LITTLE GLAD HEART. A FAIRY TALE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1813, 20 August 1886, Page 33

LITTLE GLAD HEART. A FAIRY TALE.

(Continued.) " I think I will jump in," said Glad Heart. " Really I am very anxious to know all I can and see all I can, and I am getting tired of Fairyland. Besides, Prince Self-will, you look very amiable and strong ; and if I come for a little way in your boat Disobedience, you will promise to land me safely whenever I desire you upon the banks of Fa ry land again ? " " Most solemnly I promise, fair maiden," answered the Prince gallantly, doffing his plumed hat, and bowing low; "but, once fairly launched upon the River Discontent, you will not wish quickly to return to the company of the fairies Love, Joy, Peace, Hope, or any of their band. Allow me ! " he added, leaning forward and holding out his hand to help Glad Heart into his boat. " I never heard such a fuss in all my life," said Glad Heart, laughing from the boat. " Don't you go ! " croaked a raven, " don't you go 1 Glad Heart ! Glad Heart !— No ! no ! no I* " Come back ! come back ! " cooed a dove— " Come back 1 come back I Glad Heart, love ! " " Something sad will happen," sighed a wren — " That Prince Self-will is falsest of men." " Don't you leave us ! " sang the lark from high, " Glad Heart ! Glad Heart ! I shall die 1 " The little brown sparrow chirped from a tree : " Glad Heart, dearest, stay with me I " And the robin redbreast twittered low : " Happy little maiden, don't you go 1 " Then an owl shrieked with all his might : " Shatl I never more see you at night ? " Hark ! the nightingale from out the wood Warbled : " Linger, Glad Heart, good 1 " Then a thrush trolled far in the grove : " Sweetest of maidens, don't you, love ! " List to the magpie : " Well ! well ! well ! Glad Heart is going ; I'll go and tell ! " Then the laughing jackass screamed from far, Bursting with daughter, "Ha ! ha ha ! " An eagle swooped from his eyrie high, And flew iiear Glad Heart with a cry. All the bright humming-birds came in a swarm, And hummed to Glad Heart in hope to charm. The blackbirds, and linnets, and bellbirds sang : " JHo Darling^little Great Heart, don't you go 1 " Then a parson-bird : " Leave her alone ; If she is wayward, suffering must atone." "It is perfectly absurd," replied Prince Self-will. " Suffering atone for a little sail on Discontent 1 What harm is there in it, I wonder 1 " Little Glad Heart leaned back in the boat, but she was not very comfortable. The boats on the fairy lake had cushions of down ; the cushions of Disobedience were hard. Then, after they had sailed some time, a keen wind sprang up, and it made Glad Heart shiver, "What wind is this?" she asked Prince Self-will. " Conscience," he replied. "I don't like it— it is so cutting," responded Glad Heart. " Oh, you won't feel it after a time," said the Prince. " Meanwhile let me wrap this cloak round you ; it is lined with a fur of • I don't care,' and will keep you warm." He wrapped itt closely round Glad Heart, and presently she fell asleep, and slept while the boat sailed on and on, far and far away from Fairyland, and did not awake until the boat bumped against a lock. Then she awoke with a start, and was alarmed to find it dark, and the shore strange and dismal. " Where are we 1 " she asked. " This is the Land of Wrong," answered , Prince Self-will,

11 Oh, but I won't go upon it ! " cried Glad Heart, trembling, and shrinking back. " I don't like the look of it ! Please, kind Prince, take me back home. You said you would." "It is no use crying," said the Prince sharply, all his gallantry gone. " You ought to know very well my boat Disobedience never returns to Fairyland — only leads away from it. You have sailed along the River Discontent to the Land of Wrong, and if you want to return to your old friends, Love, Joy, and Peace, you must go some other way." " Why did you tempt me here 1 " sobbed Glad Heart. " Well, I am only a servant of King Evil, who rules this land, and I must do his bidding. He wants to take captive as many as he can, to people his land. But lam rather sorry for you, for I like you. However, you must come now to the King. He awaits you in his castle." (7b be continued?) A Chad's Dream. Last night; I bad a dream, mother : I went to heaven to stay, And had a harp, but though I tried And tried, I couldn't play. And then an angel came and said : " Child, this will never do ! " And than lie took the harp away, And sent me home to you. Afc first I was ashamed, mother, The angel looked so goodThen he turned back and said to me : " You did the best you could, But God must have a perfect strain ; So now, child, go aw.ty. And you shall come again to heaven ■jJWhen you have learned to play." So I came back to you, mother ; And when I reached our room You sat beside the lire, mother, In sorrow find in gloom. Then when you saw me standing there You gave a great glad cry, And said : " She's come again to me — God's sent her from the sky ♦" I told yoi* all my tale, mother— The blundering of your child ; But you instead of chiding me, But cuddled me and smiled. And when I said I couldn't play The harp's chord sweet and free, You kissed my face and said : " O love, You're good enough for mo ! " Axice. The Mastiff and the Spaniel. " Dear neighbour," said a mastiff Unto a spaniel near, " Come, let us walk together — With me you need not fear." " With all my heart, friend Tiger ; But whither shall we go ? " " Off to the nearest village, On visits that we owe." Poor simple Tray, unheeding The temper of his friend, Set out with joyous spirit, Undreamt his sorry end. For soon the 6urly mastiff His teeth began to show. And quarrel with the villnge dogs, Who gave him blow for blow. He growled, and woke the echoes Till all the angry dames Expelled the rude intruder Who spoiled the children's games. The pretty, playful spaniel Deserved no share of blame ; But who with tigers travel Must bear their doubtful fame. Kakakui.