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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13905-0.txt b/13905-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f6b6ca2 --- /dev/null +++ b/13905-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3925 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13905 *** + +JOHN-OF-THE-WOODS + +BY + +ABBIE FARWELL BROWN + + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS BY + +E. BOYD SMITH + + + + +HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY + +BOSTON AND NEW YORK + +THE RIVERSIDE PRESS CAMBRIDGE + + + + +COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY ABBIE FARWELL BROWN + +ALL RIGHTS RESERVED + +Published October 1909 + + + + +To J.D. and K.D. + +Kindest of neighbors and best of friends + +to all the world and its + +Animal Kingdom + + + + +CONTENTS + + I. THE TUMBLERS + II. THE FALL + III. THE RUNAWAY + IV. THE OX-CART + V. THE HUNCHBACK + VI. THE SILVER PIECE + VIX. THE WANDERER + VIII. THE RESCUE + IX. THE ANIMAL KINGDOM + X. THE HERMIT + XI. THE PUPIL + XII. THE BEAU + XIII. A FOREST RAMBLE + XIV. THE WOLF-BROTHER + XV. THE GREEN STRANGER + XVI. THE HUNT + XVII. THE MESSENGER + XVIII. THE CARRIER PIGEON + XIX. THE JOURNEY + XX. THE ARRIVAL + XXI. THE PALACE + XXII. THE PRINCE'S CHAMBER + XXIII. THE CURE + XXIV. THE KING + XXV. THE FETE + XXVI. THE TALISMAN + CONCLUSION + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + THE THREE TUMBLERS + GIGI RUNS AWAY + HAVE YOU GOT MY BOY? + A QUAINT PAIR OF WANDERERS + THE CIRCLE OF ANIMALS WATCHED HIM + JOHN TALKED WITH THEM + YOU SHALL NOT KILL MY FRIEND THE BEAR + THE KING SENDS FOR YOU + A STRANGE COMPANY + JOHN WAS PROTECTED BY POWERFUL FRIENDS + HE STROKED THE SOFT BALL OF FUR + I WISH I COULD DO IT MYSELF + JOHN URGED THE CLUMSY FELLOW TO DANCE + TO ME, MY BROTHERS! + THE KING AND PRINCESS CAME TO VISIT HIM + + + + +JOHN OF THE WOODS + +I + +THE TUMBLERS + +It was late of a beautiful afternoon in May. In the hedges outside the +village roses were blossoming, yellow and white. Overhead the larks +were singing their happiest songs, because the sky was so blue. But +nearer the village the birds were silent, marveling at the strange +noises which echoed up and down the narrow, crooked streets. + +"Tom-tom; tom-tom; tom-tom"; the hollow thud of a little drum sounded +from the market-place. Boys and girls began to run thither, crying to +one another:-- + +"The Tumblers! The Tumblers have come. Hurry, oh, hurry!" + +Three little brothers, Beppo, Giovanni, and Paolo, who had been poking +about the market at their mother's heels, pricked up their ears and +scurried eagerly after the other children. + +Jostling one another good-naturedly, the crowd surged up to the +market-place, which stood upon a little hill. In the middle was a +stone fountain, whence the whole village was wont to draw all the water +it needed. In those long-ago days folk were more sparing in the use of +water than they are to-day, especially for washing. Perhaps we should +not be so clean, if we had to bring every bucket of water that we used +from the City Square! + +"Tom-tom; tom-tom; tom-tom"; the little drum sounded louder and louder +as the crowd increased. Men and women craned their necks to see who +was beating it. The children squirmed their way through the crowd. + +On the highest step of the fountain stood a man dressed in red and +yellow, with little bells hung from every point of his clothing, which +tinkled with each movement he made. In his left hand he held a small +drum, from which hung streamers of red and green and yellow ribbon. +This drum he beat regularly with the palm of his skinny right hand. He +was a lean, dark man, with evil little red-rimmed eyes and a hump +between his shoulders. + +"Ho! Men and women! Lads and lasses!" he cried in a shrill, cracked +voice of strange accent. "Hither, hither quickly, and make ready to +give your pennies. For the tumbling is about to begin,--the most +wonderful tumbling in the whole round world!" + +Stretching out his arm, he pointed to the group below him. The crowd +pressed forward and stood on tiptoe to see better. Beppo and Giovanni +and Paolo wriggled through the forest of legs and skirts and came out +into the open space which had been left about the fountain. And then +they saw what the backs of the butcher and baker and candlestick-maker +had hidden from them. + +From the back of a forlorn little donkey that was tethered behind the +fountain a roll of carpet had been taken and spread out on the ground. +Beside this stood the three tumblers. One of them was a thin, dark +man, small and wicked-looking, dressed, like the drum-beater, in red +and yellow. The second tumbler was a huge fellow more than six feet +tall, with a shaggy mane of black hair. His muscles stood out in great +knots under the suit of green tights which he wore. + +"A Giant he is! Faith, he could toss me over his shoulder like a +meal-bag!" muttered the Blacksmith, who stood with crossed arms looking +over the heads of the crowd. "And the wicked face of him! Ugh! I +would not wish a quarrel with him!" + +But the little boys in the front row were most interested in the third +tumbler, who stood between the other two, with his arms folded, ready +to begin. + +This also was a figure in green, with short trunks of tarnished +cloth-of-gold. But beside the Giant, in the same dress, he looked like +a pigmy or a fairy mite. This third tumbler was a little fellow of +about eight, very slender and childish in form, but lithe and +well-knit. Instead of being dark and gypsy-like, as were the other +three of the wandering band, this boy was fair, with a shock of golden +hair falling about his shoulders, and with a skin of unusual whiteness, +despite his life of exposure to sun and hard weather. And the eyes +that looked wistfully at the children in front of him were blue as the +depths into which the skylarks were at that moment diving rapturously. +On the upper eyelid of the boy's left eye was a brown spot as big as an +apple-seed. And this gave him a strange expression which was hard to +forget. When he was grave, as now, it made him seem about to cry. If +he should smile, the spot would give the mischievous look of a wink. +But Gigi so seldom smiled in those days that few perhaps had noted +this. On his left cheek was a dark spot also. But this was only a +bruise. Bruises Gigi always had. But they were not always in the same +place. + +"Oh, the sweet Cherub!" said a motherly voice in the crowd. "I wonder +if they are good to him. They look like cut-throats and murderers, but +he is like the image of the little Saint John in church. Wolves, with +a lamb in their clutches! Save us all! Suppose it were my Beppo!" + +At these words of his mother's, Beppo giggled, and the boy looked at +him gravely. The Hunchback with the drum had heard, too, and darted a +furious glance into the crowd where the woman stood. Then, giving a +loud double beat on the drum, he signaled for the tumbling to begin. + +The three kicked off the sandals which protected their feet, stepped +upon the carpet, and saluted the spectators. The Giant stretched +himself flat, and, seizing Gigi in his strong arms, tossed him up in +the air as one would toss a rubber ball. Up, down, then back and forth +between the elder tumblers, flew the little green figure, when he +touched ground always landing upon his toe-tips, and finishing each +trick with a somersault, easy and graceful. The boy seemed made of +thistledown, so light he was, so easily he rebounded from what he +touched. The children in the circle about him stared open-mouthed and +admiring. Oh! they wished, if only they could do those things! They +thought Gigi the most fortunate boy in the world. + +But Gigi never smiled. At the end of one trick the Giant growled a +word under his breath, and made a motion at which the boy cringed. +Something had gone not quite right, and trouble threatened. He bit his +lip, and the performance went on as before. + +Now Gigi had to do the most difficult trick of all. With the Giant as +the base, and Cecco, the other tumbler, above, Gigi made the top of a +living pyramid that ran, turned, twisted, and capered as the great +strength of the Giant willed. At a signal they managed somehow to +reverse their positions. All stood upon their heads; Gigi, with his +little green legs waving in the air, heard shouts of applause which +always greeted this favorite act. But the sound gave him no pleasure. +He was tired; he was sore from a beating of the previous night, and his +head ached from the blow which had made that ugly mark on his cheek. +Gigi grew dizzy-- + + + + +II + +THE FALL + +Suddenly a woman's voice screamed from the crowd:-- + +"Ah! The Cherub!" + +Gigi had fallen from the top of the pyramid. He fell on his shoulder, +and for a moment lay still. But presently he was on his feet, kissing +his hand prettily to the crowd, and trying to pretend that he had +fallen on purpose, as he had been taught. The Giant and Cecco were +also quickly on their feet, and the three bowed, side by side, as a +sign that the show was over. + +Cecco hissed a word into Gigi's ear, and he knew what to fear next. He +shuddered and tried to draw aside; but the Giant turned to him, livid +with rage, and with one blow of his heavy hand struck him to the ground. + +"So! You spoil us again!" he muttered. "You good-for-nothing! I'll +teach you! Now take the tambourine and gather up the coins from the +crowd. You'll get a beating anyway for this. But if you don't take up +more than we had at the last town, you'll have such a trouncing as you +never yet knew. Now then!" + +Dazed and trembling, Gigi took the tambourine, and, shaking its little +bells appealingly, went about among the people. They had already begun +to scatter, with the wonderful agility of a crowd which has not paid. +Some, however, still lingered from curiosity and with the hope of a +second performance. A number of small copper coins Jingled into Gigi's +tambourine. He approached the good woman who had shown an interest in +him. She stooped down and thrust a piece of silver into his hand, +whispering,-- + +"It is for yourself, child. Do not give it to the cruel men! Keep it +to spend upon a feast-day, darling!" + +Gigi looked at her, surprised. People so seldom spoke kindly to him! +The brown spot upon his eyelid quivered. He seemed about to cry. The +woman patted him on the head kindly. + +"If they are cruel to you, I'd not stay with them," she whispered. +"I'd run away.--Hey, Beppo! Hey, Giovanni! Paolo!" she called, "we +must be off." And she turned to gather up her young ones, who were +shouting about the market-place, trying to stand upon their heads as +Gigi had done. + +Gigi clasped the silver piece tightly in his hand, and went on, shaking +the tambourine after the retreating crowd. But few more pennies were +coaxed away. Presently he made his way back to the group of tumblers, +now seated on the fountain-steps. + +"Well, what have you?" growled the Giant. Gigi presented the +tambourine with the few pennies rattling around somewhat lonesomely. + +"Humph!" snarled Cecco. "Less than last time. Is that all?" + +"A beating you get!" roared the Giant. + +Gigi shivered. "No,--not all," he said. "Here is a silver piece," and +he held out the coin which the kind woman had given him. + +"Ah, silver! that is better!" cried Tonio the Hunchback, with his eyes +shining greedily. "Give it here"; and he snatched it and thrust it +Into his pouch. Tonio was the treasurer of the gypsy band. But the +Giant had been eyeing Gigi with an ugly gleam. + +"He was keeping it!" he growled. "He did not mean to give it up. He +would have stolen it!" + +"It was mine!" cried Gigi with spirit. "She gave it to me and told me +to keep it for a fiesta. But I gave it up because--because I did not +want to be beaten again." + +"You did not give it up soon enough!" roared the Giant, working himself +into a terrible rage. "You shall smart for this, you whelp! After +supper I will beat you as never a boy was beaten yet. But I must eat +first. I must get up my strength. No supper for you, Gigi. Do you +watch the donkey here while we go to the inn and spend the silver +piece. Then, when we are camped outside the town,--then we will attend +to you!" + + + + +III + +THE RUNAWAY + +It was but a step to the inn around the corner. Off went the three +gypsies, leaving Gigi with the donkey beside the fountain. The poor +animal stood with hanging head and flopping ears. He too was weary and +heart-broken by a hard life and many beatings. His back was piled with +the heavy roll of carpet and all the poor belongings of the band, +including the tent for the night's lodging. For on these warm spring +nights they slept in the open, usually outside the walls of some town. +They were never welcome visitors, but vagrants and outcasts. + +Gigi sat on the fountain-step with his aching head between his hands. +He was very hungry, and his heart ached even more than his head or his +empty stomach. He was so tired of their cruelties and their hard ways +with him, which had been ever since he could remember. The kind word +which the good woman had spoken to him had unnerved him, too. She had +advised him to run away. Run away! He had thought of that before. +But how could he do it? Tonio the Hunchback was so wicked and sharp! +He would know just where to find a runaway. Cecco was so swift and +lithe, like a cat! He would run after Gigi and capture him. The Giant +was so big and cruel! He would kill Gigi when he was brought back. +The boy shuddered at the thought. + +Gigi pulled around him the old flapping cloak which he wore while +traveling, to conceal his gaudy tumbler's costume. If he only had that +silver piece perhaps he could do something, he thought. Much could be +done with a silver piece. It was long since the band had seen one. +They would be having a fine lark at the inn, eating and drinking! They +would not be back for a long time. + +Gigi looked up and around the marketplace. There was no one visible. +The crowd had melted as if by magic. Every one was at supper,--every +one but Gigi. What a chance to escape, if he were ever to try! The +color leaped into the boy's pale cheeks. Why not? Now or never! + +He rose to his feet, pulling his cloak closer about him, and looked +stealthily up and down. The donkey lifted his head and eyed him +wistfully, as if to say, "Oh, take me away, too!" But Gigi paid no +attention to him. He was not cruel, but he had never learned to be +kind. Without a pang, without a farewell to the beast who had been his +companion and fellow-sufferer for so many long months, he turned his +back on the fountain and stole down one of the darkest little side +streets. + +He ran on down, constantly down, for the village was on the side of a +hill, and the market-place was at its top. Around sharp curves he +turned, dived under dark archways and through dirty alleys, down +flights of steps, until he was out of breath and too dizzy to go +further. He had come out on the highroad, it seemed. The little brown +cottages were farther apart here. It was more like the country, which +Gigi loved. He turned into an enclosure and hid behind a stack of +straw, panting. + +[Illustration: Gigi runs away.] + +He wondered if by this time they had discovered his flight, and he +shivered to think of what Tonio and Cecco were saying if it were so. +He looked up and down the road. There was something familiar about it. +Yes, it was surely the road up which they had toiled that very +afternoon, coming from the country and a far-off village. They had +been planning to go on from here down the other side of the hill to the +next village, Gigi knew. But now would they retrace their steps to +look for him? + +Just then he spied a black speck moving down the road toward him. +Gigi's heart sank. Could they be after him already? He crouched +closer behind the straw-stack, trembling. They must not find him! + +Nearer and nearer came the speck. At last Gigi saw that it was a cart +drawn by a team of white oxen, which accounted for the slowness of the +pace. He sighed with relief. This at least he need not fear. As it +came nearer, Gigi saw that in the cart were a woman and three little +boys of about his own age. And presently, as he watched the lumbering +team curiously, he recognized the very woman who had given him the +silver piece an hour before. These, too, were the little boys who had +faced him in the crowd. A sudden hope sprang into Gigi's heart. +Perhaps she would help him to escape. Perhaps she would at least give +him a lift on his way. He decided to risk it. + + + + +IV + +THE OX-CART + +Gigi waited until the cart was nearly opposite, and he could hear the +voices of the woman and the children talking and laughing together. +Then he crept out from behind the stack and stepped to the side of the +road. + +The great, lumbering oxen eyed him curiously, but did not pause. The +children stopped talking, and one of them pointed Gigi out to his +mother. + +"Look, Mama! A little boy!" + +"Hello!" cried the woman in her hearty, kind voice, stopping the team. +"What are you doing here, little lad?" + +She did not recognize Gigi at once in his long traveling cloak. But +suddenly he threw back the folds of it and showed the green tights +underneath. + +"Do you remember?" he said. "You told me to run away. Well, I have +done it!" + +"It is, the little tumbler! The tumbler, Mama!" cried the boys in one +breath, clapping their hands with pleasure. + +But the woman stared blankly. "My faith!" she said at last. "You lost +no time in taking the hint. How did you get here so soon? We were +homeward bound when you had scarcely finished tumbling. Now here you +are before us, on foot!" + +"I ran," said Gigi simply. "I came not by the highway, which is long +and winding, but down steep streets like stairs, which brought me here +very quickly." + +"See the bruise on his cheek, mother!" cried Beppo, the littlest boy, +pointing. The good woman saw it, and her eyes flashed. + +"Oh! Oh!" she clucked. "The wicked men! Did they do that to you?" + +"Yes. And they will do more if they catch me now," said Gigi. "I +know. They have beaten me many times till I could not move. But if +they catch me this time, they will kill me because I ran away. Will +you help me?" + +"Why, what can I do?" asked the woman uneasily, looking up and down the +road. "If they should come now! You belong to them. I shall get +myself into trouble." + +Gigi's face fell. "Very well," he said. "Good-by. You were kind to +me to-day, and I thought--perhaps--" He turned away, with his lips +quivering. + +"Stay!" cried the woman. "Where is the silver piece which I gave you? +You can at least buy food and a night's lodging with that." + +"They took it from me," said Gigi. "I had to give it up because there +was so little money in the tambourine,--only coppers. They said people +would not pay because I fell; and so they would beat me again." + +"They took it from you! The thieves!" cried the woman angrily. "Nay, +then I will indeed help you to escape. Climb in here, boy, among my +youngsters. We have still an hour's ride down the road, and you shall +go so far at least." + +Gigi climbed into the cart and nestled down among the children. The +woman clucked to the oxen, and forthwith they moved on down the +highroad. The shadows were beginning to darken, and the birds had +ceased to sing. + +"Hiew! Hiew! Come up! Come up!" the woman urged on the great white +oxen. "It is growing late, and the good man will wonder why we are so +long returning from market. This has been our holiday," she explained +to Gigi. "And to think that the Tumblers should have happened to come +to the market this very day! The children will never forget!" + +Beppo had been staring at Gigi with fascinated eyes. "How did you +learn?" he asked suddenly. "Could I do it too?" + +Gigi laughed. For the first time that day his face lost its sadness, +and the brown spot on his eyelid, falling into one of the little +creases, gave him a very mischievous look. He seemed to wink. +Immediately the whole cartful of peasants began to laugh with him, they +knew not why. They could not help it. This was what happened whenever +Gigi laughed, as he seldom did. + +But soon Gigi grew grave once more. "Why do you want to learn?" he +asked. "It does not make me happy. For oh! they are so cruel!" + +"Do they beat you much?" asked Paolo sympathetically. Gigi nodded his +head with a sigh. "Very much," he said. "I am always black and blue." + +"Am I too big to learn?" demanded Giovanni, the oldest boy, who was +perhaps twelve and heavier than Gigi. "When did you begin?" + +Gigi grew thoughtful. "Ever since I remember, I have tumbled," he +said. "Ever since I was a baby, before I could even turn a somersault, +they tossed me back and forth between them and made me kiss my hand to +the people who stood about." + +"And did they beat you then?" asked Beppo, doubling up his fists. + +Gigi sighed again. "They always beat me," he said simply. "Whatever I +did, they beat me when they were ugly. And that was always." + +"Do you belong to them?" asked the woman suddenly. "They are Gypsies, +black men. But you are fair like the people of the North. Where did +they get you, Gigi?" + +Gigi shook his head. "I do not know," he said. "I have belonged to +them always, I think." + +"Hark!" said Mother Margherita suddenly. "What's that?" + +There was a faint noise far off on the road behind them. Gigi +trembled. "They are coming for me!" he said. "What shall I do?" + +"No, no," said the woman. "I do not fear that. It is too soon, +surely. But it is growing dark here in the valley. This is a lonely +spot, and there are many wicked men about besides your masters, Gigi." + +"Thieves and villains!" whispered Giovanni. "Oh, mother, hide the bag +of silver that you got at market!" + +"Sh! Sh!" warned the mother sharply. "Do not speak of it! Hiew, +hiew! Go on! go on!" And she urged the oxen faster. + +But the great beasts would not hasten their pace for her. The noise +came nearer. They could hear that it was the trotting of hoofs. + +"There is only one animal," said Gigi, whose ears were keen. "I can +hear his four feet patter. I think it is the donkey!" + +"I can see him now!" cried Paolo. "It is a little man on a donkey. He +is bending forward and beating it hard." + +Gigi strained his eyes to see. "It is Tonio!" he whispered fearfully. +"I know it! Oh, the Hunchback will kill me when he finds me! And he +will take your silver, too!" + +"Sh! Sh!" commanded the mother. "He shall not find you. Here, take +this bag, Gigi. It will be safer with you. And here, creep under my +skirts and keep close. He will never guess where you are!" + +Mother Margherita spread out her generous draperies, which luckily were +both long and wide, and Gigi crept under them, being wholly covered. +The other boys huddled close, shivering with a not wholly unpleasant +excitement. This was an adventure indeed for a holiday! + +The rider drew nearer and nearer, lashing the poor donkey unmercifully. +At last they could see his face, red and lowering. + +"Halt!" he cried suddenly. "You in the cart there, halt!" + +V + +THE HUNCHBACK + +The oxen stopped. The cart came to +a standstill. The boys huddled closer, +and Gigi's heart beat like a tambourine. +He was sure that Tonio would hear it. + +"What do you want?" asked Mother Margherita, +and her usually kind voice was harsh. + +"You seem to have a load of young cubs +there," shouted Tonio. "Have you got my +boy, Gigi the Tumbler, among them? Some +one has stolen the little monster." + +[Illustration: "Have you got my boy?"] + +"What are you talking about!" answered +Mother Margherita sharply. "I am a respectable +countrywoman returning from market-day +with my children. What business have I +with tumblers and vagrants!" + +"That I'll see for myself, woman," said +Tonio, jumping unsteadily down from the +donkey and approaching the cart. Tonio had +been drinking, and his little eyes were red and +fierce. + +"Keep your hands off my children!" cried +their plucky mother, brandishing her whip. +But Tonio was not to be kept away. + +"I will see them!" he snarled. He thrust +his ugly face into those of the three boys, one +after another, eyeing them sharply in the +growing darkness. But there was little about +these sun-browned, black-eyed youngsters to +suggest the slender, fair-haired Gigi. + +Tonio peered into the cart. He even thrust +his long, lean hand into the straw that covered +the floor, and felt about the corners, while the +boys wriggled away from his touch like eels +from a landing-net. Gigi held his breath. But +Mother Margherita would not tamely endure +all this. + +"Get along, you vermin!" she cried, striking +at his hands as he approached the forward +end of the cart. "Can't you see that the +boy is not here? What would he be doing in +my cart, anyway? I'll trouble you to let us go +on our way in peace. My man in the house +down yonder will be out to help us with his +crossbow and his dogs, if we scream a bit +louder. Be off with you, and look for your +boy in the village. Is it likely he would have +come so far as this, the poor tired little lad?" + +"The others are searching the village," +growled the Hunchback tipsily. "They'll +find him if he's there. 'Tis likely you are +right. And then! I must be there to help at +the punishing. Oh! that will be sport!--Have +any other teams passed you on the road?" he +asked suddenly. "Have you overtaken no one +on foot?" + +"We have passed no one," said Mother +Margherita truthfully, starting up the oxen. +"Hiew! Hiew! Go on! go on," she clucked. +"We must get home to bed." + +The Hunchback withdrew from the cart +unsteadily, and mounted his donkey. For a +moment he looked doubtfully up and down +the road, then he turned the poor tired animal's +head once more toward the village, and they +began to plod back up the slope. + +"The Lord forgive me!" whispered Mother +Margherita piously. "I told a lie, and before +my children, too! But it was to spare a child +suffering, perhaps death. Surely, the Lord +who loves little children will forgive me this sin." + +So the good woman mused, as, faint with +terror and gasping for breath, Gigi came out +from under her skirts. He handed back the +bag of silver, and gave a sigh of relief. The +little boys seized him rapturously. + +"You are saved, Gigi!" cried Paolo. + +"He will never find you now," said Giovanni. + +"See, we are almost home! You shall come +and live with us and teach us how to tumble!" +cried Beppo, hugging his new friend closely. +But Mother Margherita interrupted him. + +"Not so fast, not so fast, children," she +warned. "Gigi is saved for now. But we may +be able to do little more for him. Your father +is master in the house, remember. Your father +may not be pleased with what we have done. +Never promise what you may not be able to +give, my Beppo." And she fell to musing +again rather uneasily. + +The boys were all suddenly silent, and Gigi, +who had warmed to their kindness, felt a +sudden chill. He had not thought of anything +beyond the safety of the moment. He had +made no plans, he had only hoped vaguely +that these good people might help him. But +now, what was to happen next? Was there +still something more to fear? + +Suddenly the flash of a lantern lighted the +road ahead. A man's voice hailed them loudly. +"Hello! Hello! Will you never be coming home?" + +"Father! It is father!" cried the three boys +in an answering shout. Then with a common +thought they all stopped short, and Gigi felt +them looking at him in the darkness. + +"What will he think of Gigi?" he heard +Beppo whisper to his brothers. + +"Sh!" warned Mother Margherita. And +the man's voice sounded nearer. + +"Hello, old woman!" it called gruffly. +"Well, you did come back, didn't you? +I began to believe that you had all run away." + +"Run away!" There was a little pause +before any one answered. And Gigi felt +the elbows of the boys nudging him in the side. + +"Father's angry!" they whispered. "Father +is terrible when he is angry. You had better +look out!" + +Then Gigi knew that there was something +else to fear that night. And his heart sank. +Was there to be no end of his troubles? + + + + +VI + +THE SILVER PIECE + +The team stopped in front of a stone cottage, from the window of which +the light shone hospitably. They all jumped down from the cart, and +under cover of the darkness Mother Margherita hustled Gigi with the +other boys into the house, while Giuseppe, the father, cared for the +oxen. + +The mother busied herself in preparing supper, and the boys scattered +about on various errands. But Gigi sat in a corner by the fire, too +tired to move or speak. He had thrown off his long cloak, and the fire +glanced brightly upon the green and gold costume of this quaint little +figure, so out of place in the simple cottage. Presently Giuseppe +entered with a heavy tread, and paused in amazement at what he saw on +his hearthstone. + +"Hello!" he cried gruffly. "What's this?" + +Mother Margherita came forward quickly. "It is a little tumbler," she +said. "We saw him do his tricks at the market to-day. The Gypsies +beat him, and he has run away. Let us give him at least supper and a +shelter for the night, Giuseppe?" Her tone was beseeching. + +"Hum!" grumbled Giuseppe doubtfully. "A runaway! A tumbler! A thief, +I dare say, as well. A pretty fellow to bring into an honest man's +house! His master will be after him, and then we shall all get into +trouble for sheltering a runaway. Margherita, you were always a +foolish woman! Is this all you have to show for market-day? Where is +the money?" + +"Here it is, Giuseppe," said the mother, handing him the bag of silver, +which he thrust into his pocket. "Now let us have supper. You can +count the silver afterward, and we will tell you about everything when +that is over." + +With a very bad grace the father watched the little stranger timidly +take his place at the board between Paolo and Giovanni, Beppo crying +because he could not have the tumbler next to him also. + +There was much to talk about at that meal. They had to describe the +holiday at market, which was a great event for the little family. Then +there were the Tumblers; and the adventure of Gigi and the +Hunchback,--that was the most exciting of all. And how near they came +to losing the bag of silver which they had earned by selling their +vegetables at the market! Giuseppe asked Gigi many questions, not +unkindly, but with a bluntness that made the boy wince. And often +Mother Margherita spoke up for him, with a kind answer. Gigi grew +paler and paler, and his food lay almost untouched on his plate. He +was too tired to eat. + +At last, when supper was finished. Mother Margherita rose and lighted +a candle. "Come with me, Gigi," she said, "and I will show you where +you are to sleep this night." + +Gigi followed her readily, glad to escape further questioning, and +eager to rest his aching head. The little boys called after him a +hearty good-night. But Giuseppe saw him go without a word, casting +sidewise looks after the retreating figures, and grunting sourly. + +There was no room for Gigi in the loft where the family slept. But out +in the stable, beside the oxen, was a fresh pile of straw, a fine bed +for the tired little wanderer. When Mother Margherita had bidden him a +kind good-night and had closed the stable door behind her, Gigi threw +himself upon the straw and was almost Instantly asleep. The oxen +breathed gently beside him, chewing their cud. Everything was still +and peaceful. And the night passed. + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" crowed the first cock, speaking the same tongue +that he learned at the beginning of the world, and that he always uses +in every land, among every people. + +It was but a few moments later when Gigi was awakened suddenly by a +touch on his shoulder. The boy opened his eyes and stared about, +bewildered. He did not know where he was. Who was this bending over +him in the dim light? Not Tonio; not Cecco; not the Giant? Then he +recognized Mother Margherita, stooping low with a pitiful expression on +her face. She had a little bundle in her hand. + +"Get up, Gigi," she whispered. "You must be off. My man is so angry! +He vows he will take you to the village to-day and give you up to your +masters. He thinks you are a thief, Gigi. But I do not believe that +you stole the silver piece." + +"The silver piece!" cried Gigi, still more bewildered. + +"Sh!" cautioned the woman, laying a hand on his lips. "Giuseppe must +not know that I am here. He sleeps still. When we counted the money +in the bag we found it short by one piece of silver, besides the one I +gave you. That was my own to do with as I chose. But he believes that +you stole another when you were holding the bag for me, hiding under my +skirts." + +"I did not take it!" cried Gigi, wide-awake now. "Oh, I would not +steal from you,--not from you, the only person who was ever kind to me!" + +"There, there! I told him so!" said the good woman soothingly. "I +told him I must have lost it at the market when I was making change for +somebody. But he will not believe. You must be off, Gigi, before he +wakes, or you will have to go back to those cruel fellows. Giuseppe is +so set! Like a mule he is when he is angry!" + +Gigi sprang to his feet and looked wildly around. "Where shall I go? +What shall I do?" he asked. + +Mother Margherita looked at the pale little lad and her eyes filled. +"Poor little fellow!" she sighed. "Suppose you were one of my boys, +Beppo or Paolo! But we must lose no time"; and she dashed the tears +from her eyes. "Here is your cloak to hide that gaudy dress. And here +is a bundle of food,--all I could spare without the good man's +knowledge. For it must seem that you have run away of your own accord. +I know that will make him sure that you are a thief. But I dare not +let him guess that I have warned you and helped you to escape. You do +not know Giuseppe's anger!--Farewell, dear little lad, and may the +Saints have you in their keeping." + +She led him to the door and pointed out the direction, in the gray +dawn. She showed him where, to the north, by a great tree, a lane +branched from the highroad. "Follow that," she said. "It will be +safer in case you are pursued. And it comes at last to the great road +into another country. There perhaps you will be safe and find friends +who can help you more than I have done. Though none can wish you +better." And she hugged him close. "Farewell, Gigi!" + + + + +VII + +THE WANDERER + +With a lump in his throat, Gigi left the only roof that had ever shown +him kindness. In the gray dawn he crept out to the highroad. There +was no time to be lost, for already the east was growing pink, and soon +the sun would be making long shadows on the open road. Giuseppe would +surely spy him and bring him back. + +As soon as he was outside the farm enclosure, Gigi began to run. But +he found that he was stiff and sore from his fall of the day before, +and from the many beatings which he had received of late. Every bone +in his body ached, and especially his head, which throbbed so as to +make him faint. Still he ran on. For more than anything else he +feared being captured and sent back to the Gypsies. + +At last Gigi came to the great tree where branched the cross-road to +the north. Here he turned aside. Then he drew a deep breath, feeling +safer. He ceased running, and presently, being hungry and tired, he +sat down upon a stone and opened the bundle which Mother Margherita had +given him. He found bread and cheese, and began to eat greedily, until +he remembered that he knew not where he should find dinner and supper. +He looked at the remnant of bread and cheese longingly, but at last +wrapped it up and put it back into the little pouch which, as was the +custom in those times, he wore at his belt. + +The lane upon which he was now traveling was shadier than the highroad, +and as he went on the trees grew even taller and bigger. Apparently +the way was leading through the outskirts of a forest. The lane was +more crooked, also. Gigi could not see far either before or behind +him, because of the constant turnings. + +Suddenly, he stopped short and listened. There was a sound; yes, there +certainly was a sound on the road behind him,--the noise of galloping +hoofs. + +Gigi was seized with a panic. Without stopping to think, he plunged +from the road into the forest, and began to run wildly through the +underbrush. He did not care in which direction he went,--anywhere, as +far as possible from the pursuing hoof-beats. + +On, on he plunged, sometimes sprawling over roots of trees, sometimes +bruising himself against low branches or stumbling upon stones which +seemed to rise up on purpose to delay him; torn by briars and tripped +by clutching vines. But always he ran on and on, this way and that, +wherever there seemed an opening in the forest, which was continually +growing denser and more wild. + +How long he wandered he did not know. The sun was high in the heavens +when at last, wholly exhausted, Gigi fell upon a bank of moss. His +weary bones ached. He was too tired to move, but lay there motionless, +and presently he fell into a troubled sleep. When he awoke with a +start, it was growing dark, and he was very hungry. He felt for the +pouch into which he had put his bits of bread and cheese, but it was +gone! He must have lost it when pushing through the bushes. + +What was he to do? He knew he must find his way back to the highroad, +where he could perhaps beg a supper at some cottage. But how was he to +know which way to go? He looked up and around him in despair. He was +in the midst of the wildest kind of forest. The trees grew close +together, and there was no path, no sign that men had ever passed this +way. + +Moreover, it was growing darker every minute. Already the shadows +behind the trees were black and terrible. Gigi suddenly remembered +that there were fierce animals in the forests. In those days, all over +Europe bears and wolves and many kinds of wild beasts, large and small, +wandered wherever there were trees and hiding-places; in fact, one +might meet them anywhere except in cities and towns. And sometimes in +winter, when they were very hungry, bold wolves prowled even in the +market-places. + +Gigi shuddered. He dared not think of sleep, alone in this dreadful +place. He must try to find the road. Once more he crawled to his feet +and began to stagger through the darkness, groping with his hands to +ward off the branches which scratched his face and the thorns which +tore his garments into rags. + +Now there began to be strange sounds in the forest. The birds had +ceased to sing, save for a chirp now and then as Gigi's passing wakened +some tired songster. But there were other noises which Gigi did not +understand, and which set his heart to knocking fearfully; the cracking +of twigs far off and near at hand; little scurries in the underbrush as +he approached; now and then the crash of something bounding through the +bushes in the distance; sometimes a squeak or a chatter which sounded +terrible to the little boy's unaccustomed ears. And finally, far off +in the forest, came a long, low howl that set his teeth to chattering. + +Was it a wolf? The thought was more than Gigi could bear. He fainted, +and fell forward into a bed of soft green moss. + + + + +VIII + +THE RESCUE + +Gigi must have lain all night where he fell. For when he opened his +eyes the sun was shining dimly through the dense leaves of the tree +overhead. He remembered only the last thing he had heard before his +eyes closed,--that long howl in the darkness. So it was with a thrill +of terror that he felt a strange touch on his face. Something warm and +wet was passing over his cheek. Something soft and warm was cuddling +close to his side. He thrust out his hand feebly, groping at something +to help him rise. His fingers closed in thick, soft hair. Suddenly +Gigi knew what was happening to his face. Some big animal was licking +it with a coarse but gentle tongue! + +Was it the wolf that had howled? A dreadful thought! Gigi screamed +aloud. He struck at the creature with all the strength he had, which +was little enough. + +"Get away! Go along with you!" he cried in Gypsy gibberish. + +In answer, the animal uttered a whine, very gentle, very piteous; and +it began to lick the hand which had struck it. + +Gigi's eyes had now grown used to the half-light. Suddenly he saw what +had lain beside him, keeping him warm all night. It was a great shaggy +dog, brown and white. Around his neck was a heavy collar of leather +studded with nails. Gigi did not like dogs. The only ones he knew had +always chased the Tumblers and barked at them as they entered or left a +village. Sometimes they had snapped at Gigi's heels so viciously that +he had cried out. And then Cecco would cuff him for making a fuss. + +But this dog seemed friendly. He looked up in Gigi's face, and wagged +his tail pleasantly. He whined and put his nose in Gigi's hand; then +he got to his feet and ran away a few steps, looking back at the boy +and waiting. Gigi did not know what it meant. But when the dog saw +that the boy was not following, he went back and repeated his action. +Several times he did this, and still Gigi lay looking at him, too tired +and too weak to make an effort, even to think. At last the dog came +back once more. This time he took Gigi's hand between his teeth, very +gently, and began to pull him in the direction toward which he had +first gone. Then Gigi knew. The dog was trying to lead him somewhere! + +A throb of hope warmed his heart. Perhaps this was a friend who would +bring him out of the dreadful forest to some place where he could eat. +For oh, he was so hungry! He dragged himself to his feet, and tried to +follow, leaning a hand on the dog's neck. The creature was wild with +joy, and began to bark and wag his tail furiously. Even this motion +made the boy totter, he was so weak. He took a few steps, then he had +to stop. He was sore all over, dizzy and faint. He lay down on the +ground with his head between his hands. And once more the good dog +crept near and poked his wet nose into Gigi's face, licking his cheek. + +The boy reached out a hand and patted him timidly. It was the first +time Gigi had ever felt friendly toward an animal! + +When the dog found that it was of no use to try to lead Gigi on, he sat +still and seemed to think for a few moments. Then he came close and +crouched in the moss beside Gigi, whining softly and rubbing his nose +against the boy's knee. Evidently he wanted his new friend to do +something. The boy looked at him wearily, and wondered. He took hold +of the collar about the dog's neck. Yes! that was it! The dog barked +and wagged his tail, but did not move. He was still waiting. Gigi +looked at the big fellow lying there. He was almost as large as the +little donkey who bore the luggage of the Tumblers upon their journeys. +He was big enough to carry Gigi himself. Was that what the creature +meant? + +Gigi lifted one leg over the dog's back, keeping hold of the collar as +tightly as he could. The animal rose to his feet with a glad bark. +Yes, this was what he wanted. He began to move forward slowly, for +Gigi was a heavy burden and his feet nearly touched the ground. + +Slowly they moved through the forest, a quaint pair of wanderers. +Sometimes Gigi felt faint and ill, and lay forward, resting his head on +the dog's soft neck. Sometimes they stopped to rest. Then Gigi lay +flat on the moss, with the dog stretched out close to his side. But +they were both unwilling to waste many minutes so. + +[Illustration: A quaint pair of wanderers.] + + + + +IX + +THE ANIMAL KINGDOM + +Presently Gigi and the dog came to a clearing in the forest. All about +was as wild as anything they had passed. But here, quite alone, stood +a little hut made of logs and branches twisted together. + +The first thing that Gigi saw, after the hut itself, was an old man in +a coarse gray gown, sitting on a stump, reading a book. His head was +bare, and he had a long white beard. His feet were bare, too, and he +wore leather sandals. A rope was tied about his waist. Gigi had +sometimes seen men so dressed plodding along the highroad or begging +from the townsfolk. If he thought about them at all, he believed them +to be some rival sort of performers, like the Tumblers themselves. It +seemed very queer to see one of the Gray Men here in the lonely +forest,--and with such strange companions! Gigi stared and stared +again, rubbing his tired eyes to make sure that they saw aright. + +On the old man's knees was curled, asleep, a comfortable white cat. +Three little kittens played with the knotted ends of his girdle, +swarming up and down the gray gown of the reader. On his shoulder +perched a squirrel, busily eating a nut which he held in his little +paws. Close by, a brown and white deer grazed about the door of the +little hut. A great black raven hopped gravely about the old man's +feet, now and then picking up a bug. Lying peacefully asleep in front +of the hut door, like a yellow mat of fur, a fox was stretched. In and +out among the rose-bushes of a tiny garden which was planted beneath +the window of the hut, hopped several brown hares, seeming much at +home. The old man's head nodded forward on his book. He could sleep +soundly, it seemed, with all these little live things swarming about +him. Even as his gray locks swept the page, a thrush fluttered down +and lighted gently on the bald crown, beginning to sing so sweetly that +Gigi held his breath. + +All this the boy saw in that first glimpse before he and the dog parted +the bushes and came out into the clearing. In that instant everything +changed. The dog gave a sharp bark of pleasure. The old man let the +book fall from his hand, and sat staring. The animals leaped from +their slumbers and scuttled away in every direction, some into the hut, +some into the neighboring bushes, some melting as if by magic into the +forest. The squirrel and the thrush took shelter in the treetops. +Only the raven, with ruffled feathers, remained at the old man's side, +turning a fierce little eye upon the newcomer. + +By this time Gigi had thrown himself from the dog's back, and stood +feebly leaning against a tree. Released from his burden, the dog +bounded forward, and was soon leaping upon the old man's shoulders, +covering his face and hands and feet with eager kisses. + +"Down, Brutus, down!" said the old man, in a tongue which Gigi could +not understand. "Where hast thou been so long, good dog? And what new +pet hast thou brought for my colony?" He looked towards Gigi with +keen, kind eyes. "Come hither, my lad," he said in the same tongue. + +But Gigi only stared, not understanding. He was growing afraid of this +queer old man, who spoke a strange language and had wild animals for +his friends; who read, too, in a great black book! Gigi had heard of +wicked wizards and sorcerers, and he believed that he saw one now. He +turned about and tried to run away. But his poor head grew dizzy, and +before he knew it he had fallen, and lay sobbing and shivering, unable +to rise. + +Presently he felt the dog's gentle tongue licking his face. A moment +after, kind, strong arms lifted him and bore him into the little hut. +The old man laid Gigi on a cot beside the window, and after laying his +hand on the boy's head and wrist, went away and returned with something +in a cup. + +"Drink this, my child," he said. And this time Gigi understood. He +drank and felt better. Then the old man asked him in the tongue which +Gigi knew, "Are you hungry, lad?" + +The boy nodded, and his eyes must have told how nearly starved he was. +The old man went swiftly to a little cupboard in the wall, and soon +came back with bread and milk in an earthen bowl. + +"Eat," he said, lifting Gigi's head on his arm. "Eat this good bread, +my son, and drink the warm milk of my friend the doe, which I had just +set aside, not expecting you. Then you shall sleep here on my pallet. +And soon we shall be right smiling and happy all!" + +The kind old eyes beamed on Gigi while he devoured his breakfast like a +starved animal, without a word of thanks. When he had finished, the +kind old hands brought water and bathed the tired body, bound up the +bleeding hands and feet with refreshing ointment, and laid Gigi back +again to rest upon the cot beside the rose-screened window. + +There Gigi lay and slept; slept and dreamed; dreamed and went over +again by fits and starts the strange adventures of the past two days. +But strangest of all, though by far the pleasantest, was that picture +which he had seen when he came out into the clearing upon the back of +Brutus. And this picture, with queer variations, filled the foreground +of Gigi's dreaming. + + + + +X + +THE HERMIT + +_They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth +shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the +sea_.