New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-10
n 70 A NATIONAL fairy tale, declared
4 Mr.. Grenville Vernon, in The Trib-
une. Rimsky-Korsakoff has ad

une, illlnSky-hOfSakOf mas added
music which is equally national AS for
the story, it is quite frankly fairy
tale'--one
of the cruei. bloodthrsty sort beloved by
children and nations, and yet unaffected with /
nerves 1t is replete with all sorts of things ;
kings and queens astrologers, dwarfs and
giants, wooden horses and beasts never seen
on land or sea, golden cock, beautiful and
cruel enchantress, love ard war and death. /
1t is set in the world of the mailman, the poet
and the child, a phantasmagoria in which
sense is swampcd by color, wonderful land
OF topsyturvy presided by an aged mon
arch foolish and futile and unlucky as
was the Gar
"Those who search for symbols may find
them as thick pebbles on stony plain.
Old King Dodon is Nicnoias; the Queen, the
ideal of power; the Astrologer, liberty; the
Golden Cock the heart Of the people; even
the ravens on the scenery might be the Boil
shevili, We are not quite sure as to who is
the Kaiser--perhaps the final curtain. SO
those who ycaln for cerebrations will
receive food for their thoughts and will en-
Ioy lie Coo dor
But there others who will enjoy it far
far more. The child intoxicated with the
mystery of the future will find realized his
dreams of manhood; the man, dreaming Of
souls adventurer will find his path lighted by
the divine flame of beauty. Surely the land
which produced all this means something to
the world is worth fighting for. Over the
bodies Of its dead King Dodons, through the
night OF its ravens, we must advance. Even
the final curtain Will be lifted
The story of 'Ie COG dor" is twice
told on this page-once by the poet Push
kim and here once more by the critic of
"The Sun"-a comment which shows how
the Pushkn legend lent itself to operate
treatment. The account runs:
"The old King is a dolt and is surrounded
by fools Of greater calibre than himself.
War. which threatens, is not only an alarm,
but u puzzle. The Astrooger presents the
King with a golden cock, which from its
perch announces the approach of good or
cvil
"rhc cock is made Of wood Any blind
man could tell that. So is the horse on
which the King ridca forth TO battle. Among
biockhcads wooden horse IS a fitting char
actcr. The whole court Is Il Jest. One looks
every moment TO see Alice enter escorted by
Mr.. ". Rabbit, and to cat something, per
haps a wooden nutmeg before she can get
out. The Kings battling is not glorious. His
two sons arc slain. As he walls over them a
tent rises from the earth, and then the dance
element enters the action. i is the tent OF
the Queen OF Shcmakhan, represented by Ro-
sina Cali
This irresistible siren sets out to bcwtch
/ the hoary monarch She is fascinating in her
/ terpsichorcan action and overwhelmingly
frank IN her conversation. In her song,
which befuddcs the infantilc sense Of the
kings she performs verbal disrobing scene
which rivals the latest word in the gospel OF
the Greek dance, as lately uttered on the
same stage. Being very old, the King is
moved 70 scniIc dotinY. She asks only tho
whole Of his Kingdom and he instantly sets
forth TO take hcr TO his capital and we'd her.
ut Is d singular procession that ushcrs the
King and his chosen bride into the palace Of
pastcboard Dwarfs, giants, freaks, wooden
beasts and what not preccdc the royal pair
who are drawn by mechanical monsters in II
chariot papably made with hands. All might
20 #cll, but the Astroogcr turns up and re-
mnds the King Of promise. The Astroio-
ger was 70 be granted his first wish, 70 he de
manda the Queen. In teacup wrath the King
sroitca him With the sccptrc and Stays him.
Horror acjzce the court, except the new
/ Queen, who laughs a strange laugh and de
clares that II is Vastiy amusing
! "Ihc nov quite silly King tries TO kiss her