“The head of the other family,” said the guide, “is very interesting indeed. He is a queer little animal called Opossum; he looks like a rat, but is larger than a cat. He spends the day lazily, sleeping among the foliage of trees, or in hollows of their trunks or boughs. His fur is nearly black, but little white patches about his face give him a most wise appearance. He brought his family, consisting of a wife and sixteen small babies, and started housekeeping on the edge of the swamp. The babies are not as big as mice, but they are the sweetest little furry things you ever saw. They cuddle up so nicely together, and just wait to be fed. Of course Mother ’Possum has her hands pretty full watching and caring for sixteen small children, so it devolves on the father to provide food for them; and every night he runs around the country looking for something to eat. He is really a devoted father, but he is not fond of work; and how to feed a wife and sixteen babies without work is a very hard problem to solve. So I am sorry to tell you Mr. ’Possum often steals his food, that being the easiest way to get it, and nothing appeals to him so strongly as a tender young chicken.
“Now, the third family dwelling in the marsh are the Raccoons. Mrs. ’Possum has a great contempt for this same neighbor of hers, and they are not on very friendly terms. Mrs. ’Possum is a splendid housekeeper, but Mrs. Raccoon cares nothing at all about her home. True, she builds her house carefully in the topmost branches of a tree, but having done that, she considers her duty ended, and seldom occupies it. ‘Any old place is good enough to sleep in,’ she says; and just so she can find a spot with water enough to moisten her food before eating it, she is content. Therefore she wanders around, with the little Raccoons, anywhere and everywhere, and when they get tired they just creep under some old log and go to sleep. Of course Mother ’Possum, with her strict ideas of housekeeping, thinks this careless habit no way to live or to bring up children; but whenever Mrs. ’Possum reproaches Mrs. Raccoon with being a slipshod housekeeper and a gadabout, Mrs. Raccoon invariably replies, ‘Have you ever noticed how soft and fine my fur is, and how many beautiful rings I wear on my tail?’—for she is awfully vain. Then she flourishes her tail around, and whisking about, shows off the pretty black and white rings she carries, to the best possible advantage, until Mrs. ’Possum in disgust sends all the little ’Possums scurrying away, fearing lest they become vain and worldly like the Raccoons. But with the exception of the Raccoons and the Crayfishes, the Opossum family own the big yellow and green marsh.”
As the guide messenger told all these tales of the marsh, the Moon Princess and her companions noticed they were gradually leaving the southern land; for of course such wonderful beings as Moon Princesses and messengers of Sun Princesses travel much faster than mortals, and they were travelling rapidly. They seemed to be in the midst of a charming forest of long, cool shadows and crystal springs.
“What place is this?” asked Prince Dorion, stopping to admire the long, cool vista of trees ahead.
“O, this,” replied the guide carelessly,—“this forest was once the abode of the Rainbow Sisters.”
“Who were they?” innocently inquired a dainty Moon maiden, tripping lightly along.
“Would you like to hear about them?” asked the guide.
“O, yes,” replied all the Moon maidens in chorus, “do tell us all about them.”
“Once upon a time, in a charming country, a delightful people lived. The skies were clear as crystal, and the Sun shone brightly out of them. Great palm groves grew green and beautiful, and curious flowers sprang up in marvellous bits of color. There was a strange and fascinating beauty about this land. Even the rocky hills edging the big broad desert that stretched for miles away, barren of the smallest green blade of grass to make them pretty, were not ugly. Yellow as gold they sparkled in the bright sunshine, rich and mellow against the paler sand beyond. The country lay near a large blue sea, and through its many cities ran a splendid shining river. Now, every one of the clear, cool drops of this smiling stream was precious as diamonds to the people, for, beautiful as their land was (and it was superb with its splendid mosques and temples and rich with jewels and carvings), it lacked one thing that the rest of the world enjoyed,—never a drop of rain fell there.
“For more years than you could count, the trees and the flowers had never tasted a cool sweet drink from the skies. The heavens were always blue and clear, for the Sun shone brilliantly out of them every day. Sometimes a cloud might form, but if it did, it floated by white as the foam on the sea, never dark or black.