--HOLY WRIT. + + +For three days Gigi lay on the pallet of the good Hermit, near to +death. And for three days the great dog lay on guard by his side. The +Hermit went softly to and fro, taking tender care of the boy and giving +him medicine made from wonderful herbs which he had found in the woods. +Often he knelt in a corner of the hut, before a rude wooden Cross, and +said prayers; this seemed to give him strength for his work and hope +for its result. So that when he rose, his face would be bright and +happy. + +This was he doing the third morning when Gigi awoke, feeling better. +The ache was gone from his limbs and the dizziness from his head. He +awoke with a long sigh, and for the first time since he lay down on the +Hermit's pallet he looked around him with interest. At first he did +not know where he was. + +The hut was small and bare. In one corner was a cupboard where the +Hermit kept his scanty supply of food and the medicines which he +distilled. Against the wall was a bench, beside a table made of a +tree-stump, and on the table lay a great black book. Opposite the bed +was the Cross of wood fastened to the wall, and below it the good +Hermit knelt with bowed head. Gigi wondered what he was doing. He +himself knew no prayers. + +Gigi's eyes wandered to the door, which stood open. On the sill the +cat and her kittens were playing. Outside he could catch a glimpse of +various animals frisking about the dooryard. Birds sang merrily in the +trees overhead and in the bushes just outside the window. The raven +hopped into the doorway and stood looking saucily at Gigi, with head on +one side. It was all so peaceful, so quiet, so different from anything +which Gigi had known, that he thought it must be a dream. He sighed +again, and turned over, stretching out his arm. In doing so he touched +the hairy neck of Brutus, who was still sleeping by his bed. Instantly +the dog sprang up and began to lick the boy's face. At the same +moment, with a pious gesture, the Hermit also rose and came toward the +cot, smiling kindly. + +"You are better, my son?" he asked, laying a cool hand upon Gigi's +forehead. "Ah, yes! You will soon be quite yourself." + +Gigi stared up at him contentedly. "Who are you?" he asked. He had +never been taught manners, and he could no longer hide his curiosity. + +"I am a Hermit," answered the old man. "I live here alone with my +animals, as you see. I pass the days in prayer and meditation, +studying the Lord's Holy Book and the living works of His hands." + +"Why do you live away from men?" asked Gigi again. + +The Hermit's face grew sad. + +"Men are wicked and cruel, child," he said. "Men hurt and kill one +another. They love to slay the innocent animals for sport. In their +kingdoms is no love. I have made myself here an animal kingdom, where +all is love and peace." + +"Do all animals know you?" asked Gigi, wondering. + +"With time I can make friends with them all," said the Hermit, smiling. +"One has but to love and understand and be patient. See!" + +He gave a peculiar call. Instantly there came tumbling into the hut, +until it nearly overflowed, a strange medley of creatures,--hares, +mice, birds, kittens, squirrels. Last of all peered into the doorway a +deer and her little speckled fawn. + +The dog sat quite still, not moving a muscle. He had been trained not +to frighten his more timid neighbors. + +"Follow the example of Brutus, my son," said the Hermit gently. "Make +no sudden movement and do not speak. They know my voice, and they will +learn yours. But you are still a stranger to them, and must expect +them to be shy." + +The animals crowded lovingly about the Hermit, some springing upon his +shoulders and knees, the birds flitting about his head. + +Gigi thought he had never seen so wonderful a sight. "Oh!" thought he, +"if I could only do this, what money might I not take from a crowd on +market-days!" + +After talking to his pets and caressing them tenderly, the old man +dismissed them to the outdoor sunshine, so that he was alone with Gigi, +who could then be free to move and speak once more. + +"The beloved innocents!" said the Hermit, with a sigh. "Who could ever +willfully injure one of them. God's creatures?--But now, my son, tell +me about yourself," he broke off. "Who are you? Whence do you come? +Whither are you going?" + +"I do not know," said Gigi simply, in answer to all three questions. +And then he told his story as he had told it to Mother Margherita. + +The old man listened pitifully. "Poor little lad!" he said. "Men have +been cruel to you, also. You have no home, no friends, no past, and no +future. What shall we do with you?" + +"Oh, let me stay with you!" cried Gigi, clasping his hands. "You are +so good and wise. Teach me! Teach me to be good and wise, too. Take +me into your animal kingdom, and teach me to make them all my friends. +I could do such tricks with them,--far better than tumbling. I should +grow rich!" + +The old man shook his head. "That cannot be," he said. "I cannot +teach men to grow rich. Nor would I see my animals made ridiculous for +money. I came here to be a hermit. I vowed to have nothing more to do +with human folk, only with the animals whom they persecute. But I +never thought that a child would seek my roof." + +Pie looked at Gigi doubtfully. The boy returned the look, and the +brown spot on his eyelid trembled piteously. The Hermit blinked. + +"Yes, you are a poor little animal, too," he said at last. "You are +ignorant and innocent as they. I cannot turn you away. Perhaps I can +teach you better things than tricks. Perhaps I can make you a disciple +and a Christian. If you are teachable, I can make you wise with the +knowledge of herbs and healing. If I send back to the world which I +have left one man useful, tender, strong, and good, perhaps he may be +able to do more than I have done to stay the march of evil." + +Gigi did not understand the words at all, but the tone was kind. He +pushed the bandage from his head, looked up at the Hermit, and smiled +his own strange smile. "I think you will not beat me," he said. The +brown spot on his eyelid gave him the wink of mischief. + +"Beat you!" The old man's face broke into an answering smile, and he +rocked to and fro with pleasure in Gigi's little joke. Then he bent +forward suddenly, and stared into the boy's face with a keen look. + +"The wicked eye of him!" he said, talking to himself. "How like it is! +Strange, strange! About nine years old, he is. Nine years ago--" He +paused, gazing at Gigi, and murmuring under his breath. "What are you +wearing about your neck?" he asked suddenly. + +Gigi put his hand to a tiny silver chain which just peeped above his +green doublet, and drew out a flat piece of silver of strange shape, +and with one side carved deeply with a notched Cross. + +"Where did you get this?" asked the Hermit, strangely excited. + +"I do not know," said Gigi, wondering. "I have worn it always. Not +even Cecco dared take it from me. I have heard him say so. But I do +not know why!" + +"The lost one!" cried the Hermit, embracing Gigi, with tears in his +eyes. Then, crossing himself, he added piously, "Dear little lad! We +are in the Lord's hands. Gigi, you shall stay with me until the time +is come. But you wear the Cross, a blessed emblem. I shall call you +no more by that heathen Gypsy name. You shall bear the beloved +Christian name of John, to which perhaps you have as good a right as +any. Ah! I will not tell you more. I will wait until I see if you be +worthy indeed. If not--his son shall never know!" + +All this Gigi did not understand. But he was happy to know that he +might stay. And he began his new life as one of the Hermit's animal +kingdom by hugging close old Brutus, his first four-footed friend, who +had brought him safely to this haven. + + + + +XI + +THE PUPIL + +_But ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee, and the fowls of the +air and they shall tell thee_.--HOLY WRIT. + + +Gigi the Gypsy was now become John; no longer an outcast and a +wanderer, but a happy little Christian boy. Surely no child ever lived +so strange a life as he. Surely no boy ever had such queer playmates, +or studied in so wild a school. + +First of all he had to become acquainted with his oddly-mixed family of +two-footed and four-footed brothers. Brutus was his friend from the +beginning. The great dog seemed to have adopted for his very own the +boy whom, led by some kindly angel, he had found that night in the +forest. But the other creatures were shy at first. They ran at the +sound of John's shrill boyish voice, and shrank from his quick +movements. They hid in the bushes when he came dashing and dancing +into the clearing after a romp with Brutus, and it would take some +patience to coax them back again. + +John saw that this troubled the good old Hermit, whom he loved better +every day, and he tried to imitate his teacher's gentle voice and +manner and his soft tread. The little tumbler was himself light as a +feather, and graceful as the deer, his new-found sister. He was quick +to learn and naturally gentle, though his cruel life had made him +careless and rough. Soon he had made friends with all the Hermit's +pets, so that they knew and loved him almost as well as they did the +master of this forest-school. + +In his green doublet and hose, clumsily patched with pieces of gray +serge from the Hermit's own cloak, John rambled about the wild woods, +looking like one of the fairy-folk of whom legends tell. Often he went +with the wise old man, who gave him lessons of the forest which he knew +so well. John learned to steal on tiptoe and surprise the ways of the +wood-folk,--the shy birds and the shyer little brothers who live in the +moss and mould. He grew wise in the lore of flowers and herbs, and +could tell where each one grew and when it blossomed, and which ones, +giving their life-blood for the sake of men, could cure disease and +bring comfort to the ailing. At night they watched the moon and the +far-off, tiny stars. These, too, became friends, many of them known to +John by name. He loved each one, for the Hermit said that they also +were his brothers and sisters, like the birds and beasts and fishes; +all being the children of that Father who had made this beautiful world +to be the home where all should live together. + +But the book of Nature was not all that John studied in these days. He +learned to read also the written language of men, and studied the wise +and holy words which have kept goodness before men's sight since +knowledge began. Until now John had never opened a book or held a pen. +But the Hermit taught him wisely and well, and soon he was in a fair +way to become a scholar. + +A busy life he led, what with his studies indoors and out and his +duties about the hut,--for the Hermit taught him to be deft in all +tasks, however simple and homely. John could cut up firewood or cook a +porridge with as happy a face as he wore when he played with Brutus or +sang the morning hymn of praise at the good Hermit's side. + +One thing his teacher would not have him forget. He must practice his +tumbling every day. For the Hermit said, "No skill once learned will +ever come amiss, my son. You spent years and suffered hardly to gain +this agility. It seems to me not frivolous nor undignified, but a +beautiful thing, to keep one's body lithe and graceful even as are the +free-natured animals. Then practice, John; and some day even this +skill may not come amiss." + +So the boy practiced daily in front of the cabin. He danced and +tumbled; he turned somersaults and stood on his head; he leaped with a +pole and swung nimbly as a monkey from the limbs of the overhanging +trees. And the circle of animals watched him gravely, marveling no +doubt at the strange antics of their brother; but, being now used to +his voice and manner, neither annoyed nor shocked by anything which he +might do. + +[Illustration: The circle of animals watched him.] + +When the day was over, John would throw himself on a soft bed of moss +under a tree, beside the Hermit seated on a log. Then they would read +or talk, and tell stories of what they had seen in the world of men. +Brutus would be curled down between them. Blanche and her kittens, big +and little, would play with John's hair as he lay there. The squirrel, +perched on the boy's doubled-up knees, would chatter and crack nuts. +The brown hares would run to and fro over his feet, while the doe and +her little fawn nibbled the grass close by, listening to the sound of +the human voices as though they liked it. + +What a happy home it was! John wondered if ever any boy was so lucky +as he. + + + + +XII + +THE BEAR + +John had grown to love the little four-footed brothers dearly, and they +were great friends of his. But still the Hermit seemed to have a charm +about him which John lacked, and which drew even the strange new +creatures to him and made them trust him from the first. John longed +to learn this secret. But when he asked the old man about it he looked +at the boy kindly and said,-- + +"It will come, my son, with time. Love, live, and learn." + +John had been with the Hermit some months, when happened an adventure +that interested him more than anything which had befallen. He was +walking one day with the old man in a part of the forest far distant +from their hut. They were looking for a rare and wonderful herb which +the sage needed to distill a certain precious balm. + +"This should be the spot," said the old man, going toward a heap of +rocks around which grew a tangle of shrubs and creepers. "The plant +which I seek is shy, and hides in the shadows of sheltered places. +Yonder is a cave, where first I made my dwelling when I came to the +forest, before I built the hut in which we now live. And at the +entrance, I remember, grew the herb of grace, which more than once has +done me service in healing the hurts of my pets." + +The Hermit plunged eagerly forward to the rocks. John followed close +behind. At the entrance to the cave the old man stooped to pluck the +herb which they had come so far to seek, and John, clambering beside +him, bent curiously to peer into the cave. Suddenly a sound from +within made him start. The Hermit paused in his task, and both stared +motionless into the blackness of the cave. Presently the sound came +again,--a deep growl ending in a whine. + +"Some animal in pain," whispered the Hermit to John. "Stay you here, +my son. I will discover what it may be." + +"Nay, father!" pleaded the boy. "It may be some fierce creature; it +may hurt you. Do not go!" + +The old man turned beaming eyes upon him. "Never yet have I been hurt +by an animal," he said gently. "My body bears only the scars of human +hands. I am not afraid. But do you stay here, my son. You have not +yet quite learned the language of dumb things." + +"I shall go with you!" said John to himself. He seized the staff which +the Hermit had dropped, and followed close upon his heels. + +Soon their eyes became more used to the darkness of the cave, with +which the Hermit was already familiar. Presently out of the shadows in +a far corner they spied two red eyes glaring upon them. Behind the +eyes bulked a huge, apparently shapeless form. It half rose as they +drew near, and again they heard the growl of anger. But as the +creature made a sudden movement, the growl turned into a howl of agony, +and it rolled back into the corner, whimpering. + +John plucked the Hermit by his robe. "It is a bear!" he said. "I have +met them sometimes upon the highways, traveling with mountebanks. And +the men told me that they were very fierce and hard to tame. Be +careful, my father! Go not near, I beseech you!" + +But the old man paid no heed to his words. Bending forward, he made a +strange sound in his throat, a soothing, cooing noise. The bear heard +it, and ceased to whine. They saw the ugly head rear up and look at +the Hermit wildly. Again he made the sound, and stooping without fear +brought his face close to the bear's great body. The animal did not +move. + +Presently the Hermit turned to John. "The poor beast has a wounded +paw," he said. "An arrow has hurt it badly." + +He unfastened from his girdle a cup which he always carried in his +wanderings. + +"Here, my son," he said, "fill this at the spring which we passed +yonder. The creature suffers from thirst." + +John hesitated. "Is it safe to leave you here alone with this wild +beast?" he asked. + +The Hermit smiled. "Quite safe," he said. "Do you think I need your +protection? Brother Bear will soon know me for his friend." + +When John returned he found the Hermit sitting on the floor of the +cave, with the bear's paw resting on his knee. The animal was quiet, +save for a whimpering now and then. John could see his little red eyes +fixed upon the Hermit with a curious look of wonder and appeal. He +seemed unable to move, and the Hermit touched the beast quite +naturally, as if he were a great kitten. The bear stirred and turned +his eyes when John entered. + +"Thanks, son," said the Hermit, taking the cup from the boy's hand; +and, turning again to' the bear, he held it to the animal's mouth. +"Drink, brother," he said. + +Eagerly the bear lapped up the water. + +"Now, my son," said the Hermit to John, "go you to the entrance of the +cave and pluck me a handful of the healing herb-leaves. I must bind up +this suffering paw." + +"Surely, father," begged John, "you will not try to touch the +creature's wound. He will tear you to pieces!" + +The old man turned reproachful eyes upon him. "Son," he said, "I have +tried to teach you obedience. Go, get me the leaves." + +Without more words John hastened to do as he was bid. When he returned +with a handful of the plant, he found that the Hermit had bathed the +wounded paw of the now quiet animal. He had torn a strip of linen from +the shirt which he wore under his gray robe, and was making this into a +bandage. Soon he had crushed the leaves and had bound them upon the +foot of the bear, who lay still and gentle under his hands. John +stared, amazed. + +"Now we will go home," said the Hermit softly, "and you, John, shall +return with food for this poor hungry brother. You will soon make him +your dear friend also. For, you see, he asks only love and patience. +Men have been cruel to him. But we will be kind to our Brother Bear." + +Thus John learned a new lesson of courtesy to the wilder, bigger +beasts. That same day he made the long journey a second time, bringing +the bear his dinner, with a comb of wild honey which the Hermit had +found on the way home. And he had the joy of seeing the creature act +no longer like an enemy, but like a timid friend. + +Day after day John went and ministered to the sick animal. At last, +there came a joyous time when the bear rose to greet him on his +approach. The injured paw was healed. And when John left the cave +that night, the bear hobbled at his heels, even to the clearing where +the Hermit lived. He would not go farther at that time. He sat down +on his haunches outside the border of tall trees, and when John tried +to coax him he looked at the hut doubtfully. At the sight of Brutus he +made lumberingly away. + +A few evenings later, the bear came of his own accord to beg for his +supper; and at last this became a custom. Soon he also was accounted a +member of the animal kingdom, and became good friends with them all. +In time John taught him many tricks, such as he had seen the +mountebanks do with their traveling bears. But unlike them, John +taught only by kindness; and his bear learned the faster. + + + + +XIII + +A FOREST RAMBLE + +"Father," said John one summer afternoon, when his tasks for the day +were quite finished, "Brutus and I are going for a long walk." + +"Very well, my son," answered the Hermit, "I will bide here and read my +book, for the heat has made me somewhat weary. But see that you return +before sunset." + +"Yes, father," said John. + +Slinging over his shoulder a little basket in which to fetch home any +strange plants which he might find in the forest, John whistled to +Brutus, and the pair trotted away together as they loved to do. The +Hermit looked after them, and smiled. + +"John is a good boy," he said. "One day he will be a fine man. May +the Saints help me to make him worthy of his father and of the name he +bears." Then he turned to his beloved book. + +John and Brutus went merrily through the forest, the boy singing under +his breath snatches of the cheerful hymns that he and the Hermit loved. +The dog ran ahead, exploring in the bushes, sometimes disappearing for +long minutes at a time, but ever returning to rub his nose in John's +hand and exchange a silent word with him. They were not going for any +particular errand to any especial spot. They were just rambling +wherever the forest looked inviting; which is the nicest way to travel +through the woods,--especially if one of you can be trusted to find the +way home, however wavering may be the trail that you leave behind. It +was what John loved to do more than anything in the world. + +The woods were cool and green and full of lovely light. It was so +still and peaceful, too! The tiny queer noises all about, which once, +before he knew the kingdom of the forest, had frightened him so much, +now filled John with the keenest joy. Often he paused and listened +eagerly. He liked to feel that he was surrounded everywhere by little +brothers, seen and unseen. With a word to Brutus, which made the dog +lie down and keep perfectly quiet, John would steal forward softly and +peer through a screen of bushes, or into a treetop, and watch the +housekeeping of some shy brother beast or bird. Once he flung himself +flat on the ground, and lay for a long time eagerly watching the antics +of a beetle. A little later, with Brutus patiently beside him, he sat +cross-legged for ten minutes, waiting to see how a certain big yellow +spider would spin her web between two branches of a rose-bush. + +They wandered on and on. A great golden butterfly rose before them +from a bed of lilies, and together he and Brutus ran after it; not to +capture and kill it, oh no! for to John the wonder of the flower with +wings lay in the life which gave it power to move about and pay calls +upon the other blossoms that must be always stay-at-homes. John chased +it gaily, as one brother plays with another. And when it lighted on a +rose-bush or a yellow broom-flower, or poised on a swaying blade of +grass, he crept up and admired its lovely colors without touching the +fragile thing. But at last, as if suddenly remembering an errand which +it had forgotten, the butterfly soared quickly up and away over the +treetops and out of sight. + +"Good-by, little brother!" called John after it. "I wish I could fly +as you do and look down upon the kingdom of the forest! Then indeed I +would learn all the secrets of our friends up in the treetops there, +who hide their nests so selfishly. Oh, I should so love to see all the +little baby birds! To be sure, some that I have seen in the +ground-nests are ugly enough. Oh, the big mouths of them! Oh, the +bald skins and prickly pin-feathers! Ha! ha!" John laughed so +heartily that Brutus came running up to see what the joke was. "O +Brutus!" cried John. "I think I know why the father and mother birds +build their nests so high. They are ashamed to have any one see their +funny little ones before they are quite dressed!" + +Brutus looked up in John's face and seemed to smile. The boy and the +dog often had talks together in this wise. + +"I think I will ask them," said John. "Now, Brutus, lie still." He +gave a peculiar whistle, waited a moment, and repeated it, twice, +thrice. At the first call there was a fluttering in the branches +overhead. At the second call one saw the silhouettes of tiny bodies +dropping from branch to branch ever nearer to the boy below. At the +third, there was a flutter, a rush of wings, and a flock of dear little +birds came flying to John's shoulder, to his out-stretched arms, to his +head; so that presently he looked like a green bush which they had +chosen for their perch. + +John talked with them in his own way, with chirps and lisping of the +lips, and they were no more afraid of him than of a good-natured tree. +But after a while, a fly, which had been tickling Brutus's nose, grew +so impertinent that the poor dog had to punish him with his paw. At +the sudden movement the birds fluttered away, and John looked +reproachfully at his friend. But when he saw the drop of blood on the +dog's nose he forgave him. + +[Illustration: John talked with them.] + +"Poor Brutus!" he said. "You kept still as long as you could, I know. +And indeed, it is time we were moving. Come, Brutus!" + +The pair continued their voyage of discovery. The woods are so full of +thrilling stories for those who know how to read them! A field-mouse's +nest in a tuft of grass; a beehive in a hollow tree; tracks of a wild +boar in the muddy edge of the brook; a beautiful lizard changing color +to match the leaves and moss over which it crept. John longed to carry +this little brother home to join the circle of pets. But he knew it +was kinder to leave him there, where perhaps he had a home and family. + +And oh, the flowers! So many kinds, so fragrant and so beautiful! +John gathered a great armful to carry back to the Hermit. And so the +minutes went; the shadows began to lengthen, and it was time to turn +homeward. + + + + +XIV + +THE WOLF-BROTHER + +John whistled to Brutus, to call him for the home-going. But just then +he spied a new plant whose name he did not know. He was stooping over +to examine the lovely pink blossoms, when Brutus came bounding up to +him, behaving strangely. He whined and looked distressed; he started +away into the bushes, begging John to follow. Evidently he had found +something which he wished John to see. The boy laid down his armful of +flowers and ran after the dog, as swiftly and softly as he could; for +he did not know what forest secret he might be about to discover. + +Brutus led him straight to a hollow under a great rock. And there John +soon saw the cause of the dog's excitement. Stretched out on a bed of +leaves were four little gray bodies. John ran up to them with a cry. + +"Why, they are puppies!" he said. "Brutus, you have found some little +brothers of your own!" + +Brutus whined and sniffed about the rock strangely. John bent over the +little bodies, which lay quite still and seemed to be asleep. He +touched one softly. It was stiff and cold. + +"Oh, they are dead, poor little things!" said John. "I am so sorry. I +hoped to take them home to my father. How came they here, I wonder? +They must have starved to death!" + +Just then John saw one of the puppies give a tiny shiver. Its legs +moved feebly and its eyes opened. "Ah! One of them still lives!" he +cried eagerly. "Perhaps I can save its life, the dear little thing!" + +He took the gray body up in his arms and hugged it tenderly, but it +made no response. Then, laying it down again on the leaves, he drew +from his basket a crust of bread which he had brought to nibble while +he walked. (It is such fun to have something to nibble when one goes +for a ramble in the woods!) John ran to the brook which babbled close +by, and, dipping the bread in the water until it was soft, returned to +put some in the mouth of the little gray thing that lay so pitifully on +the leaves. + +"Eat, little brother!" said John. + +Brutus looked on gravely. The puppy opened its mouth feebly and +swallowed a bit of bread. After the first taste it grew eager, and +began to nibble hungrily. John gave it all he had, and was overjoyed +to see it gradually gain strength. But still it could not stand on its +weak little legs. + +"We must take him home, Brutus," said John. "We will make him well and +strong, then we shall have another little dog to be your baby brother." + +Brutus said nothing, though perhaps he knew better. Presently he was +trotting homeward; tracing backward, as no human being could have done, +the winding way by which they had come through the dense forest. +Behind him came John, carrying the little gray creature tenderly in his +arms, and with the basket full of flowers on his back. And so at last +they reached the hut, in the door of which stood the Hermit, shading +his eyes and looking anxiously for them. + +"My son!" he cried gladly when they appeared. "You were gone so long +that I feared you were lost, even with Brutus to guide you. It is +after sundown. Where have you been, and what do you bring there?" + +"We have been--I know not where," said John; "farther than I have gone +since I came to the forest. It must be near the homes of men. For +see! We have found a little dog! His brothers were lying dead beside +him; I think they were starved to death. But this one lives, and some +day I hope he will grow into a big dog like Brutus,--though indeed he +does not look much like him now!" + +So John prattled eagerly, laying the little creature in the old man's +arms. But the Hermit looked at it and looked again. Then he smiled at +John. + +"Ah, Son!" he said. "This will never be a dog like Brutus. You have +brought home a baby wolf!" + +"A wolf!" cried John. "He looks quite like a puppy, and he is gentle, +too!" + +"They are much alike," said the Hermit. "You saved this poor little +cub in good time, John. He is very weak. Probably his mother was +killed by some hunters, who left her little ones there to starve. That +is what they do, John, never stopping to think what suffering they +cause. But let us now feed this little fellow with warm milk, and we +shall soon have him as gay as ever. I am glad that you brought him, +John. We needed a wolf-brother in our kingdom." + +"But, Father! a wolf!" cried John, with a shudder. He had not +forgotten the horror of his first night alone in the forest, and the +long howl which had made him lose his senses. "Oh, will he not grow +big and eat us up, my father? Yes; that was why Brutus acted so +strangely. He knew it was no puppy, although I told him so." + +"It is quite safe to keep him, John," said the Hermit. "We cannot turn +him out to starve, for he is too young to care for himself. You will +see to-morrow that he will play like any puppy. Brutus and he will be +great friends,--they are relatives already. Once upon a time Brutus +had a wolf for his ancestor. And as we ourselves know not from whom we +may be descended, so must we treat all creatures as our brothers. Yes, +this wolfkin will grow up lean and ugly-looking, like any wolf. But we +will teach him to be kind and gentle, John, even as Brutus is." + +And the Hermit was right. The wolf-cub soon became the pet and +plaything of the animal kingdom. With food and care he grew into a +round, roly-poly ball of fur. He played merrily with Brutus and the +kittens. And though at first he was a bit rough, they and John taught +him better ways, so that he kicked and bit his friends no longer. + +As the months went by, they watched him change gradually from cub to +wolf. They were sorry to see him lose his puppy looks and frisky +manners. But what could they do? It is a great pity, but no one has +yet discovered how to make babies of any sort remain babies. Gradually +he lost his roundness. He grew longer and longer, until he was +stretched out into four feet of gaunt yellowish-gray wolf. But still +he remained quiet and gentle with his friends, quick to learn and ready +to obey. + +He was a perfectly good wolf, and he loved John so dearly that he could +scarcely be separated from him. He followed the boy wherever he went, +and lay down beside him when he slept, like any watch-dog. And though +he was so gentle in the animal kingdom, the Hermit knew that it would +go hard with any one who should try to hurt Wolf's little master. + +Yet he and Brutus were the best of friends. The good dog was too noble +to be jealous. + + + + +XV + +THE GREEN STRANGER + +For five happy years John lived with the good Hermit, and became a +sturdy lad of fourteen before anything new happened of great moment to +the animal kingdom. In all this time he had seen no human creature +except the Hermit himself. Their hut was so far in the forest that no +travelers ever passed that way. + +But John was never lonely, for he had the kindest of fathers in the +Hermit, and the happiest of comrades and playmates in the circle of +pets, ever increasing, who gathered about the abode of peace. Brutus +was still his dearest friend. But the wolf was almost as intimate. As +for Bruin, he was never a constant dweller with the colony, but came +and went at will. Sometimes he disappeared for weeks at a time, and +they knew that he was wandering through the forest which stretched for +miles in every direction, pathless and uninhabited. And sometimes they +wondered what adventures the big brother might be enjoying. + +"If only he could tell me!" wished John. But this kind of gossip was +still impossible between them. + +One day John was out in the forest, not far from the Hermit's hut, +cutting wood for the winter, which was near at hand. He was alone, for +a wonder. The wolf had come with him, but had now trotted away into +the forest on business of his own. The bear had disappeared some weeks +before, on one of his pilgrimages. Brutus was at that moment with the +Hermit in the hut; for the dog divided his attentions between the young +friend and the old. + +John had lifted his axe to attack a certain tree when, with a scurry of +little feet, a frightened hare came bounding past him, ears laid back +and eyes bulging with fear. It was so strange to see a startled +creature in this peaceful wood, that John dropped his axe wonderingly. +Then he noted that the birds were chattering nervously overhead, and +his quick ear caught furtive rustlings in the underbrush all around +him. The forest was alive with fears. Presently the wolf came +bounding past, with wild eyes, evidently making for the hut. John +called, but the frightened creature did not pause. + +Very soon John heard over his shoulder an unusual sound. He turned +quickly, and saw a sight which made his heart rise in his throat. + +Across an open glade in the wood his friend the bear was lumbering on +all fours, wild-eyed, with lolling tongue and panting breath. Close +behind him came on foot a young man, several years older than John, +dressed in a suit of green velvet, with a plumed cap. In his hand he +bore a long spear, and he was charging upon the bear with a cruel light +in his eyes. Suddenly Bruin made for a tree, and began to climb, +clutching the bark frantically with his claws. At sight of his prey +about to escape, the stranger gave a loud, fierce cry and dashed +forward, at the same time drawing from behind his shoulder a bow such +as men used in hunting. He fitted an arrow to the string, and was +about to shoot, when John sprang forward with blazing eyes. + +"You shall not shoot!" he cried. "This is a peaceful wood. You shall +not kill my friend the bear." + +[Illustration: You shall not kill my friend the bear.] + +At this unexpected happening, the young man turned with a start and a +snarl, like a dog from whom one would take away his bone. + +"Who are you?" he cried angrily. "How dare you interrupt my sport! Do +you know who I am?" + +"I do not care who you are!" answered John. "You shall not hunt in +these woods, You must go away." + +"Go away!" + +The face of the stranger was white with rage. He turned from the tree +in which the bear had now found a place of safety behind a crotch, and +pointed his arrow at John. The lad saw his danger. Even as the +stranger drew the arrow to its head John leaped forward; before the +other knew what was happening, John seized him in his arms and with a +mighty effort wrenched away the weapon. It was wonderful how easily he +mastered this fellow, who was some inches taller than himself. + +Beside himself with rage, the stranger grappled with John, and then +began a wrestling match strange to see. If the bear up in the tree +knew what it all meant, he must have been very much excited. + +The two lads clinched, swayed, and finally fell to the ground, rolling +over and over. The stranger pummeled and kicked, scratched and bit. +John merely defended himself, holding his enemy firmly and trying to +keep him under. It was easy to see that he was the stronger of the +two. Presently the young man began to weaken, and at last John felt +the stranger's body grow limp in his clutch. He felt a thrill of +triumph such as the Hermit certainly had never taught him. But +suddenly, remembering the duty of a noble foe, he rose to his feet, +leaving the stranger lying where he was. + +He was not badly hurt. Presently he also rose, sullenly, and pulled on +his cap which had fallen off. John had taken possession of his spear +and bow. He now gravely handed an arrow to the young man. + +"You may keep that," he said politely. "I think you can do no harm +with that." + +The stranger turned crimson, and his face was wicked to see. + +"You shall pay for this!" he spluttered, with sobs in his voice. "No +one can injure me without danger. You shall--" + +At this moment, not far away in the direction of the Hermit's hut, a +horn sounded. Once, twice, thrice, it blew vigorously, as if giving a +command. Both John and the stranger started. + +"I must go!" muttered the latter to himself. "Needs must at that +call." And without another word or glance at John, he ran to his +horse, which was tethered close by, and was soon galloping away in the +direction of the bugle-call. + +Trembling with excitement and with alarm at this coming of strangers to +the forest which so long had been at peace, John hurried back to the +hut. But Bruin remained safe in his tree. + +He seemed to have no wish to come down And learn what all these strange +doings meant. + + + + +XVI + +THE HUNT + +John found the Hermit sitting as usual beside the door of his hut, +reading his book. He was surrounded by his family of pets. Brutus +bounded to meet John, but the boy was too excited to give him the usual +caress. + +"Father!" he cried, "have you heard or seen nothing? There are +strangers in the forest, wicked strangers who hunt our friends the +beasts. I have but now come from such a terrible scene!" + +He covered his face with his hands. The Hermit started to his feet. + +"What has happened?" he quavered. "Just now the wolf came leaping into +the hut; but I feared nothing. Your clothes are torn. Your face is +bloody. Who has been hurting you, my son?" + +But before John could answer came again the call of a bugle, this time +very near, "_Tara_! _Tara_! _Tara_!" + +"Huntsmen!" cried the Hermit. "Send Brutus into the hut." John drove +the dog inside, and some of the house-pets with him. Already the +others had taken alarm at the threatening noise and were scattering in +every direction. + +Nearer and nearer came the sound of galloping hoofs, the baying of +hounds, the shouts of many men. John and the Hermit stood with pale +faces, waiting. + +Suddenly into the clearing bounded a frightened deer,--a slender +dappled creature with brown eyes. Straight to the Hermit she ran, and +dropped panting at his feet. + +"It is our doe!" cried John, his face turning whiter. "O father! They +are hunting her!" + +The old man said nothing, but stooped and threw his mantle over the +trembling creature. Hardly had he done so when the hounds burst into +the clearing, barking fiercely, rushing towards the spot where the deer +lay. + +The Hermit raised his staff and stepped forward with a quick word. +Instantly the dogs paused, cringing. They snarled and snapped their +teeth, but made no motion to draw nearer. There was another loud +bugle-blast, and a group of horsemen burst into the open space. + +"Hola! Hola! The stand!" cried the foremost rider, flourishing his +sword. The others clustered about this leader. He was a tall, oldish +man, red-faced and fierce-eyed. Like the stranger whom John had met, +he was magnificently dressed in green velvet, with a gold chain about +his neck, and a star blazing on his breast. He wore also a green cap +bound with a gold band, from which a golden feather drooped to his +shoulder. The gloves which he wore, the baldric of his bugle, and the +hilt of the sword which he brandished aloft, glittered with jewels. + +When he spied the Hermit standing with upraised staff over the deer, +while the dogs cowered at his feet, he drew up his horse and gave a +shout of wonder. Then once more there was a moment of intense silence +in that spot whose quiet had been broken by such a din. Thereafter the +splendid leader of the hunt spoke in a brutal voice. + +"Ho! Who are you who interrupt our hunt and stand between us and our +quarry? Stand aside, old man, whoever you are. This is no place for +you. The deer is ours." He flourished his jeweled sword eagerly. + +"I shall not stand aside," said the Hermit. "This doe is mine, my +friend and companion. Her milk has nourished me many a day, and she +shall not die in this place which is my home." + +"Shall not die?" cried the huntsman hoarsely. "Do you know to whom you +speak?" + +"I can guess," said the Hermit quietly. "From his cruelty and his free +speech I judge it must be he who calls himself king of the realm beyond +this forest." + +"King of this forest and lord of all that dwell therein," shouted the +huntsman ferociously. "And who are you who dare oppose me?" + +"I am a hermit," said the old man simply. "My service is to God, whom +you dishonor. My friends are the creatures whom you hunt. My study is +to save life, which you would destroy. Depart, and leave in peace this +place where life is sacred." + +"Depart!" roared the King, while his nobles crowded around him, +murmuring and bending threatening looks upon the Hermit and the lad. +"Not till yonder animal is slain. Ho, have at her!" + +With prick of spur he urged his horse forward. But quick as thought +the Hermit with his staff drew a circle around himself and John and the +doe, which still lay panting at his feet, wrapped in the gray mantle. + +"Dare not to cross this line!" he cried. "This ground is holy. Years +ago in the Father's name I consecrated it. 