小学英语英语故事童话故事The Stone of the Wise Man聪明人的宝石

TheStoneoftheWiseMan聪明人的宝石

YouknowthestoryofHolgerDanske,sowewon'trepeatit,butwillaskyouifyou

rememberhow"HolgerDanskeconqueredthegreatlandofIndia,eastwardattheend

oftheworld,tothetreecalled'theTreeoftheSun,'"asChristenPedersensays.

DoyouknowChristenPedersen?Itmakesnodifferenceifyoudon't.

HolgerDanskegavePresterJohnhispowerandruleoverIndia.Haveyouheardabout

PresterJohn?Yes?Well,itmakesnodifferenceifyouhaven't.becausehedoesn,t

comeintoourstory.YouaregoingtohearabouttheTreeoftheSun"inIndia,

eastwardattheendoftheworld,“aspeoplebelievedittobethen,fortheyhadn*t

studiedtheirgeographythewaywehave-butthatmakesnodifference,either!

TheTreeoftheSunwasamagnificenttree,suchaswehaveneverseenandmostlikely

neverwillsee.Itscrownstretchedoutformilesaround;itwasreallyanentire

wood,foreachofitssmallestbranchesformed,inturn,awholetree.Palms,beech

pines,planetrees,yes,andmanyotherkindsoftreesgrewhere,treesthatare

tobefoundallovertheworld;theysprangforth,assmallbranches,fromthegreat

branches,andthese,withtheirknotsandwindings,werelikehillsandvalleys,

carpetedwithsoft,velvetygreen,andcoveredwiththousandsofflowers.Eachbranch

waslikeagreatbloomingmeadoworthemostbeautifulgarden.TheblessedSunshone

downuponit,for,remember,itwastheTreeoftheSun.

Herethebirdsfromallovertheworldgatheredtogether,birdsfromtheprimeval

forestsofAmerica,therosegardensofDamascus,orthewildwoodsofAfrica,where

theelephantandthelionimaginethattheyalonereign.Polarbirdscamehere,and

thestorkandswallownaturallydid,too.Butthebirdswerenottheonlyliving

creatureshere;thestag,thesquirrel,theantelope,andhundredsofotherbeautiful

andlight-footedanimalswereathomeinthisplace.Thecrownofthetreewasa

spreading,fragrantgarden,andintheverycenterofit,wherethegreatbranches

roseupintoagreenhill,therestoodacastleofcrystal,withaviewtowardevery

countryintheworld.Eachtowerroseupintheformofalily,andonecouldascend

throughthestem,forinsidetherewerewindingstairs.Onecouldstepoutontothe

leaves-thesewerethebalconies;andupinthecupoftheflowerwasabeautiful,

brilliantroundhall,withnoroofaboveit,onlythebluesky,witheitherthesun

orthestars.

Downbelow,inthewidehallsofthecastle,therewasjustasmuchsplendor,though

ofadifferentsort.Herethevholeworldwasreflectedonthewalls.Onecouldsee

everythingthathappened,sotherewasnoneedtoreadnewspapers;therewereno

newspapershere,anyway.Everythingcouldbeseeninlivingpictures,ifonewanted

toorwasabletoseeitall;fortoomuchistoomuch,evenforthewisestman.

Andthewisestofallmenlivedhere.

Hisnameistoodifficultforyoutopronounce,anditmakesnodifference,anyway.

Hekneweverythingthatamanonearthcanknoworhopetoknow;heknewevery

inventionthathadbeenmadeorwasyettobemade;butheknewnothingmorethan

that,foreverythingintheworldhasits1imits.WiseoldKingSolomonwasonly

halfaswiseasthisman,andyethewasverywiseindeed,andgovernedtheforces

ofnatureandruledovermightyspirits;evenDeathitselfwasforcedtoreportevery

morningwithalistofthosewhoweretodieduringtheday.ButKingSolomonhimself

hadtodie,too,andthiswasthethoughtthatoftenoccupiedthemindofthelearned,

mightyrulerofthecastleontheTreeoftheSun.Howeverhighhemightriseabove

meninwisdom,healsomustdiesomeday.Heknewthatheandhischildren,too,must

fadeliketheleavesoftheforestandbecomedust.Hecouldseethehumanracefade

awaylikeleavesonthetreesandnewmencomeforthtotaketheirplaces.Butthe

leavesthatfellneverlivedagain;theybecamedustaboutotherplants.

