Hero Tales
Page 17
OGIER THE DANE AND THE FAIRIES
When Ogier the Dane was but a babe in his mother's arms, there washeard one day, in his father's castle, the sweetest music that mortalsever listened to. Nobody knew whence the bewitching sounds came; forthey seemed to be now here, now there: yet every one was charmed withthe delightful melody, and declared that only angels could make musicso heavenly. Then suddenly there came into the chamber where Ogier laysix fairies, whose beauty was so wonderful and awful, that none but ababe might gaze upon them without fear. And each of the lovelycreatures bore in her hands a garland of the rarest flowers, and richgifts of gold and gems. And the first fairy took the child in herarms, and kissed him, and said,--
"Better than kingly crown, or lands, or rich heritage, fair babe, Igive thee a brave, strong heart. Be fearless as the eagle, and bold asthe lion; be the bravest knight among men."
Then the second fairy took the child, and dandled him fondly on herknees, and looked long and lovingly into his clear gray eyes.
"What is genius without opportunity?" said she. "What is a brave heartwithout the ability to do brave deeds? I give to thee many anopportunity for manly action."
The third fairy laid the dimpled hands of the babe in her own whitepalm, and stroked softly his golden hair.
"Strong-hearted boy, for whom so many noble deeds are waiting, I, too,will give thee a boon. My gift is skill and strength such as shallnever fail thee in fight, nor allow thee to be beaten by a foe.Success to thee, fair Ogier!"
The fourth fairy touched tenderly the mouth and the eyes and the noblebrow of the babe.
"Be fair of speech," said she, "be noble in action, be courteous, bekind: these are the gifts I bring thee. For what will a strong heart,or a bold undertaking, or success in every enterprise, avail, unlessone has the respect and the love of one's fellow-men?"
Then the fifth fairy came forward, and clasped Ogier in her arms, andheld him a long time quietly, without speaking a word. At last shesaid,--
"The gifts which my sisters have given thee will scarcely bring theehappiness; for, while they add to thy honor, they may make theedangerous to others. They may lead thee into the practice ofselfishness and base acts of tyranny. That man is little to be enviedwho loves not his fellow-men. The boon, therefore, that I bring theeis the power and the will to esteem others as frail mortals equallydeserving with thyself."
And then the sixth fairy, the youngest and the most beautiful of all,who was none other than Morgan le Fay, the Queen of Avalon, caught upthe child, and danced about the room in rapturous joy. And, in tonesmore musical than mortals often hear, she sang a sweet lullaby, a songof fairyland and of the island vale of Avalon, where the souls ofheroes dwell.
And, when she had finished singing, Morgan le Fay crowned the babe witha wreath of laurel and gold, and lighted a fairy torch that she held inher hand. "This torch," said she, "is the measure of thy earthly days;and it shall not cease to burn until thou hast visited me in Avalon,and sat at table with King Arthur and the heroes who dwell there inthat eternal summer-land."
Then the fairies gave the babe gently back into his mother's arms, andthey strewed the floor of the chamber with many a rich gem and lovelyflower; the odor of roses and the sweetest perfumes filled the air, andthe music of angels' voices was heard above; and the fairies vanishedin a burst of sunbeams, and were seen no more. And when the queen'smaidens came soon afterward into the chamber, they found the childsmiling in his mother's arms. But she was cold and lifeless: herspirit had flown away to fairyland.