THE DESOLATE MOUNTAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 96, 20 October 1934, Page 20

THE DESOLATE MOUNTAIN

(Written for Spring-time by "Antiope," Seatouu.)

«npHEBI3 was once a little man with a long beard, who lived on tho side jl of a mountain. Wisdom of the ways of Nature ho had in plenty, and !indeed everything that was worth Jiving for, but. wisdom.of the ways of m'e'ri ho had/none, Oncoa traveller spoko to him. "And you are happy all. alone, oil this.desolate'mountain?" he asked strangely. .

"Happy?" the.little man chuckled. "Of happiness I have my share. And desolate? This : mountain' is- not desolate—why, friend,-there's purple hoathcr and -blue streams, there's colours of tho skies-y-tliore's beauty all over it. Desolate?" "And he chuckled into, his beard,1. . .'.

"Not lonely?" urged tho traveller. ."Don't you miss your follows— wouldn't you like to 'see new countries, new peoples . ...?" , .- '.' "No, no," laughed the littlo man. "Myfriends are tho birds—the animals —I am, friends with all and everyone, and content to stay."

''Well, well/ smiled the traveller, rising. "Perhaps some day we'll change places for a while. Who .knows? I who have the lust for travel may-seek a restful place like this to lie in, and you,-so content with your mountain, may want to see the world and know tho ways of men." And ho arose and went on his way, and tho littlo man wont up his mountain. N_ow. it.c.amo to pass that some men. heard of tho marvellous'tamoness of tlio'^ii'da on the mountain (for-tho little man had taught.them to know no iear)>, and. they camo toinare and 'trap them, fiFor," they said, "wo will sell them for food to the people, and make much money." .'■. . When tho littlo man found the men snaring Ms beloved birds, his anger know no bounds, but for all he said tho men only laughed. They called him mad, and asked him. if he owned the mountain, "It belongs to the birds and the animals, and boware of what you do!" cried tho littlo man, and hurried off: that ho might not hear tho pitiful cries of the captured birds.

Beforo long ho Jnet tho traveller again, and told him his troubles. "It is-but the way of: men," said the-traveller, "and they cannot bo stopped. Best leave your mountain and go among men to learn their ways. I am weary""of thY world .'awhile, and will stay hero till you return." So they parted—tho littlo man to the world and tho traveller to the mountain. "He will not be long gone/ mused tho traveller to himself, "'for one who does not kii'tiw the.way of ifien if is .hard to live among thenl," "And ho rtliotight to himself.of spmo way in which ho could rid'the mounjtain. o,f tho ihen, for in his hoart ho knew it was wickedness to kill the innoceut songsters.

There was silence-jn tho night on tho mountain-side, except-for the occasional chirping of a captured bird. Led by tho sound, the travoller cautiously crept to tho cages. Tho incu were all asleep, and nothing -wakened :i thorn. With dawn they were up, and not till then did they discover their loss. All tho birds wero gone, but all the cages were shut and' as they had left them! Consternation broke out on every man's face, until one blurted, "It is tho little man with tho beard! Ho must have done this!?' In anger they went in search of him, but found a traveller. ; "Have I seen a little, bearded man?" asked the traveller thoughtfully. "Ay«, now I think of it, I passed ono on tho road yesterday—-he, said he was leaving a mountain because it was cursed. Is this tho mountain?" And ho looked about him as if ho had just become awaro of its presence. "A desolate place it looks, I must say," and ho rose and hurried upon his way. Tho men muttered uncomfortably, but soon went back to their evil work. That night they locked the birds in tho cages, and huddled under coyer, all together, for they were beginning to doubt tho desolate place. In the morning, though they had n.(jt heard ono sound, all the birds wero vanished, and no sign of their going, ' Tho third timo it happened the. men could stand it no longer. They smarted tq imagine^,strange sounds, stranger ..silences, on tho mountain, and iiojiiombprin^; thp.littlo :mah's woras, "Bewajro o£ what you do!" and that :.'.|hy mountain was.cursedj ;they''at^Jast made & hurried departure, carrying [nothing"'mote than they caiiio with. '..'"■'■■■■'". '■■:■■ '.' ■ ' , ■ The travellor had not been wrong in thinking tho little man, would soon ; return. In lossthan a week ho was back, sadder and wiser, and very tired. "What of the ways of men?" quoth the traveller, kindly, i "My mountain's enough for me—oven if it is defiled Jjy jnen "who trap tho innocont birds," was all he said b^ way of explanation. "But tho men have gono—lindno birds with them," saith. tho traveller. v . "No birdsf•^Howy'did■■■yl^!ili3.pUt?''■••I■gaßiio4'•:lillo little man breathlessly, ': his eyes shining. ; .''"■ v^vv'^ ■ -,•,■"■*«■:-?■■■;■;■ ~ , ■; "Men are full of superstition <uid fear," was all tho stranger would say. Soon ho said again: "But with their going they will tell a tale of your mountain to tnen, and it will-bo called cursed among them," "I do not miud!" exclaimed tho littlo man, "Surely that is added protection for it? And will you not come and stay with mo novrV be asked, as the travellor made to go, but the stranger smiled sadly, "Nay, I must go on and on among men till I am too old to go further. Then, and then only, may, I come back to you and the mountain to rest jn my last days." And Uo turngd an^ went upon hisjvay, ,