“Now, you may think that golden sunshine and blue skies are very lovely things to possess, but the people tired of having them all the time. They felt that a nice shower of rain occasionally, even if it came out of an ugly black cloud, would be better than all the pink and violet and green shades of their clear heavens. The only thing that saved their trees and their gardens from burning up as in the dry heat of the desert, and that gave them water, was the glorious big river flowing by. No wonder, then, they loved and prized its drops. Broad and long, it ran through the country, and curled in silver splashes about the banks. Twice every year it overflowed, and then, with feasting and joy, they caught it in pools and canals dug to hold and preserve the precious liquid. In this way they kept the gardens green and lovely, but oh, the work was so hard! Thousand of poor slaves labored day and night to accomplish it. The kind-hearted king offered a big reward to any one who would devise some way to make rain fall in his country, and many wise men spent days and nights studying over the great question. Big trees were planted to catch and draw the moisture, and many other means were tried, but in spite of all these doings the clouds sailed by, as fleecy and white as snow.
“So things went on for many years, and still no rain ever came. Now, the king had an only son, to whom he was perfectly devoted. The child was very beautiful, and was also wise, as a prince should be. It was a common thing to see the handsome little fellow standing in the midst of a grave council of men, listening to their words of wisdom. He never seemed to tire of their long discussions, and would remain, solemn and silent, among them, instead of playing with the children about him. Thus he grew in wisdom and strength to manhood, but he was seldom seen at the court balls and festivals, preferring to wander about among the beautiful mosques of his father’s city, or to stand on one of their daintily carved minarets and gaze across the yellow sands of the desert. Often he would remain thus for hours, and though his eyes were looking far out over the appalling yet wonderful beauty of the desert, his thoughts were always only of how he might solve the riddle of his country, and bring it the cool drops of rain it so earnestly wanted. This one idea absorbed him utterly, he could think literally of nothing else, for he noticed with sorrow how terribly hard his father’s slaves toiled to carry the precious water from the river when they tilled the ground.
“One day, shortly after he was grown, he was sitting beneath the shadow of a great pyramid, and was planning and musing on the one question always uppermost in his mind. The day was warm; the desert around him shimmered in a golden haze. The yellow hills were so bright beneath the noonday sun that his eyes fairly ached as he watched them, and it was a relief to turn from their glittering lights toward the cool, flowing river, and watch a fringe of feathery, waving palms. ‘Oh, for the dark shadow of a cloud,’ he murmured, ‘to soften all this glare!’
“They circled together, dressed in the vivid colors of the rainbow.”(Page 57)
“They circled together, dressed in the vivid colors of the rainbow.”(Page 57)
“He had not spoken aloud, and yet he heard a musical sound as though in answer to his wish. He turned quickly, and saw a wonderful sight. The desert had disappeared, and he was looking into a shadowy green forest, with crystal springs. Clear, limpid streams of water ran through the woods, and beautiful flowers were blooming. Farther along in the distance he saw a big mountain, dark and gray, and yet all about its sides grew pretty green ferns. Looking closely, he observed that there was an opening in its side, and through this opening came the music of a flute. As he watched more closely he saw a lovely maiden come slowly forth. She was dressed in a brilliant gown of orange color, and her flowing robes floated softly about her. Her hair hung in waves of gold, and on her forehead flashed a beautiful star. In her hand she carried a wand, but the wand was so curious that he forgot the beauty of the maiden in noticing it. It was long and slender, and seemed to be made of pure gold and laden with jewels; but it was not this wealth of glistening gold that attracted him, it was a curious cloud of white mist that curled and floated away from it each time that she waved it aloft. He had never seen anything so peculiar before. Each white cloud that floated away nestled among the hollow places in the hills like a thin veil, or hovered over the babbling streams in the forest. While he was watching the mysterious cloudlets from the magical wand, a second maiden, more beautiful than the first, followed, dressed in a pale blue gown, and having, like the first, a brilliant star on her forehead. She also carried a jewel-laden wand, and it sent forth similar mysterious white clouds. Then came a third, dressed in a brilliant red; and another, in soft green; and still another, in charming violet; and so on, until seven beautiful creatures stood together, dressed in the seven vivid colors of the rainbow. They formed a ring, and slowly moved together in a circle about an open space before the mountain. Lightly stepping, thus they danced, always in a circle, and always gazing intently toward the opening in the mountain through which they had come.