'Tis holy as any cathedral, +and 'tis sanctuary for man and beast. Hear what the Lord says to you: +'They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.'" + +The Hermit raised his hand and spoke a word to the horses that were +being urged forward. With a shrill whinny they rose on their hind +legs, pawing the air, and refused to advance. + +"What witchcraft is this!" cried the King, spurring his steed cruelly. +But the animal, like the dogs, obeyed the Hermit's will rather than the +King's. + +"No witchcraft," said the Hermit, still guarding the deer with his +upraised staff. "It is the Lord's will. You, who have ever disobeyed +His holy word, perhaps know not how dear to Him were the birds and +beasts. His first companions. His childhood friends. And to this +day, for He Himself hath said it, not a sparrow falleth without His +knowledge and pity. O wicked man! How then can you delight to kill?" + +The King gazed at the Hermit like one in a dream. "How dare you say +such things to me, your King?" he said at last. + +"You are no king of mine, thank God!" said the Hermit. "I am an exile. +I am of no land. This forest is my domain, my animal kingdom. Depart, +I beg, without more bloodshed. O King, already in time past the hunt +has cost you dear. Will you not take heed lest the Lord punish you +further for your sins?" + +The King turned pale. "This is certainly witchcraft!" he muttered. +"What know you of the past?" he cried, almost as if against his will. + +"I know much," said the Hermit calmly. "I know that hunting cost the +life of your eldest son. Will you not heed that warning, lest more ill +befall?" + +There was a stir among the nobles, and John saw the young man with whom +he had wrestled a short time before spur his horse forward to the +King's side. His face was black and angry. + +"Sire--father," he said. "Will you not end this parley and slay them +all? I would have a hand in it for the sake of that young cub there!" +and he shook his fist toward John. But more he did not say; perhaps he +was ashamed to tell how the wood-boy had got the best of him. + +"Ay," said the Hermit, pointing a finger at him and shaking it sadly. +"The second son follows in the footsteps of his brother, and like his +father is cruel, bloodthirsty, revengeful. Beware, O King! Beware, +King's son! For happiness was never yet distilled from innocent blood, +nor life from death." + +The King shuddered, as all could see. "I hunt," he said,--and it was +strange to see how he was almost apologetic,--"I hunt all animals +mercilessly, because through them the Prince my son was slain. I will +hunt them out of my kingdom, until not one remains. I will slay them +until the ground is soaked with their blood! Not an animal, save such +as are of use, shall exist in all my land. I will have no pets--no +singing birds. I hate them all!" + +"Ay," said the Hermit, shaking his head sadly, "you hate them all! But +I love them all. And here they come to me. 'The sparrow hath found a +house and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young.' I will +protect them with my life. You dare not kill me, O King! Godless +though you are, once you were a Christian, and you know the meaning of +the words I spoke when I said that this was holy ground." + +He drew from his bosom the iron Cross which he wore, and held it up +before the King. + +The monarch shrank back and seemed to hesitate. Suddenly he wheeled +his horse and blew a blast upon his bugle. "Back!" he cried somewhat +bitterly. "We will not linger here for a paltry doe. Let us leave +this cursed wood and this crusty hermit. Back to our own demesne, +where we shall find sport enough, I dare say." + +Once more he blew his horn and bounded forward out of the clearing; the +nobles after him, and the cowed, disappointed dogs trailing at the rear +with tails between their legs. John could not help feeling sorry for +them. Poor things! They at least knew no better. + +John was just stooping to pet the frightened deer, when an arrow +whizzed over his shoulder and struck the creature in the haunch. The +poor animal gave a cry of pain, and blood dyed the gray mantle of the +Hermit, the first blood shed in that place of peace. + +With a shout of anger John leaped up and looked over his shoulder. A +familiar wicked face grinned back at him, as a horse and rider galloped +into the forest. The King's son had skulked behind to shoot that shaft. + +"My son!" cried the Hermit, laying trembling hands on John's shoulder. +"It was meant for you. You would have died had you not stooped at that +moment to caress the doe." + +"Poor doe!" said John, kneeling beside her and busying himself with the +arrow. "You have saved my life. Now we must save yours. My father, I +think she is not badly hurt." + +And he began to stanch the blood and bind up the wound with the skill +which the Hermit had taught him. + +But the old man stood for a long time gazing into the forest after the +party of huntsmen. "A murderer and a coward," he said. "In sanctuary +he has shed innocent blood. For many evil deeds the price will surely +be paid. And the price is heavy." + + + + +XVII + +THE MESSENGER + +The little deer was not greatly hurt by the cowardly hunter. John and +the Hermit nursed her tenderly, and so great was their knowledge of +healing balms that she was soon nibbling the grass about their +dooryard, as sprightly as ever, save for a slight lameness in one leg. + +Bruin was with them once more, a constant guest in the little circle. +The fright of that day when the hunters came to the forest had affected +all the animals, who clung closely to their two human friends, and did +not venture far from the hut. + +Although John and the Hermit had never spoken together of the King +since that terrible day, the boy thought often about him, and about the +young Prince with whom he had wrestled for the life of the bear. And +John was troubled by many things. He thought how great must be the +suffering among the helpless animals when men so cruel were in power. +If animals were treated so, how must the poor and lowly people fare at +the hands of their lords and masters? Were the mighty so cruel to one +another,--to children and women and aged people? All these were weak +and helpless, too. John remembered the Hermit's tales of war and the +wickedness of cities, and his heart grew sick. What a terrible world +this was to live in, if the great and powerful were so bad! + +But when John was most unhappy, longing to change it all, he would look +around the little hut where, surrounded by his animal friends, the dear +old Hermit sat under the wooden Cross, reading out of the great book. +Then John grew happy once more. For the Hermit had taught him well +from that holy volume. + +"It will all come right some time," he said to himself. "Some day the +Lord will teach men better, and all will be peace and love as it is +here. But oh! If only I were big and strong and powerful, so that I +could help to hasten that happy day!" + +One evening, several weeks later, they sat as usual in the midst of +their circle of pets. The Hermit, with the raven on his shoulder and +the cat on his knee, was reading from the book. John, on a bench by +the window, was using the last light of an autumn day to make a basket +for gathering herbs. The gaunt wolf lay at his feet. Beside him +rested the bear, snuffling in his sleep; and stretched out between him +and the Hermit, Brutus snored peacefully. On John's shoulders roosted +their carrier pigeon, and several kittens played about his legs. The +deer lay on a pallet in the corner. It was a very peaceful scene, and +every one seemed to have forgotten the fright of a month before. + +Suddenly John said: "Father, tell me about the King." + +The old man started, and placing a finger in the book to mark the +place, looked at John with surprise. "Why should we speak of him?" he +asked uneasily. "This is the hour of peace and meditation on pleasant +things." + +"I have thought about him so much," said John. "I cannot tell why, but +I am unable to forget him. I want to know more of him and of his son." + +The old man shook his head. "I am sorry," he said. "Did you care so +much for his gorgeous clothes and jewels, his horse and band of +followers? Have they turned your head, foolish boy? Did you find +anything to admire in their talk and manner and looks? I am +disappointed, John!" + +"Nay, I did not admire anything about them," John hastened to say. "I +saw that the King was cruel. I believe well that he was also wicked. +But he seemed to have friends. How can a bad man have friends? And +why do the people allow him to be their king?" + +"Ah, John!" cried the Hermit, "it is not so easy to find a good king! +Perhaps his people do not care; perhaps they know no better. Perhaps +he is so powerful that they have no choice but to obey him." + +"Is the King so wicked?" asked John, wondering how the Hermit knew so +much. "What has he done that is bad?" + +The old man hesitated; then he turned to John with a gesture that the +boy did not understand. + +"Listen, John," he said. "I will tell you some things that this King +has done. It is well that you should know. Years ago, before you were +born, he was not the lawful king in this Country. The true king was +his brother Cyril, who was good and kind, ruling wisely and well. But +suddenly he died. Those in his service guessed that his brother +Robert, this present King, had caused his death by poison. So Robert +became king. A stormy time he had of it, at first; for the whole land +loved King Cyril. Many accused Robert, and refused to do him +honor,--especially one holy man, John, King Cyril's friend and +physician. Yes, my son, he bore the same blessed name as yourself. +This man the people loved dearly, for he was wise and generous with his +wisdom. He healed them freely of their hurts. He went about the +country doing good, bringing love and good cheer wherever he went. He +was honored almost as a saint. But because he dared lift his voice +against the King--he died. No one knew how it happened. At the same +time his little son disappeared; men believed that he also was slain by +the cruel King. The people were furious; they stormed and threatened. +But alas! gradually the voices of their leaders were silenced. Some +died suddenly, as John had done. Some disappeared. Some were banished +from the kingdom. Some went away, broken-hearted; who knows where they +may be now?" + +"Oh, how could the people forget their King and the holy man who had +been good to them?" cried John. "How could they allow that bad man to +be their king?" + +"The people?" said the Hermit sadly. "The people so soon forget! Do +you not recall how, ages ago, the people treated the best Man who ever +lived? These folk dared not seem to remember. They were selfish and +lazy. The new King was rich and powerful. They found it easier to +grumble and do nothing else. And when the King said, 'Hunt!' they +hunted. When he commanded, 'Hate all animals; have no pets!' they +obeyed him. But it is a gloomy land, a sad land, of which Robert is +king!" + +"Oh!" said John, "how do you know so much, my father?" + +"Do not ask," said the Hermit. "One day I will tell you, but not now." + +"Oh, he is a wicked King, who ought to die!" burst out John, throwing +up his arm angrily. "Would I were a man, and I would go kill him. But +I will do it when I am grown!" + +At his rough tones and gestures the birds fluttered away, frightened, +and the animals slunk into the corners, trembling. The peace of the +little hut was rudely disturbed. + +"Nay, my son, nay!" cried the old man in horror. "Say not such wicked +words! See how you frighten our peaceful friends. What have I tried +to teach you? It is not yours to avenge. The Lord himself will punish +as he sees best. Perhaps even now he chastens that wicked heart. +Already the King has lost his dearest, oldest son. He was killed five +years ago while hunting a wild boar in the forest. But now--" + +At this moment there was a loud knock on the door of the hut. The +Hermit and John started and looked at each other in wonder. When had +such a thing happened before! Brutus and the wolf arose, bristling. +The bear growled savagely. The raven gave a screech of fear and +burrowed under John's cot. There was a moment's pause. Then the +Hermit, crossing himself, called loudly,-- + +"Enter, if your errand be peace. Enter, in the name of the Lord." + +Quickly the latch clicked and the door flew open. Into the midst of +the startled group stumbled a man, breathless and covered with dust +from head to foot. His hat was gone. His hair was disheveled, and his +eyes bloodshot. + +"Hasten!" he cried, turning to the Hermit. "You are the man I +seek,--you, skilled in herbs and healing. The King sends for you." + +[Illustration: The King sends for you.] + +"The King!" The Hermit and John spoke the word together, staring wildly. + +"Yes, the King," repeated the man. "I have killed my horse to get +here. He fell in the forest yonder, even as I spied the light from +your window. There is no time to be lost. We must go on foot to the +nearest town, where horses may be had. Hasten, old man, and bring your +herbs and balsams." + +"But whither? And for what purpose?" asked the Hermit, still standing +with one trembling hand on the holy book. + +"The King's son is wounded," cried the messenger. "Five days ago he +was hunting the deer, and an arrow, glancing falsely, pierced his +breast. He was grievously hurt. Even now he may be dying. Why do we +waste words? The physicians have done their best, but they have given +him up at last. The King raved; he was beyond reason. Suddenly, in +his madness he spoke of you, the wizard of this forest. He recalled +that day when you cursed him for the sake of your brute creatures. He +vowed it was all enchantment. 'Send for the wizard!' he cried. 'Let +him cure my son. He dare not refuse, for he claims to be a servant of +God.'" + +The Hermit was trembling now with emotion. "It is the Lord's will!" he +said. "He was wounded while hunting an innocent beast. On the +strength and speed of another beast hung his chance for life. And now, +only with the aid of another can we reach him in time.--Nay, upon a +fourth we must rely to find our way out of the forest. Brutus only can +help us. But let us hasten. Come, my friend! Back to the city once +more." Calling to the dog, he began to make hurried preparations for +departure. + +John ran to him. "Do not go to the wicked man!" he whispered. "They +may kill you. Oh, what should I do then?" + +The Hermit shook his head. "I must go," he said. "It is written, 'Do +good to them that hate you.' There is no question of my duty." + +"Oh, let me then go with you, father," pleaded John. + +The Hermit laid his hand on the boy's head, and looked at him tenderly. +"The time is not yet ripe, my son," he said. "Who knows what all this +may mean? Wait a little longer. Stay and care for our little friends. +From the nearest village I will send Brutus back to you. You will not +be lonely, with your work and play as usual. Do not neglect either. +Adieu, my dear son!" And he blessed John. + +Embracing the boy and bidding farewell to the other friends, the Hermit +took his staff and bag of simples, and wrapped his cloak about him. "I +trust you, John," he said at the door. "Be patient, obedient, and +wise." Then in the folds of his cloak he took the carrier pigeon. "I +will send you word by our friend, if need be," he said, as he went out +into the darkness. + +Brutus and the messenger followed him closely. The door banged behind +them, and John was alone with the circle of frightened, cowering +creatures. He threw himself on his knees before the Hermit's table, +and laying his head on the book, began to weep, he scarcely knew why. + + + + +XVIII + +THE CARRIER PIGEON + +A evening of the next day, just as John had finished his simple supper, +he heard a scratching at the door. It was Brutus, returning footsore +and weary. Tied to his collar John found a message from the Hermit. + +"Be of good cheer," it read. "We mount excellent steeds to ride to the +King. If by God's help I may save the young man's life, I will return +to you speedily thereafter. If it be the Lord's will that other things +befall, I will send the carrier pigeon with news. Bear a good heart, +my son. Keep to your studies, your exercise, and your devotions as if +I were with you. So when I return I shall find you a little stronger, +wiser, a better champion of the good. Farewell!" + +John read this letter eagerly, and set himself to obey the master's +wishes. But now the days seemed long indeed. In spite of the many +friends who shared the hut with him, John felt very lonely, and longed +for the dear old man's return. But now he had something more to think +of: the good King Cyril and the holy man, his friend, who had borne the +name of John. And he longed to be some day a man like that. + +The Hermit had been gone for nearly a week. One day John was sitting +by the door of the hut, busy with his studies, when he heard a _whir_ +in the air overhead. Glancing up, he saw the flash of snowy wings, and +presently the carrier pigeon came fluttering down to his shoulder. + +"Ah, my dear bird!" cried John, tenderly taking the creature in his +hands and lifting it to peck at his lips as it always loved to do. +"You have come to me safely from far away. You have come from the +place where my dear father is. Have you brought me word from him?" + +With a soft coo the pigeon nestled closer in John's arms. Reaching +under its wing, he found a scroll of writing tied there securely with a +silken cord. + +"A letter from my father!" he cried, untying it eagerly. + +It was indeed a long letter in the good man's clear script. It told of +their safe arrival, after a hard journey through the night; of their +reception by the King. They had come almost too late. But when they +arrived the Prince was still breathing. They were ushered into his +chamber, where he lay white and still. No one could rouse him to life +or consciousness. By his bedside sat the King, his face like a +mountain-top wrapped in clouds. + +"Save my son!" he had cried when he saw the Hermit. "Save my son, +sorcerer, and I will give you whatever your heart craves." + +"I am no sorcerer," the Hermit had answered. "I am God's servant, with +some skill in healing, because I have studied the work of His hands and +the uses of His gifts. If it be His will, I may save the young man. +If otherwise, we may not hope to prevail." + +"Oh, he must not die!" cried the King. "You foretold it, I remember, +in the forest. But think--he is my only son. He must be king after +me. He must live!" + +"Other sons have died," said the Hermit solemnly. "Other princes have +not lived to reign. And what of them?" + +The King shuddered. "Save my son!" he repeated. "Only save this boy, +and I will do whatever you ask." + +"Then" (said the Hermit's letter) "I did my best. I bathed the youth's +wound with my healing balsam. I gave him soothing draughts to drink. +I sat by his bedside and prayed that the Lord's will might be done +through me. And then came a change. A faint color blossomed in his +cheeks. His lips trembled; his eyes opened and he looked at me. Then +he sighed and closed his eyes. What he thought I know not. But he had +paused in his march towards death. From that day he mended. The +Prince's wound is now healed. The King's gratitude knew no bounds. He +promised me rewards beyond belief,--which, as you know, mean naught to +me. + +"But, John, a strange thing has befallen. The Prince should now be +well upon the road to health. He should be gaining strength every day. +There seems no reason otherwise. But such happens not. He lies +passive and dazed. He seems not to care whether he lives or dies. He +never speaks nor smiles, only looks sometimes at me as if he wanted to +ask me something. The doctors say that he is slowly dying. + +"And now, John," concluded the Hermit's letter, "now comes the reason +for these long, tedious words to you. I have done my utmost, but I am +powerless. Will you come? Will you try what your own skill and youth +may do? It may be your mission in life to save this lad who tried to +kill you. I know that if he could but once smile, he would get well. +Therein lies your power. Come, as quickly as you may. Bring with you +our animal friends who cannot be left behind. Brutus will lead you to +the village, and thence you must find your way to the Capital. And one +word more: if you find yourself in trouble or need, show the silver +talisman which you wear about your neck, and I think all will be well. +Remember my teachings, John, and come as soon as may be." + +When John had finished the letter, he stood for a moment quite dazed. +He was to leave this place where all was peace and happiness, and go +back among men whom he feared! He was to go to the very King whose +name he shuddered to remember,--the King who had killed his brother and +that holy man John with his little son! He was to do all this for the +sake of the enemy who had hunted the bear, who had injured the gentle +deer, who had aimed to take John's own life! He grew sick at the +thought. Yet,--it was the Hermit himself who summoned him. And he +remembered the good man's teachings. + +"How I can help I know not," sighed John, "but I must go!" He laid his +head upon the feathers of the carrier pigeon and shed some bitter +tears. Then, placing the bird gently on the tree beside him, he +straightened himself bravely. "I will go!" he said. "I will go +joyfully, as one should who hopes to be worthy to bear the name of +John." + +Just then Brutus came sauntering from the hut, shaking himself lazily +after his nap. + +"Ho, Brutus!" called John, snapping his fingers. "Shall we go on a +journey together, you and I? Shall we take these little friends on a +wonderful pilgrimage? And will you be my guide, as you were once +before, good Brutus?" + +The dog seemed to understand. He pricked up his ears, and leaped up to +John's shoulders with a joyous bark. Then, rushing to the edge of the +wood, he looked back, inviting John to follow. + +"Oh, let us be off!" he seemed to say. "I have been longing to go to +our dear master. Let us hasten, little brother!" + +"Not so fast!" said John. "We have first to gather our provisions and +make ready our company of pilgrims. I must take all the food I can. +For I dare not trust wholly to the silver Cross. What could my father +mean by that?" + +Still wondering, John set about his preparations. They did not take +long. There was neither lock nor bolt on the door of the Hermit's hut, +nor aught of value to hide. When John's basket was packed with simple +food, and the animals were gathered about him outside in the little +clearing, he rolled a stone against the door, and they were ready to go. + + + + +XIX + +THE JOURNEY + +A strange company they were, these citizens of the Animal Kingdom +traveling to town! Foremost went Brutus, leading the way and feeling +very important with a bundle bound upon his strong back. Gray and +gaunt, the wolf trotted along at his side, like another dog. Next came +John, with a knapsack on his shoulders, in which three little kittens +slumbered beside the provisions for their journey; there were always +new kittens in the Animal Kingdom. On his shoulder perched the raven, +and by a rope he led the bear, whom he felt safer to have close by his +side. Sometimes the bear trotted on all fours. Sometimes he walked +upright like a big brown man, towering over John's head. Now before +and now behind them went Blanche the cat, pretending as cats do that +she was neither following nor leading, but traveling quite +independently of them all. Frequently she disappeared into the bushes +or up a tree, but soon came scampering past, when she would stop to +make a hasty toilet. Overhead fluttered from tree to tree the carrier +pigeon and the other birds, who were John's pets and bound to follow +wherever he went. + +The deer and her fawn went part way with them, and the little rabbits +hopped a staccato accompaniment for some time. But John did not urge +them to follow. He knew they were better off in the forest, where they +could take care of themselves. + +All day they fared on the uneven path by which, nose to earth, Brutus +led them. And at last, weary and spent, they came to the little +village where the Hermit had taken horse for the longer journey. + +John paused at the first house in the village and knocked at the gate. +A burly fellow came to the door. + +"Hello!" he cried. Starting back when he saw the strange group +gathered in his dooryard. "What means all this?" + +[Illustration: A strange company.] + +"If you please," said John politely, "we go upon a Journey to the King, +and we seek shelter. Will you let us sleep in your stable, friend?" + +"Sleep in my stable!" muttered the man, "a beggar with a band of outlaw +animals! A wolf and a bear! No, indeed. I have too much respect for +the safety of my cattle and for the King's laws." + +He was about to shut the door in John's face. But the lad had a sudden +thought. He would try at this first place the value of the Hermit's +hint. + +"Stay," he said, "one moment, friend." Fumbling in his breast, he drew +out the silver medal which he wore about his neck. "I was to show +this--" he began. + +But he saw the man start, and, shading his lantern with his hands, peer +more closely at the object. Then he stared at John's face with wonder. + +"In God's name!" exclaimed the man, "who are you who travel with this +strange company?" + +John looked almost as surprised as he. "A poor pilgrim, on the King's +errand," he said. "We ask only a corner of your stable with a bed of +straw to lie on. Give us shelter, kind friend, and to-morrow speed us +on our way." + +The man still stared at John as though he saw a fairy. But now he +threw the door wide open. "Enter," he said. "I cannot refuse you. +Enter my house. You shall have a bed and supper, fair boy; but what of +these?" and he turned troubled eyes upon the animals. + +"Nay," said John simply, "I ask no better bed than theirs, my fellow +pilgrims. Thank you for your hospitality, kind friend. May we all +sleep in your stable? My animals are quite safe company. They will +hurt nothing that hurts not me." + +John smiled then in his happy, trustful way, and the face of the man +looking into his brightened as if by reflection. His coarse mouth +broadened into a smile. + +"They shall sleep soundly in the hay," said he kindly, "though it be +against the law. I will risk even the bear and the wolf for the sake +of that you wear about your neck. But the stable and the company of +beasts are not fit for the like of you. That I know, though you be in +rags. Come into the house, young stranger." + +"Have you forgotten," said John gently, "how once a stable sheltered +the greatest King of all among the humblest beasts? I have often had +worse beds than a pile of sweet straw. I shall be happy enough among +my friends." + +The man hung his head for a moment, then raised it and looked at John +strangely. + +"I _had_ forgotten," he said. "Who are you? Who are you who talk so +wisely, and who wear that silver Cross upon you?" + +"I am John, the Hermit's pupil, and I am very tired," was the answer. +"May we not rest now? To-morrow perhaps we will show you some pretty +tricks to pay for our night's lodging." + +"_John_," mused the man, "that is a good name! I want no pay from any +one who bears that name." And still eyeing John strangely, he led the +way to the stable door. + +He bade them good-night; and thereupon the straw the two-footed and +four-footed pilgrims rested peacefully together, nestled in a warm mass +of fur and feathers, flaxen hair, and woolen rags. + +In the morning the farmer brought them food, and his family came with +him to see the strange visitors. For so many animals had never before +been seen together in that country. John put Bruin and Brutus through +their tricks, and the children clapped their hands joyously at the +sight. Then John himself tumbled and danced for them, and they were in +an ecstasy. + +At the end of the performance they clung about the boy's neck and flung +themselves upon the animals, declaring that they must not go away, and +begging them to stay forever. + +But John shook his head, smiling. "I must be off," he said. "I must +do the King's errand." + +And so they went upon their way, the children watching them wistfully +out of sight. But the farmer went with them some little distance to +point out the road; and when he left them he spoke a last word of +warning. + +"The King has no love of animals," he said. "There are none in all the +kingdom save those for use and those he hunts to kill. There are no +pets nor playmates for the children; no birds even in his forests. +Beware his wrath, my lad, when he has word of your caravan." + +"I am going to the King," said John simply. "We go to save the life of +his son." + +The farmer stared again at John with a strange expression. "You, to +save his life!" he muttered. "I cannot understand it all!" And he +passed his hand over his forehead. + +"I have some skill at healing. Farewell!" cried John gaily. "We shall +be safe, I know." + +"Ay, with that silver thing on your neck," said the man to himself, +shading his eyes to watch them out of sight. "John; the Hermit's +pupil; a boy with the knowledge of healing, and a smile,--Saint +Francis! What a smile! He is like our holy John come back again as a +child. Who can he be?" And he crossed himself devoutly as he went +back to his work. + +But John and his friends went sturdily upon their way. Up and down +hills they traveled; along dusty roads; through lonely stretches of +moor and plain. They caused great excitement in the villages through +which they passed. It was years since the townsfolk had seen a dancing +bear; years even since they had enjoyed the frolics of a cat and +kittens. The raven was a source of delight. The birds that followed +overhead and came at John's call, perching on his arms and shoulders, +filled the children with envy. The wolf looked so fierce that they +were afraid of him; but his brother Brutus was petted in a way to spoil +any ordinary dog. Yet he kept his temper and his poise, and endured +their homage meekly. + +Often, in the country through which they passed, John found sick +persons to whom he could bring relief, and gladly he used the knowledge +which the Hermit had taught him. It seemed that there were few in that +land who had the skill of healing, and many of the sick had long +suffered for lack of the simple remedies which John had often used for +his pets. He saved several lives. Oh! that was joy for John! The +people were very grateful, and would have paid him anything he wished. +But all he asked was food or shelter for himself and his friends. Then +they spoke his name softly and kissed his hands, which made John laugh. + +John found it easy enough to earn all the food he needed in the +villages. Remembering his mountebank days, he had but to hold a little +performance in the public square. Every one would hurry to see Bruin +do his tricks and John himself turn somersaults and walk on his hands; +after which the bear would dance and pass the hat, into which the +pennies rained generously. + +But it was harder to find lodgings for the night. Knowing the King's +hatred for animals, men feared to shelter this caravan. Only when John +would pull from his breast the talisman of silver would they soften and +yield to his wishes, wondering and almost worshiping, as the farmer had +done on that first day. John himself was the most wondering of them +all. For he saw no reason why the silver Cross should have such power. +Sometimes he wondered if it was bewitched; but he knew the good Hermit +would not have bade him rely on magic. Yet it made him almost afraid, +so that he used this power only when he had to for the sake of the +weary animals. He himself was welcome everywhere,--perhaps for the +sake of his yellow hair and blue eyes, which were a wonder in that +country; but more likely for the smiling ways and cheerful speech of +him, that made his passing through that gloomy land like the passage of +a sunbeam through thick clouds; and blessings followed after him. + +And so, after six days of travel, they came at last to the King's city. + + + + +XX + +THE ARRIVAL + +About sundown John with his train came to the gates of the city where +the King lived. They were all very hungry, dusty, and tired. + +A watchman on the wall, with telescope to his eye, had spied them afar +off. + +"Hello!" he cried. "What is this coming down the highroad? It seems a +small caravan, creeping and writhing like a caterpillar. The head of +it seems human. But, by my faith! the rest of it is like nothing I +have seen for many years! What ho! Let us be on guard. It may be an +enemy of the King." + +The warders ran to arms. And so it happened that a crowd of them were +gaping at the entrance when John and his companions came up. + +The lad was almost exhausted. But when he saw the way barred by a band +of frowning armed men, he doffed his cap and smiled his own peculiar +smile. + +"Good-evening, friends," he said. "We have been long in reaching your +city. We are glad to be at the gates at last." + +"Who are you?" asked the Captain gruffly, stepping forward and barring +the way, while his companions gazed in amazement at the wolf and the +bear who were huddled at John's side. + +"I come on an errand to the King," said John. "Please guide me to him +quickly, for it is an urgent matter." + +"To the King!" sneered the Captain; and the warders echoed his laugh. +"No one goes to the King in such company as you bring. You must know +that. They are outlaws, all,--and you too, I dare say!" + +"I know not. But I must see the King, and that quickly," said John. +"I come with these friends to heal the King's son, if I can." + +"Ha! More sorcery!" interrupted the Captain. "No, you shall not enter +here. The King allows no animals in his domain. How you have brought +them so far I cannot guess!" + +"Well, I bear this," said John, drawing out the silver talisman. + +The men bent forward to look at it, then fell back, staring at one +another with astonished faces. + +"Who is he?" they whispered among themselves. "What shall we do?" + +"Let me pass, good friends," begged John, looking up in their faces +with his simple smile. "I will promise to do no harm. Among friends +my friends are quite harmless. But tell me, I pray you, where I may +find the good Hermit who healed the Prince's wound? I come at his +bidding." + +At these words the guards pulled themselves together and exchanged +looks. They began to swagger. + +"Ah, is it so?" growled the Captain. "You are a friend of the wizard +himself. We must let the King know of this. Yes, you shall enter. +Here! Take him captive! Off with him to the prison." + +"To prison!" cried John in amazement. "For what ill deed, I pray?" + +But already the guards were pressing forward upon him. At the sight of +their threatening looks Brutus ran in front of John and began to growl +warningly, crouching ready to spring upon the first who should lay +hands on the boy. The wolf bristled and showed his fangs. And the +bear, rising on his hind legs, growled and blinked his little red eyes +so terribly that the men fell back. John was protected by powerful +friends. The other animals shrank close to him, and the raven began to +scream. + +[Illustration: John was protected by powerful friends.] + +"Have a care!" warned John. "My friends are armed with sharp teeth and +claws, and they will not readily let a stranger touch me." + +"He is a wizard!" muttered the soldiers; but they shrank back, afraid +to touch him. + +"Why do you treat me thus?" asked John wistfully. + +"Because you say you are a friend to that vile magician of the woods, +by whose arts the Prince was wounded, they say, and who yet holds him +at death's door." So spoke the Captain of the guards. "The Prince +still lives. But when he passes, the King has decreed that the wizard +shall die the death. You come in time to share it, if you be his +pupil!" + +"Oh, hasten, hasten!" cried John, clasping his hands. "Please take me +to him! Perhaps I may yet save the good old man. If it is not too +late, perhaps I can also save the Prince." + +"Ay, we will take you to him fast enough, if you will call off your +growling beasts," said the Captain. + +"Nay, we must all go together," answered John, who saw how they meant +to trap him. "Oh, come, let us be moving, for there is no time to +lose!" + +Grumbling, but afraid either to delay or to venture near John, the +guards formed in a hollow square about him and his pets, and they all +began to march in a strange company through the city streets to the +palace. + +A crowd gathered as they passed. Men, women, and children craned their +necks to look at this group of animals, such as had not been seen in +the city for years. They gazed, too, at the handsome yellow-haired +boy, and whispered among themselves, "Who is he? What has he done?" + +John noticed that the faces of the people who gazed at him were set and +hard. They seemed sad and hopeless. He pitied them. "It is a kingdom +without love," he said to himself. + +Yet, as they looked, their faces changed. A new something came into +their eyes. A whispering went around among the crowd, increasing to a +murmur, like the sound of bees. + +They came at last to the palace, where the crowd was forced to pause. +But, surrounded by the band of soldiers, John and his party went in and +on, led by the Captain himself, at whose word or gesture doors flew +open and servants bowed. + +Through long, glittering halls, lined with mirrors in which their rags +and dust, draggled feathers and matted hair showed pitifully, limped +John and his weary friends. Up a grand marble staircase, with +wondering footmen lining either side, pattered on muddy feet Brutus and +his gray brother, and the bear, clumsily erect at John's side. Behind +mewed the tired Blanche, whose kittens John carried in his arms, while +the carrier pigeon and the raven perched on his shoulder. But the +other birds had remained outside in the trees of the palace garden. + + + + +XXI + +THE PALACE + +At last they came to a great hall, full of people who seemed met for +some solemn purpose. At the door stood the Grand Chamberlain in lace +and velvet, holding in one hand his staff, and in the other an +hourglass at which he was gazing earnestly. + +"What is this?" he said sternly, as the Captain approached with his +prisoners. "Do you not know that this is a moment of life and death?" + +In a few whispered words the Captain explained matters. + +The Chamberlain stared sullenly at John. "No more wizardry!" he said +at last. "We have had enough of that. The King has just passed +judgment on the sorcerer. In five minutes he is to die. The doctors +declare this to be the only hope for the Prince's life." + +"Oh, let me see him! Let me see my good father!" begged John, clasping +his hands piteously. "I may yet save his life, I and these friends." + +As he said this, John had a sudden thought. He fumbled in his bosom +for the silver Cross, and held it out with trembling hands so that the +Chamberlain could see it. + +The man started back, turning pale and letting fall his staff of +office. "What does this mean?" he cried, "Who is this lad? How came +he by this token?" + +Once more the Captain whispered to him. The Chamberlain looked wildly +at John, then at the hourglass, in which the last grains of sand had +sifted down. + +"The time has come," he said; "the fatal moment is here! I should give +the signal for which the executioners wait. But something holds me +back. In Heaven's name, what does it all mean? Is it sorcery or--" + +"It is the Lord's will," said John quietly. "Oh, pray, let me see the +King." + +"I do not understand," muttered the Chamberlain hoarsely. "But, in the +name of the talisman which you wear, enter. Go alone. I dare not face +the King with his order disobeyed." + +A broad aisle was left open down the hall through the ranks of lords +and ladies. At the end of it was a tall gilt throne. And on the +throne, clad in purple and gold, John saw a figure sitting, pale and +terrible. It was the King. John knew his cold, cruel face, although +the man had greatly altered in those weeks since the day of hunting in +the park. For now the King's hair was snow-white and his body was bent +like that of an old man. + +John fixed his eyes upon this figure and began to walk forward +steadily. Beside him paced Brutus, looking up anxiously into the boy's +face. In his right hand John led the bear, walking upright. The wolf +slunk behind, with lolling tongue. In his arms John still carried the +kittens, and on his shoulder perched the raven, while Blanche trotted +behind him. + +It was indeed a strange sight. A hush came upon the hall, and every +one stared open-mouthed as they passed along. At last the King +himself, who was sitting with bent head, noticed the silence and +glanced up. John, with his queer group, was now almost at the foot of +the throne. The King started up with a cry of rage and surprise. He +glared at the lad and at the animals with blazing eyes. "What does +this mean?" he shouted. + +But at that moment John himself gave a cry. He had seen a figure that +he knew, and, forgetting all else, he was hurrying towards it. At one +side of the throne stood the Hermit, pale and sad, with his hands tied +behind his back and a rope about his neck. He was guarded on each side +by a man with a drawn sword. + +"My father!" cried John, throwing himself upon the good man's neck +before the wondering guards could interfere. At the same time Brutus +gave a loud bark of joy and leaped upon his master. + +"My dear son!" cried the Hermit, with tears in his eyes. "I thought +not to see you again!" + +At the sound of his voice the cat gave a loud "Miaou!" and ran to him. +The kittens squeaked and tried to climb his gown. The bear growled +contentedly and trotted to his side. The wolf leaped to him with +fierce pleasure. The raven hopped to his feet with a scream of Joy, +and the carrier pigeon, with a soft "Coo!" fluttered to his shoulder. +To the watching men and women of that court it seemed a miracle. + +For a moment all was silent. Then the King found voice. "What does +this mean?" he cried again. "How have this vagrant and his vile beasts +found entrance to my palace? It is the hour for execution, not for +mummery. Why is not the signal given?" + +"O King," said John timidly, "they let me in because I said that I came +to cure your son, if may be." + +"More sorcery!" howled the King, beside himself with rage. "Take him +away! Slay them all,--the old man, the boy, the animals! I have +waited too long already. Perhaps even now my son is dead!" He rose, +trembling. + +But the Hermit's voice rang out now, loud and clear. "O King," he +cried, "enough talk of sorcery and magic. This boy has come to help +your son, who sought to slay him. He has brought the animals whose +lives you covet, to show you how much you may owe to them. Lo, this +carrier pigeon bore my message bidding him to come,--not for my sake. +For I told him nothing of the danger in which I lay. This noble dog +guided him to the village by a path which only he could follow. Now +with these other animals he hopes to amuse the Prince and awaken him to +life. There is no magic in this; only love, O King--the love which is +lacking in your sad and sullen kingdom." + +There was a murmur in the crowd, which swayed forward toward John and +the Hermit. For some seconds the King stood speechless, staring at the +Hermit and the group around him. Then, with a wave of his hand, he +bade the guards stand back. He turned to a black-gowned man on his +right who had just entered the hall. "Does my son still live?" he +asked in a choking voice. + +The doctor nodded gravely. "He still lives, Sire. But he is very low. +He cannot survive many minutes." + +The King paled. "Let us hasten," he said. "It is the last chance. +Perhaps the boy has skill." Then, turning to the little group of +people from the forest, he beckoned grimly. "Come with me," he said. +"Save my son's life, and you save your own. Otherwise I swear that you +shall all die the most hideous and painful of deaths." + +Descending from the throne with tottering steps, for the King had grown +a feeble old man, he led the way from the great hall. Behind him came +the doctor and the Hermit. John followed, with the animals in his arms +and close about his heels. + +So they came to the door of a room in one wing of the palace. + + + + +XXII + +THE PRINCE'S CHAMBER + +At the door the King paused and turned back to the little company which +followed him. + +"You may enter," he said, "and try your skill on the Prince, who is +near to death. If you cure him, I will give you whatsoever reward you +may demand. But see that you do not fail!" The King's voice was full +of menace. "Enter, in the name of whatever magic you use." + +"In the name of love we come," said the Hermit gently; "and in the name +of love we shall do our best for your son, O King. Enter softly, John. +You must do without me now. Leave our larger, clumsier friends outside +with me." + +Softly John tiptoed over the sill, carrying the kittens in his arms, +with the dove on his shoulder, and the white cat following behind. + +In the centre of the room was a couch, hung with a splendid canopy of +purple and gold. Beneath a purple coverlet fringed with gold lay the +Prince, white as the lace of the pillow on which his black curls +rested. His eyes were closed, and he looked still and lifeless. The +hand which lay outside on the purple velvet was as white and +transparent as the hand of a marble statue. + +On one side of his bed sat a doctor in a black velvet gown, and several +attendants stood about with long faces