The Madman | Page 2

nor would I have
thee understand. I would be at sea alone.
When it is day with thee, my friend, it is night with me; yet even then I
speak of the noontide that dances upon the hills and of the purple
shadow that steals its way across the valley; for thou canst not hear the
songs of my darkness nor see my wings beating against the stars--and I
fain would not have thee hear or see. I would be with night alone.
When thou ascendest to thy Heaven I descend to my Hell--even then
thou callest to me across the unbridgeable gulf, "My companion, my
comrade," and I call back to thee, "My comrade, my companion"--for I
would not have thee see my Hell. The flame would burn thy eyesight
and the smoke would crowd thy nostrils. And I love my Hell too well
to have thee visit it. I would be in Hell alone.
Thou lovest Truth and Beauty and Righteousness; and I for thy sake
say it is well and seemly to love these things. But in my heart I laught
at thy love. Yet I would not have thee see my laughter. I would laugh
alone.
My friend, thou art good and cautious and wise; nay, thou art
perfect--and I, too, speak with thee wisely and cautiously. And yet I am
mad. But I mask my madness. I would be mad alone.
My friend, thou art not my friend, but how shall I make thee understand?
My path is not thy path, yet together we walk, hand in hand.
The Scarecrow
Once I said to a scarecrow, "You must be tired of standing in this

lonely field."
And he said, "The joy of scaring is a deep and lasting one, and I never
tire of it."
Said I, after a minute of thought, "It is true; for I too have known that
joy."
Said he, "Only those who are stuffed with straw can know it."
Then I left him, not knowing whether he had complimented or belittled
me.
A year passed, during which the scarecrow turned philosopher.
And when I passed by him again I saw two crows building a nest under
his hat.
The Sleep-Walkers
In the town where I was born lived a woman and her daughter, who
walked in their sleep.
One night, while silence enfolded the world, the woman and her
daughter, walking, yet asleep, met in their mist-veiled garden.
And the mother spoke, and she said: "At last, at last, my enemy! You
by whom my youth was destroyed--who have built up your life upon
the ruins of mine! Would I could kill you!"
And the daughter spoke, and she said: "O hateful woman, selfish and
old! Who stand between my freer self and me! Who would have my life
an echo of your own faded life! Would you were dead!"
At that moment a cock crew, and both women awoke. The mother said
gently, "Is that you, darling?" And the daughter answered gently, "Yes,
dear."
The Wise Dog

One day there passed by a company of cats a wise dog.
And as he came near and saw that they were very intent and heeded
him not, he stopped.
Then there arose in the midst of the company a large, grave cat and
looked upon them and said, "Brethren, pray ye; and when ye have
prayed again and yet again, nothing doubting, verily then it shall rain
mice."
And when the dog heard this he laughed in his heart and turned from
them saying, "O blind and foolish cats, has it not been written and have
I not known and my fathers before me, that that which raineth for
prayer and faith and supplication is not mice but bones."
The Two Hermits
Upon a lonely mountain, there lived two hermits who worshipped God
and loved one another.
Now these two hermits had one earthen bowl, and this was their only
possession.
One day an evil spirit entered into the heart of the older hermit and he
came to the younger and said, "It is long that we have lived together.
The time has come for us to part. Let us divide our possessions."
Then the younger hermit was saddened and he said, "It grieves me,
Brother, that thou shouldst leave me. But if thou must needs go, so be
it," and he brought the earthen bowl and gave it to him saying, "We
cannot divide it, Brother, let it be thine."
Then the older hermit said, "Charity I will not accept. I will take
nothing but mine own. It must be divided."
And the younger one said, "If the bowl be broken, of what use would it
be to thee or to me? If it be thy pleasure let us rather cast a