Part 16 (1/2)

”Explain yourself!” said the King. ”How can a beast with horns be a token of love?”

The youth drew himself up to his full height.

”It is not a beast,” said he. ”It is the branch of a holly-tree. On this day of the year, which in my country we call Christmas Day, our people decorate their houses with branches of this holly or holy tree as a token of love and peace and good-will. This is the message that I have brought to you--a message that we in our country know very well, but which you have never heard before.”

The King and the Warriors, the Wise Men, the Queen and Princesses all listened to his words in silence.

When he had ended there was a long pause.

”And in what particular way does your message affect us?” said the King at last.

”Thus, your Majesty,” answered the youth, approaching the Youngest Princess and taking both her hands in his, ”on this day I, Prince Moldo, would have peace and good-will between my kingdom and your kingdom; and I would seal it for ever by taking the Youngest Princess home with me as my bride. You, O King, recognized me not, for I have much changed since I lived here with her for playfellow, but in all my wanderings I found a Pearl of no greater price than this, and I would proclaim to all the world that the Secret of Happiness is Love.”

So on that very Christmas Day they were married, amid great rejoicings, and war ceased throughout the kingdom. And on every Christmas Day for ever after, the people of that country decorated their houses with holly, the symbol of love and peace and good-will, and wished each other a Merry Christmas, even as I do now to you.

THE WILLOW MAN

There once was a Willow, and he was very old, And all his leaves fell off from him, and left him in the cold; But ere the rude winter could buffet him with snow, There grew upon his h.o.a.ry head a crop of Mistletoe.

All wrinkled and furrowed was this old Willow's skin His taper fingers trembled, and his arms were very thin; Two round eyes and hollow, that stared but did not see, And sprawling feet that never walked, had this most ancient tree.

A Dame who dwelt a-near was the only one who knew That every year upon his head the Christmas berries grew; And when the Dame cut them, she said--it was her whim-- ”A merry Christmas to you, Sir,” _and left a bit for him_.

”Oh, Granny dear, tell us,” the children cried, ”where we May find the s.h.i.+ning mistletoe that grows upon the tree?”

At length the Dame told them, but cautioned them to mind To greet the willow civilly, _and leave a bit behind_.

”Who cares,” said the children, ”for this old Willow-man?

We'll take the Mistletoe, and he may catch us if he can.”

With rage the ancient Willow shakes in every limb, For they have taken all, and _have not left a bit for him_.

Then bright gleamed the holly, the Christmas berries shone But in the wintry wind, without the Willow-man did moan: ”Ungrateful, and wasteful! the mystic Mistletoe A hundred years hath grown on me, but never more shall grow.”

A year soon pa.s.sed by, and the children came once more, But not a sprig of Mistletoe the aged Willow bore.

Each slender spray pointed; he mocked them in his glee, And chuckled in his wooden heart, that ancient Willow-tree.

O children, who gather the spoils of wood and wold, From selfish greed and wilful waste your little hands withhold.

Though fair things be common, this moral bear in mind, ”Pick thankfully and modestly, _and leave a bit behind_.”

Juliana Horatia Ewing.

THE IVY GREEN

Oh, a dainty plant is the ivy green, That creepeth o'er ruins old!