_THE LINE OF GOLDEN LIGHT; OR, THE LITTLE BLIND SISTER._
Once upon a time there lived a child whose name was Avilla. She wassweet and loving, and fair to look upon, and had everything in the worldto make her happy,--but she had a little blind sister, and Avilla couldnot be perfectly happy as long as her sister's eyes were closed so thatshe could not see God's beautiful world, nor enjoy His bright sunshine.Little Avilla kept wondering if there was not something that she coulddo which would open this blind sister's eyes.
At last, one day, she heard of an old, old woman, nobody knew how old,who had lived for hundreds of years in a dark cave, not many miles away.This queer, old woman knew a secret enchantment, by means of which theblind could receive their sight. The child, Avilla, asked her parents'permission to make a journey to the cave, in order that she might try topersuade the old woman to tell her this secret. "Then," exclaimed she,joyfully, "my dear sister need sit no longer in darkness." Her parentsgave a somewhat unwilling consent, as they heard many strange and wickedstories about the old woman. At last, however, one fine spring morning,Avilla started on her journey. She had a long distance to walk, but thehappy thoughts in her heart made the time pass quickly, and the soft,cool breeze seemed to be whispering a song to her all the way.
When she came to the mouth of the cave, it looked so dark and forbiddingthat she almost feared to enter it, but the thought of her little blindsister gave her courage, and she walked in. At first she could seenothing, for all the sunshine was shut out by the frowning rocks thatguarded the entrance. Soon, however, she discerned the old woman sittingon a stone chair, spinning a pile of flax into a fine, fine thread. Sheseemed bent nearly double with age, and her face wore a look of worryand care, which made her appear still older.
The child Avilla came close to her side, and thought, she is so agedthat she must be hard of hearing. The old woman did not turn her head,nor stop her spinning. Avilla waited a moment, and then took freshcourage, and said, "I have come to ask you if you will tell me how I cancure my blind sister?" The strange creature turned and stared at her asif she were very much surprised; she then spoke in a deep, hollow voice,so hollow that it sounded as if she had not spoken for a very long time."Oh," said she with a sneer, "I can tell you well enough, but you'll notdo it. People who can see, trouble themselves very little about thosewho are blind!" This last was said with a sigh, and then she scowled atAvilla until the child's heart began to beat very fast. But the thoughtof her little blind sister made her brave again, and she cried out, "Oh_please_ tell me. I will do anything to help my dear sister!" The oldwoman looked long and earnestly at her this time. She then stooped downand searched in the heap of the fine-spun thread which lay at her sideuntil she found the end of it. This she held out to the child, saying,"Take this and carry it all around the world, and when you have donethat, come to me and I will show you how your blind sister may becured." Little Avilla thanked her and eagerly seized the tiny thread,and wrapping it carefully around her hand that she might not lose it,turned and hastened out of the close, damp cave.
She had not traveled far before she looked back to be sure the threadhad not broken, it was so thin. Imagine her surprise to see that insteadof its being a gray thread of spun flax, it was a thread of goldenlight, that glittered and shone in the sunlight, as if it were made ofthe most precious stuff on earth. She felt sure now that it must be amagic thread, and that it somehow would help her to cure her blindsister. So she hastened on, glad and happy.
Soon, however, she approached a dark, dense forest. No ray of sunlightseemed ever to have fallen on the trunks of its trees. In the distanceshe thought she could hear the growl of bears and the roar of lions. Herheart almost stopped beating. "Oh, I can never go through that gloomyforest," said she to herself, and her eyes filled with tears. She turnedto retrace her steps, when the soft breeze which still accompanied herwhispered, "Look at the thread you have been carrying! Look at thegolden thread!" She looked back, and the bright, tiny line of lightseemed to be actually smiling at her, as it stretched across the softgreensward, far into the distance, and, strange to say, each tiny bladeof grass which it had touched, had blossomed into a flower. So, as thelittle girl looked back, she saw a flowery path with a glittering lineof golden light running through it. "How beautiful!" she exclaimed, "Idid not notice the flowers as I came along, but the enchanted threadwill make the next traveler see them."
This thought filled her with such joy that she pushed forward into thedark woods. Sometimes she knocked her head against a tree which stood inher way; sometimes she almost feared she was lost, but every now andthen she would look back and the sight of the tiny thread of goldenlight always renewed her courage. Once in a while she felt quite surethat she could see the nose of some wild beast poking out in front ofher, but when she came nearer it proved to be the joint in a tree trunk,or some strange fungus which had grown on a low branch. Then she wouldlaugh at her own fear and go on. One of the wonderful things about themysterious little thread which she carried in her hand was, that itseemed to open a path behind it, so that one could easily follow in herfoot-steps without stumbling over fallen trees, or bumping againstliving ones. Every now and then a gray squirrel would frisk by her in afriendly fashion, as if to assure her that she was not alone, even inthe twilight of the dark woods. By and by she came to the part of theforest where the trees were less dense, and soon she was out in the gladsunshine again.