and tired eyes. On the other +side of the couch a little girl crouched on a low stool. She was a +pale, pretty little thing, younger than John, and her dress of +brilliant red made her sad, dark eyes look all the more sorrowful as +she gazed at John wistfully. It was Clare, the Prince's only sister. + +As they entered the room the King made a sign to the doctor, who shook +his head sadly. The King crossed to the bed and bent down over his +son, touching the cold face. But it did not change. Neither the lips +nor eyelids trembled, and John could see no sign of life in that still +body. How different, he thought suddenly, from the vigorous figure +which had wrestled with him in the forest. How different that face +from the one which had looked back at him triumphantly after the arrow +had struck the poor deer! + +"He does not hear nor see," said the King gloomily. "He scarcely +breathes. What will you do?" + +John hesitated. He had made no plan; he hardly knew with what hope the +Hermit had summoned him and his pets thither. It seemed a hopeless +task. + +The King frowned at his daughter. "Why is this girl allowed here?" he +said gruffly. "Leave the room." + +"Oh, Sire," pleaded the little Princess, with tears in her eyes, +"please let me stay! When my brother is so ill, surely my place is at +his side. I will be quite still, indeed I will. Only do not send me +away!" + +John looked at her and thought how like a gentle little animal she was, +so timid, and with such large, beseeching eyes. John had never known +any little girls. Now he thought they would be very pleasant things to +have in an animal kingdom. + +"Please let her stay, King," he said gently. "She can do no harm." + +"Very well. Let her stay," said the King impatiently. "But what will +you do? What magic have you, boy?" + +Suddenly John had an impulse. He stepped forward with the squirming +kittens and laid them on the velvet coverlet close by the Prince's +marble hand. The doctor arose with a cry of horror; the attendants +rushed forward. The little Princess drew a long breath. But the King +raised his hand. + +"Let the boy alone," he commanded. "Even this madness shall be +humored. There is no hope now but in him." + +The kittens began to frisk and gambol about the velvet, and the old +cat, with a contented purr, jumped up beside them. She was tired, poor +thing, and glad to find a soft bed. At that moment those who were +watching saw a change come upon the Prince's face. His eyelids +quivered. His lips moved slightly. The King raised his hands and +trembled. + +Then began a frolic upon that royal bed such as for ten years had not +been seen in all the kingdom. Up and down, around and around, the +kittens chased one another. They rolled over and over, kicking and +biting. They played with their mother's tail. They scampered over the +still body of the Prince himself, and one of them, coming to his hand, +began to play with the white fingers, nibbling at them and licking them +with warm little pink tongue. + +And what happened? Slowly the Prince's eyes opened. For a moment they +gazed blankly at the frolicking kittens. Then his lips gradually +parted, and the flicker of a tiny smile came upon them. The King +clasped his hands over his eyes, and gave a cry of joy. The little +Princess laid her head on the pillow beside her brother's and wept +silently. + +The kitten which was playing with the Prince's hand rolled over on its +back and began to kick at the royal fingers. A tiny red scratch +appeared on the milky skin. At the same moment a bit of color came +into the Prince's white lips and cheeks. He turned his head, and +lifting his hand stroked the soft ball of fur. The little thing +responded immediately, arching its back and beginning to purr. +Presently the Prince's other hand stole out from under the coverlet. +He drew the kitten feebly to his face and rubbed his cheek against the +silky fur, and he smiled! + +[Illustration: He stroked the soft ball of fur.] + +The doctor turned to the King. "He will live," he said. "It must be +magic!" + +"He lives! My son lives!" cried the King, bending over the Prince in a +transport. + +The Prince opened his eyes and looked at him, and a change came upon +his face. The smile faded, and he closed his eyes wearily. + +"Your Majesty," said John, speaking gently, "if you will allow me to +give the Prince a healing draught which I myself have made from +life-giving herbs, I think now he will sleep and waken refreshed." + +"Do as you will!" cried the King. "Whatever you wish shall be done in +the palace. Whatever you ask shall be given." + +With a word and a gentle touch John roused the Prince, who swallowed +the draught which the boy gave him. "Now let us leave him to sleep," +said John. + +But when they would have removed the cat and kittens, a cloud came over +the Prince's face, and his hand wandered feebly, as if craving the +touch of the silky fur. + +"We will leave them here," said John. "They are what he needs." + +"Oh, let me stay too!" cried the little Princess, with shining eyes. + +And across the room she and John smiled at each other, as he nodded, +saying, "Yes, O King, I pray that you will let the little maid stay." + +So they withdrew from the chamber, and left the Prince to dream with +his new friends sleeping about him, and the little sister with her head +upon the pillow at his side. And all night long he slept like a baby +with a smile upon his face. + +The Prince's cure had begun. + + + + +XXIII + +THE CURE + +There was wonder and excitement in the palace, for the news of John's +success had been told from mouth to mouth. The King ordered the +Hermit's chains to be removed, and he and his pupil were treated with +utmost honor. But they refused all gifts which the monarch made them; +and he was annoyed. + +In the morning John and the Hermit went once more to see their patient. +They found him and the little Princess playing with the kittens, and +both looked up with a smile when the visitors entered. But at sight of +John the Prince's color faded and the smile died on his lips. John +bore the white pigeon in his hands, and going to the bedside bent over +the Prince with a gay manner. + +"You are better?" he asked. + +The Prince's eyes looked into his wonderingly. + +"Why do you try to help me?" he asked. "Once I tried to kill you." + +The little Princess gasped. + +"I came to heal and help you if I could," said John, laughing. "I +brought my pets to cheer you. See, here is the dove of peace. She +brought me the message which has saved your life. Will you not love +her as I do?" + +He placed the bird on the Prince's breast, and with a gentle coo the +creature nestled there confidingly. Tears came to the Prince's eyes. + +"You are very good," he said. "I tried to kill your pets in the +forest." + +"O brother!" cried the little maid, clasping her hands with a sob. +"How could you!" + +"Let us forget that," said John brightly. "Let us be friends. You +will get well and learn to love the animals for their own sake." + +"Oh, yes!" said the little girl. "I never saw any before, but how can +one help loving these dear little pets,--and the lovely bird?" She +stroked the white feathers tenderly. + +But the Prince covered his face with his hands and seemed to be +weeping. "I cannot forget!" he said brokenly. + +John felt very uncomfortable. "If only I could make him laugh, now!" +he thought. Then an idea came to him,--a funny idea which made his +eyelids quiver and the brown spot wink. + +With a twist of his body he suddenly stood upon his head at the foot of +the Prince's couch, and, waving his feet in the air, began to walk +about the chamber on his hands. The Prince uncovered his eyes and +gazed in astonishment at such antics. + +Presently John regained his feet, and kissing his hand began to turn +somersaults vigorously all about the apartment. The little Princess +clapped her hands and began to laugh. The Prince watched him, +fascinated. Presently, as John's high spirits broke out into fuller +pranks and gyrations, the Prince's lips quivered. He began to grin. + +"Oh, you are a tumbler," he said. "I am glad you have come here! Do +it again." + +So John did it again; and this time the Prince, watching him, echoed +the gay laugh of the little Princess. "It is as good as a play," he +said, feebly wiping the tears of merriment from his cheeks. "I wish I +could do it myself!" + +[Illustration: I wish I could do it myself!] + +"You must get well first," said John, laughing. + +"I will try," said the Prince, with a new spirit in his tone. And from +that moment he began to grow stronger. + +Now came days when the palace was much happier than it had been for +years. The presence of the animals was in itself a joy to the King's +people, long starved for the lack of pets. And John's sunny face and +quaint smile were reflected on all about him. There is nothing so +catching as good humor, and John started an epidemic which spread +through the palace, and indeed through the whole city. No one knew how +it happened. But before long the flaxen-haired boy was the pet of the +whole town. Not only was he welcome always in the Prince's chamber, +but every door at which he knocked opened gladly to him, and he was at +home wherever he went. + +Only the King held aloof. He had grown strangely grim and sullen since +his son's cure was assured. The King was jealous. + +What with the animals to play with and John's tumbling, the Prince was +continually in gales of laughter, and every day he grew plumper and +more rosy. Sometimes it was Brutus who amused him; often the cat and +kittens, his first friends. The raven became a great favorite after +his introduction to the Prince, which happened in this wise. + +John had delayed to bring the bird into the royal chamber, he was so +mischievous. But one day when the Prince seemed very merry, John +slipped out and fetched the black fellow on his shoulder. On being +invited to do so, the raven hopped gravely to the foot of the bed, +where he perched, eyeing the Prince with little round eyes and head +cocked knowingly. + +Presently the bird gave a queer screech, and began to imitate John's +own laughter so exactly that the Prince shook with mirth. At this the +raven stood upon one leg gravely, and began to sidle along the +footboard of the bed. Presently he spied some fruit carved on the +wooden uprights, and making a dart began to peck at the pears and +peaches. Then, discovering his mistake, once more he began to chuckle, +this time so heartily that he seemed ready to have a fit. And as he +listened the Prince's mouth widened and he burst into roars of laughter. + +"Hush, you foolish bird!" said John reprovingly. "Be not so noisy in a +Prince's chamber. It is not good manners!" and he threw his +handkerchief over the raven's head. + +But the Prince protested. "Let him do his pleasure," he said, +laughing. "I have not seen anything so funny for many a day. I shall +teach him many tricks." + +So the raven stayed with the Prince, and learned many tricks. And the +carrier pigeon stayed. And the others stayed,--all but the wolf, who +would never leave John,--making themselves quite at home on the +Prince's velvet couch. And the little Princess played with them, +enjoying the happiest hours of her life. + +One only of the animals the Prince had not seen. The Hermit and John +agreed that until he was stronger he must not see the bear whom he had +once tried to kill. For they knew that now it would make the Prince +sad and ashamed to remember that day in the forest. Such a change had +come upon the young man! He was no longer hard and cruel, but tender +and affectionate. + +The King felt the change, and it made him angry. + + + + +XXIV + +THE KING + +Daily, as the Prince grew stronger, he became more and more devoted to +the animals, to John and the good Hermit. He could scarcely bear them +out of his sight. When they were with him his face lighted with +smiles, and he seemed to blossom as a flower does in sunshine. Only in +the presence of the King he grew silent and sad once more. The light +passed from his eyes as he looked at the grim old man. A visit from +the King was almost enough to undo the good effects of a whole day of +happiness. + +The King knew this, and it made him furious. He did not see that it +was his own fault; that it was the badness in him which made the Prince +shrink. He thought it was the doing of some one else. He grew to hate +the Hermit and John and the animals, of whom his son and daughter were +so fond. In his heart he cared little for any one. He had never loved +the Princess Clare, and the Prince was dear only because one day he +would be king. Yet Robert hated to see them love any one else. + +The King was resolved to put an end to this state of things as soon as +might be. But he dared not do anything yet for fear of causing his son +to fall ill again. He sat and brooded and planned in his wicked heart +what he would do when the Prince should be well once more. And for him +the time went slowly which others found so happy. + +Of all this the Prince and John guessed nothing. For the King seemed +to them no more gruff and grum than usual. All the wishes of the +strangers were regarded, and they were treated like distinguished +guests in the palace. But the Hermit kept his eyes open. And one +other was not blind to the King's hatred. Clare, the little Princess +who had never been loved by her father, knew the meaning of the black +looks which he sometimes cast upon the two forest-comers, and her heart +was uneasy, for she loved them both. + +The Prince grew so much better that he could walk about. One day he +was lying upon his couch in a balcony overlooking the royal park. The +Hermit sat close by, reading aloud from the book which he was teaching +the Prince to love, as he had taught John. The little Princess bent +over her embroidery frame at the foot of the couch, and John himself, +on the floor at her feet, was playing with Brutus. The other animals +and birds were straying about the balcony, or lay cuddled in the +Prince's lap. John thought how like this scene was to the Animal +Kingdom in the woods; yet how unlike. And he glanced from the Prince +to the Princess with a smile of content. It seemed hardly possible +that this was the land where no pets were allowed; where hunting was +the favorite sport of the King and his son! + +Suddenly, in a pause of the reading, the Prince put out his hand. + +"Friends," he said, "you have taught me many things in these weeks that +you have dwelt under this roof. You have cured me; you have made me +laugh. I have been thinking much of late how it is that where you come +folk are happy. Your faces make the world smile. How different from +my father and me! We have always made every one weep. There has been +something wrong, I know not what. No one loves us,--not even Clare +here." + +"O brother!" protested the little maid, "I have always loved you. But +never so dearly as now, when you have grown so kind." + +John spoke gently. "You will change all this when you are king," he +said. + +The Prince shook his head. "No, they will never love me as they do +you. I would fain be different, but I can never be like you, John. +You should be king, not I." + +John laughed. "And what would become of the Animal Kingdom then?" he +said. "My father and I have been talking together. We must soon go +back to our woods and our little friends there." + +"Oh, you must not go!" gasped the Prince, turning pale. "You must +never leave me! I can never again be alone with the King!" + +He looked so terror-stricken that the Hermit and John were silent for +pity. + +"I have been thinking," went on the Prince gravely, "that when I am +king, if that time ever comes,--and they say that it must, since there +is no other son of our house,--I shall need much help, for I am weak +and not wise. You, good father, I would have you for my counselor. +And you,"--he laid his arm affectionately on John's shoulder,--"you +shall be my brother and share the throne with me." + +"Nay, thrones cannot be shared thus," said the Hermit, looking at both +boys with some agitation. "You are a king's son. But we are of the +woods, my Prince. I at least have other work to do. As John says, +there is the Animal Kingdom--what is to become of that?" + +"Why, there will be no need for you to go to find it," answered the +Prince eagerly. "When I am king all shall be changed. This shall be +the Animal Kingdom. There shall be no more hunting or killing here. +There shall be pets,--more than in any other land. For I have seen how +unhappy are folk who live without them." + +"Now God be praised!" cried the good Hermit, with tears in his eyes. + +And John embraced the Prince heartily, while the little Princess +clapped her hands and cried with shining eyes, "Oh! we shall all live +together forever and ever, as happily as if this were the lovely forest +which is John's home." + +"Nay," said the Hermit gravely, "I cannot live here. I must go back to +my woods. I have vowed never again to live away from my Forest +Kingdom. But you, John, have taken no vow. Will you stay here with +the Prince, or will you go back with me? Make now your choice." + +John looked wistfully at the Prince and Princess, for he loved them +well. He looked at the animals who crowded around him and seemed to be +listening to his words. He knew how eager they were to be back in the +forest. He looked at the Hermit. + +"Oh, stay!" cried the Prince. "Stay and be my brother, and I will make +you rich and powerful." + +"Oh, stay!" begged the little Princess. "Stay and be my brother, too!" + +But John shook his head. "I cannot stay," he said. "If my dear father +will have me for his pupil still, I will go back with him. For though +it is pleasant here, I love best the life of the woods and the freedom +of the forest. And I long to learn what no one in this kingdom can +teach me: the art of healing and helping, as did that good John whose +name I bear." + +The Hermit's face beamed like May sunshine, but he said nothing. + +"Then I will go to the forest with you!" cried the Prince. "I will not +stay here. I do not want to be king. I too would be free and happy in +the Kingdom of the Forest." + +"And I will go also!" said the Princess. + +"Hush!" said the Hermit gravely. "That may not be. Your duty lies +here. When you are king, my Prince, you can make your kingdom into a +happy place. Then, little Princess, you will be proud of it and of +him. Your duty is to the kingdom where you were born, and to the +people of it, whom you can make happier and better. But perhaps, some +day when I am gone to a still fairer kingdom, John will be able to help +you, as another John once helped another King." + +At this moment there was a noise at the window which led to the +balcony, and the King stepped out to them. How long he had been +standing inside, how much of their talk he had heard, no one knew. + +The Princess flushed; but the Prince turned pale as he greeted his +father respectfully. John and the Hermit exchanged glances. They were +not afraid for themselves, but they dreaded the King's wrath for his +son and daughter, who had threatened to run away. + +The King stood for a moment, looking at the group with a frown. Then a +peculiar smile twisted his lips. + +"Ah!" he said, "I have intruded, it seems, upon a council of State. I +fear that I interrupt your plans, my son. But I trust that you and +these noble visitors will pardon my desire to learn the state of your +health. You must not be over-excited." He waved his hand toward the +Hermit and John, then bowed low to each of the animals in turn, with +bitter mockery. + +The Princess trembled, for she saw how angry the King was. + +"We have no secrets, my friends and I," said the Prince with dignity. +"We have nothing to conceal of which we are ashamed." + +The King looked at him quickly, as if suspecting that his words meant +some reproach. But he only said, "That is well." Then his manner +changed. He tried to appear merry and genial. "And now, my son," he +said, "since you are so much better, I wish to plan a festival in your +honor, to celebrate your cure." + +The little Princess looked at him quickly. She suspected some +treachery. But the Prince seemed pleased. + +"For me?" he said. "A festival in which these friends may share--these +friends who saved my life?" + +"Ay," answered the King, bowing to the group once more with a peculiar +smile. "Surely, it shall be also in honor of these friends to whom we +are so grateful." The Hermit and John bowed. The King went on +suavely: "We will have a pageant, with music and games and singing. +But chiefly the people clamor to see our young friend do the wonderful +tricks of which they have heard. I myself would fain see what you, my +son, have found so amusing. My lad,"--he turned to John with a strange +tone in his voice,--"you shall dance and tumble and put your animals +through their paces, for the applause of my people. I command you to +appear before us this day week and do your sprightliest. It is not +often that we have the honor of entertaining a mountebank at court." + +He spoke the word "mountebank" sneeringly, and John flushed. But +seeing the Hermit sitting with downcast eyes, he merely answered:-- + +"I shall obey your Majesty's commands." + +"Then that is settled," said the King, with a grunt of satisfaction. +"And you,"--he turned to the Prince,--"you will then be strong enough +to sit at my side on the throne. It is well." + +He quite ignored the little daughter who with a pale face shrank in one +corner. With one last glance at the group, the King swept from the +balcony. + +"A fete!" said the Prince, clapping his hands. "A grand fete in your +honor, my kind friends. That will be rare sport! John, you shall make +the whole city laugh, even as you have cured me." + +"I shall do my best," answered John. "Yes, I will teach some of my +little friends new tricks for that fete." And he laughed as he thought +how the Prince and Princess would stare when they saw Bruin dance. + +John and the Prince left the balcony arm in arm, to talk over the plans +for the fete. But the Hermit still sat with bent brows, thinking. + +"Why did he call John a mountebank?" he asked himself. "He hates us. +He is planning some mischief, I believe. It is time we were back in +our Animal Kingdom." + +He looked up. The Princess was touching his arm and her face was very +pale. "Father," she said, for so the royal children loved to call the +good old man. "Father, there is mischief in the air. Oh! do be on +your guard. For I think it would break my heart if anything should +happen to you or to dear John." + +The Hermit stroked her hair gently. "Dear child," he said, "we will +take care of him, you and I and the animals." + + + + +XXV + +THE FETE + +The day for the festival came at last. The Prince was now quite strong +and well, and had taken a joyous part in the preparations. The palace +was decorated with flowers; bands were playing, fountains splashing in +the courtyard; banquets were spread at all hours for any one who would +partake. The palace was merrier than it had been for years; and the +centre of all the joy, the core of the day's happiness, was John. His +praise was on every one's lips. His name, even more often than the +young Prince's whose health they were celebrating, was spoken in love +and tenderness. + +But all this John did not seem to know. He only saw that every one was +very kind; that the world might be a very happy place to live in, if +love ruled the kingdoms of it. And he made ready for his share in the +merrymaking with a light heart. It was great fun to play at being a +mountebank once more for the people who loved him! Yet he was not +sorry that the next day he and the Hermit were going back to the +kingdom in the forest. He was longing for the peace and quiet of the +woods, and the little wild friends who awaited them there. + +The King he never saw. That monarch seemed anxious to keep out of his +way as far as possible. John did not know that he and the Hermit were +being carefully watched by the King's spies, and that they were really +prisoners in the palace. For they were treated honorably, and the King +sent word that John must ask for whatever he wished to make his +performance a success. + +John asked for little. Upon one thing, however, he had set his heart. +He had made for that occasion a tumbler's suit of green silk, with +trunks of cloth-of-gold--just such a suit as Gigi had worn when he was +one of the mountebank company. But the boy who pranced gaily about the +palace in this gorgeous attire was a very different fellow from the +sad-eyed little Gigi. John was tall and sturdy and full of life. His +eyes sparkled with fun and good humor, and looked at the world frankly +as if expecting kindness from every one. So much had five years of +love and humanity done for the little wanderer. + +When John appeared in the courtyard ready for his performance, dressed +in the familiar colors of long ago, he could not help chuckling to +think how things had changed with him. Instead of Cecco and the Giant, +by his side waddled the great bear on his hind legs; while Brutus +walked sedately on his other side, and the gaunt wolf stalked behind. + +The park was thronged with people, soldiers and citizens and peasants +from the country, jostling one another for a sight of John and his +pets,--and whispering among themselves with an excitement which John +could not understand. For after all he was going to give a simple +little show of tumbling such as they must have seen many times. "It is +the animals," he thought. "It must be the animals that they are so +eager to see." + +John walked along, smiling into the faces which met his kindly, and the +brown spot on his eyelid gave him the mischievous look which always +made folk laugh. It was amid a ripple of good-natured laughter that he +and his pets made their way to the platform which had been erected in +front of the palace. Here on a high seat sat the King, and beside him +the Prince, with a flush of pleasure on his thin cheeks. Gaily dressed +lords and ladies stood about the throne. But somewhat apart and +surrounded by his pets sat the Hermit in his gray robe, with folded +arms. His hood was pulled over his face so that John could not see how +grave he was. Two armed men stood behind him, but by his side, with +her hand on his shoulder, was the little Princess. John smiled at her, +when he bowed low to the people on the platform. And the little maid +answered with a flash of affection; but her face was very pale, and her +hand trembled on the Hermit's shoulder. + +John led forward his animals and they began their tricks. The Hermit +saw the Prince start when Bruin appeared. Evidently he recognized the +animal which he had once tried to kill. Merrily John urged the clumsy +fellow to dance, and every one laughed heartily at the sight. Only the +King sat grim and sullen. + +[Illustration: John urged the clumsy fellow to dance.] + +Then John put a plumed hat on the bear's head, took his arm, and the +two strutted about the platform like a pair of dandies. The audience +burst into roars of mirth. Even the Hermit's sides were shaking, and +the little Princess rocked to and fro with merriment. + +Straight up to the Prince marched the twain, and at John's command the +bear bowed and held out his hand politely. + +"He salutes you, his brother," said John to the Prince. "He begs you +to be friends with him always." + +The Prince bowed in return, with a bright flush in his cheeks. "I +salute you, brother," he replied. "Never again will I hunt you or any +animal, wherever I may be." + +From the foremost of the crowd who heard these words came a loud +"Hurrah!" and caps were tossed in the air. Evidently the Prince's +sentiment was popular in the city. + +"Tut, tut!" said the King, "we will see about that!" He bit his lip +and bent a frown upon the group before him. The Hermit saw him whisper +a word into the ear of one of his courtiers, who bowed and disappeared. + +Now John put Brutus and the wolf through their tricks, which were +wonderful indeed; for the dog was very intelligent, and had learned all +that the best educated dog nowadays can do, and more beside. Then the +wolf's leaping was a thing to wonder at, he was so lithe and strong. +Over Brutus he leaped, over John's head, over the bear, over John +standing on the bear's broad back. + +At the end the Prince applauded heartily, and calling up the dog and +the wolf, placed a golden collar about the neck of each. + +"Good friends," said the Prince, "you helped to save my life, you and +your brothers, and your masters. I give you these. But them I never +can repay if I live to be as old as Noah, who was the first to gather +pets about him. I hope that in time there may be many pets throughout +the kingdom." + +He glanced timidly at the King. + +"Hurrah!" shouted the people. "Long live the Prince. Long live John +and his animals! Hurrah! Hurrah!" + +"No more of this!" The King made a gesture, and the shouting stopped, +changing into sullen murmurs. The King was not popular, it seemed. +"Let the performance proceed!" he commanded. "I do not like these +interruptions." + +Once more the Hermit saw him whisper to a servant, who went away +quickly on some mysterious errand. + +Now, with a happy face, John himself stepped forward and showed his +skill and strength and grace. He turned somersaults backward and +forward; he stood upon his head and danced upon his hands. He did all +the old tricks which he had learned of the tumblers, and more of his +own invention, till the people shouted rapturously, "Bravo! Bravo! +Hurrah for our John!" + +With his eye on the Prince, John began to caper at his merriest. He +danced high, leaping like a grasshopper, and seeming to bound like +thistledown. All the while his eyes twinkled, and the people laughed +with delight. + +"Bravo! John, bravo!" shouted the Prince, clapping his hands. "Come +here and let me decorate you, my friend." And as John bowed before him +the Prince placed upon his bosom a beautiful star of diamonds that +gleamed and sparkled like a cobweb full of dew. + +"Hurrah! Hurrah! Long life to John! John! John!" shouted the +people, as if they loved the name. + +And the Hermit saw that the King turned pale and shook with wrath at +the sound. The next moment he grasped the arms of his chair and stared +into the crowd eagerly. + +Suddenly he arose, and, waving his sceptre, commanded silence. John +bowed and turned to the King, waiting to hear his pleasure. But +instead of the speech which every one expected, they saw the King +gazing down into the crowd before him, and on his lips was a malicious +smile. But he looked very old and sick, and he tottered as he held to +the arm of his throne. + + + + +XXVI + +THE TALISMAN + +John turned his head to see at what the King was staring. There was a +movement in the crowd. Men were being elbowed forward. A noise of +harsh voices arose, and to the platform crowded three figures in rags +and tatters. + +They forced their way directly in front of the platform, and stood +staring up. John stepped forward to see what it meant, and in a moment +fell back with a cry of dismay. He was looking into the eyes of Cecco, +Tonio and the Giant! + +"Hi! Master Gigi!" cried Tonio's hateful voice; "so here we find you +setting up as a tumbler on your own account. Your Majesty," he cried, +appealing to the King, who was listening with a wicked grin on his +face, "this is our boy. We own him. He ran away, but he belongs to +us. Give him to us again!" + +The little Princess screamed and clung to the Hermit's arm; but he sat +motionless, watching. The people began to murmur and jostle the three +strangers. But the King raised his hand, and they listened to him. + +"We will hear these men," he said. Then, turning to John, he added +smoothly, "And after that, sirrah, you shall answer for yourself." + +The Hermit rose and took a step forward, still holding the little +Princess by the hand. Brutus broke away from the page who held him, +and crouched growling at John's side. + +Then Tonio raised his voice, and cried louder, pointing at John with +his skinny hand. "He is our boy," he said. "We taught him his trade; +let him deny it. Now he is robbing us of our fair dues. He is a +runaway. Give him back to us!" + +Still John stared at him, too dazed to answer. But the Hermit took +another step forward, and said sternly:-- + +"He is your boy, you say. How did you come by him?" + +"We bought him for a gold piece," they said in chorus. "That was years +ago. For ten years he traveled with us. And then he ran away. His +life is ours; let him deny it if he can!" + +John stood silent, horrified at the fate which seemed to confront him. +For in those days children who were bought and sold in this cruel way +were the slaves of the masters who had purchased them. + +The Prince had fallen back, pale and trembling. But the King now spoke +again, gazing with malicious eyes upon the two wood-folk whom he hated. + +"What have you to say for yourselves?" he asked. "You who do not deny +that you are a runaway; you, old man, who stole the lad and must be +punished most severely therefor, have you any reason why I should not +give the one of you up to these mountebanks, his lawful masters, and +the other of you to punishment and death? Speak!" The King's voice +was harsh and cruel. His eyes glittered fiercely. + +Still John was silent. + +"Seize him!" commanded the King. "Seize them both! Off with them to +prison!" + +The guards stepped forward, unwillingly enough. But at that moment +John drew himself up. His eyes flashed; he grasped in both hands the +staff over which he had made the wolf leap, and braced himself for +defense. + +"They shall not take me!" he cried. "I will not go with them. I will +die sooner. To me, my brothers!" and he gave a shrill, peculiar cry by +which he and the Hermit were wont to call their pets. + +[Illustration: To me, my brothers!] + +Instantly the Hermit ranged himself at John's side. At the same moment +Brutus placed himself, barking and growling, before the twain. +Breaking from the leash by which he was held, the wolf came leaping +towards them, and stood bristling beside the dog, showing his terrible +fangs. With a savage growl Bruin burst his chain and came lumbering to +the defense of his friends, and the three devoted animals made a stout +and terrible wall about them. But this was not all. From the corners +where they were crouched came running the other, gentler pets. Here +scampered the cat and her kittens, mewing pitifully. Across the +platform hopped the raven. The carrier pigeon fluttered to the +Hermit's shoulder. And from the trees all roundabout came winging, +with a call answering to John's, a flock of birds who had followed him +from the forest, and who had been hidden in the forbidden trees of the +King's park until this very hour. They fluttered like a cloud about +the heads of the pair, so that one could scarcely see them. + +Every one stood amazed; even the King sank back in his seat, stupefied. +The guards fell back with lowered weapons. The crowd was silent, +staring open-mouthed. Then a murmur arose, and words passed from man +to man. + +"A miracle! It is a miracle! They must be God's saints!" + +But Tonio was not long silent. "Tricks! Tricks!" he cried. "Gigi has +become an animal-trainer. But he is our boy still. Give him to us!" + +"Seize them!" repeated the King in a choking voice. + +Once more the guards made a rush forward. But the animals leaped up +and stood at bay so fiercely that they dared not come nearer. The +Hermit raised his hand, and there was sudden silence. He faced the +King and spoke sternly. + +"O King," he said, "you see that they will never take us alive. In +sight of all these people will you add more deaths to your record?" +The murmur of the crowd grew louder. "Nay, all has not yet been said," +he went on. "Listen, O King. You judge too quickly. There is not +proof enough of the lad's ownership." + +"Not enough?" snarled the King. "I say there is enough and to spare. +Can this boy dispute the words of these men?" + +John now looked at the Hermit eagerly. His heart beat with hope of +something, he knew not what. + +The King sneered. "You see!" he cried triumphantly. + +But once more the Hermit held up his hand. "Will you not question +these fellows further?" he asked. "Dare you hear more, O King?" + +"Dare I!" blustered the King, "and why not, pray? If there be more to +say, tell it," he commanded the mountebanks. + +"Ay," they answered eagerly, "we can indeed prove that the boy is ours." + +"Tell how you came by him," interrupted the Hermit, in a tone not to be +disobeyed. + +Tonio answered sullenly:-- + +"We have told already. We bought him for a gold piece, of a fisherman +on a distant coast. He had found the babe, nearly dead with cold and +hunger, floating in a basket on the sea. It was a castaway, a +foundling; no one wanted it. We took it away with us, and had hard +work to make it live." + +"Is that all?" asked the Hermit. "Was there nothing to prove that this +is the same child?" He said this in a loud voice so that every one +could hear. + +"Proof!" cried Tonio, shaking his fist at John fiercely. "Who can +mistake him in that suit, the very one we gave him? Look at his mop of +yellow tow and his eye with the brown spot over it. No one who has +seen it could forget that spot. Ay, there is still another way to +prove him ours. I see the gleam of silver around his neck. He still +wears the chain and the bit of silver which he dares not remove, +because there is magic in it, they say. It was on his neck when the +fisherman found him. Look, and see if we do not say truth!" + +John still stood motionless, looking in the Hermit's face. But at +these last words the old man stepped behind him and drew the silver +talisman from the boy's breast, laying it out on his green silk bosom, +where it glittered for all to see. + +Cecco and Tonio and the Giant gave a cry of triumph. But from the +crowd behind them rose a murmur of different meaning. Men began to +crowd forward eagerly. + +"Yes, look!" cried the Hermit, pointing at the medal. "The Cross of +the good man John, the friend of King Cyril! Which of you does not +know and love it?" + +The murmur of the crowd swelled into a shout,--"Who is he? Who is the +lad? We will know!" + +"Who but John," answered the Hermit, with kindling eyes. "Who but +John, the good man's son,--my brother's son. I know, for I christened +the child, and I saw the King hang this Cross about the baby's neck, a +Cross like the one he had given John himself. This is the child who +disappeared fourteen years ago. The King sent him away to be killed. +But the servant to whom the task fell was less cruel. The child was +set adrift on the ocean, and escaped as you have heard. Will you let +him be lost again?" + +"No! No!" roared the crowd. "He shall not go! He shall not go!" And +they seized the three mountebanks and hustled them away. + +With a shout the King's own guards rushed forward to help in this +matter. There was a cry at the back of the platform. The King had +fallen in a fit. But few at the moment were thinking of him. The +people were throwing up their caps and dancing joyously. + +"John! John!" they shouted. "We knew the silver Cross which the holy +John always wore when he went about doing good to us. Oh, we remember +now! We shall never again forget! John! Hurrah for his son John!" + +John himself stood bewildered, and the animals around him shivered and +looked surprised. They were not used to such tumults. Suddenly John +felt his hand clasped softly. The little Princess was at his side, +looking up in his face and smiling through tears. "Dear John!" she +said. "Now you are safe. Now you will be our brother indeed!" + +"Yes, he is safe," said the Hermit, embracing the boy tenderly. "My +John! My brother's son! Oh, how I have longed to tell you and claim +you for my nephew! But I vowed that I would wait until you had proved +yourself worthy of him, worthy of the name by which I christened you. +And you are worthy, O my dear John, even to wear the silver Cross!" + +"I do not understand yet," said John. "Who am I? And why do the +people shout my name and seem to love me so much?" + +"You are the son of John, the holy friend of the people," answered the +Hermit. + +"But you, my father,--for so I must call you still," said John; "who +are you, and how came you to be living in the forest?" + +"I was but a humble servant of God," said the Hermit. "But when King +Cyril died, and my brother and you were gone, there was not happiness +for me in the city of sorrow. I became an exile. I fled to the forest +with the hunted animals who were my brother's friends. And there I +made a home for them, a kingdom of my own, with Brutus for my prime +minister. And there, after many years, you came to find me, my dear +son! It was a miracle!" + +Now the Prince came forward and laid his hand timidly on John's +shoulder. "John," he said, "now you know how less than ever you have +reason to love the rulers of this land. But oh, John! I beg you to +forgive us. Be my brother, John; and if you can forget, let me be your +friend!" + +"My brother and friend!" cried John; and the two hugged each other +affectionately, while Brutus leaped up and licked the face first of +one, then of the other, and the other animals frisked joyously. + +"Hurrah! Hurrah!" shouted the people, "They are like good King Cyril +and his friend the holy John. Let it be so! Let it be so! Hurrah! +Hurrah!" + + + + +CONCLUSION + +And so it turned out to be. For soon the old King died, worn out by +wicked passions, and Prince Hugh became King. Then began a new order +of things. The land was now a happy kingdom, full of love and peace. +Like his uncle, the new monarch became known as the Good King. In his +realm was never hunting or cruel sport. The houses of his subjects +were full of pets. And the palace itself was a perfect menagerie, so +that John called it "The Ark." There were hundreds of new four-footed +friends in the park and palace; and hundreds of two-footed friends in +the trees and dovecotes. To and fro they went between the city and the +forest. For all ways were safe now to wandering creatures. A highroad +was made connecting the King's city with the Hermit's wood. And the +path to the door of the hut was worn smooth. For this soon became a +favorite place of pilgrimage. + +There in the Forest Kingdom lived the good Hermit and John his nephew, +with their circle of pets. And these also went back and forth between +the forest and the city. For John was the Prince's dear friend and +companion, and spent many weeks of the year in the palace with the two +whom he loved. His pets were as eagerly welcomed there as he. Brutus +had his own rug by the young King's fireplace. The wolf made a +faithful guardian of the palace gate, while John was inside. Bruin +wandered about the halls at his pleasure. The cat purred contentedly +on the brocade furniture, with ever-new kittens frisking about her. +The raven often perched on the back of King Hugh's chair and made wise +sounds. And while waiting to carry a message to the Hermit in the +forest, the carrier pigeon loved to nestle in the arms of the young +Princess, who grew prettier and prettier every day. + +To the Kingdom in the Forest came folk from everywhere. The quiet of +the Hermit's retreat was often broken. But nevertheless the old man +was happy. For he saw his boy fast growing into the man he had hoped +him to be, the copy of his father, beloved John. With the silver Cross +on his bosom, the strange, merry smile ever on his face, and a kind +word always on his lips, John ministered to all who needed him; and he +went far and wide to find them. He was always happy, whatever he might +be doing; alone with the Hermit and his animal friends; helping the +troubled and the ailing; wandering with Brutus and the wolf through the +still lonely parts of the wood; studying the never-failing wonders of +the Kingdom in the Forest. But he was happiest of all, perhaps, when +the King and Princess came to visit him, as they loved to do,--without +servants or followers, with only an animal or two. For this country +was the safest and most peaceful in the world. + +[Illustration: King and Princess came to visit him.] + +Then they would all dress in simple green and brown and go out into the +forest to ramble and to become acquainted with the wild creatures. +There they met the old friends of the wood who had not gone with the +others on that famous pilgrimage. And the deer, the fox, the squirrel, +the rabbits, and the birds were always glad to see them. + +Here John could teach the young King to tumble and turn somersaults to +his heart's delight, without any one to say, "How undignified!" For +whatever the friendly beasts and birds thought of these antics, they +never spoke critically of the matter. + +Here also John taught the Princess the secret lore of the forest, so +that she became almost as wise and skillful as he. But no one could +say, "How unladylike!" For she grew sweeter and dearer every day. + +And the good old Hermit watched them always with loving eyes. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's John of the Woods, by Abbie Farwell Brown + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13905 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..09922fa --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #13905 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13905) diff --git a/old/13905.txt b/old/13905.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a4b27c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13905.