
ending, seemed to come back to him to-day as
36

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

he watched the Infanta playing on the terrace.
She had all the Queen's pretty petulance of
manner, the same wilful way of tossing her head,
the same proud curved beautiful mouth, the
same wonderful smile — vrai sourire de France
indeed — as she glanced up now and then at the
window, or stretched out her little hand for the
stately Spanish gentlemen to kiss. But the
shrill laughter of the children grated on his ears,
and the bright pitiless sunlight mocked his
sorrow, and a dull odour of strange spices,
spices such as embalmers use, seemed to taint —
or was it fancy? — the clear morning air. He
buried his face in his hands, and when the
Infanta looked up again the curtains had been
drawn, and the King had retired.

She made a little moue of disappointment,
and shrugged her shoulders. Surely he might
have stayed with her on her birthday. What
did the stupid State-affairs matter ? Or had he
gone to that gloomy chapel, where the candles
were always burning, and where she was never
allowed to enter ? How silly of him, when the
sun was shining so brightly, and everybody was
so happy ! Besides, he would miss the sham
bull-fight for which the trumpet was already
sounding, to say nothing of the puppet-show

37

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

>

and the other wonderful things. Her uncle and
the Grand Inquisitor were much more sensible.
They had come out on the terrace, and paid her
nice compliments. So she tossed her pretty
head, and taking Don Pedro by the hand, she
walked slowly down the steps towards a long
pavilion of purple silk that had been erected at
the end of the garden, the other children follow-
ing in strict order of precedence, those who had
the longest names going first.

A procession of noble boys, fantastically
dressed as toreadors, came out to meet her, and
the young Count of Tierra-Nueva, a wonderfully
handsome lad of about fourteen years of age,
uncovering his head with all the grace of a born
hidalgo and grandee of Spain, led her solemnly in
to a little gilt and ivory chair that was placed on a
raised dais above the arena. The children grouped
themselves all round, fluttering their big fans
and whispering to each other, and Don Pedro
and the Grand Inquisitor stood laughing at the
entrance. Even the Duchess — the Camerera-
Mayor as she was called — a thin, hard-featured
woman with a yellow ruff, did not look quite
so bad-tempered as usual, and something like a
38

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

chill smile flitted across her wrinkled face and
twitched her thin bloodless lips.

It certainly was a marvellous bull-fight, and
much nicer, the Infanta thought, than the real
bull-fight that she had been brought to see at
Seville, on the occasion of the visit of the Duke
of Parma to her father. Some of the boys
pranced about on richly-caparisoned hobby-
horses brandishing long javelins with gay
streamers of bright ribands attached to them ;
others went on foot waving their scarlet cloaks
before the bull, and vaulting lightly over the
barrier when he charged them ; and as for the
bull himself, he was just like a live bull, though
he was only made of wicker-work and stretched
hide, and sometimes insisted on running round
the arena on his hind legs, which no live bull
ever dreams of doing. He made a splendid
fight of it too, and the children got so excited
that they stood up upon the benches, and waved
their lace handkerchiefs and cried out : Bravo
torof Bravo toro f just as sensibly as if they
had been grown-up people. At last, however,
after a prolonged combat, during which several
of the hobby-horses were gored through and
through, and their riders dismounted, the young
Count of Tierra-Nueva brought the bull to his

39

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

knees, and having obtained permission from the
Infanta to give the coup de grace, he plunged
his wooden sword into the neck of the animal
with such violence that the head came right off,
and disclosed the laughing face of little Monsieur
de Lorraine, the son of the French Ambassador
at Madrid.

The arena was then cleared amidst much
applause, and the dead hobby-horses dragged
solemnly away by two Moorish pages in yellow
and black liveries, and after a short interlude,
during which a French posture-master performed
upon the tight-rope, some Italian puppets
appeared in the semi- classical tragedy of Sophon-
isba on the stage of a small theatre that had
been built up for the purpose. They acted
so well, and their gestures were so extremely
natural, that at the close of the play the eyes of
the Infanta were quite dim with tears. Indeed
some of the children really cried, and had to be
comforted with sweetmeats, and the Grand
Inquisitor himself was so affected that he could
not help saying to Don Pedro that it seemed
to him intolerable that things made simply out
of wood and coloured wax, and worked mechani-
cally by wires, should be so unhappy and meet
with such terrible misfortunes.
40

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

An African juggler followed, who brought in
a large flat basket covered with a red cloth, and
having placed it in the centre of the arena, he
took from his turban a curious reed pipe, and
blew through it. In a few moments the cloth
began to move, and as the pipe grew shriller
and shriller two green and gold snakes put out
their strange wedge-shaped heads and rose slowly
up, swaying to and fro with the music as a plant
sways in the water. The children, however,
were rather frightened at their spotted hoods
and quick darting tongues, and were much more
pleased when the juggler made a tiny orange-
tree grow out of the sand and bear pretty white
blossoms and clusters of real fruit ; and when
he took the fan of the little daughter of the
Marquess de Las-Torres, and changed it into a
blue bird that flew all round the pavilion and
sang, their delight and amazement knew no
bounds. The solemn minuet, too, performed
by the dancing boys from the church of Nuestra
Senora Del Pilar, was charming. The Infanta
had never before seen this wonderful ceremony
which takes place every year at Maytime in
front of the high altar of the Virgin, and in her
honour ; and indeed none of the royal family of
Spain had entered the great cathedral of Sara-

41

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

gossa since a mad priest, supposed by many to
have been in the pay of Elizabeth of England,
had tried to administer a poisoned wafer to the
Prince of the Asturias. So she had known only
by hearsay of * Our Lady's Dance,' as it was
called, and it certainly was a beautiful sight.
The boys wore old-fashioned court dresses of
white velvet, and their curious three-cornered
hats were fringed with silver and surmounted
with huge plumes of ostrich feathers, the dazzling
whiteness of their costumes, as they moved about
in the sunlight, being still more accentuated by
their swarthy faces and long black hair. Every-
body was fascinated by the grave dignity with
which they moved through the intricate figures
of the dance, and by the elaborate grace of their
slow gestures, and stately bows, and when they
had finished their performance and doffed their
great plumed hats to the Infanta, she acknow-
ledged their reverence with much courtesy, and
made a vow that she would send a large wax
candle to the shrine of Our Lady of Pilar in
return for the pleasure that she had given her.

A troop of handsome Egyptians — as the
gipsies were termed in those days — then ad-
vanced into the arena, and sitting down cross-
legs, in a circle, began to play softly upon their
42

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

zithers, moving their bodies to the tune, and
humming, almost below their breath, a low
dreamy air. When they caught sight of Don
Pedro they scowled at him, and some of them
looked terrified, for only a few weeks before he
had had two of their tribe hanged for sorcery
in the market-place at Seville, but the pretty
Infanta charmed them as she leaned back peep-
ing over her fan with her great blue eyes, and
they felt sure that one so lovely as she was
could never be cruel to anybody. So they
played on very gently and just touching the
cords of the zithers with their long pointed nails,
and their heads began to nod as though they
were falling asleep. Suddenly, with a cry so
shrill that all the children were startled and Don
Pedro's hand clutched at the agate pommel of
his dagger, they leapt to their feet and whirled
madly round the enclosure beating their tam-
bourines, and chaunting some wild love-song
in their strange guttural language. Then at
another signal they all flung themselves again
to the ground and lay there quite still, the dull
strumming of the zithers being the only sound
that broke the silence. After that they had
done this several times, they disappeared for a
moment and came back leading a brown shaggy

43

.

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

bear by a chain, and carrying on their shoulders
some little Barbary apes. The bear stood upon
his head with the utmost gravity, and the wizened
apes played all kinds of amusing tricks with two
gipsy boys who seemed to be their masters, and
fought with tiny swords, and fired off guns, and
went through a regular soldier's drill just like
the King's own bodyguard. In fact the gipsies
were a great success.

But the funniest part of the whole morning's
entertainment, was undoubtedly the dancing of
the little Dwarf. When he stumbled into the
arena, waddling on his crooked legs and wagging
his huge misshapen head from side to side, the
children went off into a loud shout of delight,
and the Infanta herself laughed so much that
the Camerera was obliged to remind her that
although there were many precedents in Spain
for a King's daughter weeping before her equals,
there were none for a Princess of the blood royal
making so merry before those who were her
inferiors in birth. The Dwarf, however, was
really quite irresistible, and even at the Spanish
Court, always noted for its cultivated passion
for the horrible, so fantastic a little monster had
never been seen. It was his first appearance,
too. He had been discovered only the day
44

.

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

before, running wild through the forest, by two
of the nobles who happened to have been hunt-
ing in a remote part of the great cork-wood that
surrounded the town, and had been carried off
by them to the Palace as a surprise for the
Infanta ; his father, who was a poor charcoal-
burner, being but too well pleased to get rid of
so ugly and useless a child. Perhaps the most
amusing thing about him was his complete
unconsciousness of his own grotesque appearance.
Indeed he seemed quite happy and full of the
highest spirits. When the children laughed, he
laughed as freely and as joyously as any of them,
and at the close of each dance he made them
each the funniest of bows, smiling and nodding
at them just as if he was really one of them-
selves, and not a little misshapen thing that
Nature, in some humourous mood, had fashioned
for others to mock at. As for the Infanta, she
absolutely fascinated him. He could not keep
his eyes off her, and seemed to dance for her
alone, and when at the close of the performance,
remembering how she had seen the great ladies
of the Court throw bouquets to Caffarelli, the
famous Italian treble, whom the Pope had sent
from his own chapel to Madrid that he might
cure the King's melancholy by the sweetness of

45

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

his voice, she took out of her hair the beautiful
white rose, and partly for a jest and partly to
tease the Camerera, threw it to him across the
arena with her sweetest smile, he took the whole
matter quite seriously, and pressing the flower
to his rough coarse lips he put his hand upon his
heart, and sank on one knee before her, grinning
from ear to ear, and with his little bright eyes
sparkling with pleasure.

This so upset the gravity of the Infanta that
she kept on laughing long after the little Dwarf
had run out of the arena, and expressed a desire
to her uncle that the dance should be immediately
repeated. The Camerera, however, on the plea
that the sun was too hot, decided that it would
be better that her Highness should return with-
out delay to the Palace, where a wonderful feast
had been already prepared for her, including a
real birthday cake with her own initials worked
all over it in painted sugar and a lovely silver
flag waving from the top. The Infanta accord-
ingly rose up with much dignity, and having
given orders that the little dwarf was to dance
again for her after the hour of siesta, and con-
veyed her thanks to the young Count of
Tierra-Nueva for his charming reception, she
went back to her apartments, the children
46

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

following in the same order in which they had
entered.

Now when the little Dwarf heard that he was
to dance a second time before the Infanta, and
by her own express command, he was so proud
that he ran out into the garden, kissing the
white rose in an absurd ecstasy of pleasure, and
making the most uncouth and clumsy gestures
of delight.

The Flowers were quite indignant at his
daring to intrude into their beautiful home, and
when they saw him capering up and down the
walks, and waving his arms above his head in
such a ridiculous manner, they could not restrain
their feelings any longer.

* He is really far too ugly to be allowed to play
in any place where we are,' cried the Tulips.

' He should drink poppy-juice, and go to sleep
for a thousand years,' said the great scarlet
Lilies, and they grew quite hot and angry.

' He is a perfect horror ! ' screamed the Cactus.
' Why, he is twisted and stumpy, and his head
is completely out of proportion with his legs.
Really he makes me feel prickly all over, and if
he comes near me I will sting him with my
thorns.'

47

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

'And he has actually got one of my best
blooms,' exclaimed the White Rose-Tree. ' I
gave it to the Infanta this morning myself, as
a birthday present, and he has stolen it from
her.' And she called out : * Thief, thief, thief! '
at the top of her voice.

Even the red Geraniums, who did not usually
give themselves airs, and were known to have
a great many poor relations themselves, curled
up in disgust when they saw him, and when the
Violets meekly remarked that though he was
certainly extremely plain, still he could not help
it, they retorted with a good deal of justice that
that was his chief defect, and that there was no
reason why one should admire a person because
he was incurable ; and, indeed, some of the
Violets themselves felt that the ugliness of the
little Dwarf was almost ostentatious, and that
he would have shown much better taste if he
had looked sad, or at least pensive, instead of
jumping about merrily, and throwing himself
into such grotesque and silly attitudes.

As for the old Sundial, who was an extremely
remarkable individual, and had once told the
time of day to no less a person than the Emperor
Charles v. himself, he was so taken aback by
the little Dwarf's appearance, that he almost
48

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

forgot to mark two whole minutes with his long
shadowy finger, and could not help saying to
the great milk-white Peacock, who was sunning
h&elf on the balustrade, that every one knew
that the children of Kings were Kings, and that
the children of charcoal-burners were charcoal-
burners, and that it was absurd to pretend that
it wasn't so ; a statement with which the Pea-
cock entirely agreed, and indeed screamed out,
' Certainly, certainly,' in such a loud, harsh
voice, that the gold-fish who lived in the basin
of the cool splashing fountain put their heads
out of the water, and asked the huge stone
Tritons what on earth was the matter.

But somehow the Birds liked him. They had
seen him often in the forest, dancing about like
an elf after the eddying leaves, or crouched up
in the hollow of some old oak-tree, sharing his
nuts with the squirrels. They did not mind his
being ugly, a bit. Why, even the nightingale
herself, who sang so sweetly in the orange groves
at night that sometimes the Moon leaned down
to listen, was not much to look at after all ;
and, besides, he had been kind to them, and
during that terribly bitter winter, when there
were no berries on the trees, and the ground
was as hard as iron, and the wolves had come

D 49

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

down to the very gates of the city to look for
food, he had never once forgotten them, but
had always given them crumbs out of his little
hunch of black bread, and divided with them
whatever poor breakfast he had.

So they flew round and round him, just
touching his cheek with their wings as they
passed, and chattered to each other, and the
little Dwarf was so pleased that he could not
help showing them the beautiful white rose, and
telling them that the Infanta herself had given
it to him because she loved him.

.They did not understand a single word of
what he was saying, but that made no matter,
for they put their heads on one side, and looked
wise, which is quite as good as understanding
a thing, and very much easier.

The Lizards also took an immense fancy to
him, and when he grew tired of running about
and flung himself down on the grass to rest,
they played and romped all over him, and tried
to amuse him in the best way they could.
'Every one cannot be as beautiful as a lizard,'
they cried ; ' that would be too much to expect.
And, though it sounds absurd to say so, he is
really not so ugly after all, provided, of course,
that one shuts one's eyes, and does not look at
50

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

him.' The Lizards were extremely philosophical
by nature, and often sat thinking for hours and
hours together, when there was nothing else to
do, or when the weather was too rainy for them
to go out.

The Flowers, however, were excessively
annoyed at their behaviour, and at the behaviour
of the birds. * It only shows,' they said, * what
a vulgarising effect this incessant rushing and
flying about has. Well-bred people always
stay exactly in the same place, as we do. No
one ever saw us hopping up and down the
walks, or galloping madly through the grass
after dragon-flies. When we do want change
of air, we send for the gardener, and he carries
us to another bed. This is dignified, and as it
should be. But birds and lizards have no sense
of repose, and indeed birds have not even a
permanent address. They are mere vagrants
like the gipsies, and should be treated in exactly
the same manner.' So they put their noses in
the air, and looked very haughty, and were quite
delighted when after some time they saw the
little Dwarf scramble up from the grass, and
make his way across the terrace to the palace. .

' He should certainly be kept indoors for the
rest of his natural life,' they said. ' Look at his

51

hunched back, and his crooked legs,' and they
began to titter.

But the little Dwarf knew nothing of all this.
He liked the birds and the lizards immensely,
and thought that the flowers were the most
marvellous things in the whole world, except of
course the Infanta, but then she had given him
the beautiful white rose, and she loved him, and
that made a great difference. How he wished
that he had gone back with her I She would
have put him on her right hand, and smiled at
him, and he would have never left her side, but
would have made her his playmate, and taught
her all kinds of delightful tricks. For though
he had never been in a palace before, he knew a
great many wonderful things. He could make
little cages out of rushes for the grasshoppers to
sing in, and fashion the long-jointed bamboo
into the pipe that Pan loves to hear. He knew
the cry of every bird, and could call the starlings
from the tree-top, or the heron from the mere.
He knew the trail of every animal, and could
Wtf^ track the hare by its delicate footprints, and

1 fW

the boar by the trampled leaves. All the wild-
dances he knew, the mad dance in red raiment
with the autumn, the light dance in blue sandals
over the corn, the dance with white snow-
52

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

wreaths in winter, and the blossom-dance through
the orchards in spring. He knew where the
wood-pigeons built their nests, and once when
a fowler had snared the parent birds, he had
brought up the young ones himself, and had
built a little dovecot for them in the cleft of a
pollard elm. They were quite tame, and used
to feed out of his hands every morning. She
would like them, and the rabbits that scurried
about in the long fern, and the jays with their
steely feathers and black bills, andjthe hedge-
hogs- that eotild ^«rl themselves up into prickly
balis, and the great wise tortoises that crawled
slowly about, shaking their heads and nibbling
at the young leaves. Yes, she must certainly
come to the forest and play with him. He
would give her his own little bed, and would
watch outside the window till dawn, to see that
the wild horned cattle did not harm her, nor
the gaunt wolves creep too near the hut. And
at dawn he would tap at the shutters and wake
her, and they would go out and dance together
all the day long. It was really not a bit lonely
in the forest. Sometimes a Bishop rode through
on his white mule, reading out of a painted
book. Sometimes in their green velvet caps,
and their jerkins of tanned deerskin, the falconers

53

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

passed by, with hooded hawks on their wrists.
At vintage-time came the grape-treaders, with
purple hands and feet, wreathed with glossy ivy
and carrying dripping skins of wine ; and the
charcoal-burners sat round their huge braziers
at night, watching the dry logs charring slowly
in the fire, and roasting chestnuts in the ashes,
and the robbers came out of their caves and
made merry with them. Once, too, he had seen
a beautiful procession winding up the long dusty
road to Toledo. The monks went in front sing-
ing sweetly, and carrying bright banners and
crosses of gold, and then, in silver armour, with
matchlocks and pikes, came the soldiers, and in
their midst walked three barefooted men, in
strange yellow dresses painted all over with
wonderful figures, and carrying lighted candles
in their hands. Certainly there was a great deal
to look at in the forest, and when she was tired
he would find a soft bank of moss for her, or
carry her in his arms, for he was very strong,
though he knew that he was not tall. He would
make her a necklace of red bryony berries, that
would be quite as pretty as the white berries
that she wore on her dress, and when she was
tired of them, she could throw them away, and
he would find her others. He would bring her
54

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

acorn-cups and dew-drenched anemones, and tiny
glow-worms to be stars in the pale gold of her hair.

But where was she ? He asked the white
rose, and it made him no answer. The whole
palace seemed asleep, and even where the
shutters had not been closed, heavy curtains
had been drawn across the windows to keep out
the glare. He wandered all round looking for
some place throbgh which he might gain an
entrance, and at last he caught sight of a little
private door that was lying open. He slipped
through, and found himself in a splendid hall,
far more splendid, he feared, than the forest,
there was so much more gilding everywhere,
and even the floor was made of great coloured
stones, fitted together into a sort of geometrical
pattern. But the little Infanta was not there,
only some wonderful white statues that looked
down on him from their jasper pedestals, with
sad blank eyes and strangely smiling lips.

At the end of the hall hung a richly em-
broidered curtain of black velvet, powdered with
suns and stars, the King's favourite devices, and
broidered on the colour he loved best. Perhaps
she was hiding behind that ? He would try at
any rate.

55

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

So he stole quietly across, and drew it aside.
No ; there was only another room, though a
prettier room, he thought, than the one he had
just left. The walls were hung with a many-
figured green arras of needle-wrought tapestry
representing a hunt, the work of some Flemish
artists who had spent more than seven years in
its composition. It had once been the chamber
of Jean le Fou, as he was called, that mad King
who was so enamoured of the chase, that he
had often tried in his delirium to mount the
huge rearing horses, and to drag down the stag
on which the great hounds were leaping, sound-
ing his hunting horn, and stabbing with his
dagger at the pale flying deer. It was now
used as the council-room, and on the centre
table were lying the red portfolios of the
ministers, stamped with the gold tulips of Spain,
and with the arms and emblems of the house
of Hapsburg.

The little Dwarf looked in wonder all round
him, and was half-afraid to go on. The strange
silent horsemen that galloped so swiftly through
the long glades without making any noise,
seemed to him like those terrible phantoms of
whom he had heard the charcoal-burners speak-
ing— the Comprachos, who hunt only at night,
56

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

and if they meet a man, turn him into a hind,
and chase him. But he thought of the pretty
Infanta, and took courage. He wanted to find'
her alone, and to tell her that he too loved her.
Perhaps she was in the room beyond.

He ran across the soft Moorish carpets, and
opened the door. No ! She was not here either.
The room was quite empty.

It was a throne-room, used for the reception
of foreign ambassadors, when the King, which
of late had not been often, consented to give
them a personal audience ; the same room in
which, many years before, envoys had appeared
from England to make arrangements for the
marriage of their Queen, then one of the Catholic
sovereigns of Europe, with the Emperor's eldest
son. The hangings were of gilt Cordovan
leather, and a heavy gilt chandelier with branches
for three hundred wax lights hung down from
the black and white ceiling. Underneath a great
canopy of gold cloth, on which the lions and
towers of Castile were broidered in seed pearls,
stood the throne itself, covered with a rich pall
of black velvet studded with silver tulips and
elaborately fringed with silver and pearls. On
the second step of the throne was placed the
kneeling-stool of the Infanta, with its cushion

57

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

of cloth of silver tissue, and below that again,
and beyond the limit of the canopy, stood the
chair for the Papal Nuncio, who alone had the
right to be seated in the King's presence on the
occasion of any public ceremonial, and whose
Cardinal's hat, with its tangled scarlet tassels,
lay on a purple tabouret in front. On the wall,
facing the throne, hung a life-sized portrait of
Charles v. in hunting dress, with a great mastiff
by his side, and a picture of Philip n. receiving
the homage of the Netherlands occupied the
centre of the other wall. Between the windows
stood a black ebony cabinet, inlaid with plates
of ivory, on which the figures from Holbein's
Dance of Death had been graved — by the
hand, some said, of that famous master himself.
But the little Dwarf cared nothing for all
this magnificence. He would not have given'
his rose for all the pearls on the canopy, nor
one white petal of his rose for the throne itself.
What he wanted was to see the Infanta before
she went down to the pavilion, and to ask her
to come away with him when he had finished
his dance. Here, in the Palace, the air was
close and heavy, but in the forest the wind blew
free, and the sunlight with wandering hands of
gold moved the tremulous leaves aside. There
58

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

were flowers, too, in the forest, not so splendid,
perhaps, as the flowers in the garden, but more
sweetly scented for all that ; hyacinths in early
spring that flooded with waving purple the cool
glens, and grassy knolls ; yellow primroses that
nestled in little clumps round the gnarled roots
of the oak-trees; bright celandine, and blue
speedwell, and irises lilac and gold. There were
grey catkins on the hazels, and the fox-gloves
drooped with the weight of their dappled bee-
haunted cells. The chestnut had its spires of
white stars, and the hawthorn its pallid moons
of beauty. Yes : surely she would come if he-
could only find her ! She would come with him
to the fair forest, and all day long he would
dance for her delight. A smile lit up his eyes
at the thought, and he passed into the next
room.

Of all the rooms this was the brightest and
the most beautiful. The walls were covered
with a pink-flowered Lucca damask, patterned
with birds and dotted with dainty blossoms of
silver; the furniture was of massive silver,
festooned with florid wreaths, and swinging
Cupids ; in front of the two large fire-places
stood great screens broidered with parrots and
peacocks, and the floor, which was of sea-green

59

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

onyx, seemed to stretch far away into the dis-
tance. Nor was he alone. Standing under the
shadow of the doorway, at the extreme end of
the room, he saw a little figure watching him.
His heart trembled, a cry of joy broke from his
lips, and he moved out into the sunlight. As
he did so, the figure moved out also, and he saw
it plainly.

