Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-12-31

BRING me ME, aad you iaaylhave me
for your wife.
Oh flew the bug with a buzz.
Pretty soon came the scarlet dragon
fy, expecting SO to dazzle the princess
by his gorgeous colors that she would
accept him at once.
- decline your Offer" said the prin.
cess, "but if you bring me flash Of
fife, l will become your BRIDE
Swift was the flight Of the dragon
fly Oh his errand, and in came the
beetle with tremendous buzz, and ar
IDENTIFY pleaded his suit.
I'm say yes if you bring me 6re.'
said the glittering princess.
Suitor after suitor appeared to WOO
the daughter Of the King Of the Fire
Flies, until every petal was dotted with
them. One after another in long
troop they appeared. Each in his own
wsy-proudly, humbly, boldly, mildly,
with fattery, with Boosting, even with
tears, each proffered his love, told his
rank, or expatiated on his fortune, or
vowed his constancy. sang his tune or
played Ais music. To every one OF her
love:s the princess in modest voice
returned the same answer:
Bring mo fire, and I'll be your
BRIDE"
So without telling his rivals each one
thinking he had the secret alone, sped
away after FIRE.
But none ever came back to wed the
princess. Alas for the poor suitors !
The beetle whizzed off to house near
by, through the paper windows of which
light glimmered. SO full was he of his
passion that thinking nothing of wood
or iron, he dashed his head against
nail, and fell dead on the ground.
The black bug flew into room
where poor student was reading. His
lamp was only dish of earthenware
full of rape seed oil with wick made
OF pith. Knowing nothing Of oil, the
love-lorn bug crowded into the dish to
reach the flame, and in few seconds
was drowned in oil.
Han .jaro9' whats that?) said
thrifty housewife. sitting with her
needle in hand, as her lamp Jared up
for moment, smoking the chimney,
and then cracking it; while picking out
the scorched bits she found roasted
dragonhy, whose scarlet wings were all
burned off.
Mad with love the brilliant hawk
moth, afraid of the fame yet determined
to win the fire for the princess, lowered
around and; around the candle flame,
coming nearer and nearer each time.
" Now or never. the princess or death"
he buzzed, as he darted forward to
snatch q flash of flame, but singing his
wings he fell helplessly down, and died
in agony.
"What fool he was, to be sure"
said the ugly clothes moth. coming on
the spot. "Ill get the fire. 'll'crawl
up inside the CANDLE" So he climbed
mp the hollow paper wick, and was
nearly to the top, and inside the hollow
blue part of the flame, when the man,
shutting the wick, crushed him to
death.
Sad indeed was the fate of the lovers
of Hi-o's daughter. Some lowered
around the beacons on the headland,
some futtered about the great wax
candles which stood eight feet high in
their brass sockets in Buddhist temples;
some burned their loses at the top of
incense sticks, or were nearly choked
by the smoke; some danced all night
around the lanterns in the shrines;
some sought the sepulchral lamps in
the graveyard; one visited the crema-
ton furnace; another the kitchen, where
feast was going on; another chased
the sparks that flew out of the chimney;
hut none brought fire to the princess,
or won the lovers prizJ. Many lost
their feelers, had their shining bodies
scorched or their wings singed, but
most of them, alas! lay dead, black and
cold next morning.
AS the priests trimmed the lamps in
the shrines, and the servant maids the
lanterns, each said alike:
" The Princess Hotaru must have
had many lovers last night"
Alas! alas! poor suitors. Some tried
to snatch streak of green fire from the
cats eyes, and were snapped up for
their pains. One attempted to get
mouthfol of birds breath, but was
swallowed alive. A carrion beetle 1.-THE
ugly lover) crawled off to the seashore,
and found some tish-scales that emitted
light. The stag-beetle climbed noun
tain, and in rotten stump found some
bits OF glowing wood like fire, but the
distance was SO great that long before
they reached the castle moat it was day
light and the fire had gone out; SO they
threw their fish-scales and old wood
away.
The next day was one Of great mourn.
ing, and there were SO many funerals
going on that Hi-maro, the Prince of
Fire-Flies on the north side of the
castle moat, inquired OF his servants the
cause. Then he learned for the
first time of the glittering princess.
Upon this the prince, who had Just
succeeded his father upon the throne,
fell in love with the princess and re-
solved to marry her. He sent his
chamberlain to ask of her father his
daughter in marriage, according to true
etiquette. The father agreed to the
princess proposal, with the condition
that the prince sh Guild obey her behest
in one thing, which was to come in per-
son bringing her fire.
Then the prince at the head of his
glittering battalions came in person and
filled the lotus palace with flood of
golden light. But Hotaru.hime was so