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4310 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of John of the Woods, by Abbie Farwell Brown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: John of the Woods + +Author: Abbie Farwell Brown + +Release Date: October 31, 2004 [EBook #13905] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOHN OF THE WOODS *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + +JOHN-OF-THE-WOODS + +BY + +ABBIE FARWELL BROWN + + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS BY + +E. BOYD SMITH + + + + +HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY + +BOSTON AND NEW YORK + +THE RIVERSIDE PRESS CAMBRIDGE + + + + +COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY ABBIE FARWELL BROWN + +ALL RIGHTS RESERVED + +Published October 1909 + + + + +To J.D. and K.D. + +Kindest of neighbors and best of friends + +to all the world and its + +Animal Kingdom + + + + +CONTENTS + + I. THE TUMBLERS + II. THE FALL + III. THE RUNAWAY + IV. THE OX-CART + V. THE HUNCHBACK + VI. THE SILVER PIECE + VIX. THE WANDERER + VIII. THE RESCUE + IX. THE ANIMAL KINGDOM + X. THE HERMIT + XI. THE PUPIL + XII. THE BEAU + XIII. A FOREST RAMBLE + XIV. THE WOLF-BROTHER + XV. THE GREEN STRANGER + XVI. THE HUNT + XVII. THE MESSENGER + XVIII. THE CARRIER PIGEON + XIX. THE JOURNEY + XX. THE ARRIVAL + XXI. THE PALACE + XXII. THE PRINCE'S CHAMBER + XXIII. THE CURE + XXIV. THE KING + XXV. THE FETE + XXVI. THE TALISMAN + CONCLUSION + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + THE THREE TUMBLERS + GIGI RUNS AWAY + HAVE YOU GOT MY BOY? + A QUAINT PAIR OF WANDERERS + THE CIRCLE OF ANIMALS WATCHED HIM + JOHN TALKED WITH THEM + YOU SHALL NOT KILL MY FRIEND THE BEAR + THE KING SENDS FOR YOU + A STRANGE COMPANY + JOHN WAS PROTECTED BY POWERFUL FRIENDS + HE STROKED THE SOFT BALL OF FUR + I WISH I COULD DO IT MYSELF + JOHN URGED THE CLUMSY FELLOW TO DANCE + TO ME, MY BROTHERS! + THE KING AND PRINCESS CAME TO VISIT HIM + + + + +JOHN OF THE WOODS + +I + +THE TUMBLERS + +It was late of a beautiful afternoon in May. In the hedges outside the +village roses were blossoming, yellow and white. Overhead the larks +were singing their happiest songs, because the sky was so blue. But +nearer the village the birds were silent, marveling at the strange +noises which echoed up and down the narrow, crooked streets. + +"Tom-tom; tom-tom; tom-tom"; the hollow thud of a little drum sounded +from the market-place. Boys and girls began to run thither, crying to +one another:-- + +"The Tumblers! The Tumblers have come. Hurry, oh, hurry!" + +Three little brothers, Beppo, Giovanni, and Paolo, who had been poking +about the market at their mother's heels, pricked up their ears and +scurried eagerly after the other children. + +Jostling one another good-naturedly, the crowd surged up to the +market-place, which stood upon a little hill. In the middle was a +stone fountain, whence the whole village was wont to draw all the water +it needed. In those long-ago days folk were more sparing in the use of +water than they are to-day, especially for washing. Perhaps we should +not be so clean, if we had to bring every bucket of water that we used +from the City Square! + +"Tom-tom; tom-tom; tom-tom"; the little drum sounded louder and louder +as the crowd increased. Men and women craned their necks to see who +was beating it. The children squirmed their way through the crowd. + +On the highest step of the fountain stood a man dressed in red and +yellow, with little bells hung from every point of his clothing, which +tinkled with each movement he made. In his left hand he held a small +drum, from which hung streamers of red and green and yellow ribbon. +This drum he beat regularly with the palm of his skinny right hand. He +was a lean, dark man, with evil little red-rimmed eyes and a hump +between his shoulders. + +"Ho! Men and women! Lads and lasses!" he cried in a shrill, cracked +voice of strange accent. "Hither, hither quickly, and make ready to +give your pennies. For the tumbling is about to begin,--the most +wonderful tumbling in the whole round world!" + +Stretching out his arm, he pointed to the group below him. The crowd +pressed forward and stood on tiptoe to see better. Beppo and Giovanni +and Paolo wriggled through the forest of legs and skirts and came out +into the open space which had been left about the fountain. And then +they saw what the backs of the butcher and baker and candlestick-maker +had hidden from them. + +From the back of a forlorn little donkey that was tethered behind the +fountain a roll of carpet had been taken and spread out on the ground. +Beside this stood the three tumblers. One of them was a thin, dark +man, small and wicked-looking, dressed, like the drum-beater, in red +and yellow. The second tumbler was a huge fellow more than six feet +tall, with a shaggy mane of black hair. His muscles stood out in great +knots under the suit of green tights which he wore. + +"A Giant he is! Faith, he could toss me over his shoulder like a +meal-bag!" muttered the Blacksmith, who stood with crossed arms looking +over the heads of the crowd. "And the wicked face of him! Ugh! I +would not wish a quarrel with him!" + +But the little boys in the front row were most interested in the third +tumbler, who stood between the other two, with his arms folded, ready +to begin. + +This also was a figure in green, with short trunks of tarnished +cloth-of-gold. But beside the Giant, in the same dress, he looked like +a pigmy or a fairy mite. This third tumbler was a little fellow of +about eight, very slender and childish in form, but lithe and +well-knit. Instead of being dark and gypsy-like, as were the other +three of the wandering band, this boy was fair, with a shock of golden +hair falling about his shoulders, and with a skin of unusual whiteness, +despite his life of exposure to sun and hard weather. And the eyes +that looked wistfully at the children in front of him were blue as the +depths into which the skylarks were at that moment diving rapturously. +On the upper eyelid of the boy's left eye was a brown spot as big as an +apple-seed. And this gave him a strange expression which was hard to +forget. When he was grave, as now, it made him seem about to cry. If +he should smile, the spot would give the mischievous look of a wink. +But Gigi so seldom smiled in those days that few perhaps had noted +this. On his left cheek was a dark spot also. But this was only a +bruise. Bruises Gigi always had. But they were not always in the same +place. + +"Oh, the sweet Cherub!" said a motherly voice in the crowd. "I wonder +if they are good to him. They look like cut-throats and murderers, but +he is like the image of the little Saint John in church. Wolves, with +a lamb in their clutches! Save us all! Suppose it were my Beppo!" + +At these words of his mother's, Beppo giggled, and the boy looked at +him gravely. The Hunchback with the drum had heard, too, and darted a +furious glance into the crowd where the woman stood. Then, giving a +loud double beat on the drum, he signaled for the tumbling to begin. + +The three kicked off the sandals which protected their feet, stepped +upon the carpet, and saluted the spectators. The Giant stretched +himself flat, and, seizing Gigi in his strong arms, tossed him up in +the air as one would toss a rubber ball. Up, down, then back and forth +between the elder tumblers, flew the little green figure, when he +touched ground always landing upon his toe-tips, and finishing each +trick with a somersault, easy and graceful. The boy seemed made of +thistledown, so light he was, so easily he rebounded from what he +touched. The children in the circle about him stared open-mouthed and +admiring. Oh! they wished, if only they could do those things! They +thought Gigi the most fortunate boy in the world. + +But Gigi never smiled. At the end of one trick the Giant growled a +word under his breath, and made a motion at which the boy cringed. +Something had gone not quite right, and trouble threatened. He bit his +lip, and the performance went on as before. + +Now Gigi had to do the most difficult trick of all. With the Giant as +the base, and Cecco, the other tumbler, above, Gigi made the top of a +living pyramid that ran, turned, twisted, and capered as the great +strength of the Giant willed. At a signal they managed somehow to +reverse their positions. All stood upon their heads; Gigi, with his +little green legs waving in the air, heard shouts of applause which +always greeted this favorite act. But the sound gave him no pleasure. +He was tired; he was sore from a beating of the previous night, and his +head ached from the blow which had made that ugly mark on his cheek. +Gigi grew dizzy-- + + + + +II + +THE FALL + +Suddenly a woman's voice screamed from the crowd:-- + +"Ah! The Cherub!" + +Gigi had fallen from the top of the pyramid. He fell on his shoulder, +and for a moment lay still. But presently he was on his feet, kissing +his hand prettily to the crowd, and trying to pretend that he had +fallen on purpose, as he had been taught. The Giant and Cecco were +also quickly on their feet, and the three bowed, side by side, as a +sign that the show was over. + +Cecco hissed a word into Gigi's ear, and he knew what to fear next. He +shuddered and tried to draw aside; but the Giant turned to him, livid +with rage, and with one blow of his heavy hand struck him to the ground. + +"So! You spoil us again!" he muttered. "You good-for-nothing! I'll +teach you! Now take the tambourine and gather up the coins from the +crowd. You'll get a beating anyway for this. But if you don't take up +more than we had at the last town, you'll have such a trouncing as you +never yet knew. Now then!" + +Dazed and trembling, Gigi took the tambourine, and, shaking its little +bells appealingly, went about among the people. They had already begun +to scatter, with the wonderful agility of a crowd which has not paid. +Some, however, still lingered from curiosity and with the hope of a +second performance. A number of small copper coins Jingled into Gigi's +tambourine. He approached the good woman who had shown an interest in +him. She stooped down and thrust a piece of silver into his hand, +whispering,-- + +"It is for yourself, child. Do not give it to the cruel men! Keep it +to spend upon a feast-day, darling!" + +Gigi looked at her, surprised. People so seldom spoke kindly to him! +The brown spot upon his eyelid quivered. He seemed about to cry. The +woman patted him on the head kindly. + +"If they are cruel to you, I'd not stay with them," she whispered. +"I'd run away.--Hey, Beppo! Hey, Giovanni! Paolo!" she called, "we +must be off." And she turned to gather up her young ones, who were +shouting about the market-place, trying to stand upon their heads as +Gigi had done. + +Gigi clasped the silver piece tightly in his hand, and went on, shaking +the tambourine after the retreating crowd. But few more pennies were +coaxed away. Presently he made his way back to the group of tumblers, +now seated on the fountain-steps. + +"Well, what have you?" growled the Giant. Gigi presented the +tambourine with the few pennies rattling around somewhat lonesomely. + +"Humph!" snarled Cecco. "Less than last time. Is that all?" + +"A beating you get!" roared the Giant. + +Gigi shivered. "No,--not all," he said. "Here is a silver piece," and +he held out the coin which the kind woman had given him. + +"Ah, silver! that is better!" cried Tonio the Hunchback, with his eyes +shining greedily. "Give it here"; and he snatched it and thrust it +Into his pouch. Tonio was the treasurer of the gypsy band. But the +Giant had been eyeing Gigi with an ugly gleam. + +"He was keeping it!" he growled. "He did not mean to give it up. He +would have stolen it!" + +"It was mine!" cried Gigi with spirit. "She gave it to me and told me +to keep it for a fiesta. But I gave it up because--because I did not +want to be beaten again." + +"You did not give it up soon enough!" roared the Giant, working himself +into a terrible rage. "You shall smart for this, you whelp! After +supper I will beat you as never a boy was beaten yet. But I must eat +first. I must get up my strength. No supper for you, Gigi. Do you +watch the donkey here while we go to the inn and spend the silver +piece. Then, when we are camped outside the town,--then we will attend +to you!" + + + + +III + +THE RUNAWAY + +It was but a step to the inn around the corner. Off went the three +gypsies, leaving Gigi with the donkey beside the fountain. The poor +animal stood with hanging head and flopping ears. He too was weary and +heart-broken by a hard life and many beatings. His back was piled with +the heavy roll of carpet and all the poor belongings of the band, +including the tent for the night's lodging. For on these warm spring +nights they slept in the open, usually outside the walls of some town. +They were never welcome visitors, but vagrants and outcasts. + +Gigi sat on the fountain-step with his aching head between his hands. +He was very hungry, and his heart ached even more than his head or his +empty stomach. He was so tired of their cruelties and their hard ways +with him, which had been ever since he could remember. The kind word +which the good woman had spoken to him had unnerved him, too. She had +advised him to run away. Run away! He had thought of that before. +But how could he do it? Tonio the Hunchback was so wicked and sharp! +He would know just where to find a runaway. Cecco was so swift and +lithe, like a cat! He would run after Gigi and capture him. The Giant +was so big and cruel! He would kill Gigi when he was brought back. +The boy shuddered at the thought. + +Gigi pulled around him the old flapping cloak which he wore while +traveling, to conceal his gaudy tumbler's costume. If he only had that +silver piece perhaps he could do something, he thought. Much could be +done with a silver piece. It was long since the band had seen one. +They would be having a fine lark at the inn, eating and drinking! They +would not be back for a long time. + +Gigi looked up and around the marketplace. There was no one visible. +The crowd had melted as if by magic. Every one was at supper,--every +one but Gigi. What a chance to escape, if he were ever to try! The +color leaped into the boy's pale cheeks. Why not? Now or never! + +He rose to his feet, pulling his cloak closer about him, and looked +stealthily up and down. The donkey lifted his head and eyed him +wistfully, as if to say, "Oh, take me away, too!" But Gigi paid no +attention to him. He was not cruel, but he had never learned to be +kind. Without a pang, without a farewell to the beast who had been his +companion and fellow-sufferer for so many long months, he turned his +back on the fountain and stole down one of the darkest little side +streets. + +He ran on down, constantly down, for the village was on the side of a +hill, and the market-place was at its top. Around sharp curves he +turned, dived under dark archways and through dirty alleys, down +flights of steps, until he was out of breath and too dizzy to go +further. He had come out on the highroad, it seemed. The little brown +cottages were farther apart here. It was more like the country, which +Gigi loved. He turned into an enclosure and hid behind a stack of +straw, panting. + +[Illustration: Gigi runs away.] + +He wondered if by this time they had discovered his flight, and he +shivered to think of what Tonio and Cecco were saying if it were so. +He looked up and down the road. There was something familiar about it. +Yes, it was surely the road up which they had toiled that very +afternoon, coming from the country and a far-off village. They had +been planning to go on from here down the other side of the hill to the +next village, Gigi knew. But now would they retrace their steps to +look for him? + +Just then he spied a black speck moving down the road toward him. +Gigi's heart sank. Could they be after him already? He crouched +closer behind the straw-stack, trembling. They must not find him! + +Nearer and nearer came the speck. At last Gigi saw that it was a cart +drawn by a team of white oxen, which accounted for the slowness of the +pace. He sighed with relief. This at least he need not fear. As it +came nearer, Gigi saw that in the cart were a woman and three little +boys of about his own age. And presently, as he watched the lumbering +team curiously, he recognized the very woman who had given him the +silver piece an hour before. These, too, were the little boys who had +faced him in the crowd. A sudden hope sprang into Gigi's heart. +Perhaps she would help him to escape. Perhaps she would at least give +him a lift on his way. He decided to risk it. + + + + +IV + +THE OX-CART + +Gigi waited until the cart was nearly opposite, and he could hear the +voices of the woman and the children talking and laughing together. +Then he crept out from behind the stack and stepped to the side of the +road. + +The great, lumbering oxen eyed him curiously, but did not pause. The +children stopped talking, and one of them pointed Gigi out to his +mother. + +"Look, Mama! A little boy!" + +"Hello!" cried the woman in her hearty, kind voice, stopping the team. +"What are you doing here, little lad?" + +She did not recognize Gigi at once in his long traveling cloak. But +suddenly he threw back the folds of it and showed the green tights +underneath. + +"Do you remember?" he said. "You told me to run away. Well, I have +done it!" + +"It is, the little tumbler! The tumbler, Mama!" cried the boys in one +breath, clapping their hands with pleasure. + +But the woman stared blankly. "My faith!" she said at last. "You lost +no time in taking the hint. How did you get here so soon? We were +homeward bound when you had scarcely finished tumbling. Now here you +are before us, on foot!" + +"I ran," said Gigi simply. "I came not by the highway, which is long +and winding, but down steep streets like stairs, which brought me here +very quickly." + +"See the bruise on his cheek, mother!" cried Beppo, the littlest boy, +pointing. The good woman saw it, and her eyes flashed. + +"Oh! Oh!" she clucked. "The wicked men! Did they do that to you?" + +"Yes. And they will do more if they catch me now," said Gigi. "I +know. They have beaten me many times till I could not move. But if +they catch me this time, they will kill me because I ran away. Will +you help me?" + +"Why, what can I do?" asked the woman uneasily, looking up and down the +road. "If they should come now! You belong to them. I shall get +myself into trouble." + +Gigi's face fell. "Very well," he said. "Good-by. You were kind to +me to-day, and I thought--perhaps--" He turned away, with his lips +quivering. + +"Stay!" cried the woman. "Where is the silver piece which I gave you? +You can at least buy food and a night's lodging with that." + +"They took it from me," said Gigi. "I had to give it up because there +was so little money in the tambourine,--only coppers. They said people +would not pay because I fell; and so they would beat me again." + +"They took it from you! The thieves!" cried the woman angrily. "Nay, +then I will indeed help you to escape. Climb in here, boy, among my +youngsters. We have still an hour's ride down the road, and you shall +go so far at least." + +Gigi climbed into the cart and nestled down among the children. The +woman clucked to the oxen, and forthwith they moved on down the +highroad. The shadows were beginning to darken, and the birds had +ceased to sing. + +"Hiew! Hiew! Come up! Come up!" the woman urged on the great white +oxen. "It is growing late, and the good man will wonder why we are so +long returning from market. This has been our holiday," she explained +to Gigi. "And to think that the Tumblers should have happened to come +to the market this very day! The children will never forget!" + +Beppo had been staring at Gigi with fascinated eyes. "How did you +learn?" he asked suddenly. "Could I do it too?" + +Gigi laughed. For the first time that day his face lost its sadness, +and the brown spot on his eyelid, falling into one of the little +creases, gave him a very mischievous look. He seemed to wink. +Immediately the whole cartful of peasants began to laugh with him, they +knew not why. They could not help it. This was what happened whenever +Gigi laughed, as he seldom did. + +But soon Gigi grew grave once more. "Why do you want to learn?" he +asked. "It does not make me happy. For oh! they are so cruel!" + +"Do they beat you much?" asked Paolo sympathetically. Gigi nodded his +head with a sigh. "Very much," he said. "I am always black and blue." + +"Am I too big to learn?" demanded Giovanni, the oldest boy, who was +perhaps twelve and heavier than Gigi. "When did you begin?" + +Gigi grew thoughtful. "Ever since I remember, I have tumbled," he +said. "Ever since I was a baby, before I could even turn a somersault, +they tossed me back and forth between them and made me kiss my hand to +the people who stood about." + +"And did they beat you then?" asked Beppo, doubling up his fists. + +Gigi sighed again. "They always beat me," he said simply. "Whatever I +did, they beat me when they were ugly. And that was always." + +"Do you belong to them?" asked the woman suddenly. "They are Gypsies, +black men. But you are fair like the people of the North. Where did +they get you, Gigi?" + +Gigi shook his head. "I do not know," he said. "I have belonged to +them always, I think." + +"Hark!" said Mother Margherita suddenly. "What's that?" + +There was a faint noise far off on the road behind them. Gigi +trembled. "They are coming for me!" he said. "What shall I do?" + +"No, no," said the woman. "I do not fear that. It is too soon, +surely. But it is growing dark here in the valley. This is a lonely +spot, and there are many wicked men about besides your masters, Gigi." + +"Thieves and villains!" whispered Giovanni. "Oh, mother, hide the bag +of silver that you got at market!" + +"Sh! Sh!" warned the mother sharply. "Do not speak of it! Hiew, +hiew! Go on! go on!" And she urged the oxen faster. + +But the great beasts would not hasten their pace for her. The noise +came nearer. They could hear that it was the trotting of hoofs. + +"There is only one animal," said Gigi, whose ears were keen. "I can +hear his four feet patter. I think it is the donkey!" + +"I can see him now!" cried Paolo. "It is a little man on a donkey. He +is bending forward and beating it hard." + +Gigi strained his eyes to see. "It is Tonio!" he whispered fearfully. +"I know it! Oh, the Hunchback will kill me when he finds me! And he +will take your silver, too!" + +"Sh! Sh!" commanded the mother. "He shall not find you. Here, take +this bag, Gigi. It will be safer with you. And here, creep under my +skirts and keep close. He will never guess where you are!" + +Mother Margherita spread out her generous draperies, which luckily were +both long and wide, and Gigi crept under them, being wholly covered. +The other boys huddled close, shivering with a not wholly unpleasant +excitement. This was an adventure indeed for a holiday! + +The rider drew nearer and nearer, lashing the poor donkey unmercifully. +At last they could see his face, red and lowering. + +"Halt!" he cried suddenly. "You in the cart there, halt!" + +V + +THE HUNCHBACK + +The oxen stopped. The cart came to +a standstill. The boys huddled closer, +and Gigi's heart beat like a tambourine. +He was sure that Tonio would hear it. + +"What do you want?" asked Mother Margherita, +and her usually kind voice was harsh. + +"You seem to have a load of young cubs +there," shouted Tonio. "Have you got my +boy, Gigi the Tumbler, among them? Some +one has stolen the little monster." + +[Illustration: "Have you got my boy?"] + +"What are you talking about!" answered +Mother Margherita sharply. "I am a respectable +countrywoman returning from market-day +with my children. What business have I +with tumblers and vagrants!" + +"That I'll see for myself, woman," said +Tonio, jumping unsteadily down from the +donkey and approaching the cart. Tonio had +been drinking, and his little eyes were red and +fierce. + +"Keep your hands off my children!" cried +their plucky mother, brandishing her whip. +But Tonio was not to be kept away. + +"I will see them!" he snarled. He thrust +his ugly face into those of the three boys, one +after another, eyeing them sharply in the +growing darkness. But there was little about +these sun-browned, black-eyed youngsters to +suggest the slender, fair-haired Gigi. + +Tonio peered into the cart. He even thrust +his long, lean hand into the straw that covered +the floor, and felt about the corners, while the +boys wriggled away from his touch like eels +from a landing-net. Gigi held his breath. But +Mother Margherita would not tamely endure +all this. + +"Get along, you vermin!" she cried, striking +at his hands as he approached the forward +end of the cart. "Can't you see that the +boy is not here? What would he be doing in +my cart, anyway? I'll trouble you to let us go +on our way in peace. My man in the house +down yonder will be out to help us with his +crossbow and his dogs, if we scream a bit +louder. Be off with you, and look for your +boy in the village. Is it likely he would have +come so far as this, the poor tired little lad?" + +"The others are searching the village," +growled the Hunchback tipsily. "They'll +find him if he's there. 'Tis likely you are +right. And then! I must be there to help at +the punishing. Oh! that will be sport!--Have +any other teams passed you on the road?" he +asked suddenly. "Have you overtaken no one +on foot?" + +"We have passed no one," said Mother +Margherita truthfully, starting up the oxen. +"Hiew! Hiew! Go on! go on," she clucked. +"We must get home to bed." + +The Hunchback withdrew from the cart +unsteadily, and mounted his donkey. For a +moment he looked doubtfully up and down +the road, then he turned the poor tired animal's +head once more toward the village, and they +began to plod back up the slope. + +"The Lord forgive me!" whispered Mother +Margherita piously. "I told a lie, and before +my children, too! But it was to spare a child +suffering, perhaps death. Surely, the Lord +who loves little children will forgive me this sin." + +So the good woman mused, as, faint with +terror and gasping for breath, Gigi came out +from under her skirts. He handed back the +bag of silver, and gave a sigh of relief. The +little boys seized him rapturously. + +"You are saved, Gigi!" cried Paolo. + +"He will never find you now," said Giovanni. + +"See, we are almost home! You shall come +and live with us and teach us how to tumble!" +cried Beppo, hugging his new friend closely. +But Mother Margherita interrupted him. + +"Not so fast, not so fast, children," she +warned. "Gigi is saved for now. But we may +be able to do little more for him. Your father +is master in the house, remember. Your father +may not be pleased with what we have done. +Never promise what you may not be able to +give, my Beppo." And she fell to musing +again rather uneasily. + +The boys were all suddenly silent, and Gigi, +who had warmed to their kindness, felt a +sudden chill. He had not thought of anything +beyond the safety of the moment. He had +made no plans, he had only hoped vaguely +that these good people might help him. But +now, what was to happen next? Was there +still something more to fear? + +Suddenly the flash of a lantern lighted the +road ahead. A man's voice hailed them loudly. +"Hello! Hello! Will you never be coming home?" + +"Father! It is father!" cried the three boys +in an answering shout. Then with a common +thought they all stopped short, and Gigi felt +them looking at him in the darkness. + +"What will he think of Gigi?" he heard +Beppo whisper to his brothers. + +"Sh!" warned Mother Margherita. And +the man's voice sounded nearer. + +"Hello, old woman!" it called gruffly. +"Well, you did come back, didn't you? +I began to believe that you had all run away." + +"Run away!" There was a little pause +before any one answered. And Gigi felt +the elbows of the boys nudging him in the side. + +"Father's angry!" they whispered. "Father +is terrible when he is angry. You had better +look out!" + +Then Gigi knew that there was something +else to fear that night. And his heart sank. +Was there to be no end of his troubles? + + + + +VI + +THE SILVER PIECE + +The team stopped in front of a stone cottage, from the window of which +the light shone hospitably. They all jumped down from the cart, and +under cover of the darkness Mother Margherita hustled Gigi with the +other boys into the house, while Giuseppe, the father, cared for the +oxen. + +The mother busied herself in preparing supper, and the boys scattered +about on various errands. But Gigi sat in a corner by the fire, too +tired to move or speak. He had thrown off his long cloak, and the fire +glanced brightly upon the green and gold costume of this quaint little +figure, so out of place in the simple cottage. Presently Giuseppe +entered with a heavy tread, and paused in amazement at what he saw on +his hearthstone. + +"Hello!" he cried gruffly. "What's this?" + +Mother Margherita came forward quickly. "It is a little tumbler," she +said. "We saw him do his tricks at the market to-day. The Gypsies +beat him, and he has run away. Let us give him at least supper and a +shelter for the night, Giuseppe?" Her tone was beseeching. + +"Hum!" grumbled Giuseppe doubtfully. "A runaway! A tumbler! A thief, +I dare say, as well. A pretty fellow to bring into an honest man's +house! His master will be after him, and then we shall all get into +trouble for sheltering a runaway. Margherita, you were always a +foolish woman! Is this all you have to show for market-day? Where is +the money?" + +"Here it is, Giuseppe," said the mother, handing him the bag of silver, +which he thrust into his pocket. "Now let us have supper. You can +count the silver afterward, and we will tell you about everything when +that is over." + +With a very bad grace the father watched the little stranger timidly +take his place at the board between Paolo and Giovanni, Beppo crying +because he could not have the tumbler next to him also. + +There was much to talk about at that meal. They had to describe the +holiday at market, which was a great event for the little family. Then +there were the Tumblers; and the adventure of Gigi and the +Hunchback,--that was the most exciting of all. And how near they came +to losing the bag of silver which they had earned by selling their +vegetables at the market! Giuseppe asked Gigi many questions, not +unkindly, but with a bluntness that made the boy wince. And often +Mother Margherita spoke up for him, with a kind answer. Gigi grew +paler and paler, and his food lay almost untouched on his plate. He +was too tired to eat. + +At last, when supper was finished. Mother Margherita rose and lighted +a candle. "Come with me, Gigi," she said, "and I will show you where +you are to sleep this night." + +Gigi followed her readily, glad to escape further questioning, and +eager to rest his aching head. The little boys called after him a +hearty good-night. But Giuseppe saw him go without a word, casting +sidewise looks after the retreating figures, and grunting sourly. + +There was no room for Gigi in the loft where the family slept. But out +in the stable, beside the oxen, was a fresh pile of straw, a fine bed +for the tired little wanderer. When Mother Margherita had bidden him a +kind good-night and had closed the stable door behind her, Gigi threw +himself upon the straw and was almost Instantly asleep. The oxen +breathed gently beside him, chewing their cud. Everything was still +and peaceful. And the night passed. + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" crowed the first cock, speaking the same tongue +that he learned at the beginning of the world, and that he always uses +in every land, among every people. + +It was but a few moments later when Gigi was awakened suddenly by a +touch on his shoulder. The boy opened his eyes and stared about, +bewildered. He did not know where he was. Who was this bending over +him in the dim light? Not Tonio; not Cecco; not the Giant? Then he +recognized Mother Margherita, stooping low with a pitiful expression on +her face. She had a little bundle in her hand. + +"Get up, Gigi," she whispered. "You must be off. My man is so angry! +He vows he will take you to the village to-day and give you up to your +masters. He thinks you are a thief, Gigi. But I do not believe that +you stole the silver piece." + +"The silver piece!" cried Gigi, still more bewildered. + +"Sh!" cautioned the woman, laying a hand on his lips. "Giuseppe must +not know that I am here. He sleeps still. When we counted the money +in the bag we found it short by one piece of silver, besides the one I +gave you. That was my own to do with as I chose. But he believes that +you stole another when you were holding the bag for me, hiding under my +skirts." + +"I did not take it!" cried Gigi, wide-awake now. "Oh, I would not +steal from you,--not from you, the only person who was ever kind to me!" + +"There, there! I told him so!" said the good woman soothingly. "I +told him I must have lost it at the market when I was making change for +somebody. But he will not believe. You must be off, Gigi, before he +wakes, or you will have to go back to those cruel fellows. Giuseppe is +so set! Like a mule he is when he is angry!" + +Gigi sprang to his feet and looked wildly around. "Where shall I go? +What shall I do?" he asked. + +Mother Margherita looked at the pale little lad and her eyes filled. +"Poor little fellow!" she sighed. "Suppose you were one of my boys, +Beppo or Paolo! But we must lose no time"; and she dashed the tears +from her eyes. "Here is your cloak to hide that gaudy dress. And here +is a bundle of food,--all I could spare without the good man's +knowledge. For it must seem that you have run away of your own accord. +I know that will make him sure that you are a thief. But I dare not +let him guess that I have warned you and helped you to escape. You do +not know Giuseppe's anger!--Farewell, dear little lad, and may the +Saints have you in their keeping." + +She led him to the door and pointed out the direction, in the gray +dawn. She showed him where, to the north, by a great tree, a lane +branched from the highroad. "Follow that," she said. "It will be +safer in case you are pursued. And it comes at last to the great road +into another country. There perhaps you will be safe and find friends +who can help you more than I have done. Though none can wish you +better." And she hugged him close. "Farewell, Gigi!" + + + + +VII + +THE WANDERER + +With a lump in his throat, Gigi left the only roof that had ever shown +him kindness. In the gray dawn he crept out to the highroad. There +was no time to be lost, for already the east was growing pink, and soon +the sun would be making long shadows on the open road. Giuseppe would +surely spy him and bring him back. + +As soon as he was outside the farm enclosure, Gigi began to run. But +he found that he was stiff and sore from his fall of the day before, +and from the many beatings which he had received of late. Every bone +in his body ached, and especially his head, which throbbed so as to +make him faint. Still he ran on. For more than anything else he +feared being captured and sent back to the Gypsies. + +At last Gigi came to the great tree where branched the cross-road to +the north. Here he turned aside. Then he drew a deep breath, feeling +safer. He ceased running, and presently, being hungry and tired, he +sat down upon a stone and opened the bundle which Mother Margherita had +given him. He found bread and cheese, and began to eat greedily, until +he remembered that he knew not where he should find dinner and supper. +He looked at the remnant of bread and cheese longingly, but at last +wrapped it up and put it back into the little pouch which, as was the +custom in those times, he wore at his belt. + +The lane upon which he was now traveling was shadier than the highroad, +and as he went on the trees grew even taller and bigger. Apparently +the way was leading through the outskirts of a forest. The lane was +more crooked, also. Gigi could not see far either before or behind +him, because of the constant turnings. + +Suddenly, he stopped short and listened. There was a sound; yes, there +certainly was a sound on the road behind him,--the noise of galloping +hoofs. + +Gigi was seized with a panic. Without stopping to think, he plunged +from the road into the forest, and began to run wildly through the +underbrush. He did not care in which direction he went,--anywhere, as +far as possible from the pursuing hoof-beats. + +On, on he plunged, sometimes sprawling over roots of trees, sometimes +bruising himself against low branches or stumbling upon stones which +seemed to rise up on purpose to delay him; torn by briars and tripped +by clutching vines. But always he ran on and on, this way and that, +wherever there seemed an opening in the forest, which was continually +growing denser and more wild. + +How long he wandered he did not know. The sun was high in the heavens +when at last, wholly exhausted, Gigi fell upon a bank of moss. His +weary bones ached. He was too tired to move, but lay there motionless, +and presently he fell into a troubled sleep. When he awoke with a +start, it was growing dark, and he was very hungry. He felt for the +pouch into which he had put his bits of bread and cheese, but it was +gone! He must have lost it when pushing through the bushes. + +What was he to do? He knew he must find his way back to the highroad, +where he could perhaps beg a supper at some cottage. But how was he to +know which way to go? He looked up and around him in despair. He was +in the midst of the wildest kind of forest. The trees grew close +together, and there was no path, no sign that men had ever passed this +way. + +Moreover, it was growing darker every minute. Already the shadows +behind the trees were black and terrible. Gigi suddenly remembered +that there were fierce animals in the forests. In those days, all over +Europe bears and wolves and many kinds of wild beasts, large and small, +wandered wherever there were trees and hiding-places; in fact, one +might meet them anywhere except in cities and towns. And sometimes in +winter, when they were very hungry, bold wolves prowled even in the +market-places. + +Gigi shuddered. He dared not think of sleep, alone in this dreadful +place. He must try to find the road. Once more he crawled to his feet +and began to stagger through the darkness, groping with his hands to +ward off the branches which scratched his face and the thorns which +tore his garments into rags. + +Now there began to be strange sounds in the forest. The birds had +ceased to sing, save for a chirp now and then as Gigi's passing wakened +some tired songster. But there were other noises which Gigi did not +understand, and which set his heart to knocking fearfully; the cracking +of twigs far off and near at hand; little scurries in the underbrush as +he approached; now and then the crash of something bounding through the +bushes in the distance; sometimes a squeak or a chatter which sounded +terrible to the little boy's unaccustomed ears. And finally, far off +in the forest, came a long, low howl that set his teeth to chattering. + +Was it a wolf? The thought was more than Gigi could bear. He fainted, +and fell forward into a bed of soft green moss. + + + + +VIII + +THE RESCUE + +Gigi must have lain all night where he fell. For when he opened his +eyes the sun was shining dimly through the dense leaves of the tree +overhead. He remembered only the last thing he had heard before his +eyes closed,--that long howl in the darkness. So it was with a thrill +of terror that he felt a strange touch on his face. Something warm and +wet was passing over his cheek. Something soft and warm was cuddling +close to his side. He thrust out his hand feebly, groping at something +to help him rise. His fingers closed in thick, soft hair. Suddenly +Gigi knew what was happening to his face. Some big animal was licking +it with a coarse but gentle tongue! + +Was it the wolf that had howled? A dreadful thought! Gigi screamed +aloud. He struck at the creature with all the strength he had, which +was little enough. + +"Get away! Go along with you!" he cried in Gypsy gibberish. + +In answer, the animal uttered a whine, very gentle, very piteous; and +it began to lick the hand which had struck it. + +Gigi's eyes had now grown used to the half-light. Suddenly he saw what +had lain beside him, keeping him warm all night. It was a great shaggy +dog, brown and white. Around his neck was a heavy collar of leather +studded with nails. Gigi did not like dogs. The only ones he knew had +always chased the Tumblers and barked at them as they entered or left a +village. Sometimes they had snapped at Gigi's heels so viciously that +he had cried out. And then Cecco would cuff him for making a fuss. + +But this dog seemed friendly. He looked up in Gigi's face, and wagged +his tail pleasantly. He whined and put his nose in Gigi's hand; then +he got to his feet and ran away a few steps, looking back at the boy +and waiting. Gigi did not know what it meant. But when the dog saw +that the boy was not following, he went back and repeated his action. +Several times he did this, and still Gigi lay looking at him, too tired +and too weak to make an effort, even to think. At last the dog came +back once more. This time he took Gigi's hand between his teeth, very +gently, and began to pull him in the direction toward which he had +first gone. Then Gigi knew. The dog was trying to lead him somewhere! + +A throb of hope warmed his heart. Perhaps this was a friend who would +bring him out of the dreadful forest to some place where he could eat. +For oh, he was so hungry! He dragged himself to his feet, and tried to +follow, leaning a hand on the dog's neck. The creature was wild with +joy, and began to bark and wag his tail furiously. Even this motion +made the boy totter, he was so weak. He took a few steps, then he had +to stop. He was sore all over, dizzy and faint. He lay down on the +ground with his head between his hands. And once more the good dog +crept near and poked his wet nose into Gigi's face, licking his cheek. + +The boy reached out a hand and patted him timidly. It was the first +time Gigi had ever felt friendly toward an animal! + +When the dog found that it was of no use to try to lead Gigi on, he sat +still and seemed to think for a few moments. Then he came close and +crouched in the moss beside Gigi, whining softly and rubbing his nose +against the boy's knee. Evidently he wanted his new friend to do +something. The boy looked at him wearily, and wondered. He took hold +of the collar about the dog's neck. Yes! that was it! The dog barked +and wagged his tail, but did not move. He was still waiting. Gigi +looked at the big fellow lying there. He was almost as large as the +little donkey who bore the luggage of the Tumblers upon their journeys. +He was big enough to carry Gigi himself. Was that what the creature +meant? + +Gigi lifted one leg over the dog's back, keeping hold of the collar as +tightly as he could. The animal rose to his feet with a glad bark. +Yes, this was what he wanted. He began to move forward slowly, for +Gigi was a heavy burden and his feet nearly touched the ground. + +Slowly they moved through the forest, a quaint pair of wanderers. +Sometimes Gigi felt faint and ill, and lay forward, resting his head on +the dog's soft neck. Sometimes they stopped to rest. Then Gigi lay +flat on the moss, with the dog stretched out close to his side. But +they were both unwilling to waste many minutes so. + +[Illustration: A quaint pair of wanderers.] + + + + +IX + +THE ANIMAL KINGDOM + +Presently Gigi and the dog came to a clearing in the forest. All about +was as wild as anything they had passed. But here, quite alone, stood +a little hut made of logs and branches twisted together. + +The first thing that Gigi saw, after the hut itself, was an old man in +a coarse gray gown, sitting on a stump, reading a book. His head was +bare, and he had a long white beard. His feet were bare, too, and he +wore leather sandals. A rope was tied about his waist. Gigi had +sometimes seen men so dressed plodding along the highroad or begging +from the townsfolk. If he thought about them at all, he believed them +to be some rival sort of performers, like the Tumblers themselves. It +seemed very queer to see one of the Gray Men here in the lonely +forest,--and with such strange companions! Gigi stared and stared +again, rubbing his tired eyes to make sure that they saw aright. + +On the old man's knees was curled, asleep, a comfortable white cat. +Three little kittens played with the knotted ends of his girdle, +swarming up and down the gray gown of the reader. On his shoulder +perched a squirrel, busily eating a nut which he held in his little +paws. Close by, a brown and white deer grazed about the door of the +little hut. A great black raven hopped gravely about the old man's +feet, now and then picking up a bug. Lying peacefully asleep in front +of the hut door, like a yellow mat of fur, a fox was stretched. In and +out among the rose-bushes of a tiny garden which was planted beneath +the window of the hut, hopped several brown hares, seeming much at +home. The old man's head nodded forward on his book. He could sleep +soundly, it seemed, with all these little live things swarming about +him. Even as his gray locks swept the page, a thrush fluttered down +and lighted gently on the bald crown, beginning to sing so sweetly that +Gigi held his breath. + +All this the boy saw in that first glimpse before he and the dog parted +the bushes and came out into the clearing. In that instant everything +changed. The dog gave a sharp bark of pleasure. The old man let the +book fall from his hand, and sat staring. The animals leaped from +their slumbers and scuttled away in every direction, some into the hut, +some into the neighboring bushes, some melting as if by magic into the +forest. The squirrel and the thrush took shelter in the treetops. +Only the raven, with ruffled feathers, remained at the old man's side, +turning a fierce little eye upon the newcomer. + +By this time Gigi had thrown himself from the dog's back, and stood +feebly leaning against a tree. Released from his burden, the dog +bounded forward, and was soon leaping upon the old man's shoulders, +covering his face and hands and feet with eager kisses. + +"Down, Brutus, down!" said the old man, in a tongue which Gigi could +not understand. "Where hast thou been so long, good dog? And what new +pet hast thou brought for my colony?" He looked towards Gigi with +keen, kind eyes. "Come hither, my lad," he said in the same tongue. + +But Gigi only stared, not understanding. He was growing afraid of this +queer old man, who spoke a strange language and had wild animals for +his friends; who read, too, in a great black book! Gigi had heard of +wicked wizards and sorcerers, and he believed that he saw one now. He +turned about and tried to run away. But his poor head grew dizzy, and +before he knew it he had fallen, and lay sobbing and shivering, unable +to rise. + +Presently he felt the dog's gentle tongue licking his face. A moment +after, kind, strong arms lifted him and bore him into the little hut. +The old man laid Gigi on a cot beside the window, and after laying his +hand on the boy's head and wrist, went away and returned with something +in a cup. + +"Drink this, my child," he said. And this time Gigi understood. He +drank and felt better. Then the old man asked him in the tongue which +Gigi knew, "Are you hungry, lad?" + +The boy nodded, and his eyes must have told how nearly starved he was. +The old man went swiftly to a little cupboard in the wall, and soon +came back with bread and milk in an earthen bowl. + +"Eat," he said, lifting Gigi's head on his arm. "Eat this good bread, +my son, and drink the warm milk of my friend the doe, which I had just +set aside, not expecting you. Then you shall sleep here on my pallet. +And soon we shall be right smiling and happy all!" + +The kind old eyes beamed on Gigi while he devoured his breakfast like a +starved animal, without a word of thanks. When he had finished, the +kind old hands brought water and bathed the tired body, bound up the +bleeding hands and feet with refreshing ointment, and laid Gigi back +again to rest upon the cot beside the rose-screened window. + +There Gigi lay and slept; slept and dreamed; dreamed and went over +again by fits and starts the strange adventures of the past two days. +But strangest of all, though by far the pleasantest, was that picture +which he had seen when he came out into the clearing upon the back of +Brutus. And this picture, with queer variations, filled the foreground +of Gigi's dreaming. + + + + +X + +THE HERMIT + +_They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth +shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the +sea_.