The Infanta! It was a monster, the most-
grotesque monster he had ever beheld. Not
properly shaped, as all other people were, but
hunchbacked, and crooked-limbed, with huge
lolling head and mane of black hair. The little
Dwarf frowned, and the monster frowned also.
He laughed, and it laughed with him, and held
its hands to its sides, just as he himself was
doing. He made it a mocking bow, and it
returned him a low reverence. He went towards
it, and it came to meet him, copying eacli step
that he made, and stopping when he stopped
himself. He shouted with amusement, and ran
forward, and reached out his hand, and the
hand of the monster touched his, and it was as
cold as ice. He grew afraid, and moved his
hand across, and the monster's hand followed it
quickly. He tried to press on, but something
smooth and hard stopped him. The face of the
60

monster was now close to his own, and seemed
full of terror. He brushed his hair off his eyes.
It imitated him. He struck at it, and it returned
blow for blow. He loathed it, and it made
hideous faces at him. He drew back, and it
retreated.

What is it ? He thought for a moment, and
looked round at the rest of the room. It was
strange, but everything seemed to have its
double in this invisible wall of clear water. Yes,
picture for picture was repeated, and couch for
couch. The sleeping Faun that lay in the alcove
by the doorway had its twin brother that slum-
bered, and the silver Venus that stood in the
sunlight held out her arms to a Venus as lovely
as herself.

Was it Echo ? He had called to her once in
the valley, and she had answered him word for
word. Could she mock the eye, as she mocked
the voice ? Could she make a mimic world just
like the real world ? Could the shadows of
things have colour and life and movement?
Could it be that ?

He started, and taking from his breast the
beautiful white rose, he turned round, and
kissed it. The monster had a rose of its own,
petal for petal the same ! It kissed it with like

61

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

kisses, and pressed it to its heart with horrible
gestures.

When the truth dawned upon him, he gave
a wild cry ofcfespair, and fell sobbing to the
ground. So it was he who was misshapen and
hunchbacked, foul to look at and grotesque.
He himself was the monster, and it was at him
that all the children had been laughing, and the
little Princess who he had thought loved him —
she too had been merely mocking at his ugli-
ness, and making merry over his twisted limbs.
Why had they not left him in the forest, where
there was no mirror to tell him how loathsome
he was ? Why had his father not killed him,
rather than sell him to his shame ? The hot
tears poured down his cheeks, and he tore the
white rose to pieces. The sprawling monster
did the same, and scattered the faint petals in
the air. It grovelled on the ground, and, when
he looked at it, it watched him with a face
drawn with pain. He crept away, lest he should
see it, and covered his eyes with his hands. He
crawled, like some wounded thing, into the
shadow, and lay there moaning.

And at that moment the Infanta herself came
in with her companions through the open
window, and when they saw the ugly little
62

THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

dwarf lying on the ground and beating the floor
with his clenched hands, in the most fantastic
and exaggerated manner, they went off into
shouts of happy laughter, and stood all round
him and watched him.

* His dancing was funny,' said the Infanta ;
' but his acting is funnier still. Indeed he is
almost as good as the puppets, only of course--
not quite so natural.' And she fluttered her
big fan, and applauded.

But the little Dwarf never looked up, and his
sobs grew fainter and fainter, and suddenly he
gave a curious gasp, and clutched his side. And
then he fell back again, and lay quite still.

'That is capital,' said the Infanta, after a
pause ; ' but now you must dance for me.'

* Yes,' cried all the children, ' you must get
up and dance, for you are as clever as the
Barbary apes, and much more ridiculous.'

But the little Dwarf made no answer.

Arid the Infanta stamped her foot, and called
out to her uncle, who was walking on the terrace
with the Chamberlain, reading some despatches
that had just arrived from Mexico, where the
Holy Office had recently been established. ' My
funny little dwarf is sulking,' she cried, 'you must
wake him up, and tell him to dance for me.'

63

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

They smiled at each other, and sauntered in,
and Don Pedro stooped down, and slapped the
Dwarf on the cheek with his embroidered glove.
' You must dance,' he said, ' petit monstre. You
must dance. The Infanta of Spain and the
Indies wishes to be amused.'

But the little Dwarf never moved.

* A whipping master should be sent for,' said
Don Pedro wearily, and he went back to the
terrace. But the Chamberlain looked grave,
and he knelt beside the little dwarf, and put his
hand upon his heart. And after a few moments
he shrugged his shoulders, and rose up, and
having made a low bow to the Infanta, he said —

*Mi bella Princesa, your funny little dwarf
will never dance again. It is a pity, for he is
so ugly that he might have made the King
smile.'

* But why will he not dance again ? ' asked
the Infanta, laughing.

* Because his heart is broken,' answered the
Chamberlain.

And the Infanta frowned, and her dainty
rose-leaf lips curled in pretty disdain. ' For the
future let those who come to play with me have
no hearts,' she cried, and she ran out into the
garden.
64

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

65

TO H.S.H.

ALICE, PRINCESS
OF MONACO

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

EVERY evening the young Fisherman
went out upon the sea, and threw his
nets into the water.

When the wind blew from the land he caught
nothing, or but little at best, for it was a bitter
and black- winged wind, and rough waves rose
up to meet it. But when the wind blew to the
shore, the fish came in from the deep, and swam
into the meshes of his nets, and he took them
to the market-place and sold them.

Every evening he went out upon the sea, and
one evening the net was so heavy that hardly
could he draw it into the boat. And he laughed,
and said to himself, ' Surely I have caught all
the fish that swim, or snared some dull monster
that will be a marvel to men, or some thing of
horror that the great Queen will desire,' and
putting forth all his strength, he tugged at the
coarse ropes till, like lines of blue enamel round
a vase of bronze, the long veins rose up on his

67

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

arms. He tugged at the thin ropes, and nearer
and nearer came the circle of flat corks, and the
net rose at last to the top of the water.

But no fish at all was in it, nor any monster
or thing of horror, but only a little Mermaid
lying fast asleep.

Her hair was as a wet fleece of gold, and each
separate hair as a thread of fine gold in a cup of
glass. Her body was as white ivory, and her
tail was of silver and pearl. Silver and pearl
was her tail, and the green weeds of the sea
coiled round it ; and like sea-shells were her
ears, and her lips were like sea-coral. The cold
waves dashed over her cold breasts, and the salt
glistened upon her eyelids.

So beautiful was she that when the young
Fisherman saw her he was filled with wonder,
and he put out his hand and drew the net close
to him, and leaning over the side he clasped
her in his arms. And when he touched her, she
gave a cry like a startled sea-gull, and woke,
and looked at him in terror with her mauve-
amethyst eyes, and struggled that she might
escape. But he held her tightly to him, and
would not suffer her to depart.

And when she saw that she could in no way
escape from him, she began to weep, and said,
68

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

* I pray thee let me go, for I am the only
daughter of a King, and my father is aged and
alone.'

But the young Fisherman answered, ' I will-
not let thee go save thou makest me a promise
that whenever I call thee, thou wilt come and
sing to me, for the fish delight to listen to the
song of the Sea-folk, and so shall my nets be
full.'

' Wilt thou in very truth let me go, if I
promise thee this ? ' cried the Mermaid.

* In very truth I will let thee go,' said the
young Fisherman.

So she made him the promise he desired,
and sware it by the oath of the Sea-folk. And
he loosened his arms from about her, and she
sank down into the water, trembling with a
strange fear.

Every evening the young Fisherman went out
upon the sea, and called to the Mermaid, and
she rose out of the water and sang to him.
Round and round her swam the dolphins, and
the wild gulls wheeled above her head.

And she sang a marvellous song. For she
sang of the Sea-folk who drive their flocks from
cave to cave, and carry the little calves on their

69

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

shoulders ; of the Tritons who have long green
beards, and hairy breasts, and blow through
twisted conchs when the King passes by ; of the
palace of the King which is all of amber, with a
roof of clear emerald, and a pavement of bright
pearl ; and of the gardens of the sea where the
great filigrane fans of coral wave all day long,
and the fish dart about like silver birds, and the
anemones cling to the rocks, and the pinks
bourgeon in the ribbed yellow sand. She sang
of the big whales that come down from the
north seas and have sharp icicles hanging to
their fins; of the Sirens who tell of such
wonderful things that the merchants have to
stop their ears with wax lest they should hear
them, and leap into the water and be drowned ;
of the sunken galleys with their tall masts, and
the frozen sailors clinging to the rigging, and
the mackerel swimming in and out of the open
portholes ; of the little barnacles who are great
travellers, and cling to the keels of the ships
and go round and round the world ; and of the
cuttlefish who live in the sides of the cliffs and
stretch out their long black arms, and can make
night come when they will it. She sang of the
nautilus who has a boat of her own that is carved
out of an opal and steered with a silken sail ; of
70

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

the happy Mermen who play upon harps and
can charm the great Kraken to sleep ; of the
little children who catch hold of the slippery
porpoises and ride laughing upon their backs ;
of the Mermaids who lie in the white foam and
hold out their arms to the mariners ; and of the
sea-lions with their curved tusks, and the sea-
horses with their floating manes.

And as she sang, all the tunny-fish came in
from the deep to listen to her, and the young
Fisherman threw his nets round them and
caught them, and others he took with a spear.
And when his boat was well-laden, the Mer-
maid would sink down into the sea, smiling at
him.

Yet would she never come near him that he-
might touch her. Oftentimes he called to her
and prayed of her, but she would not ; and when
he sought to seize her she dived into the water
as a seal might dive, nor did he see her again
that day. And each day the sound of her voice
became sweeter to his ears. So sweet was her
voice that he forgot his nets and his cunning,
and had no care of his craft. Vermilion-finned
and with eyes of bossy gold, the tunnies went
by in shoals, but he heeded them not. His
spear lay by his side unused, and his baskets of

71

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

plaited osier were empty. With lips parted,
and eyes dim with wonder, he sat idle in his
boat and listened, listening till the sea-mists
crept round him, and the wandering moon
stained his brown limbs with silver.

And one evening he called to her, and said :
* Little Mermaid, little Mermaid, I love thee.
Take me for thy bridegroom, for I love thee.'

But the Mermaid shook her head. * Thou
hast a human soul,' she answered. ' If only
thou wouldst send away thy soul, then could
I love thee.'

And the young Fisherman said to himself,
' Of what use is my soul to me ? I cannot see
it. I may not touch, it. I do not know it.
Surely I will send it away from me, and much
gladness shall be mine.' And a cry of joy broke
from his lips, and standing up in the painted
boat, he held out his arms to the Mermaid. ' I
will send my soul away,' he cried, ' and you shall
be my bride, and I will be thy bridegroom, and
in the depth of the sea we will dwell together,
and all that thou hast sung of thou shalt show
me, and all that thou desirest I will do, nor shall
our lives be divided.'

And the little Mermaid laughed for pleasure,
and hid her face in her hands.
72

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

' But how shall I send my soul from me ? '
cried the young Fisherman. ' Tell me how I
may do it, and lo ! it shall be done.'

* Alas ! I know not,' said the little Mermaid :
'the Sea-folk have no souls.' And she sank
down into the deep, looking wistfully at him.

Now early on the next morning, before the
sun was the span of a man's hand above the hill,
the young Fisherman went to the house of the
Priest and knocked three times at the door.

^The novice looked out through the wicket,
and when he saw who it was, he drew back the
latch and said to him, ' Enter.'

And the young Fisherman passed in, and
knelt down on the sweet-smelling rushes of the
floor, and cried to the Priest who was reading
out of the Holy Book and said to him, ' Father,
I am in love with one of the Sea-folk, and my
soul hindereth me from having my desire. Tell
me how I can send my soul away from me, for
in truth I have no need of it. Of what value
is my soul to me ? I cannot see it. I may not
touch it. I do not know it.'

And the Priest beat his breast, and answered,
* Alack, alack, thou art mad, or hast eaten of
some poisonous herb, for the soul is the noblest

73

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

part of man, and was given to us by God that
we should nobly use it. There is no thing more
precious than a human soul, nor any earthly
thing that can be weighed with it. It is worth
all the gold that is in the world, and is more
precious than the rubies of the kings. There-
fore, my son, think not any more of this matter,
for it is a sin that may not be forgiven. And
as for the Sea-folk, they are lost, and they who
would traffic with them are lost also. They are
as the beasts of the field that know not good
from evil, and for them the Lord has not died.'

The young Fisherman's eyes filled with tears
when he heard the bitter words of the Priest,
and he rose up from his knees and said to him,
* Father, the Fauns live in the forest and are
glad, and on the rocks sit the Mermen with
their harps of red gold. Let me be as they are,
I beseech thee, for their days are as the days of
flowers. And as for my soul, what doth my
soul profit me, if it stand between me and the
thing that I love ? '

* The love of the body is vile,' cried the Priest,
knitting his brows, 'and vile and evil are the
pagan things God suffers to wander through
His world. Accursed be the Fauns of the
woodland, and accursed be the singers of the
74

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

sea ! I have heard them at night-time, and they
have sought to lure me from my beads. They
tap at the window, and laugh. They whisper
into my ears the tale of their perilous joys.
They tempt me with temptations, and when I
would pray they make mouths at me. They
are lost, I tell thee, they are lost. For them
there is no heaven nor hell, and in neither shall
they praise God's name.'

* Father/ cried the young Fisherman, 'thou
knowest not what thou sayest. Once in my
net I snared the daughter of a King. She is
fairer than the morning star, and whiter than
the moon. For her body I would give my soul,
and for her love I would surrender heaven.
Tell me what I ask of thee, and let me go in
peace.'

' Away ! Away ! ' cried the Priest : * thy
leman is lost, and thou shalt be lost with her.'
And he gave him no blessing, but drove him
from his door.

And the young Fisherman went down into
the market-place, and he walked slowly, and
with bowed head, as one who is in sorrow.

And when the merchants saw him coming,
they began to whisper to each other, and one of
them came forth to meet him, and called him

75

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

by name, and said to him, ' What hast thou to
sell?'

* I will sell thee my soul,' he answered : ' I>-
pray thee buy it of me, for I am weary of it.
Of what use is my soul to me ? I cannot see it.
I may not touch it. I do not know it.*

But the merchants mocked at him, and said,

* Of what use is a man's soul to us ? It is not
worth a clipped piece of silver. Sell us thy
body for a slave, and we will clothe thee in sea-
purple, and put a ring upon thy finger, and
make thee the minion of the great Queen. But
talk not of the soul, for to us it is nought, nor
has it any value for our service.'

And the young Fisherman said to himself:

* How strange a thing this is! The Priest telleth
me that the soul is worth all the gold in the
world, and the merchants say that it is not
worth a clipped piece of silver.' And he passed
out of the market-place, and went down to the
shore of the sea, and began to ponder on what
he should do.

And at noon he remembered how one of his

companions, who was a gatherer of samphire,

had told him of a certain young Witch who

dwelt in a cave at the head of the bay and was

76

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

very cunning in her witcheries. And he set to
and ran, so eager was he to get rid of his soul,
and a cloud of dust followed him as he sped
round the sand of the shore. By the itching of
her palm the young Witch knew his coming,
and she laughed and let down her red hair.
With her red hair falling around her, she stood
at the opening of the cave, and in her hand she
had a spray of wild hemlock that was blossoming.
•What d'ye lack? What d'ye lack?' she
cried, as he came panting up the steep, and bent
down before her. ' Fish for thy net, when the
wind is foul ? I have a little reed-pipe, and
when I blow on it the mullet come sailing into
the bay. But it has a price, pretty boy, it has
a price. What d' ye lack ? What d' ye lack ?
A storm to wreck the ships, and wash the chests
of rich treasure ashore? I have more storms
than the wind has, for I serve one who is stronger
than the wind, and with a sieve and a pail of
water I can send the great galleys to the bottom
of the sea. But I have a price, pretty boy, I
have a price. What d'ye lack? What d'ye
lack ? I know a flower that grows in the valjey,
none knows it but I. It has purple leaves, and
a star in its heart, and its juice is as white as
milk. Shouldst thou touch with this flower

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

the hard lips of the Queen, she would follow
thee all over the world. Out of the bed of the
King she would rise, and over the whole world
she would follow thee. And it has a price,
pretty boy, it has a price. What d' ye lack ?
What d' ye lack ? I can pound a toad in a
mortar, and make broth of it, and stir the broth
with a dead man's hand. Sprinkle it on thine
enemy while he sleeps, and he will turn into a
black viper, and his own mother will slay him.
With a wheel I can draw the Moon from heaven,
and in a crystal I can show thee Death. What
d'ye lack? What d'ye lack? Tell me thy
desire, and I will give it thee, and thou shalt
pay me a price, pretty boy, thou shalt pay me
a price.'

' My desire is but for a little thing,' said the
young Fisherman, 'yet hath the Priest been
wroth with me, and driven me forth. It is but
for a little thing, and the merchants have mocked
at me, and denied me. Therefore am I come
to thee, though men call thee evil, and whatever
be thy price I shall pay it.'

' What wouldst thou ? ' asked the Witch,
coming near to him.

* I would send my soul away from m*e,'
answered the young Fisherman.
78

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

The Witch grew pale, and shuddered, and
hid her face in her blue mantle. * Pretty boy,
pretty boy,' she muttered, 'that is a terrible
thing to do.'

He tossed his brown curls and laughed.
* My soul is nought to me,' he answered. ' I
cannot see it. I may not touch it. I do not
know it.'

' What wilt thou give me if I tell thee ? '
asked the Witch, looking down at him with her
beautiful eyes.

' Five pieces of gold,' he said, ' and my nets,
and the wattled house where I live, and the
painted boat in which I sail. Only tell me how
to get rid of my soul, and I will give thee all
that I possess.'

She laughed mockingly at him, and struck
him with the spray of hemlock. ' I can turn
the autumn leaves into gold,' she answered,
'and I can weave the pale moonbeams into
silver if I will it. He whom I serve is richer
than all the kings of this world, and has their
dominions/

'What then shall I give thee,' he cried, 'if
thy price be neither gold nor silver ? '

The Witch stroked his hair with her thin
white hand. ' Thou must dance with me, pretty

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

boy,' she murmured, and she smiled at him as
she spoke.

* Nought but that ? ' cried the young Fisher-
man in wonder, and he rose to his feet.

* Nought but that,' she answered, and she
smiled at him again.

' Then at sunset in some secret place we shall
dance together,' he said, ' and after that we have
danced thou shalt tell me the thing which I
desire to know.'

She shook her head. * When the moon is full,
when the moon is full,' she muttered. Then she
peered all round, and listened. A blue bird
rose screaming from its nest and circled over the
dunes, and three spotted birds rustled through
the coarse grey grass and whistled to each other.
There was no other sound save the sound of
a wave fretting the smooth pebbles below. So
she reached out her hand, and drew him near to
her and put her dry lips close to his ear.

' To-night thou must come to the top of the
mountain,' she whispered. * It is a Sabbath,
and He will be there.'

The young Fisherman started and looked at
her, and she showed her white teeth and laughed.
' Who is He of whom thou speakest ? ' he asked.

* It matters not,' she answered. ' Go thou

80

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

to-night, and stand under the branches of the
hornbeam, and wait for my coming. If a black
dog run towards thee, strike it with a rod of
willow, and it will go away. If an owl speak
to thee, make it no answer. When the moon-
is full I shall be with thee, and we will dance
together on the grass.'

' But wilt thou swear to me to tell me how I
may send my soul from me ? ' he made question.

She moved out into the sunlight, and through
her red hair rippled the wind. 'By the hoofs
of the goat I swear it,' she made answer.

* Thou art the best of the witches,' cried the
young Fisherman, 'and I will surely dance with
thee to-night on the top of the mountain. I
would indeed that thou hadst asked of me either
gold or silver. But such as thy price is thou
shalt have it, for it is but a little thing.' And
he doffed his cap to her, and bent his head low,
and ran back to the town filled with a great

And the Witch watched him as he went, and
when he had passed from her sight she entered
her cave, and having taken a mirror from a box
of carved cedarwood, she set it up on a frame,
and burned vervain on lighted charcoal before
it, and peered through the coils of the smoke.

F 81

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

And after a time she clenched her hands in
anger. ' He should have been mine,' she
muttered, ' I am as fair as she is.'

And that evening, when the moon had risen,
the young Fisherman climbed up to the top of
the mountain, and stood under the branches of
the hornbeam. Like a targe of polished metal
the round sea lay at his feet, and the shadows
of the fishing boats moved in the little bay. A
great owl, with yellow sulphurous eyes, called
to him by his name, but he made it no answer.
A black dog ran towards him and snarled. He
struck it with a rod of willow, and it went away
whining.

At midnight the witches came flying through
the air like bats. ' Phew ! ' they cried, as they
lit upon the ground, ' there is some one here we
know not! ' and they sniffed about, and chattered
to each other, and made signs. Last of all came
the young Witch, with her red hair streaming
in the wind. She wore a dress of gold tissue
embroidered with peacocks' eyes, and a little
cap of green velvet was on her head.

* Where is he, where is he ? ' shrieked the
witches when they saw her, but she only laughed,
and ran to the hornbeam, and taking the Fisher-
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THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

man by the hand she led him out into the
moonlight and began to dance.

Round and round they whirled, and the young
Witch jumped so high that he could see the
scarlet heels of her shoes. Then right across
the dancers came the sound of the galloping
of a horse, but no horse was to be seen, and he
felt afraid.

* Faster/ cried the Witch, and she threw her
arms about his neck, and her breath was hot
upon his face. ' Faster, faster ! ' she cried, and
the earth seemed to spin beneath his feet, and
his brain grew troubled, and a great terror fell
on him, as of some evil thing that was watching
him, and at last he became aware that under
the shadow of a rock there was a figure that
had not been there before.

It was a man dressed in a suit of black velvet,
cut in the Spanish fashion. His face was
strangely pale, but his lips were like a proud
red flower. He seemed weary, and was leaning
back toying in a listless manner with the pommel
of his dagger. On the grass beside him lay a
plumed hat, and a pair of riding-gloves gaunt-
leted with gilt lace, and sewn with seed-pearls
wrought into a curious device. A short cloak
lined with sables hung from his shoulder, and

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

his delicate white hands were gemmed with
rings. Heavy eyelids drooped over his eyes.

The young Fisherman watched him, as one
snared in a spell. At last their eyes met, and
wherever he danced it seemed to him that the
eyes of the man were upon him. He heard the
Witch laugh, and caught her by the waist, and
whirled her madly round and round.

Suddenly a dog bayed in the wood, and the
dancers stopped, and going up two by two,
knelt down, and kissed the man's hands. As
they did so, a little smile touched his proud lips,
as a bird's wing touches the water and makes it
laugh. But there was disdain in it. He kept
looking at the young fisherman.

' Come ! let us worship,' whispered the Witch,
and she led him up, and a great desire to do as
she besought him seized on him, and he followed
her. But when he came close, and without
knowing why he did it, he made on his breast—
the sign of the Cross, and called upon the holy
name.

No sooner had he done so than the witches
screamed like hawks and flew away, and the
pallid face that had been watching him twitched
with a spasm of pain. The man went over to
a little wood, and whistled. A jennet with
84

silver trappings came running to meet him. As
he leapt upon the saddle he turned round, and
looked at the young Fisherman sadly.

And the Witch with the red hair tried to fly
away also, but the Fisherman caught her by her
wrists, and held her fast

* Loose me,' she cried, * and let me go. For
thou hast named what should not be named,
and shown the sign that may not be looked at.'

* Nay,' he answered, ' but I will not let thee
go till thou hast told me the secret.'

' What secret ? ' said the Witch, wrestling
with him like a wild cat, and biting her foam-
flecked lips.

' Thou knowest,' he made answer.

Her grass-green eyes grew dim with tears,
and she said to the Fisherman, ' Ask me any-
thing but that ! '

He laughed, and held her all the more tightly.

And when she saw that she could not free
herself, she whispered to him, ' Surely I am as
fair as the daughters of the sea, and as comely
as those that dwell in the blue waters,' and she
fawned on him and put her face close to his.

But he thrust her back frowning, and said to
her, * If thou keepest not the promise that thou
madest to me I will slay thee for a false witch.'

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

She grew grey as a blossom of the Judas tree,
and shuddered. ' Be it so,' she muttered. * It
is thy soul and not mine. Do with it as thou
wilt.' And she took from her girdle a little
knife that had a handle of green viper's skin,
and gave it to him.

* What shall this serve me ? ' he asked of her,
wondering.

She was silent for a few moments, and a look
of terror came over her face. Then she brushed
her hair back from her forehead, and smiling
strangely she said to him, * What men call the
shadow of the body is not the shadow of the
body, but is the body of the soul. Stand on
the sea-shore with thy back to the moon, and
cut away from around thy feet thy shadow,
which is thy soul's body, and bid thy soul leave
thee, and it will do so.'

The young Fisherman trembled. 'Is this
true ? ' he murmured.

' It is true, and I would that I had not told
thee of it,' she cried, and she clung to his knees
weeping.

