"Oh that golden gate! The sun has left it open: do you see it,
beautiful lady?"
"I see it," whispered the fairy: "I am close beside you."
"Then," said Little One, fastening her dress, and putting on all the
jewels she could possibly carry, "I think I will set out at once; for,
if I make all speed, I may reach the Summer-land before that golden
gate is closed."
She pressed on, as the fairy directed, up a steep hill, her eyes
fixed on the glowing eastern sky. But, as the sun strode up higher,
the morning clouds melted away.
"Where is my golden gate?" cried the child.
"Weeping so soon?" whispered the fairy.
"Do not scold me, dear Whisper," moaned the child; "you know I have
lost my kind father and mother; and the thorns prick me; and then this
is such a lonely road; there is nobody to be seen."
The truth was, there were children gathering strawberries on the hill,
and old women digging herbs; but Little One did not see them, for she
was all the while watching the sky. But she was soon obliged to pause,
and take breath.
"Look about you," said the Whisper, "you may see some one as unhappy
as yourself."
The child looked, and saw a little girl driving a goat; while large
tears trickled down her cheeks, and moistened her tattered dress. For
a moment, Little One's heart ceased aching with its own troubles.
"What is your name, little girl?" said she: "and why do you weep?"
"My name is Poor Dorel," replied the child; "my father and mother are
long since dead; and I have nothing to eat but goat's milk and
strawberries:" and, as she spoke, the large tears started afresh.
"Poor Dorel! you are the first one I ever saw who had as much trouble
as I. I, too, have lost a father and mother."
"Were they a king and queen?" asked Dorel, wiping her eyes, and gazing
at Little One's beautiful dress and glittering ornaments.
"They loved me dearly," replied Little One sadly; "yet I never heard
that they were king and queen. Come with me, darling Dorel! I never
before saw any one who was hungry. Come with me! I live in a country
where there is food enough for everybody."
"Where is that?" said Dorel, eagerly.
"I do not quite know, little girl; but it is not in the bosom of the
earth, and it is not in the sun-bright deep: so I suppose it is over
the hills, and far away."
"Now I know who you are," said Dorel. "You are the _lost sylphid_; and
people say you have travelled all over the world. But, if you do not
know the way home, pray how can you tell which road to take?"
"Oh! I have a guide,--a beautiful fairy, called Whisper: she shows me
every step of the way. I wish you would go too, little Dorel!"
"I think I will not, little Sylphid; for, if you have only a Whisper
for a guide, I do not believe you will ever get there; but, oh, you
are very, very beautiful!"
"If you will not go," said Little One, "let me, at least, give you a
few of my jewels: you can sell them for bread."
So saying, she took from her girdle some turquoise ornaments, and
placed them in Dorel's hand with a kiss which had her whole heart in
it.
"Now I love you," said Dorel; "but more for the kiss than any thing
else; and I am going before you to cut down the thorns that shoot out
by the wayside. I am a little mountain-girl, and know how to use the
pruning-knife."
Little One danced for joy. She found she could now walk with wonderful
ease; for not only were there no more sharp thorns to prick her, but
her heart was also full of a new love, which made the whole world look
beautiful.
"You see the way is growing easier," said the Whisper.
"Pour out thy love like the rush of a river,
Wasting its waters forever and ever."
"So I will," said Little One. "Is there any one else to love?"
By and by she met an old woman, bent nearly double, and picking up dry
sticks with trembling hands.
"Poor woman!" said Little One: "I am going to love you."
"Dear me!" said the old crone, dropping her sticks, and looking up
with surprise in every wrinkle: "you don't mean _me_? Why, my heart is
all dried up."
"Then you need to be loved all the more," cried Little One heartily.
The poor woman laughed; but, at the same time, brushed a tear from
her eye with the corner of her apron.
"I thought," said Little One, "I was the only unhappy one in the
world: it seemed a pity my heart should ache so much; but, oh, I would
rather have it ache than be dried up!"
"I suppose you never were beaten," said the old woman; "you were never
pelted with whizzing stones?"
"Indeed I never, never was!" replied Little One, greatly shocked by
the question.
"By your costly dress, I know you never were so poor as to be always
longing for food. Let me tell you, my good child, when one is beaten
and scolded, and feels cold all winter, and hungry all summer, it is
no wonder one's heart dries up!"
Little One threw her arms about the old woman's neck. "Let me help
you pick sticks!" said she; "you are too old for hard work; your hands
tremble too much."
Swiftly gathering up a load of fagots, she put them together in a
bundle.
"Now, how many jewels shall I give her?" thought the child. "She must
never want for food again."
