the rock walls, or ripples in caressing waves under summer skies, we
will turn; for children have been born on that rugged shore, scenting
the heather and wild thyme with their first breath.
"On the island of Iona, near Port St. Ronain, there once lived a good
man, who had three strong sons, and two ruddy, blue-eyed daughters. One
thing troubled him: little Neil, his nephew, did not thrive so well;
for he was a cripple, and it saddened the uncle's heart to see the boy
droop and pine away.
"Little Neil was an orphan; and he missed a good mother so much, that he
was not happy, like his sturdy cousins. He could never run along the
stretch of white sand, flecked with quartz and shells from the Ross of
Mull. No: he could only creep painfully to the brink of the green,
crystal waters, to peep into their clear depths; or climb to some higher
eminence, and watch the sea-birds in their rapid flight, the distant
outline of cliffs shining in the sunlight, and the light breeze curling
the waves crisply about the bows of many a little craft that skimmed
over the azure sea only to melt into the hazy distance.
"Neil loved the ocean and the sky above it, embracing between them his
island home. Everybody thought him a strange child, and this naturally
gave him very bitter feelings: it seemed to him he should like so much
to be his cousin Angus, who hunted the otter and tended the sheep,
sleeping many a night upon the open hillside, wrapped in his plaid.
"The lame child had never been at school; yet he had heard the
traditions of his home often related about the winter fireside. He had
heard the grandeur of Fingal's Cave described; the stone cairn that
marks the last resting-place of the Scandinavian woman, whose wish it
was to be buried in the pathway of the Norway wind; and the castle of
Duart, where a lord of the isles left his wife to be overwhelmed by the
rising tide. Then, too, he had shuddered with fear over many a tale of
ghosts and goblins haunting ruined houses; for the Scotch people are
superstitious.
"The great day of the year arrived, and all the cousins went to the fair
held at Broadford, on the Isle of Skye. Little Neil had once been there,
to see the women with smart caps and scarlet tartans grouped about their
cows and sheep, while the men and boys passed in restless, changing
crowds; but the noise and bustle wearied him, so he remained at home.
"Now I am coming to the real matter of the story: the kernel shall be
ready for your appetite, if you have but the patience to crack the
shell. We will see what kind of entertainment was prepared for the
lonely cripple, who told his thoughts to no one, and chose the
whispering winds for companions.
"When the sun sank over the broad ocean, little Neil sought a favorite
nook in which to watch the long day die. Fainter grew the rich hues of
the western sky, more distant the line of rocks, here outlined in creamy
whiteness, there abruptly riven by some black precipice, until Neil
fancied strange forms were flitting about the bases of the cliffs, and
rose to go; but he was stayed by a curious sight. The sea was glimmering
with a phosphorescent light, and the waves that broke upon the shore
were gemmed with globules of living fire, which melted away almost
imperceptibly into rosy shades. The boy had often seen the ocean thus
illuminated; but his gaze was attracted to a certain point, where the
brilliancy centred in a wave of beautiful transparency, through which
glittered emerald and golden flashes, appearing and disappearing in
rapid succession, until Neil was dazzled by the splendid sight.
"The wave throne upreared slowly, creamed over, and deposited at the
boy's feet a casket of delicate frost-work, glittering with a wonderful
radiance. Neil reached forward and touched it, when the lid flew open,
disclosing four silver peaches, resting in separate filigree spaces of
the same precious metal. Across the fruit lay a small case-knife, the
handle studded with precious stones, and the diamond blade wearing a
keen edge.
"'This casket contains four wishes, from which you may choose. They are
the gifts of the Wind Sisters,' said a water spirit; then sank in a
circle of foam bubbles.
"In the sky appeared a ring of blended colors, which descended rapidly,
taking the form of four globes,--one rose pink, one gold, one green, and
the last pale blue. The radiance of these globes of light spread far
over the ocean. They parted slowly as they neared him, the outline of
the separate forms melted into soft masses, and upon the vapor rested
the Wind Sisters.
"The South Wind, whose misty chariot took the shape of a magnolia
blossom with pink-tinted petals half-opened, shook her rosy mantle, and
a breath of balmy perfume was wafted to Neil, like the scent of a garden
after a summer shower.