WhathappenedtomanwhentheAngelofDeathcametohim?WhatcouldDeathbe?The

bodybecamedecayed.Andthesoul?Yes,whatwasthesoul?Whatbecameofit?Where

diditgo?”Tothelifeeternal,“thecomfortingvoiceofreligionsaid.Butwhat

wasthetransition?Wheredidonedwell,andhow?”Inheavenabove,“saidthepious

people;"itistherewego.”"Above?”repeatedtheWiseMan,andgazedupatthe

moonandstars."Upthere?*

Fromtheearthlyglobehesawthat"above"and"below“couldbeoneandthesame,

dependinguponwhereonestoodontherevolvingearth.Andifheascendedashigh

astheearth,sloftiestmountainsreartheirpeaks,thereintheairthatwebelow

callclearandtransparent-"thepureheaven"-wouldbeablackdarkness,spread

overalllikeacloth,andthesunwouldhaveacopperyglowwithoutgivingforth

rays,andourearthwouldliewrappedinanorangemist.Hownarrowwerethelimits

ofthemortaleye,andhowlittlecouldbeseenbytheeyeofthesoul!Eventhe

wisestknewlittleofthatwhichisthemostimportantofalltous.

Inthemostsecretchamberof:hatcastlelayearth*sgreatesttreasure-theBook

ofTruth.Pageafterpage,theWiseManhadreaditthrough.Everymanmayreadin

thisbook,butonlypartsofit;tomanyandeyethelettersseemtofade,sothat

thewordscannotevenbespelled;onsomepagesthewritingissopalethatthey

seemlikeblankleaves.Butthewiseramanbecomes,themorehecanread;andthe

wisestmenreadthemost.TheWiseManknewhowtounitethesunlightandthestarlight

withthelightofreasonandthehiddenpowersofhissoul,andunderthisdazzling

lightmanythingsstoodoutclearlyonthepagesbeforehim.Butinthechapterof

thebookentitled“LifeAfterDeath“therewasnotsomuchasonesingleletterto

see.Thatgrievedhim.Couldhenotsomewhereonearthobtainalightbywhich

everythingwrittenintheBookofTruthwouldbecomecleartohim?

LikewiseKingSolomon,heunderstoodthelanguageoftheanimalsandcouldinterpret

theirtalkandtheirsongs.Butthatmadehimnonethewiser.Hehadlearnedthe

powersofplantsandmetals,powersthatcouldbeusedforthecureofdiseasesor

fordelayingdeath,butnonethatcoulddestroydeath.Inallcreatedthingsthat

hecouldreachhesoughtthelightthatwouldshineuponthecertaintyofeternal

life,buthedidnotfindit.BlankleavesstillappearedintheBookofTruthbefore

him.ChristianitygavehimwordsofpromiseofaneternallifeintheBible,but

hewantedtoreaditinhisbDok;andtherehecouldseenothingaboutit.

TheWiseManhadfivechildren,foursons,educatedaswellasthesonsofthewisest

offathersshouldbe,andadaughter,lovely,gentle,andclever,butblind.Yet

2

thisafflictionwasnodeprivationtoher,forherfatherandbrothersweremortal

eyestoher,andherownkeenperceptiongaveherclearmentalvision.

