The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-08-26


perfectly good and in a few moments all the
attendants of the queen vanished, singing as |
they VENT
The fairy queen
Hath rarely seen
Creature Of earthly mould
Within her door,
On pearly floor,
Inlaid with shining gold.
"Mortal hast thou fulfilled thy promise ?"
asked the queen.
a have" replied the maiden.
"Then follow me-"
Marion then did as she was directed and
away they went,over beds of violet and mign-
ionette. The birds warbled over their heads,
butterflies cooled the air, and the gurgIlng OF
many fountains came with refreshing sound
Presently they came to the hill, on the top OF
which was the Immortal Fountain. Its foot
was surrounded by band Of fairies, clothed
in green gossamer, with their ivory wands
crossed to bar the ascent. The queen waved
her wand over them, and Immediately they
stretched their thin wings and flew away
The hill was steep, and far far up they went;
and the air became more and more fragrant
and more distinctly they heard the sound Of
waters falling in music. At length they
we're stopped by band Of fairies clothed IN
blue, with their silver wands crossed.
Here" said the queen, "our journey must
end You can 90 no further until you have
fulfilled the orders shall give you, Go home,
now: for one month, do by your sister iii all
respects as you would wish her to do by you,
we're you Rose and she Marion"
Marion promised,and departed. She found
the task harder than the first had been. tAo
could help speaking; but when Rose asked
her for any of her playthings, she found 1t
difficult to give them gently and allection@te-
", instead of pushing them along When
Rose talked to her, she wanted to 90 away IN
silence and when pocket.nrror was found
in her sisters room, broken into thousand
pieces, she felt sorely tempted to conceal that
She did the mischief, But she was so anxious
TO be made beautiful that she did as she would
be done by.
All lie household remarked how Marion
had changed. Glove her dearly" said Rose
, " she is so good and amiable.'
So do l." said a dozen voices.
Marion bushed deeply and her eyes spark
| led with pleasure. GLOW pleasant it is t(
; be loved,,' thought she.
= At the end Of the month she went to the
t nrotto The fairies in blue lowered their sll
l yer wands and flew away. They travelled
j. on-thc path grew sleeper and sleeper; Du
!, the fragrance OF the atmosphere was rcdoub
t led, and more distinctly came the sound o
E, the waters falling in music. Their course wa
STAYED by troop of fairies in rainbow robes
and silver wands tipped with gold. In fac
" and form they were far more beautiful thai
n ANYTHING Marion had yet seen.
{ Here we must pause" said the queen
c I" this boundary you cannot yet pass"
y "Why not?" asked the impatient Mar
P on.
&c because those must be very pure who pas
e the rainbow fairies" replied the queen.
Of Gam not very pure ?" said the maiden
% " all the folks in the castle tell me how 600
Is Is I have grown"
IL "Mortal eyes sec only the outside" said I'll
w queen; but those who pass the rainbo
N fairies must be pure in thought as well as
IN action. Return home-for three months ne7
$, err indulge an envious thought. You sha
IN then have sight of the Immortal Fountain
a. Marion was sad at heart, for she knew no
Id many cnvious thoughts and wrong wishes 81
=" had suffered to gain power over her.
ty At the end Of three months, she again VI
l9 tied the Palace of Beauty. The queen d
IN not smile when she saw her, but IN sllent
OF led the way to the Immortal Fountain III
be green fairies and blue failies flew away,
er they approached; but the rainbow taIrl
I'll bowed low 10 the queen, ana KePt Ihclr 90
II, tipped wands firmly crossed, Marion 81
er that the silver specks on their wings gre
dim, and she burst into tears. 81 knew" 81
the queen, that you could not pass Il
boundary. Envy has been in your heart, al
YOU have not driven it away. Your sister h
been i'll, and in your heart you wished IL
she might die, or rise from the bed OF slt
ness deprived of her beauty. But be I
discouraged; you have been Yeral years
", dngmg wrong feelings, and you must
Oft wonder that it takes many months to dr
rds them away"
ear Marion was very sau us ene "I"'o'
the way homcward. When Rose asked her w