The Bee-Man of Orn | Page 6

perhaps I may find its mother. If I do not, I shall give it to
somebody in that little village yonder. Any thing would be better than
leaving it to be devoured by that horrid dragon."
"Let me carry it. I feel quite strong enough now to carry a baby."
"Thank you," said the Bee-man, "but I can take it myself. I like to carry
something, and I have now neither my hive nor my doublet."

"It is very well that you had to leave them behind," said the Youth, "for
the bees would have stung the baby."
"My bees never sting babies," said the other.
"They probably never had a chance," remarked his companion.
They soon entered the village, and after walking a short distance the
youth exclaimed: "Do you see that woman over there sitting at the door
of her house? She has beautiful hair and she is tearing it all to pieces.
She should not be allowed to do that."
"No," said the Bee-man. "Her friends should tie her hands."
"Perhaps she is the mother of this child," said the Youth, "and if you
give it to her she will no longer think of tearing her hair."
"But," said the Bee-man, "you don't really think this is her child?"
"Suppose you go over and see," said the other.
The Bee-man hesitated a moment, and then he walked toward the
woman. Hearing him coming, she raised her head, and when she saw
the child she rushed towards it, snatched it into her arms, and
screaming with joy she covered it with kisses. Then with happy tears
she begged to know the story of the rescue of her child, whom she
never expected to see again; and she loaded the Bee-man with thanks
and blessings. The friends and neighbors gathered around and there was
great rejoicing. The mother urged the Bee-man and the Youth to stay
with her, and rest and refresh themselves, which they were glad to do as
they were tired and hungry.
They remained at the cottage all night, and in the afternoon of the next
day the Bee-man said to the Youth: "It may seem an odd thing to you,
but never in all my life have I felt myself drawn towards any living
being as I am drawn towards this baby. Therefore I believe that I have
been transformed from a baby."

"Good!" cried the Youth. "It is my opinion that you have hit the truth.
And now would you like to be changed back to your original form?"
"Indeed I would!" said the Bee-man, "I have the strongest yearning to
be what I originally was."
The Youth, who had now lost every trace of languid feeling, took a
great interest in the matter, and early the next morning started off to
inform the Junior Sorcerer that the Bee-man had discovered what he
had been transformed from, and desired to be changed back to it.
The Junior Sorcerer and his learned Masters were filled with
enthusiasm when they heard this report, and they at once set out for the
mother's cottage. And there by magic arts the Bee-man was changed
back into a baby. The mother was so grateful for what the Bee-man had
done for her that she agreed to take charge of this baby, and to bring it
up as her own.
"It will be a grand thing for him," said the Junior Sorcerer, "and I am
glad that I studied his case. He will now have a fresh start in life, and
will have a chance to become something better than a miserable old
man living in a wretched hut with no friends or companions but
buzzing bees."
The Junior Sorcerer and his Masters then returned to their homes,
happy in the success of their great performance; and the Youth went
back to his home anxious to begin a life of activity and energy.
Years and years afterward, when the Junior Sorcerer had become a
Senior and was very old indeed, he passed through the country of Orn,
and noticed a small hut about which swarms of bees were flying. He
approached it, and looking in at the door he saw an old man in a
leathern doublet, sitting at a table, eating honey. By his magic art he
knew this was the baby which had been transformed from the Bee-man.
"Upon my word!" exclaimed the Sorcerer, "He has grown into the same
thing again!"

THE GRIFFIN AND THE MINOR CANON.
* * * * *
Over the great door of an old, old church which stood in a quiet town of
a far-away land there was carved in stone the figure of a large griffin.
The old-time sculptor had done his work with great care, but the image
he had made was not