ORIGINAL TALE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 63, 24 April 1869, Page 6

ORIGINAL TALE.

A FAIRY TALE,

FORr READERS OM> A3X T D YOTHTG,

Par away over the dim mountains, Across the wide grey distances of ocean, lies the/pleasant country of Hazeland ; — a land where men do not mangle find scar the long-suffering earth with patent ploughs or prize-medal grubbers and cultivators ; where the people are happy without stump oratory or ball ot-boxes, or sergeants -at - arms ; where that engine of the devil and fosterer of deceit, the Fourth Estate, never blusters or rants, or whines in daily or weekly issues ; a land, in good sooth, whose people know nothing of the march of intellect, or the glorious nineteenth century, of political economy, or of any isms or ologies at all. In this land, nature is justified of her children, and feeds them and nurses them in her many-feeding bosom." Now, there was a time, before the great barriers of iceberg and floe arose, when all our little planet was but a province of Hazeland ; and the people lived contented', neither envying nor fearing their neighbours. But a great giant came out of Limbo and warred against them, and they were sore bestead in the affray. This the giant perceived, and he spoke smooth words to them, and offered, to be their king and prophet ; to which charming many of the weaker sort lent an attentive ear. So, by their persuasion, all the elders assembled together, and, with the whole people in 'their company, went forth to hearken to the words of the giant. Then said he, "My name is Necessity, and I hold the keys of the treasures of the' earth ; and whosoever shall follow me will learn the causes of all things, and have the old woman Nature as a servant, even like unto one of the gods." And many cried out his words were the words of a wise councillor. A remnant, however, refused to take the giant as their governor, saying he had not told them the road to the land of the Hereafter, whither their fathers had gone ; nor bad they ought to complain of the gentle rule of Queen Nature. Still the greater portion made common cause with th.c giant, and, falling on the faithful few, thej sorely bemauled them, and had, indeed, utterly deB'royed them, but for the succour their mistress afforded. But after she had whispered soft messages by the south wind, and breathed tender longings in the flowers, and persuaded them by the loving laughter of the brook, to no- effect ; and warned them ■with the -voice of the thunder and tempest anjd earthquake, she left them 1 o their own devices, and fenced off a portion of the land with barriers none could penetrate, for the dwelling-place of her children.

So, when the giant found himself master of .the field, he called in hordes of specties and fiends to enjoy the goodly heritage; and he appointed overseers from among the people, who fared sumptuously, and were cradled in the lap of his sister, the Archfiend Luxury. These did his bidding in all things, grinding the faces of the poor, and forcing them to labour and drag i'rom theirhiding places the treasures of their old mistress, until the whole earth was filled with the sound of wailing. Tet not ons repented of his Jolly, but cursed Nature and magnified the giant. Long after, some did arise who spoke wisdom to the people, and railed upon them to dethrone the giant and the overseers he had appointed ; but they were so besotted they would not listen, but cast filth at them, and burned them, and crucified them, and stoned them, saying, so may nil traitors and infidels and apostates perish, who desire to injure our sovereign lord and master. Then they called great assemblies, and they listened to mighty talkerß, who told them they were the wisest and happiest and best of created beings, and who invented gods for them to worship — isms and ologies, each man according to his own desire.

Meanwhile, those who had refused to fall down and worship the giant lived happily in pleasant Hazeland. They toiled not, for Nature produced enough to rupply a^ their wants without attempting compulsion. Neither had they any king over them, for. injustice and crime were unknown in the land. All day long they read m the gr,eat book of the Allmother— a bopk pi large, that it requires the whole universe to hold it. And when they grew ,old~and feeble, each man, taking his staff and Ms scrip, journeyed away to the foot of the rainbow, where stand the golden gates that lead to the lan I of Hereafter, where there is no night, but joy unceasing, and eternal youth. Now, it happened that one of the elders of the people took to himself a wife, and in due course of time she bare him a son, whom' he called Arist vne, And the child grew to be a gc-)' 1 "/ youth; and from an early age he displayed a great craving for know1 -Ige, aifd pored for hours over the a.nciens records of hU race. He read Y r :th indignation and pity the account" cv the apostacy of the worshippers of trie giant, longing and praying that i leir eyes should be openad and their former" happiness restored. So it came to pass that he continued 3>ondering over these matters until the d-iy arrived when it is the custom of {ill the people in Hazeland to pay i ourt to their sovereign mistress. So he, in company with all the youth,

assembled, and proceeding up a high mountain, found themselves in the presence of their Queen. She sat surrounded by flowers of every hue, and gh't about by birds of every plume, whose ever-moving wings caused the colours of her robe to vary and change every moment. She Avas spinning the most Avonderful textures, such as neither Lyons, nor Manchester, nor Paisley, nor Geneva, nor Cashmere could ever equal, although they clubbed all their machinery together ; and yet her loom Avas old-fashioned weather-stained, as though it had seen some hard times in its day. She sang at her work ; but although each of the visitors seemed to knoAv the strain, they could not for^ the life of them make out its meaning; yet it Avas familiar in their ears as the ripple of the stream. And upon the loom was an- inscription, saying — Still on the loom of Time I weave ' The living mantle of the Deity.

After the salutations had been ended, the Queen called Aristuino forward, and bade him speak, for she perceived that the seal of affliction was on his brow. Then he, falling on his knees, declared the love and pity that was in his mind, and besought -her for pe;* mission to sally out and encounter the great giant, fighting against whom he might, either die valiantly or, by good chance, effect a great deliverance; Then spake the Queen after this sort: "Deem not, O Aristuine, that because these men have been ingrates and apostates I haA^e forgotten they are my children, or ceased to plead with them. The pages of my book are before them, if they would but open their eyes and incline their hearts to wisdom. I Avhisper to them in sunny breezes, and smile on them" from every flower, but they Avill not hearken.- Not, then, because I believe you will succeed where I have failed, but as a Avitness and a warning, do I pei'mit you to go forth, and that, by valiant struggle and bold denial, you may become worthy to speak wisdom to the faithful who remain unto me." Havthus spoken, she took Aristuine by the hand, and leading him into an armoury, clad him in armour of proof, and gave him a sword of exceeding sharpness ; and calling to the Bouth Wind, she bade him carry the adventurer to the Land of the G-iant.

(To be continued.)