“Presently, as they gazed expectantly, Prince Asgard saw coming toward them the most exquisite creature he had ever beheld. She was tall and slender, and her graceful form seemed to dance along rather than walk. She was dressed in some soft, clinging material of pure white, shading to a glittering silver, and the girdle confining her waist looked like a bit of the blue sky itself, it was so dainty. Her hair was like that of the other maidens, and looked like spun gold, and it was so fine that it glistened wonderfully as she moved. Her slippers were pale blue, and embroidered with silver threads. A brilliant star on each slipper flashed like a big diamond as she danced along. A tiny golden crown held her hair in place, and seven glittering stars encircled her head. Her wand was of frosted silver, and as she waved it, the soft vapor rolled away in white clouds, as it did before the wands of the other maidens. As she appeared, the seven other maidens broke into a song of gladness, singing in a clear, high tone these words:—
Little Sister, fair and dear,Born of seven colors clear,Welcome! In our round of pleasureYou’re to us the dearest treasure;Out into the world we’ll sendMist and clouds of white that blend.
Little Sister, fair and dear,
Born of seven colors clear,
Welcome! In our round of pleasure
You’re to us the dearest treasure;
Out into the world we’ll send
Mist and clouds of white that blend.
The silver maid replied, singing:—
Dearest sisters of my race,I come forth to your embrace;Faithful, tender, always true,Shall my love be unto you.
Dearest sisters of my race,
I come forth to your embrace;
Faithful, tender, always true,
Shall my love be unto you.
Then they all danced a wonderful dance while singing together:—
Let the foaming clouds on highFall in raindrops from the sky;Let the lightning’s fire flash,Come, with thunder’s awful crash!Let the cooling rains thus sink,Giving earth her crystal drink!
Let the foaming clouds on high
Fall in raindrops from the sky;
Let the lightning’s fire flash,
Come, with thunder’s awful crash!
Let the cooling rains thus sink,
Giving earth her crystal drink!
“As they moved together in graceful steps and in perfect rhythm to the music of the song, Prince Asgard saw a wonderful arch or bow form across the cloudlets that had arisen from their wands. It was a magnificent rainbow, and each of the seven distinct colors was matched in shade by a dress worn by one of the maidens. Their flowing draperies blended bewitchingly and mixed together in pretty confusion as they danced, making thus a complete circle of rainbow colors. It was an exquisite sight, and the Prince marvelled at it, and wondered what it all meant. Presently the maiden who had first appeared, and who seemed to be the eldest and the leader of the sisters, waved her wand aloft and approached the silver maid, and taking her hand, led her into the middle of the circle. The circle then formed again, and continued dancing around the little white Princess. For several minutes they danced; then each in turn, beginning with the eldest, tenderly clasped the silver maiden in her arms and kissed her on the brow, and then ran lightly into the opening in the side of the mountain.
“The silver maid stood one moment longer, smiling and lovingly watching her sisters, then she, too, tripped lightly toward the mountain, as though to follow them. But, as if a sudden thought had come to her, she turned abruptly and glided toward Prince Asgard. His heart was beating with excitement as he watched her, and he held his breath with admiration, for he had never seen any one before so wondrously beautiful.
“In a moment she was beside him, and he noticed her eyes were sparkling and blue as the girdle she wore.
“‘O, Prince of the Southern Lands,’ she began, in musical tones, ‘you have witnessed the dance of the Rainbow Sisters—a sight forbidden to mortals. We live in an enchanted mountain in the heart of a great forest. Our mother is the beautiful Sea Foam, whom you have often watched in her white dress upon the ocean. We help our mother with her work, but our home is in the deep recesses of these lovely woods. Never before has a mortal eye seen these woods nor witnessed our sacred dance in them. From our magical wands float out the mists to form the cloud-world. Upward they travel, gathering moisture as they go, and floating across the blue heavens, they fall again in refreshing rain upon the earth. But our precious mist-clouds never fall in your country. We will never send them there again unless, unless—’ and she hesitated in the most charming and provoking manner in the world.
“‘Unless what, O beautiful Princess of the Silver Gown?’ eagerly asked the Prince.
“‘Alas, that I may not tell you,’ replied the little Princess, growing grave. ‘This only may I add: Once, in the long ago, your people did a great wrong, and were very rude to my sisters. It was their custom then to dance publicly, once a year. Always, your people gathered to watch them, and with pleasure my sisters danced before them, and with their magical wands they sent out the mist-clouds far and wide. Refreshing rain fell in your midst then as elsewhere, and everything was joyous and charming. But your people were rude and offended my sisters sorely, and never again will they visit you or dance before mortals. All your methods to bring rain into your country will fail, your schemes will come to naught, and until my sisters relent and forgive, the clouds will continue to sail across your blue skies as white as the flecks of foam on the sea.’
