“In the Kingdom of Shadows,” replied the old man, without raising his eyes.
So Lanis pursued his weary way over mountains, plains, and seas, always asking his one question, and always receiving the same answer.
Once he came to a great city, and sang in the streets so beautifully of the green country and silver moonlight, that all the tired citizens crowded around to hear. A man who was among the crowd came up to him as he ceased his song and touched him on the sleeve.
“Come with me,” he said eagerly, “and I will make you rich.”
“I don’t want to be rich,” replied Lanis.
“That is a foolish thing to say,” said the man, who had a crafty face; “gold is the finest thing in the world.”
So oily was his speech that he persuaded Lanis to come with him, and took him to a great hall to sing, where he stood at the door himself, making the people pay broad gold pieces to hear this wonderful poet who sang about such noble things. Lanis felt a longing for wealth in his heart, and sang about the power of gold to make or mar life, of the good it could do, of the evil that arose through its misuse; and all the people in the hall, mostly fat, wealthy merchants, chuckled with delight.
“Ah! this is a sensible fellow,” they said to each other; “he sings about sensible things.”
“I think his song about the beautiful green woods was finer,” sighed a poor boy who listened outside, but then no one took any notice of such a silly observation.
When Lanis had done singing, he came out of the hall, and found the man who had tempted him with wealth sitting before a table heaped high with gold.