The Princess of the Hither Isles

8 min

Her soul was beautiful, wherefore she kept it veiled in lightly-laced humility and fear, out of which peered anxiously and anon the white and blue and pale-gold of her face,-beautiful as daybreak or as the laughing of a child. She sat in the Hither Isles, well walled between the This and Now, upon a low and silver throne, and leaned upon its armposts, sadly looking upward toward the sun. Now the Hither Isles are flat and cold and swampy, with drear-drab light and all manner of slimy, creeping things, and piles of dirt and clouds of flying dust and sordid scraping and feeding and noise.

Her soul was beautiful, so she kept it veiled in delicate lace of humility and fear. From behind the veil, her white, blue, and pale-gold face peered out anxiously from time to time. It was beautiful as daybreak or a child’s laughter. She sat in the Hither Isles, securely walled between the This and Now, on a low silver throne. Leaning on its armrests, she looked sadly up at the sun. The Hither Isles are flat, cold, and swampy, with a dreary, dull light and all kinds of slimy, creeping things. There are piles of dirt, clouds of flying dust, and sordid scraping, feeding, and noise.

She hated them and ever as her hands and busy feet swept back the dust and slime her soul sat silver-throned, staring toward the great hill to the westward, which shone so brilliant-golden beneath the sunlight and above the sea.

She hated them. As her hands and busy feet swept away the dust and slime, her soul sat on a silver throne. It stared toward the great hill in the west, which shone brilliant gold in the sunlight above the sea.

The sea moaned and with it moaned the princess' soul, for she was lonely,—very, very lonely, and full weary of the monotone of life. So she was glad to see a moving in Yonder Kingdom on the mountainside, where the sun shone warm, and when the king of Yonder Kingdom, silken in robe and golden-crowned and warded by his hound, walked down along the restless waters and sat beside the armpost of her throne, she wondered why she could not love him and fly with him up the shining mountain's side, out of the dirt and dust that nested between the This and Now. She looked at him and tried to be glad, for he was bonny and good to look upon, this king of Yonder Kingdom,—tall and straight, thin-lipped and white and tawny. So, again, this last day, she strove to burn life into his singularly sodden clay,—to put his icy soul aflame wherewith to warm her own, to set his senses singing. Vacantly he heard her winged words, staring and curling his long mustaches with vast thoughtfulness. Then he said:

The sea moaned, and the princess’s soul moaned with it. She was lonely, very, very lonely, and utterly weary of life’s monotony. So she was glad to see movement in Yonder Kingdom, on the mountainside where the sun shone warmly. The king of Yonder Kingdom walked down beside the restless waters and sat beside the arm of her throne. He wore a silk robe and a golden crown, and his hound guarded him. She wondered why she could not love him and fly with him up the shining mountainside. There they could escape the dirt and dust that settled between the This and Now. She looked at him and tried to be glad. The king of Yonder Kingdom was handsome and pleasing to look at, tall and straight, thin-lipped, white, and tawny. So, once again on this last day, she tried to breathe life into his strangely sodden clay. She tried to set his icy soul aflame to warm her own and make his senses sing. He listened blankly to her soaring words, staring and thoughtfully curling his long mustaches. Then he said:

"We've found more gold in Yonder Kingdom."

"Hell seize your gold!" blurted the princess.

"To hell with your gold!" blurted the princess.

"No,—it's mine," he maintained stolidly.

"No, it's mine," he insisted calmly.

She raised her eyes. "It belongs," she said, "to the Empire of the Sun."

She looked up. "It belongs," she said, "to the Empire of the Sun."

"Nay,—the Sun belongs to us," said the king calmly as he glanced to where Yonder Kingdom blushed above the sea. She glanced, too, and a softness crept into her eyes.

"No, the Sun belongs to us," said the king calmly. He glanced toward Yonder Kingdom, which blushed above the sea. She glanced there, too, and her eyes softened.

