Everychild | Page 6

you not wish to keep it?" she asked.
But it seemed to Everychild that he had no need of the sword, now that
the Giant Fear was dead. "Thank you, I shall not need it again," he said.
She said, in a strange, sad voice, "Alas, the greatest need of my sword
arises after fear is gone!"
But he scarcely heeded her now. The sound of music was heard much
nearer. He lifted his eyes and beheld the door which had always stood
between him and the world. He drew nearer to the door. It was wide
open.
He heard the voice of Father Time: "The moment has arrived for you to
go, Everychild!"
He caught step with the music, which was very loud now.
He marched valiantly away.

CHAPTER III
EVERYCHILD ENCOUNTERS ALADDIN OF THE WONDERFUL
LAMP
He knew he could go wherever he pleased, and so with very little delay
he entered a deep forest. It was evening and the wind was sighing in the
great trees. A winding road stretched before him like a gray ribbon.
Soon he came to where a boy sat by the side of the road. The boy sat on
a small Oriental rug, and by his side stood a very peculiar lamp. The
boy was clad in a purple garment made of silk, with slippers to match.
He wore a very fine skull-cap, also of silk, and a pig-tail hung down his
back. His eyes were very peculiar. They were placed in his head a little
on end; but they were bright and friendly. His mouth was like a little
bow. The lips were merry and red. His cheeks were like peaches.
Everychild stopped and looked at the boy, and the boy smiled at him. "I
am trying to think of your name," said Everychild, pondering. Surely he
had seen this boy before--but where?
"Everychild knows me," returned the boy. "My name is Aladdin."
"Aladdin--of course!" said Everychild. He sat down by Aladdin on the
Oriental rug. "And this is your lamp," he said, his eyes shining.
"Alas!--yes," replied Aladdin sadly; and Everychild was surprised that
Aladdin could speak sadly. But Aladdin said no more about the lamp
just then. He turned his eyes, which seemed a bit askew, upon
Everychild. "You were marching bravely as you came along," he said.
"I was watching you. And I thought to myself, 'How can any one walk
bravely along a road like this?'"
For an instant Everychild's heart was troubled. "Isn't it a good road to
walk on?" he asked.
Aladdin's reply was: "It is called The Road of Troubled Children."

Everychild thought a moment. That was a strange name, certainly. "It
seems a little lonely," he ventured, thinking that perhaps Aladdin would
explain why he did not like the road.
"It is lonely," said Aladdin; "yet all children walk here sometimes. You
see, it is a very long road, so that many may walk on it without
encountering one another."
Neither spoke for a moment, and there was no sound save the wind in
the trees.
Then Aladdin said, "When you have walked here a little longer perhaps
you will not walk so bravely." There was an obscure smile on his lips
as he said this.
But Everychild replied quickly, "Oh, yes, I shall. You see, I shall
remember my friends."
"Your friends?" asked Aladdin.
"Father Time, for one. I wish you could have seen how he took my
part!"
Aladdin nodded slowly. "I am hoping he will be a friend to me some
day," he said.
"And then there is the Masked Lady," continued Everychild.
"The Masked Lady?" repeated Aladdin in a puzzled tone.
"She lent me her sword."
But Aladdin mused darkly until his eyes rested upon his lamp. "I'd
rather persons didn't wear masks--of any sort," he said. "Sometimes
they are dangerous enemies."
He seemed so troubled as he said this that Everychild asked him, "But
you, Aladdin--why are you making a journey on the Road of Troubled
Children?"

"I?" replied Aladdin in surprise. "Why, because I am the most troubled
child of all!"
Everychild could scarcely believe this. "And yet," he said, "with your
wonderful lamp you have only to wish for things, and they are yours!"
Aladdin made ready to tell his story. He adjusted himself more
comfortably on the Oriental rug, and at last he sighed deeply. "The
child who has everything is never happy," he said.
Everychild simply could not believe this; and Aladdin read the disbelief
in his eyes.
"It is true," he said. "Having everything you wish for is like having
more money than any one else. And in such a case, how could one be
happy? How many things would be denied one!--pleasant solitude,
simple friendships, even a good name. Those who had too little would