THE IMMORTAL FOUNTAIN
Inancient times two little Princesses lived in Scotland, one of whom was extremely beautiful, and the other dwarfish, dark-coloured, and deformed. One was named Rose, and the other Marion.
The sisters did not live happily together. Marion hated Rose because the latter was handsome and everybody praised her. So Marion scowled and her face grew absolutely black when anybody asked her how her pretty little sister was. And once she was so wicked and jealous that she cut off all Rose’s glossy golden hair, and threw it in the fire. Poor Rose cried bitterly about it, but she did not scold or strike her sister, for she was an amiable and gentle little being.
No wonder, then, that all the family and all the neighbours disliked Marion; and no wonder that her face grew uglier and uglier every day. But the neighbours used to say that Rose had been blessed by the Fairies, to whom she owed her extraordinary beauty and goodness.
Not far from the castle where the Princesses resided was a deep grotto, said to lead to the Palace of Beauty where the Queen of the Fairiesheld her Court. Some said that Rose had fallen asleep there one day when she was tired of chasing a butterfly, and that the Queen had dipped her in an Immortal Fountain, from which she had risen with the beauty of an angel. Marion often asked Rose about this story, but the child always replied that she was forbidden to speak of it. When Rose saw any uncommon bird or butterfly, she would exclaim: “Oh, how much that looks like Fairyland!” But when asked what she knew about Fairyland, she blushed and would not answer.
Marion thought a great deal about this. “Why can I not go to the Palace of Beauty?” thought she. “And why may I not bathe in the Immortal Fountain?”
One Summer’s noon, when all was still save the faint twitterings of birds and the lazy hum of bees, Marion entered the deep grotto. She sat down on a bank of moss. The air around her was as fragrant as if it came from a bed of violets. And with the far-off sound of music in her ears, she fell into a gentle slumber.
When she awoke it was evening, and she found herself in a small hall, where opal pillars supported a rainbow roof, the bright reflection of which rested on crystal walls and on a golden floor inlaid with pearls. All around, between the opal pillars, stood the tiniest vases of pure alabaster,in which grew a multitude of brilliant and fragrant flowers; some of which, twining around the pillars, were lost in the floating rainbow above. This scene of beauty was lighted by millions of fireflies glittering in the air like wandering stars.
While Marion was gazing in amazement at all this, a little lady of rare loveliness stood before her. Her robe was of green and gold. Her flowing gossamer mantle was caught upon one shoulder with a pearl, and in her hair was a solitary star composed of five diamonds, each no bigger than a pin point. She smiled at Marion and sang:—
“The Fairy QueenHath rarely seenCreature of earthly mouldWithin her doorOn pearly floorInlaid with shining gold!Mortal, all thou seest is fair!Quick! Thy purposes declare!”
“The Fairy QueenHath rarely seenCreature of earthly mouldWithin her doorOn pearly floorInlaid with shining gold!Mortal, all thou seest is fair!Quick! Thy purposes declare!”
“The Fairy Queen
Hath rarely seen
Creature of earthly mould
Within her door
On pearly floor
Inlaid with shining gold!
Mortal, all thou seest is fair!
Quick! Thy purposes declare!”
As she concluded, the song was taken up and thrice repeated by a multitude of soft voices in the distance. It seemed as if birds and insects joined in the chorus; and ever and anon between the pauses, the sound of a cascade was heard, whose waters fell in music.
All these delightful sounds died away, and the Queen of the Fairies stood patiently awaitingMarion’s answer. Curtsying low, and with a trembling voice, the little maiden said:—
“Will it please Your Majesty to make me as handsome as my sister Rose?”
The Queen smiled again. “I will grant your request,” said she, “if you will promise to fulfil all the conditions I propose.”
Marion eagerly promised that she would.
“The Immortal Fountain,” continued the Queen, “is on the top of a high, steep hill. At four different places Fairies are stationed around it, who guard it with their wands. None can pass except those who obey my orders. Go home now. For one week speak no ungentle word to your sister. At the end of that time come again to the grotto.”
