The Uncrowned King | Page 7

of the Great
That Was. I also am a Voice of Life, and mine it is to tell you yet more
of The Tale of The Uncrowned King."
And this is the part of the Tale that was told by the Voice of the Night.
Now it happened, as things sometime so happen, that Really-Is lingered
over long, saying good-bye to his friends in the City Sometime in the
Land of Yettocome; and that when he had lingered long with his
friends he stayed yet longer with the beautiful princess, Imagination.
So it was that, while the prince was promising many promises and
receiving in turn promises as many, his brother, Seemsto-Be, mounted
and was well started on his journey before the heir to the throne of
Allthetime was in the saddle. With the last good-bye spoken to his
royal friends, the last promise promised to the fair princess, and the last
farewell waved to the charming people, Really-Is urged his horse fast
and faster, thinking thus to overtake his brother. But very soon
Really-Is found that, fast as he rode his good horse Reality,
Seemsto-Be on Appearance rode faster. Greater and greater grew the
distance between the two princes--farther and farther ahead rode
Seemsto-Be; until at last, when the distance between them was such
that he could, no longer see his brother, Really-Is, the rightful heir to
the throne of Allthetime, understood that Seemsto-Be was riding to win
the Crown.

"For you must not forget, O Hadji," said the sad Voice of the Night,
"that no one in Daybyday could tell the twins, Really-Is and
Seemsto-Be, one from the other, and therefore, you see, the prince who
first reached the Royal City would surely be proclaimed king."
Hard and fast, fast and hard, rode the two who raced for the Crown of
Allthetime. But always Appearance the horse of Seemsto-Be, proved
faster than Reality, the horse of Really-Is, and so the prince who was
first born rode far behind.
Now just this side of the river that marks the end of the Land of
Allthetime the road divides, the way to the left leading to the Brazen
Gate called Chance, and the other, to the right, going straight to the
Golden Gate, Opportunity. And just here it is, at the parting of the ways,
that Wisdom lives in his little house beside the road.
When Really-Is in turn arrived at this place, he dismounted from his
tired horse, and approaching the little house, asked of Wisdom if he had
seen one pass that way riding in great haste.
"Aye, that I have," replied Wisdom with a smile, "that I have, young sir,
and many would say that it was yourself who rode so hard."
"It was my brother, good sir," replied the prince. "May I ask which way
he went and how far he rides ahead?"
The old man, pointing, answered: "He took the road to the left there
and he rides so far ahead that you cannot now overtake him this side
the city walls."
"At least I must try to overtake him," answered the prince, and,
thanking the old man, he turned quickly to mount his horse again.
But Wisdom cried, "Why so fast? Why so fast? Is not your brother's
name Seemsto-Be? And are not you, Really-Is, the rightful heir to the
throne of Allthetime?"
"It is indeed so, sir," replied the young man sadly. "I am Really-Is. I

was born before my brother, Seemsto-Be, and am, therefore, the
rightful heir to the Crown. Our father, King What-Soever-Youthink, is
dead, and I must hasten or my brother will be crowned king, for as you
see, the people cannot tell us one from the other."
Then said Wisdom: "But you will gain nothing by haste, oh
Really-Is,--nothing but time, and there is much of greater value than
time to a King of Allthetime. Even now is Seemsto-Be entering the city.
Even now is he by the people being hailed King. Therefore, tarry a
while before you act and listen to my words."
So it was that Really-Is paused on his journey to sit awhile with
Wisdom in the little house by the side of the road.
Then did Wisdom take from his shelves many a ponderous, time worn
volume and read to the prince History, Prophecy and Law, revealing to
him thus the Secret of the Magic of the Crown of Allthetime.
And from the last volume, that which Wisdom read to Really-Is was
this: "Be it known, O whosoever readeth, that if any prince of the royal
family Everyone enter the city Daybyday through the Brazen Gate
called Chance, he shall be forever held unworthy of the throne and
crown. In the sacred Law of All the Ages it is written that a King of
Allthetime may enter