temptation will be quite overcome. This evening, as it will be the first time,
I have warned you.”
After this the fairy led him into a large hall, filled with transparent lilies.
The yellow stamina of each flower formed a tiny golden harp, from which
came forth strains of music like the mingled tones of flute and lyre.
Beautiful maidens, slender and graceful in form, and robed in transparent
gauze, floated through the dance, and sang of the happy life in the garden of
paradise, where death never entered, and where all would bloom forever in
immortal youth. As the sun went down, the whole heavens became crimson
and gold, and tinted the lilies with the hue of roses. Then the beautiful
maidens offered to the prince sparkling wine; and when he had drank, he
felt happiness greater than he had ever known before. Presently the
background of the hall opened and the tree of knowledge appeared,
surrounded by a halo of glory that almost blinded him. Voices, soft and
lovely as his mother’s sounded in his ears, as if she were singing to him,
“My child, my beloved child.” Then the fairy beckoned to him, and said in
sweet accents, “Come with me, come with me.” Forgetting his promise,
forgetting it even on the very first evening, he rushed towards her, while she
continued to beckon to him and to smile. The fragrance around him
overpowered his senses, the music from the harps sounded more entrancing,
while around the tree appeared millions of smiling faces, nodding and
singing. “Man should know everything; man is the lord of the earth.” The
tree of knowledge no longer wept tears of blood, for the dewdrops shone
like glittering stars.
“Come, come,” continued that thrilling voice, and the prince followed the
call. At every step his cheeks glowed, and the blood rushed wildly through
his veins. “I must follow,” he cried; “it is not a sin, it cannot be, to follow
beauty and joy. I only want to see her sleep, and nothing will happen unless
I kiss her, and that I will not do, for I have strength to resist, and a
determined will.”
The fairy threw off her dazzling attire, bent back the boughs, and in
another moment was hidden among them.