“‘Never shall the rain fall in my country?’ echoed the young man sadly. ‘Never? Then, O beautiful Princess,’ he added despondently, ‘shall I never see you again?’ For at that moment the Prince forgot his great problem, how to bring rain to his country, and thought only (with a heavy heart) that he would lose sight of the little Princess of the Silver Dress.
“‘Never, O Prince,’ replied the Princess gravely, ‘unless—’ then she smiled suddenly, showing her teeth like gleaming pearls between her red lips,—‘never unless you find us again, and—’
“‘And what?’ the Prince demanded earnestly.
“‘Alas,’ replied the silver maid, again grave, ‘I cannot tell you. There is one thing alone that might cause them to return to your country, but it seems so impossible, that it will never happen, I am sure; and beside, I cannot tell you what it is.’
“‘O,’ replied the Prince earnestly, ‘I will find it out. No obstacle on earth will prove too hard, and you may be sure nothing will prevent my finding you, beautiful Princess.’
“‘I wish you success,’ sweetly replied the Silver Princess, and then, as she spoke these words, she blushed a vivid crimson.
“She was so beautiful as she stood thus before him, blushing and smiling at the same time, that the Prince, falling on his knees, begged her to give him a sign by which he might hope to see her again and win her love.
“She tore off a piece of her blue girdle, and dropping it on the earth, put her foot lightly upon it. ‘I leave you a flower,’ she said, ‘may it comfort you. Forget me not’; and saying this, she disappeared.
“The Prince rubbed his eyes, for as she vanished he found himself again gazing at the feathery green palms across the big river, and looking around, found the yellow desert stretching in boundless sands to meet the horizon. The forest, the mountain, all had gone. But as he turned away from the great tawny hills in despair, he saw at his feet a tiny bit of blue. Stooping, he picked up the prettiest flower he had ever seen. It was as blue as the silver maid’s eyes, and as he held it to his lips he repeated her words, ‘Forget me not’; and since that day the little flower has always been called the forget-me-not.
“Now, as Prince Asgard went home he pondered deeply on what he had seen, and gaining the consent of his father and the wise men of the country, he gathered together a great army and started out into the world in quest of the unknown princesses. No person believed he would succeed in finding the Rainbow Sisters or in bringing rain into the country. The story of the Rainbow Maidens was well known to the wise men, but they counted it a myth, a fairy tale, and they smiled among themselves when they heard that Prince Asgard believed it firmly. But they did not object to his trying: it would do no harm; and in the meanwhile they would still study and devise other methods.
“Prince Asgard said good-bye to his father and the people, and at the head of a great army sparkling in gold and silver helmets and shields, he started on his journey. He was going to look for the Rainbow Sisters because his country needed rain, yet in his heart he knew it was because of love for the youngest and prettiest of those sisters that he was so eagerly searching.
“The army travelled everywhere throughout the world. By sea and by land they went, and they had many wonderful adventures. Tigers and wolves, bears and panthers, attacked them, and strange people told them they were on a foolish quest, but they did not heed such remarks, and continued on their way. But after several years had passed, and they seemed no nearer the Rainbow Mountain, the soldiers became discontented, and said it was a foolish trip after all, and begged to be allowed to return to their own homes. The strange countries through which they passed taught them much, and they often saw rain and splendid storms; yet when some of their fine ships were wrecked and lost at sea, many of them felt that perhaps it was pleasanter after all to be in a country where only sand-storms of the desert were known. One by one the soldiers were released by Prince Asgard from their promises; they returned to their homes, and at last the Prince was entirely alone. But he was not discouraged. Determined and brave, he vowed he would never give up the search, and he started out again with renewed courage to find the beautiful Princess of the Silver Dress.
“He wandered many months, but without success. At last one night he stood, almost despairing, on the edge of a dark forest. He had just made up his mind that he would live and die in a foreign country, because he would never go back to his own home until he found the Silver Princess. ‘O beautiful Princess,’ he said aloud, ‘some way I shall find you and prevail upon you to marry me, for I can never be happy without you’; and yet as he said it, it seemed to him almost an impossibility.
“He entered the forest and sat down within its gloomy depths to rest a while. The Moon was just rising, and in a little while her bright rays penetrated the black density of the trees. Little patches of silver lay along the ground, and a light wind stirring the trees made the silver rays dance along, until the earth seemed sprinkled with millions of shining jewels. He was watching the pretty sight intently, for it made him think of the dress of silver that the little Princess wore. He was so absorbed that he was considerably startled when he heard a musical sound such as he had heard on the edge of the desert.
