Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-08-01
1OoetitaI 5rIeftions.
THE sToRK AND THE RUBY.



certain prince-I have forgot his name
Playing one morning at the srchsr's game,
Within garden where his palace stood,
Shot at stork, and spilled the creatures blood
For verv wontonness, and cruelty.
Thrice had he pierced the target in the eye
A. ffrv paces; twice defoured q rose,
Striking each time the leafhe chose;
Then he set up his dagger in hedge,
And split an arrow on its glittering edge.
What next to hit he knew not. Looking round
He saw a stork Just lighted on the ground,
To rest itself after its leagues Of fight
The dewy walk in which it stood was bright,
So white its plume, and so clear its eyes,
Twiukline with innocence, and sweet surprise!
'rH shoot the silly bird, +" the prince exclaimed;
And bending his strong bow he straightway aimed
His keenest arrow at its painting hearti
The lucky arrow missed vital part.
Tor was it some kind wind that pushed it by?)
And only struck and broke the creatures thigh.
The poor thing tumbled in a lily bed,
And its blood ran, and made the lilies red.
1t marked the changing color Of the flowers,
The winding garden walks, the bloomy bowers,
And last the cruel prince, who laughed with glee-
Fixing the picture in its memory:
This done it struggled up, and few away,
Leaving the prince amazed and in dismay.
Beyond the city walls, league, or more,
A little maid was spinning at her door,
Singing old songs to cheer the long days work:
Hor name was Heracis. The faintIng stork
Dropped at her feet, and with its ebOn bill
Showed her its thigh broken, and bleeding still;
She fetched il water from neighboring spring,
And while it drank and washed each dabbled winl
She set the fractured bones with pous care,
And bound them with the fillet of her hair.
Ensed of It's paid again it few away,
Leaving the maiden happier all the day.
That night the prince as usual, went to bed
His royal wine little in his heads
Beside him stood casket full of gems,
The spoil of conquered monarchs' diadems:
Great pearls, milk white, and shining line the moon
Rmeralds, grass green; sspphires like skies ofJunt
Brilliants that threw their light upon the wall;
And one great ruby that outshOne them all,
Large as a pigeons egg, and red as wine
When held before the sun-a gem divine!
Through these he ran his fingers carelessly,
Like one who dips handful of the sea,
To sun his ewes with dripping stars of brine;
At Inst he slumbered in the pale mconshne.
Meanwhile the watchfu stork was in his bowers
Again it saw its blood upon the flowers,
And saw the walks, the fountains shat in air.
But not the cruel prince; no prince was there;
30 up and down the spacious courts it few,
And ever nearer to the palace drew.
Passing the lighted windows, row by row,
II ssw the prince, and saw the ruby's glow
Hopping into the chamber, grave and still,
II seized the ruby with its ebon bill,
And spreading then its rapid wings in flight,
Flew out, and vanished in the yawning night!
Night slowly passed, and morning broke again;
There came a light tap on the window-pane
or Heraclis: it woke her. she arose,
And, slipping on in haste her peasant clothes,
Opened the door to see who Knocked and 10!
In walked the stork agsin, as white as SNOW,
And in its bill the ruby, whose red ray
Flamed in her face, anticipating dayi
Again the creature pointed to its thigh,
And something human frightened in its eye,
A look that said, 81 thank you p plain as words
The virgins look was brighter than the birds,
So glad was she to see it was not dead:
She stretched her hand to sleek its bowling head
But ere she could, it made sudden stand,
And thrust the priceless ruby in her hand,
And sailing swiftly through the cottage door
Mounted the morning SKY, and came no more!