Sunshine Storiespage 3 / 4
“The third child held the ring so tight in his teeth, that it gave forth sound, an echo of the song in the depth of his heart. Thoughts and feelings rose in beautiful sounds; rose like singing swans; plunged, like swans, into the deep, deep sea. He became a great master, a great composer, of whom every country has the right to say, ‘He was mine!'
“And the fourth little one was—yes, he was—the ‘ugly duck' of the family; they said he had the pip, and must have pepper and butter, like the little sick chickens, and that he got; but of me he got a warm, sunny kiss,” said the Sunshine. “He got ten kisses for one; he was a poet, and was buffeted and kissed, alternately, all his life. But he held what no one could take from him,—the Ring of Fortune, from Dame Fortune's golden swan. His thoughts took wings, and flew up and away, like singing butterflies,—the emblem of immortality!”
“That was a dreadfully long story,” said the Wind.
“And O, how stupid and tiresome !” said the Rain. “Blow on me, please, that I may revive a little.”
And the Wind blew, and the Sunshine said,—“The swan of Fortune flew over the beautiful bay, where the fishermen had set their nets; the poorest of them wanted to get married, and marry he did. To him the swan brought a piece of amber; amber draws things toward it, and it drew hearts to the house. Amber is the most wonderful incense, and there came a soft perfume, as from a church; there came a sweet breath from out of beautiful nature, that God has made. They were so happy and grateful for their peaceful home, and content even in their poverty. Their life became a real Sunshine story!”
“I think we had better stop now,” said the Wind, “the Sunshine has talked long enough, and I am dreadfully bored.”
“And I also,” said the Rain.
And what do we others, who have heard the story, say?
We say, “Now my story's done.”