Violet: A Fairy Story, Page 2

  She always carries in her hand an urn, from which a sweet and delicateodor arises like incense.

  Perhaps you will be surprised when I tell where she found this urn. Itwas the largest and most perfect blossom on a branch of lilies of thevalley. Did you ever notice what lovely little vases they form when youturn them stem side down? I never saw one half as pretty made of Parian;but, then, of course nothing _could_ be as beautiful as a flower; theyare God's vases, and his work is always the most perfect.

  The lily never faded; nothing _can_ fade in the light of Contentment'ssmile; and the modest little flower that might only have shed fragranceabout its own green leaves, borne by the fairy, has sprinkled itsincense odor through every land.

  Love is more splendid than Contentment, but not any more beautiful;_her_ wings are larger, richer, and more delicate. They are like petalsof the fleur-de-lis, or iris, perhaps you call it--the splendid,feathery, purple flower, with leaves like long ribbon streamers. Theyare transparent too; and wherever Love goes, the light, shining throughthese wings, casts a rich purple glow about her--dyed, as you may haveseen the sunshine in falling through the great stained window of somechurch. Love's crown is a broad band of golden sunshine, and shescatters roses and violets about every where.

  CHAPTER VII.

  THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT.

  But I must tell you what happened to poor Toady one day, and see if youwonder that Violet felt badly.

  She was sitting on the doorstep sewing, with kitty in her lap, soundasleep, and the three toads watching her from the walk--as happy alittle girl as ever breathed.

  It was her birthday; and when she awoke that morning, the first thingher eyes rested upon was the largest bunch of sweet violets she had everseen in her life. They were set in a beautiful white cup, with VIOLETprinted in gold letters on the front.

  She hardly stopped to look twice at them, but, in her nightgown, ran tothe door to find and thank her good, kind parents. They were not in thefield or the garden; and then Violet remembered that this was marketday, and they must have gone to the town, and might not be home againuntil afternoon.

  It was an hour before Violet could dress herself. She looked at andsmelt of the flowers a hundred times--set them in every corner and onevery ledge to see where they would look prettiest--talked to them, anddanced around them, and even pinched her finger to see if she could beawake.

  All these beautiful, fragrant blossoms her own for a whole day--for aweek--as long as they did not fade!

  Then she went to the brook for water, and setting her basin on the bank,knelt down among the dewy flowers to wash her face and smooth her long,soft, golden hair, and as she went home, sang her morning hymn; forViolet knew that every morning the birds poured forth their songs, andthe flowers their odors, and the brook its vapor wreaths, in gratitudeto Heaven; and she had no idea of being the only ungrateful thing onearth.

  She met kitty, and taking her in her arms, hurried into the house,thinking how surprised and delighted puss would be with the violets. Butkitty was thinking of something else; she only sneezed when Violet puther nose among the wet flowers, and struggled to get away.

  "Well, there--go," said Violet, a little hurt.

  Puss had no thought of going; she purred louder than ever, and rubbedher white face against Violet's dress, and looked up at her wistfully.

  "O, you greedy kit!" said Violet, at last; "you're thinking aboutbreakfast, and not my flowers. I'll eat it right away, so as to leaveyou some."

  But, for joy, she could hardly eat a spoonful; and however kittyslighted what was in the gilded cup, it was plain enough that sheenjoyed the contents of the old tin porringer.

  While puss was eating, Violet brought her flowers to the door again, andbegan to look about for the toads. Pretty soon out they hopped from thewet grass, half drowned themselves in dew, and hop, hop, hop they cametowards Violet.

  You may think she was very silly; but you must remember she was allalone out in the fields, and had no other playmates; so she made themost of these.

  The toads stood still when they came to the cup of violets, and lookedup at her, winking their round, lazy eyes, until she felt sure they weretrying to congratulate her and praise her flowers.

  Then kitty came along, gaping, for she had eaten more breakfast thanusual; and Love reminded Violet that she had work to do, although it washer birthday; so she took kitty in her lap, left the toads staring ather flowers, and seated herself on the doorstep to sew.