But now a new difficulty faced her. As far as she could see stretched alow, swampy marsh of wet land. The mud and slime did not look veryinviting, but the thought of her little blind sister came to her again,and she bravely plunged into the mire. The dirty, dripping mud clung toher dress and made her feet so heavy that she grew weary lifting themout of it. Sometimes she seemed to be stuck fast, and it was only with agreat effort that she could pull out, first one foot, and then theother. A lively green frog hopped along beside her, and seemed to say,in his funny, croaking voice, "Never mind the mud, you'll soon bethrough it." When she had at last reached the end of the slippery,sticky marsh, and stood once more on firm ground, she looked back at thetiny thread of golden light which trailed along after her. _What_ do youthink had happened? Wherever the mysterious and beautiful thread hadtouched the mud, the water had dried up, and the earth had become firmand hard, so that any other person who might wish to cross the swampyplace could walk on firm ground. This made the child Avilla so happy,that she began to sing softly to herself.
Soon, however, her singing ceased. As the day advanced, the air grewhotter and hotter. The trees had long ago disappeared, and now the grassbecame parched and dry, until at last she found herself in the midst ofa dreary desert. For miles and miles the scorching sand stretched onevery side. She could not even find a friendly rock in whose shadow shemight rest for a time. The blazing sun hurt her eyes and made her headache, and the hot sand burned her feet. Still she toiled on, cheered bya swarm of yellow butterflies that fluttered just ahead of her. At lastthe end of the desert was reached, just as the sun disappeared behind acrimson cloud. Dusty and weary, the child Avilla was about to throwherself down on the ground to rest. As she did so, her eyes turned tolook once more at the golden thread which had trailed behind her all dayon the hot sand. Lo, and behold! What did she see? Tall shade trees hadsprung up along the path she had traveled, and each tiny grain of sandthat the wonderful thread had touched, was now changed into a diamond,or ruby, or emerald, or some other precious stone. On one side thepathway across the desert shone and glittered, while on the other thegraceful trees cast a cool and refreshing shade.
Little Avilla stood amazed as she looked at the beautiful trees and thesparkling gems. All feeling of weariness was gone. The air now seemedmild and refreshing, and she thought that she could hear in the distancesome birds singing their evening songs. One by one the bright stars cameout in the quiet sky above her head, as if to keep guard while she sleptthrough the night.
The next morning she started forward on her long journey round thewor
ld. She traveled quite pleasantly for a while, thinking of how cooland shady the desert path would now be for any one who might have totravel it, and of the precious jewels she had left for some one else togather up. She could not stop for them herself, she was too anxious topress forward and finish her task, in order that her little blind sistermight the sooner see.
After a time she came to some rough rocks tumbled about in greatconfusion, as if angry giants had hurled them at each other. Soon thepath grew steeper and steeper, and the rocks sharper and sharper, untilthey cut her feet. Before her she could see nothing but more rocks untilthey piled themselves into a great mountain, which frowned down uponher, as much as to say, "How dare you attempt to climb to my summit?"The brave child hesitated. Just then two strong eagles with outspreadwings rose from their nest of sticks on the side of a steep cliff nearby, and soared majestically and slowly aloft. As they passed far aboveher head they uttered a loud cry which seemed to say, "Be brave andstrong and you shall meet us at the mountain-top."
Sometimes the ragged edges of the rocks tore her dress, and sometimesthey caught the tiny golden thread, and tangled it so that she had toturn back and loosen it from their hold. The road was very steep and shewas compelled to sit down every few minutes and get her breath. Stillshe climbed on, keeping the soaring eagles always in sight. As sheneared the top, she turned and looked back at the enchanted thread ofgolden light which she had carried through all the long, strangejourney. Another marvelous thing had happened! The rugged path of sharp,broken rocks, had changed into broad and beautiful white marble steps,over which trailed the shining thread of light. She knew that she hadmade a pathway up this difficult mountain and her heart rejoiced.
She turned again to proceed on her journey, when, only a short distancein front of her, she saw the dark cave in which lived the strange oldwoman who had bidden her carry the line of light around the world. Shehastened forward, and on entering the cave, she saw the old creature,almost bent double, still spinning the mysterious thread. Avilla ranforward and cried out, "I have done all you told me to do, now givesight to my sister?" The old woman sprang to her feet, seized the threadof golden light and exclaimed, "At last! at last! I am freed!"
Then came so strange and wonderful a change that Avilla could hardlybelieve her own eyes. Instead of the ugly, cross-looking old crone,there stood a beautiful princess, with long golden hair, and tender blueeyes, her face radiant with joy. Her story was soon told. Hundreds ofyears ago she had been changed into the bent old woman, and shut up inthe dark cave on the mountain-side, because she, a daughter of theKing, had been selfish and idle, thinking only of herself, and herpunishment had been that she must remain thus disguised and separatedfrom all companions and friends until she could find someone who wouldbe generous and brave enough to take the long, dangerous journey aroundthe world for the sake of others. Her mother had been a fairy princessand had taught her many things which we mortals have yet to learn. Sheshowed the child Avilla how, by dipping the golden thread into a springof ordinary water, she could change the water into golden water, whichglittered and sparkled like liquid sunshine. Filling a pitcher with thisthey hastened together to where the little blind sister sat in darknesswaiting for some one to come and lead her home. The beautiful princesstold Avilla to dip her hands into the bowl of enchanted water, and thenpress them upon the closed eyes of her sister. They opened! And thelittle blind girl could see!
After that the fairy princess came and lived with little Avilla and hersister, and taught them how to do many wonderful things, of which I havenot time to tell you to-day.