"The East Wind floated on a couch of golden cloud, her black hair waving
over a fleecy amber robe down to her sandalled feet, while her presence
breathed a richer odor than the delicate fragrance of the southern
sister: it came from spice-groves and orange-trees.
"The West Wind stood erect upon her throne of emerald, her fair head
bound with ivy tendrils, her green mantle fluttering sparkling breaths
of health, flower-scented too, with the violet and anemone, and in her
eyes a promise not found in those of her languid companions. Lastly, on
the right rested the North Wind, her stately form supported on
snowy-white pinnacle and fret-work of vapor, sharply defined as the ice
cliffs that frown upon the Polar Sea. She wafted little Neil no perfume
of flower or shrub from her lily draperies; yet he felt a keener joy
kindle in his heart at the frosty stillness of her presence, than when
the others lavished their treasures upon his senses.
"'Open the first peach,' commanded the North Wind in a grave, stern
voice.
"Neil raised the fruit, divided it, and found it to be lined with pure
gold.
"'I can give you wealth,' said the East Wind, in a rich, soft voice.
'Look!'
"A scroll of mist rolled from her chariot to the surface of the water,
taking the form of a mirror as it expanded; and upon the polished
surface little Neil fixed his eyes.
"First there appeared a garden, the like of which the Highland boy had
never dreamed of. Upon lawns of velvet smoothness rose wonderful
trees,--the palm, towering into feathery crests; the lemon, drooping a
grateful shade of snowy blossoms; and the palmetto,--all interlaced by
climbing plants. In this delightful retreat, wearing robes of satin, and
reclining upon magnificent carpets, within hearing of trickling streams
or the twitter of brilliant birds, was a man resembling Neil's own self.
Servants flitted about him, bearing flagons of sherbet, or held tempting
fruits in their cool leaves,--the delicious pomegranate and juicy date;
while grave men, slaves only to his wealth, bowed in homage.
"The scene melted gradually into a palace of splendid appearance, where
Neil still held a place, his turban spangled with diamond, his pipe-stem
encrusted with emeralds, and the dagger hilt, half concealed in a
Cashmere sash, glistened with amethyst and carbuncle. From the lofty
hall, vaulted passages and pavilion extended, each more rich in
coloring, more gorgeous in ornament, than the last; while beyond a
balustrade of delicately carved marble sloped a terrace, blooming with
roses and jasmine vines. Again the rich man was surrounded by servile
homage and flattery; but Neil saw he was nothing but a cripple, after
all.
"The East Wind sat in her couch of sunshine, with a triumphant smile
upon her dark face.
"'Ah! it is all very grand, lady,' said Neil sadly; 'only must I be lame
still?'
"'Yes.'
"'What good would the riches do me, then, with the pain also?'
"'Much good. Think of the power you can wield. The whole world would
open her countless treasures. You could obtain knowledge; you could see
every thing that is beautiful or interesting; and you could relieve the
needy by your bounty. Better be a rich cripple than a poor one.'
"Little Neil thought so, too; but he concluded to cut another peach
before he decided the question. He did so; and the interior of the
second was lined with crystals of great brilliancy, that shimmered in
points of light like a rainbow prism, yet their gleam was cold as ice.
"'I can give you fame,' said the West Wind in musical tones. 'Look!'
"She unfurled her green mantle, which grew into a mirror like the
previous one, only of an intense, steely brightness. Neil saw a range of
mountains, snow-capped, their steep slopes skirted by pine-trees; while
far below spread a sunny landscape, ripening vineyard, tracts of waving
grain, and olive-groves. Through the narrow defiles, down the
precipitous heights, hewing a passage for their clumsy elephants by fire
and vinegar, came an army, and in their midst moved a man, the master
spirit of it all.
"'Hannibal,' whispered the West Wind.
"The picture changed to a succession of views,--battle-fields swathed in
smoke; soldiers moving across the plain, their arms glittering in the
sunlight, their banners fluttering; a city burning in wreaths of flame
against a northern sky; a nation crowning their chief with laurels.
"'Napoleon,' whispered the West Wind again.
"Then the boy saw travellers exploring unknown regions, statesmen and
authors toiling over vast schemes.
"'Could I be like these, lady?' he asked.
"'Yes.'
"'Would I be happy?'
