I went into a field of flowers, whose petals are whiter than snow and
whose hearts are pure gold.
Far afield a woman cried, "I have killed him I loved!" and from a jar she
poured blood upon the flowers whose petals are whiter than snow and whose
hearts are pure gold.
Far afield I followed, and on the jar I read a thousand names, while from
within the fresh blood bubbled to the brim.
"I have killed him I loved!" she cried. "The world's athirst; now let it
drink!" She passed, and far afield I watched her pouring blood upon the
flowers whose petals are whiter than snow and whose hearts are pure gold.
DESTINY
I came to the bridge which few may pass.
"Pass!" cried the keeper, but I laughed, saying, "There is time;" and he
smiled and shut the gates.
To the bridge which few may pass came young and old. All were refused.
Idly I stood and counted them, until, wearied of their noise and
lamentations, I came again to the bridge which few may pass.
Those in the throng about the gates shrieked out, "He comes too late!"
But I laughed, saying, "There is time."
"Pass!" cried the keeper as I entered; then smiled and shut the gates.
THE THRONG
There, where the throng was thickest in the street, I stood with Pierrot.
All eyes were turned on me.
"What are they laughing at?" I asked, but he grinned, dusting the chalk
from my black cloak. "I cannot see; it must be something droll, perhaps
an honest thief!"
All eyes were turned on me.
"He has robbed you of your purse!" they laughed.
"My purse!" I cried; "Pierrot--help! it is a thief!"
They laughed: "He has robbed you of your purse!"
Then Truth stepped out, holding a mirror. "If he is an honest thief,"
cried Truth, "Pierrot shall find him with this mirror!" but he only
grinned, dusting the chalk from my black cloak.
"You see," he said, "Truth is an honest thief, she brings you back your
mirror."
All eyes were turned on me.
"Arrest Truth!" I cried, forgetting it was not a mirror but a purse I
lost, standing with Pierrot, there, where the throng was thickest in the
street.
THE JESTER
"Was she fair?" I asked, but he only chuckled, listening to the bells
jingling on his cap.
"Stabbed," he tittered. "Think of the long journey, the days of peril,
the dreadful nights! Think how he wandered, for her sake, year after
year, through hostile lands, yearning for kith and kin, yearning for
her!"
"Stabbed," he tittered, listening to the bells jingling on his cap.
"Was she fair?" I asked, but he only snarled, muttering to the bells
jingling on his cap.
"She kissed him at the gate," he tittered, "but in the hall his brother's
welcome touched his heart"
"Was she fair?" I asked.
"Stabbed," he chuckled. "Think of the long journey, the days of peril,
the dreadful nights! Think how he wandered, for her sake, year after year
through hostile lands, yearning for kith and kin, yearning for her!"
"She kissed him at the gate, but in the hall his brother's welcome
touched his heart."
"Was she fair?" I asked; but he only snarled, listening to the bells
jingling in his cap.