Thesonshadneverventuredfartherfromthecastlethantheextentofthebranches

ofthetree,norhadthesistereverleftthehome.Theywerehappychildreninthe

homeoftheirchildhood-thebeautiful,fragrantTreeoftheSUE.Likeallchildren,

theywerehappytohavestoriestoldthem,andtheirfathertoldthemmanythings

thatotherchildrenwouldneverhaveunderstood,butthesechildrenwereasclever

asmostofouroldpeopleare.Heexplainedtothemthepicturesoflifethatthey

sawonthecastlewalls-thelaborsofmenandthemarchofeventsinallthelands

oftheearth.Oftenthesonswishedthattheycouldgointotheworldandtakepart

inthegreatdeedsofothermen,andthentheirfatherexplainedtothemthatit

washardandwearisomeoutintheworld,thattheworldwasnotastheysawitfrom

theirbeautifulhome.

Hetoldthemofthegood,thetrue,andthebeautiful,andexplainedthatthesethree

clungtogetherintheworld,andthatunderthepressuretheyenduredtheyhardened

intoapreciousstone,purerthanthewaterofadiamond-asplendidjewelofvalue

toGodHimself,whosebrightnessoutshoneallthings;thiswascalledthe"Stone

oftheWiseMan."Hetoldthemthat,justasmancouldgainknowledgeoftheexistence

ofGodbyseekingit,sowasitwithinthepowerofmantogainproofthatsucha

jewelasthe"StoneoftheWiseMan"existed.Thisexplanationwouldhavebeenbeyond

theunderstandingofotherchildren,butthesechildrencouldgraspit,andintime

otherchildren,too,willlearntounderstanditsmeaning.

Theyaskedtheirfatheraboutthetrue,thebeautiful,andthegood,andhetold

themmanythings-howwhenGodmademanfromthedustoftheearth,HegavetoHis

workfivekisses,fierykisses,heartkisses,whichwenowcallthefivesenses.

Throughthese,thatwhichisthetrue,thebeautiful,andthegoodisseen,felt,

andunderstood;throughthem,itisvalued,protected,andaugmented.Fivesenses

havebeengiven,physicallyandmentally,inwardlyandoutwardly,tobodyandsoul.

BydayandbynightthechiIdrenthoughtdeeplyaboutallthesethings.Thenthe

eldestofthebrothershadawonderfuldream;and,strangelyenough,thesecond

brotherhadthesamedream,andthethirddid,too,andthefourth-allofthem

dreamedexactlythesamething.Theydreamedthateachwentoutintotheworldand

foundthe"StoneoftheWiseMan,“whichgleamedlikearadiantlightonhisforehead

when,inthemorningdawn,herodehisswifthorsebackoverthevelvetygreenmeadows

ofhometothecastleofhisfather.Thenthejewelthrewsuchadivinelightand

brillianceuponthepagesofthebookthateverythingwrittenthereonthelifebeyond

thegravewasilluminated.Butthesisterdreamednothingaboutventuringoutinto

theworld,forithadneverenteredhermind.Herworldwasherfather'scastle.

“Ishallrideoutintothewideworld,“saidtheeldestbrother.〃Imustfindwhat

lifeislikethere,andmixwithpeople.Ishalldoonlywhatisgoodandtrue,and

withtheseIshallprotectthebeautiful.Manythingsshallchangeforthebetter

whenIamthere.?，

Yes,histhoughtswereboldandbig,asourthoughtsalwaysareathome,beforewe

havegoneoutintotheworldandhavemetwithwindandrain,thornsandthistles.

3

Nowinallofthesebrothersthefivesenseswerehighlydeveloped,bothinwardly

andoutwardly;butineachof:hemonesensehadreachedakeennesssurpassingthe

otherfour.Inthecaseoftheeldest,thisoutstandingsensewasSight.Thiswas

tobeofspecialbenefittohim.Hehadeyesforalltimes,hesaid,andeyesfor

allnations,eyesthatcouldlookintotheverydepthsoftheearth,wheretreasures

liehidden,orintothedepthsofpeople*shearts,asthoughonlyaclearpaneof

glasswerebeforethem;inotherwords,hesawmorethanwecouldinthecheekthat

blushesorturnspale,intheeyethatcriesorlaughs.

Stagsandantelopesescortedhimtothewesternboundariesofhishome,andthere

thewildswansreceivedhimar.dledhimonintothenorthwest.Andnowhewasfar

outintotheworld,farfromthelandofhisfather,whichextendedeastwardtothe

endsoftheearth.

