THE FAIRY'S STORY
"I promised you a story," said the little voice, to his ear again.
"Yes, I know you did; can you tell it now?"
"To be sure I can, if I only have time. I did not bring any of my
people to-night; they are helping some of the herb elves. It is a little
late in the season, and some blossoms have been slow in opening, so that
we have to urge them."
"How?" asked Phil.
"By coaxing and persuasion for some of them; others we have to blow upon
quite forcibly."
"I am ready for the story when you are," said Phil.
"It is a wild affair, and one that all children might not care to hear;
but to you, I fancy, nothing comes amiss."
"No, I like almost everything," said Phil.
"I shall begin just as my grandmother used to. Once upon a time, in the
days of enchantment, there was a dreadful old ogre--"
"Do not make him too dreadful, or I shall have bad dreams," interrupted
Phil.
The fairy laughed and flapped her little wings. "Now you must not be
afraid; it will all come out right in the end. When I said the ogre was
dreadful, I meant he was ugly-looking; we fairies like everything
beautiful. Shall I go on?"
"Oh yes, and please forgive me for stopping you."
[Illustration: THE APPROACH OF THE SWANLIKE BOAT]
"This ogre was ugly, with a shaggy head, a shaggy beard, and fierce
eyes, and he lived all by himself in a great stone castle on the shore
of a large lake. His principal pleasure consisted in tormenting
everything and everybody he came near; but if he had any preference, it
was for boys; to tease and ill-use them had the power of affording him
great happiness. Lazy, loitering little fellows were in especial danger,
for he would catch them quite easily by throwing over their head's the
nets he used in fishing, drag them off to his castle, and keep them in a
dungeon until there would be no chance of discovery, and the boys'
parents would think them lost forever. Thus he would gain a very useful,
active set of laborers for a stone wall he was building, for so afraid
were they of his displeasure, and so fearful that they might be starved,
since the only food they received was dried and salted fish, that these
boys worked like bees in a hive, only it was a sullen, painful sort of
working, for they never sang or shouted, whistled or talked, and they
were thin and wretched, and more like machines than boys.
"Now in this lake, on the shore of which was the ogre's castle, was an
island, where lived a Princess whom the ogre had bewitched, but who had
also regained her liberty, and near whom the ogre could never again
come; even to land on her island or bathe in the water near would at
once change him into a shark.
"This Princess, passing the ogre's castle in her beautiful swan-like
sailing-boat, had seen the unhappy little boys at work on the stone
wall; her sympathies had been aroused at so sad a sight, and she
determined to wait her chance, and do what she could to relieve them.
The chance came one day when the ogre had gone on a fishing excursion,
from which he would not return till night. He had given the boys their
rations of salt fish, and had commanded them in the gruffest tones to be
sure and do an unusual amount of work in his absence, or they should all
have chains on again; for when they were first caught he always chained
them for fear they might try to escape; but they so soon lost all spirit
and all desire for freedom that their chains were removed to enable them
to work more easily.
"He had no sooner disappeared in his great clumsy craft, laden with
seines and harpoons, and baskets and jugs, than a whispering began
among the boys, a sad sort of sighing and crying, almost like the
whispering of wind in the tree-tops, which changed again to looks and
glances of surprise as a beautiful vessel with silken sails floated up
to the wharf, and a lovely, gracious-looking lady clothed in white
stepped from the boat, and came rapidly towards them.
"'Boys,' said she, addressing them in a very soft, sweet voice, 'I have
come to release you from this cruel bondage; will you trust me, and go
with me?'
"'Yes, yes,' came from more than a dozen little tongues.
"'Come, then, at once. Drop your work, get into my boat, and we will be
off. We have no time to lose, for your cruel master might possibly
change his course and overtake us; then we should be in great danger.'
"The boys crowded about her, and with a wild cry followed her to her
little vessel, and almost tumbled into it in their delight. It was with
some difficulty that she kept them balanced, and prevented their falling
out; but once packed, there were so many of them that they could not
move. The vessel seemed to start of itself; its sails swelled out and
spread themselves like wings, and away they dashed over the rippling
waves, which rose and fell and hurried them on their way. The ogre's
castle was quickly left far behind, and the tired boys breathed more
freely as it disappeared entirely from their view. In another minute
they fell fast asleep, and did not waken till the motion of the boat
ceased, and they found themselves gliding into a quiet harbor, fringed
on each side with lovely shrubs that dipped their beautiful flowers into
the calm water. Then the lady bade them follow her as she stepped from
the boat on to the soft grass, and led them past fruits and flowers, and
winding walks and fountains, up to the dazzling crystal palace in which
she lived. Here the boys were halted while she made them this little
speech: 'Boys, this is my home, these are my gardens; for a while you
will have to remain here. We may have trouble with the ogre, but I want
you to have no trouble among yourselves. Kindness, good-humor, pleasant
looks and words, must prevail. There must be no envy, no selfishness, no
desire to get the better of each other in any way. I demand obedience.
If I receive it, all will be well; if I do not, you will have to suffer
the consequence. Now I have said all that I need. These flowers, these
fruits, are yours to enjoy in moderation.'
"As she ceased speaking she clapped her hands, and a troop of servants
appeared. They led the boys to marble baths, where waters gushed and
flowed in liquid beauty, and groves of orange-trees made a dense thicket
about them. Here each boy was made sweet and clean, and provided with a
suit of white clothes. When they emerged from the baths, they saw before
them on the lawn tables filled with tempting food--roasted meats,
broiled birds, pitchers of milk and cream, biscuits and jellies and
ices.