“Looking up quickly, he beheld, to his amazement and joy, the same big mountain, and heard the rippling waters of the crystal streams flowing over the rocks. He could hardly breathe, he was so excited, and so fearful lest it should prove a dream.
“But again the beautiful sister emerged as before. Her magical wand sent forth its cloud-vapors as she danced forward; again the other lovely maidens followed, and again they formed a ring of rainbow brilliancy. The Prince sat expectant and trembling. Would the Silver Princess appear? A moment more and the little Princess tripped out, more beautiful than ever. Her silver dress gleamed and sparkled in shining light as she floated forward. Her eyes were tender and blue, and her dainty girdle, with its touch of color, bound her slender waist. Her lovely arms shone white and firm through the thin gauze of her dress. Butterflies floated about her, airy, exquisite things, marvellous in color, and lighting on her hair and shoulders, gave a curiously beautiful touch to the picture.
“Her sisters greeted her lovingly and tenderly, as before, and they then began their graceful and mysterious dance. Clouds of vapor rolled about them as they moved, until the forest was enveloped in a misty veil; but through it all the dazzling dresses and graceful forms could be plainly seen. Then, as the dancing drew to a close, the rainbow circle shining lovely through the mist, the seven dancers, each in turn, stooped, and clasping the Silver Princess in their arms, kissed her caressingly.
“Prince Asgard remembered with an aching heart that this parting kiss was a signal for their disappearance, and fearing he might lose the beauteous maid again, he darted forward impulsively. He hardly knew what he intended to do; he had formed no idea beyond the fact that he would speak to her, appeal to her to remain by his side. At the moment he sprang forward there was a fearful cry from the seven sisters, and turning, they fled to the mountain side, urging the Silver Princess to follow. She stood dismayed, and trembling in every limb, and then, with a little low cry of terror, she followed swiftly. But whether she was confused or frightened, she stumbled as she ran, and fell upon the earth.
“At that moment Prince Asgard reached her side and lifted her gently to her feet. She turned so pale as he assisted her that he held her for a moment in his arms to support her, fearing she would faint, and anxiously asked if she were ill.
“‘Alas, no,’ she replied, as she drew away from him, ‘but you have done a very terrible thing.’
“At that moment a sad and mournful cry arose from the heart of the mountain, and the seven sisters floated out slowly and surrounded the Silver Princess. She threw herself on her knees before them, but they did not touch her. It seemed as though they feared to do so. She implored them to touch her with their hands, to kiss her, but they only sang a sad refrain in answer to her prayers.
Little sister, mortal now,Alas, we cannot kiss your brow.Still for ever shall abideIn your sky a rainbow guide;And the love we have for youNow and always shall be true.
Little sister, mortal now,
Alas, we cannot kiss your brow.
Still for ever shall abide
In your sky a rainbow guide;
And the love we have for you
Now and always shall be true.
Then, tenderly kissing their hands to her, they floated off and disappeared in the mist.
“‘What does it mean?’ said Asgard tenderly, lifting the Silver Princess from her knees. ‘Why are you so unhappy? I love you with all my heart, little Princess. Will you not consent to marry me? Ask your sisters to spare you, for I cannot live without you.’
“‘Alas,’ she replied, ‘my sisters have gone for ever from my sight. When you first touched me I became a mortal like you, and I cannot now return to them.’
“‘O, little Princess, do not be sad,’ replied the Prince, ‘for you have made me so happy by remaining. Surely you will not refuse now to marry me?’
“‘No,’ replied the Silver Princess, smiling through her tears. ‘I am an earth maiden now, and I love you. But though I am happy to be with you, I am sorry to lose them. Our dear mother warned them that some day I would love a mortal, and they have feared you since the night I spoke to you in the desert. That was the condition I could not tell you,’ she added shyly. ‘Your touch would make me mortal, and as you lifted me in your arms when I fell, I became an earth maiden and lost my fairy nature. But you have solved the riddle of your country, for when we enter it together, you will find that rain will follow. My sisters love me dearly, and for my sake will forgive your people. They will follow me to my new home, and though we shall never see them again, the reflection from their brilliant dresses will glow in the sky. As the rainbow, they will arch the heavens when we arrive, to show me they are near to welcome us.’ And sure enough, when Prince Asgard and the beautiful maiden of the silver dress (who was called Hyndla) entered the land of lotus flowers and acacias, they saw, arching the heavens, a magnificent rainbow.