He put her from him and left her in the rank
grass, and going to the edge of the mountain he
placed the knife in his belt and began to climb
down.
86

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

And his Soul that was within him called out
to him and said, ' Lo 1 I have dwelt with thee
for all these years, and have been thy servant.
Send me not away from thee now, for what
evil have I done thee ? '

And the young Fisherman laughed. ' Thou
hast done me no evil, but I have no need of
thee,' he answered. 'The world is wide, and
there is Heaven also, and Hell, and that dim
twilight house that lies between. Go wherever
thou wilt, but trouble me not, for my love is
calling to me.'

And his Soul besought him piteously, but he
heeded it not, but leapt from crag to crag, being
sure-footed as a wild goat, and at last he reached
the level ground and the yellow shore of the
sea.

Bronze-limbed and well-knit, like a statue
wrought by a Grecian, he stood on the sand
with his back to the moon, and out of the foam
came white arms that beckoned to him, and out
of the waves rose dim forms that did him
homage. Before him lay his shadow, which
was the body of his soul, and behind him hung
the moon in the honey-coloured air.

And his Soul said to him, ' If indeed thou
must drive me from thee, send me not forth

87

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

without a heart. The world is cruel, give me
thy heart to take with me.'

He tossed his head and smiled. * With what
should I love my love if I gave thee my heart ? '
he cried.

* Nay, but be merciful,' said his Soul: 'give
me thy heart, for the world is very cruel, and I
am afraid.'

' My heart is my love's,' he answered, * there-
fore tarry not, but get thee gone.'

* Should I not love also ? ' asked his Soul.

' Get thee gone, for I have no need of thee,'
cried the young Fisherman, and he took the
little knife with its handle of green viper's skin,
and cut away his shadow from around his feet,
and it rose up and stood before him, and looked
at him, and it was even as himself.

He crept back, and thrust the knife into his
belt, and a feeling of awe came over him. * Get
thee gone,' he murmured, ' and let me see thy
face no more.'

* Nay, but we must meet again,' said the Soul.
Its voice was low and flute-like, and its lips
hardly moved while it spake.

' How shall we meet ? ' cried the young Fisher-
man. ' Thou wilt not follow me into the depths
of the sea?'
88

' Once every year I will come to this place,
and call to thee,' said the Soul. * It may be
that thou wilt have need of me.'

* What need should I have of thee ? ' cried the
young Fisherman, * but be it as thou wilt,' and
he plunged into the water, and the Tritons
blew their horns, and the little Mermaid rose
up to meet him, and put her arms around his
neck and kissed him on the mouth.

And the Soul stood on the lonely beach and
watched them. And when they had sunk down
into the sea, it went weeping away over the
marshes.

And after a year was over the Soul came
down to the shore of the sea and called to the
young Fisherman, and he rose out of the deep,
and said, * Why dost thou call to me ? '

And the Soul answered, ' Come nearer, that
I may speak with thee, for I have seen marvel-
lous things.'

So he came nearer, and couched in the shallow
water, and leaned his head upon his hand and
listened.

And the Soul said to him, ' When I left thee
I turned my face to the East and journeyed.

89

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

From the East cometh everything that is wise.
Six days I journeyed, and on the morning of
the seventh day I came to a hill that is in the
country of the Tartars. I sat down under the
shade of a tamarisk tree to shelter myself from
the sun. The land was dry, and burnt up with the
heat. The people went to and fro over the plain
like flies crawling upon a disk of polished copper.

* When it was noon a cloud of red dust rose
up from the flat rim of the land. When the
Tartars saw it, they strung their painted bows,
and having leapt upon their little horses they
galloped to meet it. The women fled scream-
ing to the waggons, and hid themselves behind
the felt curtains.

' At twilight the Tartars returned, but five of
them were missing, and of those that came back
not a few had been wounded. They harnessed
their horses to the waggons and drove hastily
away. Three jackals came out of a cave and
peered after them. Then they sniffed up the
air with their nostrils, and trotted off in the
opposite direction.

'When the moon rose I saw a camp-fire

burning on the plain, and went towards it. A

company of merchants were seated round it on

carpets. Their camels were picketed behind

90

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

them, and the negroes who were their servants
were pitching tents of tanned skin upon the
sand, and making a high wall of the prickly pear.

* As I came near them, the chief of the mer-
chants rose up and drew his sword, and asked
me my business.

' I answered that I was a Prince in my own
land, and that I had escaped from the Tartars,
who had sought to make me their slave. The
chief smiled, and showed me five heads fixed
upon long reeds of bamboo.

* Then he asked me who was the prophet of
God, and I answered him Mohammed.

* When he heard the name of the false pro-
phet, he bowed and took me by the hand, and
placed me by his side. A negro brought me
some mare's milk in a wooden dish, and a piece
of lamb's flesh roasted.

' At daybreak we started on our journey. I
rode on a red-haired camel by the side of the
chief, and a runner ran before us carrying a
spear. The men of war were on either hand,
and the mules followed with the merchandise.
There were forty camels in the caravan, and the
mules were twice forty in number.

'We went from the country of the Tartars
into the country of those who curse the Moon.
• 91

We saw the Gryphons guarding their gold on
the white rocks, and the scaled Dragons sleeping
in their caves. As we passed over the mountains
we held our breath lest the snows might fall on
us, and each man tied a veil of gauze before his
eyes. As we passed through the valleys the
Pygmies shot arrows at us from the hollows of
the trees, and at night time we heard the wild
men beating on their drums. When we came
to the Tower of Apes we set fruits before them,
and they did not harm us. When we came to
the Tower of Serpents we gave them warm milk
in bowls of brass, and they let us go by. Three
times in our journey we came to the banks of
the Oxus. We crossed it on rafts of wood with
great bladders of blown hide. The river-horses
raged against us and sought to slay us. When
the camels saw them they trembled.

* The kings of each city levied tolls on us,
but would not suffer us to enter their gates.
They threw us bread over the walls, little maize-
cakes baked in honey and cakes of fine flour
filled with dates. For every hundred baskets
we gave them a bead of amber.

*When the dwellers in the villages saw us
coming, they poisoned the wells and fled to the
hill-summits. We fought with the Magadae
92

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

who are born old, and grow younger and younger
every year, and die when they are little children ;
and with the Laktroi who say that they are the
sons of tigers, and paint themselves yellow and
black ; and with the Aurantes who bury their
dead on the tops of trees, and themselves live
in dark caverns lest the Sun, who is their god,
should slay them ; and with the Krimnians who
worship a crocodile, and give it earrings of green
glass, and feed it with butter and fresh fowls ;
and with the Agazonbae, who are dog-faced;
and with the Sibans, who have horses' feet, and
run more swiftly than horses. A third of our
company died in battle, and a third died of want.
The rest murmured against me, and said that I"
had brought them an evil fortune. I took a
horned adder from beneath a stone and let it
sting me. When they saw that I did not sicken
they grew afraid.

' In the fourth month we reached the city of
Illel. It was night time when we came to the
grove that is outside the walls, and the air was
sultry, for the Moon was travelling in Scorpion.
We took the ripe pomegranates from the trees,
and brake them, and drank their sweet juices.
Then we lay down on our carpets and waited
for the dawn.

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

'And at dawn we rose and knocked at the
gate of the city. It was wrought out of red
bronze, and carved with sea-dragons and dragons
that have wings. The guards looked down from
the battlements and asked us our business. The
interpreter of the caravan answered that we had
come from the island of Syria with much
merchandise. They took hostages, and told us
that they would open the gate to us at noon,
and bade us tarry till then.

'When it was noon they opened the gate,
and as we entered in the people came crowding
out of the houses to look at us, and a crier went
round the city crying through a shell. We
stood in the market-place, and the negroes
uncorded the bales of figured cloths and opened
the carved chests of sycamore. And when they
had ended their task, the merchants set forth
their strange wares, the waxed linen from Egypt
and the painted linen from the country of the
Ethiops, the purple sponges from Tyre and the
blue hangings from Sidon, the cups of cold
amber and the fine vessels of glass and the
curious vessels of burnt clay. From the roof
of a house a company of women watched us.
One of them wore a mask of gilded leather.

' And on the first day the priests came and
94

•

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

bartered with us, and on the second day came
the nobles, and on the third day came the crafts-
men and the slaves. And this is their custom
with all merchants as long as they tarry in the
city.

'And we tarried for a moon, and when the
moon was waning, I wearied and wandered away
through the streets of the city and came to the
garden of its god. The priests in their yellow
robes moved silently through the green trees,
and on a pavement of black marble stood the
rose-red house in which the god had his dwelling.
Its doors were of powdered lacquer, and bulls
and peacocks were wrought on them in raised
and polished gold. The tiled roof was of sea-
green porcelain, and the jutting eaves were
festooned with little bells. When the white
doves flew past, they struck the bells with their
wings and made them tinkle.

'In front of the temple was a pool of clear
water paved with veined onyx. I lay down
beside it, and with my pale fingers I touched
the broad leaves. One of the priests came
towards me and stood behind me. He had
sandals on his feet, one of soft serpent-skin and
the other of birds' plumage. On his head was
a mitre of black felt decorated with silver

95

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

crescents. Seven yellows were woven into his
robe, and his frizzed hair was stained with
antimony.

'After a little while he spake to me, and
asked me my desire.

' I told him that my desire was to see the
god.

' " The god is hunting," said the priest, looking
strangely at me with his small slanting eyes.

' " Tell me in what forest, and I will ride with
him," I answered.

' He combed out the soft fringes of his tunic
with his long pointed nails. " The god is asleep,"
he murmured.

' " Tell me on what couch, and I will watch
by him," I answered.

* " The god is at the feast," he cried.

' " If the wine be sweet I will drink it with
him, and if it be bitter I will drink it with him
also," was my answer.

* He bowed his head in wonder, and, taking
me by the hand, he raised me up, and led me
into the temple.

* And in the first chamber I saw an idol
seated on a throne of jasper bordered with great
orient pearls. It was carved out of ebony, and
in stature was of the stature of a man. On its

96

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

forehead was a ruby, and thick oil dripped from
its hair on to its thighs. Its feet were red with
the blood of a newly-slain kid, and its loins girt
with a copper belt that was studded with seven
beryls.

* And I said to the priest, " Is this the god ? "
And he answered me, " This is the god."

* " Show me the god," I cried, " or I will surely
slay thee." And I touched his hand, and it
became withered.

'And the priest besought me, saying, "Let
my lord heal his servant, and I will show him
the god."

' So I breathed with my breath upon his hand,
and it became whole again, and he trembled
and led me into the second chamber, and I saw
an idol standing on a lotus of jade hung with
great emeralds. It was carved out of ivory, and
in stature was twice the stature of a man. On
its forehead was a chrysolite, and its breasts
were smeared with myrrh and cinnamon. In
one hand it held a crooked sceptre of jade, and
in the other a round crystal. It ware buskins
of brass, and its thick neck was circled with a
circle of selenites.

* And I said to the priest, " Is this the god ? "
And he answered me, " This is the god."

G 97

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

* " Show me the god," I cried, " or I will surely
slay thee." And I touched his eyes, and they
became blind.

'And the priest besought me, saying, "Let
my lord heal his servant, and I will show him
the god."

' So I breathed with my breath upon his eyes,
and the sight came back to them, and he
trembled again, and led me into the third
chamber, and lo ! there was no idol in it, nor
image of any kind, but only a mirror of round
metal set on an altar of stone.

' And I said to the priest, " Where is the god ? "

' And he answered me : " There is no god but
this mirror that thou seest, for this is the Mirror
of Wisdom. And it reflecteth all things ttiat
are in heaven and on earth, save only the face
of him who looketh into it. This it reflecteth
not, so that he who looketh into it may be wise.
Many other mirrors are there, but they are
mirrors of Opinion. This only is the Mirror of
Wisdom. And they who possess this mirror
know everything, nor is there anything hidden
from them. And they who possess it not have
not Wisdom. Therefore is it the god, and we
worship it." And I looked into the mirror, and
it was even as he had said to me.
98

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

' And I did a strange thing, but what I did
matters not, for in a valley that is but a day's
journey from this place have I hidden the Mirror
of Wisdom. Do but suffer me to enter into
thee again and be thy servant, and thou shalt
be wiser than all the wise men, and Wisdom
shall be thine. Suffer me to enter into thee,
and none will be as wise as thou.'

But the young Fisherman laughed. ' Love •
is better than Wisdom,' he cried, ' and the little
Mermaid loves me.'

'Nay, but there is nothing better than
Wisdom,' said the Soul.

' Love is better,' answered the young Fisher-
man, and he plunged into the deep, and the
Soul went weeping away over the marshes.

And after the second year was over, the Soul
came down to the shore of the sea, and called
to the young Fisherman, and he rose out of the
deep and said, ' Why dost thou call to me ? '

And the Soul answered, ' Come nearer, that I
may speak with thee, for I have seen marvellous
things.'

So he came nearer, and couched in the shallow
water, and leaned his head upon his hand and
listened.

99

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

And the Soul said to him, ' When I left thee,
I turned my face to the South and journeyed.
From the South cometh everything that is
precious. Six days I journeyed along the high-
ways that lead to the city of Ashter, along the
dusty red-dyed highways by which the pilgrims
are wont to go did I journey, and on the morn-
ing of the seventh day I lifted up my eyes, and
lo ! the city lay at my feet, for it is in a valley.

'There are nine gates to this city, and in
front of each gate stands a bronze horse that
neighs when the Bedouins come down from the
mountains. The walls are cased with copper,
and the watch-towers on the walls are roofed
with brass. In every tower stands an archer
with a bow in his hand. At sunrise he strikes
with an arrow on a gong, and at sunset he blows
through a horn of horn.

' When I sought to enter, the guards stopped
me and asked of me who I was. I made answer
that I was a Dervish and on my way to the city
of Mecca, where there was a green veil on which
the Koran was embroidered in silver letters by
the hands of the angels. They were filled with
wonder, and entreated me to pass in.

' Inside it is even as a bazaar. Surely thou
shouldst have been with me. Across the narrow
100

streets the gay lanterns of paper flutter like
large butterflies. When the wind blows over
the roofs they rise and fall as painted bubbles
do. In front of their booths sit the merchants
on silken carpets. They have straight black
beards, and their turbans are covered with golden
sequins, and long strings of amber and carved
peach-stones glide through their cool fingers.
Some of them sell gelbanum and nard, and
curious perfumes from the islands of the Indian
Sea, and the thick oil of red roses, and myrrh
and little nail-shaped cloves. When one stops
to speak to them, they throw pinches of frank-
incense upon a charcoal brazier and make the
air sweet. I saw a Syrian who held in his hands
a thin rod like a reed. Grey threads of smoke
came from it, and its odour as it burned was as
the odour of the pink almond in spring. Others
sell silver bracelets embossed all over with
creamy blue turquoise stones, and anklets of
brass wire fringed with little pearls, and tigers'
claws set in gold, and the claws of that gilt cat,
the leopard, set in gold also, and earrings of
pierced emerald, and finger-rings of hollowed
jade. From the tea-houses comes the sound of
the guitar, and the opium-smokers with their
white smiling faces look out at the passers-by.

101 '

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

' Of a truth thou shouldst have been with me.
The wine-sellers elbow their way through the
crowd with great black skins on their shoulders.
Most of them sell the wine of Schiraz, which is
as sweet as honey. They serve it in little metal
cups and strew rose leaves upon it. In the
market-place stand the fruitsellers, who sell all
kinds of fruit : ripe figs, with their bruised purple
flesh, melons, smelling of musk and yellow as
topazes, citrons and rose-apples and clusters of
white grapes, round red-gold oranges, and oval
lemons of green gold. Once I saw an elephant
go by. Its trunk was painted with vermilion
and turmeric, and over its ears it had a net of
crimson silk cord. It stopped opposite one of
the booths and began eating the oranges, and
the man only laughed. Thou canst not think
how strange a people they are. When they are
glad they go to the bird-sellers and buy of them
a caged bird, and set it free that their joy may
be greater, and when they are sad they scourge
themselves with thorns that their sorrow may
not grow less.

' One evening I met some negroes carrying a

heavy palanquin through the bazaar. It was

made of gilded bamboo, and the poles were of

vermilion lacquer studded with brass peacocks.

102

Across the windows hung thin curtains of muslin
embroidered with beetles' wings and with tiny
seed-pearls, and as it passed by a pale-faced
Circassian looked out and smiled at me. I
followed behind, and the negroes hurried their
steps and scowled. But I did not care. I felt
a great curiosity come over me.

' At last they stopped at a square white house.
There were no windows to it, only a little door
like the door of a tomb. They set down the
palanquin and knocked three times with a copper
hammer. An Armenian in a caftan of green
leather peered through the wicket, and when he
saw them he opened, and spread a carpet on the
ground, and the woman stepped out. As she
went in, she turned round and smiled at me
again. I had never seen any one so pale.

* When the moon rose I returned to the same-'
place and sought for the house, but it was no
longer there. When I saw that, I knew who
the woman was, and wherefore she had smiled
at me.

' Certainly thou shouldst have been with me.
On the feast of the New Moon the young
Emperor came forth from his palace and went
into the mosque to pray. His hair and beard
were dyed with rose-leaves, and his cheeks

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

were powdered with a fine gold dust. The
palms of his feet and hands were yellow with
saffron.

' At sunrise he went forth from his palace in
a robe of silver, and at sunset he returned to it
again in a robe of gold. The people flung them-
selves on the ground and hid their faces, but I
would not do so. I stood by the stall of a seller
of dates and waited. When the Emperor saw
me, he raised his painted eyebrows and stopped.
I stood quite still, and made him no obeisance.
The people marvelled at my boldness, and
counselled me to flee from the city. I paid no
heed to them, but went and sat with the sellers
of strange gods, who by reason of their craft are
abominated. When I told them what I had
done, each of them gave me a god and prayed
me to leave them.

* That night, as I lay on a cushion in the tea-
house that is in the Street of Pomegranates, the
guards of the Emperor entered and led me to
the palace. As I went in they closed each door
behind me, and put a chain across it. Inside
was a great court with an arcade running all
round. The walls were of white alabaster, set
here and there with blue and green tiles. The
pillars were of green marble, and the pavement
104

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

of a kind of peach -blossom marble. I had never
seen anything like it before.

'As I passed across the court two veiled
women looked down from a balcony and cursed
me. The guards hastened on, and the butts of
the lances rang upon the polished floor. They
opened a gate of wrought ivory, and I found
myself in a watered garden of seven terraces.
It was planted with tulip-cups and moonflowers,
and silver-studded aloes. Like a slim reed of
crystal a fountain hung in the dusky air. The
cypress-trees were like burnt-out torches. From
one of them a nightingale was singing.

'At the end of the garden stood a little
pavilion. As we approached it two eunuchs
came out to meet us. Their fat bodies swayed
as they walked, and they glanced curiously at
me with their yellow-lidded eyes. One of them
drew aside the captain of the guard, and in a
low voice whispered to him. The other kept
munching scented pastilles, which he took with
an affected gesture out of an oval box of lilac
enamel.

* After a few moments the captain of the
guard dismissed the soldiers. They went back
to the palace, the eunuchs following slowly
behind and plucking the sweet mulberries from

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

the trees as they passed. Once the elder of the
two turned round, and smiled at me with an
evil smile.

' Then the captain of the guard motioned me
towards the entrance of the pavilion. I walked
on without trembling, and drawing the heavy
curtain aside I entered in.

'The young Emperor was stretched on a
couch of dyed lion skins, and a ger-falcon perched
upon his wrist. Behind him stood a brass-
turbaned Nubian, naked down to the waist, and
with heavy earrings in his split ears. On a table
by the side of the couch lay a mighty scimitar
of steel.

* When the Emperor saw me he frowned, and
said to me, " What is thy name ? Knowest thou
not that I am Emperor of this city ? " But I
made him no answer.

• He pointed with his finger at the scimitar, and
the Nubian seized it, and rushing forward struck
at me with great violence. The blade whizzed
through me, and did me no hurt. The man
fell sprawling on the floor, and when he rose
up his teeth chattered with terror and he hid
himself behind the couch.

' The Emperor leapt to his feet, and taking
a lance from a stand of arms, he threw it at me.
106

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

I caught it in its flight, and brake the shaft
into two pieces. He shot at me with an arrow,
but I held up my hands and it stopped in mid-
air. Then he drew a dagger from a belt of
white leather, and stabbed the Nubian in the
throat lest the slave should tell of his dishonour.
The man writhed like a trampled snake, and a
red foam bubbled from his lips.

' As soon as he was dead the Emperor turned
to me, and when he had wiped away the bright
sweat from his brow with a little napkin of
purfled and purple silk, he said to me, "Art thou
a prophet, that I may not harm thee, or the son
of a prophet, that I can do thee no hurt ? I
pray thee leave my city to-night, for while thou
art in it I am no longer its lord."

' And I answered him, " I will go for half of
thy treasure. Give me half of thy treasure,
and I will go away."

* He took me by the hand, and led me out
into the garden. When the captain of the guard
saw me, he wondered. When the eunuchs saw
me, their knees shook and they fell upon the
ground in fear.

'There is a chamber in the palace that has
eight walls of red porphyry, and a brass-scaled
ceiling hung with lamps. The Emperor touched

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

one of the walls and it opened, and we passed
down a corridor that was lit with many torches.
In niches upon each side stood great wine-jars
filled to the brim with silver pieces. When we
reached the centre of the corridor the Emperor
spake the word that may not be spoken, and a
granite door swung back on a secret spring, and
he put his hands before his face lest his eyes
should be dazzled.

* Thou couldst not believe how marvellous a
place it was. There were huge tortoise-shells
full of pearls, and hollowed moonstones of great
size piled up with red rubies. The gold was
stored in coffers of elephant-hide, and the gold-
dust in leather bottles. There were opals and
sapphires, the former in cups of crystal, and the
latter in cups of jade. Round green emeralds
were ranged in order upon thin plates of ivory,
and in one corner were silk bags filled, some
with turquoise-stones, and others with beryls.
The ivory horns were heaped with purple ame-
thysts, and the horns of brass with chalcedonies
and sards. The pillars, which were of cedar, were
hung with strings of yellow lynx-stones. In
the flat oval shields there were carbuncles, both
wine-coloured and coloured like grass. And yet
I have told thee but a tithe of what was there.
108

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

' And when the Emperor had taken away his
hands from before his face he said to me : " This
is my house of treasure, and half that is in it is
thine, even as I promised to thee. And I will
give thee camels and camel drivers, and they
shall do thy bidding and take thy share of the
treasure to whatever part of the world thou
desirest to go. And the thing shall be done
to-night, for I would not that the Sun, who is
my father, should see that there is in my city a
man whom I cannot slay."

' But I answered him, " The gold that is here
is thine, and the silver also is thine, and thine
are the precious jewels and the things of price.
As for me, I have no need of these. Nor shall
I take aught from thee but that little ring that
thou wearest on the finger of thy hand."

* And the Emperor frowned. " It is but a
ring of lead," he cried, "nor has it any value.
Therefore take thy half of the treasure and go
from my city."

' " Nay," I answered, " but I will take nought
but that leaden ring, for I know what is written
within it, and for what purpose."

* And the Emperor trembled, and besought me
and said, " Take all the treasure and go from my
city. The half that is mine shall be thine also."

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

' And I did a strange thing, but what I did
matters not, for in a cave that is but a day's
journey from this place have I hidden the Ring
of Riches. It is but a day's journey from this
place, and it waits for thy coming. He who
has this Ring is richer than all the kings of the
world. Come therefore and take it, and the
world's riches shall be thine.'

But the young Fisherman laughed. 'Love
is better than Riches,' he cried, * and the little
Mermaid loves me.'

' Nay, but there is nothing better than Riches,'
said the Soul.

* Love is better,' answered the young Fisher-
man, and he plunged into the deep, and the Soul
went weeping away over the marshes.

And after the third_year was over, the Soul
came down to the shore of the sea, and called
to the young Fisherman, and he rose out of the
deep and said, * Why dost thou call to me ? '

And the Soul answered, 'Come nearer, that
I may speak with thee, for I have seen marvel-
lous things.'

So he came nearer, and couched in the shallow
water, and leaned his head upon his hand and
listened.
110

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

And the Soul said to him, ' In a city that I
know of there is an inn that standeth by a river.
I sat there with sailors who drank of two
different- coloured wines, and ate bread made of
barley, and little salt fish served in bay leaves
with vinegar. And as we sat and made merry,
there entered to us an old man bearing a leathern
carpet and a lute that had two horns of amber.
And when he had laid out the carpet on the
floor, he struck with a quill on the wire strings
of his lute, and a girl whose face was veiled ran
in and began to dance before us. Her face was
veiled with a veil of gauze, but her feet were
naked. Naked were her feet, and they moved
over the carpet like little white pigeons. Never
have I seen anything so marvellous, and the
city in which she dances is but a day's journey
from this place.'