--HOLY WRIT. + + +For three days Gigi lay on the pallet of the good Hermit, near to +death. And for three days the great dog lay on guard by his side. The +Hermit went softly to and fro, taking tender care of the boy and giving +him medicine made from wonderful herbs which he had found in the woods. +Often he knelt in a corner of the hut, before a rude wooden Cross, and +said prayers; this seemed to give him strength for his work and hope +for its result. So that when he rose, his face would be bright and +happy. + +This was he doing the third morning when Gigi awoke, feeling better. +The ache was gone from his limbs and the dizziness from his head. He +awoke with a long sigh, and for the first time since he lay down on the +Hermit's pallet he looked around him with interest. At first he did +not know where he was. + +The hut was small and bare. In one corner was a cupboard where the +Hermit kept his scanty supply of food and the medicines which he +distilled. Against the wall was a bench, beside a table made of a +tree-stump, and on the table lay a great black book. Opposite the bed +was the Cross of wood fastened to the wall, and below it the good +Hermit knelt with bowed head. Gigi wondered what he was doing. He +himself knew no prayers. + +Gigi's eyes wandered to the door, which stood open. On the sill the +cat and her kittens were playing. Outside he could catch a glimpse of +various animals frisking about the dooryard. Birds sang merrily in the +trees overhead and in the bushes just outside the window. The raven +hopped into the doorway and stood looking saucily at Gigi, with head on +one side. It was all so peaceful, so quiet, so different from anything +which Gigi had known, that he thought it must be a dream. He sighed +again, and turned over, stretching out his arm. In doing so he touched +the hairy neck of Brutus, who was still sleeping by his bed. Instantly +the dog sprang up and began to lick the boy's face. At the same +moment, with a pious gesture, the Hermit also rose and came toward the +cot, smiling kindly. + +"You are better, my son?" he asked, laying a cool hand upon Gigi's +forehead. "Ah, yes! You will soon be quite yourself." + +Gigi stared up at him contentedly. "Who are you?" he asked. He had +never been taught manners, and he could no longer hide his curiosity. + +"I am a Hermit," answered the old man. "I live here alone with my +animals, as you see. I pass the days in prayer and meditation, +studying the Lord's Holy Book and the living works of His hands." + +"Why do you live away from men?" asked Gigi again. + +The Hermit's face grew sad. + +"Men are wicked and cruel, child," he said. "Men hurt and kill one +another. They love to slay the innocent animals for sport. In their +kingdoms is no love. I have made myself here an animal kingdom, where +all is love and peace." + +"Do all animals know you?" asked Gigi, wondering. + +"With time I can make friends with them all," said the Hermit, smiling. +"One has but to love and understand and be patient. See!" + +He gave a peculiar call. Instantly there came tumbling into the hut, +until it nearly overflowed, a strange medley of creatures,--hares, +mice, birds, kittens, squirrels. Last of all peered into the doorway a +deer and her little speckled fawn. + +The dog sat quite still, not moving a muscle. He had been trained not +to frighten his more timid neighbors. + +"Follow the example of Brutus, my son," said the Hermit gently. "Make +no sudden movement and do not speak. They know my voice, and they will +learn yours. But you are still a stranger to them, and must expect +them to be shy." + +The animals crowded lovingly about the Hermit, some springing upon his +shoulders and knees, the birds flitting about his head. + +Gigi thought he had never seen so wonderful a sight. "Oh!" thought he, +"if I could only do this, what money might I not take from a crowd on +market-days!" + +After talking to his pets and caressing them tenderly, the old man +dismissed them to the outdoor sunshine, so that he was alone with Gigi, +who could then be free to move and speak once more. + +"The beloved innocents!" said the Hermit, with a sigh. "Who could ever +willfully injure one of them. God's creatures?--But now, my son, tell +me about yourself," he broke off. "Who are you? Whence do you come? +Whither are you going?" + +"I do not know," said Gigi simply, in answer to all three questions. +And then he told his story as he had told it to Mother Margherita. + +The old man listened pitifully. "Poor little lad!" he said. "Men have +been cruel to you, also. You have no home, no friends, no past, and no +future. What shall we do with you?" + +"Oh, let me stay with you!" cried Gigi, clasping his hands. "You are +so good and wise. Teach me! Teach me to be good and wise, too. Take +me into your animal kingdom, and teach me to make them all my friends. +I could do such tricks with them,--far better than tumbling. I should +grow rich!" + +The old man shook his head. "That cannot be," he said. "I cannot +teach men to grow rich. Nor would I see my animals made ridiculous for +money. I came here to be a hermit. I vowed to have nothing more to do +with human folk, only with the animals whom they persecute. But I +never thought that a child would seek my roof." + +Pie looked at Gigi doubtfully. The boy returned the look, and the +brown spot on his eyelid trembled piteously. The Hermit blinked. + +"Yes, you are a poor little animal, too," he said at last. "You are +ignorant and innocent as they. I cannot turn you away. Perhaps I can +teach you better things than tricks. Perhaps I can make you a disciple +and a Christian. If you are teachable, I can make you wise with the +knowledge of herbs and healing. If I send back to the world which I +have left one man useful, tender, strong, and good, perhaps he may be +able to do more than I have done to stay the march of evil." + +Gigi did not understand the words at all, but the tone was kind. He +pushed the bandage from his head, looked up at the Hermit, and smiled +his own strange smile. "I think you will not beat me," he said. The +brown spot on his eyelid gave him the wink of mischief. + +"Beat you!" The old man's face broke into an answering smile, and he +rocked to and fro with pleasure in Gigi's little joke. Then he bent +forward suddenly, and stared into the boy's face with a keen look. + +"The wicked eye of him!" he said, talking to himself. "How like it is! +Strange, strange! About nine years old, he is. Nine years ago--" He +paused, gazing at Gigi, and murmuring under his breath. "What are you +wearing about your neck?" he asked suddenly. + +Gigi put his hand to a tiny silver chain which just peeped above his +green doublet, and drew out a flat piece of silver of strange shape, +and with one side carved deeply with a notched Cross. + +"Where did you get this?" asked the Hermit, strangely excited. + +"I do not know," said Gigi, wondering. "I have worn it always. Not +even Cecco dared take it from me. I have heard him say so. But I do +not know why!" + +"The lost one!" cried the Hermit, embracing Gigi, with tears in his +eyes. Then, crossing himself, he added piously, "Dear little lad! We +are in the Lord's hands. Gigi, you shall stay with me until the time +is come. But you wear the Cross, a blessed emblem. I shall call you +no more by that heathen Gypsy name. You shall bear the beloved +Christian name of John, to which perhaps you have as good a right as +any. Ah! I will not tell you more. I will wait until I see if you be +worthy indeed. If not--his son shall never know!" + +All this Gigi did not understand. But he was happy to know that he +might stay. And he began his new life as one of the Hermit's animal +kingdom by hugging close old Brutus, his first four-footed friend, who +had brought him safely to this haven. + + + + +XI + +THE PUPIL + +_But ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee, and the fowls of the +air and they shall tell thee_.--HOLY WRIT. + + +Gigi the Gypsy was now become John; no longer an outcast and a +wanderer, but a happy little Christian boy. Surely no child ever lived +so strange a life as he. Surely no boy ever had such queer playmates, +or studied in so wild a school. + +First of all he had to become acquainted with his oddly-mixed family of +two-footed and four-footed brothers. Brutus was his friend from the +beginning. The great dog seemed to have adopted for his very own the +boy whom, led by some kindly angel, he had found that night in the +forest. But the other creatures were shy at first. They ran at the +sound of John's shrill boyish voice, and shrank from his quick +movements. They hid in the bushes when he came dashing and dancing +into the clearing after a romp with Brutus, and it would take some +patience to coax them back again. + +John saw that this troubled the good old Hermit, whom he loved better +every day, and he tried to imitate his teacher's gentle voice and +manner and his soft tread. The little tumbler was himself light as a +feather, and graceful as the deer, his new-found sister. He was quick +to learn and naturally gentle, though his cruel life had made him +careless and rough. Soon he had made friends with all the Hermit's +pets, so that they knew and loved him almost as well as they did the +master of this forest-school. + +In his green doublet and hose, clumsily patched with pieces of gray +serge from the Hermit's own cloak, John rambled about the wild woods, +looking like one of the fairy-folk of whom legends tell. Often he went +with the wise old man, who gave him lessons of the forest which he knew +so well. John learned to steal on tiptoe and surprise the ways of the +wood-folk,--the shy birds and the shyer little brothers who live in the +moss and mould. He grew wise in the lore of flowers and herbs, and +could tell where each one grew and when it blossomed, and which ones, +giving their life-blood for the sake of men, could cure disease and +bring comfort to the ailing. At night they watched the moon and the +far-off, tiny stars. These, too, became friends, many of them known to +John by name. He loved each one, for the Hermit said that they also +were his brothers and sisters, like the birds and beasts and fishes; +all being the children of that Father who had made this beautiful world +to be the home where all should live together. + +But the book of Nature was not all that John studied in these days. He +learned to read also the written language of men, and studied the wise +and holy words which have kept goodness before men's sight since +knowledge began. Until now John had never opened a book or held a pen. +But the Hermit taught him wisely and well, and soon he was in a fair +way to become a scholar. + +A busy life he led, what with his studies indoors and out and his +duties about the hut,--for the Hermit taught him to be deft in all +tasks, however simple and homely. John could cut up firewood or cook a +porridge with as happy a face as he wore when he played with Brutus or +sang the morning hymn of praise at the good Hermit's side. + +One thing his teacher would not have him forget. He must practice his +tumbling every day. For the Hermit said, "No skill once learned will +ever come amiss, my son. You spent years and suffered hardly to gain +this agility. It seems to me not frivolous nor undignified, but a +beautiful thing, to keep one's body lithe and graceful even as are the +free-natured animals. Then practice, John; and some day even this +skill may not come amiss." + +So the boy practiced daily in front of the cabin. He danced and +tumbled; he turned somersaults and stood on his head; he leaped with a +pole and swung nimbly as a monkey from the limbs of the overhanging +trees. And the circle of animals watched him gravely, marveling no +doubt at the strange antics of their brother; but, being now used to +his voice and manner, neither annoyed nor shocked by anything which he +might do. + +[Illustration: The circle of animals watched him.] + +When the day was over, John would throw himself on a soft bed of moss +under a tree, beside the Hermit seated on a log. Then they would read +or talk, and tell stories of what they had seen in the world of men. +Brutus would be curled down between them. Blanche and her kittens, big +and little, would play with John's hair as he lay there. The squirrel, +perched on the boy's doubled-up knees, would chatter and crack nuts. +The brown hares would run to and fro over his feet, while the doe and +her little fawn nibbled the grass close by, listening to the sound of +the human voices as though they liked it. + +What a happy home it was! John wondered if ever any boy was so lucky +as he. + + + + +XII + +THE BEAR + +John had grown to love the little four-footed brothers dearly, and they +were great friends of his. But still the Hermit seemed to have a charm +about him which John lacked, and which drew even the strange new +creatures to him and made them trust him from the first. John longed +to learn this secret. But when he asked the old man about it he looked +at the boy kindly and said,-- + +"It will come, my son, with time. Love, live, and learn." + +John had been with the Hermit some months, when happened an adventure +that interested him more than anything which had befallen. He was +walking one day with the old man in a part of the forest far distant +from their hut. They were looking for a rare and wonderful herb which +the sage needed to distill a certain precious balm. + +"This should be the spot," said the old man, going toward a heap of +rocks around which grew a tangle of shrubs and creepers. "The plant +which I seek is shy, and hides in the shadows of sheltered places. +Yonder is a cave, where first I made my dwelling when I came to the +forest, before I built the hut in which we now live. And at the +entrance, I remember, grew the herb of grace, which more than once has +done me service in healing the hurts of my pets." + +The Hermit plunged eagerly forward to the rocks. John followed close +behind. At the entrance to the cave the old man stooped to pluck the +herb which they had come so far to seek, and John, clambering beside +him, bent curiously to peer into the cave. Suddenly a sound from +within made him start. The Hermit paused in his task, and both stared +motionless into the blackness of the cave. Presently the sound came +again,--a deep growl ending in a whine. + +"Some animal in pain," whispered the Hermit to John. "Stay you here, +my son. I will discover what it may be." + +"Nay, father!" pleaded the boy. "It may be some fierce creature; it +may hurt you. Do not go!" + +The old man turned beaming eyes upon him. "Never yet have I been hurt +by an animal," he said gently. "My body bears only the scars of human +hands. I am not afraid. But do you stay here, my son. You have not +yet quite learned the language of dumb things." + +"I shall go with you!" said John to himself. He seized the staff which +the Hermit had dropped, and followed close upon his heels. + +Soon their eyes became more used to the darkness of the cave, with +which the Hermit was already familiar. Presently out of the shadows in +a far corner they spied two red eyes glaring upon them. Behind the +eyes bulked a huge, apparently shapeless form. It half rose as they +drew near, and again they heard the growl of anger. But as the +creature made a sudden movement, the growl turned into a howl of agony, +and it rolled back into the corner, whimpering. + +John plucked the Hermit by his robe. "It is a bear!" he said. "I have +met them sometimes upon the highways, traveling with mountebanks. And +the men told me that they were very fierce and hard to tame. Be +careful, my father! Go not near, I beseech you!" + +But the old man paid no heed to his words. Bending forward, he made a +strange sound in his throat, a soothing, cooing noise. The bear heard +it, and ceased to whine. They saw the ugly head rear up and look at +the Hermit wildly. Again he made the sound, and stooping without fear +brought his face close to the bear's great body. The animal did not +move. + +Presently the Hermit turned to John. "The poor beast has a wounded +paw," he said. "An arrow has hurt it badly." + +He unfastened from his girdle a cup which he always carried in his +wanderings. + +"Here, my son," he said, "fill this at the spring which we passed +yonder. The creature suffers from thirst." + +John hesitated. "Is it safe to leave you here alone with this wild +beast?" he asked. + +The Hermit smiled. "Quite safe," he said. "Do you think I need your +protection? Brother Bear will soon know me for his friend." + +When John returned he found the Hermit sitting on the floor of the +cave, with the bear's paw resting on his knee. The animal was quiet, +save for a whimpering now and then. John could see his little red eyes +fixed upon the Hermit with a curious look of wonder and appeal. He +seemed unable to move, and the Hermit touched the beast quite +naturally, as if he were a great kitten. The bear stirred and turned +his eyes when John entered. + +"Thanks, son," said the Hermit, taking the cup from the boy's hand; +and, turning again to' the bear, he held it to the animal's mouth. +"Drink, brother," he said. + +Eagerly the bear lapped up the water. + +"Now, my son," said the Hermit to John, "go you to the entrance of the +cave and pluck me a handful of the healing herb-leaves. I must bind up +this suffering paw." + +"Surely, father," begged John, "you will not try to touch the +creature's wound. He will tear you to pieces!" + +The old man turned reproachful eyes upon him. "Son," he said, "I have +tried to teach you obedience. Go, get me the leaves." + +Without more words John hastened to do as he was bid. When he returned +with a handful of the plant, he found that the Hermit had bathed the +wounded paw of the now quiet animal. He had torn a strip of linen from +the shirt which he wore under his gray robe, and was making this into a +bandage. Soon he had crushed the leaves and had bound them upon the +foot of the bear, who lay still and gentle under his hands. John +stared, amazed. + +"Now we will go home," said the Hermit softly, "and you, John, shall +return with food for this poor hungry brother. You will soon make him +your dear friend also. For, you see, he asks only love and patience. +Men have been cruel to him. But we will be kind to our Brother Bear." + +Thus John learned a new lesson of courtesy to the wilder, bigger +beasts. That same day he made the long journey a second time, bringing +the bear his dinner, with a comb of wild honey which the Hermit had +found on the way home. And he had the joy of seeing the creature act +no longer like an enemy, but like a timid friend. + +Day after day John went and ministered to the sick animal. At last, +there came a joyous time when the bear rose to greet him on his +approach. The injured paw was healed. And when John left the cave +that night, the bear hobbled at his heels, even to the clearing where +the Hermit lived. He would not go farther at that time. He sat down +on his haunches outside the border of tall trees, and when John tried +to coax him he looked at the hut doubtfully. At the sight of Brutus he +made lumberingly away. + +A few evenings later, the bear came of his own accord to beg for his +supper; and at last this became a custom. Soon he also was accounted a +member of the animal kingdom, and became good friends with them all. +In time John taught him many tricks, such as he had seen the +mountebanks do with their traveling bears. But unlike them, John +taught only by kindness; and his bear learned the faster. + + + + +XIII + +A FOREST RAMBLE + +"Father," said John one summer afternoon, when his tasks for the day +were quite finished, "Brutus and I are going for a long walk." + +"Very well, my son," answered the Hermit, "I will bide here and read my +book, for the heat has made me somewhat weary. But see that you return +before sunset." + +"Yes, father," said John. + +Slinging over his shoulder a little basket in which to fetch home any +strange plants which he might find in the forest, John whistled to +Brutus, and the pair trotted away together as they loved to do. The +Hermit looked after them, and smiled. + +"John is a good boy," he said. "One day he will be a fine man. May +the Saints help me to make him worthy of his father and of the name he +bears." Then he turned to his beloved book. + +John and Brutus went merrily through the forest, the boy singing under +his breath snatches of the cheerful hymns that he and the Hermit loved. +The dog ran ahead, exploring in the bushes, sometimes disappearing for +long minutes at a time, but ever returning to rub his nose in John's +hand and exchange a silent word with him. They were not going for any +particular errand to any especial spot. They were just rambling +wherever the forest looked inviting; which is the nicest way to travel +through the woods,--especially if one of you can be trusted to find the +way home, however wavering may be the trail that you leave behind. It +was what John loved to do more than anything in the world. + +The woods were cool and green and full of lovely light. It was so +still and peaceful, too! The tiny queer noises all about, which once, +before he knew the kingdom of the forest, had frightened him so much, +now filled John with the keenest joy. Often he paused and listened +eagerly. He liked to feel that he was surrounded everywhere by little +brothers, seen and unseen. With a word to Brutus, which made the dog +lie down and keep perfectly quiet, John would steal forward softly and +peer through a screen of bushes, or into a treetop, and watch the +housekeeping of some shy brother beast or bird. Once he flung himself +flat on the ground, and lay for a long time eagerly watching the antics +of a beetle. A little later, with Brutus patiently beside him, he sat +cross-legged for ten minutes, waiting to see how a certain big yellow +spider would spin her web between two branches of a rose-bush. + +They wandered on and on. A great golden butterfly rose before them +from a bed of lilies, and together he and Brutus ran after it; not to +capture and kill it, oh no! for to John the wonder of the flower with +wings lay in the life which gave it power to move about and pay calls +upon the other blossoms that must be always stay-at-homes. John chased +it gaily, as one brother plays with another. And when it lighted on a +rose-bush or a yellow broom-flower, or poised on a swaying blade of +grass, he crept up and admired its lovely colors without touching the +fragile thing. But at last, as if suddenly remembering an errand which +it had forgotten, the butterfly soared quickly up and away over the +treetops and out of sight. + +"Good-by, little brother!" called John after it. "I wish I could fly +as you do and look down upon the kingdom of the forest! Then indeed I +would learn all the secrets of our friends up in the treetops there, +who hide their nests so selfishly. Oh, I should so love to see all the +little baby birds! To be sure, some that I have seen in the +ground-nests are ugly enough. Oh, the big mouths of them! Oh, the +bald skins and prickly pin-feathers! Ha! ha!" John laughed so +heartily that Brutus came running up to see what the joke was. "O +Brutus!" cried John. "I think I know why the father and mother birds +build their nests so high. They are ashamed to have any one see their +funny little ones before they are quite dressed!" + +Brutus looked up in John's face and seemed to smile. The boy and the +dog often had talks together in this wise. + +"I think I will ask them," said John. "Now, Brutus, lie still." He +gave a peculiar whistle, waited a moment, and repeated it, twice, +thrice. At the first call there was a fluttering in the branches +overhead. At the second call one saw the silhouettes of tiny bodies +dropping from branch to branch ever nearer to the boy below. At the +third, there was a flutter, a rush of wings, and a flock of dear little +birds came flying to John's shoulder, to his out-stretched arms, to his +head; so that presently he looked like a green bush which they had +chosen for their perch. + +John talked with them in his own way, with chirps and lisping of the +lips, and they were no more afraid of him than of a good-natured tree. +But after a while, a fly, which had been tickling Brutus's nose, grew +so impertinent that the poor dog had to punish him with his paw. At +the sudden movement the birds fluttered away, and John looked +reproachfully at his friend. But when he saw the drop of blood on the +dog's nose he forgave him. + +[Illustration: John talked with them.] + +"Poor Brutus!" he said. "You kept still as long as you could, I know. +And indeed, it is time we were moving. Come, Brutus!" + +The pair continued their voyage of discovery. The woods are so full of +thrilling stories for those who know how to read them! A field-mouse's +nest in a tuft of grass; a beehive in a hollow tree; tracks of a wild +boar in the muddy edge of the brook; a beautiful lizard changing color +to match the leaves and moss over which it crept. John longed to carry +this little brother home to join the circle of pets. But he knew it +was kinder to leave him there, where perhaps he had a home and family. + +And oh, the flowers! So many kinds, so fragrant and so beautiful! +John gathered a great armful to carry back to the Hermit. And so the +minutes went; the shadows began to lengthen, and it was time to turn +homeward. + + + + +XIV + +THE WOLF-BROTHER + +John whistled to Brutus, to call him for the home-going. But just then +he spied a new plant whose name he did not know. He was stooping over +to examine the lovely pink blossoms, when Brutus came bounding up to +him, behaving strangely. He whined and looked distressed; he started +away into the bushes, begging John to follow. Evidently he had found +something which he wished John to see. The boy laid down his armful of +flowers and ran after the dog, as swiftly and softly as he could; for +he did not know what forest secret he might be about to discover. + +Brutus led him straight to a hollow under a great rock. And there John +soon saw the cause of the dog's excitement. Stretched out on a bed of +leaves were four little gray bodies. John ran up to them with a cry. + +"Why, they are puppies!" he said. "Brutus, you have found some little +brothers of your own!" + +Brutus whined and sniffed about the rock strangely. John bent over the +little bodies, which lay quite still and seemed to be asleep. He +touched one softly. It was stiff and cold. + +"Oh, they are dead, poor little things!" said John. "I am so sorry. I +hoped to take them home to my father. How came they here, I wonder? +They must have starved to death!" + +Just then John saw one of the puppies give a tiny shiver. Its legs +moved feebly and its eyes opened. "Ah! One of them still lives!" he +cried eagerly. "Perhaps I can save its life, the dear little thing!" + +He took the gray body up in his arms and hugged it tenderly, but it +made no response. Then, laying it down again on the leaves, he drew +from his basket a crust of bread which he had brought to nibble while +he walked. (It is such fun to have something to nibble when one goes +for a ramble in the woods!) John ran to the brook which babbled close +by, and, dipping the bread in the water until it was soft, returned to +put some in the mouth of the little gray thing that lay so pitifully on +the leaves. + +"Eat, little brother!" said John. + +Brutus looked on gravely. The puppy opened its mouth feebly and +swallowed a bit of bread. After the first taste it grew eager, and +began to nibble hungrily. John gave it all he had, and was overjoyed +to see it gradually gain strength. But still it could not stand on its +weak little legs. + +"We must take him home, Brutus," said John. "We will make him well and +strong, then we shall have another little dog to be your baby brother." + +Brutus said nothing, though perhaps he knew better. Presently he was +trotting homeward; tracing backward, as no human being could have done, +the winding way by which they had come through the dense forest. +Behind him came John, carrying the little gray creature tenderly in his +arms, and with the basket full of flowers on his back. And so at last +they reached the hut, in the door of which stood the Hermit, shading +his eyes and looking anxiously for them. + +"My son!" he cried gladly when they appeared. "You were gone so long +that I feared you were lost, even with Brutus to guide you. It is +after sundown. Where have you been, and what do you bring there?" + +"We have been--I know not where," said John; "farther than I have gone +since I came to the forest. It must be near the homes of men. For +see! We have found a little dog! His brothers were lying dead beside +him; I think they were starved to death. But this one lives, and some +day I hope he will grow into a big dog like Brutus,--though indeed he +does not look much like him now!" + +So John prattled eagerly, laying the little creature in the old man's +arms. But the Hermit looked at it and looked again. Then he smiled at +John. + +"Ah, Son!" he said. "This will never be a dog like Brutus. You have +brought home a baby wolf!" + +"A wolf!" cried John. "He looks quite like a puppy, and he is gentle, +too!" + +"They are much alike," said the Hermit. "You saved this poor little +cub in good time, John. He is very weak. Probably his mother was +killed by some hunters, who left her little ones there to starve. That +is what they do, John, never stopping to think what suffering they +cause. But let us now feed this little fellow with warm milk, and we +shall soon have him as gay as ever. I am glad that you brought him, +John. We needed a wolf-brother in our kingdom." + +"But, Father! a wolf!" cried John, with a shudder. He had not +forgotten the horror of his first night alone in the forest, and the +long howl which had made him lose his senses. "Oh, will he not grow +big and eat us up, my father? Yes; that was why Brutus acted so +strangely. He knew it was no puppy, although I told him so." + +"It is quite safe to keep him, John," said the Hermit. "We cannot turn +him out to starve, for he is too young to care for himself. You will +see to-morrow that he will play like any puppy. Brutus and he will be +great friends,--they are relatives already. Once upon a time Brutus +had a wolf for his ancestor. And as we ourselves know not from whom we +may be descended, so must we treat all creatures as our brothers. Yes, +this wolfkin will grow up lean and ugly-looking, like any wolf. But we +will teach him to be kind and gentle, John, even as Brutus is." + +And the Hermit was right. The wolf-cub soon became the pet and +plaything of the animal kingdom. With food and care he grew into a +round, roly-poly ball of fur. He played merrily with Brutus and the +kittens. And though at first he was a bit rough, they and John taught +him better ways, so that he kicked and bit his friends no longer. + +As the months went by, they watched him change gradually from cub to +wolf. They were sorry to see him lose his puppy looks and frisky +manners. But what could they do? It is a great pity, but no one has +yet discovered how to make babies of any sort remain babies. Gradually +he lost his roundness. He grew longer and longer, until he was +stretched out into four feet of gaunt yellowish-gray wolf. But still +he remained quiet and gentle with his friends, quick to learn and ready +to obey. + +He was a perfectly good wolf, and he loved John so dearly that he could +scarcely be separated from him. He followed the boy wherever he went, +and lay down beside him when he slept, like any watch-dog. And though +he was so gentle in the animal kingdom, the Hermit knew that it would +go hard with any one who should try to hurt Wolf's little master. + +Yet he and Brutus were the best of friends. The good dog was too noble +to be jealous. + + + + +XV + +THE GREEN STRANGER + +For five happy years John lived with the good Hermit, and became a +sturdy lad of fourteen before anything new happened of great moment to +the animal kingdom. In all this time he had seen no human creature +except the Hermit himself. Their hut was so far in the forest that no +travelers ever passed that way. + +But John was never lonely, for he had the kindest of fathers in the +Hermit, and the happiest of comrades and playmates in the circle of +pets, ever increasing, who gathered about the abode of peace. Brutus +was still his dearest friend. But the wolf was almost as intimate. As +for Bruin, he was never a constant dweller with the colony, but came +and went at will. Sometimes he disappeared for weeks at a time, and +they knew that he was wandering through the forest which stretched for +miles in every direction, pathless and uninhabited. And sometimes they +wondered what adventures the big brother might be enjoying. + +"If only he could tell me!" wished John. But this kind of gossip was +still impossible between them. + +One day John was out in the forest, not far from the Hermit's hut, +cutting wood for the winter, which was near at hand. He was alone, for +a wonder. The wolf had come with him, but had now trotted away into +the forest on business of his own. The bear had disappeared some weeks +before, on one of his pilgrimages. Brutus was at that moment with the +Hermit in the hut; for the dog divided his attentions between the young +friend and the old. + +John had lifted his axe to attack a certain tree when, with a scurry of +little feet, a frightened hare came bounding past him, ears laid back +and eyes bulging with fear. It was so strange to see a startled +creature in this peaceful wood, that John dropped his axe wonderingly. +Then he noted that the birds were chattering nervously overhead, and +his quick ear caught furtive rustlings in the underbrush all around +him. The forest was alive with fears. Presently the wolf came +bounding past, with wild eyes, evidently making for the hut. John +called, but the frightened creature did not pause. + +Very soon John heard over his shoulder an unusual sound. He turned +quickly, and saw a sight which made his heart rise in his throat. + +Across an open glade in the wood his friend the bear was lumbering on +all fours, wild-eyed, with lolling tongue and panting breath. Close +behind him came on foot a young man, several years older than John, +dressed in a suit of green velvet, with a plumed cap. In his hand he +bore a long spear, and he was charging upon the bear with a cruel light +in his eyes. Suddenly Bruin made for a tree, and began to climb, +clutching the bark frantically with his claws. At sight of his prey +about to escape, the stranger gave a loud, fierce cry and dashed +forward, at the same time drawing from behind his shoulder a bow such +as men used in hunting. He fitted an arrow to the string, and was +about to shoot, when John sprang forward with blazing eyes. + +"You shall not shoot!" he cried. "This is a peaceful wood. You shall +not kill my friend the bear." + +[Illustration: You shall not kill my friend the bear.] + +At this unexpected happening, the young man turned with a start and a +snarl, like a dog from whom one would take away his bone. + +"Who are you?" he cried angrily. "How dare you interrupt my sport! Do +you know who I am?" + +"I do not care who you are!" answered John. "You shall not hunt in +these woods, You must go away." + +"Go away!" + +The face of the stranger was white with rage. He turned from the tree +in which the bear had now found a place of safety behind a crotch, and +pointed his arrow at John. The lad saw his danger. Even as the +stranger drew the arrow to its head John leaped forward; before the +other knew what was happening, John seized him in his arms and with a +mighty effort wrenched away the weapon. It was wonderful how easily he +mastered this fellow, who was some inches taller than himself. + +Beside himself with rage, the stranger grappled with John, and then +began a wrestling match strange to see. If the bear up in the tree +knew what it all meant, he must have been very much excited. + +The two lads clinched, swayed, and finally fell to the ground, rolling +over and over. The stranger pummeled and kicked, scratched and bit. +John merely defended himself, holding his enemy firmly and trying to +keep him under. It was easy to see that he was the stronger of the +two. Presently the young man began to weaken, and at last John felt +the stranger's body grow limp in his clutch. He felt a thrill of +triumph such as the Hermit certainly had never taught him. But +suddenly, remembering the duty of a noble foe, he rose to his feet, +leaving the stranger lying where he was. + +He was not badly hurt. Presently he also rose, sullenly, and pulled on +his cap which had fallen off. John had taken possession of his spear +and bow. He now gravely handed an arrow to the young man. + +"You may keep that," he said politely. "I think you can do no harm +with that." + +The stranger turned crimson, and his face was wicked to see. + +"You shall pay for this!" he spluttered, with sobs in his voice. "No +one can injure me without danger. You shall--" + +At this moment, not far away in the direction of the Hermit's hut, a +horn sounded. Once, twice, thrice, it blew vigorously, as if giving a +command. Both John and the stranger started. + +"I must go!" muttered the latter to himself. "Needs must at that +call." And without another word or glance at John, he ran to his +horse, which was tethered close by, and was soon galloping away in the +direction of the bugle-call. + +Trembling with excitement and with alarm at this coming of strangers to +the forest which so long had been at peace, John hurried back to the +hut. But Bruin remained safe in his tree. + +He seemed to have no wish to come down And learn what all these strange +doings meant. + + + + +XVI + +THE HUNT + +John found the Hermit sitting as usual beside the door of his hut, +reading his book. He was surrounded by his family of pets. Brutus +bounded to meet John, but the boy was too excited to give him the usual +caress. + +"Father!" he cried, "have you heard or seen nothing? There are +strangers in the forest, wicked strangers who hunt our friends the +beasts. I have but now come from such a terrible scene!" + +He covered his face with his hands. The Hermit started to his feet. + +"What has happened?" he quavered. "Just now the wolf came leaping into +the hut; but I feared nothing. Your clothes are torn. Your face is +bloody. Who has been hurting you, my son?" + +But before John could answer came again the call of a bugle, this time +very near, "_Tara_! _Tara_! _Tara_!" + +"Huntsmen!" cried the Hermit. "Send Brutus into the hut." John drove +the dog inside, and some of the house-pets with him. Already the +others had taken alarm at the threatening noise and were scattering in +every direction. + +Nearer and nearer came the sound of galloping hoofs, the baying of +hounds, the shouts of many men. John and the Hermit stood with pale +faces, waiting. + +Suddenly into the clearing bounded a frightened deer,--a slender +dappled creature with brown eyes. Straight to the Hermit she ran, and +dropped panting at his feet. + +"It is our doe!" cried John, his face turning whiter. "O father! They +are hunting her!" + +The old man said nothing, but stooped and threw his mantle over the +trembling creature. Hardly had he done so when the hounds burst into +the clearing, barking fiercely, rushing towards the spot where the deer +lay. + +The Hermit raised his staff and stepped forward with a quick word. +Instantly the dogs paused, cringing. They snarled and snapped their +teeth, but made no motion to draw nearer. There was another loud +bugle-blast, and a group of horsemen burst into the open space. + +"Hola! Hola! The stand!" cried the foremost rider, flourishing his +sword. The others clustered about this leader. He was a tall, oldish +man, red-faced and fierce-eyed. Like the stranger whom John had met, +he was magnificently dressed in green velvet, with a gold chain about +his neck, and a star blazing on his breast. He wore also a green cap +bound with a gold band, from which a golden feather drooped to his +shoulder. The gloves which he wore, the baldric of his bugle, and the +hilt of the sword which he brandished aloft, glittered with jewels. + +When he spied the Hermit standing with upraised staff over the deer, +while the dogs cowered at his feet, he drew up his horse and gave a +shout of wonder. Then once more there was a moment of intense silence +in that spot whose quiet had been broken by such a din. Thereafter the +splendid leader of the hunt spoke in a brutal voice. + +"Ho! Who are you who interrupt our hunt and stand between us and our +quarry? Stand aside, old man, whoever you are. This is no place for +you. The deer is ours." He flourished his jeweled sword eagerly. + +"I shall not stand aside," said the Hermit. "This doe is mine, my +friend and companion. Her milk has nourished me many a day, and she +shall not die in this place which is my home." + +"Shall not die?" cried the huntsman hoarsely. "Do you know to whom you +speak?" + +"I can guess," said the Hermit quietly. "From his cruelty and his free +speech I judge it must be he who calls himself king of the realm beyond +this forest." + +"King of this forest and lord of all that dwell therein," shouted the +huntsman ferociously. "And who are you who dare oppose me?" + +"I am a hermit," said the old man simply. "My service is to God, whom +you dishonor. My friends are the creatures whom you hunt. My study is +to save life, which you would destroy. Depart, and leave in peace this +place where life is sacred." + +"Depart!" roared the King, while his nobles crowded around him, +murmuring and bending threatening looks upon the Hermit and the lad. +"Not till yonder animal is slain. Ho, have at her!" + +With prick of spur he urged his horse forward. But quick as thought +the Hermit with his staff drew a circle around himself and John and the +doe, which still lay panting at his feet, wrapped in the gray mantle. + +"Dare not to cross this line!" he cried. "This ground is holy. Years +ago in the Father's name I consecrated it. 