“The people greeted them with cries of joy, and gave them a magnificent wedding, for they were grateful to Princess Hyndla and her seven sisters, and they had learned all about her in messages from Prince Asgard. On the day he and the Princess Hyndla appeared, a great white cloud hovering over the city suddenly turned black, and fell in millions of sparkling drops upon their fields, and the splendid rainbow soon afterward arched the skies.
“The Princess Hyndla grew more beautiful each day, and as she was wise as she was charming, you may be sure her husband loved her dearly. Together they planted row after row of handsome trees to remind them of Hyndla’s forest home; those green trees brought cool shadows, and when the clouds floated low to kiss them, the broad branches caught and held the moisture. Ever after, rain frequently fell in the land.
“Years later, when the children of Hyndla and Asgard were old enough, they played in the palace gardens, and romped merrily beneath those same shade trees, and sometimes they whispered lovingly to each other the romantic story of their beautiful mother and her rainbow sisters.”
“Oh, how charming the Rainbow Sisters must be!” said Ethelda, “and how I love to hear you tell these wonderful stories of the Earth! Do you know any more?”
“Yes,” replied the guide, smiling, “a good many more, but what would you like to hear about?”
“Won’t you tell us of how the Sun Princess happened to come to this world?” interrupted a dainty little Moon maiden; “I really have never heard it exactly, and as we are going to visit her, perhaps Princess Ethelda will let us all hear about it?”
“Most willingly,” replied Ethelda; “I know the wonderful story almost by heart, of course, but I never tire of it,” she added, looking tenderly at Prince Dorion the while.
So the guide, with this permission, began:—
“In the Land of the Sun there was once a Palace of Wisdom, where all the science in the universe could be studied. Of course this Palace of Wisdom became very famous. Far and wide it was heard of, so that from all parts came representative young men to study and become wise. Now, the ruler of the Sun lands was a powerful king, possessing many sons, but only one daughter, the Princess Kuldah. She was a maiden of wonderful beauty. Her countenance was so exquisitely lovely, that all who looked upon her immediately fell in love with her. This caused the young Princess, as well as her father, great annoyance, because her suitors became legion. One day, however, with the help of her maidens she wove a veil of delicate texture, which completely concealed her features. In this way, she was enabled to go and come throughout her father’s vast possessions in comparative ease.
“Notwithstanding her great indifference toward her lovers, kings and princes sought her hand in marriage, but her father (who adored her and could deny her nothing) was secretly well content that she chose none of them, but remained always in his dominions with him.
“Tall and of majestic appearance, the Princess Kuldah looked the daughter of the Sun King. Her eyes were brown and large, with brilliant lights within, and her curling brown hair, falling below her waist, had caught a little of the golden fire of the Sun. Her gleaming white teeth looked like pretty little pearls when she smiled. Indeed, she was a queenly sight as she drove in her handsome chariot toward the Fire Mountains.
“These mountains were a great range of gorgeous-hued stones, piled very high. Rising in blazing splendor, they perpetually sent forth their red beams in dazzling streams of light across the Sun country. But the heat and glare of her home—which would have burned and killed an earth maiden—were but life-giving elements to the Sun Princess. She loved the glitter of her country, and no glare seemed too great for her. The palace where she dwelt was built of the brightest, yellowest gold to be found, and she moved through it a splendid vision of beauty.
“Her favorite ride was toward the Fire Mountains. One morning as she drove the fiery steeds toward their flaming heights her horses became unmanageable. Pull as she would, she could not control them; they went like the wind at his greatest fury. She had outrun all her companions in her mad race, and she was in the most imminent danger of being killed. At this critical moment there arose in her path a tall and handsome young man. The horses were as startled as the young Princess at this sudden appearance, and for a moment, in alarm, slackened their speed. It was in this second of hesitation that the young man leaped into the chariot beside Kuldah, and snatched the reins from her hands. It took but a few moments of his great strength to subdue the enraged animals completely, and in a little while they were trotting along quietly, as if nothing had happened.
“Then of course the grateful Princess turned to thank her preserver. In her excitement (when she had lost control of the horses), she had thrown back her veil, and the young man found himself steadily gazing into her beautiful countenance. Strive as he would, he could not resist the love that surged in his heart as he looked upon her. But although he was falling in love rapidly, he had heard too much of the haughty Princess’s coldness and indifference to feel sure of winning her. He guessed at once it was she, because he had heard she was the loveliest being in the Sun world, but he determined he would not yield to her influence and become one of her suitors. The Princess’s own feelings, when she looked at the young man, surprised her very much. He was so modest and dignified, and withal so handsome and charming, that she could not help wondering who he was. He was certainly not one of her suitors, for she had never seen him before. This young man, too, seemed quite indifferent to her attractions, and talked to her very seriously about driving her horses, and showed her how to manage the reins in case they tried to run away again. She might have been just a plain girl for all the admiration he showed. At first this indifference pleased her; later she rebelled a little against it.