  CHAPTER VIII.

  VIOLET'S TROUBLES.

  Just then she heard a light, rolling sound, which came nearer andnearer, till at last she saw a carriage, drawn by two white horses. Thisentered the green field, and, to Violet's surprise, stopped before oldReuben's little hut.

  In the carriage were two children not much older than Violet, and theirfather, a tall, stately gentleman; besides, there were two footmen and adriver.

  The carriage was painted in gay colors, and gilded so that it fairlyglittered in the sun; and the little girl inside was so gayly dressed,in silks, and ribbons, and artificial flowers, that Violet thought itmust be one of the dolls she had seen in a milliner's window.

  But the doll, if it was one, spoke, tossing back her curls, andbeckoning with her gloved hand to Violet, while the gentleman, placing apurse in his daughter's outstretched hand, said,--

  "Buy as many flowers as you want, Narcissa. Meantime I will climb thehill yonder, which must overlook a fine prospect, it seems to me. Whatdo _you_ say, Alfred? Will you accompany me?"

  Now, when the carriage stopped, the boy, Narcissa's brother, had taken abook from his pocket, and was reading it attentively; he appeared sounwilling to leave it, although he arose to follow his father, that theindulgent parent said,--

  "Well, never mind; you can read on."

  "Little girl," exclaimed Narcissa, "run quickly into the house and callyour mother or father, or somebody; I want them."

  "We are the only bodies here," said Violet, looking at her pets.

  "Well, then, go and pick me all the violets in your garden; I shall payfor them."

  "They were sent to market this morning," said Violet, stroking kitty'sback, and not feeling very sorry at Narcissa's disappointment, for thelittle girl in the carriage did not seem to her well bred.

  "But you must, you _shall_, find me some, girl," said Narcissa, in arage. "Don't you know that I'm going to a fancy ball to-night, and mymaid must have fifteen bunches of violets to dress me with, and we haveonly found twelve so far? I know you're not telling the truth, for therein the grass is a whole bunch of beautiful ones. Bring them to me,"turning to the footman, "and kill those dirty toads in the path; I hatethe sight of them."

  Violet rushed to the rescue of her pets.

  "O, no, no! they are mine--my own--my best friends--_my_ toads andviolets!" she screamed.

  But in vain. The footman stepped on poor Toady, kicked him across andacross the path, till, all bruised and bleeding, he lay still, and,Violet thought, dead, while Narcissa clapped her hands and laughed atViolet's sorrow.

  "_Your_ toads and violets!" she said; "I should think you were crazy.But I don't want to hurt your feelings, girl. Go and bring me two morelarge handfuls of violets, and I will forgive all your impudence andwrong stories. Why don't you go? What are you staring at?"

  CHAPTER IX.

  FAIRIES AGAIN.

  It had just come into Violet's head that this proud and imperious littlemortal in the carriage must be a queen, such as her story books toldabout, and had a right to every body's service and every body's goods.What strengthened this belief was the fact that, fluttering aboutNarcissa's head, she saw (and though her face was wet with tears, shestared at it) the queerest little fairy; now, too, she saw another fairyperched on Alfred's arm as he read, and turning over the leaves of hisbook; while all about the carriage flew a third, the largest and mostsplendid of all; he trod upon the servant's heads, right over the crownof their hats; he would sit down to rest on the necks of the beautifulwhi
te horses, as they pawed the ground; he whirled round and roundNarcissa, even daring to pull her own fairy's hair, while he pattedAlfred's fairy on the back quite condescendingly.

  This little imp was named Pride. He looked, as he flew, like a greatscarlet cactus blossom, in his long rich cloak, with heavy tassels, thatswept the ground, and left wherever they trailed a very fine dust ofgold. In this dust the tassels were dipped continually--powdered overwith it, finer than the yellow pollen you may have seen on the stamensof a lily.

  The flower pollen is good for something, but not so pride's gold dust.He only scatters it because it is so expensive, and common people cannotdo the same.