"How many?" echoed the Whisper.
"Give as the morning that flows out of heaven:
Give as the free air and sunshine are given."
"Then she shall have half," said Little One in great glee. "Here, poor
woman, take these sapphires and rubies and diamonds, and never be
hungry again!"
"Heavenly child!" said the stranger, laying her wasted hand on the
sylphid's bright head, and blessing her, "it is little except thanks
that an old creature like me can give; yet may be you will not scorn
this pair of little shoes: they are strong, and, when you have to step
on the sharp mountain-rocks, they will serve you well."
Little One's delicate slippers were already much worn, and she gladly
exchanged them for the goat-skin shoes; but, strange to relate, no
sooner had she done so than she found herself flitting over rocks and
rough places with perfect ease, and at such speed, that, when she
looked back, in a moment, she had already left the old woman far
behind, and out of sight. They were magical shoes; but, no matter how
fast they skimmed over the ground, Dorel, out of pure love, continued
to go before, talking and laughing and smoothing the way.
One by one Little One sold her jewels to buy bread, which she shared
with all the needy she chanced to meet. After many days there
remained but one gem; and she wept because she had no more to give.
But, through her tears, she now, for the first time, fancied she could
see the spires and turrets of her beautiful home, though, as yet, very
far off.
"How fast I have come!" said she, laughing with delight. "But for
these magical shoes, and Dorel's pruning-knife, I should have been
even now struggling at the foot of the hill."
Then she looked down at her torn dress.
"What a sad plight I am in! no one will know me when I get home!"
"Never fear!" said the fairy: "you are sure to be welcome."
Little One now held up her last jewel in the sunlight, while a
starving boy looked at it with eager eyes.
"Take it!" said she, weeping with the tenderest pity. "I only wish
it were a diamond instead of a ruby,--a diamond as large as my heart!"
[Illustration: THE LOST SYLPHID. Page 95.]
The boy blessed her with a tremulous voice. Little One pressed on,
singing softly to herself, till she came to a frightful chasm, full of
water.
"How shall I ever cross it!" she cried in alarm.
"May I help you, fair Sylphid?" said the grateful boy to whom she had
given her last jewel. "I can make a bridge in the twinkling of an
eye."
So saying, he threw across the roaring torrent a film which looked as
frail as any spider's web.
"It will bear you," said the Whisper: "do not be afraid!"
So Little One ventured upon the gossamer bridge, which was to the eye
as delicate as mist; but to the feet as strong as adamant. She hushed
her fears, and walked over it with a stout heart.
Now, she was on the borders of the Summer-land. Here were the turrets
and spires, the soft white clouds, the green fields, and sunny
streams. Instantly her long-lost wings appeared again; and she spread
them like a happy bird, and flew home. Oh, it was worth years of
longing and pain! She was held in tender embraces, and kissed lovingly
by well-remembered friends. To her great surprise and delight, her
father and mother were both there--they had arrived at the Summer-land
while seeking their Little One.
"Now I know," said her father, "that my daughter was not dreaming when
she longed for her remembered home."
Little One looked at her soiled dress; but the stains had disappeared;
and, most wonderful! all the jewels she had worn on her neck and
arms, and in her girdle, were there yet, burning with increased
brilliancy. Little One gazed again, and counted to see if any were
missing. Yes: two she had sold for bread were not there. It was the
jewels she had _given away_ which had come back in some mysterious
manner and were more resplendent than before.
"Ah!" said she, with a beaming smile, "now I know what it means when
they say, 'All you give, you will carry with you.' It was delightful
to scatter my gems by the wayside; but I did not think they would all
be given back to me when I reached home!"
Then, intwining arms with a bright sylphid, she flew with her over the
gardens in a trance of delight.
"Here," said Little One, "is my own dear garden. I remember the border
and the paths right well; but it never bore such golden fruit, it
never glowed with such beautiful flowers."
"Your fairy, the one you call Whisper, has taken care of it for your
sake," said the sister sylphid. "Do you know that those flowers, and
those trees with fruit like 'bonny beaten gold,' have been watered by
your tears, Little One? It is in this way they have attained their
matchless beauty and grace."
"_My tears_, little sister?"
"Yes, your tears. Every one you shed upon earth, your fairy most
carefully preserved; and see what wonders have been wrought!"
"If I had known that," said Little One clapping her hands, "I would
have been _glad_ of all my troubles! I would have smiled through my
tears!"
Now I know no more than I have told of this story of the Lost
Sylphid. I tell the tale as 'twas told to me; and I wish, with all my
heart, it were true.