“She learned he was a young Prince who had been studying in the Palace of Wisdom. This astonished her still more, for although he had been in her country some time he had never sought her out at all. He had come to the land of the Sun to study its fire and flame, and he was evidently absorbed only in that study. The Princess was so astonished to learn all these facts, and to observe his indifference to her famous beauty (which was proved by his not seeking her hand in marriage), that she forgot to lower her veil, and sat talking to him much longer than she otherwise would have done. Finally remembering, she covered her face, but not before she had asked him to call at the palace and let her father thank him properly for having saved her life.
“The young man secretly determined he would not accept her invitation, for he had already learned to love her, and feared the usual fate of her suitors. However, when the hour approached the next day he could not resist the temptation to see once more the lovely Princess; after that he found many excuses to call, and managed each day to see her.
“But the wonderful part of it all was, that Kuldah took as much pleasure in his company as he did in hers. So later, when he asked her to marry him she said yes, right on the spot, fearing to delay, lest he might go off and become as indifferent as he was at first, and never come back again.
“He was very happy when she said yes, and thus far everything had gone very smoothly for them both; but when they went in to see the old King their troubles began. Kuldah was wreathed in smiles, and Prince Minio looked very happy and proud. The old King, who had never supposed for one minute that his daughter would accept any man,—having refused so many,—had one day rashly promised all the suitors that, if she ever made a choice, they should each have a fair chance to win her. This, of course, was the cause of the lovers’ trouble now. The Princess was indignant that her father should have made such a promise about her. She considered herself free to choose for herself. So she stormed and wept about it as only a Sun Princess could do, and declared she would never, never marry any man but the man she loved.
“But her old father, who was so indulgent and yielding with her usually, remained firm in his decision, and said he could not break a promise once made, for that would not be honorable. Therefore, the very next day he announced to everybody that a contest in skill and science should take place between the suitors for her hand. The Princess was very unhappy, of course, during the days that followed, but Prince Minio cheered her by saying he felt equal to winning her in a fair contest. His love was far greater than that of the others, and therefore he felt assured he would learn a way to win her for his bride in spite of them all.
“When the great day for the contest came, a large gathering of the suitors was held in an open field at the foot of the Fire Mountains. They were a fine and noble company of young men who contended for Kuldah’s hand, and her father said she should have felt proud and glad at such a sight. But she was too sad to feel proud. She had dressed as became a Sun Princess, and her gown was of finely spun gold, embroidered in diamonds. Her white arms and throat gleamed through the thin gauze dress, and a girdle of diamonds encircled her slender waist. From her shoulders fell a train, which swept for yards behind her, and a narrow gold band held her beautiful hair in place. For her hair hung about her in loose masses, falling far below her waist, and mingling its burnt-gold color with that of her brilliant dress, so that one could hardly tell where one ended and the other began. As she stood she looked like a golden Princess, except that her face was as pale as the fleecy clouds overhead.
“In her majestic beauty she let them kneel and kiss her hand. Each one, as he touched her hand, swore in turn to be faithful and true to the knight who should win her, but each one believed secretly he himself would be the winner. Then began the tournament of skill. One showed how he could ride; another how he could mount and dismount, or how he could unhorse an enemy; a third used the gloves or the sword with wonderful dexterity; another engaged in a trial of strength, or swiftness in running; and so on until the long list was completed.
“It seemed to the Princess, as she watched in despair their wonderful deeds, that there was nothing left for her beloved even to attempt. The suitors had all done such marvellous things; and her heart ached within her when she learned from one of her handmaidens that her lover was the last to appear on the lists. Yet, when he did step forth, calm and serene, her heart leaped again to her throat, her confidence returned; for he looked strong and handsome, and it was only with pride and pleasure she gazed upon him. She leaned forward with a smiling face to listen to his words, for he was speaking.
“‘O mighty King of the Sun,’ he was saying. ‘I have one request to make of you before beginning my experiment. If successful in what I undertake, I want your consent to take the Princess away with me from the Sun lands. What I shall try to accomplish to-day is but the beginning of a great problem I wish to work out. It may take thousands of years to complete, and I wish to live in a land of my own choosing, that I may be able to accomplish it.’
