THE PEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2045, 4 May 1893, Page 45

THE PEN.

A FAIRY TALE. Bt Fatb Madoc. In th« morning Gold Scribe awoke, and came sadly to write the poem that he had composed, and he took the pen which lay before him and dipped it into the ink. And when he btgan to write he felt that agteatnewpower had come into him, and that the Spirit of Poetry was with him. He wrote the most burning and the finest poem that had .ever been written, and when it was finished he was almost mad with joy, for he knew in his poet's heart that he had done more excellently even than Wise Heart. And he cried aloud, " O my Wise Hearb, you have already taken your jplace as the world's First Poet ; for in 29 competitions you have won the palm, and even if you should fail at the thirtieth, once cannot; undervalue nine-and-twenty times. And now shall the sacred gates of marriage open for us both; for Love has crowned me with success, inspiring me, and dictating to me these triumphant verses." And in this he spake truth, though he knew it,nofc. Then he put the pen carefully in his pocket and placed the lily in a tall slender vase, and put on his finest attire and went forth full of gladness to the last competition. And the Kings and Queens and great personages were already gathered in the pavilion ; and only one place was vacant. That was the place next to Gold Scribe, where Wise Heart always sat. And they waited long for her. But she came not, and Gold Scribe was sad, for, thought he, what is success worth unshared by love ? But at lasfc the King gave orders that the reciting should begin, and one and another arose and recited verses that were good and admirable, and then Gold Scribe advanced and recited his poem,- and it was at once so tender and lovely, so glorious and exalted, bo fervent and noble, that the people wept, and thundered forth a great applause, and they said: "Even Wise Hearb could not hare surpassed this ! " And the verdict went forth that' Wise Heart was the world's First Poet, for she had won the palm nine-and-twenty times, but that Gold Scribe had won it on the thirtieth day, and that his poem on Love was the first and beat poem that mortal man had ever penned upon that subject. And Gold Scribe rejoiced. But his joy went from him, because of the disappearance of Wise 1 Heart ; for he hastened to her house and found, her not. He sought her by the mere-side, and' in the clover-scented fields, and in the fair, gardens of the city, but she could not be found, and he called aloud to her, but she answered not ; and Gold Scribe was wretched even in his success, for of what worth is the brightest triumph unshared by love ? . So the days went by and the tulips gavel place to large yellow roses, and the roßpsJ passed, and the dahlias bloomed; and still* Wise Heart returned nofc, and men mourned; for her greatly, and Gold Scribe most of all. Nevertheless, Gold Scribe continued to write, such poetry as no man had written, before, and; he won a splendid renown and ruled the hearts! of men. And always he wrote with one pen, 1 , which he carried in his bosom, and sometimes he would say : " Little pen, you are a witch, It owe my success to you, for however dull myj Boul may be, when I hold you in my hand instantly my heart is full of the finest and pureßt thoughts, and it seems that I write according to your will " And he treasured it exceedingly. And the pen could not answer, but the woman's hearb within swelled with joy and pride, and Wise Heart thought, though my Gold Scribe is deprived of the sweetness'of love, and though, the sacred gates of marriage shall not open tor' us, yebhave I crowned him with eternal success and his fame will be undying. And the lily in the tail slender vase never faded ; but it lived in vain ; for Gold Scribe, knew not that he should wave it thrice to restore his lost love to woman's shape. Years rolled on, and honour was heaped upon Gold Scribe, the great poet, and riches increased upon him. He lived in a beautiful house, and servants did his bidding, and he had costly, things in marble and in cedar, in gold and in, silver, and people said: "Why does not Gold' Scribe wed? for everything is his save love only, and he himself has taught us that love is pre- 1 cious beyond compare." But he replied always : "Once I loved Wise Hearb and I love her memory still. I cannot wed." And when many, many years had gone by and the fame of Gold Scribe was magnified through all the world, and .his hair was grown grey, one morning Gold Stfribe walked by the mere-side thinking on his lost love, when suddenly a little boat came towards him, radiant in the spring brightness. It cam© to shore at his feet, and out stepped a woman very fair and. tranquil of mien, with kind eyes, and dreßsedhr the soft green hues of early spring. And she said •• " Gold Scribe, my favoured child, I am the Spirit of Poetry, and your heart and the heart of Wise Heart whom you loved sprang from mine. Now I would that you knew how your fame was accomplished and how it came to pass that you came to eminence on the thirtieth day of the Great Competition when Wise Heart disappeared." Then she told him of Wise Heart's love and devotion, and that Wise Heart herself was the pen with which he had written ; and she said : "If Wise Heart should return,' her poetry would again Burpass yours, and you would be s once more second poet and she the first, for in your union Tay your power. But if you love your Love better than Fame, go home and wave the lily which has never faded thrice, and the pen will be transformed again, and Wiae Heart will stand before you." Then Gold Scribe paused not a moment, but" he hastened home, and his h< art burned within him with great love and longing, and he said within himself, "What is Fame compared to Love ? " He waved the lily thrice, and Wise Heartstood before him once more, beautiful with the beauty of maturity, and her hair was silvered like his own. And he fell at her feet and kissed her hands. But &he raised him up and said : " Kiss my lipa, my Love, for I have been yours all these years, and I am yours now, and nothing but death shall part us." Then the sacred gates of marriage opened for them, and they went forth together, hand in hand, and dwelt apart in a stately hall in the midsb of a garden where flowers never failed. And they wrote no more ; for Gold Scribe said : " Now my Wise Heart shall take her ■ place once more." But Wise Heart said: "Nay, my Gold Scribe shall continue first " And they both said : "We have written together for many years, now let us cease. We have given to the world a heritage of beautiful gong, now let us leave Fame and enjoy Love." r-Leede Mercury,