Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-06-16
Two Meadows

A Kinda Legend


Henryk Sienkiewicz in Paris Figaro,
Translated for the Homiletic Review.
There were two meadows which
were separated by a limpid river.
The banks, at certain place, stretch
ed from either side in a gentle slope,
forming ford of little depth. like a
small lake of calm and transparent
waters. From the golden sands at the
bottom, which might be seen through
the azure water, sprung stems of lotos,
whose flowers bloomed red and white
on the calm mirror. Dragon flies and
irised butterflies circled round, above
the flowers. And the birds, among the
palm trees on the banks. and still
higher up amid the suns rays, warbled
notes like the tinkling of little silver
bells. Such was the ford which sepa-
rated the two regions.
The first region was called the
Meadow of Life; the second, the
Meadow of Death. Both were the work
Of the supreme and all-powerful Brah-
ma. He had intrusted to the good
Vishnu the Region of Life; to the wise
silva the Region of Death And he had
said to them: Govern these lands as
it pleases you"
Then in the country which belonged
to Vishnu life began to bubble up. The
sun rose and set, causing day and
night. The vast expanse of seas now
ebbed, now. flowed. In the SKY APP
peared clouds, heavy with rain. The
earth clad itself in forests It was q
hive full of men and animals And in
order that all these creatures should
multiply, the good God created Love.
which he ordered to be Happiness as
we'll
And then Brahma called Vishnu be-
fore him and said: Thou wilt never
IN the future be able to make any
thing more perfect on the earth; and
since | have already taken care to
create the heavens. repose myself
and let these beings whom thou callest
men continue to weave the thread of
their life without our aid"
Vishnu obeyed the command of
Brahma From that time men had to
act and think for themselves Their
good ideas brought forth Joys. and
t cir bad ones sorrows. They per-
ceived in establishment that life is not
an uninterrupted contentment, but
that each thread, of which Brahma
had spoken, was woven by two weav-
ers, one of whom had smile on her
lips and the other tears in her eyes.
They went before the throne OF
Vishnu and made this complaint.
Lord, life is heavy to support in sor-
row.
He answered: Let Love sustain
you"
Upon this they withdrew in calm
spirits. Love, in effect, did dissipate
their griefs; they appeared futile be
fore the happiness which Love gave.
/ Burt Love is also the great creator
of Life. Vast as was the region where
Vishnu reigned. soon the woods did
not furnish berries enough. nor the
bees honey enough in the rocks, nor
the trees fruit enough
Then the wisest bethought them
! selves to clear the forests, to cultivate
the fields, to SOW wheat and gather
the harvests.
! Thurs Labor was born.
Soon all had to apply themselves to
it, and it became not only the condi
ton of existence, but existence itself
Then Labor begot Suffering, and Suf
fering begot WEAKNESS And, again
the throng approached the throne OF
Vishnu
Lord" they clamored, STRETCHING
their hands toward him. "our bodies
are weakened with toll. WEAKNESS is
spread in our bones, and we would re
pose. But existence compels us tc
work without respite"
! Vishnu answered.
Great Brahma does not permit me
to develop life any further. Burt It is
allowable for me to create something
which shall be an interruption of it
and thus shall constitute repose. >
And he created Sleep.
The human race accepted this new
gift with joy, and they soon appre
ciated it as one of the most important
which they had received from ths
hands of God. During sleep cares ant
receptions were assuaged, and weak
ened strength refreshed. Sleep. Xix,
a good mother, dried sorrows tears
and bathed the sleeper's brow with {
silent mist of forgetfulness.
The human race exalted sleep. say
ing
BE thou blessed. for thou art bet