“The Sun King, astonished at these words, hesitated to grant such a remarkable request, but the Princess threw herself at her father’s feet, and added her pleadings to the Prince’s. Finally the Sun King reluctantly consented; but the other suitors smiled broadly among themselves, as they heard the words, for no matter what the Prince might do they believed he never could show more skill or wisdom than they had already displayed.
“Having bowed smilingly to the King and kissed Kuldah’s hand, Prince Minio turned to his competitors and said: ‘I have made a close study of the Sun’s fire, and I am convinced that, no matter where this fire is sent, it will continue to burn and hold its remarkable glint and its quickening power. It will never be extinguished, but glow brilliantly for ever. Therefore, my experiment in skill to-day shall be made from it alone; it will serve my purpose better than anything else.’ So saying, he picked up a huge bowlder from the Fire Mountain nearest him. The stone was so big that it seemed impossible for any one to lift it. But the Prince gathered it up in his arms with a terrific effort, and balancing it perfectly threw it far out into the heavens. It bounded away and rolled into space with tremendous force, making a whirring noise as it dashed along. Again and again he lifted out the big rocks and tossed them off in the distance. It seemed as if he would never tire of this remarkable exhibition of strength. Hundreds and thousands of the brilliantly burning stones went whizzing through space, before the eyes of the astonished spectators. Yet he continued, calmly throwing more and more stones, until the heavens fairly gleamed with millions of burning lights. Thus were the star fires first kindled, and they were truly a magnificent sight, even to the Sun people, accustomed as they were to splendid spectacles.
“As the Prince predicted, the stars have never lost their brilliancy, the Sun’s power to warm and enliven all creatures has proved very strong and lasting, and those splendid, flaming signals light the turquoise-blue skies every night, even to this day.
“Finally, Prince Minio selected with great care seven superb stones, even brighter than the rest, and threw them not quite so far from the Sun. In this way they felt the Sun’s influence more strongly; though they flew to a good distance they always revolved about their old home. Whizzing and whirling continually, yet never flying away from the Sun, they appeared to the spectators to be the prettiest of all the stars in the sky. Then the Prince, turning to the Princess, who was bewildered with the joy of his brilliant success, bade her choose from the seven stars the one that should be their home. She chose what she thought the loveliest of all the seven, and they named it the Earth!
“The old King unhesitatingly pronounced Prince Minio the victor. For he acknowledged that, beside the great strength the Prince had displayed in lifting the stones from Fire Mountain, the Sun people had never before witnessed such a glorious sight as the star-studded heavens; and even the suitors, though much disappointed, consented in a manly way that he should take Princess Kuldah as his bride, saying he had fairly won her.
“Shortly afterward a marriage of magnificence and splendor followed, and Prince Minio and his charming wife came to the Earth to spend many years. The Earth, owing allegiance to the Sun, never loses sight of him, and though she continues to rush through space at a terrible rate, yet the Sun King always sees her.
“Out of the white mist on the Earth came trooping a wonderful band of little creatures to greet the Sun people. They were very tiny; their skirts of silver glistened like the moonlight, and their jewelled wands sparkled like the dew. These little creatures were fairies, and ever after dwelt among the Earth children, helping to beautify the world. They wander about us in the moonshine and are sometimes caught in the mist, but they can never come out in the sunlight. One of the laws in Fairyland is to be in bed before the dawn. From dusk until dawn the fairies lead a gay life. They hold their revels, they dance, and they travel the world over, frolicking like mad sometimes, but only the Moon’s white light shines on their silver dresses.
“Many other charming people adopted the Earth as their home, for it was beautiful to live upon. The Sun Princess and her husband did not object to others coming to their home at all, only, as the strangers came in great numbers, they finally decided to set apart a great space for themselves alone. They reserved, therefore, a charming bit of country for the Prince’s workshop, otherwise there would have been so many interruptions Prince Minio could never hope to accomplish his scientific work. Charming as the Earth people were, they interfered with the Prince’s heart’s desire. Therefore, he and his friends from the Sun chose a wonderful valley which lay in the heart of a great range of mountains. The valley covered many miles of ground, and it had the most sublime scenery in the world. Rivers ran through it, and big mountains rose suddenly in its midst. Small silver lakes also shone like crystal mirrors. Wonderful springs abounded there; boiling water came out of one, while from the next shot up cool and deliciously sparkling drops. They called the bubbling, spouting springs geysers, and people come from all over the world to see and study them.