The Uncrowned King | Page 5

still, fathomless, depth of the clear water, he
saw as in a crystal glass the wonderful city Daybyday with its canals
and harbors, its parks and drives, its groves and gardens, its palaces and
temples.
Then, even as the Pilgrim looked, quickly the Evening Wind sprang up.
Again the tall trees rustled their leaves, the cloud ships lifted their
anchors, the waves of the Beautiful Sea ran joyously; the Vision in the
Deeps Beneath was gone.

* * * * *
AND THE SECOND VOICE WAS THE VOICE OF THE EVENING
WIND
[Illustration: And the Second Voice was The Voice of the Evening
Wind (see king006.png)]
It was early twilight when the Pilgrim in The Quiet Room returned to
his couch and to his meditations.
Without the Temple, the last of the day was stealing over the rim of the
world into the mysterious realm of the yesterdays. The feathery cloud
ships no longer floated white in the depth of blue, but with wide flung
sails of rose and crimson swept over an ocean of amethyst and gold.
The ripples that ran on the Beautiful Sea were edged with yellow and
scarlet flame, while leaf, and blade, and flower, and bird, and all of
their kind and kin, were singing their evensong. Sweetly, softly, the
choral anthem stole through the open window into The Quiet Room.
And after a little the Pilgrim heard, whispering low, in the twilight
hymn, the Voice of the Evening Wind.
Said the Voice: "To thee, O Hadji, I come from the Boundless Ocean
Above that begins wherever you are and extends farther away than the
farthest point your thought can reach. I speak from out the Deeps
Beyond. I tell of the Great That May Be. I too am a Voice of Life and
mine it is to continue for you The Tale of The Uncrowned King."
And this is the part of the Tale that was told by the Voice of the
Evening Wind.
The twin princes Really-Is and Seemsto-Be, on their good horses
Reality and Appearance, journeyed very pleasantly through the Land of
Allthetime toward the City Sometime in the Land of Yettocome. Ever
as they went the Royal travelers saw before them the walls of the city
gleaming like polished silver in the sun, and high above the shining
walls the great palace or temple that flamed like a ruby flame. Always

as they rode the two talked gaily, in glad anticipation of the marvels
they would certainly see, of the pleasures they would surely find, and
of the delightful adventures that without doubt awaited them. So at last
they arrived at the city gate, which was a gate all scrolled and patterned
with precious gems.
[Illustration: (see king007.png)]
Fairer than the dreams of angels, O Hadji, is the City Sometime in the
Land of Yettocome. Of such radiant splendors, such dazzling brilliancy,
such transcending glory there are yet no words fashioned to tell. It is a
city, in the form and manner of its building, of exquisite loveliness, of
fairy grace, of towering grandeur. It is a city in the beauty and richness
of its color, all emerald, rose, and purple, all ruby, crimson and gold.
As the twin princes of Allthetime rode slowly through the wide jeweled
gate and along the noble streets and stately avenues, they exclaimed
aloud with delight and wonder at the enchanting beauty of the scene.
More than they had heard at home was true. The poorest of the
buildings in Sometime far exceeded in splendor the richest of the
palaces in Daybyday; while before the palaces of Sometime, Really-Is
and Seemsto-Be stood speechless and amazed. They were fairly
drunken with the flashing, flaming, blazing, blinding glory of the sight.
The people of Sometime, too, were exceeding fair and very charming in
their manner, and they welcomed the princes from Daybyday with a
joyous welcome, answering their questions gladly and escorting them
to the palace of their king. For you must know, O Hadji, that the City
Sometime, too, is a Royal City, the home of Lookingahead, who rules
over the Land of Yettocome. And King Lookingahead received his
noble visitors with gladness and had great pleasure, he said, in
presenting them to his two daughters, the princesses of Yettocome,
Fancy and Imagination, who were fairer than any women the princes of
Daybyday had ever seen, even in the loveliest of their dreams.
For a long happy, happy time Really-Is and Seemsto-Be remained in
the City Sometime. Every day, and every day, with the royal princesses
Fancy and Imagination for their guides, they rode or drove through the

wide streets and broad avenues, walked in the beautiful gardens,
explored the shadowy groves or visited the many palaces. And in this
way it was that the charming princesses showed to