Now when the young Fisherman heard the
words of his Soul, he remembered that the little *
Mermaid had no feet and could not dance. And
a great desire came over him, and he said to
himself, * It is but a day's journey, and I can
return to my love,' and he laughed, and stood
up in the shallow water, and strode towards the
shore.

And when he had reached the dry shore he

111

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

laughed again, and held out his arms to his Soul.
And his Soul gave a great cry of joy and ran to
meet him, and entered into him, and the young
Fisherman saw stretched before him upon the
sand that shadow of the body that is the body
of the Soul.

And his Soul said to him, ' Let us not tarry,
but get hence at once, for the Sea-gods are
jealous, and have monsters that do their bidding.'

So they made haste, and all that night they
journeyed beneath the moon, and all the next
day they journeyed beneath the sun, and on the
evening of the day they came to a city.

And the young Fisherman said to his Soul,
* Is this the city in which she dances of whom
thou didst speak to me ? '

And his Soul answered him, * It is not this
city, but another. Nevertheless let us enter in.'

So they entered in and passed through the
streets, and as they passed through the Street
of the Jewellers the young Fisherman saw a
fair silver cup set forth in a booth. And his
Soul said to him, *Take that silver cup and
hide it.'

So he took the cup and hid it in the fold of his
tunic, and they went hurriedly out of the city.
112

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

And after that they had gone a league from
the city, the young Fisherman frowned, and
flung the cup away, and said to his Soul, * Why
didst thou tell me to take this cup and hide it,
for it was an evil thing to do ? '

But his Soul answered him, ' Be at peace, be
at peace."

And on the evening of the second day they
came to a city, and the young Fisherman said
to his Soul, ' Is this the city in which she dances
of whom thou didst speak to me ? '

And his Soul answered him, ' It is not this
city, but another. Nevertheless let us enter in.'

So they entered in and passed through the
streets, and as they passed through the Street
of the Sellers of Sandals, the young Fisherman
saw a child standing by a jar of water. And
his Soul said to him, ' Smite that child.' So he
smote the child till it wept, and when he had
done this they went hurriedly out of the city.

And after that they had gone a league from
the city the young Fisherman grew wroth, and
said to his Soul, 'Why didst thou tell me to
smite the child, for it was an evil thing to do ? '

But his Soul answered him, ' Be at peace, be
at peace.'

And on the evening of the third day they

H 113

came to a city, and the young Fisherman said
to his Soul, ' Is this the city in which she dances
of whom thou didst speak to me ? '

And his Soul answered him, * It may he that
it is in this city, therefore let us enter in.'

So they entered in and passed through the
streets, but nowhere could the young Fisher-
man find the river or the inn that stood by its
side. And the people of the city looked curiously
at him, and he grew afraid and said to his Soul,
' Let us go hence, for she who dances with
white feet is not here.'

But his Soul answered, ' Nay, but let us tarry,
for the night is dark and there will be robbers
on the way.'

So he sat him down in the market-place and
rested, and after a time there went by a hooded
merchant who had a cloak of cloth of Tartary,
and bare a lantern of pierced horn at the end
of a jointed reed. And the merchant said to
him, ' Why dost thou sit in the market-place,
seeing that the booths are closed and the bales
corded ? *

And the young Fisherman answered him, ' I
can find no inn in this city, nor have I any
kinsman who might give me shelter.'

* Are we not all kinsmen ? ' said the merchant.
114

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

* And did not one God make us ? Therefore
come with me, for I have a guest-chamber.'

So the young Fisherman rose up and followed
the merchant to his house. And when he had
passed through a garden of pomegranates and
entered into the house, the merchant brought
him rose-water in a copper dish that he might
wash his hands, and ripe melons that he might
quench his thirst, and set a bowl of rice and a
piece of roasted kid before him.

And after that he had finished, the merchant
led him to the guest-chamber, and bade him
sleep and be at rest And the young Fisherman
gave him thanks, and kissed the ring that was
on his hand, and flung himself down on the
carpets of dyed goat's-hair. And when he had
covered himself with a covering of black lamb's-
wool he fell asleep.

And three hours before dawn, and while it
was still night, his Soul waked him and said
to him, 'Rise up and go to the room of the
merchant, even to the room in which he sleepeth,
and slay him, and take from him his gold, for
we have need of it.'

And the young Fisherman rose up and crept
towards the room of the merchant, and over
the feet of the merchant there was lying a

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A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

curved sword, and the tray by the side of the
merchant held nine purses of gold. And he
reached out his hand and touched the sword,
and when he touched it the merchant started
and awoke, and leaping up seized himself the
sword and cried to the young Fisherman, * Dost
thou return evil for good, and pay with the
shedding of blood for the kindness that I have
shown thee ? '

And his Soul said to the young Fisherman,
* Strike him,' and he struck him so that he
swooned, and he seized then the nine purses of
gold, and fled hastily through the garden of
pomegranates, and set his face to the star that
is the star of morning.

And when they had gone a league from the
city, the young Fisherman beat his breast, and
said to his Soul, * Why didst thou bid me slay
the merchant and take his gold ? Surely thou
art evil.'

But his Soul answered him, * Be at peace, be
at peace.'

*Nay,' cried the young Fisherman, 'I may
not be at peace, for all that thou hast made me
to do I hate. Thee also I hate, and I bid thee
tell me wherefore thou hast wrought with me
in this wise.'
116

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

And his Soul answered him, * When thou
didst send me forth into the world thou gavest
me no heart, so I learned to do all these things
and love them.'

* What sayest thou ? ' murmured the young
Fisherman.

'Thou knowest,' answered his Soul, 'thou
knowest it well. Hast thou forgotten that thou
gavest me no heart ? I trow not. And so
trouble not thyself nor me, but be at peace, for
there is no pain that thou shalt not give away,
nor any pleasure that thou shalt not receive.'

And when the young Fisherman heard these
words he trembled and said to his Soul, ' Nay,
but thou art evil, and hast made me forget my
love, and hast tempted me with temptations,
and hast set my feet in the ways o£ sin.'

And his Soul answered him, ' Thou hast not
forgotten that when thou didst send me forth
into the world thou gavest me no heart. Come,
let us go to another city, and make merry, for
we have nine purses of gold.'

But the young Fisherman took the nine
purses of gold, and flung them down, and
trampled on them.

'Nay,' he cried, 'but I will have nought to
do with thee, nor will I journey with thee any-

117

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

where, but even as I sent thee away before, so
will I send thee away now, for thou hast wrought
me no good. And he turned his back to the
moon, and with the little knife that had the
handle of green viper's skin he strove to cut
from his feet that shadow of the body which is
the body of the Soul.

Yet his Soul stirred not from him, nor paid
heed to his command, but said to him, 'The
spell that the Witch told thee avails thee no
more, for I may not leave thee, nor mayest thou
drive me forth. Once in his life may a man
send his Soul away, but he who receiveth back
his Soul must keep it with him for ever, and
this is his punishment and his reward.'

And the young Fisherman grew pale and
clenched his hands and cried, ' She was a false
Witch in that she told me not that.'

' Nay,' answered his Soul, ' but she was true
to Him she worships, and whose servant she
will be ever.'

And when the young Fisherman knew that
he could no longer get rid of his Soul, and that
it was an evil Soul and would abide with him
always, he fell upon the ground weeping bitterly.

And when it was day the young Fisherman
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THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

rose up and said to his Soul, * I will bind my
hands that I may not do thy bidding, and close
my lips that I may not speak thy words, and I
will return to the place where she whom I love
has her dwelling. Even to the sea will I re-
turn, and to the little bay where she is wont
to sing, and I will call to her and tell her the
evil I have done and the evil thou hast wrought
on me.'

And his Soul tempted him and said, * Who
is thy love, that thou shouldst return to her?
The world has many fairer than she is. There
are the dancing-girls of Samaris who dance in
the manner of all kinds of birds and beasts.
Their feet are painted with henna, and in their
hands they have little copper bells. They laugh
while they dance, and their laughter is as clear
as the laughter of water. Come with me and
I will show them to thee. For what is this

•

trouble of thine about the things of sin ? Is
that which is pleasant to eat not made for the
eater ? Is there poison in that which is sweet
to drink ? Trouble not thyself, but come with
me to another city. There is a little city hard
by in which there is a garden of tulip-trees.
And there dwell in this comely garden white
peacocks and peacocks that have blue breasts.

119

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

Their tails when they spread them to the sun
are like disks of ivory and like gilt disks. And
she who feeds them dances for their pleasure,
and sometimes she dances on her hands and at
other times she dances with her feet. Her eyes
are coloured with stibium, and her nostrils are
shaped like the wings of a swallow. From a
hook in one of her nostrils hangs a flower that
is carved out of a pearl. She laughs while she
dances, and the silver rings that are about her
ankles tinkle like bells of silver. And so trouble
not thyself any more, but come with me to this
city.'

But the young Fisherman answered not his
Soul, but closed his lips with the seal of silence
and with a tight cord bound his hands, and
journeyed back to the place from which he had
come, even to the little bay where his love had
been wont to sing. And ever did his Soul tempt
him by the way, but he made it no answer, nor
would he do any of the wickedness that it sought
to make him to do, so great was the power of
the love that was within him.

And when he had reached the shore of the

sea, he loosed the cord from his hands, and took

the seal of silence from his lips, and called to

the little Mermaid. But she came not to his

120

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

call, though he called to her all day long and
besought her.

And his Soul mocked him and said, ' Surely
thou hast but little joy out of thy love. Thou
art as one who in time of dearth pours water
into a broken vessel. Thou givest away what
thou hast, and nought is given to thee in return.
It were better for thee to come with me, for
I know where the Valley of Pleasure lies, and
what things are wrought there.'

But the young Fisherman answered not his
Soul, but in a cleft of the rock he built himself
a house of wattles, and abode there for the space
of a year. And every morning he called to the-
Mermaid, and every noon he called to her again,
and at night-time he spake her name. Yet
never did she rise out of the sea to meet him,
nor in any place of the sea could he find her,
though he sought for her in the caves and in
the green water, in the pools of the tide and in
the wells that are at the bottom of the deep.

And ever did his Soul tempt him with evil,
and whisper of terrible things. Yet did it. not
prevail against him, so great was the power of
his love.

And after the year was over, the Soul thought
within himself, * I have tempted my master

121

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

with evil, and his love is stronger than I am. I
will tempt him now with good, and it may be
that he will come with me.'

So he spake to the young Fisherman and said,
* I have told thee of the joy of the world, and
thou hast turned a deaf ear to me. Suffer me
now to tell thee of the world's pain, and it may
be that thou wilt hearken. For of a truth pain
is the Lord of this world, nor is there any one
who escapes from its net. There be some who
lack raiment, and others who lack bread. There
be widows who sit in purple, and widows who
sit in rags. To and fro over the fens go the
lepers, and they are cruel to each other. The
beggars go up and down on the highways, and
their wallets are empty. Through the streets
of the cities walks Famine, and the Plague sits
at their gates. Come, let us go forth and mend
these things, and make them not to be. Where-
fore shouldst thou tarry here calling to thy love,
seeing she comes not to thy call? And what
is love, that thou shouldsf set this high store
upon it ? '

But the young Fisherman answered it nought,

so great was the power of his love. And every

morning he called to the Mermaid, and every

noon he called to her again, and at night-time

122

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

he spake her name. Yet never did she rise out
of the sea to meet him, nor in any place of the
sea could he find her, though he sought for her
in the rivers of the sea, and in the valleys that
are under the waves, in the sea that the night
makes purple, and in the sea that the dawn
leaves grey.

And after the second year was over, the Soul
said to the young Fisherman at night-time, and
as he sat in the wattled house alone, * Lo !
now I have tempted thee with evil, and I have
tempted thee with good, and thy love is stronger
than I am. Wherefore will I tempt thee no
longer, but I pray thee to suffer me to enter--
thy heart, that I may be one with thee even as
before.'

* Surely thou mayest enter,' said the young
Fisherman, * for in the days when with no heart
thou didst go through the world thou must
have much suffered.'

' Alas ! ' cried his Soul, ' I can find no place
of entrance, so cdmpassed about with love is
this heart of thine.'

* Yet I would that I could help thee,' said the
young Fisherman.

And as he spake there came a great cry of
mourning from the sea, even the cry that men

123

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

hear when one of the Sea-folk is dead. And
the young Fisherman leapt up, and left his
wattled house, and ran down to the shore. And
the black waves came hurrying to the shore,
bearing with them a burden that was whiter
than silver. White as the surf it was, and like
a flower it tossed on the waves. And the surf
took it from the waves, and the foam took it
from the surf, and the shore received it, and
lying at his feet the young Fisherman saw the
body of the little Mermaid. Dead at his feet it
was lying.

Weeping as one smitten with pain he flung
himself down beside it, and he kissed the cold
red of the mouth, and toyed with the wet amber
of the hair. He flung himself down beside it
on the sand, weeping as one trembling with joy,
and in his brown arms he held it to his breast.
Cold were the lips, yet he kissed them. Salt
was the honey of the hair, yet he tasted it with
a bitter joy. He kissed the closed eyelids, and
the wild spray that lay upon their cups was less
salt than his tears.

And to the dead thing he made confession.

Into the shells of its ears he poured the harsh

wine of his tale. He put the little hands round

his neck, and with his fingers he touched the

124

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

thin reed of the throat. Bitter, bitter was his
joy, and full of strange gladness was his pain.

The black sea came nearer, and the white
foam moaned like a leper. With white claws
of foam the sea grabbled at the shore. From
the palace of the Sea-King came the cry of
mourning again, and far out upon the sea the
great Tritons blew hoarsely upon their horns.

* Flee away,' said his Soul, ' for ever doth the
sea come nigher, and if thou tarriest it will slay
thee. Flee away, for I am afraid, seeing that
thy heart is closed against me by reason of the
greatness of thy love. Flee away to a place of
safety. Surely thou wilt not send me without
a heart into another world ? '

But the young Fisherman listened not to his
Soul, but called on the little Mermaid and said,
* Love is better than wisdom, and more precious
than riches, and fairer than the feet of the
daughters of men. The fires cannot destroy it,
nor can the waters quench it. I called on thee
at dawn, and thou didst not come to my call.
The moon heard thy name, yet hadst thou no
heed of me. For evilly had I left thee, and to
my own hurt had I wandered away. Yet ever
did thy love abide with me, and ever was it
strong, nor did aught prevail against it, though

125

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

I have looked upon evil and looked upon good.
And now that thou art dead, surely I will die
with thee also.'

And his Soul besought him to depart, but he
would not, so great was his love. And the sea
came nearer, and sought to cover him with its
waves, and when he knew that the end was at
hand he kissed with mad lips the cold lips of
the Mermaid, and the heart that was within
him brake. And as through the fulness of his
love his heart did break, the Soul found an
entrance and entered in, and was one with him
even as before. And the sea covered the young
Fisherman with its waves.

And in the morning the Priest went forth to
bless the sea, for it had been troubled. And
with him went the monks and the musicians,
and the candle-bearers, and the swingers of
censers, and a great company.

And when the Priest reached the shore he
saw the young Fisherman lying drowned in the
surf, and clasped in his arms was the body of
the little Mermaid. And he drew back frown-
ing, and having made the sign of the cross, he
cried aloud and said, * I will not bless the sea
nor anything that is in it. Accursed be the Sea--
126

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

folk, and accursed be all they who traffic with
them. And as for him who for love's sake
forsook God, and so lieth here with his leman
slain by God's judgment, take up his body and
the body of his leman, and bury them in the
corner of the Field of the Fullers, and set no
mark above them, nor sign of any kind, that
none may know the place of their resting. For
accursed were they in their lives, and accursed
shall they be in their deaths also.'

And the people did as he commanded them,
and in the corner of the Field of the Fullers,
where no sweet herbs grew, they dug a deep pit,
and laid the dead things within it.

And when the third year was over, and on a
day that was a holy day, the Priest went up to
the chapel, that he might show to the people
the wounds of the Lord, and speak to them
about the wrath of God.

And when he had robed himself with his
robes, and entered in and bowed himself before
the altar, he saw that the altar was covered with
strange flowers that never had been seen before.
Strange were they to look at, and of curious
beauty, and their beauty troubled him, and their
odour was sweet in his nostrils. And he felt
glad, and understood not why he was glad.
« 127

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

And after that he had opened the tabernacle,
and incensed the monstrance that was in it, and
shown the fair wafer to the people, and hid it
again behind the veil of veils, he began to speak
to the people, desiring to speak to them of the
wrath of God. But the beauty of the white
flowers troubled him, and their odour was sweet
in his nostrils, and there came another word
into his lips, and he spake not of the wrath of
God, but of the God whose name is Love. And
why he so spake, he knew not.

And when he had finished his word the people
wept, and the Priest went back to the sacristy,
and his eyes were full of tears. And the deacons
came in and began to unrobe him, and took
from him the alb and the girdle, the maniple
and the stole. And he stood as one in a dream.

And after that they had unrobed him, he
looked at them and said, * What are the flowers
that stand on the altar, and whence do they
come ?'

And they answered him, * What flowers they
are we cannot tell, but they come from the
corner of the Fullers' Field. And the Priest
trembled, and returned to his own house and
prayed.

And in the morning, while it was still dawn,
128

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL

he went forth with the monks and the musicians,
and the candle-bearers and the swingers of
censers, and a great company, and came to the
shore of the sea, and blessed the sea, and all the
wild things that are in it. The Fauns also he
blessed, and the little things that dance in the
woodland, and the bright-eyed things that peer
through the leaves. All the things in God's
world he blessed, and the people were filled with
joy and wonder. Yet never again in the corner
of the Fullers' Field grew flowers of any kind,
but the field remained barren even as before.
Nor came the Sea-folk into the bay as they hadk"
been wont to do, for they went to another part
of the sea.

\

I 129

\

THE STAR-CHILD

TO
MISS MARGOT TENNANT

THE STAR-CHILD

ONCE upon a time two poor Wood-
cutters were making their way home
through a great pine-forest. It was
winter, and a night of bitter cold. The snow
lay thick upon the ground, and upon the branches
of the trees : the frost kept snapping the little
twigs on either side of them, as they passed :
and when they came to the Mountain -Torrent
she was hanging motionless in air, for the Ice-
King had kissed her.

So cold was it that even the animals and the
birds did not know what to make of it.

* Ugh ! ' snarled the Wolf, as he limped through
the brushwood with his tail between his legs,
'this is perfectly monstrous weather. Why
doesn't the Government look to it ? '

* Weet ! weet ! weet ! ' twittered the green
Linnets, 'the old Earth is dead, and they have
laid her out in her white shroud.'

' The Earth is going to be married, and this

133

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

is her bridal dress,' whispered the Turtle-doves
to each other. Their little pink feet were quite
frost-bitten, but they felt that it was their duty
to take a romantic view of the situation.

' Nonsense ! ' growled the Wolf. ' I tell you
that it is all the fault of the Government, and
if you don't believe me I shall eat you.' The
Wolf had a thoroughly practical mind, and was
never at a loss for a good argument.

* Well, for my own part,' said the Wood-
pecker, who was a born philosopher, ' 1 don't
care an atomic theory for explanations. If a
thing is so, it is so, and at present it is terribly
cold.'

Terribly cold it certainly was. The little
Squirrels, who lived inside the tall fir-tree, kept
rubbing each other's noses to keep themselves
warm, and the Rabbits curled themselves up in
their holes, and did not venture even to look
out of doors. The only people who seemed to
enjoy it were the great horned Owls. Their
feathers were quite stiff with rime, but they did
not mind, and they rolled their large yellow
eyes, and called out to each other across the
forest, < Tu-whit! Tu-whoo! Tu-whit! Tu-
whoo ! what delightful weather we are having ! '

On and on went the two Woodcutters, blow-
134

THE STAR-CHILD

ing lustily upon their fingers, and stamping with
their huge iron-shod boots upon the caked snow.
Once they sank into a deep drift, and came out
as white as millers are, when the stones are
grinding; and once they slipped on the hard
smooth ice where the marsh-water was frozen,
and their faggots fell out of their bundles, and
they had to pick them up and bind them together
again ; and once they thought that they had
lost their way, and a great terror seized on them,
for they knew that the Snow is cruel to those
who sleep in her arms. But they put their trust
in the good Saint Martin, who watches over all
travellers, and retraced their steps, and went
warily, and at last they reached the outskirts
of the forest, and saw, far down in the valley
beneath them, the lights of the village in which
they dwelt.

So overjoyed were they at their deliverance
that they laughed aloud, and the Earth seemed
to them like a flower of silver, and the Moon
like a flower of gold.

Yet, after that they had laughed they became
sad, for they remembered their poverty, and one
of them said to the other, ' Why did we make
merry, seeing that life is for the rich, and not
for such as we are ? Better that we had died

135

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

of cold in the forest, or that some wild beast
had fallen upon us and slain us.'

' Truly,' answered his companion, ' much is
given to some, and little is given to others.
Injustice has parcelled out the world, nor is
there equal division of aught save of sorrow.'

But as they were bewailing their misery to
each other this strange thing happened. There
fell from heaven a very bright and beautiful
star. It slipped down the side of the sky, pass-
ing by the other stars in its course, and, as they
watched it wondering, it seemed to them to
sink behind a clump of willow-trees that stood
hard by a little sheepfold no more than a stone's-
throw away.

* Why 1 there is a crock of gold for whoever
finds it,' they cried, and they set to and ran, so
eager were they for the gold.

And one of them ran faster than his mate,
and outstripped him, and forced his way through
the willows, and came out on the other side,
and lo ! there was indeed a thing of gold lying
on the white snow. So he hastened towards it,
and stooping down placed his hands upon it,
and it was a cloak of golden tissue, curiously
wrought with stars, and wrapped in many folds.
And he cried out to his comrade that he had
136 •

THE STAR-CHILD

found the treasure that had fallen from the sky,
and when his comrade had come up, they sat
them down in the snow, and loosened the folds
of the cloak that they might divide the pieces
of gold. But, alas ! no gold was in it, nor silver,
nor, indeed, treasure of any kind, but only
little child who was asleep.

And one of them said to the other: * This is
a bitter ending to our hope, nor have we any
good fortune, for what doth a child profit to a
man ? Let us leave it here, and go our way,
seeing that we are poor men, and have children
of our own whose bread we may not give to
another.'

But his companion answered him : ' Nay, but
it were an evil thing to leave the child to perish
here in the snow, and though I am as poor as
thou art, and have many mouths to feed, and
but little in the pot, yet will I bring it home
with me, and my wife shall have care of it.'

So very tenderly he took up the child, and
wrapped the cloak around it to shield it from
the harsh cold, and made his way down the hill
to the village, his comrade marvelling much at
his foolishness and softness of heart.

And when they came to the village, his
comrade said to him, ' Thou hast the child,

• 137

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

therefore give me the cloak, for it is meet that
we should share.'

But he answered him : ' Nay, for the cloak
is neither mine nor thine, but the child's only,'
and he bade him Godspeed, and went to his
own house and knocked.

And when his wife opened the door and saw
that her husband had returned safe to her, she
put her arms round his neck and kissed him,
and took from his back the bundle of faggots,
and brushed the snow off his boots, and bade
him come in.

But he said to her, ' I have found something
in the forest, and I have brought it to thee to
have care of it,' and he stirred not from the
threshold.

* What is it ? ' she cried. * Show it to me, for
the house is bare, and we have need of many
things.' And he drew the cloak back, and
showed her the sleeping child.

' Alack, goodman 1 ' she murmured, ' have we
not children of our own, that thou must needs
bring a changeling to sit by the hearth ? And
who knows if it will not bring us bad fortune ?
And how shall we tend it?' And she was
wroth against him.

' Nay, but it is a Star-Child,' he answered ;
138

THE STAR-CHILD

and he told her the strange manner of the find-
ing of it.

But she would not be appeased, but mocked
at him, and spoke angrily, and cried: 'Our
children lack bread, and shall we feed the child
of another ? Who is there who careth for us ?
And who giveth us food ? '

' Nay, but God careth for the sparrows even,
and feedeth them,' he answered.

'Do not the sparrows die of hunger in the
winter ? ' she asked. ' And is it not winter now ? '
And the man answered nothing, but stirred not
from the threshold.

And a bitter wind from the forest came in
through the open door, and made her tremble,
and she shivered, and said to him : ' Wilt thou
not close the door? There cometh a bitter
wind into the house, and I am cold.'

