The Bee-Man of Orn | Page 3

form might
have been something very disagreeable, or even horrid.
"But it does not matter," he said sturdily. "Whatever I was that shall I
be again. It is not right for any one to retain a form which does not
properly belong to him. I have no doubt I shall discover my original
form in the same way that I find the trees in which the wild bees hive.
When I first catch sight of a bee-tree I am drawn towards it, I know not
how. Something says to me: 'That is what you are looking for.' In the
same way I believe that I shall find my original form. When I see it, I
shall be drawn towards it. Something will say to me: 'That is it.'"
When the Bee-man was rested he started off again, and in about an
hour he entered a fair domain. Around him were beautiful lawns, grand
trees, and lovely gardens; while at a little distance stood the stately
palace of the Lord of the Domain. Richly dressed people were walking
about or sitting in the shade of the trees and arbors; splendidly
caparisoned horses were waiting for their riders; and everywhere were
seen signs of opulence and gayety.
"I think," said the Bee-man to himself, "that I should like to stop here
for a time. If it should happen that I was originally like any of these
happy creatures it would please me much."
He untied his hive, and hid it behind some bushes, and taking off his
old doublet, laid that beside it. It would not do to have his bees flying
about him if he wished to go among the inhabitants of this fair domain.
For two days the Bee-man wandered about the palace and its grounds,

avoiding notice as much as possible, but looking at every thing. He saw
handsome men and lovely ladies; the finest horses, dogs, and cattle that
were ever known; beautiful birds in cages, and fishes in crystal globes,
and it seemed to him that the best of all living things were here
collected.
At the close of the second day, the Bee-man said to himself: "There is
one being here toward whom I feel very much drawn, and that is the
Lord of the Domain. I cannot feel certain that I was once like him, but
it would be a very fine thing if it were so; and it seems impossible for
me to be drawn toward any other being in the domain when I look upon
him, so handsome, rich, and powerful. But I must observe him more
closely, and feel more sure of the matter, before applying to the
sorcerers to change me back into a lord of a fair domain."
The next morning, the Bee-man saw the Lord of the Domain walking in
his gardens. He slipped along the shady paths, and followed him so as
to observe him closely, and find out if he were really drawn toward this
noble and handsome being. The Lord of the Domain walked on for
some time, not noticing that the Bee-man was behind him. But
suddenly turning, he saw the little old man.
"What are you doing here, you vile beggar?" he cried; and he gave him
a kick that sent him into some bushes that grew by the side of the path.
The Bee-man scrambled to his feet, and ran as fast as he could to the
place where he had hidden his hive and his old doublet.
"If I am certain of any thing," he thought, "it is that I was never a
person who would kick a poor old man. I will leave this place. I was
transformed from nothing that I see here."
He now travelled for a day or two longer, and then he came to a great
black mountain, near the bottom of which was an opening like the
mouth of a cave.
This mountain he had heard was filled with caverns and under-ground
passages, which were the abodes of dragons, evil spirits, horrid

creatures of all kinds.
"Ah me!" said the Bee-man with a sigh, "I suppose I ought to visit this
place. If I am going to do this thing properly, I should look on all sides
of the subject, and I may have been one of those horrid creatures
myself."
Thereupon he went to the mountain, and as he approached the opening
of the passage which led into its inmost recesses he saw, sitting upon
the ground, and leaning his back against a tree, a Languid Youth.
"Good-day," said this individual when he saw the Bee-man. "Are you
going inside?"
"Yes," said the Bee-man, "that is what I intend to do."
"Then," said the Languid Youth, slowly rising to his feet, "I think I will
go with