More Tales in the Land of Nursery Rhyme | Page 8

sunflower.
The King was waiting on the steps of the back-yard, watching a dozen gardeners trying to rear the Canterbury bell with patent foods. When he saw Sir Richard Byrde approaching he called out:
"Have you brought her?"
"No, your Majesty," said the Knight, "but she sent you this flower in token that if you, yourself, will go across the sea to fetch her, she will come--and, oh, your Majesty, she is more beautiful than day, and her garden is Paradise itself!"
"Don't waste time talking," said the King. "You know quite well I have never fetched anything myself in my life. In fact, I have never done any thing myself. That is one of the privileges of being a King."
"Well, but your Majesty will never have a garden without her," murmured Sir Richard Byrde humbly, looking round the back-yard, and thinking of the Princess's lovely garden.
The back-yard certainly did look very dismal. A dozen more gardeners were already at work trying to plant the sunflower, but they had put it in upside down. Scraps of old iron, once patent rakes, hoes, or watering-cans, were scattered about. The smell of the patent soils and weed-killers was positively horrible. The Canterbury bell drooped helplessly in one corner.
The King sighed.
"Well, I must have a garden," he said. "So I will put an end to all this, and go and fetch the Princess myself. After all, I shall only have to bring her here--and then what a difference there will be!"
So without wasting another minute the King himself climbed the castle wall, and plunged headlong into the sea.
He had swum a dozen yards or so when it suddenly occurred to him that he might swim and swim, and never find the Princess Mary Radiant.
"I wish I knew the way," he cried, catching hold of a cockle-shell that was lying on one of the upstanding rocks.
Then to him, as to the two Knights, appeared the old man. "Swim over rocks and through water for seven times seven leagues," said he, "till you come to a large gate-post on which is hung a sign-board. Follow the directions on the sign-board and all will be well." Then the King swam on over rocks and through water, for seven times seven leagues; and there, just as the old man had said, was the sign-board. He, too, read the directions:--
THE GARDEN OF THE PRINCESS MARY RADIANT
No man shall be admitted here, Till he a fine doth pay. And he that will not pay the fine, From hence must swim away.
By him that rides here over land, A silver bell is paid. He that flies hither through the air, Must bring a dark-faced maid. While he that through the sea doth swim, Must bring a cockle-shell with him. By order, M. R.
"'He that through the sea doth swim, Must bring a cockle-shell with him.'
Well, here it is," said the King. "So I will just walk in."
This time the old man did not appear, and the King walked straight into the garden, holding the shell in his hand.
"Ah-h-h, this is the garden I should like to have, perhaps the Princess could have it transplanted to my palace," said the King. "What a number of gardeners they must employ here!"
"No, only myself," said a soft voice behind him, "a few Bees, a few Byrdes and the nymphs Wynde and Worta."
The King turned, but could see no one, though he thought he caught a glimpse of a gold skirt among the bushes.
He threw down the shell by the path, and running forward, cried--"Oh Princess, come with me to my back-yard, and make it into a lovely garden such as this."
Then, for one moment through the arching branches of the trees, there appeared before him a maiden so beautiful that he was almost blinded with the sight of her. She was all gold and shining, like the pictures of Queen Elizabeth. She was smiling, too, but oh, so sadly!
"I will come," she said, "but you, yourself, must prepare the place for the garden. When it is ready I will smile on it and you. Till then, though I will come back with you and tell you what to do, you will never see my face."
As she spoke, a veil of mist shrouded her face and her shining golden dress. The flowers grew dim, the fruits ceased to shine, the fair maids to curtsey, the fountains to play, and the birds to sing. The King shivered. "I thought that when you came I would have my garden at once," he muttered.
"Come," said the Princess gently.
Together they swam back to the Palace. The King was angry and disappointed, but the beautiful picture of the golden Princess smiling at him through the trees was fixed for ever in his mind. He began to think that he would not mind doing