'Tis holy as any cathedral, +and 'tis sanctuary for man and beast. Hear what the Lord says to you: +'They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.'" + +The Hermit raised his hand and spoke a word to the horses that were +being urged forward. With a shrill whinny they rose on their hind +legs, pawing the air, and refused to advance. + +"What witchcraft is this!" cried the King, spurring his steed cruelly. +But the animal, like the dogs, obeyed the Hermit's will rather than the +King's. + +"No witchcraft," said the Hermit, still guarding the deer with his +upraised staff. "It is the Lord's will. You, who have ever disobeyed +His holy word, perhaps know not how dear to Him were the birds and +beasts. His first companions. His childhood friends. And to this +day, for He Himself hath said it, not a sparrow falleth without His +knowledge and pity. O wicked man! How then can you delight to kill?" + +The King gazed at the Hermit like one in a dream. "How dare you say +such things to me, your King?" he said at last. + +"You are no king of mine, thank God!" said the Hermit. "I am an exile. +I am of no land. This forest is my domain, my animal kingdom. Depart, +I beg, without more bloodshed. O King, already in time past the hunt +has cost you dear. Will you not take heed lest the Lord punish you +further for your sins?" + +The King turned pale. "This is certainly witchcraft!" he muttered. +"What know you of the past?" he cried, almost as if against his will. + +"I know much," said the Hermit calmly. "I know that hunting cost the +life of your eldest son. Will you not heed that warning, lest more ill +befall?" + +There was a stir among the nobles, and John saw the young man with whom +he had wrestled a short time before spur his horse forward to the +King's side. His face was black and angry. + +"Sire--father," he said. "Will you not end this parley and slay them +all? I would have a hand in it for the sake of that young cub there!" +and he shook his fist toward John. But more he did not say; perhaps he +was ashamed to tell how the wood-boy had got the best of him. + +"Ay," said the Hermit, pointing a finger at him and shaking it sadly. +"The second son follows in the footsteps of his brother, and like his +father is cruel, bloodthirsty, revengeful. Beware, O King! Beware, +King's son! For happiness was never yet distilled from innocent blood, +nor life from death." + +The King shuddered, as all could see. "I hunt," he said,--and it was +strange to see how he was almost apologetic,--"I hunt all animals +mercilessly, because through them the Prince my son was slain. I will +hunt them out of my kingdom, until not one remains. I will slay them +until the ground is soaked with their blood! Not an animal, save such +as are of use, shall exist in all my land. I will have no pets--no +singing birds. I hate them all!" + +"Ay," said the Hermit, shaking his head sadly, "you hate them all! But +I love them all. And here they come to me. 'The sparrow hath found a +house and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young.' I will +protect them with my life. You dare not kill me, O King! Godless +though you are, once you were a Christian, and you know the meaning of +the words I spoke when I said that this was holy ground." + +He drew from his bosom the iron Cross which he wore, and held it up +before the King. + +The monarch shrank back and seemed to hesitate. Suddenly he wheeled +his horse and blew a blast upon his bugle. "Back!" he cried somewhat +bitterly. "We will not linger here for a paltry doe. Let us leave +this cursed wood and this crusty hermit. Back to our own demesne, +where we shall find sport enough, I dare say." + +Once more he blew his horn and bounded forward out of the clearing; the +nobles after him, and the cowed, disappointed dogs trailing at the rear +with tails between their legs. John could not help feeling sorry for +them. Poor things! They at least knew no better. + +John was just stooping to pet the frightened deer, when an arrow +whizzed over his shoulder and struck the creature in the haunch. The +poor animal gave a cry of pain, and blood dyed the gray mantle of the +Hermit, the first blood shed in that place of peace. + +With a shout of anger John leaped up and looked over his shoulder. A +familiar wicked face grinned back at him, as a horse and rider galloped +into the forest. The King's son had skulked behind to shoot that shaft. + +"My son!" cried the Hermit, laying trembling hands on John's shoulder. +"It was meant for you. You would have died had you not stooped at that +moment to caress the doe." + +"Poor doe!" said John, kneeling beside her and busying himself with the +arrow. "You have saved my life. Now we must save yours. My father, I +think she is not badly hurt." + +And he began to stanch the blood and bind up the wound with the skill +which the Hermit had taught him. + +But the old man stood for a long time gazing into the forest after the +party of huntsmen. "A murderer and a coward," he said. "In sanctuary +he has shed innocent blood. For many evil deeds the price will surely +be paid. And the price is heavy." + + + + +XVII + +THE MESSENGER + +The little deer was not greatly hurt by the cowardly hunter. John and +the Hermit nursed her tenderly, and so great was their knowledge of +healing balms that she was soon nibbling the grass about their +dooryard, as sprightly as ever, save for a slight lameness in one leg. + +Bruin was with them once more, a constant guest in the little circle. +The fright of that day when the hunters came to the forest had affected +all the animals, who clung closely to their two human friends, and did +not venture far from the hut. + +Although John and the Hermit had never spoken together of the King +since that terrible day, the boy thought often about him, and about the +young Prince with whom he had wrestled for the life of the bear. And +John was troubled by many things. He thought how great must be the +suffering among the helpless animals when men so cruel were in power. +If animals were treated so, how must the poor and lowly people fare at +the hands of their lords and masters? Were the mighty so cruel to one +another,--to children and women and aged people? All these were weak +and helpless, too. John remembered the Hermit's tales of war and the +wickedness of cities, and his heart grew sick. What a terrible world +this was to live in, if the great and powerful were so bad! + +But when John was most unhappy, longing to change it all, he would look +around the little hut where, surrounded by his animal friends, the dear +old Hermit sat under the wooden Cross, reading out of the great book. +Then John grew happy once more. For the Hermit had taught him well +from that holy volume. + +"It will all come right some time," he said to himself. "Some day the +Lord will teach men better, and all will be peace and love as it is +here. But oh! If only I were big and strong and powerful, so that I +could help to hasten that happy day!" + +One evening, several weeks later, they sat as usual in the midst of +their circle of pets. The Hermit, with the raven on his shoulder and +the cat on his knee, was reading from the book. John, on a bench by +the window, was using the last light of an autumn day to make a basket +for gathering herbs. The gaunt wolf lay at his feet. Beside him +rested the bear, snuffling in his sleep; and stretched out between him +and the Hermit, Brutus snored peacefully. On John's shoulders roosted +their carrier pigeon, and several kittens played about his legs. The +deer lay on a pallet in the corner. It was a very peaceful scene, and +every one seemed to have forgotten the fright of a month before. + +Suddenly John said: "Father, tell me about the King." + +The old man started, and placing a finger in the book to mark the +place, looked at John with surprise. "Why should we speak of him?" he +asked uneasily. "This is the hour of peace and meditation on pleasant +things." + +"I have thought about him so much," said John. "I cannot tell why, but +I am unable to forget him. I want to know more of him and of his son." + +The old man shook his head. "I am sorry," he said. "Did you care so +much for his gorgeous clothes and jewels, his horse and band of +followers? Have they turned your head, foolish boy? Did you find +anything to admire in their talk and manner and looks? I am +disappointed, John!" + +"Nay, I did not admire anything about them," John hastened to say. "I +saw that the King was cruel. I believe well that he was also wicked. +But he seemed to have friends. How can a bad man have friends? And +why do the people allow him to be their king?" + +"Ah, John!" cried the Hermit, "it is not so easy to find a good king! +Perhaps his people do not care; perhaps they know no better. Perhaps +he is so powerful that they have no choice but to obey him." + +"Is the King so wicked?" asked John, wondering how the Hermit knew so +much. "What has he done that is bad?" + +The old man hesitated; then he turned to John with a gesture that the +boy did not understand. + +"Listen, John," he said. "I will tell you some things that this King +has done. It is well that you should know. Years ago, before you were +born, he was not the lawful king in this Country. The true king was +his brother Cyril, who was good and kind, ruling wisely and well. But +suddenly he died. Those in his service guessed that his brother +Robert, this present King, had caused his death by poison. So Robert +became king. A stormy time he had of it, at first; for the whole land +loved King Cyril. Many accused Robert, and refused to do him +honor,--especially one holy man, John, King Cyril's friend and +physician. Yes, my son, he bore the same blessed name as yourself. +This man the people loved dearly, for he was wise and generous with his +wisdom. He healed them freely of their hurts. He went about the +country doing good, bringing love and good cheer wherever he went. He +was honored almost as a saint. But because he dared lift his voice +against the King--he died. No one knew how it happened. At the same +time his little son disappeared; men believed that he also was slain by +the cruel King. The people were furious; they stormed and threatened. +But alas! gradually the voices of their leaders were silenced. Some +died suddenly, as John had done. Some disappeared. Some were banished +from the kingdom. Some went away, broken-hearted; who knows where they +may be now?" + +"Oh, how could the people forget their King and the holy man who had +been good to them?" cried John. "How could they allow that bad man to +be their king?" + +"The people?" said the Hermit sadly. "The people so soon forget! Do +you not recall how, ages ago, the people treated the best Man who ever +lived? These folk dared not seem to remember. They were selfish and +lazy. The new King was rich and powerful. They found it easier to +grumble and do nothing else. And when the King said, 'Hunt!' they +hunted. When he commanded, 'Hate all animals; have no pets!' they +obeyed him. But it is a gloomy land, a sad land, of which Robert is +king!" + +"Oh!" said John, "how do you know so much, my father?" + +"Do not ask," said the Hermit. "One day I will tell you, but not now." + +"Oh, he is a wicked King, who ought to die!" burst out John, throwing +up his arm angrily. "Would I were a man, and I would go kill him. But +I will do it when I am grown!" + +At his rough tones and gestures the birds fluttered away, frightened, +and the animals slunk into the corners, trembling. The peace of the +little hut was rudely disturbed. + +"Nay, my son, nay!" cried the old man in horror. "Say not such wicked +words! See how you frighten our peaceful friends. What have I tried +to teach you? It is not yours to avenge. The Lord himself will punish +as he sees best. Perhaps even now he chastens that wicked heart. +Already the King has lost his dearest, oldest son. He was killed five +years ago while hunting a wild boar in the forest. But now--" + +At this moment there was a loud knock on the door of the hut. The +Hermit and John started and looked at each other in wonder. When had +such a thing happened before! Brutus and the wolf arose, bristling. +The bear growled savagely. The raven gave a screech of fear and +burrowed under John's cot. There was a moment's pause. Then the +Hermit, crossing himself, called loudly,-- + +"Enter, if your errand be peace. Enter, in the name of the Lord." + +Quickly the latch clicked and the door flew open. Into the midst of +the startled group stumbled a man, breathless and covered with dust +from head to foot. His hat was gone. His hair was disheveled, and his +eyes bloodshot. + +"Hasten!" he cried, turning to the Hermit. "You are the man I +seek,--you, skilled in herbs and healing. The King sends for you." + +[Illustration: The King sends for you.] + +"The King!" The Hermit and John spoke the word together, staring wildly. + +"Yes, the King," repeated the man. "I have killed my horse to get +here. He fell in the forest yonder, even as I spied the light from +your window. There is no time to be lost. We must go on foot to the +nearest town, where horses may be had. Hasten, old man, and bring your +herbs and balsams." + +"But whither? And for what purpose?" asked the Hermit, still standing +with one trembling hand on the holy book. + +"The King's son is wounded," cried the messenger. "Five days ago he +was hunting the deer, and an arrow, glancing falsely, pierced his +breast. He was grievously hurt. Even now he may be dying. Why do we +waste words? The physicians have done their best, but they have given +him up at last. The King raved; he was beyond reason. Suddenly, in +his madness he spoke of you, the wizard of this forest. He recalled +that day when you cursed him for the sake of your brute creatures. He +vowed it was all enchantment. 'Send for the wizard!' he cried. 'Let +him cure my son. He dare not refuse, for he claims to be a servant of +God.'" + +The Hermit was trembling now with emotion. "It is the Lord's will!" he +said. "He was wounded while hunting an innocent beast. On the +strength and speed of another beast hung his chance for life. And now, +only with the aid of another can we reach him in time.--Nay, upon a +fourth we must rely to find our way out of the forest. Brutus only can +help us. But let us hasten. Come, my friend! Back to the city once +more." Calling to the dog, he began to make hurried preparations for +departure. + +John ran to him. "Do not go to the wicked man!" he whispered. "They +may kill you. Oh, what should I do then?" + +The Hermit shook his head. "I must go," he said. "It is written, 'Do +good to them that hate you.' There is no question of my duty." + +"Oh, let me then go with you, father," pleaded John. + +The Hermit laid his hand on the boy's head, and looked at him tenderly. +"The time is not yet ripe, my son," he said. "Who knows what all this +may mean? Wait a little longer. Stay and care for our little friends. +From the nearest village I will send Brutus back to you. You will not +be lonely, with your work and play as usual. Do not neglect either. +Adieu, my dear son!" And he blessed John. + +Embracing the boy and bidding farewell to the other friends, the Hermit +took his staff and bag of simples, and wrapped his cloak about him. "I +trust you, John," he said at the door. "Be patient, obedient, and +wise." Then in the folds of his cloak he took the carrier pigeon. "I +will send you word by our friend, if need be," he said, as he went out +into the darkness. + +Brutus and the messenger followed him closely. The door banged behind +them, and John was alone with the circle of frightened, cowering +creatures. He threw himself on his knees before the Hermit's table, +and laying his head on the book, began to weep, he scarcely knew why. + + + + +XVIII + +THE CARRIER PIGEON + +A evening of the next day, just as John had finished his simple supper, +he heard a scratching at the door. It was Brutus, returning footsore +and weary. Tied to his collar John found a message from the Hermit. + +"Be of good cheer," it read. "We mount excellent steeds to ride to the +King. If by God's help I may save the young man's life, I will return +to you speedily thereafter. If it be the Lord's will that other things +befall, I will send the carrier pigeon with news. Bear a good heart, +my son. Keep to your studies, your exercise, and your devotions as if +I were with you. So when I return I shall find you a little stronger, +wiser, a better champion of the good. Farewell!" + +John read this letter eagerly, and set himself to obey the master's +wishes. But now the days seemed long indeed. In spite of the many +friends who shared the hut with him, John felt very lonely, and longed +for the dear old man's return. But now he had something more to think +of: the good King Cyril and the holy man, his friend, who had borne the +name of John. And he longed to be some day a man like that. + +The Hermit had been gone for nearly a week. One day John was sitting +by the door of the hut, busy with his studies, when he heard a _whir_ +in the air overhead. Glancing up, he saw the flash of snowy wings, and +presently the carrier pigeon came fluttering down to his shoulder. + +"Ah, my dear bird!" cried John, tenderly taking the creature in his +hands and lifting it to peck at his lips as it always loved to do. +"You have come to me safely from far away. You have come from the +place where my dear father is. Have you brought me word from him?" + +With a soft coo the pigeon nestled closer in John's arms. Reaching +under its wing, he found a scroll of writing tied there securely with a +silken cord. + +"A letter from my father!" he cried, untying it eagerly. + +It was indeed a long letter in the good man's clear script. It told of +their safe arrival, after a hard journey through the night; of their +reception by the King. They had come almost too late. But when they +arrived the Prince was still breathing. They were ushered into his +chamber, where he lay white and still. No one could rouse him to life +or consciousness. By his bedside sat the King, his face like a +mountain-top wrapped in clouds. + +"Save my son!" he had cried when he saw the Hermit. "Save my son, +sorcerer, and I will give you whatever your heart craves." + +"I am no sorcerer," the Hermit had answered. "I am God's servant, with +some skill in healing, because I have studied the work of His hands and +the uses of His gifts. If it be His will, I may save the young man. +If otherwise, we may not hope to prevail." + +"Oh, he must not die!" cried the King. "You foretold it, I remember, +in the forest. But think--he is my only son. He must be king after +me. He must live!" + +"Other sons have died," said the Hermit solemnly. "Other princes have +not lived to reign. And what of them?" + +The King shuddered. "Save my son!" he repeated. "Only save this boy, +and I will do whatever you ask." + +"Then" (said the Hermit's letter) "I did my best. I bathed the youth's +wound with my healing balsam. I gave him soothing draughts to drink. +I sat by his bedside and prayed that the Lord's will might be done +through me. And then came a change. A faint color blossomed in his +cheeks. His lips trembled; his eyes opened and he looked at me. Then +he sighed and closed his eyes. What he thought I know not. But he had +paused in his march towards death. From that day he mended. The +Prince's wound is now healed. The King's gratitude knew no bounds. He +promised me rewards beyond belief,--which, as you know, mean naught to +me. + +"But, John, a strange thing has befallen. The Prince should now be +well upon the road to health. He should be gaining strength every day. +There seems no reason otherwise. But such happens not. He lies +passive and dazed. He seems not to care whether he lives or dies. He +never speaks nor smiles, only looks sometimes at me as if he wanted to +ask me something. The doctors say that he is slowly dying. + +"And now, John," concluded the Hermit's letter, "now comes the reason +for these long, tedious words to you. I have done my utmost, but I am +powerless. Will you come? Will you try what your own skill and youth +may do? It may be your mission in life to save this lad who tried to +kill you. I know that if he could but once smile, he would get well. +Therein lies your power. Come, as quickly as you may. Bring with you +our animal friends who cannot be left behind. Brutus will lead you to +the village, and thence you must find your way to the Capital. And one +word more: if you find yourself in trouble or need, show the silver +talisman which you wear about your neck, and I think all will be well. +Remember my teachings, John, and come as soon as may be." + +When John had finished the letter, he stood for a moment quite dazed. +He was to leave this place where all was peace and happiness, and go +back among men whom he feared! He was to go to the very King whose +name he shuddered to remember,--the King who had killed his brother and +that holy man John with his little son! He was to do all this for the +sake of the enemy who had hunted the bear, who had injured the gentle +deer, who had aimed to take John's own life! He grew sick at the +thought. Yet,--it was the Hermit himself who summoned him. And he +remembered the good man's teachings. + +"How I can help I know not," sighed John, "but I must go!" He laid his +head upon the feathers of the carrier pigeon and shed some bitter +tears. Then, placing the bird gently on the tree beside him, he +straightened himself bravely. "I will go!" he said. "I will go +joyfully, as one should who hopes to be worthy to bear the name of +John." + +Just then Brutus came sauntering from the hut, shaking himself lazily +after his nap. + +"Ho, Brutus!" called John, snapping his fingers. "Shall we go on a +journey together, you and I? Shall we take these little friends on a +wonderful pilgrimage? And will you be my guide, as you were once +before, good Brutus?" + +The dog seemed to understand. He pricked up his ears, and leaped up to +John's shoulders with a joyous bark. Then, rushing to the edge of the +wood, he looked back, inviting John to follow. + +"Oh, let us be off!" he seemed to say. "I have been longing to go to +our dear master. Let us hasten, little brother!" + +"Not so fast!" said John. "We have first to gather our provisions and +make ready our company of pilgrims. I must take all the food I can. +For I dare not trust wholly to the silver Cross. What could my father +mean by that?" + +Still wondering, John set about his preparations. They did not take +long. There was neither lock nor bolt on the door of the Hermit's hut, +nor aught of value to hide. When John's basket was packed with simple +food, and the animals were gathered about him outside in the little +clearing, he rolled a stone against the door, and they were ready to go. + + + + +XIX + +THE JOURNEY + +A strange company they were, these citizens of the Animal Kingdom +traveling to town! Foremost went Brutus, leading the way and feeling +very important with a bundle bound upon his strong back. Gray and +gaunt, the wolf trotted along at his side, like another dog. Next came +John, with a knapsack on his shoulders, in which three little kittens +slumbered beside the provisions for their journey; there were always +new kittens in the Animal Kingdom. On his shoulder perched the raven, +and by a rope he led the bear, whom he felt safer to have close by his +side. Sometimes the bear trotted on all fours. Sometimes he walked +upright like a big brown man, towering over John's head. Now before +and now behind them went Blanche the cat, pretending as cats do that +she was neither following nor leading, but traveling quite +independently of them all. Frequently she disappeared into the bushes +or up a tree, but soon came scampering past, when she would stop to +make a hasty toilet. Overhead fluttered from tree to tree the carrier +pigeon and the other birds, who were John's pets and bound to follow +wherever he went. + +The deer and her fawn went part way with them, and the little rabbits +hopped a staccato accompaniment for some time. But John did not urge +them to follow. He knew they were better off in the forest, where they +could take care of themselves. + +All day they fared on the uneven path by which, nose to earth, Brutus +led them. And at last, weary and spent, they came to the little +village where the Hermit had taken horse for the longer journey. + +John paused at the first house in the village and knocked at the gate. +A burly fellow came to the door. + +"Hello!" he cried. Starting back when he saw the strange group +gathered in his dooryard. "What means all this?" + +[Illustration: A strange company.] + +"If you please," said John politely, "we go upon a Journey to the King, +and we seek shelter. Will you let us sleep in your stable, friend?" + +"Sleep in my stable!" muttered the man, "a beggar with a band of outlaw +animals! A wolf and a bear! No, indeed. I have too much respect for +the safety of my cattle and for the King's laws." + +He was about to shut the door in John's face. But the lad had a sudden +thought. He would try at this first place the value of the Hermit's +hint. + +"Stay," he said, "one moment, friend." Fumbling in his breast, he drew +out the silver medal which he wore about his neck. "I was to show +this--" he began. + +But he saw the man start, and, shading his lantern with his hands, peer +more closely at the object. Then he stared at John's face with wonder. + +"In God's name!" exclaimed the man, "who are you who travel with this +strange company?" + +John looked almost as surprised as he. "A poor pilgrim, on the King's +errand," he said. "We ask only a corner of your stable with a bed of +straw to lie on. Give us shelter, kind friend, and to-morrow speed us +on our way." + +The man still stared at John as though he saw a fairy. But now he +threw the door wide open. "Enter," he said. "I cannot refuse you. +Enter my house. You shall have a bed and supper, fair boy; but what of +these?" and he turned troubled eyes upon the animals. + +"Nay," said John simply, "I ask no better bed than theirs, my fellow +pilgrims. Thank you for your hospitality, kind friend. May we all +sleep in your stable? My animals are quite safe company. They will +hurt nothing that hurts not me." + +John smiled then in his happy, trustful way, and the face of the man +looking into his brightened as if by reflection. His coarse mouth +broadened into a smile. + +"They shall sleep soundly in the hay," said he kindly, "though it be +against the law. I will risk even the bear and the wolf for the sake +of that you wear about your neck. But the stable and the company of +beasts are not fit for the like of you. That I know, though you be in +rags. Come into the house, young stranger." + +"Have you forgotten," said John gently, "how once a stable sheltered +the greatest King of all among the humblest beasts? I have often had +worse beds than a pile of sweet straw. I shall be happy enough among +my friends." + +The man hung his head for a moment, then raised it and looked at John +strangely. + +"I _had_ forgotten," he said. "Who are you? Who are you who talk so +wisely, and who wear that silver Cross upon you?" + +"I am John, the Hermit's pupil, and I am very tired," was the answer. +"May we not rest now? To-morrow perhaps we will show you some pretty +tricks to pay for our night's lodging." + +"_John_," mused the man, "that is a good name! I want no pay from any +one who bears that name." And still eyeing John strangely, he led the +way to the stable door. + +He bade them good-night; and thereupon the straw the two-footed and +four-footed pilgrims rested peacefully together, nestled in a warm mass +of fur and feathers, flaxen hair, and woolen rags. + +In the morning the farmer brought them food, and his family came with +him to see the strange visitors. For so many animals had never before +been seen together in that country. John put Bruin and Brutus through +their tricks, and the children clapped their hands joyously at the +sight. Then John himself tumbled and danced for them, and they were in +an ecstasy. + +At the end of the performance they clung about the boy's neck and flung +themselves upon the animals, declaring that they must not go away, and +begging them to stay forever. + +But John shook his head, smiling. "I must be off," he said. "I must +do the King's errand." + +And so they went upon their way, the children watching them wistfully +out of sight. But the farmer went with them some little distance to +point out the road; and when he left them he spoke a last word of +warning. + +"The King has no love of animals," he said. "There are none in all the +kingdom save those for use and those he hunts to kill. There are no +pets nor playmates for the children; no birds even in his forests. +Beware his wrath, my lad, when he has word of your caravan." + +"I am going to the King," said John simply. "We go to save the life of +his son." + +The farmer stared again at John with a strange expression. "You, to +save his life!" he muttered. "I cannot understand it all!" And he +passed his hand over his forehead. + +"I have some skill at healing. Farewell!" cried John gaily. "We shall +be safe, I know." + +"Ay, with that silver thing on your neck," said the man to himself, +shading his eyes to watch them out of sight. "John; the Hermit's +pupil; a boy with the knowledge of healing, and a smile,--Saint +Francis! What a smile! He is like our holy John come back again as a +child. Who can he be?" And he crossed himself devoutly as he went +back to his work. + +But John and his friends went sturdily upon their way. Up and down +hills they traveled; along dusty roads; through lonely stretches of +moor and plain. They caused great excitement in the villages through +which they passed. It was years since the townsfolk had seen a dancing +bear; years even since they had enjoyed the frolics of a cat and +kittens. The raven was a source of delight. The birds that followed +overhead and came at John's call, perching on his arms and shoulders, +filled the children with envy. The wolf looked so fierce that they +were afraid of him; but his brother Brutus was petted in a way to spoil +any ordinary dog. Yet he kept his temper and his poise, and endured +their homage meekly. + +Often, in the country through which they passed, John found sick +persons to whom he could bring relief, and gladly he used the knowledge +which the Hermit had taught him. It seemed that there were few in that +land who had the skill of healing, and many of the sick had long +suffered for lack of the simple remedies which John had often used for +his pets. He saved several lives. Oh! that was joy for John! The +people were very grateful, and would have paid him anything he wished. +But all he asked was food or shelter for himself and his friends. Then +they spoke his name softly and kissed his hands, which made John laugh. + +John found it easy enough to earn all the food he needed in the +villages. Remembering his mountebank days, he had but to hold a little +performance in the public square. Every one would hurry to see Bruin +do his tricks and John himself turn somersaults and walk on his hands; +after which the bear would dance and pass the hat, into which the +pennies rained generously. + +But it was harder to find lodgings for the night. Knowing the King's +hatred for animals, men feared to shelter this caravan. Only when John +would pull from his breast the talisman of silver would they soften and +yield to his wishes, wondering and almost worshiping, as the farmer had +done on that first day. John himself was the most wondering of them +all. For he saw no reason why the silver Cross should have such power. +Sometimes he wondered if it was bewitched; but he knew the good Hermit +would not have bade him rely on magic. Yet it made him almost afraid, +so that he used this power only when he had to for the sake of the +weary animals. He himself was welcome everywhere,--perhaps for the +sake of his yellow hair and blue eyes, which were a wonder in that +country; but more likely for the smiling ways and cheerful speech of +him, that made his passing through that gloomy land like the passage of +a sunbeam through thick clouds; and blessings followed after him. + +And so, after six days of travel, they came at last to the King's city. + + + + +XX + +THE ARRIVAL + +About sundown John with his train came to the gates of the city where +the King lived. They were all very hungry, dusty, and tired. + +A watchman on the wall, with telescope to his eye, had spied them afar +off. + +"Hello!" he cried. "What is this coming down the highroad? It seems a +small caravan, creeping and writhing like a caterpillar. The head of +it seems human. But, by my faith! the rest of it is like nothing I +have seen for many years! What ho! Let us be on guard. It may be an +enemy of the King." + +The warders ran to arms. And so it happened that a crowd of them were +gaping at the entrance when John and his companions came up. + +The lad was almost exhausted. But when he saw the way barred by a band +of frowning armed men, he doffed his cap and smiled his own peculiar +smile. + +"Good-evening, friends," he said. "We have been long in reaching your +city. We are glad to be at the gates at last." + +"Who are you?" asked the Captain gruffly, stepping forward and barring +the way, while his companions gazed in amazement at the wolf and the +bear who were huddled at John's side. + +"I come on an errand to the King," said John. "Please guide me to him +quickly, for it is an urgent matter." + +"To the King!" sneered the Captain; and the warders echoed his laugh. +"No one goes to the King in such company as you bring. You must know +that. They are outlaws, all,--and you too, I dare say!" + +"I know not. But I must see the King, and that quickly," said John. +"I come with these friends to heal the King's son, if I can." + +"Ha! More sorcery!" interrupted the Captain. "No, you shall not enter +here. The King allows no animals in his domain. How you have brought +them so far I cannot guess!" + +"Well, I bear this," said John, drawing out the silver talisman. + +The men bent forward to look at it, then fell back, staring at one +another with astonished faces. + +"Who is he?" they whispered among themselves. "What shall we do?" + +"Let me pass, good friends," begged John, looking up in their faces +with his simple smile. "I will promise to do no harm. Among friends +my friends are quite harmless. But tell me, I pray you, where I may +find the good Hermit who healed the Prince's wound? I come at his +bidding." + +At these words the guards pulled themselves together and exchanged +looks. They began to swagger. + +"Ah, is it so?" growled the Captain. "You are a friend of the wizard +himself. We must let the King know of this. Yes, you shall enter. +Here! Take him captive! Off with him to the prison." + +"To prison!" cried John in amazement. "For what ill deed, I pray?" + +But already the guards were pressing forward upon him. At the sight of +their threatening looks Brutus ran in front of John and began to growl +warningly, crouching ready to spring upon the first who should lay +hands on the boy. The wolf bristled and showed his fangs. And the +bear, rising on his hind legs, growled and blinked his little red eyes +so terribly that the men fell back. John was protected by powerful +friends. The other animals shrank close to him, and the raven began to +scream. + +[Illustration: John was protected by powerful friends.] + +"Have a care!" warned John. "My friends are armed with sharp teeth and +claws, and they will not readily let a stranger touch me." + +"He is a wizard!" muttered the soldiers; but they shrank back, afraid +to touch him. + +"Why do you treat me thus?" asked John wistfully. + +"Because you say you are a friend to that vile magician of the woods, +by whose arts the Prince was wounded, they say, and who yet holds him +at death's door." So spoke the Captain of the guards. "The Prince +still lives. But when he passes, the King has decreed that the wizard +shall die the death. You come in time to share it, if you be his +pupil!" + +"Oh, hasten, hasten!" cried John, clasping his hands. "Please take me +to him! Perhaps I may yet save the good old man. If it is not too +late, perhaps I can also save the Prince." + +"Ay, we will take you to him fast enough, if you will call off your +growling beasts," said the Captain. + +"Nay, we must all go together," answered John, who saw how they meant +to trap him. "Oh, come, let us be moving, for there is no time to +lose!" + +Grumbling, but afraid either to delay or to venture near John, the +guards formed in a hollow square about him and his pets, and they all +began to march in a strange company through the city streets to the +palace. + +A crowd gathered as they passed. Men, women, and children craned their +necks to look at this group of animals, such as had not been seen in +the city for years. They gazed, too, at the handsome yellow-haired +boy, and whispered among themselves, "Who is he? What has he done?" + +John noticed that the faces of the people who gazed at him were set and +hard. They seemed sad and hopeless. He pitied them. "It is a kingdom +without love," he said to himself. + +Yet, as they looked, their faces changed. A new something came into +their eyes. A whispering went around among the crowd, increasing to a +murmur, like the sound of bees. + +They came at last to the palace, where the crowd was forced to pause. +But, surrounded by the band of soldiers, John and his party went in and +on, led by the Captain himself, at whose word or gesture doors flew +open and servants bowed. + +Through long, glittering halls, lined with mirrors in which their rags +and dust, draggled feathers and matted hair showed pitifully, limped +John and his weary friends. Up a grand marble staircase, with +wondering footmen lining either side, pattered on muddy feet Brutus and +his gray brother, and the bear, clumsily erect at John's side. Behind +mewed the tired Blanche, whose kittens John carried in his arms, while +the carrier pigeon and the raven perched on his shoulder. But the +other birds had remained outside in the trees of the palace garden. + + + + +XXI + +THE PALACE + +At last they came to a great hall, full of people who seemed met for +some solemn purpose. At the door stood the Grand Chamberlain in lace +and velvet, holding in one hand his staff, and in the other an +hourglass at which he was gazing earnestly. + +"What is this?" he said sternly, as the Captain approached with his +prisoners. "Do you not know that this is a moment of life and death?" + +In a few whispered words the Captain explained matters. + +The Chamberlain stared sullenly at John. "No more wizardry!" he said +at last. "We have had enough of that. The King has just passed +judgment on the sorcerer. In five minutes he is to die. The doctors +declare this to be the only hope for the Prince's life." + +"Oh, let me see him! Let me see my good father!" begged John, clasping +his hands piteously. "I may yet save his life, I and these friends." + +As he said this, John had a sudden thought. He fumbled in his bosom +for the silver Cross, and held it out with trembling hands so that the +Chamberlain could see it. + +The man started back, turning pale and letting fall his staff of +office. "What does this mean?" he cried, "Who is this lad? How came +he by this token?" + +Once more the Captain whispered to him. The Chamberlain looked wildly +at John, then at the hourglass, in which the last grains of sand had +sifted down. + +"The time has come," he said; "the fatal moment is here! I should give +the signal for which the executioners wait. But something holds me +back. In Heaven's name, what does it all mean? Is it sorcery or--" + +"It is the Lord's will," said John quietly. "Oh, pray, let me see the +King." + +"I do not understand," muttered the Chamberlain hoarsely. "But, in the +name of the talisman which you wear, enter. Go alone. I dare not face +the King with his order disobeyed." + +A broad aisle was left open down the hall through the ranks of lords +and ladies. At the end of it was a tall gilt throne. And on the +throne, clad in purple and gold, John saw a figure sitting, pale and +terrible. It was the King. John knew his cold, cruel face, although +the man had greatly altered in those weeks since the day of hunting in +the park. For now the King's hair was snow-white and his body was bent +like that of an old man. + +John fixed his eyes upon this figure and began to walk forward +steadily. Beside him paced Brutus, looking up anxiously into the boy's +face. In his right hand John led the bear, walking upright. The wolf +slunk behind, with lolling tongue. In his arms John still carried the +kittens, and on his shoulder perched the raven, while Blanche trotted +behind him. + +It was indeed a strange sight. A hush came upon the hall, and every +one stared open-mouthed as they passed along. At last the King +himself, who was sitting with bent head, noticed the silence and +glanced up. John, with his queer group, was now almost at the foot of +the throne. The King started up with a cry of rage and surprise. He +glared at the lad and at the animals with blazing eyes. "What does +this mean?" he shouted. + +But at that moment John himself gave a cry. He had seen a figure that +he knew, and, forgetting all else, he was hurrying towards it. At one +side of the throne stood the Hermit, pale and sad, with his hands tied +behind his back and a rope about his neck. He was guarded on each side +by a man with a drawn sword. + +"My father!" cried John, throwing himself upon the good man's neck +before the wondering guards could interfere. At the same time Brutus +gave a loud bark of joy and leaped upon his master. + +"My dear son!" cried the Hermit, with tears in his eyes. "I thought +not to see you again!" + +At the sound of his voice the cat gave a loud "Miaou!" and ran to him. +The kittens squeaked and tried to climb his gown. The bear growled +contentedly and trotted to his side. The wolf leaped to him with +fierce pleasure. The raven hopped to his feet with a scream of Joy, +and the carrier pigeon, with a soft "Coo!" fluttered to his shoulder. +To the watching men and women of that court it seemed a miracle. + +For a moment all was silent. Then the King found voice. "What does +this mean?" he cried again. "How have this vagrant and his vile beasts +found entrance to my palace? It is the hour for execution, not for +mummery. Why is not the signal given?" + +"O King," said John timidly, "they let me in because I said that I came +to cure your son, if may be." + +"More sorcery!" howled the King, beside himself with rage. "Take him +away! Slay them all,--the old man, the boy, the animals! I have +waited too long already. Perhaps even now my son is dead!" He rose, +trembling. + +But the Hermit's voice rang out now, loud and clear. "O King," he +cried, "enough talk of sorcery and magic. This boy has come to help +your son, who sought to slay him. He has brought the animals whose +lives you covet, to show you how much you may owe to them. Lo, this +carrier pigeon bore my message bidding him to come,--not for my sake. +For I told him nothing of the danger in which I lay. This noble dog +guided him to the village by a path which only he could follow. Now +with these other animals he hopes to amuse the Prince and awaken him to +life. There is no magic in this; only love, O King--the love which is +lacking in your sad and sullen kingdom." + +There was a murmur in the crowd, which swayed forward toward John and +the Hermit. For some seconds the King stood speechless, staring at the +Hermit and the group around him. Then, with a wave of his hand, he +bade the guards stand back. He turned to a black-gowned man on his +right who had just entered the hall. "Does my son still live?" he +asked in a choking voice. + +The doctor nodded gravely. "He still lives, Sire. But he is very low. +He cannot survive many minutes." + +The King paled. "Let us hasten," he said. "It is the last chance. +Perhaps the boy has skill." Then, turning to the little group of +people from the forest, he beckoned grimly. "Come with me," he said. +"Save my son's life, and you save your own. Otherwise I swear that you +shall all die the most hideous and painful of deaths." + +Descending from the throne with tottering steps, for the King had grown +a feeble old man, he led the way from the great hall. Behind him came +the doctor and the Hermit. John followed, with the animals in his arms +and close about his heels. + +So they came to the door of a room in one wing of the palace. + + + + +XXII + +THE PRINCE'S CHAMBER + +At the door the King paused and turned back to the little company which +followed him. + +"You may enter," he said, "and try your skill on the Prince, who is +near to death. If you cure him, I will give you whatsoever reward you +may demand. But see that you do not fail!" The King's voice was full +of menace. "Enter, in the name of whatever magic you use." + +"In the name of love we come," said the Hermit gently; "and in the name +of love we shall do our best for your son, O King. Enter softly, John. +You must do without me now. Leave our larger, clumsier friends outside +with me." + +Softly John tiptoed over the sill, carrying the kittens in his arms, +with the dove on his shoulder, and the white cat following behind. + +In the centre of the room was a couch, hung with a splendid canopy of +purple and gold. Beneath a purple coverlet fringed with gold lay the +Prince, white as the lace of the pillow on which his black curls +rested. His eyes were closed, and he looked still and lifeless. The +hand which lay outside on the purple velvet was as white and +transparent as the hand of a marble statue. + +On one side