They were most reluctant to leave the beautiful world under the water, but the Sun Prince and the Moon Princess must keep their engagements, and there were many journeyings for them yet. The Ocean King had kept them as long as possible in his dominions, but now he felt obliged to let them go, and so regretfully bade them adieu.
He had arranged in their travels about his strange and wonderful possessions to land them in a beautiful southern country. From this spot they would travel north toward the Valley of Enchantment, to visit the Sun Princess, that lovely sister of Prince Dorion who was making her home in this world. They all looked forward with much pleasure to this visit; it seemed, in fact, to be one of their chief topics of conversation, for they naturally desired to see the only sister of Prince Dorion, who was famous for her great beauty. Now and then, however, in the midst of their joyous travels, a black shadow seemed to cross the pretty Moon Princess’s face: it was when she remembered the promised visit to the black dwarf. Somehow she could not overcome her horror of him, and was never reconciled to making him a visit.
Reluctantly the company bade adieu to the Ocean King and his charming family, and rose through the clear, limpid waters of a big Gulf. It was a beautiful sight that met their eyes as they came to the surface in the open sunlight. A wonderful land lay before them. Its shores were shaded with spreading branches of magnificent live-oak trees which grew down to the water’s edge, planting their splendid trunks in the very midst of the curving line of yellow sand. Farther back pink crêpe-myrtles, yellow acacias, and white Spanish daggers were scattered, and a long row of pecan-trees kept dozens of chattering squirrels busy. Cherokee roses bloomed in thousands, their yellow hearts showing in brilliant contrast to their dazzling white petals. “How beautiful this country is!” said the Princess, and every one echoed her words.
As they landed they were greeted by the Sun Princess’s messenger, who would guide them northward to the Valley of Enchantment. This guide belonged to the company of Sun people who had accompanied the Sun Princess to her new home. He proved a charming companion indeed, for he knew everything about the countries through which they passed, and in their travels told them many interesting facts. They learned that they were in a southern land, on the borders of a great Gulf. They could see, beside the live-oaks, some superb trees growing to great heights,—trees with great long green leaves, holding big creamy blossoms that opened like white chalices to catch the sun. One tree especially stood out in magnificent strength. Its rough old trunk was enormous and knotted with age, and its broad branches spread out protectingly covered with big waxen leaves. The great tree had a dignity about it that fascinated the Princess. As the little company walked nearer to examine it, they noticed how the grass—soft as velvet—stretched away like a green carpet toward the yellow marsh beyond. The nearer they came to the tree the bigger the tree looked, and they found a round hollow in one side the trunk, where a squirrel had hidden his nuts. “It is a magnolia-tree,” the guide replied, in answer to their questions, “and there are many thousands like it scattered through this southern country.”
At that moment a sound rose upon the air, so soft and exquisite in its melody that they held their breath to listen. It came from the branches of the tree, and was a song of welcome from the mocking-birds. In a moment a thousand of these little feathered songsters had joined the chorus. Their notes rang out joyously, for they warbled and trilled in an ecstasy of delight until the strangers thought they had never heard a more beautiful concert. Then suddenly, while the Moon Princess listened entranced, the music ceased as abruptly as it had begun. They heard a flutter of soft wings, and saw above their heads a flock of tiny birds. The birds were lovely,—a soft gray in color, with a splash of white on the wings and tail, and as they flew away and disappeared in the distance all became silent again.
What a silence it was! Not a sound broke the stillness. The brilliant sunshine danced along the ground like little sparks of fire, but not a leaf stirred. It grew warm. The blue gulf lay like a sheet of glass in a sort of golden mist. The heat was intense; it seemed to shimmer in a yellow haze over everything; and then suddenly a little movement broke the profound stillness. It came from the green-eyed, red-throated lizards as they ran through the grass. They stopped to watch the strangers wonderingly, but as the Moon Princess moved slightly, the timid little creatures, affrighted, took the color of the leaf on which they were, and lay as motionless as death!
Then the Princess spoke softly: “This world is very wonderful; I have never seen so many bewildering things before.”
As they resumed their journey the guide told them the history of the bird.
“The mocking-bird is really the southern fairy, you know,” he began, “and the entrancing song it sings is only the story of its life. It tells the tale over and over again, in a delicious burst of song; as the little children alone understand the fairies’ speech, I cannot tell all it says, but I will repeat exactly what I have heard. Once upon a time there dwelt in the midst of that great magnolia grove we have just left a band of fairies. They were the lightest-hearted and happiest little band in the world, and they had just celebrated a splendid marriage. One of their most beautiful Princesses had married a nephew of the Queen. He was as handsome as his bride was beautiful, and everything went merry as a marriage bell. Now, Prince Adelstan, in spite of his high rank and station, was always playing some prank upon some one, but his tricks were generally good-natured, and the fairies seemed to love him the better for his fun; he was, indeed, a great favorite with them all. Now, when he married the dignified and beautiful Princess Verdande, every one predicted that he would become more sober, and, as a married man, put aside his boyish manners.
“It really seemed just about as they prophesied. Of course, a fairy’s life is a brilliant round of pleasure, but Prince Adelstan seemed contented to travel the world over with his lovely wife and act just as all well-behaved fairies should. The little people were all delighted, of course, with the change in their favorite, and said among themselves he was even more attractive than ever. In reality Prince Adelstan was so absorbed in a plan he was forming for himself and bride that he had no time to think of playing foolish pranks on others. Fairies, as you know, are free to do exactly as they please, except for one rule, and that rule can never be broken. Their life must be lived at night, amid moonshine and starlight, and then they pass many gladsome hours together; from dusk until dawn they are the merriest little people in the world. But at the first streak of light every fairy must vanish,—under a leaf, in the heart of a rose, behind a dewdrop, the fairy may hide; but hide he must, and there remain sleeping until darkness again falls upon the world. This rule in Fairyland has been enforced for centuries, and no one, however brave, has had the hardihood to break it. Sometimes (but very rarely), on a day when the Sun does not shine and the Earth is covered with a white veil of mist, a fairy can peep out, but he must be extremely careful that he is only in the mist, for he must never see a ray of sunshine for a moment.