The heavens were a stainless1 blue, and the Moon shone out of them arrayed in silvery garments. One by one the sky’s matchless jewels, the stars, peeped out, studding that great ceiling with flashing diamond-points, until the whole dome2 was a glittering mass of blue and silver. The Ocean below seemed a big mirror, made to catch and reflect the bewildering beauty above, for, shimmering3 softly, he carried in his shining depths all those myriad4 lights.
14
Calm and majestic5 the Moon glided6 over her star-studded pathway; but, in spite of her glorious beauty and brilliancy, she was really sad and sick at heart. Ethelda, her best beloved, the youngest and dearest of her children, had just made a request the granting of which caused her that night bitterest sorrow.
There was an old custom among the Moon maidens8 that on her marriage each one of them might ask whatever she most desired, and the thing which she asked could not be denied her. Now, Ethelda of the starry9 eyes and the shining spun-gold hair had asked a fearful gift at her mother’s hands. She was betrothed10 to the Sun Prince Dorion, a handsome youth, strong of limb, and a goodly sight to look upon, and he had long loved her. He had seen this dainty maiden7 in all her varying moods, so he knew her well. Sometimes, with her Moon maidens merrily engaged at play, she romped11 happy as a child; or later, with the stately tread of a young princess, she came and went in her big white palace. She often wore a pale blue gown with silver trimmings, and a crown of flashing stars upon her head, and then it was the brilliantly beautiful girl looked the daughter of the skies.
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Prince Dorion had watched the slender maiden until every strand12 of her glittering hair was dear to his heart. Later his father’s golden chariot brought him daily to her palace.
How Ethelda loved to watch him as he drove the fiery13 steeds with a master’s hands, guiding them surely and steadily14 to her palace gates! He was the finest of the Sun God’s sons, and Ethelda’s heart beat proudly as she looked upon her chosen one. The Moon Mother was happy too, in her daughter’s choice, and all would have been well in the wedding festivities save for Ethelda’s unheard-of request. How the Moon hated to grant it! But she had reasoned with Ethelda long and patiently without effect. For the wilful15 little Princess was bent16 upon this mad whim17. “Alas! no good can come of it,” sighed the Moon heavily, and she gazed down sadly upon the Earth as she spoke18. “No good can come of it,” she repeated. “What could have possessed19 the child to want it?”
16
The young Sun Prince, though at first reluctant to take his beautiful bride upon such a wild trip, had finally yielded to her persuasions21, and now, being won by her tender pleadings, was as anxious to go as she.
But the Moon Mother had no such faith in the foolish journey. Her mind misgave22 her, and as she swung around the great circle in celestial23 glory, her heart grew tremulous with fear for her daughter’s safety. The request must be granted: that she knew; but she was devoutly24 thankful for a wise law requiring a Moon maiden to revisit her own home yearly. At most, then, they could stay but a twelvemonth upon the Earth. Reason as she would, however, the Queen Mother’s heart was heavy, for with the daughter upon the Earth the mother’s happiness would be gone. But the maiden’s joy at the consent consoled her somewhat, and with an unselfish mother’s love the Queen determined25 to hide her own grief and make the wedding trip a brilliant and a joyous26 one.
Prince Dorion came with a great retinue27 of knights28, all dressed in shining gold wrought29 in the Sun’s fiery furnace, and bringing wonderful jewels to his bride. The Moon Queen, not to be outdone in magnificence, showered silver in plenty upon them both, and bade one hundred of her loveliest maidens accompany the bridal pair upon their journey.
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The wedding was so brilliant that the skies grew bright as day, and the splendor30 was reflected for many miles across the heavens. When the ceremony was over, the bride, in shining white and silver garments, came forth31 from the circle of her bridesmaids to bid her mother farewell.
Long-limbed and graceful32 was this daughter of the skies. Her finely cut features showed her high-bred race. Her blond hair hung in yellow masses to her knees, while her tender blue eyes, looking smilingly upon her mother’s face, were radiant with happiness. Gliding33 swiftly forward she reached the throne, and there, sinking on her knees, she begged her mother’s blessing34.
Very tenderly the Queen watched her graceful child approach and kneel, and then leaning forward she raised her to her breast and showered caresses35 upon her.
18
“Ethelda, best beloved,” she began, “stay not beyond your allotted36 time upon the Earth. My heart misgives37 me when I think of your departure, and will be heavy until you return. But see, my daughter, I have provided for your safety as best I can, and you may come back to me whenever you choose.” So saying, she drew the bride gently toward the window of her white palace, and there, looking down, Ethelda saw a wonderful sight indeed. A beautiful shimmering ladder of moonlight stretched in infinite splendor down to the Earth. Whichever way she looked, the majestic sweep of that brilliant ladder was before her. It reached the Ocean, whose gigantic waves of foaming38 white rose to meet it, and it quivered in dazzling glory upon the green-clad forests of the land.
Ethelda was amazed and delighted at the wonderful sight, and throwing her arms around her mother’s neck, she poured forth her gratitude39 in loving words. “We will return soon, sweet mother,” she whispered tenderly; “those shining steps will lead us safely back to you.” Then, as her husband joined them, she stepped forward smilingly to greet him, saying she was ready.