Howwidelyhiseyesopenedinamazement!Thereweremanythirgstobeseenhere;

andthingsappearverydifferentwhenamanlookatthemwithhisowneyesinstead

ofmerelyinapicture,ashehaddoneinhisfather*shouse,howevergoodthepicture

maybe,andthoseinhisfathershousewereunusuallygood.Atfirsthenearlylost

hiseyesinastonishmentatalltherubbish,al1thecarnivallikedecorationsthat

weresupposedtorepresentthebeautiful;buthedidnotquitelose,them,andsoon

foundfulluseforthem.Hewishedtoworkthoroughlyandhonestlytounderstand

thebeautiful,thetrue,andthegood.Buthowweretheserepresentedintheworld?

Hesawthatoftenthepraisewhichbyrightbelongedtothebeautiful,wasgiven

totheugly;thatthegoodwasoftenoverlooked,andmediocritywasapp1audedwhen

itshouldhavebeenhissed.Peoplelookedatthedressandnotatthewearer,asked

foranameinsteadofavalue,andwereguidedmorebyreputationthanbyworth.

Itwasthesameeverywhere.

“Imustattackthesethings,“hethought,andhedidso.

ButwhilehewasseekingthetruththerecametheDevil,whoisthefatherofall

lies.Gladlywouldhehavepluckedouttheeyesofthisseer,butthatwouldhave

beentooblunt,fortheDevi1worksinamorecunningway.Helethimcontinueto

seekandseethetrueandthegood;butwhiletheyoungmanwasdoingso,theDevil

blewamoteintohiseye,intobotheyes,onemoteafteranother;this,ofcourse,

wouldharmeventheclearestsight.Thenthefiendblewuponthemotesuntilthey

becamebeams,andtheeyesweredestroyed.TheretheSeerstoodlikeablindman

inthegreatworldandhadnofaithinit,forhehadlosthisgoodopinionofit

andofhimself.Andwhenamanlosesconfidenceintheworldandhimself,itisall

overwithhim.

“Allover!”sangthewildswans,flyingacrosstheseatowardtheeast."Allover!”

repeatedtheswallows,alsoflyingeastwardtowardtheTreeoftheSun.Itwasnot

goodnewsthattheywerecarryingtotheyoungman*shome.

“TheSeermusthavedonebadly,“saidthesecondbrother,“buttheHearermayhave

betterluck.〃Forinthissonthesenseofhearingwasdevelopedtoaveryhigh

degree;sokeenwasitthathecouldheartheverygrassgrow.

4

Uelovinglybadefarewellandrodeawayfromhome,fullofsoundabilitiesandgood

intentions.Theswallowsfollcwedhim,andhefollowedtheswans,untilhewasfar

fromhishome,faroutinthewideworld.

Thenhediscoveredthatonemayhavetoomuchofagoodthings.Forhishearingwas

toofine.Notonlycouldhehearthegrassgrow,buthecouldheareveryman'sheart

beat,whetherinsorroworinjoy.Tohimthewholewor1dwaslikethegreatworkshop

ofaclockmaker,withalltheclocksgoing"Tick,tock,“andallthetowerclocks

striking"Ding,dong."Thenoisewasunbearable.Foralongtiirehisearsheldout,

butatlastallthenoise,theshrieking,becametoomuchforoneman.Then"street

boys,“ofsomesixtyyearsofage-foryearsalonedon'tmakemen-raisedatumult,

atwhichtheHearerwouldhavelaughed,exceptfortheslanderoustalkthatfollowed

andechoedthrougheveryhouseandstreet;itwasheardeveninthecountrylanes.