Marion went home light of heart. Rose was in the garden, watering flowers. And the first thing Marion observed was that her sister’s sunny hair had grown as long and beautiful as before it was cut off. The sight made her angry, and she was just about to snatch the watering-pot from Rose’s hand with cross words, when she remembered the Fairy, and passed into the castle in silence.
The end of the week arrived, and Marion had faithfully kept her promise. Again she entered the grotto. The Queen was feasting when Marion reached the hall with opal pillars. Thebees had brought, as a gift, golden honey, and placed it on small rose-coloured shells which adorned a crystal table. Bright butterflies floated about the head of the Queen, and fanned her with their wings. Fireflies flew near to give her light. And a large diamond beetle formed her footstool. After she had supped, a dew-drop on a violet petal was brought her to bathe her royal fingers.
Behind the Queen’s chair hovered numerous bright Fairies, but when Marion entered the diamond sparkles on their wings faded as they always do in the presence of anything bad. And in a second all the Queen’s attendants vanished, singing as they went:—
“The Fairy QueenHath rarely seenCreature of mortal mouldWithin her doorOn pearly floorInlaid with shining gold!”
“The Fairy QueenHath rarely seenCreature of mortal mouldWithin her doorOn pearly floorInlaid with shining gold!”
“The Fairy Queen
Hath rarely seen
Creature of mortal mould
Within her door
On pearly floor
Inlaid with shining gold!”
“Mortal, have you fulfilled your promise?” asked the Queen.
“I have,” replied the maiden.
“Then follow me.”
Marion did as she was directed, and away they hastened over beds of Violets and Mignonette. Birds sang, butterflies fluttered, and the voices of many fountains came on the breeze.
Presently they reached the hill on the top ofwhich was the Immortal Fountain. The foot of the hill was surrounded by a band of Fairies clothed in green gossamer, and with their ivory wands crossed to bar the ascent. The Queen waved her wand over them, and immediately they stretched their transparent wings and flew away.
The hill was steep, and far, far up climbed the Queen and Marion. The air became more and more fragrant; and more and more distinctly they heard the sound of waters falling in music. At length they were stopped by another band of Fairies, clothed in blue gossamer, with silver wands crossed.
“Here,” said the Queen, “our journey must end. You can go no farther until you have fulfilled the orders I shall give you. Go home now. For one month do by your sister as you would wish her to do by you, if you were Rose and she Marion.”
Marion promised and departed. She found the task harder than the first had been. When Rose asked her for playthings, she found it hard to give them gently and affectionately. When Rose talked to her, she wanted to go away in silence. And when a pocket mirror was found in her sister’s room, broken into a thousand pieces, she felt sorely tempted to conceal that she had done the mischief. But she was so anxious to be madebeautiful that she did as she wished to be done by·
All the household remarked how Marion had changed.
“I love her dearly!” said Rose; “she is so good and amiable.”
“So do I!” said a dozen voices.
Marion blushed deeply, and her eyes sparkled with pleasure. “How pleasant it is to be loved!” thought she.
At the end of the month she went to the grotto again. Again the Fairy Queen conducted her up the hill, and this time the Fairies in blue lowered their silver wands and flew away. The two travelled on, higher and higher. The path grew steeper and steeper, but the fragrant air became more delicious, and more distinctly was heard the sound of waters falling in music.
At length their course was stayed by a troop of Fairies clothed in rainbow robes, and holding silver wands tipped with gold. In face and form they were far more beautiful than anything Marion had yet seen.
“Here we must pause,” said the Queen. “This boundary you cannot yet pass.”
“Why not?” asked the impatient Marion.
“Because those who pass the Rainbow Fairies must be very pure,” replied the Queen.
“Am I not very pure?” asked the maiden. “Allthe people in the castle tell me how good I have grown.”
“Mortal eyes see only the outside,” answered the Queen. “But those who pass the Rainbow Fairies must be pure in thought as well as action. Go home now. For three months never indulge in a wicked or envious thought. You shall then have a glimpse of the Immortal Fountain.”
