king smiled because birds voices were to be heard in the trees and bushes and something golden bright was rising out of the edge of the ocean and sparkling light danced on the waves it rose higher and higher and grew so dazzling and wonderful that he threw out his little hand with a shout of joy the next moment he started back because there rose near him a loud and beating of powerful wings as a great bird flew out of near by and high into the radiant morning heavens it is the eagle who is our neighbor said the ancient one he has l and gone to give his greeting to the sun f the land of the blue flower and as the little king sat upright he saw that from the dazzling brightness at the edge of the world there leaped forth a ball of living gold and fire and even he knew that the sun had risen at every day s dawn it leaps forth like that said the ancient one let us watch together and i will tell you stories of it so they sat by the and the stories were told they were stories of the small lying hid in the dark earth waiting for the golden heat of the sun to draw them forth into life until they covered the fields with waving wheat to make bread for the world they were stories of the seeds of fair flowers warmed and until they j burst into scented blossoms they were i i fl � m p i the land of the blue flower stories of the roots of trees and the rich sap drawn upward by the heat until great branches and thick waved in the summer air they were stories of men women and children walking with light step and glad because of the gold of the sun every day it every day it draws every day it and gives life and there are many who forget the wonder of it lift your head high as you walk young king and often look upward never forget the sun at every dawning they rose and saw together the wonder of the day and the first time the sky was heavy with gray clouds and the sun did not leap upward from behind the edge of the world the ancient one said another thing the burning gold is behind the � i � i the land of the blue flower lowering gray and purple the clouds are heavy with soft rain when they break they will drop it in showers or splendid storms and the thirsty earth will drink it up the will drink it and the seed and the roots and the world will be joyous and rich with fresh life the springs will up like crystal and the will rush through the green of the forest the drinking places for the cattle will be full and clear and men and women will feel rested and cool lift your head high when you walk young king and often look upward never forget the clouds so hearing these things every day king learned the meaning of both sun and cloud and loved and felt himself brother to both w� � � i i m mm r m h w i h i� � i t fm ma � � � � � m the land of the blue flower the first time he remembered seeing a storm the ancient one took him to the again and together they watched the dark clouds pour down their floods while their purple was by the dazzling of the lightning and the thunder rolled and and seemed to asunder things no human eye could see and the wind roared round the castle on the mountain and beat against its towers and tossed the branches of the trees and whirled the rain in sheets over the land � and king stood erect and strong like some little soldier though he wondered where the small birds were and if the eagle were in his nest through all the tumult the ancient one stood still he looked taller than � � i i k � i m tn m � m m m t t i � w w h n i i i t i the land of the blue flower i ever in his long gray robe and strange eyes were deep as the sea i at last he said in a slow calm voice this is the voice of the power men � i know not no man has yet quite i understood � though it seems to speak j to it let your soul stand j silent listen young king hold your head high as you walk and often look j upward never forget the storm j so the king learned to love the storm be one with it knowing no fear but perhaps � it might be because j he had been laid on the scented moss i and had without knowing it saluted j i them on the first night of his life � he i felt nearest to and loved most his brothers the stars every fair night through the king s i earliest years the ancient one carried i t t i i i i the land of the blue flower him to the and let him fall asleep beneath the shining but first he would walk about bearing him in his arms or sit with him in the splendid silence sometimes relating wonders to him in a low voice sometimes uttering no word only looking calmly into the high vault above as if the stars spoke to him and told him of perfect peace when a man looks long at them he said he grows calm and forgets small things they answer his questions and show him that his earth is only one of the million worlds hold your soul still and 