ONE day a long time ago, the Sun-God was sending down upon the earth a bright stream of golden beams, which fell in a flood of glory over a great forest. The light and heat thus given by the sun was being taken up by the leaves and bodies of the trees, for it was this which gave them their strength and enabled them to grow so high. Big, towering trees they were, and their long, green branches stretched out in every direction, waving cool shadows which danced along the ground.

The forest covered many, many miles, and the giant trees, rearing their heads proudly at the thought of their wide possessions, nodded a friendly good-morning to the glittering sun.

Now the great Sun-God, moving slowly across the heavens each day, had grown so used to rising in the east and setting in the west every twenty-four hours that he did his duty without paying much attention to the world under him. But somehow, on the day I speak of, the trees looked unusually fresh and green, the cool shade beneath them was more attractive than it had ever seemed before, and for the first time the Sun-God realized in what a burning furnace he lived, —nothing but fire and flame and dreadful heat everywhere.

So on this particular day, the Sun-God looked across the thousands of miles of his great world and said to himself, "Dear me, how I should love to plant such a nice green forest as that down there in some corner of my kingdom. I wonder if any of those great trees would grow up here. At any rate, I think it is worth trying the experiment."

He called up his favorite son, and told him to go down to the earth, and make a study of the great forest to see if its trees could be transplanted with safety to the sun. Prince Rigel, though very much surprised, obeyed his father's command at once, and, assuming the form of a handsome young man, descended to the earth. In reality, of course, he still remained, a god, and as a proof of his royal ancestry his father filled a tiny golden ball with the precious fire from the sun and hung it around his neck. This sacred fire was a charm to preserve him till his return, and it was not to be opened, lest disaster should follow. Then the Sun-King gave him one hundred knights as attendants, and a bag of gold, so that he might make a dignified and rich appearance upon the earth; and promising to obey all his father's injunctions, Prince Rigel with his train floated down upon a white cloud and reached the top of a lofty mountain of the earth. From there it was easy to walk down into the valley, and at the foot of the mountain they found splendid black horses richly saddled awaiting them. They mounted at once, and riding forth on their adventure, certainly were a gallant-looking company.

Prince Rigel was a tall and strongly built young man. He had clear blue eyes and a blond beard and fair hair. ' His clothes were richly embroidered, while his armor and breast-plate were of pure gold. All his knights were handsomely dressed and wore breast-plates of silver, and when the sun shone upon them they were a dazzling sight to see.

Now the Prince had not ridden far when he saw a crowd of people ahead of him hurrying on toward a distant city. On inquiring their destination he was told they were going to attend a grand tournament, where the bravest and most successful knight was to wed the beautiful Princess Gwendolyn. The Princess Gwendolyn was the only daughter of the King, and was the loveliest maiden the sun ever shone upon. Rigel and his followers decided they would ride into the city and see the lady who was so beautiful, and also watch the tournament, where they were told any might enter the lists provided he was a gentleman and a brave knight. They found the tournament was to take place on a large open field near the King's palace. A low balcony had been built for the Princess Gwendolyn and her ladies-in-waiting, so arranged that when a suitor entered the lists he could ride up to the Princess and salute her. As each knight bowed very low before her, the Princess would take a ribbon from one of the ladies-in-waiting and, leaning over, pin her colors on his breast. Then the knight would ride slowly away to fight for the hand of the beautiful maiden.

Prince Rigel sat upon his prancing black charger listening to the music and watching the many suitors approach the Princess. He could see that she was really very beautiful; indeed, he thought he had never seen anything more lovely. She wore a white gown embroidered in delicate pearls, and over it a long court train of pale sea-green velvet. The train was worked in fine threads of silver, and hung in handsome folds behind her. Upon her head was a crown of pink roses, and her fair golden hair fell in waving masses almost to her knees.

She looked very young, the Prince thought, and he wondered if she would look as pretty if he were nearer. Before he realized just what he was doing he had ridden quite close and had stopped before the balcony. Then he saw that her skin was like lilies and roses mixed together, and that her eyes were very blue. The Princess took a ribbon, as she had done for many others, and, turning, looked full upon him for the first time. As her glance met his, there was so much admiration in his eyes that she blushed deeply; but somehow his gaze did not offend her and she thought to herself that he was certainly the handsomest young man she had ever seen. She took a rose from her hair and, leaning forward, pinned it with the ribbon upon his breast. His eyes spoke love though his lips said never a word, and when she had decorated him with her rose and her colors, he stooped and kissed the hand she extended to him, and rode forward to join the other suitors.

The tournament came to an end at last. Princess Gwendolyn's dainty white hand was fought for long and hard; but one by one the suitors were unhorsed, until finally Prince Rigel stood alone, victorious! To him belonged the most beautiful Princess in the world. Had he done right in winning her without telling her his secret? He hardly knew; but of one thing he was perfectly sure, and that was that he loved the beautiful Gwendolyn with his whole heart. Approaching her, he bent his knee and asked if he might speak with her for a moment alone. She drew apart from her handmaidens and granted his request.