"No, no," she murmured as with hesitating pause she raised her eyes above the sea, above the hill, up into the sky where the sun hung silent and splendid. Its robes were heaven's blue, lined and broidered in living flame, and its crown was one vast jewel, glistening in glittering glory that made the sun's own face a blackness,—the blackness of utter light. With blinded, tear-filled eyes she peered into that formless black and burning face and sensed in its soft, sad gleam unfathomed understanding. With sudden, wild abandon she stretched her arms toward it appealing, beseeching, entreating, and lo!

"No, no," she murmured. After a hesitant pause, she raised her eyes above the sea and the hill. She looked into the sky, where the sun hung silent and splendid. Its robes were heaven's blue, lined and embroidered with living flame. Its crown was one vast jewel, shining so gloriously that the sun's own face appeared black, the blackness of pure light. Blinded and tearful, she peered into that shapeless, black and burning face. In its soft, sad glow, she sensed a depth of understanding beyond measure. Suddenly, with wild abandon, she stretched out her arms toward it, pleading, begging, appealing, and then!

"Niggers and dagoes," said the king of Yonder Kingdom, glancing carelessly backward and lighting in his lips a carefully rolled wisp of fragrant tobacco. She looked back, too, but in half-wondering terror, for it seemed—

"Niggers and dagoes," said the king of Yonder Kingdom. He glanced back carelessly and lit a carefully rolled wisp of fragrant tobacco between his lips. She looked back, too, but with a mixture of wonder and terror, for it seemed...

A beggar man was creeping across the swamp, shuffling through the dirt and slime. He was little and bald and black, rough-clothed, sodden with dirt, and bent with toil. Yet withal something she sensed about him and it seemed,—

A beggar man crept across the swamp, shuffling through dirt and slime. He was small, bald, and black. His clothes were rough, he was soaked in dirt, and he was bent from hard work. Yet she sensed something about him, and it seemed, ...

The king of Yonder Kingdom lounged more comfortably beside the silver throne and let curl a tiny trail of light-blue smoke.

The king of Yonder Kingdom settled more comfortably beside the silver throne and let a thin trail of light-blue smoke curl into the air.

"I hate beggars," he said, "especially brown and black ones." And he then pointed at the beggar's retinue and laughed,—an unpleasant laugh, welded of contempt and amusement. The princess looked and shrank on her throne. He, the beggar man, was—was what? But his retinue,—that squalid, sordid, parti-colored band of vacant, dull-faced filth and viciousness—was writhing over the land, and he and they seemed almost crouching underneath the scorpion lash of one tall skeleton, that looked like Death, and the twisted woman whom men called Pain. Yet they all walked as one.

"I hate beggars," he said, "especially brown and black ones." Then he pointed at the beggar's followers and laughed, an unpleasant laugh of contempt and amusement. The princess looked and shrank back on her throne. The beggar himself was, was what? But his followers were a filthy, shabby, mixed crowd with blank, dull faces, full of filth and wickedness. They writhed across the land. The beggar and his followers seemed almost to crouch beneath the scorpion lash of a tall skeleton that looked like Death and a twisted woman men called Pain. Yet they all walked as one.

The King of Yonder Kingdom laughed, but the princess shrank on her throne, and the king on seeing her thus took a gold-piece from out of his purse and tossed it carelessly to the passing throng. She watched it with fascinated eyes,—how it rose and sailed and whirled and struggled in the air, then seemed to burst, and upward flew its light and sheen and downward dropped its dross. She glanced at the king, but he was lighting a match. She watched the dross wallow in the slime, but the sunlight fell on the back of the beggar's neck, and he turned his head.

The King of Yonder Kingdom laughed, but the princess shrank back on her throne. When the king saw her, he took a gold coin from his purse and casually tossed it to the passing crowd. She watched, fascinated, as the coin rose and sailed, spinning and struggling in the air. Then it seemed to burst. Its light and shine flew upward, and its waste fell down. She glanced at the king, but he was lighting a match. She watched the waste roll in the slime, but sunlight fell on the back of the beggar's neck, and he turned his head.

