On the Tree Top - Clara Doty Bates


	He bade her have her friends, as many as she liked, about her, And handed her a jingling bunch of something, saying,“These Will open vaults and cellars and the heavy iron boxes Where all my gold and jewels are, or any door youplease. Go where you like, do what you will, one single thing excepted!” And here he look a little key from out the bunch ofkeys.

		“This will unlock the closet at the end of the long passage, But that you must not enter! I forbid it!”—and hefrowned. So she promised that she would not, and he went upon his journey. And no sooner was he gone than all her merry friendsaround Came to visit her, and made the dim old corridors and chambers With their silken dresses whisper, with laugh and songresound.

Up and down the oaken stairways flitted dainty-footed ladies, Lighting up the shadowy twilight with the lustre oftheir bloom; Like the varied sunlight streaming through an old cathedralwindow Went their brightness glancing through the unaccustomedgloom, But Blue-beard’s wife was restless, and a strong desire possessedher Through it all to get a single peep at that forbiddenroom.

	And so one day she slipped away from all her guests, unnoted, Down through the lower passage, till she reached thefatal door, Put in the key and turned the lock, and gently pushed itopen— But, oh the horrid sight that met her eyes! Upon thefloor There were blood-stains dark and dreadful, and like dresses in awardrobe, There were women hung up by their hair, and dripping intheir gore!


	Then, at once, upon her mind the unknown fate that had befallen The other wives of Blue-beard flashed—’twas nowno mystery! She started back as cold as icicles, as white as ashes, And upon the clammy floor her trembling fingers droppedthe key. She caught it up, she whirled the bolt to, shut the sight behindher, And like a startled deer at sound of hunter’s gun, fledshe!

She reached her room with gasping breath,—behold, anotherterror! Upon the key within her hand; she saw a ghastlystain; She rubbed it with her handkerchief, she washed in soap andwater, She scoured it with sand and stone, but all was done invain! For when one side, by dint of work, grew bright, upon the other (It was bewitched, you know,) came out that ugly spotagain!


	And then, unlooked-for, who should come next morning, bright andearly, But old Blue-beard himself who hadn’t been away aweek! He kissed his wife, and, after a brief pause, said, smilingblandly: “I’d like my keys, my dear.” He saw a tear upon hercheek, And guessed the truth. She gave him all but one. He scowled andgrumbled: “I want the key to the small room!” Poor thing,she could not speak!

He saw at once the stain it bore while she turned pale and paler, “You’ve been where I forbade you! Now you shall gothere to stay! Prepare yourself to die at once!” he cried. The frightened lady Could only fall before him pleading: “Give me time topray!” Just fifteen minutes by the clock he granted. To her chamber She fled, but stopped to call her sister Anne by theway.

“O, sister Anne, go to the tower and watch!” she cried, “Ourbrothers

Were coming here to-day, and I have got to die!

Oh, fly, and if you see them, wave a signal! Hasten! hasten!”

And Anne went flying like a bird up to the towerhigh.

“Oh, Anne, sister Anne, do you see anybody coming?”

Called the praying lady up the tower-stairs withpiteous cry.


	“Oh Anne, sister Anne, do you see anybody coming?” “I see the burning sun,” she answered, “and the wavinggrass!” Meanwhile old Blue-beard down below was whetting up his cutlass, And shouting: “Come down quick, or I’ll come after you,my lass!” “One little minute more to pray, one minute more!” shepleaded— To hope how slow the minutes are, to dread how swiftthey pass!

“Oh Anne, sister Anne, do you see anybody coming?” She answered: “Yes I see a cloud of dust that movesthis way.” “Is it our brothers, Anne?” implored the lady. “No, my sister, It is a flock of sheep.” Here Blue-beard thundered out:“I say, Come down or I’ll come after you!” Again the only answer: “Oh, just one little minute more,—one minute moreto pray!”

	“Oh, Anne, sister Anne, do you see anybody coming?” “I see two horsemen riding, but they yet are veryfar!” She waved them with her handkerchief; it bade them, “hasten,hasten!” Then Blue-beard stamped his foot so hard it made thewhole house jar; And, rushing up to where his wife knelt, swung his glitteringcutlass, As Indians do a tomahawk, and shrieked: “How slow youare!”

Just then, without, was heard the beat of hoofs upon thepavement, The doors flew back, the marble floors rang to ahurried tread. Two horsemen, with their swords in hand, came storming up thestairway, And with one swoop of their good swords they cut offBlue-beard’s head! Down fell his cruel arm, the heavy cutlass falling with it, And, instead of its old, ugly blue, his beard wasbloody red!

	Of course, the tyrant dead, his wife had all his vastpossessions; She gave her sister Anne a dower to marry where shewould; The brothers were rewarded with commissions in the army; And as for Blue-beard’s wife, she did exactly as sheshould,— She wore no weeds, she shed no tears; but very shortly after Married a man as fair to look at as his heart wasgood.