"Ah, charming and adorable Princess," he began, "I love you more than my life, and if you consent to marry me I shall be the happiest and proudest man in the world. But before you consent to give me your hand, I have a confession to make. Though I am a Prince of high and royal blood, and therefore your equal in marriage, I cannot reveal to you the secret of my birth; and you must promise in accepting me never to open the tiny golden ball I wear about my neck."

So saying, he drew forth the lovely trinket at his throat and showed it to her.

"Grave dangers might arise should you seek the knowledge I must withhold," he continued; "but promising this, O beautiful Princess, you will not regret, I am sure, your marriage with me."

The Princess Gwendolyn looked long into the clear and honest eyes of her lover while he was speaking, and what she saw there must have satisfied her, for she gave him her hand, saying, "I will promise all you wish."

Then Prince Rigel joyfully took her in his arms and kissed her tenderly.

Shortly afterwards they were married, and the people said they had never seen a handsomer couple. The Prince was well provided with gold and silver, and he built his wife a magnificent palace and furnished it in the richest manner. The palace was on the crest of a hill and commanded a splendid view of the country and valleys for many miles around. Far off in the shimmering distance they could see the great forest the Sun-God had sent his son to the earth to study, and alas! it was just this fine forest that brought about Princess Gwendolyn's discontent.

Prince Rigel was as devoted as a husband could be, and as he was noble and good the Princess felt herself to be a very happy woman indeed. She shared in all his pleasures and pursuits save one, but with all his unselfish devotion and tender love of her he never once invited her to join in that. This was when he went riding in the forest. There he seemed to want no one save his one hundred knights with him; frequently she and her ladies would accompany him and his gay cavalcade to the borders of the wood, but there the Prince would kiss her a tender good-bye and bid her occupy herself with her embroidery at the palace until his return.

Now the Princess fretted a good deal over this one thing, and she wondered why, loving her as he did, he never seemed to desire her companionship in the forest. What did he do in those mysterious depths He did not hunt, for she always joined him in that sport, and it was surely not for the mere pleasure of riding he went there. What could the attraction be? It certainly was most strange.

One day as she was returning from the edge of the green woods, she saw the Witch of the Mountain appear suddenly in her path. The old woman's home on the mountain-side was called the Hill of the Wind, for the wind blew and moaned pitifully about it.  It was built on a high, narrow wall of rock, and jutted out over an abyss, leaving just the narrowest path to walk on, and even if the Witch had been agreeable she would not have had many callers in such a place. But no one ever went to see her.

Now, Gwendolyn was not glad to meet her, for where-ever the mountain witch went she made mischief, and so the Princess tried to pass her with a simple "Good-morning." But the Witch was smiling a mocking smile, and stopped her saying, "Why worry your heart out, my pretty lady, about a man who loves his secret better than his wife?"

"What do you mean?" asked the Princess indignantly.

"All day while you pine and fret," replied the old Witch, "he carries out his plans, nor does he think of you a single moment."

The poor Princess looked very unhappy at these words, but she would not allow the horrid old woman to speak ill of her husband, so she answered, "I do not believe a word you say."

"Well," croaked the Witch, "if you have his confidence and love, do you know what he conceals in the golden ball? That secret keeps him from your side. Bring that bauble to me and I will read its mystery for you, and he will never again go into the forest without taking you.

 So sang the old Witch, but the Princess, stopping her ears, called her maidens and fled from the evil woman's temptations.

That evening, however, when her husband returned, smiling and happy to be again with his beloved wife, he found her pale and downcast. To all his questions she gave evasive replies, and he saw that she was greatly disturbed. He tried in every way to find out what worried her, but without success.

Days and weeks went by, and the suspicions the old witch had aroused seemed to grow and magnify in Gwendolyn's mind. Every time her husband went to the forest she would shut herself in the palace and ponder over the golden charm he carried, and every night when he was lying asleep by her side she would watch it gleam and sparkle on his throat. Sometimes she would hold in her hand the small key that unlocked the chain and allowed the precious ball to slip off, but each time she would turn away terrified at what she was about to do in breaking her promise to her husband.

 

 Time slipped by, and the Prince, occupied with the study of the growth of the trees, and having such confidence in his wife's love and devotion, failed to notice how troubled she was. At last the night came when Gwendolyn could no longer resist; she felt if she could just keep the charm long enough to let the Witch read its secret to her, she could restore it to the Prince, who might never even miss it. She meant no harm, but it was a wicked thing to do, for in yielding to a dreadful curiosity she broke her word honorably given.

So she took the ball very easily from the chain without awakening her husband; she ran quickly down to the courtyard and sprang upon her fleetest horse, and holding the precious talisman she rode fast to the home of the Witch of the Mountain! The night was black and the wind cut her soft cheeks like a whip, but she hardly felt it; she rode on and on until she came to the lonely house of the old Witch, who stood without the door expecting her.