The beggar passing afar turned his head and the princess straightened on her throne; he turned his head and she shivered forward on her silver seat; he looked upon her full and slow and suddenly she saw within that formless black and burning face the same soft, glad gleam of utter understanding, seen so many times before. She saw the suffering of endless years and endless love that softened it. She saw the burning passion of the sun and with it the cold, unbending duty-deeds of upper air. All she had seen and dreamed of seeing in the rising, blazing sun she saw now again and with it myriads more of human tenderness, of longing, and of love. So, then, she knew. She rose as to a dream come true, with solemn face and waiting eyes.

As the beggar passed at a distance, he turned his head, and the princess straightened on her throne. He turned his head, and she shivered and leaned forward on her silver seat. He looked at her directly and slowly. Suddenly, she saw the same soft, joyful gleam of complete understanding she had seen so many times before. It was there in his shapeless, black, burning face. She saw the suffering of endless years and the endless love that softened it. She saw the burning passion of the sun. Along with it, she saw the cold, unbending acts of duty in the upper air. She saw again all she had seen and dreamed of seeing in the rising, blazing sun. And she saw countless more signs of human tenderness, longing, and love. Then she knew. She rose as if a dream had come true, her face solemn and her eyes waiting.

With her rose the king of Yonder Kingdom, almost eagerly.

The king of Yonder Kingdom stood up with her, almost eagerly.

"You'll come?" he cried. "You'll come and see my gold?" And then in sudden generosity, he added: "You'll have a golden throne,-up there-when we marry."

"You'll come?" he cried. "You'll come and see my gold?" Then, in a sudden burst of generosity, he added: "You'll have a golden throne up there when we marry."

But she, looking up and on with radiant face, answered softly: "I come."

But she looked up and ahead, her face radiant, and answered softly: "I'm coming."

So down and up and on they mounted,-the black beggar man and his cavalcade of Death and Pain, and then a space; and then a lone, black hound that nosed and whimpered as he ran, and then a space; and then the king of Yonder Kingdom in his robes, and then a space; and last the princess of the Hither Isles, with face set sunward and lovelight in her eyes.

So they rode down and up and onward. First came the black beggar man and his procession of Death and Pain. After a gap came a lone black hound, sniffing and whimpering as he ran. After another gap came the king of Yonder Kingdom in his robes. After another gap came the princess of the Hither Isles, her face turned toward the sun and love shining in her eyes.

And so they marched and struggled on and up through endless years and spaces and ever the black beggar looked back past death and pain toward the maid and ever the maid strove forward with lovelit eyes, but ever the great and silken shoulders of the king of Yonder Kingdom arose between the princess and the sun like a cloud of storms.

And so they marched and struggled onward and upward through endless years and spaces. The black beggar kept looking back, past death and pain, toward the maid. The maid kept pressing forward, her eyes shining with love. But the great, silken shoulders of the king of Yonder Kingdom always rose between the princess and the sun like a storm cloud.

Now, finally, they neared unto the hillsides topmost shoulder and there most eagerly the king bent to the bowels of the earth and bared its golden entrails,-all green and gray and rusted-while the princess strained her pitiful eyes aloft to where the beggar, set 'twixt Death and Pain, whirled his slim back against the glory of the setting sun and stood somber in his grave majesty, enhaloed and transfigured, outstretching his long arms, and around all heaven glittered jewels in a cloth of gold.

At last, they neared the uppermost shoulder of the hillside. There, the king eagerly bent toward the depths of the earth and uncovered its golden entrails, all green and gray and rusted. Meanwhile, the princess strained her pitiful eyes upward toward the beggar, who was set between Death and Pain. He turned his slender back against the glory of the setting sun. He stood there, somber in his grave majesty, surrounded by a halo and transformed, stretching out his long arms. And all around him, heaven glittered with jewels in a cloth of gold.