' Into a house where a heart is hard cometh
there not always a bitter wind ? ' he asked. And
the woman answered him nothing, but crept
closer to the fire.

And after a time she turned round and looked
at him, and her eyes were full of tears. And
he came in swiftly, and placed the child in her
arms, and she kissed it, and laid it in a little bed
where the youngest of their own children was

139

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

lying. And on the morrow the Woodcutter
took the curious cloak of gold and placed it in
a great chest, and a chain of amber that was
round the child's neck his wife took and set it
in the chest also.

So the Star-Child was brought up with the
children of the Woodcutter, and sat at the same
board with them, and was their playmate. And
every year he became more beautiful to look at,
so that all those who dwelt in the village were
filled with wonder, for, while they were swarthy
and black-haired, he was white and delicate as
sawn ivory, and his curls were like the rings of
the daffodil. His lips, also, were like the petals
of a red flower, and his eyes were like violets
by a river of pure water, and his body like the
narcissus of a field where the mower comes not.

Yet did his beauty work him evil. For he-'
grew proud, and cruel, and selfish. The children
of the Woodcutter, and the other children of
the village, he despised, saying that they were
of mean parentage, while he was noble, being
sprung from a Star, and he made himself master
over them, and called them his servants. No
pity had he for the poor, or for those who were
blind or maimed or in any way afflicted, but
140

THE STAR-CHILD

would cast stones at them and drive them forth
on to the highway, and bid them beg their bread
elsewhere, so that none save the outlaws came
twice to that village to ask for alms. Indeed,
he was as one enamoured of beauty, and would
mock at the weakly and ill-favoured, and make
jest of them; and himself he loved, and in
summer, when the winds were still, he would
lie by the well in the priest's orchard and look
down at the marvel of his own face, and laugh
for the pleasure he had in his fairness.

Often did the Woodcutter and his wife chide
him, and say : * We did not deal with thee as
thou dealest with those who are left desolate,
and have none to succour them. Wherefore
art thou so cruel to all who need pity ? '

Often did the old priest send for him, and
seek to teach him the love of living things,
saying to him : ' The fly is thy brother. Do it
no harm. The wild birds that roam through
the forest have their freedom. Snare them not
for thy pleasure. God made the blind-worm
and the mole, and each has its place. Who art
thou to bring pain into God's world ? Even the
cattle of the field praise Him.'

But the Star-Child heeded not their words,
but would frown and flout, and go back to his

141

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

companions, and lead them. And his com-
panions followed him, for he was fair, and fleet
of foot, and could dance, and pipe, and make
music. And wherever the Star-Child led them
they followed, and whatever the Star-Child
bade them do, that did they. And when he
pierced with a sharp reed the dim eyes of the
mole, they laughed, and when he cast stones at
the leper they laughed also. And in all things
he ruled them, and they became hard of heart, -
even as he was.

Now there passed one day through the village
a poor beggar-woman. Her garments were torn
and ragged, and her feet were bleeding from the
rough road on which she had travelled, and she
was in very evil plight. And being weary she
sat her down under a chestnut-tree to rest.

But when the Star-Child saw her, he said
to his companions, ' See 1 There sitteth a foul
beggar-woman under that fair and green-leaved
tree. Come, let us drive her hence, for she is
ugly and ill-favoured.'

So he came near and threw stones at her, and

mocked her, and she looked at him with terror

in her eyes, nor did she move her gaze from him.

And when the Woodcutter, who was cleaving

142

THE STAR-CHILD

logs in a haggard hard by, saw what the Star-
Child was doing, he ran up and rebuked him,
and said to him : * Surely thou art hard of heart
and knowest not mercy, for what evil has this
poor woman done to thee that thou shouldst
treat her in this wise ? '

And the Star-Child grew red with anger, and
stamped his foot upon the ground, and said,
' Who art thou to question me what I do ? I
am no son of thine to do thy bidding.'

' Thou speakest truly,' answered the Wood-
cutter, ' yet did I show thee pity when I found
thee in the forest.'

And when the woman heard these words she
gave a loud cry, and fell into a swoon. And
the Woodcutter carried her to his own house,
and his wife had care of her, and when she rose
up from the swoon into which she had fallen,
they set meat and drink before her, and bade
her have comfort.

But she would neither eat nor drink, but said
to the Woodcutter, * Didst thou not say that
the child was found in the forest ? And was it
not ten years from this day ? '

And the Woodcutter answered, ' Yea, it was
in the forest that I found him, and it is ten
years from this day.'

143

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

* And what signs didst thou find with him ? '
she cried. ' Bare he not upon his neck a chain
of amber ? Was not round him a cloak of gold
tissue broidered with stars ? '

* Truly,' answered the Woodcutter, 'it was
even as thou sayest.' And he took the cloak
and the amber chain from the chest where they
lay, and showed them to her.

And when she saw them she wept for joy,
and said, * He is my little son whom I lost in "
the forest. I pray thee send for him quickly,
for in search of him have I wandered over the
whole world.'

So the Woodcutter and his wife went out
and called to the Star-Child, and said to him,
* Go into the house, and there shalt thou find
thy mother, who is waiting for thee.'

So he ran in, filled with wonder and great
gladness. But when he saw her who was wait-
ing there, he laughed scornfully and said, * Why,
where is my mother ? For I see none here but
this vile beggar-woman.'

And the woman answered him, ' I am thy
mother.'

' Thou art mad to say so,' cried the Star-Child
angrily. ' I am no son of thine, for thou art a
beggar, and ugly, and in rags. Therefore get
144

THE STAR-CHILD

thee hence, and let me see thy foul face no
more.'

'Nay, but thou art indeed my little son,
whom I bare in the forest/ she cried, and she
fell on her knees, and held out her arms to him.
' The robbers stole thee from me, and left thee
to die,' she murmured, 'but I recognised thee
when I saw thee, and the signs also have I
recognised, the cloak of golden tissue and the
amber-chain. Therefore I pray thee come with
me, for over the whole world have I wandered
in search of thee. Come with me, my son, for
I have need of thy love.'

But the Star- Child stirred not from his place,
but shut the doors of his heart against her, nor
was there any sound heard save the sound of
the woman weeping for pain.

And at last he spoke to her, and his voice
was hard and bitter. ' If in very truth thou art
my mother,' he said, ' it had been better hadst
thou stayed away, and not come here to
bring me to shame, seeing that I thought I
was the child of some Star, and not a beggar's
child, as thou tellest me that I am. There-
fore get thee hence, and let me see thee no
more.'

' Alas ! my son,' she cried, ' wilt thou not kiss

K 145

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

me before I go ? For I have suffered much to
find thee.'

' Nay,' said the Star-Child, * but thou art too
foul to look at, and rather would I kiss the
adder or the toad than thee.'

So the woman rose up, and went away into
the forest weeping bitterly, and when the Star-
Child saw that she had gone, he was glad, and
ran back to his playmates that he might play
with them.

But when they beheld him coming, they
mocked him and said, ' Why, thou art as foul
as the toad, and as loathsome as the adder. Get
thee hence, for we will not suffer thee to play
with us,' and they drave him out of the
garden.

And the Star-Child frowned and said to him-
self, ' What is this that they say to me ? I will
go to the well of water and look into it, and it
shall tell me of my beauty.'

So he went to the well of water and looked
into it, and lo ! his face was as the face of a toad,

Jt« f*

^ and his body was scaled like an adder. And

he flung himself down on the grass and wept,
and said to himself, ' Surely this has come upon
me by reason of my sin. For I have denied my
mother, and driven her away, and been proud,
146

THE STAR-CHILD

and cruel to her. Wherefore I will go and seek
her through the whole world, nor will I rest till
I have found her.'

And there came to him the little daughter of
the Woodcutter, and she put her hand upon his
shoulder and said, ' What doth it matter if thou
hast lost thy comeliness ? Stay with us, and I
will not mock at thee.'

And he said to her, 'Nay, but I have been
cruel to my mother, and as a punishment has
tli is evil been sent to me. Wherefore I must
go hence, and wander through the world till I
find her, and she give me her forgiveness.*

So he ran away into the forest and called out
to his mother to come to him, but there was no
answer. All day long he called to her, and
when the sun set he lay down to sleep on a bed
of leaves, and the birds and the animals fled
from him, for they remembered his cruelty, and
he was alone save for the toad that watched
him, and the slow adder that crawled past.

And in the morning he rose up, and plucked
some bitter berries from the trees and ate them,
and took his way through the great wood, weep-
ing sorely. And of everything that he met he
made inquiry if perchance they had seen his
mother.

147

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

He said to the Mole, * Thou canst go beneath
the earth. Tell me, is my mother there ? '

And the Mole answered, ' Thou hast blinded
mine eyes. How should I know ? '

He said to the Linnet, * Thou canst fly over
the tops of the tall trees, and canst see the whole
world. Tell me, canst thou see my mother ? '

And the Linnet answered, * Thou hast clipt
my wings for thy pleasure. How should I fly ? '

And to the little Squirrel who lived in the
fir-tree, and was lonely, he said, * Where is my
mother ? '

And the Squirrel answered, 'Thou hast slain
mine. Dost thou seek to slay thine also ? '

And the Star-Child wept and bowed his head,
and prayed forgiveness of God's things, and
went on through the forest, seeking for the
beggar-woman. And on the third day he came
to the other side of the forest and went down
into the plain.

And when he passed through the villages the
children mocked him, and threw stones at him,
and the carlots would not suffer him even to
sleep in the byres lest he might bring mildew
on the stored corn, so foul was he to look at,
and their hired men drave him away, and there
was none who had pity on him. Nor could he
148

THE STAR-CHILD

hear anywhere of the beggar-woman who was
his mother, though for the space of three years
he wandered over the world, and often seemed
to see her on the road in front of him, and
would call to her, and run after her till the sharp
flints made his feet to bleed. But overtake her
he could not, and those who dwelt by the way
did ever deny that they had seen her, or any
like to her, and they made sport of his sorrow.

For the space of three years he wandered over
the world, and in the world there was neither
love nor loving-kindness nor charity for him,
but it was even such a world as he had made
for himself in the days of his great pride.

And one evening he came to the gate of a
strong- walled city that stood by a river, and,
weary and footsore though he was, he made to
enter in. But the soldiers who stood on guard
dropped their halberts across the entrance, and
said roughly to him, * What is thy business in
the city ? '

' I am seeking for my mother,' he answered,
* and I pray ye to suffer me to pass, for it may
be that she is in this city.'

But they mocked at him, and one of them
wagged a black beard, and set down his shield

149

A HOUSE OP POMEGRANATES

and cried, * Of a truth, thy mother will not be
merry when she sees thee, for thou art more
ill-favoured than the toad of the marsh, or the
adder that crawls in the fen. Get thee gone.
Get thee gone. Thy mother dwells not in this
city.'

And another, who held a yellow banner in his
hand, said to him, ' Who is thy mother, and
wherefore art thou seeking for her ? '

And he answered, ' My mother is a beggar
even as I am, and I have treated her evilly, and
I pray ye to suffer me to pass that she may give
me her forgiveness, if it be that she tarrieth in
this city/ But they would not, and pricked
him with their spears.

And, as he turned away weeping, one whose
armour was inlaid with gilt flowers, and on
whose helmet couched a lion that had wings,
came up and made inquiry of the soldiers who
it was who had sought entrance. And they
said to him, c It is a beggar and the child of a
beggar, and we have driven him away.'

* Nay,' he cried, laughing, * but we will sell the
foul thing for a slave, and his price shall be the
price of a bowl of sweet wine.'

And an old and evil-visaged man who was
passing by called out, and said, * I will buy him
150 '

THE STAR-CHILD

for that price/ and, when he had paid the price,
he took the Star-Child by the hand and led him
into the city.

And after that they had gone through many
streets they came to a little door that was set
in a wall that was covered with a pomegranate
tree. And the old man touched the door with
a ring of graved jasper and it opened, and they
went down five steps of brass into a garden
filled with black poppies and green jars of burnt
clay. And the old man took then from his
turban a scarf of figured silk, and bound with it
the eyes of the Star-Child, and drave him in front
of him. And when the scarf was taken off his
eyes, the Star-Child found himself in a dungeon,
that was lit by a lantern of horn.

And the old man set before him some mouldy
bread on a trencher and said, ' Eat,' and some
brackish water in a cup and said, * Drink,' and
when he had eaten and drunk, the old man
went out, locking the door behind him and
fastening it with an iron chain.

And on the morrow the old man, who was
indeed the subtlest of the magicians of Libya
and had learned his art from one who dwelt
in the tombs of the Nile, came in to him and

151

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

frowned at him, and said, * In a wood that is
nigh to the gate of this city of Giaours there are
three pieces of gold. One is of white gold, and
another is of yellow gold, and the gold of the
third one is red. To-day thou shalt bring me
the piece of white gold, and if thou bringest it
not back, I will beat thee with a hundred stripes.
Get thee away quickly, and at sunset I will be
waiting for thee at the door of the garden. See
that thou bringest the white gold, or it shall go
ill with thee, for thou art my slave, and I have
bought thee for the price of a bowl of sweet
wine.' And he bound the eyes of the Star-
Child with the scarf of figured silk, and led him
through the house, and through the garden of
poppies, and up the five steps of brass. And
having opened the little door with his ring he
set him in the street.

And the Star-Child went out of the gate of
the city, and came to the wood of which the
Magician had spoken to him.

Now this wood was very fair to look at from
without, and seemed full of singing birds and of
sweet-scented flowers, and the Star-Child entered
it gladly. Yet did its beauty profit him little,
for wherever he went harsh briars and thorns
152

THE STAR-CHILD

shot up from the ground and encompassed him,
and evil nettles stung him, and the thistle pierced
him with her daggers, so that he was in sore
distress. Nor could he anywhere find the piece
of white gold of which the Magician had spoken,
though he sought for it from morn to noon, and
from noon to sunset. And at sunset he set his
face towards home, weeping bitterly, for he
knew what fate was in store for him.

But when he had reached the outskirts of the
wood, he heard from a thicket a cry as of some
one in pain. And forgetting his own sorrow he
ran back to the place, and saw there a little Hare
caught in a trap that some hunter had set for it.

And the Star-Child had pity on it, and released
it, and said to it, * I am myself but a slave, yet
may I give thee thy freedom/

And the Hare answered him, and said :
* Surely thou hast given me freedom, and what
shall I give thee in return ? '

And the Star-Child said to it, * I am seeking
for a piece of white gold, nor can I anywhere
find it, and if I bring it not to my master he will
beat me.'

* Come thou with me,' said the Hare, * and I
will lead thee to it, for I know where it is
hidden, and for what purpose.'

158

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

So the Star-Child went with the Hare, and
lo ! in the cleft of a great oak-tree he saw the
piece of white gold that he was seeking. And
he was filled with joy, and seized it, and said to
the Hare, ' The service that I did to thee thou
hast rendered back again many times over, and
the kindness that I showed thee thou hast
repaid a hundred-fold.'

' Nay,' answered the Hare, ' but as thou dealt
with me, so I did deal with thee,' and it ran
away swiftly, and the Star- Child went towards
the city.

Now at the gate of the city there was seated
one who was a leper. Over his face hung a cowl
of grey linen, and through the eyelets his eyes
gleamed like red coals. And when he saw the
Star-Child coming, he struck upon a wooden
bowl, and clattered his bell, and called out to
him, and said, * Give me a piece of money, or I
must die of hunger. For they have thrust me
out of the city, and there is no one who has
pity on me.'

* Alas ! ' cried the Star-Child, * I have but one
piece of money in my wallet, and if I bring it
not to my master he will beat me, for I am his
slave.'

But the leper entreated him, and prayed of
154

THE STAR-CHILD

him, till the Star-Child had pity, and gave him
the piece of white gold.

And when he came to the Magician's house,
the Magician opened to him, and brought him
in, and said to him, ' Hast thou the piece of
white gold ? ' And the Star-Child answered, * I
have it not.' So the Magician fell upon him,
and beat him, and set before him an empty
trencher, and said, * Eat,' and an empty cup,
and said, * Drink,' and flung him again into the
dungeon.

And on the morrow the Magician came to
him, and said, ' If to-day thou bringest me not
the piece of yellow gold, I will surely keep thee
as my slave, and give thee three hundred
stripes.'

So the Star-Child went to the wood, and all
day long he searched for the piece of yellow
gold, but nowhere could he find it. And at
sunset he sat him down and began to weep, and
as he was weeping there came to him the little
Hare that he had rescued from the trap.

And the Hare said to him, *Why art thou
weeping? And what dost thou seek in the
wood ? '

And the Star-Child answered, * I am seeking
for a piece of yellow gold that is hidden here,

155

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

and if I find it not my master will beat me, and
keep me as a slave.'

'Follow me,' cried the Hare, and it ran
through the wood till it came to a pool of water.
And at the bottom of the pool the piece of
yellow gold was lying.

' How shall I thank thee ? ' said the Star-
Child, ' for lo I this is the second time that you
have succoured me/

* Nay, but thou hadst pity on me first,' said
the Hare, and it ran away swiftly.

And the Star-Child took the piece of yellow
gold, and put it in his wallet, and hurried to
the city. But the leper saw him coming, and
ran to meet him, and knelt down and cried,
'Give me a piece of money or I shall die of
hunger.'

And the Star-Child said to him, ' I have in
my wallet but one piece of yellow gold, and if I
bring it not to my master he will beat me and
keep me as his slave.'

But the leper entreated him sore, so that the
Star-Child had pity on him, and gave him the
piece of yellow gold.

And when he came to the Magician's house,
the Magician opened to him, and brought him
156

THE STAR-CHILD

in, and said to him, ' Hast thou the piece of
yellow gold ? ' And the Star- Child said to him,
* I have it not.' So the Magician fell upon him,
and beat him, and loaded him with chains, and
cast him again into the dungeon.

And on the morrow the Magician came to him,
and said, * If to-day thou bringest me the piece
of red gold I will set thee free, but if thou
bringest it not I will surely slay thee.'

So the Star-Child went to the wood, and all
day long he searched for the piece of red gold,
but nowhere could he find it. And at evening
he sat him down, and wept, and as he was
weeping there came to him the little Hare.

And the Hare said to him, ' The piece of red
gold that thou seekest is in the cavern that is
behind thee. Therefore weep no more but be
glad.'

* How shall I reward thee,' cried the Star-
Child, * for lo 1 this is the third time thou hast
succoured me.'

' Nay, but thou hadst pity on me first,' said
the Hare, and it ran away swiftly.

And the Star-Child entered the cavern, and
in its farthest corner he found the piece of red
gold. So he put it in his wallet, and hurried to
the city. And the leper seeing him coming,

157

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

stood in the centre of the road, and cried out,
and said to him, 'Give me the piece of red
money, or I must die,' and the Star-Child had
pity on him again, and gave him the piece of
red gold, saying, 'Thy need is greater than
mine.' Yet was his heart heavy, for he knew
what evil fate awaited him.

But lo ! as he passed through the gate of the
city, the guards bowed down and made obeisance
to him, saying, 'How beautiful is our lord!'
and a crowd of citizens followed him, and cried
out, ' Surely there is none so beautiful in the
whole world ! ' so that the Star- Child wept, and
said to himself, 'They are mocking me, and
making light of my misery.' And so large was
the concourse of the people, that he lost the
threads of his way, and found himself at last in
a great square, in which there was a palace of
a King.

And the gate of the palace opened, and the
priests and the high officers of the city ran forth
to meet him, and they abased themselves before
him, and said, ' Thou art our lord for whom we
have been waiting, and the son of our King. '

And the Star-Child answered them and said,
' I am no king's son, but the child of a poor
158

THE STAR-CHILD

beggar-woman. And how say ye that I am
beautiful, for I know that I am evil to look
at?'

Then he, whose armour was inlaid with gilt
flowers, and on whose helmet couched a lion
that had wings, held up a shield, and cried,
* How saith my lord that he is not beautiful ? '

And the Star- Child looked, and lo ! his face
was even as it had been, and his comeliness had
come back to him, and he saw that in his eyes
which he had not seen there before.

And the priests and the high officers knelt
down and said to him, 'It was prophesied of
old that on this day should come he who was
to rule over us. Therefore, let our lord take
this crown and this sceptre, and be in his justice
and mercy our King over us.'

But he said to them, ' I am not worthy, for
I have denied the mother who bare me, nor
may I rest till I have found her, and known her
forgiveness. Therefore, let me go, for I must
wander again over the world, and may not tarry
here, though ye bring me the crown and the
sceptre.' And as he spake he turned his face
from them towards the street that led to the
gate of the city, and lo ! amongst the crowd
that pressed round the soldiers, he saw the

159

A HOUSE OF POMEGRANATES

beggar-woman who was his mother, and at her
side stood the leper, who had sat by the road.

And a cry of joy broke from his lips, and
he ran over, and kneeling down he kissed the
wounds on his mother's feet, and wet them with
his tears. He bowed his head in the dust, and
sobbing, as one whose heart might break, he
said to her : * Mother, I denied thee in the hour
of my pride. Accept me in the hour of my
humility. Mother, I gave thee hatred. Do
thou give me love. Mother, I rejected thee.
Receive thy child now.' But the beggar-woman
answered him not a word.

And he reached out his hands, and clasped
the white feet of the leper, and said to him :
' Thrice did I give thee of my mercy. Bid
my mother speak to me once.' But the leper
answered him not a word.

And he sobbed again, and said : ' Mother,
my suffering is greater than I can bear. Give
me thy forgiveness, and let me go back to the
forest.' And the beggar-woman put her hand
on his head, and said to him, 'Rise,' and the
leper put his hand on his head, and said to him
' Rise,' also.

And he rose up from his feet, and looked at
them, and lo ! they were a King and a Queen.
160

THE STAR-CHILD

And the Queen said to him, * This is thy
father whom thou hast succoured.'

And the King said, 'This is thy mother
whose feet thou hast washed with thy tears.'

And they fell on his neck and kissed him, and
brought him into the palace, and clothed him
in fair raiment, and set the crown upon his head,
and the sceptre in his hand, and over the city
that stood by the river he ruled, and was its
lord. Much justice and mercy did he show to
all, and the evil Magician he banished, and to
the Woodcutter and his wife he sent many rich
gifts, and to their children he gave high honour.
Nor would he suffer any to be cruel to bird or
beast, but taught love and loving-kindness and
charity, and to the poor he gave bread, and to
the naked he gave raiment, and there was peace
and plenty in the land.

Yet ruled he not long, so great had been his
suffering, and so bitter the fire of his testing,
for after the space of three years he died. And
he who came after him ruled evilly.

161

THE HAPPY PRINCE

AND OTHER TALES

*>">•

TO

CARLOS BLACKER

THE HAPPY PRINCE

THE HAPPY PRINCE

HIGH above the city, on a tall column,
stood the statue of the Happy Prince.
He was gilded all over with thin
leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright
sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his
sword-hilt.

He was very much admired indeed. 'He
is as beautiful as a weathercock,' remarked one
of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a
reputation for having artistic tastes ; ' only not
quite so useful,' he added, fearing lest people
should think him unpractical, which he really
was not.

' Why can't you be like the Happy Prince ? '
asked a sensible mother of her little boy who
was crying for the moon. ' The Happy Prince
never dreams of crying for anything.'

' I am glad there is some one in the world

167

THE HAPPY PRINCE

who is quite happy,' muttered a disappointed
man as he gazed at the wonderful statue.

* He looks just like an angel,' said the Charity
Children as they came out of the cathedral in
their bright scarlet cloaks and their clean white
pinafores.

* How do you know ? ' said the Mathematical
Master, ' you have never seen one.'

' Ah ! but we have, in our dreams,' answered
the children ; and the Mathematical Master
frowned and looked very severe, for he did not
approve of children dreaming.

One night there flew over the city a little
Swallow. His friends had gone away to Egypt
six weeks before, but he had stayed behind, for
he was in love with the most beautiful Reed.
He had met her early in the spring as he was
flying down the river after a big yellow moth,
and had been so attracted by her slender waist
that he had stopped to talk to her.

* Shall I love you ? ' said the Swallow, who
liked to come to the point at once, and the
Reed made him a low bow. So he flew round
and round her, touching the water with his
wings, and making silver ripples. This was
his courtship, and it lasted all through the
summer.

168

THE HAPPY PRINCE

* It is a ridiculous attachment,' twittered the
other Swallows ; ' she has no money, and far too
many relations ' ; and indeed the river was quite
full of Reeds. Then, when the autumn came,
they all flew away.