Marion returned home. At the end of three months she again visited the hall with opal pillars. The Queen did not smile when she saw her; but in silence led the way up the hill toward the Immortal Fountain. The Green Fairies and the Blue Fairies flew away as they approached; but the Rainbow Fairies bowed low to the Queen, and kept their gold-tipped wands firmly crossed.
Marion saw that the silver specks on the Fairies’ wings began to grow dim, and she burst into tears.
“I knew,” said the Queen, “that you could not pass this boundary. Envy has been in your heart. But be not discouraged, for years you have been indulging in wrong feelings; and you must not wonder if it takes many months to drive them out. Go home and try once more.”
So poor Marion went sadly away. And when she visited the hall again, the Queen smiled, and touched her playfully with her wand. She then led her up the hill to the Immortal Fountain.The silver specks on the wings of the Rainbow Fairies shone bright as Marion approached, and the Fairies lowered their wings and flew away.
And now every footstep was on flowers that yielded beneath the feet like a pathway of clouds. The delicious fragrance could almost be felt, and loud and clear and sweet came the sound of waters falling in music. And now Marion could see a cascade leaping and sparkling over crystal rocks. Above it rested a rainbow. The spray fell in pearls forming delicate foliage around the margin of the Fountain. And deep and silent below the foam of the cascade was the Immortal Fountain of Beauty. Its amber-coloured waves flowed over a golden bed, and many Fairies were bathing in its waves, the diamonds in their hair gleaming like sunbeams on the water.
“Oh, let me bathe in the Fountain!” cried Marion, clapping her hands in delight.
“Not yet,” said the Queen. “Behold the Purple Fairies with golden wands that guard its brink.”
Marion looked, and saw Beings lovelier than any her eye had ever rested on.
“You cannot pass them yet,” said the Queen. “Go home. For one year drive from your heart all evil feelings, not for the sake of bathing in this Fountain, but because goodness is lovelyand desirable for its own sake. Then your work is done.”
Marion returned home. This was the hardest task of all. For she had been willing to be good, not because it was right, but because she wished to be beautiful. Three times she sought the grotto, and three times she left in tears, for the golden specks on the wings of the Purple Fairies grew dim as she approached, and the golden wands were still crossed to shut her from the Immortal Fountain.
But the fourth time the Purple Fairies lowered their wands, singing:—
“Thou hast scaled the mountain,Go, bathe in the Fountain;Rise fair to the sight,As an angel of light;Go bathe in the Fountain!”
“Thou hast scaled the mountain,Go, bathe in the Fountain;Rise fair to the sight,As an angel of light;Go bathe in the Fountain!”
“Thou hast scaled the mountain,
Go, bathe in the Fountain;
Rise fair to the sight,
As an angel of light;
Go bathe in the Fountain!”
Marion, full of joy, was about to plunge in, but the Queen touched her, saying:—
“Look in the mirror of the water. Art thou not already as beautiful as heart can wish?”
Marion looked at herself, and saw that her eyes sparkled with new lustre, a bright colour shone in her cheeks, her hair waved softly about her face, and dimples played sweetly around her mouth.
“But I have not touched the Immortal Fountain!” cried she, turning in surprise to the Queen.
“True,” replied the Queen. “But its waters have been within your soul. Know that a pure and happy heart, and gentleness toward others, are the only Immortal Fountains of Beauty!”
Marion thanked the Queen, and joyfully returned home.
Rose ran to meet her, and clasped her to her bosom fervently.
“I know all,” she said; “I have been in Fairyland. Disguised as a bird, I have watched all your steps. When you first went to the grotto, I begged the Queen to grant your wish.”
Ever after the sisters lived lovingly together. It was the remark of every one: “How handsome Marion has grown! The ugly scowl has departed from her face, her eyes are so clear and gentle, her mouth is so pretty and smiling. To my taste she is as handsome as Rose.”
Lydia Maria Child(Adapted)