"'That is for you to decide. Fame is a greater gift than that of my
sister here: any fool can be rich. But every man cannot have what these
men possessed, because God gave them what gold never can buy,' said the
West Wind, her proud eyes brightening.
"'I should only be a cripple, and men would laugh at me,' sighed Neil,
taking up the third peach, and opening it.
"The lining was composed of opals, quivering in tremulous rays of purple
and pink more beautiful than words can describe.
"'I can grant you the love of all,' said the South Wind, in a voice like
the chime of silver bells. 'Look!'
"Her scarf floated downward a mirror still retaining a rosy tinge, that
was a relief to the eye after the glitter of fame's glass, or the golden
haze of wealth's vision.
"Neil saw himself on the river bank, surrounded by children, some
playing games, and others reading in the shade. Upon his shoulder
perched a white dove, which appeared to whisper wise counsel in his ear;
for, whenever dispute arose among his companions, he quieted their anger
by soothing words.
"Again Neil saw himself a young man, traversing the suburbs of a great
city, where gardens bloomed with purple grapes, peaches, and golden
pears. The dove rested upon his head, seeming to attract other birds
that perched on Neil's hand to preen their feathers. Sleek-crested
horses tossed their manes at his approach, and the dogs crouched to be
caressed. As he entered the crowded streets, children laughed, fair
women smiled; and on every face was a kindly greeting for the man with
the invisible dove.
"Lastly, Neil saw himself a very old man, seated before the open door,
as the sun was setting in the west. About him were gathered kind friends
ministering to his wants, the little ones weaving a crown of tender lily
sprays to place upon his head; but the dove, instead of perching upon
his shoulder, as it had done when a boy, now hovered afar, ready to take
flight. The journey of life was almost over.
"'Dear South Wind, let me have this wish,' cried Neil eagerly.
"'You shall have it. Who can live without love?'
"He was so sure of liking this gift, that he pushed aside the casket,
and the last peach rolled on the ground.
"'Wait,' said the North Wind, 'until you know my gift. I am not sure you
will prefer it; still you must decide.'
"Neil severed the peach, and in it were reflected the fleeting shadows
of angel forms.
"'I can grant immortality,' said the North Wind, holding up a shield of
pure ice, and Neil saw a strange spectacle.
"He beheld a vast amphitheatre, crowded with cruel, hard-featured
people, all watching eagerly a boy standing in the arena alone, yet
wearing on his upturned face a light that shone upon none of the heathen
about him. Above him poised an angel, whispering words of encouragement,
as a handsome tiger sprang into the circle from an iron gateway, and
approached the boy with crouching, stealthy step. The tiger made a
sudden leap, the heathen crowd shouted, and _two_ angels winged their
way above the palaces and temples of Rome.
"Next there rolled a dark stream across the mirror, bearing upon the
current a woman, with hands roughly bound together. Dark figures loomed
against the eastern sky, watching her; but another watcher was there
also,--the same angel, shedding a radiance from her golden wings upon
the drowning head. Neil saw a great man before a haughty council,--Dr.
Martin Luther; he saw many of a humbler class teaching the poor and
ignorant, whether in the wilds of savage Africa, or the city streets, it
mattered little which; and with each hovered the angel companion.
Children, too, there were who were patient and unselfish, doing what
they could in little acts of kindness, while the angel smiled even more
tenderly upon them. Upon all their faces beamed a joy that separated
them from the world.
"'Riches do not always bring happiness,' said the North Wind. 'Fame
seldom does, and mere earthly love must fade before the presence of
death.'
"'Let me be like those you have shown me,' cried Neil, stretching out
his hands towards her.
"The other sisters rose slowly, floating south, east, and west, until
they became balls of light again; but the North Wind took the little
cripple in her sheltering arms, and bore him swiftly away. Over the sea
they went, the North Wind sweeping gracefully along; and Neil felt no
fear of her, as he had done when she stood on her cloud throne.
"At first he could see nothing but one vast expanse of water, domed by
the clear sky; then, at length, he noticed a dark line on the horizon,
which grew more distinct, and proved to be land.
"'You must begin the journey for yourself now,' said the North Wind,
alighting on the shore.
"'Oh, don't leave me!' cried the child, clinging timidly to her white
draperies.
"'Do not fear: I shall still be with you;' and then she rose above,
leading him on the path he should go. She had now become the angel that
guided the others.