After they had gone he felt lonely, and
began to tire of his lady-love. ' She has no con-
versation,' he said, 'and I am afraid that she
is a coquette, for she is always flirting with the
wind.' And certainly, whenever the wind
blew, the Reed made the most graceful curt-
seys. * I admit that she is domestic,' he con-
tinued, 'but I love travelling, and my wife,
consequently, should love travelling also.'

* Will you come away with me ? ' he said
finally to her ; but the Reed shook her head,
she was so attached to her home.

* You have been trifling with me,' he cried.
* I am off to the Pyramids. Good-bye ! ' and
he flew away.

All day long he flew, and at night-time he
arrived at the city. * Where shall I put up ? '
he said ; ' I hope the town has made pre-
parations.'

Then he saw the statue on the tall column.

* I will put up there,' he cried ; * it is a fine
position with plenty of fresh air.' So he

169

THE HAPPY PRINCE

alighted just between the feet of the Happy
Prince.

* I have a golden bedroom,' he said softly to
himself as he looked round, and he prepared to
go to sleep ; but just as he was putting his head
under his wing a large drop of water fell on
him. ' What a curious thing ! ' he cried ; * there
is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are
quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining.
The climate in the north of Europe is really
dreadful. The Reed used to like the ram, but
that was merely her selfishness.'

Then another drop fell.

' What is the use of a statue if it cannot
keep the rain off ? ' he said ; ' I must look for a
good chimney-pot,' and he determined to fly
away.

But before he had opened his wings, a third

drop fell, and he looked up, and saw Ah !

what did he see ?

The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled
with tears, and tears were running down his
golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in
the moonlight that the little Swallow was filled
with pity.

' Who are you ? ' he said.

* I am the Happy Prince.'

170

THE HAPPY PRINCE

'Why are you weeping then?' asked the
Swallow ; ' you have quite drenched me.'

' When I was alive and had a human heart,'
answered the statue, 'I did not know what
tears were, for I lived in the Palace of Sans-
Souci, where sorrow is not allowed to enter. In
the daytime I played with my companions in
the garden, and in \ he evening I led the dance
in the Great Hall. Round the garden ran a
very lofty wall, but I never cared to ask what
lay beyond it, everything about me was so
beautiful. My courtiers called me the Happy
Prince, and happy indeed I was, if pleasure
be happiness. So I lived, and so I died.
And now that I am dead they have set me up
here so high that I can see all the ugliness and
all the misery of my city, and though my heart
is made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep.'

'What! is he not solid gold?' said the
Swallow to himself. He was too polite to
make any personal remarks out loud.

' Far away,' continued the statue in a low
musical voice, ' far away in a little street there
is a poor house. One of the windows is open,
and through it I can see a woman seated at a
table. Her face is thin and worn, and she has
coarse, red hands, all pricked by the needle,

171

THE HAPPY PRINCE

for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering
passion-flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest
of the Queen's maids-of-honour to wear at the
next Court-ball. In a bed in the corner of the
room her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever,
and is asking for oranges. His mother has
nothing to give him but river water, so he is
crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will
you not bring her the ruby out of my sword-
hilt? My feet are fastened to this pedestal
and I cannot move.X

' I am waited for in Egypt,' said the Swallow.
* My friends are flying up and down the Nile,
and talking to the large lotus-flowers. Soon
they will go to sleep in the tomb of the great
King. The King is there himself in his painted
coffin. He is wrapped in yellow linen, and
embalmed with spices. Round his neck is a
chain of pale green jade, and his hands are like
withered leaves.'

* Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,' said the
Prince, 'will you not stay with me for one
night, and be my messenger? The boy is so
thirsty, and the mother so sad.'

'I don't think I like boys,' answered the
Swallow. ' Last summer, when I was staying
on the river, there were two rude boys, the
172

THE HAPPY PRINCE

miller's sons, who were always throwing stones
at me. They never hit me, of course; we
swallows fly far too well for that, and besides, I
come of a family famous for its agility; but
still, it was a mark of disrespect.'

But the Happy Prince looked so sad that the
little Swallow was sorry. ' It is very cold here,'
he said ; ' but I will stay with you for one night,
and be your messenger.'

' Thank you, little Swallow,' said the Prince.

So the Swallow picked out the great ruby
from the Prince's sword, and flew away with it
in his beak over the roofs of the town.

He passed by the cathedral tower, where the
white marble angels were sculptured. He
passed by the palace and heard the sound of
dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the
balcony with her lover. ' How wonderful the
stars are,' he said to her, * and how wonderful is
the power of love ! '

' I hope my dress will be ready in time for
the State-ball,' she answered ; * I have ordered
passion-flowers to be/embroidered on it; but
the seamstresses are so lazy.'

He passed over the river, and saw the
lanterns hanging to the masts of the ships.
He passed over the Ghetto, and saw the old

173

THE HAPPY PRINCE

Jews bargaining with each other, and weighing
out money in copper scales. At last he came
to the poor house and looked in. The boy was
tossing feverishly on his bed, and the mother
had fallen asleep, she was so tired. In he
hopped, and laid the great ruby on the table
beside the woman's thimble. Then he flew
gently round the bed, fanning the boy's fore-
head with his wings. 'How cool I feel,' said
the boy, ' I must be getting better ' ; and he
sank into a delicious slumber.

Then the Swallow flew back to the Happy
Prince, and told him what he had done. * It
is curious,' he remarked, ' but I feel quite warm
now, although it is so cold.'

'That is because you have done a good
action,' said the Prince. And the little Swallow
began to think, and then he fell asleep. Think-
ing always made him sleepy.

When day broke he flew down to the river
and had a bath. * What a remarkable phe-
nomenon,' said the Professor of Ornithology
as he was passing over the bridge. * A swallow
in winter ! ' And he wrote a long letter about
it to the local newspaper. Every one quoted
it, it was full of so many words that they could
not understand.
174

THE HAPPY PRINCE

* To-night I go to Egypt/ said the Swallow,
and he was in high spirits at the prospect. He
visited all the public monuments, and sat a long
time on top of the church steeple. Wherever
he went the Sparrows chirruped, and said to each
other, ' What a distinguished stranger ! ' so he
enjoyed himself very much.

When the moon rose he flew back to the
Happy Prince. 'Have you any commissions
for Egypt ? ' he cried ; « I ajn just starting.'

' Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,' said the
Prince, * will you not stay with me one night
longer ? '

* I am waited for in Egypt,' answered the
Swallow. * To-morrow my friends will fly
up to the Second Cataract. The river-horse
couches there among the bulrushes, and on a
great granite throne sits the God Memnon.
All night long he watches the stars, and when
the morning star shines he utters one cry of joy,
and then he is silent. At noon the yellow
lions come down to the water's edge to drink.
They have eyes like green beryls, and their
roar is louder than the roar of the cataract.'

'Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,' said the
Prince, ' far away across the city I see a young
man in a garret. He is leaning over a desk

175

THE HAPPY PRINCE

covered with papers, and in a tumbler by his
side there is a bunch of withered violets. His
hair is brown and crisp, and his lips are red as
a pomegranate, and he has large and dreamy
eyes. He is trying to finish a play for the
Director of the Theatre, but he is too cold to
write any more. There is no fire in the grate,
and hunger has made him faint.'

' I will wait with you one night longer,' said
the Swallow, who really had a good heart.
* Shall I take him another ruby ? '

' Alas ! I have no ruby now,' said the Prince ;
'my eyes are all that I have left. They are"
made of rare sapphires, which were brought out
of India a thousand years ago. Pluck out
one of them and take it to him. He will sell
it to the jeweller, and' buy food and firewood,
and finish his play.'

* Dear Prince,' said the Swallow, ' I cannot
do that'; and he began to weep.

* Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,' said the
Prince, * do as I command you.'

So the Swallow plucked out the Prince's eye,
and flew away to the student's garret. It was
easy enough to get in, as there was a hole in
the roof. Through this he darted, and came
into the room. The young man had his head
176

THE HAPPY PRINCE

buried in his hands, so he did not hear the
flutter of the bird's wings, and when he looked
up he found the beautiful sapphire lying on the
withered violets.

' I am beginning to be appreciated,' he cried ;
* this is from some great admirer. Now I
can finish my play/ and he looked quite
happy.

The next day the Swallow flew down to the
harbour. He sat on the mast of a large vessel
and watched the sailors hauling big chests out
of the hold with ropes. ' Heave a-hoy ! ' they
shouted as each chest came up. * I am going
to Egypt,' cried the Swallow, but nobody
minded, and when the moon rose he flew back
to the Happy Prince.

* I am come to bid you good-bye,' he
cried.

' Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,' said the
Prince, ' will you not stay with me one night
longer ? '

* It is winter,' answered the Swallow, * and
the chill snow will soon be here. In Egypt
the sun is warm on the green palm-trees, and
the crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily
about them. My companions are building a
nest in the Temple of Baalbec, and the pink

M 177

THE HAPPY PRINCE

and white doves are watching them, and cooing
to each other. Dear Prince, I must leave you,
but I will never forget you, and next spring
I will bring you back two beautiful jewels in
place of those you have given away. The ruby
shall be redder than a red rose, and the sapphire
shall be as blue as the great sea.'

' In the square below,' said the Happy
Prince, * there stands a little match-girl. She
has let her matches fall in the gutter, and they
are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if she
does not bring home some money, and she is
crying. She has no shoes or stockings, and
her little head is bare. Pluck out my other
eye, and give it to her, and her father will not
beat her.'

' I will stay with you one night longer,' said
the Swallow, * but I cannot pluck out your eye.
You would be quite blind then.'

* Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,' said the
Prince, 'do as I command you.'

So he plucked out the Prince's other eye,
and darted down with it. He swooped past
the match-girl, and slipped the jewel into the
palm of her hand. 'What a lovely bit of
glass,' cried the little girl ; and she ran home,
laughing.
178

THE HAPPY PRINCE

Then the Swallow came back to the Prince.
'You are blind now,' he said, 'so I will stay
with you always.'

' No, little Swallow,' said the poor Prince,
' you must go away to Egypt.'

* I will stay with you always,' said the
Swallow, and he slept at the Prince's feet.

All the next day he sat on the Prince's
shoulder, and told him stories of what he had
seen in strange lands. He told him of the red
ibises, who stand in long rows on the banks of
the Nile, and catch gold-fish in their beaks ; of
the Sphinx, who is as old as the world itself, and
lives in the desert, and knows everything; of
the merchants, who walk slowly by the side of
their camels, and carry amber beads in their
hand; of the King of the Mountains of the
Moon, who is as black as ebony, and worships
a large crystal ; of the great green snake that
sleeps in a palm-tree, and has twenty priests to
feed it with honey-cakes ; and of the pygmies
who sail over a big lake on large flat leaves, and
are always at war with the butterflies.

' Dear little Swallow,' said the Prince, ' you
tell me of marvellous things, but more marvel-
lous than anything is the suffering of men and
of women. There is no Mystery so great as

179

THE HAPPY PRINCE

Misery. Fly over my city, little Swallow, and
tell me what you see there.'

So the Swallow flew over the great city, and
saw the rich making merry in their beautiful
houses, while the beggars were sitting at the
gates. He flew into dark lanes, and saw the
white faces of starving children looking out
listlessly at the black streets. Under the arch-
way of a bridge two little boys were lying in
one another's arms to try and keep themselves
warm. ' How hungry we are ! ' they said.
* You must not lie here,' shouted the Watch-
man, and they wandered out into the rain.

Then he flew back and told the Prince what
he had seen.

' I am covered with fine gold,' said the Prince,
' you must take it off, leaf by leaf, and give it
to my poor ; the living always think that gold
can make them happy.'

Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow
picked off, till the Happy Prince looked quite
dull and grey. Leaf after leaf of the fine gold
he brought to the poor, and the children's faces
grew rosier, and they laughed and played games
in the street. * We have bread now ! ' they
cried.

Then the snow came, and after the snow came
180

THE HAPPY PRINCE

the frost. The streets looked as if they were
made of silver, they were so bright and glisten-
ing ; long icicles like crystal daggers hung down
from the eaves of the houses, everybody went
about in furs, and the little boys wore scarlet
caps and skated on the ice.

The poor little Swallow grew colder and
colder, but he would not leave the Prince, he
loved him too well. He picked up crumbs
outside the baker's door when the baker was not
looking, and tried to keep himself warm by
flapping his wings.

But at last he knew that he was going to die.
He had just strength to fly up to the Prince's
shoulder once more. ' Good-bye, dear Prince ! '
he murmured, ' will you let me kiss your
hand?'

* I am glad that you are going to Egypt at
last, little Swallow,' said the Prince, * you have
stayed too long here ; but you must kiss me on
the lips, for I love you.'

* It is not to Egypt that I am going,' said the
Swallow. ' I am going to the House of Death.
Death is the brother of Sleep, is he not ? '

And he kissed the Happy Prince on the lips,
and fell down dead at his feet.

At that moment a curious crack sounded

181

THE HAPPY PRINCE

inside the statue, as if something had broken.
The fact is that the leaden heart had snapped
right in two. It certainly was a dreadfully
hard frost.

Early the next morning the Mayor was walk-
ing in the square below in company with the
Town Councillors. As they passed the column
he looked up at the statue : ' Dear me ! how
shabby the Happy Prince looks ! ' he said.

* How shabby indeed 1 ' cried the Town
Councillors, who always agreed with the Mayor ;
and they went up to look at it.

'The ruby has fallen out of his sword, his
eyes are gone, and he is golden no longer,' said
the Mayor ; * in fact, he is little better than a
beggar ! '

* Little better than a beggar,' said the Town
Councillors.

' And here is actually a dead bird at his feet ! '
continued the Mayor. ' We must really issue
a proclamation that birds are not to be allowed
to die here.' And the Town Clerk made a note
of the suggestion.

So they pulled down the statue of the Happy
Prince. ' As he is no longer beautiful he is no
longer useful,' said the Art Professor at the
University.
182

THE HAPPY PRINCE

Then they melted the statue in a furnace,
and the Mayor held a meeting of the Corpora-
tion to decide what was to be done with the
metal. ' We must have another statue, of
course,' he said, 'and it shall be a statue of
myself.'

' Of myself,' said each of the Town Coun-
cillors, and they quarrelled. When I last heard
of them they were quarrelling still.

* What a strange thing ! ' said the overseer
of the workmen at the foundry. * This broken
lead heart will not melt in the furnace. We
must throw it away.' So they threw it on a
dust-heap where the dead Swallow was also
lying.

* Bring me the two most precious things in
the city,' said God to one of His Angels ; and
the Angel brought Him the leaden heart and
the dead bird.

* You have rightly chosen,' said God, * for in
my garden of Paradise this little bird shall sing
for evermore, and in my city of gold the Happy
Prince shall praise me.'

183

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

HE said that she would dance with me
if I brought her red roses,' cried the
young Student ; ' but in all my garden
there is no red rose.'

From her nest in the holm-oak tree the
Nightingale heard him, and she looked out
through the leaves, and wondered.

* No red rose in all my garden 1 ' he cried, and
his beautiful eyes filled with tears. 'Ah, on
what little things does happiness depend! I
have read all that the wise men have written,
and all the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet
for want of a red rose is my life made wretched.'

' Here at last is a true lover,' said the Night-
ingale. ' Night after night have I sung of him,
though I knew him not : night after night have
I told his story to the stars, and now I see
him. His hair is dark as the hyacinth-blossom,
and his lips are red as the rose of his desire ; but

187

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

passion has made his face like pale ivory, and
sorrow has set her seal upon his brow.'

'The Prince gives a ball to-morrow night,'
murmured the young Student, 'and my love
will be of the company. If I bring her a red
rose she will dance with me till dawn. If I
bring her a red rose, I shall hold her in my
arms, and she will lean her head upon my
shoulder, and her hand will be clasped in mine.
But there is no red rose in my garden, so I
shall sit lonely, and she will pass me by. She
will have no heed of me, and my heart will
break.'

'Here indeed is the true lover,' said the
Nightingale. ' What I sing of, he suffers : what
is joy to me, to him is pain. Surely Love is
a wonderful thing. It is more precious than
emeralds, and dearer than fine opals. Pearls
and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set
forth in the market-place. It may not be
purchased of the merchants, nor can it be
weighed out in the balance for gold.'

' The musicians will sit in their gallery,' said
the young Student, 'and play upon their
stringed instruments, and my love will dance
to the sound of the harp and the violin. She
will dance so lightly that her feet will not touch
188

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

the floor, and the courtiers in their gay dresses
will throng round her. But with me she will
not dance, for I have no red rose to give her ' ;
and he flung himself down on the grass, and
buried his face in his hands, and wept.

' Why is he weeping ? ' asked a little Green
Lizard, as he ran past him with his tail in the air.

* Why, indeed ? ' said a Butterfly, who was
fluttering about after a sunbeam.

' Why, indeed ? ' whispered a Daisy to his
neighbour, in a soft, low voice.

' He is weeping for a red rose,' said the
Nightingale.

' For a red rose ! ' they cried ; * how very
ridiculous ! ' and the little Lizard, who was
something of a cynic, laughed outright.

But the Nightingale understood the secret of
the Student's sorrow, and she sat silent in the
oak-tree, and thought about the mystery of
Love.

Suddenly she spread her brown wings for
flight, and soared into the air. She passed
through the grove like a shadow, and like a
shadow she sailed across the garden.

In the centre of the grass-plot was standing
a beautiful Rose-tree, and when she saw it she
flew over to it, and lit upon a spray.

189

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

' Give me a red rose,' she cried, ' and I will
sing you my sweetest song.'

But the Tree shook its head.

' My roses are white,' it answered ; ' as white
as the foam of the sea, and whiter than the
snow upon the mountain. But go to my
brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and
perhaps he will give you what you want.'

So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-
tree that was growing round the old sun-dial.

' Give me a red rose,' she cried, ' and I will
sing you my sweetest song.'

But the Tree shook its head.

' My roses are yellow,' it answered ; * as yellow
as the hair of the mermaiden who sits upon an
amber throne, and yellower than the daffodil
that blooms in the meadow before the mower
comes with his scythe. But go to my brother
who grows beneath the Student's window, and
perhaps he will give you what you want.'

So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-
tree that was growing beneath the Student's
window.

' Give me a red rose,' she cried, ' and I will
sing you my sweetest song.'

But the Tree shook its head.

* My roses are red,' it answered, ' as red as
190

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

the feet of the dove, and redder than the great
fans of coral that wave and wave in the ocean-
cavern. But the winter has chilled my veins,
and the frost has nipped my buds, and the
storm has broken my branches, and I shall
have no roses at all this year.'

* One red rose is all I want,' cried the Night-
ingale, 'only one red rose! Is there no way
by which I can get it ? '

' There is a way,' answered the Tree ; ' but
it is so terrible that I dare not tell it to you.'

' Tell it to me,' said the Nightingale, ' I am
not afraid.'

' If you want a red rose,' said the Tree, ' you
must build it out of music by moonlight, and
stain it with your own heart's- blood. You
must sing to me with your breast against a
thorn. All night long you must sing to me,
and the thorn must pierce your heart, and your
life-blood must flow into my veins, and become
mine.'

' Death is a great price to pay for a red rose,'
cried the Nightingale, ' and Life is very dear to
all. It is pleasant to sit in the green wood, and
to watch the Sun in his chariot of gold, and the
moon in her chariot of pearl. Sweet is the
scent of the hawthorn, and sweet are the blue-

191

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

bells that hide in the valley, and the heather
that blows on the hill. Yet Love is better than
Life, and what is the heart of a bird compared
to the heart of a man ? '

So she spread her brown wings for flight, and
soared into the air. She swept over the garden
like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed
through the grove.

The young Student was still lying on the
grass, where she had left him, and the tears
were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes.

' Be happy,1 cried the Nightingale, ' be
happy; you shall have your red rose. I will
build it out of music by moonlight, and stain
it with my own heart 's-blood. All that I ask
of you in return is that you will be a true lover,
for Love is wiser than Philosophy, though she
is wise, and mightier than Power, though he is
mighty. Flame-coloured are his wings, and
coloured like flame is his body. His lips are
sweet as honey, and his breath is like frank-
incense.'

The Student looked up from the grass, and
listened, but he could not understand what the
Nightingale was saying to him, for he only
knew the things that are written down in
books.
192

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

But the Oak-tree understood, and felt sad,
for he was very fond of the little Nightingale
who had built her nest in his branches.

* Sing me one last song,' he whispered ; ' I
shall feel very lonely when you are gone.'

So the Nightingale sang to the Oak-tree, and
her voice was like water bubbling from a silver
jar.

When she had finished her song the Student
got up, and pulled a note-book and a lead-
pencil out of his pocket.

' She has form,' he said to himsejf, as
walked away through the grove — ' that cannot
be denied to her; but has she got feeling? I
am afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists ;
she is all style, without any sincerity. She
would not sacrifice herself for others. She
thinks merely of music, and everybody knows
that the arts are selfish. Still, it must be
admitted that she has some beautiful notes in
her voice. What a pity it is that they do not
mean anything, or do any practical good.' And
he went into his room, and lay down on his
little pallet-bed, and began to think of his love ;
and, after a time, he fell asleep.

And when the Moon shone in the heavens
the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree, and set

N 193

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

her breast against the thorn. All night long
she sang with her breast against the thorn, and
the cold crystal Moon leaned down and listened.
All night long she sang, and the thorn went
deeper and deeper into her breast, and her life-
blood ebbed away from her.

She sang firlit of the birth of love in the heart
of a boy and a girl. And on the topmost spray
of the Rose-tree there blossomed a marvellous
rose, petal following petal, as song followed
song. Pale was it, at first, as the mist that
hangs over the river — pale as the feet of the
morning, and silver as the wings of the dawn.
As the shadow of a rose in a mirror of silver,
as the shadow of a rose in a water-pool, so was
the rose that blossomed on the topmost spray
of the Tree.

But the Tree cried to the Nightingale to
press closer against the thorn. 'Press closer,'
little Nightingale,' cried the Tree, ' or the
Day will come before the Rose is finished.'

So the Nightingale pressed closer against the
thorn, and louder and louder grew her song,
for she sang of the birth of passion in the soul
of a man and a maid.

And a delicate flush of pink came into the
leaves of the rose, like the flush in the face of
194

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

the bridegroom when he kisses the lips of the
bride. But the thorn had not yet reached her
heart, so the rose's heart remained white, for
only a Nightingale's heart's-blood can crimson
the heart of a rose.

And the Tree cried to the Nightingale to
press closer against the thorn. ' Press closer,
little Nightingale,' cried the Tree, * or the Day
will come before the rose is finished.'

So the Nightingale pressed closer against the
thorn, and the thorn touched her heart, and a
fierce pang of pain shot through her. Bitter,
bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew
her song, for she sang of the Love that is
perfected by Death, of the Love that dies not
in the tomb.

And the marvellous rose became crimson,
like the rose of the eastern sky. Crimson was
the girdle of petals, and crimson as a ruby was
the heart.

But the Nightingale's voice grew fainter,
and her little wings began to beat, and a film
came over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew
her song, and she felt something choking her
in her throat.

Then she gave one last burst of music. The
white Moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn,

195

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

and lingered on in the sky. The red rose heard
it, and it trembled all over with ecstasy, and
opened its petals to the cold morning air.
Echo bore it to her purple cavern in the hills,
and woke the sleeping shepherds from their
dreams. It floated through the reeds of the
river, and they carried its message to the
sea.

'Look, look!' cried the Tree, 'the rose is
finished now'; but the Nightingale made no
answer, for she was lying dead in the long grass,
with the thorn in her heart.

And at noon the Student opened his window
and looked out.

' Why, what a wonderful piece of luck ! ' he
cried;' 'here is a red rose! I have never seen
any rose like it in all my life. It is so beautiful
that I am sure it has a long Latin name ' ; and
he leaned down and plucked it.

Then he put on his hat, and ran up to
the Professor's house with the rose in his
hand.

The daughter of the Professor was sitting
in the doorway winding blue silk on a reel, and
her little dog was lying at her feet.

' You said that you would dance with me if
I brought you a red rose,' cried the Student.
196

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

4 Here is the reddest rose in all the world. You
will wear it to-night next your heart, and
as we dance together it will tell you how I
love you.'

But the girl frowned.

*I am afraid it will not go with my dress,'
she answered ; ' and, besides, the Chamberlain's
nephew has sent me some real jewels, and
everybody knows that jewels cost far more than
flowers.'

* Well, upon my word, you are very ungrate-
ful,' said the Student angrily; and he threw
the rose into the street, where it fell into the
gutter, and a cart-wheel went over it.