  I have known persons who sold comfortable homes, cheerful hearts, andgood consciences, all for a little gold, which they ground into thissilly powder, and threw away.

  I think Pride makes people a little insane; you must take care that noneof his gold dust gets into _your_ eyes.

  The good thing about Pride--and there is something good about everybody--was his affection for Alfred's fairy, Ambition. I cannot describethis being, he is so dazzlingly bright. He is the best and the worstfairy I know, for he is at times like each one, and often like alltogether.

  It is ambition that makes men good as angels; and every one knows it isAmbition that makes Satan so bad. This fairy is useful; but he cannot betrusted for a moment; he may serve you faithfully through a long life,and at the end plunge you into some pitfall, just for mischief. He willwhisper sweet words in your ear, and build you a glittering boat, andpromise to row you down the pleasantest river to Paradise itself.Perhaps he will do all he promises; perhaps he will only land you in amadhouse or a jail.

  Ambition had taken a fancy to Alfred, and never left his side. He wouldurge him away from his companions and sports, to work overbooks,--always to work and study,--and promised to make him a great anduseful man.

  There is one strange thing about these fairy people; beautiful and richas they are, and free and powerful, they will follow and make their homewith the poorest little child, and shelter him with their splendidwings, and light up his pathway with their gleaming crowns; but only onone condition--that the child follow wherever they lead, and is true tothe fairies as they are true to him; which is but fair, you know. Whowants to give advice that is not followed?

  We all, though at the time we do not know it, choose our own fairies,and, once chosen, they love us and make us love them so well that it isno easy matter to escape from them, or to avoid obeying their advice.

  So, when you see any one--and grown-up men and women have fairies aswell as children--who is led about by a wicked fairy, you must pityinstead of blaming the sufferer; and if he offend you, you must takecare that _his_ fairy doesn't fly into your heart and frighten away yourown, or make you forget, and give unkind answers back.

  Be very sure no one _wants_ to be bad; only if a spiteful little spiritperched on your shoulder, and whispered evil thoughts and angry wordsinto _your_ ear, don't you suppose that sometimes you would obey him andbelieve what he said?

  Whenever you feel these wicked spirits near, call loud for Violet'sfairy, Love. She will be sure to come; and they know very well theycannot live in her presence; for the light of her starry crown puts outtheir eyes, and the incense from Contentment's urn will take away theirbreath.

  If Love come, Content will be sure to follow; so only keep these fairiesnear, and you are safe.

  CHAPTER X.

  THE STRANGERS.

  But we were talking about Violet and poor Toady, who lay on the groundall bruised and bleeding, one of his legs so broken that it draggedalong after him when he tried to hop, and one of his eyes torn out andhanging by the skin; while the poor thing quivered all over with pain,and looked up at Violet with his one eye, as if he would say, "_Do_ helpme, Violet. Why didn't you keep them away?"

  She lifted him into the grass, smoothing it first into something like anest; then she poured some water from her violet cup to wash away thedust and blood, and stroked his back gently, while Toady looked up ather, and shut and opened his one eye, and tried to hop, which was hisway of thanking her, you know.

  When she found how stiff and sore he was, Violet burst into tears again,and wondered if the little queen in the carriage was any happier fordoing all this mischief. Let us see.

  Having taken care of her pet, the little girl looked to see if thecarriage had gone; and though she was almost as blind as Toady, her eyeswere so full of tears, she knew plainly enough by the sound that it waswaiting still; for Alfred had thrown his book aside, and he and Narcissawere talking angrily.

  "You're an ugly, envious thing," said Alfred. "That poor little girl hadnothing on earth but those few flowers and a miserable toad; and you,who have every thing you want, could not rest till you had stolen these.If I were king, I'd send you to state's prison."

  "And if you were a queen, what would _you_ do to the girl in thecarriage?" asked Narcissa's father of Violet; for the gentleman hadreturned from his walk, and coming quietly behind, had been watching heras she wept and watched over Toady, who seemed to be fast asleep.