Falsehoodpusheditselfforwardandpretendedtobethemaster;bellsonthefools,

capsjangledandinsistedtheywerechurchbells,untilthenoisebecametoomuch

fortheHearerandhethrusthisfingersintohisears.Butstillhecouldhearfalse

singingandevilsounds,gossipandidlewords,scandalandslander,groaningand

moaning,onallsides-nonejfitworthlisteningto.Heavenhelpus!Itwas

impossibletoendure:itwasalltoomad!Hethrusthisfingersdeeperanddeeper

intohisears,untilatlasthiseardrumsburst.Nowheheardnothingatall;he

couldnothearthetrue,thebeautiful,andthegood;hishearingwastohavebeen

thebridgebywhichhewouldhavecrossedtoit.Hebecamemoroseandsuspicious,

atlasttrustingnoone,notevenhimself,andthatwasmostunfortunate.Hewou1d

notbeabletodiscoverandbringhomethedivinejewel,andsohegaveup;heeven

gavehimselfup,andthatwastheworstofall.Thebirdsthatfleweastwardbrought

thetidingsofthisalsotothefather*scastleintheTreeoftheSun;noletters

arrivedthere,fortherewasnomailservice.

“Nowr11try,“saidthethirdbrother."Ihaveasharpnose.”

Itwasn'taverygoodpracticeforhimtoboastlikethat,butthatwashisway,

andwemusttakehimashewas.Hehadahappydispositionandwasapoet,agreat

poet;hecouldsingmanythingsthathecouldnotspeak,andideascametohimfar

morequicklythantheydidtoothers.

“Icansmellarat!”hesaid.Anditwashishighlydevelopedsenseofsmelltowhich

heattributedhisgreatrangeofknowledgeabouttherealmofthebeautiful.

“Everyfragrantspotintherealmofthebeautifulhasitsdenizens,“hesaid.,Some

likethesmellofappleblossoms;somelikethesmellofastable.Onemanisat

homeintheatmosphereofthetavern,amongthesmokingtailowcandles,wherethe

smellofspiritsmingleswiththefumesofcheaptobacco.Anotherpreferstobenear

theheavyscentofjessamine,ortoscenthimselfwithstrongoilofcloves.Some

seekthefreshseabreezes,whileothersclimbthehighestmeuntaintolookdown

onthebustlinglittlelifebeneath.

Yes,thushespoke.Itseemedtohimasifhehadalreadybeenoutinthewideworld

andknownpeoplefromcloseassociationwiththem.Butthisconvictionarosefrom

withinhimself;itwasthepoetwithinhim,thegiftheavenhadbestowedonhimin

hiscradle.

5

UcbadefarewelltohisancestralhomeintheTreeoftheSunandwentonfootthrough

thepleasantcountryside.Whenhearrivedattheboundariesofhishome,hemounted

anostrich,whichrunsfasterthanahorse,andwhenhelatermetthewildswans,

heswunghimselfontothestrongestofthem,forhelovedvariety.Awayheflewacross

theseatodistantlandsofgreatforests,deeplakes,toweringmountains,andproud

cities.Andwhereverheappeareditseemedasifsunlighttraveledwithhimacross

thecountryside,foreveryflowerandbushgaveforthanewfragrance,conscious

thatnearbywasafriendandprotectorwhounderstoodthemandknewtheirvalue.

Thenthecrippledrosebushstretchedoutitsbranches,openeditsleaves,andgave

bloomtothemostbeautifulroses;eventheblack,slimywoodsnailsawitsbeauty.

“Iwillputmymarkontheflower,“saidthesnail."NowIhavespitonit,andthere

isnothingmoreIcandoforit.”

“Thusthebeautifulalwaysfaresinthisworld!”saidthePoet.

Thenhesangasongaboutitiniisownway,butnobodylistened.Sohegaveadrummer

twopenniesandpeacock'sfeather,andthenarrangedthesongforthedrum,andhad

itdrummedthroughoutthetown,inallthestreetsandlanes.Whenthepeopleheard

ittheysaidthattheyunderstoodit-itwasveryprofound!

AndsothePoetsangothersongsaboutthebeautiful,thegood,andthetrue,and

peoplelistenedtothemamongthesmokingtaverncandles,listenedinthefresh

meadows,intheforests,andonthehighseas.Itseemedasifthisbrotherwasgoing

tohavebetterluckthantheothertwo.

