Then to the eldest he gave it, Then, as rejoicing they took them, To the eyes of their stranger friend As he thought of their journey's end; But little the children heeded His words in their noisy glee; To them 'twas a holiday pastime, The rarest that could be! They ran and they raced together On the road and by paths they knew, Through the meadows, across the valley, To the beautiful hills in view. But some as they ran, forgetting The sharp stones that were in their way, Fell, and the delicate vases In an instant shivered lay! And they sat by the wayside crying, Then they laughed and mocked at the others: "Play is better by far!" they said. But the rest, with still eager footsteps, Through the valley, and came to a river, Oh, the fun of watching the minnows When a stone splashed in the river; Or the trout, that beneath the shadow Till, disturbed by the stone's rude splashing, But, alas! in the fun and scramble, Many a vase was upset, And tumbled with crash and shiver Down, down, from the parapet. Very few were left for the journey, These walked, they began to wrangle They clamoured and pushed and struggled- And of all who at first had started And they by the roadside are sitting And their hot little fingers are pressing "It's so little! And no one will notice And now, far above the valley, They have climbed the steep hillside 'Mong the trees, and about them are floating The last rays of the sunset tide. But, passing a turn in the highway, Moving and painfully? And why do they look so frightened, Why surely it is-'tis the stranger Then he lifted his eyes upon them, "Ah, little ones, how do you fare?" One answered, "Bravely, O Master; See how safely your gifts we bear!" But the other, with eyes bent low, And sorrowful heart, was still, Daring not look on the gentle, Kind friend he had served so ill. For a while the stranger waited, To trust your friend with a word? Ah, I know it-see what I have brought !" Then he drew from his wallet two vases More lovely, more perfectly wrought E'en than the last. "Will you take them?" He held them up in the light That gleamed through their flawless beauty, The children looked; and then answered But still the one I have carried So long I'll not change for thine !" He went on his way. But the other "Oh, sir, mine is broken-is worthless See! if only I might instead IIave the beautiful new one!" The stranger Smiled at sight of the old one thrown Aside, as the boy with glad fingers "Be faithful and true-remember!" At last they have reached the hill-top, And now the two weary children Up the long flight of steps, and knocking The sound of footsteps approaching, |