19
One hundred of the Sun Prince’s knights, in trappings of gold made by the Sun himself, and with bright shades of crimson40 trimmings, joined them as she spoke. Ethelda’s maidens, in their glittering dresses of whitest silver, followed; and joining hands with the knights, began their magnificent wedding march to the Earth.
Never was there a more kingly sight. Preceding the bride and bridegroom, the gay cavalcade41 descended42 the glorious ladder of silver beams. Step by step they wandered down the moonglade toward the Earth, and the Moon, smiling lovingly at them, sighed again heavily as she spread her bright pathway of silver before them.
Now, the Earth knew of their coming, and she determined to give them a welcome befitting their high and mighty43 rank. She already owed a great debt to the Sun King, for it was his shining rays that warmed and nourished her and made her fruitful. Most of her splendid fertility was due to the warmth of the Sun. So she invited the whole world to meet the bridal party, giving a grand ball in their honor.
20
Her invitations were taken by the winds and swiftly carried to the four corners of the globe. Hundreds of noble personages were asked to meet the distinguished44 strangers, and all came to do them honor, bringing cordial greetings and invitations to visit the different parts of the world.
The night of the ball had come. The Earth, resplendent in jewels, awaited the arrival of her guests. The forest back of them was aglitter with lights, for all the glow-worms and fireflies had been summoned for the occasion, and for days they had been decorating the trees. An orchestra of birds sang delicious music, and overhead the sky was spangled with twinkling stars gazing in silent wonderment upon the Earth’s splendor.
By the side of the Earth Queen stood Prince Dorion. His suit of pure gold shone like the Sun himself, and next to him was his beautiful bride, the Moon Princess. She was dressed in white garments embroidered45 in silver, and she was certainly a charming vision. Her gleaming yellow hair was caught back from her forehead with a crown of flashing stars. Her clear blue eyes, with their deep sky tints46, were dancing in lights as brilliant as her star crown itself.
21
First came the Earth’s eldest47 son, the Ocean King, to greet them. The Sea was a mass of fire with gleaming phosphorus, and King Ocean and his mermaid48 daughters seemed to be floating in red flames as they approached. The maidens’ long and wonderfully beautiful hair floated behind them as they swam, and they sang the most entrancing songs. They bore an invitation to Prince Dorion and his bride to visit them in their marine49 home. And this invitation was at once accepted by the strangers. Another invitation, accepted at once, came from Prince Dorion’s only sister, Princess Kuldah, who lived upon the Earth with her husband. Many more charming invitations were given them, but of course it was impossible to accept them all.
At last one distinguished-looking person strode forward, small of stature50 and ugly to look upon. His body was dwarfed52, and he had a big hump on his back. His face was dark and glowering53, and he wore a suit of yellow leaves. All the guests moved aside to let him pass, as though they feared him. He lived in the vast depths of the forest, amidst huge mountains; his daily work, with his thousands of imps54, was to build those mountains big and high. Stone by stone he raised them, bleak55 and barren, to the clouds. He limped as he walked, and he glared angrily at the shrinking faces avoiding him; but he gave his invitation to the fair guests, as the others had done, and bowed low before them as he gave it.
22
An involuntary shudder56 ran through the lovely Princess as she heard his words, and she clung suddenly to her husband in terror, as the black dwarf51’s eyes dwelt admiringly upon her. She felt a cold thrill of fear at his bold glance.
But Prince Dorion, reassuring57 her with a tender smile, turned to the ugly creature, and to the astonishment58 of the Earth Queen and her court, replied: “Sir Dwarf, we accept your invitation, and will gladly ride forth with you whenever our hostess wills. The Sun King, my father, and her Majesty59 the Queen of the Moon, have each sent the Earth a gift as a glad token of our visit here, and we must place our precious gold and silver deep within the bosom60 of your great mountains. There will it best thrive and grow, increasing and benefiting the world.”
The Moon Princess turned very pale when she heard her husband’s reply, but the black dwarf limped away with a gratified smile upon his ugly face.
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1
stainless
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| adj.无瑕疵的，不锈的 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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6
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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8
maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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9
starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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11
romped
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| v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜 | |
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12
strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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13
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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14
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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15
wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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16
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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18
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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19
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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20
honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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21
persuasions
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| n.劝说，说服（力）( persuasion的名词复数 )；信仰 | |
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22
misgave
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| v.使（某人的情绪、精神等）疑虑，担忧，害怕( misgive的过去式 ) | |
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23
celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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26
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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retinue
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| n.侍从；随员 | |
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28
knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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29
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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30
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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31
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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32
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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33
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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34
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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35
caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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36
allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
misgives
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| v.使（某人的情绪、精神等）疑虑，担忧，害怕( misgive的第三人称单数 ) | |
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38
foaming
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| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
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39
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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40
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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41
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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42
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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43
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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44
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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45
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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46
tints
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| 色彩( tint的名词复数 )； 带白的颜色； （淡色）染发剂； 痕迹 | |
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47
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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48
mermaid
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| n.美人鱼 | |
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49
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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50
stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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51
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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52
dwarfed
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| vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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53
glowering
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| v.怒视( glower的现在分词 ) | |
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54
imps
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| n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童 | |
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55
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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56
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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57
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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58
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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59
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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60
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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