of his bed sat a doctor in a black velvet gown, and several +attendants stood about with long faces and tired eyes. On the other +side of the couch a little girl crouched on a low stool. She was a +pale, pretty little thing, younger than John, and her dress of +brilliant red made her sad, dark eyes look all the more sorrowful as +she gazed at John wistfully. It was Clare, the Prince's only sister. + +As they entered the room the King made a sign to the doctor, who shook +his head sadly. The King crossed to the bed and bent down over his +son, touching the cold face. But it did not change. Neither the lips +nor eyelids trembled, and John could see no sign of life in that still +body. How different, he thought suddenly, from the vigorous figure +which had wrestled with him in the forest. How different that face +from the one which had looked back at him triumphantly after the arrow +had struck the poor deer! + +"He does not hear nor see," said the King gloomily. "He scarcely +breathes. What will you do?" + +John hesitated. He had made no plan; he hardly knew with what hope the +Hermit had summoned him and his pets thither. It seemed a hopeless +task. + +The King frowned at his daughter. "Why is this girl allowed here?" he +said gruffly. "Leave the room." + +"Oh, Sire," pleaded the little Princess, with tears in her eyes, +"please let me stay! When my brother is so ill, surely my place is at +his side. I will be quite still, indeed I will. Only do not send me +away!" + +John looked at her and thought how like a gentle little animal she was, +so timid, and with such large, beseeching eyes. John had never known +any little girls. Now he thought they would be very pleasant things to +have in an animal kingdom. + +"Please let her stay, King," he said gently. "She can do no harm." + +"Very well. Let her stay," said the King impatiently. "But what will +you do? What magic have you, boy?" + +Suddenly John had an impulse. He stepped forward with the squirming +kittens and laid them on the velvet coverlet close by the Prince's +marble hand. The doctor arose with a cry of horror; the attendants +rushed forward. The little Princess drew a long breath. But the King +raised his hand. + +"Let the boy alone," he commanded. "Even this madness shall be +humored. There is no hope now but in him." + +The kittens began to frisk and gambol about the velvet, and the old +cat, with a contented purr, jumped up beside them. She was tired, poor +thing, and glad to find a soft bed. At that moment those who were +watching saw a change come upon the Prince's face. His eyelids +quivered. His lips moved slightly. The King raised his hands and +trembled. + +Then began a frolic upon that royal bed such as for ten years had not +been seen in all the kingdom. Up and down, around and around, the +kittens chased one another. They rolled over and over, kicking and +biting. They played with their mother's tail. They scampered over the +still body of the Prince himself, and one of them, coming to his hand, +began to play with the white fingers, nibbling at them and licking them +with warm little pink tongue. + +And what happened? Slowly the Prince's eyes opened. For a moment they +gazed blankly at the frolicking kittens. Then his lips gradually +parted, and the flicker of a tiny smile came upon them. The King +clasped his hands over his eyes, and gave a cry of joy. The little +Princess laid her head on the pillow beside her brother's and wept +silently. + +The kitten which was playing with the Prince's hand rolled over on its +back and began to kick at the royal fingers. A tiny red scratch +appeared on the milky skin. At the same moment a bit of color came +into the Prince's white lips and cheeks. He turned his head, and +lifting his hand stroked the soft ball of fur. The little thing +responded immediately, arching its back and beginning to purr. +Presently the Prince's other hand stole out from under the coverlet. +He drew the kitten feebly to his face and rubbed his cheek against the +silky fur, and he smiled! + +[Illustration: He stroked the soft ball of fur.] + +The doctor turned to the King. "He will live," he said. "It must be +magic!" + +"He lives! My son lives!" cried the King, bending over the Prince in a +transport. + +The Prince opened his eyes and looked at him, and a change came upon +his face. The smile faded, and he closed his eyes wearily. + +"Your Majesty," said John, speaking gently, "if you will allow me to +give the Prince a healing draught which I myself have made from +life-giving herbs, I think now he will sleep and waken refreshed." + +"Do as you will!" cried the King. "Whatever you wish shall be done in +the palace. Whatever you ask shall be given." + +With a word and a gentle touch John roused the Prince, who swallowed +the draught which the boy gave him. "Now let us leave him to sleep," +said John. + +But when they would have removed the cat and kittens, a cloud came over +the Prince's face, and his hand wandered feebly, as if craving the +touch of the silky fur. + +"We will leave them here," said John. "They are what he needs." + +"Oh, let me stay too!" cried the little Princess, with shining eyes. + +And across the room she and John smiled at each other, as he nodded, +saying, "Yes, O King, I pray that you will let the little maid stay." + +So they withdrew from the chamber, and left the Prince to dream with +his new friends sleeping about him, and the little sister with her head +upon the pillow at his side. And all night long he slept like a baby +with a smile upon his face. + +The Prince's cure had begun. + + + + +XXIII + +THE CURE + +There was wonder and excitement in the palace, for the news of John's +success had been told from mouth to mouth. The King ordered the +Hermit's chains to be removed, and he and his pupil were treated with +utmost honor. But they refused all gifts which the monarch made them; +and he was annoyed. + +In the morning John and the Hermit went once more to see their patient. +They found him and the little Princess playing with the kittens, and +both looked up with a smile when the visitors entered. But at sight of +John the Prince's color faded and the smile died on his lips. John +bore the white pigeon in his hands, and going to the bedside bent over +the Prince with a gay manner. + +"You are better?" he asked. + +The Prince's eyes looked into his wonderingly. + +"Why do you try to help me?" he asked. "Once I tried to kill you." + +The little Princess gasped. + +"I came to heal and help you if I could," said John, laughing. "I +brought my pets to cheer you. See, here is the dove of peace. She +brought me the message which has saved your life. Will you not love +her as I do?" + +He placed the bird on the Prince's breast, and with a gentle coo the +creature nestled there confidingly. Tears came to the Prince's eyes. + +"You are very good," he said. "I tried to kill your pets in the +forest." + +"O brother!" cried the little maid, clasping her hands with a sob. +"How could you!" + +"Let us forget that," said John brightly. "Let us be friends. You +will get well and learn to love the animals for their own sake." + +"Oh, yes!" said the little girl. "I never saw any before, but how can +one help loving these dear little pets,--and the lovely bird?" She +stroked the white feathers tenderly. + +But the Prince covered his face with his hands and seemed to be +weeping. "I cannot forget!" he said brokenly. + +John felt very uncomfortable. "If only I could make him laugh, now!" +he thought. Then an idea came to him,--a funny idea which made his +eyelids quiver and the brown spot wink. + +With a twist of his body he suddenly stood upon his head at the foot of +the Prince's couch, and, waving his feet in the air, began to walk +about the chamber on his hands. The Prince uncovered his eyes and +gazed in astonishment at such antics. + +Presently John regained his feet, and kissing his hand began to turn +somersaults vigorously all about the apartment. The little Princess +clapped her hands and began to laugh. The Prince watched him, +fascinated. Presently, as John's high spirits broke out into fuller +pranks and gyrations, the Prince's lips quivered. He began to grin. + +"Oh, you are a tumbler," he said. "I am glad you have come here! Do +it again." + +So John did it again; and this time the Prince, watching him, echoed +the gay laugh of the little Princess. "It is as good as a play," he +said, feebly wiping the tears of merriment from his cheeks. "I wish I +could do it myself!" + +[Illustration: I wish I could do it myself!] + +"You must get well first," said John, laughing. + +"I will try," said the Prince, with a new spirit in his tone. And from +that moment he began to grow stronger. + +Now came days when the palace was much happier than it had been for +years. The presence of the animals was in itself a joy to the King's +people, long starved for the lack of pets. And John's sunny face and +quaint smile were reflected on all about him. There is nothing so +catching as good humor, and John started an epidemic which spread +through the palace, and indeed through the whole city. No one knew how +it happened. But before long the flaxen-haired boy was the pet of the +whole town. Not only was he welcome always in the Prince's chamber, +but every door at which he knocked opened gladly to him, and he was at +home wherever he went. + +Only the King held aloof. He had grown strangely grim and sullen since +his son's cure was assured. The King was jealous. + +What with the animals to play with and John's tumbling, the Prince was +continually in gales of laughter, and every day he grew plumper and +more rosy. Sometimes it was Brutus who amused him; often the cat and +kittens, his first friends. The raven became a great favorite after +his introduction to the Prince, which happened in this wise. + +John had delayed to bring the bird into the royal chamber, he was so +mischievous. But one day when the Prince seemed very merry, John +slipped out and fetched the black fellow on his shoulder. On being +invited to do so, the raven hopped gravely to the foot of the bed, +where he perched, eyeing the Prince with little round eyes and head +cocked knowingly. + +Presently the bird gave a queer screech, and began to imitate John's +own laughter so exactly that the Prince shook with mirth. At this the +raven stood upon one leg gravely, and began to sidle along the +footboard of the bed. Presently he spied some fruit carved on the +wooden uprights, and making a dart began to peck at the pears and +peaches. Then, discovering his mistake, once more he began to chuckle, +this time so heartily that he seemed ready to have a fit. And as he +listened the Prince's mouth widened and he burst into roars of laughter. + +"Hush, you foolish bird!" said John reprovingly. "Be not so noisy in a +Prince's chamber. It is not good manners!" and he threw his +handkerchief over the raven's head. + +But the Prince protested. "Let him do his pleasure," he said, +laughing. "I have not seen anything so funny for many a day. I shall +teach him many tricks." + +So the raven stayed with the Prince, and learned many tricks. And the +carrier pigeon stayed. And the others stayed,--all but the wolf, who +would never leave John,--making themselves quite at home on the +Prince's velvet couch. And the little Princess played with them, +enjoying the happiest hours of her life. + +One only of the animals the Prince had not seen. The Hermit and John +agreed that until he was stronger he must not see the bear whom he had +once tried to kill. For they knew that now it would make the Prince +sad and ashamed to remember that day in the forest. Such a change had +come upon the young man! He was no longer hard and cruel, but tender +and affectionate. + +The King felt the change, and it made him angry. + + + + +XXIV + +THE KING + +Daily, as the Prince grew stronger, he became more and more devoted to +the animals, to John and the good Hermit. He could scarcely bear them +out of his sight. When they were with him his face lighted with +smiles, and he seemed to blossom as a flower does in sunshine. Only in +the presence of the King he grew silent and sad once more. The light +passed from his eyes as he looked at the grim old man. A visit from +the King was almost enough to undo the good effects of a whole day of +happiness. + +The King knew this, and it made him furious. He did not see that it +was his own fault; that it was the badness in him which made the Prince +shrink. He thought it was the doing of some one else. He grew to hate +the Hermit and John and the animals, of whom his son and daughter were +so fond. In his heart he cared little for any one. He had never loved +the Princess Clare, and the Prince was dear only because one day he +would be king. Yet Robert hated to see them love any one else. + +The King was resolved to put an end to this state of things as soon as +might be. But he dared not do anything yet for fear of causing his son +to fall ill again. He sat and brooded and planned in his wicked heart +what he would do when the Prince should be well once more. And for him +the time went slowly which others found so happy. + +Of all this the Prince and John guessed nothing. For the King seemed +to them no more gruff and grum than usual. All the wishes of the +strangers were regarded, and they were treated like distinguished +guests in the palace. But the Hermit kept his eyes open. And one +other was not blind to the King's hatred. Clare, the little Princess +who had never been loved by her father, knew the meaning of the black +looks which he sometimes cast upon the two forest-comers, and her heart +was uneasy, for she loved them both. + +The Prince grew so much better that he could walk about. One day he +was lying upon his couch in a balcony overlooking the royal park. The +Hermit sat close by, reading aloud from the book which he was teaching +the Prince to love, as he had taught John. The little Princess bent +over her embroidery frame at the foot of the couch, and John himself, +on the floor at her feet, was playing with Brutus. The other animals +and birds were straying about the balcony, or lay cuddled in the +Prince's lap. John thought how like this scene was to the Animal +Kingdom in the woods; yet how unlike. And he glanced from the Prince +to the Princess with a smile of content. It seemed hardly possible +that this was the land where no pets were allowed; where hunting was +the favorite sport of the King and his son! + +Suddenly, in a pause of the reading, the Prince put out his hand. + +"Friends," he said, "you have taught me many things in these weeks that +you have dwelt under this roof. You have cured me; you have made me +laugh. I have been thinking much of late how it is that where you come +folk are happy. Your faces make the world smile. How different from +my father and me! We have always made every one weep. There has been +something wrong, I know not what. No one loves us,--not even Clare +here." + +"O brother!" protested the little maid, "I have always loved you. But +never so dearly as now, when you have grown so kind." + +John spoke gently. "You will change all this when you are king," he +said. + +The Prince shook his head. "No, they will never love me as they do +you. I would fain be different, but I can never be like you, John. +You should be king, not I." + +John laughed. "And what would become of the Animal Kingdom then?" he +said. "My father and I have been talking together. We must soon go +back to our woods and our little friends there." + +"Oh, you must not go!" gasped the Prince, turning pale. "You must +never leave me! I can never again be alone with the King!" + +He looked so terror-stricken that the Hermit and John were silent for +pity. + +"I have been thinking," went on the Prince gravely, "that when I am +king, if that time ever comes,--and they say that it must, since there +is no other son of our house,--I shall need much help, for I am weak +and not wise. You, good father, I would have you for my counselor. +And you,"--he laid his arm affectionately on John's shoulder,--"you +shall be my brother and share the throne with me." + +"Nay, thrones cannot be shared thus," said the Hermit, looking at both +boys with some agitation. "You are a king's son. But we are of the +woods, my Prince. I at least have other work to do. As John says, +there is the Animal Kingdom--what is to become of that?" + +"Why, there will be no need for you to go to find it," answered the +Prince eagerly. "When I am king all shall be changed. This shall be +the Animal Kingdom. There shall be no more hunting or killing here. +There shall be pets,--more than in any other land. For I have seen how +unhappy are folk who live without them." + +"Now God be praised!" cried the good Hermit, with tears in his eyes. + +And John embraced the Prince heartily, while the little Princess +clapped her hands and cried with shining eyes, "Oh! we shall all live +together forever and ever, as happily as if this were the lovely forest +which is John's home." + +"Nay," said the Hermit gravely, "I cannot live here. I must go back to +my woods. I have vowed never again to live away from my Forest +Kingdom. But you, John, have taken no vow. Will you stay here with +the Prince, or will you go back with me? Make now your choice." + +John looked wistfully at the Prince and Princess, for he loved them +well. He looked at the animals who crowded around him and seemed to be +listening to his words. He knew how eager they were to be back in the +forest. He looked at the Hermit. + +"Oh, stay!" cried the Prince. "Stay and be my brother, and I will make +you rich and powerful." + +"Oh, stay!" begged the little Princess. "Stay and be my brother, too!" + +But John shook his head. "I cannot stay," he said. "If my dear father +will have me for his pupil still, I will go back with him. For though +it is pleasant here, I love best the life of the woods and the freedom +of the forest. And I long to learn what no one in this kingdom can +teach me: the art of healing and helping, as did that good John whose +name I bear." + +The Hermit's face beamed like May sunshine, but he said nothing. + +"Then I will go to the forest with you!" cried the Prince. "I will not +stay here. I do not want to be king. I too would be free and happy in +the Kingdom of the Forest." + +"And I will go also!" said the Princess. + +"Hush!" said the Hermit gravely. "That may not be. Your duty lies +here. When you are king, my Prince, you can make your kingdom into a +happy place. Then, little Princess, you will be proud of it and of +him. Your duty is to the kingdom where you were born, and to the +people of it, whom you can make happier and better. But perhaps, some +day when I am gone to a still fairer kingdom, John will be able to help +you, as another John once helped another King." + +At this moment there was a noise at the window which led to the +balcony, and the King stepped out to them. How long he had been +standing inside, how much of their talk he had heard, no one knew. + +The Princess flushed; but the Prince turned pale as he greeted his +father respectfully. John and the Hermit exchanged glances. They were +not afraid for themselves, but they dreaded the King's wrath for his +son and daughter, who had threatened to run away. + +The King stood for a moment, looking at the group with a frown. Then a +peculiar smile twisted his lips. + +"Ah!" he said, "I have intruded, it seems, upon a council of State. I +fear that I interrupt your plans, my son. But I trust that you and +these noble visitors will pardon my desire to learn the state of your +health. You must not be over-excited." He waved his hand toward the +Hermit and John, then bowed low to each of the animals in turn, with +bitter mockery. + +The Princess trembled, for she saw how angry the King was. + +"We have no secrets, my friends and I," said the Prince with dignity. +"We have nothing to conceal of which we are ashamed." + +The King looked at him quickly, as if suspecting that his words meant +some reproach. But he only said, "That is well." Then his manner +changed. He tried to appear merry and genial. "And now, my son," he +said, "since you are so much better, I wish to plan a festival in your +honor, to celebrate your cure." + +The little Princess looked at him quickly. She suspected some +treachery. But the Prince seemed pleased. + +"For me?" he said. "A festival in which these friends may share--these +friends who saved my life?" + +"Ay," answered the King, bowing to the group once more with a peculiar +smile. "Surely, it shall be also in honor of these friends to whom we +are so grateful." The Hermit and John bowed. The King went on +suavely: "We will have a pageant, with music and games and singing. +But chiefly the people clamor to see our young friend do the wonderful +tricks of which they have heard. I myself would fain see what you, my +son, have found so amusing. My lad,"--he turned to John with a strange +tone in his voice,--"you shall dance and tumble and put your animals +through their paces, for the applause of my people. I command you to +appear before us this day week and do your sprightliest. It is not +often that we have the honor of entertaining a mountebank at court." + +He spoke the word "mountebank" sneeringly, and John flushed. But +seeing the Hermit sitting with downcast eyes, he merely answered:-- + +"I shall obey your Majesty's commands." + +"Then that is settled," said the King, with a grunt of satisfaction. +"And you,"--he turned to the Prince,--"you will then be strong enough +to sit at my side on the throne. It is well." + +He quite ignored the little daughter who with a pale face shrank in one +corner. With one last glance at the group, the King swept from the +balcony. + +"A fete!" said the Prince, clapping his hands. "A grand fete in your +honor, my kind friends. That will be rare sport! John, you shall make +the whole city laugh, even as you have cured me." + +"I shall do my best," answered John. "Yes, I will teach some of my +little friends new tricks for that fete." And he laughed as he thought +how the Prince and Princess would stare when they saw Bruin dance. + +John and the Prince left the balcony arm in arm, to talk over the plans +for the fete. But the Hermit still sat with bent brows, thinking. + +"Why did he call John a mountebank?" he asked himself. "He hates us. +He is planning some mischief, I believe. It is time we were back in +our Animal Kingdom." + +He looked up. The Princess was touching his arm and her face was very +pale. "Father," she said, for so the royal children loved to call the +good old man. "Father, there is mischief in the air. Oh! do be on +your guard. For I think it would break my heart if anything should +happen to you or to dear John." + +The Hermit stroked her hair gently. "Dear child," he said, "we will +take care of him, you and I and the animals." + + + + +XXV + +THE FETE + +The day for the festival came at last. The Prince was now quite strong +and well, and had taken a joyous part in the preparations. The palace +was decorated with flowers; bands were playing, fountains splashing in +the courtyard; banquets were spread at all hours for any one who would +partake. The palace was merrier than it had been for years; and the +centre of all the joy, the core of the day's happiness, was John. His +praise was on every one's lips. His name, even more often than the +young Prince's whose health they were celebrating, was spoken in love +and tenderness. + +But all this John did not seem to know. He only saw that every one was +very kind; that the world might be a very happy place to live in, if +love ruled the kingdoms of it. And he made ready for his share in the +merrymaking with a light heart. It was great fun to play at being a +mountebank once more for the people who loved him! Yet he was not +sorry that the next day he and the Hermit were going back to the +kingdom in the forest. He was longing for the peace and quiet of the +woods, and the little wild friends who awaited them there. + +The King he never saw. That monarch seemed anxious to keep out of his +way as far as possible. John did not know that he and the Hermit were +being carefully watched by the King's spies, and that they were really +prisoners in the palace. For they were treated honorably, and the King +sent word that John must ask for whatever he wished to make his +performance a success. + +John asked for little. Upon one thing, however, he had set his heart. +He had made for that occasion a tumbler's suit of green silk, with +trunks of cloth-of-gold--just such a suit as Gigi had worn when he was +one of the mountebank company. But the boy who pranced gaily about the +palace in this gorgeous attire was a very different fellow from the +sad-eyed little Gigi. John was tall and sturdy and full of life. His +eyes sparkled with fun and good humor, and looked at the world frankly +as if expecting kindness from every one. So much had five years of +love and humanity done for the little wanderer. + +When John appeared in the courtyard ready for his performance, dressed +in the familiar colors of long ago, he could not help chuckling to +think how things had changed with him. Instead of Cecco and the Giant, +by his side waddled the great bear on his hind legs; while Brutus +walked sedately on his other side, and the gaunt wolf stalked behind. + +The park was thronged with people, soldiers and citizens and peasants +from the country, jostling one another for a sight of John and his +pets,--and whispering among themselves with an excitement which John +could not understand. For after all he was going to give a simple +little show of tumbling such as they must have seen many times. "It is +the animals," he thought. "It must be the animals that they are so +eager to see." + +John walked along, smiling into the faces which met his kindly, and the +brown spot on his eyelid gave him the mischievous look which always +made folk laugh. It was amid a ripple of good-natured laughter that he +and his pets made their way to the platform which had been erected in +front of the palace. Here on a high seat sat the King, and beside him +the Prince, with a flush of pleasure on his thin cheeks. Gaily dressed +lords and ladies stood about the throne. But somewhat apart and +surrounded by his pets sat the Hermit in his gray robe, with folded +arms. His hood was pulled over his face so that John could not see how +grave he was. Two armed men stood behind him, but by his side, with +her hand on his shoulder, was the little Princess. John smiled at her, +when he bowed low to the people on the platform. And the little maid +answered with a flash of affection; but her face was very pale, and her +hand trembled on the Hermit's shoulder. + +John led forward his animals and they began their tricks. The Hermit +saw the Prince start when Bruin appeared. Evidently he recognized the +animal which he had once tried to kill. Merrily John urged the clumsy +fellow to dance, and every one laughed heartily at the sight. Only the +King sat grim and sullen. + +[Illustration: John urged the clumsy fellow to dance.] + +Then John put a plumed hat on the bear's head, took his arm, and the +two strutted about the platform like a pair of dandies. The audience +burst into roars of mirth. Even the Hermit's sides were shaking, and +the little Princess rocked to and fro with merriment. + +Straight up to the Prince marched the twain, and at John's command the +bear bowed and held out his hand politely. + +"He salutes you, his brother," said John to the Prince. "He begs you +to be friends with him always." + +The Prince bowed in return, with a bright flush in his cheeks. "I +salute you, brother," he replied. "Never again will I hunt you or any +animal, wherever I may be." + +From the foremost of the crowd who heard these words came a loud +"Hurrah!" and caps were tossed in the air. Evidently the Prince's +sentiment was popular in the city. + +"Tut, tut!" said the King, "we will see about that!" He bit his lip +and bent a frown upon the group before him. The Hermit saw him whisper +a word into the ear of one of his courtiers, who bowed and disappeared. + +Now John put Brutus and the wolf through their tricks, which were +wonderful indeed; for the dog was very intelligent, and had learned all +that the best educated dog nowadays can do, and more beside. Then the +wolf's leaping was a thing to wonder at, he was so lithe and strong. +Over Brutus he leaped, over John's head, over the bear, over John +standing on the bear's broad back. + +At the end the Prince applauded heartily, and calling up the dog and +the wolf, placed a golden collar about the neck of each. + +"Good friends," said the Prince, "you helped to save my life, you and +your brothers, and your masters. I give you these. But them I never +can repay if I live to be as old as Noah, who was the first to gather +pets about him. I hope that in time there may be many pets throughout +the kingdom." + +He glanced timidly at the King. + +"Hurrah!" shouted the people. "Long live the Prince. Long live John +and his animals! Hurrah! Hurrah!" + +"No more of this!" The King made a gesture, and the shouting stopped, +changing into sullen murmurs. The King was not popular, it seemed. +"Let the performance proceed!" he commanded. "I do not like these +interruptions." + +Once more the Hermit saw him whisper to a servant, who went away +quickly on some mysterious errand. + +Now, with a happy face, John himself stepped forward and showed his +skill and strength and grace. He turned somersaults backward and +forward; he stood upon his head and danced upon his hands. He did all +the old tricks which he had learned of the tumblers, and more of his +own invention, till the people shouted rapturously, "Bravo! Bravo! +Hurrah for our John!" + +With his eye on the Prince, John began to caper at his merriest. He +danced high, leaping like a grasshopper, and seeming to bound like +thistledown. All the while his eyes twinkled, and the people laughed +with delight. + +"Bravo! John, bravo!" shouted the Prince, clapping his hands. "Come +here and let me decorate you, my friend." And as John bowed before him +the Prince placed upon his bosom a beautiful star of diamonds that +gleamed and sparkled like a cobweb full of dew. + +"Hurrah! Hurrah! Long life to John! John! John!" shouted the +people, as if they loved the name. + +And the Hermit saw that the King turned pale and shook with wrath at +the sound. The next moment he grasped the arms of his chair and stared +into the crowd eagerly. + +Suddenly he arose, and, waving his sceptre, commanded silence. John +bowed and turned to the King, waiting to hear his pleasure. But +instead of the speech which every one expected, they saw the King +gazing down into the crowd before him, and on his lips was a malicious +smile. But he looked very old and sick, and he tottered as he held to +the arm of his throne. + + + + +XXVI + +THE TALISMAN + +John turned his head to see at what the King was staring. There was a +movement in the crowd. Men were being elbowed forward. A noise of +harsh voices arose, and to the platform crowded three figures in rags +and tatters. + +They forced their way directly in front of the platform, and stood +staring up. John stepped forward to see what it meant, and in a moment +fell back with a cry of dismay. He was looking into the eyes of Cecco, +Tonio and the Giant! + +"Hi! Master Gigi!" cried Tonio's hateful voice; "so here we find you +setting up as a tumbler on your own account. Your Majesty," he cried, +appealing to the King, who was listening with a wicked grin on his +face, "this is our boy. We own him. He ran away, but he belongs to +us. Give him to us again!" + +The little Princess screamed and clung to the Hermit's arm; but he sat +motionless, watching. The people began to murmur and jostle the three +strangers. But the King raised his hand, and they listened to him. + +"We will hear these men," he said. Then, turning to John, he added +smoothly, "And after that, sirrah, you shall answer for yourself." + +The Hermit rose and took a step forward, still holding the little +Princess by the hand. Brutus broke away from the page who held him, +and crouched growling at John's side. + +Then Tonio raised his voice, and cried louder, pointing at John with +his skinny hand. "He is our boy," he said. "We taught him his trade; +let him deny it. Now he is robbing us of our fair dues. He is a +runaway. Give him back to us!" + +Still John stared at him, too dazed to answer. But the Hermit took +another step forward, and said sternly:-- + +"He is your boy, you say. How did you come by him?" + +"We bought him for a gold piece," they said in chorus. "That was years +ago. For ten years he traveled with us. And then he ran away. His +life is ours; let him deny it if he can!" + +John stood silent, horrified at the fate which seemed to confront him. +For in those days children who were bought and sold in this cruel way +were the slaves of the masters who had purchased them. + +The Prince had fallen back, pale and trembling. But the King now spoke +again, gazing with malicious eyes upon the two wood-folk whom he hated. + +"What have you to say for yourselves?" he asked. "You who do not deny +that you are a runaway; you, old man, who stole the lad and must be +punished most severely therefor, have you any reason why I should not +give the one of you up to these mountebanks, his lawful masters, and +the other of you to punishment and death? Speak!" The King's voice +was harsh and cruel. His eyes glittered fiercely. + +Still John was silent. + +"Seize him!" commanded the King. "Seize them both! Off with them to +prison!" + +The guards stepped forward, unwillingly enough. But at that moment +John drew himself up. His eyes flashed; he grasped in both hands the +staff over which he had made the wolf leap, and braced himself for +defense. + +"They shall not take me!" he cried. "I will not go with them. I will +die sooner. To me, my brothers!" and he gave a shrill, peculiar cry by +which he and the Hermit were wont to call their pets. + +[Illustration: To me, my brothers!] + +Instantly the Hermit ranged himself at John's side. At the same moment +Brutus placed himself, barking and growling, before the twain. +Breaking from the leash by which he was held, the wolf came leaping +towards them, and stood bristling beside the dog, showing his terrible +fangs. With a savage growl Bruin burst his chain and came lumbering to +the defense of his friends, and the three devoted animals made a stout +and terrible wall about them. But this was not all. From the corners +where they were crouched came running the other, gentler pets. Here +scampered the cat and her kittens, mewing pitifully. Across the +platform hopped the raven. The carrier pigeon fluttered to the +Hermit's shoulder. And from the trees all roundabout came winging, +with a call answering to John's, a flock of birds who had followed him +from the forest, and who had been hidden in the forbidden trees of the +King's park until this very hour. They fluttered like a cloud about +the heads of the pair, so that one could scarcely see them. + +Every one stood amazed; even the King sank back in his seat, stupefied. +The guards fell back with lowered weapons. The crowd was silent, +staring open-mouthed. Then a murmur arose, and words passed from man +to man. + +"A miracle! It is a miracle! They must be God's saints!" + +But Tonio was not long silent. "Tricks! Tricks!" he cried. "Gigi has +become an animal-trainer. But he is our boy still. Give him to us!" + +"Seize them!" repeated the King in a choking voice. + +Once more the guards made a rush forward. But the animals leaped up +and stood at bay so fiercely that they dared not come nearer. The +Hermit raised his hand, and there was sudden silence. He faced the +King and spoke sternly. + +"O King," he said, "you see that they will never take us alive. In +sight of all these people will you add more deaths to your record?" +The murmur of the crowd grew louder. "Nay, all has not yet been said," +he went on. "Listen, O King. You judge too quickly. There is not +proof enough of the lad's ownership." + +"Not enough?" snarled the King. "I say there is enough and to spare. +Can this boy dispute the words of these men?" + +John now looked at the Hermit eagerly. His heart beat with hope of +something, he knew not what. + +The King sneered. "You see!" he cried triumphantly. + +But once more the Hermit held up his hand. "Will you not question +these fellows further?" he asked. "Dare you hear more, O King?" + +"Dare I!" blustered the King, "and why not, pray? If there be more to +say, tell it," he commanded the mountebanks. + +"Ay," they answered eagerly, "we can indeed prove that the boy is ours." + +"Tell how you came by him," interrupted the Hermit, in a tone not to be +disobeyed. + +Tonio answered sullenly:-- + +"We have told already. We bought him for a gold piece, of a fisherman +on a distant coast. He had found the babe, nearly dead with cold and +hunger, floating in a basket on the sea. It was a castaway, a +foundling; no one wanted it. We took it away with us, and had hard +work to make it live." + +"Is that all?" asked the Hermit. "Was there nothing to prove that this +is the same child?" He said this in a loud voice so that every one +could hear. + +"Proof!" cried Tonio, shaking his fist at John fiercely. "Who can +mistake him in that suit, the very one we gave him? Look at his mop of +yellow tow and his eye with the brown spot over it. No one who has +seen it could forget that spot. Ay, there is still another way to +prove him ours. I see the gleam of silver around his neck. He still +wears the chain and the bit of silver which he dares not remove, +because there is magic in it, they say. It was on his neck when the +fisherman found him. Look, and see if we do not say truth!" + +John still stood motionless, looking in the Hermit's face. But at +these last words the old man stepped behind him and drew the silver +talisman from the boy's breast, laying it out on his green silk bosom, +where it glittered for all to see. + +Cecco and Tonio and the Giant gave a cry of triumph. But from the +crowd behind them rose a murmur of different meaning. Men began to +crowd forward eagerly. + +"Yes, look!" cried the Hermit, pointing at the medal. "The Cross of +the good man John, the friend of King Cyril! Which of you does not +know and love it?" + +The murmur of the crowd swelled into a shout,--"Who is he? Who is the +lad? We will know!" + +"Who but John," answered the Hermit, with kindling eyes. "Who but +John, the good man's son,--my brother's son. I know, for I christened +the child, and I saw the King hang this Cross about the baby's neck, a +Cross like the one he had given John himself. This is the child who +disappeared fourteen years ago. The King sent him away to be killed. +But the servant to whom the task fell was less cruel. The child was +set adrift on the ocean, and escaped as you have heard. Will you let +him be lost again?" + +"No! No!" roared the crowd. "He shall not go! He shall not go!" And +they seized the three mountebanks and hustled them away. + +With a shout the King's own guards rushed forward to help in this +matter. There was a cry at the back of the platform. The King had +fallen in a fit. But few at the moment were thinking of him. The +people were throwing up their caps and dancing joyously. + +"John! John!" they shouted. "We knew the silver Cross which the holy +John always wore when he went about doing good to us. Oh, we remember +now! We shall never again forget! John! Hurrah for his son John!" + +John himself stood bewildered, and the animals around him shivered and +looked surprised. They were not used to such tumults. Suddenly John +felt his hand clasped softly. The little Princess was at his side, +looking up in his face and smiling through tears. "Dear John!" she +said. "Now you are safe. Now you will be our brother indeed!" + +"Yes, he is safe," said the Hermit, embracing the boy tenderly. "My +John! My brother's son! Oh, how I have longed to tell you and claim +you for my nephew! But I vowed that I would wait until you had proved +yourself worthy of him, worthy of the name by which I christened you. +And you are worthy, O my dear John, even to wear the silver Cross!" + +"I do not understand yet," said John. "Who am I? And why do the +people shout my name and seem to love me so much?" + +"You are the son of John, the holy friend of the people," answered the +Hermit. + +"But you, my father,--for so I must call you still," said John; "who +are you, and how came you to be living in the forest?" + +"I was but a humble servant of God," said the Hermit. "But when King +Cyril died, and my brother and you were gone, there was not happiness +for me in the city of sorrow. I became an exile. I fled to the forest +with the hunted animals who were my brother's friends. And there I +made a home for them, a kingdom of my own, with Brutus for my prime +minister. And there, after many years, you came to find me, my dear +son! It was a miracle!" + +Now the Prince came forward and laid his hand timidly on John's +shoulder. "John," he said, "now you know how less than ever you have +reason to love the rulers of this land. But oh, John! I beg you to +forgive us. Be my brother, John; and if you can forget, let me be your +friend!" + +"My brother and friend!" cried John; and the two hugged each other +affectionately, while Brutus leaped up and licked the face first of +one, then of the other, and the other animals frisked joyously. + +"Hurrah! Hurrah!" shouted the people, "They are like good King Cyril +and his friend the holy John. Let it be so! Let it be so! Hurrah! +Hurrah!" + + + + +CONCLUSION + +And so it turned out to be. For soon the old King died, worn out by +wicked passions, and Prince Hugh became King. Then began a new order +of things. The land was now a happy kingdom, full of love and peace. +Like his uncle, the new monarch became known as the Good King. In his +realm was never hunting or cruel sport. The houses of his subjects +were full of pets. And the palace itself was a perfect menagerie, so +that John called it "The Ark." There were hundreds of new four-footed +friends in the park and palace; and hundreds of two-footed friends in +the trees and dovecotes. To and fro they went between the city and the +forest. For all ways were safe now to wandering creatures. A highroad +was made connecting the King's city with the Hermit's wood. And the +path to the door of the hut was worn smooth. For this soon became a +favorite place of pilgrimage. + +There in the Forest Kingdom lived the good Hermit and John his nephew, +with their circle of pets. And these also went back and forth between +the forest and the city. For John was the Prince's dear friend and +companion, and spent many weeks of the year in the palace with the two +whom he loved. His pets were as eagerly welcomed there as he. Brutus +had his own rug by the young King's fireplace. The wolf made a +faithful guardian of the palace gate, while John was inside. Bruin +wandered about the halls at his pleasure. The cat purred contentedly +on the brocade furniture, with ever-new kittens frisking about her. +The raven often perched on the back of King Hugh's chair and made wise +sounds. And while waiting to carry a message to the Hermit in the +forest, the carrier pigeon loved to nestle in the arms of the young +Princess, who grew prettier and prettier every day. + +To the Kingdom in the Forest came folk from everywhere. The quiet of +the Hermit's retreat was often broken. But nevertheless the old man +was happy. For he saw his boy fast growing into the man he had hoped +him to be, the copy of his father, beloved John. With the silver Cross +on his bosom, the strange, merry smile ever on his face, and a kind +word always on his lips, John ministered to all who needed him; and he +went far and wide to find them. He was always happy, whatever he might +be doing; alone with the Hermit and his animal friends; helping the +troubled and the ailing; wandering with Brutus and the wolf through the +still lonely parts of the wood; studying the never-failing wonders of +the Kingdom in the Forest. But he was happiest of all, perhaps, when +the King and Princess came to visit him, as they loved to do,--without +servants or followers, with only an animal or two. For this country +was the safest and most peaceful in the world. + +[Illustration: King and Princess came to visit him.] + +Then they would all dress in simple green and brown and go out into the +forest to ramble and to become acquainted with the wild creatures. +There they met the old friends of the wood who had not gone with the +others on that famous pilgrimage. And the deer, the fox, the squirrel, +the rabbits, and the birds were always glad to see them. + +Here John could teach the young King to tumble and turn somersaults to +his heart's delight, without any one to say, "How undignified!" For +whatever the friendly beasts and birds thought of these antics, they +never spoke critically of the matter. + +Here also John taught the Princess the secret lore of the forest, so +that she became almost as wise and skillful as he. But no one could +say, "How unladylike!" For she grew sweeter and dearer every day. + +And the good old Hermit watched them always with loving eyes. + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's John of the Woods, by Abbie Farwell Brown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOHN OF THE WOODS *** + +***** This file should be named 13905.txt or 13905.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/9/0/13905/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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