"The utmost order prevailed. Starved as the poor boys were, the grace
and beauty of their surroundings made them gentle and patient. At each
plate was a tiny nose-gay held in the beak of a crystal bird, the body
of which was a finger-bowl. Every plate was of exquisite workmanship.
Some had birds of gay plumage; some had fierce tigers' heads or
shaggy-maned lions; others bore designs of tools or curious instruments;
but that which most delighted the boys was a dish of crystal, an exact
imitation of the _Swan_--the _Fairy Swan_--in which they had sailed
to this lovely island. It was laden with choice fruits. While the
boys feasted as they had never before, strains of sweet music became
audible; they could also hear the soft splash of the waves on the shore,
or the dripping of fountains, as the waters sparkled and fell in their
marble basins.
"After they had feasted, the boys wandered off in most delightful
idleness to all parts of the island. They climbed the trees, which bore
blossoms, fruits, and nuts, all at the same time; they fished in the
little coves; they waded in the shallow basins; and nothing would have
marred their happiness had not one tall boy, with unnaturally strong and
keen vision, declared that he saw the ogre's sail coming in the
direction of the island.
"This was terrible, and had the effect of bringing all the boys together
from their various amusements, just as chickens run from a hovering
hawk. Together they crowded for a moment in mute dismay, unable to
speak, to even hide, waiting the approach of their cruel foe.
"Nearer came the sail, and now they could all discern it. Its great
clumsy shape, its heavy lumbering action, were not to be mistaken.
"What should they do?
"'Run for the Princess,' said one.
"'Too cowardly, that,' said another; and indeed their good, abundant
meal had begun to put strange courage in their little hearts.
"'Let's meet him, and fight him,' said one.
"'Let's upset his boat,' said another.
"'How?'
"'By pelting him with stones when he comes near enough.'
"'Good!' cried they all; and they began gathering all the bits of rock
and pebbles they could find.
"Now came a roar of ogreish rage from the boat as it neared them.
"'I'll have ye again!' screamed the ogre.
"Then began the attack--a volley of small stones, nuts, fruits, anything
they had in their pockets.
"One of the ogre's eyes was closed, so certain had been the aim of the
tall boy who acted as leader.
"But the boat came nearer, and they were very much afraid the ogre
would leap from it, when one of the boys whispered, 'I'll go out to
tempt him. Once get him in the water, and he's a goner. He'll be
bewitched.'
"So he off with his jacket, and out he waded, while the others looked on
in breathless admiration.
"The ogre looked with his one eye in eager derision; then forgetting his
danger, and regarding the boy much as he might do an unwary fish that he
would gobble up, he sprang from his boat into the shallow water,
preparing not only to snatch the one boy, but to seize them all in a
great seine he dragged after him, when suddenly the waves from the
centre of the lake began hissing and seething, a tremendous swell set in
towards the shore, driving the brave little fellow who had gone out to
tempt the enemy completely off his legs, and obliging him to swim to the
land, which he had no sooner reached than a great shout from all the
boys made him look back, when, lo and behold! there was no ogre, only a
great shark, with open jaws and a shining row of teeth, floundering
about, and dashing himself in angry transports against the sides of the
ogre boat, which he vainly attempted to board. And now could be seen
swarms of little fish attacking the great one, darting hither and
thither, now at his head, now at his tail, but keeping well away from
his open jaws. And the waves began to be colored with the shark's blood.
At last, wearied and wounded, with an angry snap of his jaws he dived
down, and was seen no more.
"Then the boys gave another loud huzza, when, like a broad flash of
sunshine, the lovely Princess came among them.
"'Boys,' said she, 'you have proved yourselves brave youngsters. The
ogre can never again trouble you. He will be a shark for three thousand
years, and he will not care to stay in these waters, with so many
enemies about him. Now, when you have regained your good looks and
strength, I will take you all home. Here is the key to my sweetmeat
closet. Run off, now, and have a good time.'
"The sweetmeat closet was a large enclosure where grew sugar-almond
trees, candied pears, candied plums, and where even the bark and twigs
of trees and bushes were of chocolate. In the centre was a pond of
quivering jelly. Mounds and pyramids of jumbles and iced cakes
abounded. They were too tempting to be long looked at without tasting,
and the boys helped themselves gladly.
"A long, sweet strain from a bugle called them away from this delightful
spot, and on a broad, smooth field they found bats and balls, tenpins
and velocipedes--in short, everything a boy could want to play with.
"After this they supped in simple fashion, each boy with only a great
bowl of bread and milk. Then to more music they were marched to their
beds--downy white nests, in a great room arched with glass, through
which they could see the moon and stars shining, and where the dawn
could awaken them with its early light.
"Such was their life for two of the most happy weeks of their lives, and
never did boys thrive better. They grew fat and rosy; they sang, they
danced, they played. Every time the Princess came among them they
shouted with glee, and nearly cracked their young throats in doing her
honor. But all fine things come to an end some time. Once more they were
packed in the _Fairy Swan_, and away they sailed for the land of reality
and for home. The Princess gave them each a beautiful portrait of
herself, of the island, and of the _Swan_. And each boy promised that
whenever he had a chance to perform a kind action he would do it in
remembrance of the gentle courtesy of the Princess. And so ends my fairy
story. Good-night, Phil."
"Good-night. Oh, how nice it was! I thank you so much!" and sleepy Phil
turned to see the little white butterfly wings skimming out of the
window, while a long, sweet sigh came from his wind harp, sounding like,
"Good-night--good-night," again.