The Yale expositor., 1896-05-08

lem. Iney were
both loved and hon
ored by their people and would have
been perfectly happy but for one sorrow
that lowered over them like cloud.
This was that no prince had been born
to inherit the throne and to comfort the
parents with his childish prattle.
Often, as the queen walked out with
her attendants, she would see little
one playing in the sunshine or rolling
in the sand, laughing at bright butter
fly or softly growing over a little flower.
And her heart would be filled with sad
ness that no baby fingers ever wandered
over her face or filled her heart with
the rapture that mother feels as she
folds her little one close to her bosom.
And the king, as he saw all the glor-
les around him, would sigh that there
were no pattering steps and laughing
voice to make the long halls of his pal
ace ring with childish mirth.
One day as Anselmus wandered
through his gardens, he sat down by a
fountain and looked idly upon the
water, dimpling in the sunlight. AS
he sat he grew weary, his head fell for
ward upon his arms, which rested on
the fountains basin, and the king slept
Then vision rose before him. He
thought the day was bright, but he saw
the moon shining, pale and dropping
and while he looked little bird flew
towards him. Then two lions came and
stood, one on each side of the bird, and
| shielded it from the wind. And when
the king, in surprise at this strange
sight, lifted his eyes, behold, the garden
| seemed filled with strange animals
which all bowed down to the little bird
Then, suddenly the air was filled with
moving wings, and Anselmus beheld
birds of both gay and sombre plumage
all singing together, joyfully and
sweetly. And so loud did the music
grow that it awoke the king, and the
vision vanished. But not so the mem
DRY of it.
Anselmus pondered long upon the
wonder he had seen; then he summoned
his councillors and courtiers and al
the wise men of the land and when the
hall was filled the king spoke to the as
| sembly.
81 have summoned you, my people, tC
hear the strange adventure that has be.
fallen me. / cannot but fear that II
presages some great event in my king.
dom, but whether good or evil, l must
hear from my wise counsellors."
And thereupon he related his dream
At its conclusion the wise men with.
drew and in short time re-entered the
room with bright, joyous faces.
Rejoice, oh king! they cried. "Heal
what the vision foretells. The moon
shining in the light of the sun was oui
queen beside our king. The little birt
was but to portray prince born into
| the land. The two beasts that shel.
tered it were the good and the great Of
the land, who will give from thcil
plenty to support and protect their fu.
ture king. The strange animals that
| bowed before our prince were emblems
of the foreign nations that will yield tC
his power And the sweet singing
from the threats of many birds was
but the sign of the rejoicings that we
your own people, will give forth to wei.
come our kings son. Rejoice, oh king
and be glad, for the omen is good!"
One day the city of Rome rung with
song and rejoicings. An heir to the
throne had been presented to the peo-
pie, and their hearts were glad.
Now, it happened that King Am
phrey, who reigned over kingdom
near Rome, had carried on continual
war with Anselmus. But when he
hand IF Tho birtb of tbo ,r;,oo tonne,