' Ungrateful ! ' said the girl. ' I tell you what,
you are very rude; and, after all, who are
you? Only a Student. Why, I don't be-
lieve you have even got silver buckles to your
shoes as the Chamberlain's nephew has'; and
she got up from her chair and went into the
house.

' What a silly thing Love is,' said the Student
as he walked away. * It is not half as useful
as Logic, for it does not prove anything, and
it is always telling one of things that are not
going to happen, and making one believe things
that are not true. In fact, it is quite un-

197

THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

practical, and, as in this age to be practical is
everything, I shall go back to Philosophy and
study Metaphysics.'

So he returned to his room and pulled out a
great dusty book, and began to read.

198

THE SELFISH GIANT

THE SELFISH GIANT

EVERY afternoon, as they were coming
from school, the children used to go
and play in the Giant's garden.
It was a large lovely garden, with soft green
grass. Here and there over the grass stood
beautiful flowers like stars, and there were
twelve peach-trees that in the springtime broke
out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl,
and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds
sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the
children used to stop their games in order to
listen to them. * How happy we are here 1 '
they cried to each other.

One day the Giant came back. He had been
to visit his friend the Cornish ogre, and had
stayed with him for seven years. After the
seven years were over he had said all that he
had to say, for his conversation was limited,
and he determined to return to his own castle.

201

THE SELFISH GIANT

When he arrived he saw the children playing
in the garden.

* What are you doing here ? ' he cried in a
very gruff voice, and the children ran away.

' My own garden is my own garden,' said the
Giant ; * any one can understand that, and I
will allow nobody to play in it but myself.'
So he built a high wall all round it, and put up
a notice-board.

TRESPASSERS

WILL BE

PROSECUTED

He was a very selfish Giant.

The poor children had now nowhere to play.
They tried to play on the road, but the road
was very dusty and full of hard stones, and they
did not like it. They used to wander round
the high wall when their lessons were over, and
talk about the beautiful garden inside. * How
happy we were there,' they said to each other.

Then the Spring came, and all over the
country there were little blossoms and little
birds. Only in the garden of the Selfish-
Giant it was still Winter. The birds did not
202

THE SELFISH GIANT

care to sing in it as there were no children, and
the trees forgot to blossom. Once a beautiful
flower put its head out from the grass, but
when it saw the notice-board it was so sorry
for the children that it slipped back into the
ground again, and went off to sleep. The only
people who were pleased were the Snow and
the Frost. ' Spring has forgotten this garden,'
they cried, 'so we will live here all the year
round.' The Snow covered up the grass with
her great white cloak, and the Frost painted
all the trees silver. Then they invited the
North Wind to stay with them, and he came,
He was wrapped in furs, and he roared all day
about the garden, and blew the chimney-pots
down. * This is a delightful spot,' he said ;
* we must ask the Hail on a visit.' So the Hail
came. Every day for three hours he rattled
on the roof of the castle till he broke most of
the slates, and then he ran round and round
the garden as fast as he could go. He was
dressed in grey, and his breath was like ice.

' I cannot understand why the Spring is so
late in coming,' said the Selfish Giant, as he
sat at the window and looked out at his cold
white garden ; ' I hope there will be a change
in the weather.'

203

THE SELFISH GIANT

But the Spring never came, nor the Summer.
The Autumn gave golden fruit to every garden,
but to the Giant's garden she gave none. * He
is too selfish,' she said. So it was always Winter
there, and the North Wind, and the Hail, and
the Frost, and the Snow danced about through
the trees.

One morning the Giant was lying awake in
bed when he heard some lovely music. It
sounded so sweet to his ears that he thought
it must be the King's musicians passing by.
It was really only a little linnet singing outside
his window, but it was so long since he had'
heard a bird sing in his garden that it seemed
to him to be the most beautiful music in the
world. Then the Hail stopped dancing over
his head, and the North Wind ceased roaring,
and a delicious perfume came to him through
the open casement. ' I believe the Spring has
come at last,' said the Giant ; and he jumped
out of bed and looked out.

What did he see ?

He saw a most wonderful sight. Through
a little hole in the wall the children had crept
in, and they were sitting in the branches of the
trees. In every tree that he could see there
was a little child. And the trees were so
204

THE SELFISH GIANT

glad to have the children back again that they
had covered themselves with blossoms, and
were waving their arms gently above the
children's heads. The birds were flying about
and twittering with delight, and the flowers
were looking up through the green grass and
laughing. It was a lovely scene, only in one
corner it was still Winter. It was the farthest
corner of the garden, and in it was standing
a little boy. He was so small that he could
not reach up to the branches of the tree, and
he was wandering all round it, crying bitterly.
The poor tree was still quite covered with frost
and snow, and the North Wind was blowing
and roaring above it. * Climb up ! little boy,'
said the Tree, and it bent its branches down
as low as it could ; but the boy was too tiny.

And the Giant's heart melted as he looked
out. * How selfish I have been ! ' he said ;
* now I know why the Spring would not come
here. I will put that poor little boy on the
top of the tree, and then I will knock down
the wall, and my garden shall be the children's
playground for ever and ever.' He was really
very sorry for what he had done.

So he crept downstairs and opened the front
door quite softly, and went out into the garden.

205

THE SELFISH GIANT

But when the children saw him they were so.
frightened that they all ran away, and the
garden became Winter again. Only the little
boy did not run, for his eyes were so full of
tears that he did not see the Giant coming.
And the Giant stole up behind him and took
him gently in his hand, and put him up into
the tree. And the tree broke at once into
blossom, and the birds came and sang on it,
and the little boy stretched out his two arms
and flung them round the Giant's neck, and
kissed him. And the other children, when they
saw that the Giant was not wicked any longer,
came running back, and with them came the
Spring. * It is your garden now, little children,'
said the Giant, and he took a great axe and
knocked down the wall. And when the people
were going to market at twelve o'clock they
found the Giant playing with the children in
the most beautiful garden they had ever seen.

All day long they played, and in the evening
they came to the Giant to bid him good-bye.

But where is your little companion ? ' he
said : ' the boy I put into the tree.' The Giant
loved him the best because he had kissed him.

* We don't know,' answered the children ;
' he has gone away.'
206

THE SELFISH GIANT

' You must tell him to be sure and come here
to-morrow,' said the Giant. But the children
said they did not know where he lived, and
had never seen him before ; and the Giant felt
very sad.

Every afternoon, when school was over, the
children came and played with the Giant. But
the little boy whom the Giant loved was never
seen again. The Giant was very kind to all
the children, yet he longed for his first little
friend, and often spoke of him. * How I would
like to see him ! ' he used to say.

Years went over, and the Giant grew very
old and feeble. He could not play about any
more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched
the children at their games, and admired his
garden. ' I have many beautiful flowers,' he
said, * but the children are the most beautiful
flowers of all.'

One winter morning he looked out of his
window as he was dressing. He did not hate
the Winter now, for he knew that it was
merely the Spring asleep, and that the flowers
were resting.

Suddenly he rubbed his eyes in wonder, and
looked and looked. It certainly was a mar-
vellous sight. In the farthest corner of the

207

THE SELFISH GIANT

garden was a tree quite covered with lovely
white blossoms. Its branches were all golden,
and silver fruit hung down from them, and under-
neath it stood the little boy he had loved.

Downstairs ran the Giant in great joy, and
out into the garden. He hastened across the
grass, and came near to the child. And when
he came quite close his face grew red with
anger, and he said, * Who hath dared to wound
thee ? ' For on the palms of the child's hands^
were the prints of two nails, and the prints of
two nails were on the little feet.

* Who hath dared to wound thee ? ' cried the
Giant ; ' tell me, that I may take my big
sword and slay him.'

* Nay ! ' answered the child ; ' but these are
the wounds of Love.'

' Who art thou ? ' said the Giant, and a
strange awe fell on him, and he knelt before
the little child.

And the child smiled on the Giant, and said
to him, * You let me play once in your garden ;
to-day you shall come with me to my garden,
which is Paradise.'

And when the children ran in that afternoon,
they found the Giant lying dead under the tree,
all covered with white blossoms.
208

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

209

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

ONE morning the old Water-rat put his
head out of his hole. He had bright
beady eyes and stiff grey whiskers,
and his tail was like a long bit of black india-
rubber. The little ducks were swimming about
in the pond, looking just like a lot of yellow
canaries, and their mother, who was pure white
with real red legs, was trying to teach them
how to stand on their heads in the water.

* You will never be in the best society unless
you can stand on your heads/ she kept saying
to them ; and every now and then she showed
them how it was done. But the little ducks
paid no attention to her. They were so young
that they did not know what an advantage it
is to be in society at all.

* What disobedient children ! ' cried the old
Water-rat ; * they really deserve to be drowned.'

' Nothing of the kind,' answered the Duck,

211

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

' every one must make a beginning, and parents
cannot be too patient.'

' Ah ! I know nothing about the feelings of
parents,' said the Water-rat ; ' I am not a family
man. In fact, I have never been married, and
I never intend to be. Love is all very well in
its way, but friendship is much higher. Indeed,
I know of nothing in the world that is either
nobler or rarer than a devoted friendship.'

* And what, pray, is your idea of the duties
of a devoted friend ? ' asked a Green Linnet,
who was sitting in a willow-tree hard by, and
had overheard the conversation.

* Yes, that is just what I want to know,' said
the Duck, and she swam away to the end of
the pond, and stood upon her head, in order to
give her children a good example.

* What a silly question ! ' cried the Water-rat.
'I should expect my devoted friend to be
devoted to me, of course.'

' And what would you do in return ? ' said
the little bird, swinging upon a silver spray,
and flapping his tiny wings.

'I don't understand you,' answered the
Water-rat.

' Let me tell you a story on the subject,' said
the Linnet.
212

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

* Is the story about me ? ' asked the Water-
rat. * If so, I will listen to it, for I am extremely
fond of fiction.'

* It is applicable to you,' answered the
Linnet ; and he flew down, and alighting upon
the bank, he told the story of The Devoted
Friend.

* Once upon a time,' said the Linnet, ' there
was an honest little fellow named Hans.'

'Was he very distinguished?' asked the
Water-rat.

* No/ answered the Linnet, ' I don't think
he was distinguished at all, except for his kind
heart, and his funny round good-humoured
face. He lived in a tiny cottage all by himself,
and every day he worked in his garden. In all
the countryside there was no garden so lovely
as his. Sweet-william grew there, and Gilly-
flowers, and Shepherds'-purses, and Fair-maids
of France. There were damask Roses, and
yellow Roses, lilac Crocuses and gold, purple
Violets and white. Columbine and Ladysmock,
Marjoram and Wild Basil, the Cowslip and the
Flower-de-luce, the Daffodil and the Clove-
Pink bloomed or blossomed in their proper
order as the months went by, one flower taking
another flower's place, so that there were always

213

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

beautiful things to look at, and pleasant odours
to smell.

' Little Hans had a great many friends, but
the most devoted friend of all was big Hugh
the Miller. Indeed, so devoted was the rich
Miller to little Hans, that he would never go
by his garden without leaning over the wall
and plucking a large nosegay, or a handful of
sweet herbs, or filling his pockets with plums
and cherries if it was the fruit season.

' " Real friends should have everything in
common," the Miller used to say, and little
Hans nodded and smiled, and felt very proud
of having a friend with such noble ideas.

* Sometimes, indeed, the neighbours thought
it strange that the rich Miller never gave little
Hans anything in return, though he had a
hundred sacks of flour stored away in his mill,
and six milch cows, and a large flock of woolly
sheep ; but Hans never troubled his head about
these things, and nothing gave him greater
pleasure than to listen to all the wonderful
things the Miller used to say about the un-
selfishness of true friendship.

* So little Hans worked away in his garden.
During the spring, the summer, and the
autumn he was very happy, but when the

214

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

winter came, and he had no fruit or flowers
to bring to the market, he suffered a good deal
from cold and hunger, and often had to go
to bed without any supper but a few dried pears
or some hard nuts. In the winter, also, he
was extremely lonely, as the Miller never came
to see him then.

* " There is no good in my going to see little
Hans as long as the snow lasts," the Miller used
to say to his wife, " for when people are in
trouble they should be left alone, and not be
bothered by visitors. That at least is my idea
about friendship, and I am sure I am right.
So I shall wait till the spring comes, and then
I shall pay him a visit, and he will be able to
give me a large basket of primroses, and that
will make him so happy."

* " You are certainly very thoughtful about
others," answered the Wife, as she sat in her
comfortable armchair by the big pinewood fire ;
" very thoughtful indeed. It is quite a treat to
hear you talk about friendship. I am sure the
clergyman himself could not say such beautiful
things as you do, though he does live in a three-
storied house, and wears a gold ring on his little
finger."

4 " But could we not ask little Hans up

215

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

here ? " said the Miller's youngest son. * If
poor Hans is in trouble I will give him half
my porridge, and show him my white rabbits."

* " What a silly boy you are ! " cried the
Miller ; " I really don't know what is the use
of sending you to school. You seem not to
learn anything. ' Why, if little Hans came up
here, and saw our warm fire, and our good
supper, and our great cask of red wine, he
might get envious, and envy is a most terrible
thing, and would spoil anybody's nature. I
certainly will not allow Hans' nature to be
spoiled. I am his best friend, and I will always
watch over him, and see that he is not led into
any temptations. Besides, if Hans came here,
he might ask me to let him have some flour on
credit, and that I could not do. Flour is one
thing, and friendship is another, and they
should not be confused. Why, the words are
spelt differently, and mean quite different
things. Everybody can see that."

' " How well you talk ! " said the Miller's Wife,
pouring herself out a large glass of warm ale;
" really I feel quite drowsy. It is just like being
in church."

'"Lots of people act well," answered the
Miller; "but very few people talk well, which
216

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

shows that talking is much the more difficult
thing of the two, and much the finer thing
also"; and he looked sternly across the table
at his little son, who felt so ashamed of himself
that he hung his head down, and grew quite
scarlet, and began to cry into his tea. How-
ever, he was so young that you must excuse
him.'

' Is that the end of the story ? ' asked the
Water-rat.

* Certainly not/ answered the Linnet, ' that
is the beginning.'

'Then you are quite behind the age,' said
the Water-rat. * Every good story-teller nowa-
days starts with the end, and then goes on to
the beginning, and concludes with the middle.
That is the new method. I heard all about it
the other day from a critic who was walking
round the pond with a young man. He spoke
of the matter at great length, and I am sure
he must have been right, for he had blue
spectacles and a bald head, and whenever the
young man made any remark, he always
answered " Pooh ! " But pray go on with your
story. I like the Miller immensely. I have
all kinds of beautiful sentiments myself, so
there is a great sympathy between us.'

217

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

' Well,' said the Linnet, hopping now on one
leg and now on the other, ' as soon as the
winter was over, and the primroses began to
open their pale yellow stars, the Miller said
to his wife that he would go down and see
little Hans.

* "Why, what a good heart you have! " cried
his wife ; " you are always thinking of others.
And mind you take the big basket with you
for the flowers."

' So the Miller tied the sails of the windmill
together with a strong iron chain, arid went
down the hill with the basket on his arm.

* " Good morning, little Hans," said the
Miller.

' " Good morning," said Hans, leaning on his
spade, and smiling from ear to ear.

* " And how have you been all the winter ? "
said the Miller.

' " Well, really," cried Hans, " it is very good
of you to ask, very good indeed. I am afraid
I had rather a hard time of it, but now the
spring has come, and I am quite happy, and
all my flowers are doing well."

* " We often talked of you during the winter,
Hans," said the Miller, "and wondered how
you were getting on."

218

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

' " That was kind of you," said Hans ; " I
was half afraid you had forgotten me."

'"Hans, I am surprised at you," said the
Miller ; " friendship never forgets. That is
the wonderful thing about it, but I am afraid
you don't understand the poetry of life. How
lovely your primroses are looking, by the
bye ! "

* " They are certainly very lovely," said
Hans, " and it is a most lucky thing for me
that I have so many. I am going to bring
them into the market and sell them to the
Burgomaster's daughter, and buy back my
wheelbarrow with the money."

' " Buy back your wheelbarrow ? You don't
mean to say you have sold it ? What a very
stupid thing to do ! "

* " Well, the fact is," said Hans, " that I was
obliged to. You see the winter was a very
bad time for me, and I really had no money
at all to buy bread with. So I first sold the
silver buttons off my Sunday coat, and then
I sold my silver chain, and then I sold my
big pipe, and at last I sold my wheelbarrow.
But I am going to buy them all back again
now."

'"Hans," said the Miller, "I will give you

219

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

my wheelbarrow. It is not in very good repair ;
indeed, one side is gone, and there is some-
thing wrong with the wheel-spokes; but in
spite of that I will give it to you. I know it
is very generous of me, and a great many
people would think me extremely foolish for
parting with it, but I am not like the rest of
the world. I think that generosity is the
essence of friendship, and, besides, I have got
a new wheelbarrow for myself. Yes, you may
set your mind at ease, I will give you my
wheelbarrow."

' " Well, really, that is generous of you,"
said little Hans, and his funny round face
glowed all over with pleasure. " I can easily
put it in repair, as I have a plank of wood in
the house."

* " A plank of wood ! " said the Miller ;
" why, that is just what I want for the roof of
my barn. There is a very large hole in it,
and the corn will all get damp if I don't stop
it up. How lucky you mentioned it! It is
quite remarkable how one good action always
breeds another. I have given you my wheel-
barrow, and now you are going to give me
your plank. Of course, the wheelbarrow is
worth far more than the plank, but true friend-
220

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

ship never notices things like that. Pray get
it at once, and I will set to work at my barn
this very day."

' " Certainly," cried little Hans, and he ran
into the shed and dragged the plank out.

* " It is not a very big plank," said the
Miller, looking at it, "and I am afraid that
after I have mended my barn-roof there won't
be any left for you to mend the wheelbarrow
with ; but, of course, that is not my fault. And
now, as I have given you my wheelbarrow, I
am sure you would like to give me some
flowers in return. Here is the basket, and
mind you fill it quite full."

'"Quite full?" said little Hans, rather
sorrowfully, for it was really a very big basket,
and he knew that if he filled it he would have
no flowers left for the market, and he was very
anxious to get his silver buttons back.

* " Well, really," answered the Miller, " as
I have given you my wheelbarrow, I don't
think that it is much to ask you for a few
flowers. I may be wrong, but I should have
thought that friendship, true friendship, was
quite free from selfishness of any kind."

'"My dear friend, my best friend," cried
little Hans, " you are welcome to all the

221

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

flowers in my garden. I would much sooner
have your good opinion than my silver
buttons, any day"; and he ran and plucked
all his pretty primroses, and filled the Miller's
basket.

«" Good-bye, little Hans," said the Miller,
as he went up the hill with the plank on his
shoulder, and the big basket in his hand.

* " Good-bye," said little Hans, and he began
to dig away quite merrily, he was so pleased
about the wheelbarrow.

'The next day he was nailing up some
honeysuckle against the porch, when he heard
the Miller's voice calling to him from the road.
So he jumped off the ladder, and ran down the
garden, and looked over the wall.

* There was the Miller with a large sack of
flour on his back.

« "Dear little Hans," said the Miller, " would
you mind carrying this sack of flour for me to
market ? "

' " Oh, I am so sorry," said Hans, " but I
am really very busy to-day. I have got all
my creepers to nail up, and all my flowers to
water, and all my grass to roll."

'"Well, really," said the Miller, "I think
that, considering that I am going to give you
222

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

my wheelbarrow, it is rather unfriendly of you
to refuse."

' " Oh, don't say that," cried little Hans, " I
wouldn't be unfriendly for the whole world " ;
and he ran in for his cap, and trudged off with
the big sack on his shoulders, t

'It was a very hot day, and the road was
terribly dusty, and before Hans had reached
the sixth milestone he was so tired that he
had to sit down and rest. However, he went
on bravely, and at last he reached the market.
After he had waited there some time, he sold
the sack of flour for a very good price, and
then he returned home at once, for he was
afraid that if he stopped too late he might meet
some robbers on the way.

* " It has certainly been a hard day," said
little Hans to himself as he was going to bed,
" but I am glad I did not refuse the Miller,
for he is my best friend, and, besides, he is
going to give me his wheelbarrow."

' Early the next morning the Miller came
down to get the money for his sack of flour,
but little Hans was so tired that he was still
in bed.

* " Upon my word," said the Miller, " you
are very lazy. Really, considering that I am

223

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

going to give you my wheelbarrow, I think
you might work harder. Idleness is a great
sin, and I certainly don't like any of my friends
to be idle or sluggish. You must not mind
my speaking quite plainly to you. Of course
I should not dream of doing so if I were not
your friend. But what is the good of friend-
ship if one cannot say exactly what one means ?
Anybody can say charming things and try to
please and to flatter, but a true friend always
says unpleasant things, and does not mind
giving pain. Indeed, if he is a really true
friend he prefers it, for he knows that then he
is doing good."

' " I am very sorry," said little Hans,
rubbing his eyes and pulling off his night-cap,
"but I was so tired that I thought I would
lie in bed for a little time, and listen to the
birds singing. Do you know that I always work
better after hearing the birds sing ? "

' " Well, I am glad of that," said the Miller,
clapping little Hans on the back, " for I want
you to come up to the mill as soon as you
are dressed, and mend my barn-roof for me."

'Poor little Hans was very anxious to go
and work in his garden, for his flowers had
not been watered for two days, but he did not
224

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

like to refuse the Miller, as he was such a
good friend to him.

' " Do you think it would be unfriendly of
me if I said I was busy ? ' he inquired in a shy
and timid voice.

* " Well, really," answered the Miller, " I do
not think it is much to ask of you, considering
that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow ;
but of course if you refuse I will go and do it
myself."

' " Oh ! on no account," cried little Hans ;
and he jumped out of bed, and dressed himself,
and went up to the barn.

' He worked there all day long, till sunset,
and at sunset the Miller came to see how he
was getting on.

* " Have you mended the hole in the roof yet,
little Hans ? " cried the Miller in a cheery voice.

* " It is quite mended," answered little Hans,
coming down the ladder.

'"Ah!" said the Miller, "there is no work
so delightful as the work one does for others."

' " It is certainly a great privilege to hear you
talk," answered little Hans, sitting down and
wiping his forehead, "a very great privilege.
But I am afraid I shall never have such
beautiful ideas as you have."

p 225

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

* " Oh ! they will come to you," said the
Miller, " but you must take more pains. At
present you have only the practice of friendship ;
some day you will have the theory also."

'"Do you really think I shall?" asked little
Hans.

' " I have no doubt of it," answered the Miller ;
" but now that you have mended the roof, you
had better go home and rest, for I want you
to drive my sheep to the mountain to-morrow."

' Poor little Hans was afraid to say anything
to this, and early the next morning the Miller
brought his sheep round to the cottage, and
Hans started off' with them to the mountain.
It took him the whole day to get there and
back; and when he returned he was so tired
that he went off to sleep in his chair, and did
not wake up till it was broad daylight.

'"What a delightful time I shall have in
my garden," he said, and he went to work at
once.

' But somehow he was never able to look
after his flowers at all, for his friend the Miller
was always coming round and sending him off
on long errands, or getting him to help at the
mill. Little Hans was veiy much distressed
at times, as he was afraid his flowers would
226

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

think he had forgotten them, but he consoled
himself by the reflection that the Miller was
his best friend. "Besides," he used to say,
" he is going to give me his wheelbarrow, and
that is an act of pure generosity."

* So little Hans worked away for the Miller,
and the Miller said all kinds of beautiful things
about friendship, which Hans took down in a
note-book, and used to read over at night, for
he was a very good scholar.

'Now it happened that one evening little
Hans was sitting by his fireside when a loud
rap came at the door. It was a very wild
night, and the wind was blowing and roaring
round the house so terribly that at first he
thought it was merely the storm. But a second
rap came, and then a third, louder than either
of the others.

' " It is some poor traveller," said little Hans
to himself, as he ran to the door.

* There stood the Miller with a lantern in
one hand and a big stick in the other.

* " Dear little Hans," cried £he Miller, " I am
in great trouble. My little^Jboy has fallen off
a ladder and hurt himself/'and I am going for
the Doctor. But he lives so far away, and it
is such a bad night, that it has just occurred

227

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

to me that it would be much better if you
went instead of me. You know I am going to
give you my wheelbarrow, and so it is only
fair that you should do something for me in
return."

' " Certainly," cried little Hans, " I take it
quite as a compliment your coming to me, and
I will start off at once. But you must lend
me your lantern, as the night is so dark that
I am afraid I might fall into the ditch."

* " I am very sorry," answered the Miller,
" but it is my new lantern, and it would be a
great loss to me if anything happened to it."

