The Song Of The Princess —

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 14 September 1940, Page 2 (Supplement)

The Song Of The Princess —

Far away across the sea, there was once a beautiful country, where the birds sung all flay ami the (lowers novor diorl. The king of this country, which was called Flnrcn, had three daughters, who were more beautiful than the stars. The lirst was as beautiful as the wild whjte swans, the second as beautiful as tlie pale water-lilies on the lake edge, but no one conhl describe the beauty 'of the third, who was the fairest maiden in all that land. . Every day the three beautiful princesses walked in the palace gardens, where the fountains played, the sun - <e> <s>

<S> <$> beams glanced, and the flowers danced. Every night they slept in beds of marble, embossed with gold. When they grew tired of the gardens, they called for the youngest to sing, for she had a voice as beautiful as licr face. She sang of the white waves 011 the shore, the curve .of the golden sand, the wild, free sea-birds, and, day by day, the princesses grew more and more tired of the gardens, and longed to leave the palace and ■wander free by the sea. Then one day it was the eldest princess* birthday, and the king called her to him and he said, "What you would like most in the world I will give yon." She answered, "I should like to" wander by the sea forever." The king was grieved, but he replied, "So be it." The went out past the fountains, and through the iron , gates which she had never passed before, but she was afraid and wished to come back. The gates had closed behind her, however, and. she was locked but, so she went down to the shore. Tho other two princesses went out walking in the garden, day by day, and sleeping in the marble beds at night. When they were tired of the garden, the youngest sang, but now she sang of the purple-misted mountains, where the wild goats leaped, and day by day the second princess longed more and more to be there.

The months passed slowly by, and at last it was the second princess' birthday. Then the king called her to him, and asked, "What would you like most, in the world?" The princess answered, "1 should like to he able to wander free in the mountains forever." The king was grieved. but lie answered, "So be it," and the princess went out past the iron gates. Then she was afraid and wished to come back, but the gates were locked and she could not enter, so she went on to the mountains. Then those two princesses were unhappy, for the eldest found that the shore was bleak and lonely. The wild gulls 'would not speak with her, and she pined for the happiness of the paliice. The second found that the mountains

t wore full of terrors, the goats would . not stay with her, and she longed for the happiness of the palace. But the youngest went on walking in the garden, and the flowers .seemed to bloom fairer than ever, and the birds J sang so beautifully that the princess would sit and listen to them while the hours sped by. The birds sang of the ? beautiful garden, of the gay fountains i and the glowing flowers. Soon the i princess stopped singing of the moun- , tains and the sea, and sang of the I garden, too. The months sped swiftly by, and at last it was the youngest princess' birthr ■ day. The king called her to him and s asked, "What would you like more than L anything in the* world?" i The princess answered, "I should like . to stay in this lovely garden-forever." 5 Then the flowers bloomed more gaily,

— the birds sang more sweetly, and the ]} garden seemed more beautiful than ever. The king was pleased, and answered, "So be it," and the princess went back to her • beloved garden. " :V. Now at that moment, there was .a... fairy flying through the air on her dragon-fly steed, and when she heard • the princess' words she flew , back to. fairyland to tell the queen. The queen. was sitting on a diamond throne, the hangings of which flashed with rubies. Wljen she heard the fairy's tale, she' ordered her flying cloud and set off for the king's garden. „ ' ' • \- The princess was walking in the • • garden when the queen settled on the reddest rose and palled to her, ""Princess," she said, "Would you help me?'' The princess looked at the beautiful queen and answered, "Yes, I will help you." Then the queen told her this story. (To he concluded next week.)