"So Neil began the toilsome, painful journey. The way led across an
arid, desert waste, where waves of yellow sand glowed under the sun's
fierce heat. Neil hobbled along slowly, the hot earth scorching his
feet, the brazen sky without clouds, and the air stirring from a heavy,
pulseless stillness, into sultry wind puffs. The child might have
drooped and fainted by the road, had not the North Wind spread her cool
wings to shade him from the sun's vertical rays. She also gave him a
crystal flask of pure water, and a loaf of bread; but, although his own
lips were parched with thirst, he gave the precious draught to others
who implored the refreshment. The supply never failed; yet, when the
child looked into the flask, there never appeared to be but a few drops
remaining. So, too, with his loaf of bread. There was always more to
give when he broke a piece; yet there never seemed enough to eat any
himself.
"'Never mind,' he thought bravely. 'All these poor people have not the
North Wind to shelter them, as I have.'
"At last the desert plain ended, and Neil began to ascend a steep
mountain-side, that was clouded in a mist of snow at the summit. He
found the way still more difficult. Now he had to climb slopes smooth as
glass; now he trod a narrow ledge above a frightful precipice, where
many fell; or he was obliged to cross glaciers, where the rough points
hurt his feet, and the ice yawned treacherously about him. The cold air
whistled by; and the sleet drifted in sheets, so that he could hardly
see his way.
"The North Wind gave him a fur cloak. How deliciously warm and soft it
felt! A shivering old man came by, and Neil gave him the garment.
"'Never mind,' he thought, 'he is so old; and, besides, I have only to
look up into the North Wind's kind eyes, to be both warmed and fed.'
"Half frozen with cold, he finally descended the other side of the
mountain, to the brink of a wide river, upon the opposite side of which
bloomed a fair country.
"'You must swim the stream,' said the North Wind; so Neil plunged in
boldly. The waves curled up over his head at times; great monsters swam
towards him with fierce looks,--serpents and alligators opening their
huge jaws as if to devour him; yet he panted on until he was cast upon
the shore.
"When he awoke, Neil found himself lying upon the soft grass, near a
spring of water that gurgled from a moss-grown rock, with a pleasant
sound, and tinkled along in mimic cascades beside him. He was surrounded
by a group of fair children, who bade him drink of the spring. Neil
drank deeply, and immediately he felt a new life. His limbs were no
longer distorted, his back bowed: he was well at last.
"'Where is the North Wind?' he asked.
"The children led him to the gates of a palace, which had been before
concealed from his view.
"'We have brought another child,' said his companions; and the gates
flew open to admit them.
"In the court of the palace stood the North Wind, looking more radiant
than the sun.
"'Do you know me?' she said, kissing Neil.
"'Oh yes,' he replied joyfully. 'You are my own dear mother, who died so
long ago.'
"The North Wind was indeed his mother. Little Neil was in heaven."
The Spider heaved a deep sigh when he had finished, although his
countenance glowed with the radiance of an inborn genius. "I wish I had
ever been able to screw up my courage sufficiently to attempt
publishing any of the ideas which occupy my brain," he said.
"Why have you not?" buzzed the Wasp.
"Ah," returned the other, "who ever heard of a Spider turning author,
and walking into the office of some magazine with a manuscript under one
arm?"
"It is an age of improvement, you know," remarked the Cricket.
"I perceive you have a fine mind," said the Kettle; "only we are not
much used to considering the winds in a poetical light, especially when
they howl down the chimney winter nights."
"No, indeed," assented the Saucepan, who had been thinking of a story
for some time. "I can tell you something plain and homely enough if--"
Here the Saucepan paused, coughed, and waited to be urged.
The next evening they were ready to listen, and Saucepan began:--
GOING MAYING.
"There was a general rising, as the teacher dismissed her section, the
pupils clicking desk-lids, dropping books, and chirping like a flock of
busy swallows, as they rushed down the broad stairway to the street.
Among the crowd were two little girls, who presently detached themselves
from the rest, and entered the Common, talking earnestly. The smaller
was listening with an air of grave attention to the animated
conversation of her companion.
"'But, Nellie,' she said, with a doubtful shake of the head, as she
glanced at the bare branches of the trees, that rustled in the breeze
with rather a wintry sound, 'I think it would be too cold.'