ButthatangeredtheDevil,andsohepromptlysettoworkwithalltheincensepowder

andsmoketobefound,theverystrongest,whichcanstifleanyone,andwhichhe

canprepareartfullyenoughtoevenconfuseanangel-andsurely,therefore,apoor

poet!TheDevilknowshowtotakeholdofamanlikethat!HesurroundedthePoet

socompletelywithincensethatthepoormanlosthishead,forgothismission,his

home,everything-evenhimself;hethenvanishedinsmoke.

Whenthelittlebirdsheardaboutthistheyweresad,andforthreedaystheydidn't

sing.Theblackwoodsnailbecameblackerstill,notfromgriefbutfromenvy.

“Theyshouldhaveburnedincenseforme,“hesaid,“foritwasIwhogavehimthe

ideaforthemostfamousofhissongs,thedrumsongaboutthewayoftheworld.

ItwasIwhospatattherose!Icanbringwitnessestoprovethat!”

ButnonowsofthisreachedthePoet,shomeinIndia,forallthelittlebirdswere

mourningandsilentforthreedays;andwhentheirtimeofmourningwasover,their

griefhadbeensoprofoundthattheyhadforgottenforwhomtheywept.That*sthe

wayitgoes.

“Nowr11havetogointotheworld,andstayawayliketheothers,“saidthefourth

brother.

Hehadasgoodahumorasthethird,thoughhewasnopoet,whichwasafinereason

forhimtohaveagoodhumor.Thosetwohadfilledthecastlewithgaiety,andnow

thelastofthatgaietywasleaving.Menhavealwaysconsideredsightandhearing

thetwomostimportantsenses,thosethatitismostdesirabletostrengthenand

sharpen;theotherthreesensesaregenerallylookeduponassubordinate.Butthat

wasnotthebeliefofthisson,forhehadespeciallycultivatedhistasteinevery

6

waypossible,andtasteisverypowerfulindeed.Itgovernswhatgoesintothemouth

andintothemind;hencethisbrothertastedeverythingtherewasinpotsandpans,

inbottlesandbarrels,explainingthatthiswastheuncouthsideofhisfunction.

Tohimeverymanwasavesselwithsomethingcookingwithin,andeverycountrywas

anenormouskitchen,akitchenofthemind-thisheconsideredfineindeed,and

hewantedtogooutintotheworldandtasteofit.

“PerhapsI,11havebetterluckthanmybrothers.Ishallbeonmyway-buthowshall

Itravel?Areballoonsinventedyet?”heaskedhisfather,

whoknewaboutallinventionsthathadbeenmadeorwouldbeinthefuture.Butmen

hadnotyetinventedballoons,orsteamships,orrailways."ThenV11gobyballoon,“

hesaid."Myfatherknowshowthey，remadeandsteered,andthatIcanlearn.They

aren，tinventedyet,sopeoplewillthinkit*ssomespiritoftheair.WhenIhave

finishedwiththeballoonI'11burnit,andforthatyoumustgivemesomepieces

ofanotherinventiontocome-matches.”

Whenhehadreceivedwhathewanted,heflewaway.Thebirdsflewmuchfartheralong

withhimthantheyhadwithhisbrothers.Theywerecurioustoknowhowtheflight

wouldcomeout,fortheythoughtitwassomenewkindofbird.Moreandmorecame

sweepingupuntiltheairwasblackwithbirds;theycameonlikethecloudoflocusts

overthelandofEgypt.Andsonowhe,thelastbrother,wasoutinthewideworld.

“TheEastWindisagoodfriendandhelpertome,“hesaid.

“YoumeantheEastWindandtheWestWind!”saidthewinds."Youcouldn'thaveflown

northwestifwebothhadn*thelpedyou.”

Buthedidn*thearwhatthewindsaid,andthatmakesnodifference.Thebirdstired

offlyingalongwiththeballoon.Toomuchhadbeenmadeofthatthing,saidapair

ofthem.Ithadbecomeconceited!”Itisn*tworthflyingwith;it'snothing!”And

thentheywithdrew;theyallwithdrew,forindeedtoomuchhadbeenmadeofnothing.