A while the princess stood and moaned in mad amaze, then with one wilful wrench she bared the white flowers of her breast and snatching forth her own red heart held it with one hand aloft while with the other she gathered close her robe and poised herself.

For a while, the princess stood and moaned in wild amazement. Then, with one determined wrench, she bared the white flowers of her breast. She snatched out her own red heart and held it high in one hand. With the other, she gathered her robe close and poised herself.

The king of Yonder Kingdom looked upward quickly, curiously, still fingering the earth, and saw the offer of her bleeding heart.

The king of Yonder Kingdom quickly looked up, curious, still touching the earth with his fingers. He saw her offering her bleeding heart.

"It's a Negro!" he growled darkly; "it may not be."

"It's a Negro!" he growled grimly. "It may not be."

The woman quivered.

The woman trembled.

"It's a nigger!" he repeated fiercely. "It's neither God nor man, but a nigger!"

The princess stepped forward.

The king grasped his sword and looked north and east; he raised his sword and looked south and west.

The king took hold of his sword and looked north and east. He raised his sword and looked south and west.

"I seek the sun," the princess sang, and started into the west.

"I’m looking for the sun," the princess sang, and set out toward the west.

"Never!" cried the king of Yonder Kingdom, "for such were blasphemy and defilement and the making of all evil."

"Never!" cried the king of Yonder Kingdom. "For that would be blasphemy and defilement, and it would create all evil."

So, raising his great sword he struck with all his might, and more. Down hissed the blow and it bit that little, white, heart-holding hand until it flew armless and disbodied up through the sunlit air. Down hissed the blow and it clove the whimpering hound until his last shriek shook the stars. Down hissed the blow and it rent the earth. It trembled, fell apart, and yawned to a chasm wide as earth from heaven, deep as hell, and empty, cold, and silent.

So he raised his great sword and struck with all his might, and more. The blow hissed down and struck the little white hand holding the heart. It sent the hand flying through the sunlit air, severed from arm and body. The blow hissed down and split the whimpering hound. His last scream shook the stars. The blow hissed down and tore the earth. The earth trembled and fell apart. A chasm opened, as wide as the distance from earth to heaven and as deep as hell. It was empty, cold, and silent.

On yonder distant shore blazed the mighty Empire of the Sun in warm and blissful radiance, while on this side, in shadows cold and dark, gloomed the Hither Isles and the hill that once was golden, but now was green and slimy dross; all below was the sad and moaning sea, while between the Here and There flew the severed hand and dripped the bleeding heart.

On the distant shore, the mighty Empire of the Sun blazed with warm, blissful light. But on this side, the Hither Isles lay in cold, dark shadows. There, too, was the hill that had once been golden, but was now green, slimy waste. Below it all lay the sad, moaning sea. Between the Here and There, the severed hand flew and the bleeding heart dripped.

Then up from the soul of the princess welled a cry of dark despair,—such a cry as only babe-raped mothers know and murdered loves. Poised on the crumbling edge of that great nothingness the princess hung, hungering with her eyes and straining her fainting ears against the awful splendor of the sky.

Then a cry of deep despair rose from the princess’s soul. It was a cry known only to mothers whose babies have been raped and to those whose loves have been murdered. The princess hung on the crumbling edge of that great nothingness. Her eyes hungered and her fading ears strained against the terrible splendor of the sky.

Out from the slime and shadows groped the king, thundering: "Back—don't be a fool!"

The king groped his way out of the slime and shadows, thundering: "Back, don't be a fool!"

But down through the thin ether thrilled the still and throbbing warmth of heaven's sun, whispering "Leap!"

But the sun’s still, pulsing warmth flowed down through the thin air, whispering "Leap!"

And the princess leapt.

And the princess jumped.