* " Well, never mind, I will do without it,"
cried little Hans, and he took down his great
fur coat, and his warm scarlet cap, and tied a
muffler round his throat, and started off.

* What a dreadful storm it was ! The night
was so black that little Hans could hardly see,
and the wind was so strong that he could
scarcely stand. However, he was very courage-
ous, and after he had been walking about three
hours, he arrived at the Doctor's house, and
knocked at the door.

* " Who is there ? " cried the Doctor, putting
his head out of his bedroom window.

' " Little Hans, Doctor."
228

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

« " What do you want, little Hans ? "

' " The Miller's son has fallen from a ladder,
and has hurt himself, and the Miller wants you
to come at once."

'"All right!" said the Doctor; and he
ordered his horse, and his big boots, and his
lantern, and came downstairs, and rode off in
the direction of the Miller's house, little Hans
trudging behind him.

'But the storm grew worse and worse, and
the rain fell in torrents, and little Hans could
not see where he was going, or keep up with
the horse. At last he lost his way, and
wandered off on the moor, which was a very
dangerous place, as it was full of deep holes,
and there poor little Hans was drowned.
His body was found the next day By some
goatherds, floating in a great pool of water,
and was brought back by them to the
i cottage.

'Everybody went to little Hans' funeral as
he was so popular, and the Miller was the chief
mourner.

'" As I was his best friend," said the Miller,
"it is only fair that I should have the best
place"; so he walked at the head of the pro-
cession in a long black cloak, and every now

229

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

and then he wiped his eyes with a big pocket-
handkerchief.

'"Little Hans is certainly a great loss to
every one," said the Blacksmith, when the
funeral was over, and they were all seated
comfortably in the inn, drinking spiced wine
and eating sweet cakes.

' " A great loss to me at any rate," answered
the Miller ; " why, I had as good as given him
my wheelbarrow, and now I really don't know
what to do with it. It is very much in my
way at home, and it is in such bad repair that
I could not get anything for it if I sold it.
I will certainly take care not to give away
anything again. One always suffers for being
generous."1

' Well ? ' said the Water-rat after a long
pause.

' Well, that is the end,' said the Linnet.

' But what became of the Miller ? ' asked the
Water-rat.

' Oh ! I really don't know,' replied the
Linnet ; 'and I am sure that I don't care.'

'It is quite evident then that you have no
sympathy in your nature/ said the Water-rat.

' I am afraid you don't quite see the moral of
the story/ remarked the Linnet.
230

THE DEVOTED FRIEND

* The what ? ' screamed the Water-rat.
' The moral/

'Do you mean to say that the story has a
moral ? '

* Certainly,' said the Linnet.

' Well, really,' said the Water-rat, in a very
angry manner, * I think you should have told-
me that before you began. If you had done so,
I certainly would not have listened to you ; in
fact, I should have said " Pooh," like the critic.
However, I can say it now ' ; so he shouted
out 'Pooh' at the top of his voice, gave a
whisk with his tail, and went back into his
hole.

' And how do yoji like the Water-rat ? ' asked
the Duck, who came paddling up some minutes
afterwards. ' He has a great many good points,
but for my own part I have a mother's feelings,
and I can never look at a confirmed bachelor
without the tears coming into my eyes.'

' I am rather afraid that I have annoyed him,'
answered the Linnet. ' The fact is, that I told
him a story with a moral.'

' Ah ! that is always a very dangerous thing
to do,' said the Duck.

And I quite agree with her.

231

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

?>,*>••

<«*t

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

THE King's son was going to be married,
so there were general rejoicings. He
had waited a whole year for his bride,
and at last she had arrived. She was a Russian
Princess, and had driven all the way from
Finland in a sledge drawn by six reindeer. The
sledge was shaped like a great golden swan, and
between the swan's wings lay the little Princess
herself. Her long ermine cloak reached right
down to her feet, on her head was a tiny cap of
silver tissue, and she was as pale as the Snow
Palace in which she had always lived. So pale
was she that as she drove through the streets
all the people wondered. * She is like a white
rose 1 ' they cried, and they threw down flowers
on her from the balconies.

At the gate of the Castle the Prince was
waiting to receive her. He had dreamy violet
eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When he

235

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her
hand.

* Your picture was beautiful,' he murmured,
' but you are more beautiful than your picture ' ;
and the little Princess blushed.

* She was like a white rose before,' said a
young Page to his neighbour, * but she is like
a red rose now'; and the whole Court was
delighted.

For the next three days everybody went
about saying, ' White rose, Red rose, Red rose,
White rose '; and the King gave orders that
the Page's salary was to be doubled. As he
received no salary at all this was not of much
use to him, but it was considered a great honour,
and was duly published in the Court Gazette.

When the three days were over the marriage
was celebrated. It was a magnificent ceremony,
and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in
hand under a canopy of purple velvet em-
broidered with little pearls. Then there was a
State Banquet, which lasted for five hours.
The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the
Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear
crystal. Only true lovers could drink out of
this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew grey
and dull and cloudy.
236

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

* It is quite clear that they love each other/
said the little Page, ' as clear as crystal ! ' and
the King doubled his salary a second time.
* What an honour ! ' cried all the courtiers.

After the Banquet there was to be a Ball.
The bride and bridegroom were to dance the
Rose-dance together, and the King had pro-
mised to play the flute. He played very badly,
but no one had ever dared to tell him so, be-
cause he was the King. Indeed, he knew only
two airs, and was never quite certain which one
he was playing; but it made no matter, for,
whatever he did, everybody cried out, * Charm-
ing ! charming ! '

The last item on the programme was a grand
display of fireworks, to be let off exactly at
midnight. The little Princess had never seen
a firework in her life, so the King had given
orders that the Royal Pyrotechnist should be
in attendance on the day of her marriage.

' What are fireworks like ? ' she had asked the
Prince, one morning, as she was walking on the
terrace.

* They are like the Aurora Borealis,' said the
King, who always answered questions that were
addressed to other people, 'only much more
natural. I prefer them to stars myself, as you

237

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

always know when they are going to appear,
and they are as delightful as my own flute-
playing. You must certainly see them.'

So at the end of the King's garden a great
stand had been set up, and as soon as the Royal
Pyrotechnist had put everything in its proper
place, the fireworks began to talk to each other.

' The world is certainly very beautiful,' cried
a little Squib. 'Just look at those yellow
tulips. Why ! if they were real crackers they
could not be lovelier. I am very glad I have
travelled. Travel improves the mind wonder-
fully, and does away with all one's prejudices.*

' The King's garden is not the world, you
foolish squib,' said a big Roman Candle ; * the
world is an enormous place, and it would take
you three days to see it thoroughly.'

* Any place you love is the world to you,' ex-
claimed a pensive Catherine Wheel, who had
been attached to an old deal box in early life,
and prided herself on her broken heart; 'but
love is not fashionable anymore ; the poets have
killed it. They wrote so much about it that
nobody believed them, and I am not surprised.
True love suffers, and is silent. I remember

myself once But it is no matter now.

Romance is a thing of the past.'
238

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

' Nonsense ! ' said the Roman Candle, ' Rom-
ance never dies. It is like the moon, and lives
for ever. The bride and bridegroom, for in-
stance, love each other very dearly. I heard
all about them this morning from a brown-paper
cartridge, who happened to be staying in the
same drawer as myself, and knew the latest
Court news.'

But the Catherine Wheel shook her head.,
' Romance is dead, Romance is dead, Romance
is dead,' she murmured. She was one of those
people who think that, if you say the same
thing over and over a great many times, it be-
comes true in the end.

Suddenly, a sharp, dry cough was heard, and
they all looked round.

It came from a tall, supercilious -looking
Rocket, who was tied to the end of a long
stick. He always coughed before he made any
observation, so as to attract attention.

* Ahem ! ahem ! ' he said, and everybody
listened except the poor Catherine Wheel, who
was still shaking her head, and murmuring,
* Romance is dead.'

' Order ! order ! ' cried out a Cracker. He
was something of a politician, and had always
taken a prominent part in the local elections, so

239

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

he knew the proper Parliamentary expressions
to use.

* Quite dead,' whispered the Catherine Wheel,
and she went off to sleep.

As soon as there was perfect silence, the
Rocket coughed a third time and began. He
spoke with a very slow, distinct voice, as if he
was dictating his memoirs, and always looked
over the shoulder of the person to whom he
was talking. In fact, he had a most distinguished
manner.

* How fortunate it is for the King's son,' he
remarked, 'that he is to be married on the very
day on which I am to be let off. Really, if it
had been arranged beforehand, it could not have
turned out better for him ; but Princes are
always lucky.'

* Dear me ! ' said the little Squib, ' I thought
it was quite the other way, and that we were to
be let off in the Prince's honour.'

' It may be so with you,' he answered ; ' in-
deed, I have no doubt that it is, but with me it
is different. I am a very remarkable Rocket,
and come of remarkable parents. My mother
was the most celebrated Catherine Wheel of
her day, and was renowned for her graceful
dancing. When she made her great public
240

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

appearance she spun round nineteen times be-
fore she went out, and each time that she did
so she threw into the air seven pink stars. She
was three feet and a half in diameter, and made
of the very best gunpowder. My father was a
Rocket like myself, and of French extraction.
He flew so high that the people were afraid
that he would never come down again. He
did, though, for he was of a kindly disposition,
and he made a most brilliant descent in a
shower of golden rain. The newspapers wrote
about his performance in very flattering terms.
Indeed, the Court Gazette called him a triumph
of Pylotechnic art.'

'Pyrotechnic, Pyrotechnic, you mean,' said
a Bengal Light ; ' I know it is Pyrotechnic, for
I saw it written on my own canister.'

' Well, I said Pylotechnic,' answered the
Rocket, in a severe tone of voice, and the
Bengal Light felt so crushed that he began at
once to bully the little squibs, in order to show
that he was still a person of some importance.

' I was saying,' continued the Rocket, * I was
saying What was I saying ? '

'You were talking about yourself,' replied
the Roman Candle.

' Of course ; I knew I was discussing some

Q 241

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

interesting subject when I was so rudely inter-
rupted. I hate rudeness and bad manners of
every kind, for I am extremely sensitive. No
one in the whole world is so sensitive as I am, I
am quite sure of that.'

' What is a sensitive person ? ' said the
Cracker to the Roman Candle.

* A person who, because he has corns himself,
always treads on other people's toes,' answered
the Roman Candle in a low whisper ; and the
Cracker nearly exploded with laughter.

' Pray, what are you laughing at ? ' inquired
the Rocket ; ' I am not laughing.'

* I am laughing because I am happy,' replied
the Cracker.

'That is a very selfish reason,' said the
Rocket angrily. ' What right have you to be
happy ? You should be thinking about others.
In fact, you should be thinking about me. I
am always thinking about myself, and I expect
everybody else to do the same. That is what
is called sympathy. It is a beautiful virtue, and
I possess it in a high degree. Suppose, for
instance, anything happened to me to-night,
what a misfortune that would be for every one !
The Prince and Princess would never be happy
again, their whole married life would be spoiled ;
242

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

and as for the King, I know he would not get
over it. Really, when I begin to reflect on the
importance of my position, I am almost moved
to tears.'

' If you want to give pleasure to others,' cried
the Roman Candle, ' you had better keep your-
self dry.'

* Certainly,' exclaimed the Bengal Light, who
was now in better spirits ; * that is only common
sense.'

' Common sense, indeed ! ' said the Rocket
indignantly ; * you forget that I am very un-
common, and very remarkable. Why, anybody
can have common sense, provided that they
have no imagination. But I have imagination,
for I never think of things as they really are ; I
always think of them as being quite different.
As for keeping myself dry, there is evidently no
one here who can at all appreciate an emotional
nature. Fortunately for myself, I don't care.
The only thing that sustains one through life
is the consciousness of the immense inferiority
of everybody else, and this is a feeling that I
have always cultivated. But none of you have
any hearts. Here you are laughing and making
merry just as if the Prince and Princess had not
just been married.'

243

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

* Well, really,' exclaimed a small Fire-balloon,
' why not ? It is a most joyful occasion, and
when I soar up into the air I intend to tell the
stars all about it. You will see them twinkle
when I talk to them about the pretty bride.'

* Ah ! what a trivial view of life 1 ' said the
Rocket ; * but it is only what I expected.
There is nothing in you ; you are hollow and
empty. Why, perhaps the Prince and Princess
may go to live in a country where there is a
deep river, and perhaps they may have one only
son, a little fair-haired boy with violet eyes like
the Prince himself; and perhaps some day he
may go out to walk with his nurse; and per-
haps the nurse may go to sleep under a great
elder-tree ; and perhaps the little boy may fall
into the deep river and be drowned. What a
terrible misfortune ! Poor people, to lose their
only son 1 It is really too dreadful ! I shall
never get over it.'

* But they have not lost their only son,'
said the Roman Candle; 'no misfortune has
happened to them at all.'

*I never said that they had,' replied the

Rocket ; ' I said that they might. If they had

lost their only son there would be no use in

saying anything more about the matter. I hate

244 *

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

people who cry over spilt milk. But when I
think that they might lose their only son, I
certainly am very much affected.'

* You certainly are ! ' cried the Bengal Light.
' In fact, you are the most affected person I
ever met.'

* You are the rudest person I ever met,' said
the Rocket, 'and you cannot understand my
friendship for the Prince.'

* Why, you don't even know him,' growled
the Roman Candle.

' I never said I knew him,' answered the
Rocket. * I dare say that if I knew him I
should not be his friend at all. It is a very
dangerous thing to know one's friends.'

'You had really better keep yourself dry,'
said the Fire-balloon. * That is the important
thing.'

' Very important for you, I have no doubt,
answered the Rocket, 'but I shall weep if I
choose ' ; and he actually burst into real tears,
which flowed down his stick like rain-drops,
and nearly drowned two little beetles, who were
just thinking of setting up house together,
and were looking for a nice dry spot to live in.

' He must have a truly romantic nature,' said
the Catherine Wheel, ' for he weeps when there

245

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

is nothing at all to weep about'; and she
heaved a deep sigh, and thought about the
deal box.

But the Roman Candle and the Bengal
Light were quite indignant, and kept saying,
* Humbug 1 humbug ! ' at the top of their
voices. They were extremely practical, and
whenever they objected to anything they called
it humbug.

Then the moon rose like a wonderful silver
shield ; and the stars began to shine, and a
sound of music came from the palace.

The Prince and Princess were leading the
dance. They danced so beautifully that the
tall white lilies peeped in at the window and
watched them, and the great red poppies nodded
their heads and beat time.

'Then ten o'clock struck, and then eleven,
and then twelve, and at the last stroke of mid-
night every one came out on the terrace, and
the King sent for the Royal Pyrotechnist.

'Let the fireworks begin,' said the King;
and the Royal Pyrotechnist made a low bow,
and marched down to the end of the garden.
He had six attendants with him, each of
whom carried a lighted torch at the end of a
long pole.
246

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

It was certainly a magnificent display.

Whizz ! Whizz ! went the Catherine Wheel,
as she spun round and round. Boom ! Boom !
went the Roman Candle. Then the Squibs
danced all over the place, and the Bengal
Lights made everything look scarlet. * Good-
bye,' cried the Fire-balloon, as he soared away,
dropping tiny blue sparks. Bang ! Bang !
answered the Crackers, who were enjoying
themselves immensely. Every one was a great
success except the Remarkable Rocket. He
was so damp with crying that he could not go
off at all. The best thing in him was the gun-
powder, and that was so wet with tears that it
was of no use. All his poor relations, to whom
he would never speak, except with a sneer, shot
up into the sky like wonderful golden flowers
with blossoms of fire. Huzza ! huzza ! cried
the Court ; and the little Princess laughed with
pleasure.

* I suppose they are reserving me for some
grand occasion,' said the Rocket : ' no doubt
that is what it means,' and he looked more
supercilious than ever.

The next day the workmen came to put
everything tidy. * This is evidently a deputa-
tion,' said the Rocket ; * I will receive them

247

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

with becoming dignity ' : so he put his nose in
the air, and began to frown severely as if he
were thinking about some very important sub-
ject. But they took no notice of him at all
till they were just going away. Then one of
them caught sight of him. * Hallo ! ' he cried,
'what a bad rocket!' and he threw him over
the wall into the ditch.

* BAD Rocket ? BAD Rocket ? ' he said, as
he whirled through the air ; * impossible !
GRAND Rocket, that is what the man said.
BAD and GRAND sound very much the same,
indeed they often are the same'; and he fell
into the mud.

'It is not comfortable here,' he remarked,
* but no doubt it is some fashionable watering-
place, and they have sent me away to recruit my
health. My nerves are certainly very much
shattered, and I require rest.'

Then a little Frog, with bright jewelled
eyes, and a green mottled coat, swam up to him.

' A new arrival, I see ! ' said the Frog. ' Well,
after all there is nothing like mud. Give me
rainy weather and a ditch, and I am quite
happy. Do you think it will be a wet after-
noon ? I am sure I hope so, but the sky is
quite blue and cloudless. What a pity 1 '
248

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

* Ahem ! ahem ! ' said the Rocket, and he be
gan to cough.

' What a delightful voice you have ! ' cried
the Frog. ' Really it is quite like a croak, and
croaking is of course the most musical sound
in the world. You will hear our glee-club this
evening. We sit in the old duck-pond close
by the farmer's house, and as soon as the moon
rises we begin. It is so entrancing that every-
body lies awake to listen to us. In fact, it was
only yesterday that I heard the farmer's wife
say to her mother that she could not get a wink
of sleep at night on account of us. It is most
gratifying to h'nd oneself so popular.'

* Ahem ! ahem ! ' said the Rocket angrily
He was very much annoyed that he could not
get a word in.

' A delightful voice, certainly,' continued the
Frog ; ' I hope you will come over to the duck-
pond. I am off to look for my daughters. I
have six beautiful daughters, and I am so
afraid the Pike may meet them. He is a per-
fect monster, and would have no hesitation in
breakfasting off them. Well, good-bye : I have
enjoyed our conversation very much I assure
you.'

' Conversation, indeed ! ' said the Rocket.

249

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

'You have talked the whole time yourself.
That is not conversation.'

* Somebody must listen,' answered the Frog,
'and I like to do all the talking myself. It
saves time, and prevents arguments.'

' But I like arguments/ said the Rocket.

' I hope not,' said the Frog complacently.
' Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everybody
in good society holds exactly the same opinions.
Good-bye a second time ; I see my daughters in
the distance ' ; and the little Frog swam away.

'You are a very irritating person,' said the
Rocket, ' and very ill-bred. I hate people who
talk about themselves, as you do, when one
wants to talk about oneself, as I do. It is what
I call selfishness, and selfishness is a most de-
testable thing, especially to any one of my
temperament, for I am well known for my
sympathetic nature. In fact, you should take
example by me ; you could not possibly have a
better model. Now that you have the chance
you had better avail yourself of it, for I am
going back to Court almost immediately. I
am a great favourite at Court; in fact, the
Prince and Princess were married yesterday in
my honour. Of course you know nothing of
these matters, for you are a provincial.'
250

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

' There is no good talking to him,' said a
Dragon-fly, who was sitting on the top of a
large brown bulrush ; ' no good at all, for he
has gone away.'

* Well, that is his loss, not mine,' answered
the Rocket. ' I am not going to stop talking
to him merely because he pays no attention.
I like hearing myself talk. It is one of my
greatest pleasures. I often have long conversa-
tions all by myself, and I am so clever that
sometimes I don't understand a single word of
what I am saying.'

' Then you should certainly lecture on Philo-
sophy,' said the Dragon-fly ; and he spread a
pair of lovely gauze wings and soared away into
the sky.

* How very silly of him not to stay here ! '
said the Rocket. * I am sure that he has
not often got such a chance of improving his
mind. However, I don't care a bit. Genius
like mine is sure to be appreciated some day ' ;
and he sank down a little deeper into the
mud.

After some time a large White Duck swam
up to him. She had yellow legs, and webbed
feet, and was considered a great beauty on
account of her waddle.

251

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

' Quack, quack, quack,' she said. * What
a curious shape you are ! May I ask were
you born like that, or is it the result of an
accident ?'

'It is quite evident that you have always
lived in the country,' answered the Rocket,
' otherwise you would know who I am. How-
ever, I excuse your ignorance. It would be
unfair to expect other people to be as remark-
able as oneself. You will no doubt be surprised
to hear that I can fly up into the sky, and come
down in a shower of golden rain.'

' I don't think much of that,' said the Duck,
'as I cannot see what use it is to any one.
Now, if you could plough the fields like the
ox, or draw a cart like the horse, or look after
the sheep like the collie-dog, that would be
something.'

'My good creature,' cried the Rocket in a
very haughty tone of voice, ' I see that you
belong to the lower orders. A person of my
position is never useful. We have certain ac-
complishments, and that is more than sufficient.
I have no sympathy myself with industry of
any kind, least of all with such industries as
you seem to recommend. Indeed, I have
always been of opinion that hard work is simply
252

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

the refuge of people who have nothing whatever
to do.'

'Well, well,' said the Duck, who was of a
very peaceable disposition, and never quarrelled
with any one, * everybody has different tastes.
I hope, at any rate, that you are going to take
up your residence here.'

' Oh dear no ! ' cried the Rocket. * I am
merely a visitor, a distinguished visitor. The
fact is that I find this place rather tedious.
There is neither society here, nor solitude. |
In fact, it is essentially suburban. I shall
probably go back to Court, for I know that
I am destined to make a sensation in the
world.'

' I had thoughts of entering public life once
myself,' remarked the Duck ; ' there are so
many things that need reforming. Indeed, I
took the chair at a meeting some time ago, and
we passed resolutions condemning everything
that we did not like. However, they did not
seem to have much effect. Now I go in for
domesticity, and look after my family.'

* I am made for public life,' said the Rocket,
' and so are all my relations, even the humblest
of them. Whenever we appear we excite great
attention. I have not actually appeared myself,

253

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

but when I do so it will be a magnificent sight.
As for domesticity, it ages one rapidly, and
distracts one's mind from higher things.'

* Ah ! the higher things of life, how fine they
are ! ' said the Duck ; * and that reminds me
how hungry I feel ' : and she swam away
down the stream, saying, * Quack, quack,
quack.'

* Come back ! come back ! ' screamed the
Rocket, ' I have a great deal to say to you ' ;
but the Duck paid no attention to him. * I am
glad that she has gone,' he said to himself, ' she
has a decidedly middle-class mind'; and he
sank a little deeper still into the mud, and be-
gan to think about the loneliness of genius,
when suddenly two little boys in white smocks
came running down the bank, with a kettle
and some faggots.*

'This must be the deputation,' said the
Rocket, and he tried to look very dignified.

' Hallo ! ' cried one of the boys, * look at this
old stick ! I wonder how it came here ' ; and he
picked the Rocket out of the ditch.

' OLD Stick ! ' said the Rocket, * impossible !
GOLD Stick, that is what he said. Gold Stick
is very complimentary. In fact, he mistakes me
for one of the Court dignitaries ! '
254

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

* Let us put it into the fire 1 ' said the other
boy, 'it will help to boil the kettle.'

So they piled the faggots together, and put
the Rocket on top, and lit the fire.

' This is magnificent,' cried the Rocket ; ' they
are going to let me off in broad daylight, so
that every one can see me.'

' We will go to sleep now,' they said, ' and
when we wake up the kettle will be boiled ' ;
and they lay down on the grass, and shut their
eyes. .

The Rocket was very damp, so he took a
long time to burn. At last, however, the fire
caught him.

' Now I am going off ! ' he cried, and he
made himself very stiff and straight. * I know
I shall go much higher than the stars, much
higher than the moon, much higher than the
sun. In fact, I shall go so high that '

Fizz ! Fizz ! Fizz ! and he went straight up
into the air.

* Delightful '.' he cried, 'I shall go on like
this for ever. What a success I am ! '

But nobody saw him.

Then he began to feel a curious tingling
sensation all over him.

' Now I am going to explode,' he cried. * I

255

THE REMARKABLE ROCKET

shall set the whole world on fire, and make such
a noise that nobody will talk about anything
else for a whole year.' And he certainly did
explode. Bang ! Bang ! Bang ! went the gun-
powder. There was no doubt about it.

But nobody heard him, not even the two little
boys, for they were sound asleep.

Then all that was left of him was the stick,
and this fell down on the back of a Goose who
was taking a walk by the side of the ditch.

* Good heavens ! ' cried the Goose. * It is
going to rain sticks ' ; and she rushed into the
water.

*I knew I should create a great sensation,'
gasped the Rocket, and he went out.

Printed by T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty
at the Edinburgh University Press

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