  "O, I would send her away to the end of the world, so I might never seeher again. _Do_ take her away," she pleaded.

  "But she _has_ done wrong; she had no more right to hurt your toad thanyou have to hurt my horses in the carriage there. Shall I not punishher?"

  "It wouldn't do me any good," said Violet, mournfully. "Tell her she mayhave the flowers in welcome _now_. I don't care about them or any thingelse if Toady must die."

  "And why do you care about Toady?"

  "About _him_?" asked Violet, shaking away the golden hair as she lookedup wonderingly with her beautiful blue eyes,--"care about _him_? Why,did you ever see such a handsome toad? And then I have known him solong, and he hops about after me and lets me feed him; and now, now,when I come here in the morning, how lonesome I shall be, for he can'tcome hopping out from the grass any more, all wet with dew, and winkinghis round eyes, as if he'd say, 'Good morning.'"

  The gentleman laughed, and then looked very sober, as he said,--

  "I can't see much beauty in your pet; but I like you, little girl, forloving him so well; and here is money to pay for the harm my daughterhas done."

  "Why," said Violet, who had never seen any coin before, "I thought moneywas made to buy flour and meal with."

  "So it is," replied the gentleman, "and to buy cake, and fine clothes,and artificial flowers like those in Narcissa's bonnet."

  "I shouldn't want to look like _her_. I am not a queen," said Violet,"and I can find a great deal prettier flowers on the mountain than shewears, and prettier-looking stones than these;" and she looked at thesilver carelessly; then, brightening up all at once, she asked,--

  "Will they cure Toady's leg? O, if they will, I'll give you my flowersand the new cup both for them."

  The gentleman shook his head.

  "Then take them away. I don't want any thing."

  CHAPTER XI.

  THE DOCTOR DOCTORED.

  If Narcissa's father had looked then, he would have seen the fairy Lovebending over Violet till the sunny crown she wore brightened up herface, and made it look beautiful as an angel's, and Contentment, too,pouring perfume out of her lily urn.

  But the gentleman had a great deal of Pride's gold dust in his eyes, andtherefore he could not see very clearly.

  He _did_ see the beautiful love Violet had for her ugly little pet, andfelt how much better it was to be contented, like Violet, with solittle, than to have almost every thing, like Narcissa, and be alwayswishing for more.

  And what do you think the fairies did? They looked out of Violet's eyes,right through them, into his; and whenever she spoke they flew into hisheart with the words, till the proud man, who had not wept sinceNarcissa's mother died, long and long ago, felt great tears gathering inhis eyes; and as these fell into the grass, Contentment took care towash away all the pride dust with her own white wings.

  "The money will not cure your toad," said
he; "but _I_ can mend his leg,for I am a physician, and know all about broken bones."

  So he made the servant bring a case from the carriage, and taking asharp little knife from it, he cut away the eye, which was too muchcrushed to be of any use, and then bound up the leg.

  But Toady kicked, and struggled, and made such a time about it, andseemed in such pain, that Violet begged him to unfasten the bandage.

  "Well, you are right," he said; "the limb cannot be cured, and if I cutit off it will be out of his way, at least."

  He had no sooner done _this_ than Toady hopped right out of his grassynest, and looking at Violet, winked so drolly with his one eye that shelaughed and cried at once, and thanked the doctor over and over again.

  "You needn't thank _me_," he said; "for it seems you knew better whatwould suit him than I did, little girl. I wonder who taught you."

  Then Love and Contentment looked at each other and smiled; _they_ knewvery well who had taught Violet, and they knew besides that Violet wasteaching the proud, rich, learned man a lesson better than he could findin all his books or buy with all his money; for the sweet smile ofContentment and the beautiful words of Love, which had come to himthrough the lips of the little berry girl, Violet, would be rememberedfor long years, and prompt him to perform kind deeds, and thus to forgethis pride and his cares, and be sometimes light-hearted as a littlechild.

  CHAPTER XII.