The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-28

my sOn? But instead of the clear tones OF
| her sons voice, she heard only the echo Of
her own, calling My son, my sonP'
In despair, she lifted her head toward
heaven, but saw only the Evil One.
Ha, ha, ha!' cried Satan. Now you
are indeed unhappy. You have no son, and
never again will you see your child"
PITY, pity me! Why do you take nv
child? Can he do without his mother?
Who will caress himP Who will SOW in his
heart grains Of goodness, that can only be
developed by the tenderness of his mother?
Have pity, Evil One; give me back my
son." But Satan laughed and disappeared.
must find my son." cried the unhappy
mother, and quickly she left the house.
She climbed mountains and crossed valleys,
souls heard the poor mothers cry, My
son, my sonw BIT no one could aid her.
Weeks and months passed. Autumn re-
moved the last leaf of the earth's variegated
Vestments and cold winter covered the
ground with veil OF snow. The poor
mother had no trace of her SOD, but she
still continued her fruitless search. Icy
spirits surrounded her with savage growls
aud fluttered their terrible wings, or. seiZ-
ing her by the shoulders, pushed her back
ward. or lifted her from the earth and car
ried her with them in Whirwinds of snow,
while the cold north wind whistled the
fearful song that to US, who listen from our
warm rooms seems like the wall of souls
driven from Paradise.
But nothing stopped the poor mother. for
always she ran forward. crying "My son!
my sOnl" at last exhausted she reached
large valley where it seemed she had once
lived, but the country was much changed.
She noticed especially an enormous steep
rock that seemed inacceSSib bic. A light
footed chamois could not have elm Ded this
rock.
Suddenly she perceived traveller follow
ing the same route as herself
Brother" said she, who placed that
rock in this placer"
st is the rock of the three devils; they
have placed it here to prevent a happy
mother from reJolning her son. Behind this
rock they have concealed the child"
She wished to climb Immediately, but the
traveller held her back.
"Stor, DO you not see that frightful preci-
pice 2" said he.
''Then | shall make the rock fall" cried
the mother. God will give me strength"
Size pushed the block of ice with both
hands, but In vain; great was her love, but
her force was not equal to that of the three
devils. She wept, implored the pasSer-by
TO ana her, but one had no time. another had
no good Will. Always, she remained before
the rock. The evil spirit and Intrigue in
vain tried to drive her away. She knew
her son was there behind the rock, and there
she remained, aided only by blue-eyed hope,
whose sweet smile was most encouraging.
joyful because Of her sufferings, but when
they saw that she would not yield they or
dered the little devils to support the rock
with their foul claws. Ii was too late. The
mothers perseverance had shaken the rock,
and the three devils, beginning to weaken,
complained bitterly. The rock swayed more
and more, and blue-eYed Hope said to the
brave mother, Forward! Forward
"My son, where art th0u?"
''Oh! mother! mother! y
ut was no longer the voice of child, but
that of youth. The mother pushed the rock
once more, and it fell with great noise.
But where art thou, my sOn?''
Here am, mother. Now no power can
separate u.s."
'And where are the three devils?"
Fear no longer, mother. | have put
them in irons, and | shall punish them with
death, so that they can no more do harm"
mo. my son, not that" replied the happy
mother. Order only that their horns be
broken. Our happiness shall be their pun
ishment."
The son followed his mothers advice, and
the devils returned weeping to the Internal
regions. When devils weep men are happy.
NATALIE
Translated for THE SUNDAY CALL by the
Baroness Althea Salvador.
Parts, June Isl, 1891