Theballoondescendedoveroneofthegreatestcities,andtheaeronautlandedon

thehighestpoint,thechurchsteeple.Theballoonroseintotheairagain,which

itshouldn'thavedone;wedon,tknowwhereitwent,butthatdoesn'tmatter,for

itwasnotyetinvented.Theretheyoungmansatonthechurchsteeple,thebirds

nolongerhoveringaroundhim：hehadgrownastiredofthemastheyhadofhim.

Allthechimneysofthetownsmokedfragrantly.

“Thosearealtarserectedinyourhonor,“saidtheWind,whichthoughtitoughtto

saysomethingpleasant.

Hesatupthereboldlyandgazeddownatthepeopleinthestreets.Onepersonwas

prancingalong,proudofhispurse;anotherwasproudofthekeythathungathis

girdle,thoughhehadnothingforittounlock;onewasproudofnismoth-eatencoat,

anotherofhisworm-eatenbody.

“Vanity!”hesaid."Imustgodown,dipmyfingersintothatpot,andtasteit.But

I,11sitherealittlelonger,forthewindisblowingverypleasantlyagainstmy

back;I*11takealittlerest.'Itisgoodtosleeplonginthemornings,whenone

hasmuchtodo,'thelazymansays.Lazinessistherootofallevil,butthereis

noevilinourfamily.I'11stayhereaslongasthewindblows,foritfeelsgood.”

7

Sohesatthere;butsincehevassittingontheweathercockofthesteeple,which

turnedroundandroundwithhim,hehadthefalseideathatthesamewindwasstill

blowing,soheremainedseatedthere;hemightaswellstayalongwhileandhave

agoodtaste.

BackinIndia,inthecastleoftheTreeoftheSun,ithadbecomeemptyandquiet

afterthebrothers,oneafteranother,hadgoneaway.

“Thingsaregoingbadlywiththem,“saidthefather."Neverwi11theybringhome

thegleamingjewel;itisnotforme.Theyarealldeadandgone!*Andthenhebent

overtheBookofTruthandgazedatthepagethatshouldhavetoldhimoflifeafter

death,buttherewasnothingforhimtoseeorlearnfromit.

Nowhisblinddaughterwashissolejoyandconsolation;sheclungtohimwithdeep

affection,andforthesakeofhishappinessandpeaceofmindshewishedtheprecious

jewelmightbediscoveredandbroughthome.Withsorrowandlongingshethoughtof

herbrothers.Wherewerethey?Wherecouldtheybeliving?Withallherheartshe

wishedshemightdreamofthem,but,strangelyenough,noteveninherdreamscould

shereachthem.

Atlastonenightshedreamedthattheirvoicessoundedacrosstoher,cal1ingto

herfromoutinthewideworld,andshecouldnotholdback,buttraveledfar,far

away;andyetsheseemedstilltobeinherfather'shouse.Shenevermetherbrothers,

butinherdreamshefeltasortoffireburninginherhandthatdidnotpainher

-itwastheshiningjewelshewasbringingtoherfather.

Whensheawokeshethoughtforamomentthatshesti11heldthestoneinherhand,

butitwastheknobofherdistaffthatshewasgrasping.Throughthatlongnight

shehadspunincessantly,andonthedistaffwasathreadfinerthanthefinest

spider*sweb;humaneyescouldnotdistinguishtheseparatethreadsinit,sofine

werethey.Shehadmoisteneditwithhertears,anditwasasstrongasarope.She

arose;herdecisionwasmade-thedreammustbecomeareality.

Itwasstillnight,andherfatherwassleeping.Shepressedakissonhishand,

andthen,takingherdistaff,fastenedtheendofthethreadtoherfather,scastle.

Butforthis,inherblindnessshewouldneverhavebeenabletofindherwayhome;

shemustholdfasttothatthreadandtrustneithertoherselfnortoothers.From

theTreeoftheSunshebrokeefffourleaves;theseshewouldentrusttothew