"Quick, quick!" said the trembling wife as she reached the house. "Read the dreadful secret, and then let me return to my husband. I feel terribly guilty in taking the ball, but upon my bended knees I will beg his forgiveness for it."

"Weak and silly woman," sneered the Witch, "why are you sorry?"

But the Princess, pale and with flying hair, did not answer; she only begged in a low voice that the Witch would read the charm and let her hurry home.

The old Witch took the trinket and held it tightly for a moment in her hands as though weighing it; then suddenly she thrust a sharp-pointed needle through it. In an instant a tiny yellow flash leaped out and rolled down the mountain-side. It seemed only a few drops of pure gold, but a magic glow surrounded it, and the light flamed as it rolled. It happened so suddenly, and the precious liquid or flame rolled away so swiftly, like quicksilver, that neither of the frightened women was able to catch it as it slipped by them. It was growing bigger and bigger as it went down the mountain-side, and when it reached the woods below, it shot up in sudden splendor, a great mass of fire.

What was it? They had never seen anything like it before. Diamonds and rubies, sapphires and opals, all melted together might show such colors, but nothing else. In a few moments the flames were leaping up among the trees. Oh, how fast they burned! The sky overhead was all red with the reflection — the magnificent forest was on fire!

The Witch shrieked with delight at the awful damage she had done, but the terrified wife crouched on her knees in terror and remorse. Here it was Prince Rigel found her, but she hardly knew her husband. Rays of light seemed to flash from his eyes, and he looked as though he were surrounded with the same strange flames that raged below among the trees. But tenderly he raised his wife to his breast, and said, "Alas, my beloved! could you not trust me? See the fearful calamity your curiosity has brought about: the world will soon be utterly destroyed, and you have caused our eternal separation, for now I must return to my father in the Sun. This was my secret, Gwendolyn, and this magical fire, so necessary to my existence, is death to yours."

"Do not leave me alone, my husband," cried the unhappy wife, clinging to him. "I should die without you. Can you not save the world in anyway?"

"If you had loved me," he replied sadly, "I might have had the power."

"But I love you with all my heart," said the wretched woman, "and I would give my life to prove it."

"Would you give up your life upon the earth for me? Would you go to my father's palace in the Sun?"

Gladly she answered, "Only forgive me this dreadful thing and keep me with you always, for I cannot be happy without you, beloved husband."

At these words he clasped her in his arms and pointed over the hills to the Sun rising slowly out of the sea. The waters looked cold and steel-blue in the faint light just breaking, but the sky was all a delicate pink with the tender flush of early dawn. Calling his knights together Rigel gave them some strange orders, which they hastened to obey. Gwendolyn saw a great light dart out from the Sun and form in a mass over the forest. It looked like a bright cloud with pointed rays of silver. Faster and faster it came, spreading out over the entire forest until it completely covered it; then with a loud explosion like thunder it burst, and the woods were deluged with its splendor. Hundreds of miles of the forest had been burning, but in an instant the contents of the marvellous cloud extinguished the flames. It seemed to drench them as though with some powerful liquid, but always afterwards the brilliant Sun had some dark spots on its surface, showing just where the precious liquid had been taken.

The forest had been turned to stone. All the wood had become agate, and now contained beautiful masses of fine crystals like purple amethysts, or yellow topazes, with fire rubies and emeralds mingled. It was as though every shade of the wonderful flames had been caught and preserved in the stone. It was an enchanted spot, and the Sun pouring down made it shine like a thousand rainbows. The old Witch, as a punishment for her wicked deed, was changed into a mountain of black stone and placed in the middle of a salt lake, where she was doomed to watch the petrified forest forever.

Thus it was that the Sun-God saved the world from being destroyed by fire. In spite of all his efforts, however, some of the Sun fire sank deep into the earth and hid under the mountains. Those mountains are to-day called volcanoes, and sometimes powerful flames break from them and shoot up with such fury that the earth trembles, and we call it an earthquake.

When the fire was out the Prince turned to his wife, who was weeping by his side, and in spite of all she had done his heart was tender toward her, for her sorrow was so great he could feel no anger.

"Beloved," he whispered, "come with me."

Then she felt herself drawn gently to him, and lifted in his arms, and she knew they were floating upwards higher and higher. When at last they reached the Sun, Rigel pleaded earnestly with his father, not only to forgive his beautiful wife her foolish curiosity, but also to make the world forget it and forgive her.

Moved by Rigel's prayers the Sun King placed Gwendolyn in the star-studded sky and called her the Moon. And there she shines in glorious splendor, flooding the world with light, and making the night even more beautiful than the day. That she is a good and tender wife again and has earned her forgiveness, we all know, for all the wealth of light she showers on the earth is given her by the Sun; without his loving, tender glances she would not shine at all. So if he were angry for a single minute, and turned his face away from her, she could not give us any light, but would be dark and gloomy. This proves, therefore, that the Sun God and his wife are contented, and so long as the moon continues to shed her splendid silver beams upon the earth, you can feel sure that Rigel and Gwendolyn are still perfectly happy.