"'Too cold!' echoed Nellie, tossing her head contemptuously; 'and pray
did you ever read of May-day being any thing but warm and lovely, with
wild-flowers, green grass, and running brooks? Nonsense, you really know
nothing about the matter here in town.'
"Finding that her prudent little schoolmate still hesitated, Miss Nellie
produced a brilliant-covered book from her satchel, which she had been
perusing behind her grammar with great relish that very morning, and so
dazzled Bessie's eyes with a pictured May-queen in white muslin and pink
ribbons, that all her scruples faded, and she agreed to an excursion
next day, in honor of the first of May.
"Accordingly, at an early hour on Saturday, without the knowledge or
consent of her parents, Bessie Morton proceeded to the house of Nellie
Wray, whom she found in a state of great excitement. With their dinner
packed in a basket, and various extra receptacles wherein to carry
flowers and other treasures they might discover, they set forth bravely.
At first little Bessie ventured to suggest the propriety of taking the
cars to some suburban town, at least; but Nellie scorned such every-day
affairs, or she pretended to, although I am inclined to the opinion
that she had not a penny in her pocket at the time, and disliked owning
to such extreme poverty. So they trudged along, swinging their baskets;
Nellie enlivening her friend by scraps of information on the topic of
spring-time, until Bessie was warmed to an equal amount of enthusiasm on
the subject. The sky was clear, the sun shone brightly; and what matter
if the wind was a trifle frosty, causing a slight purple tinge in the
tip of their noses, so long as it was May-day. Besides, in the country
it would be different. And without doubt it was. As the blocks of houses
were succeeded by scattered dwellings, the landscape became bleak: brown
earth, sprinkled here and there with tufts of grass, budding trees, and
bare shrubs, surrounded by sombre, wind-swept hills, presented a
chilling disappointment to the children.
"Nellie surveyed the scene rather blankly; then affirmed that green
valleys must be farther on. Presently she saw a little brook in a
distant meadow, and announced her firm conviction, that upon its banks
wild-flowers grew in abundance. They climbed over the fence after some
difficulty, and proceeded across the field, looking eagerly on all
sides for the coveted anemones and violets. They did not notice that at
the farther extremity of the pasture were some horses, quietly rubbing
their heads on the bars of a gate.
"Soon the ardent little botanists were searching on the bank for floral
treasures, and were rewarded by a few sparse clumps of pale,
frozen-looking violets. With an exclamation of triumph, Nellie stooped
to pluck one bunch; while Bessie, no less delighted, pounced upon
another. In the midst of these labors, as they chatted merrily over
every tiny, dew-tipped cup that reared its fragile head, they were
alarmed by a rumbling sound, that seemed to shake the very earth under
their feet. Upon raising their heads, they discovered that the horses,
with manes and tails streaming on the breeze, were scampering over the
ground, with all the graceful movements of unrestrained freedom. A
slender-limbed, fleet-footed bay led the others in circles around the
inclosure, a world of mischievous fun sparkling in his bright eye, as he
pranced and curveted along.
"The children clung together in speechless dismay, as they saw the
animals become wilder with every bound, knowing their only means of
escape was at the wall where they had entered, or the opposite gate.
While they were hesitating about what course to adopt, the leader, for
the first time apparently, noticed them, and with a wicked shake of the
head came dancing towards them. Then, without losing a moment's time,
they fled across the field, dropping flowers and gloves; conscious of
nothing but that the horses were neighing and snorting close behind
them, and that they must reach the gate soon, or be eaten alive. Nellie
arriving at it first, pushed through with frantic haste, just as the bay
thrust his nose playfully over Bessie's shoulder. Nellie rescued her
terrified companion, by dragging her over the boundary, and closing the
gate unceremoniously in their pursuer's face. With a low,
half-apologetical whinny, Master Bay began to rub his head on the bars
again, as quietly as when they had first entered his dominions.
"Still panting with fright, the young pleasure-seekers next glanced
about for a means of escape from present difficulties; only to discover
that the narrow lane they had entered led in quite an opposite direction
from the road they had left. What was to be done? They never could
attempt passing those awful horses again, and the lane must lead out
somewhere, so they would explore it. They found it turned into a
barnyard, which they decided to cross, hoping to find their way out
beyond.