The Prince’s heir [short story] : a scientific story

Title

Language

English

Year

1941

Subject

Short stories, Philippine (English)

Philippine fiction (English)

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

NOVEMBER, 1941 THE YOUNG CITIZEN READING TIME FOR YOUNG FOLKS THE PRINCE'S HEm A Scientific Story Earth, Sea,' and Sky SOME HUNDREDS of years ago there lived a Prince, and, as many of the princes were at that time, he was very powerful; though he loved his people well, his word was law and his will absolute. It hdppened that the Prince had no children, so there was no heir to the throne. This caused the Prince a good deal of anxiety, for he was fearful of what might become of his country .after his death. He could not choose from among his wise counsellors for fear of giving offence, so he resolved to make a great test. At the yearly meeting of the wise council the Prince sat' on his throne, and all the people flocked into the Court, for at this annual festival all came to hear the great Prince dispense judgment. When the Prince had finished the business with his wise advisers he rose. "People of my country," he said, "I have tried to rule you wisely and well, and have given you all the gifts in my power, but yet have failed to fulfil a great need by presenting to yo,u a Prince to reign in my place when I am gone. Now, I have decided to choose for you the wisest man in the land as my heir, and it will be he who excels at the great test which I am going to make, and which is open to you all. Wilt you have the wisest ·man in the land to be your Prin~e?" ARd all the people shouted "Yes." "The three great features of our country, as of any other," the Prince went on, "are these: the earth, the sea, the sky. Three men among you shall offer for this test, one choosing the earth, one choosing the sea, and the other the sky, and from his own choice that man must bring me the most lasting and beautiful gift his element can supply. To him who brings the. eternally bea11tiful I shall leave the crown after my death." - When the acclamation which greeted this speech had died down, there was a long silence as each man looked at his neighbor and wondered who would volunteer. After a time an old man with a white beard arose, and he was ·recognized by the people as the wisest a.nd most clever of all the Prince's counsel.lors. "I accept your test, 0 Prince," he cried, "and take for my choice the all-fertile earth, the life-giving mother of us all." For he had thought of all the wonderful flowers that the earth produces, of the 390 THE YOUNG CITIZEN NOVEMBER, 1941 gorgeous precious stones, of the brightly colored plumage of birds who live in th£_ trees, of the variety and .splendor of the butterflies, and the grace and beauty of the wild animals. "Neither in sea nor sky," he thought to himself, "can one find anything to equal these things." But among the counsellors there was another very learned n\an who knew all about the sea aod its marvels, so he rose to his feet soon after his brother counsellor had finished speaking. "I will bring you1 what you desire from the gr1 eat blue sea, 0 Prince," he said, "and you shall judge whether the mighty waters do not excel everything on earth or in the sky." Then again there was a long pauselonger than before- for everyone felt that the bJst had been chosen, and a murmur of scornful mirth was Ikard as t~e futility of the last cHoice dawned on the multitude. It was checked by the rising of a tall, dark-haired youth from among the mass of p~9ple, and there was instant silence to hear his words. "There is no choice left for me, 0 Prince/' he said; "but as tliose who extract the oyster ever cast away the shell containing the ~arl, I accept the despised treasure. From the great white light of heaven I shall bring you the secret of both sea and land." Surprise at the daring of this youth, called by his companiOf\S Anak, whom everyone knew to be the son of a peasant, nearly took away the breath of the court. It had never occurred to them that an offer would come from anywhere but the ' council, and they gasped and then laughed as Anak made his way through the seething mass. "He is going to look for a ladder long enough to reach the sun," jeered one. "Mind you don't burn your fingers, Anak," laughed another. "Or knock your heid against a cloud," added a third. But the Prince called for silence; and the people dispersed quietly, talking among themselves of nothing but the strange test, and sufmising as to the result. A whole year passed away before the judging day of the test came, for the two counsellors had demanded that time should be allowed them to collect the wonders they were to offer the Prinae. On the judgment day every man, woman, and child in the land was there, eager io see the ·new heir. In the order in which they had offered . the Prince r·eceived the gifts. First came the ~ld white-haired counsellor, who had declared the earth io be the ruling element . . He had behind him a whole retinue of servants bringing the treasures of the earth. · Caged animals of wild beauty and wonderful color' he 'showed first. Then birds of every hue, butterflies and insects, exquisite flowers of every shade and variety, and precious stones. · The people gasped at the marvels he produced, and the Prince's pleasure in their wonder and beauty was seen by everyone. After this exhibition came the fllan who had chosen the sea, and he was accom-· panied by a crowd of retainers and horses pulling great cases of fish and marvellous sea animals. The colors of these amazed the people, who knew only the dull colors of their inland fish. Wonderful shell formations followed, built by marvellous animals too small to be visible to human eyes. Then he showed interesting seaplants, the like of which no one had ever (Plenu tu-rn to page 4o6.) THE YOUNG CITIZEN THE PRINCE'S HEIR HENNY-PENNY CHASED BY A LION (Continued from page 390) (Continued from page 388) (Continued from page 392) seen before. backing out of the hole, she ran with all his might. The It was, indeed, a remark- ran off home as fast as her boy spurred his pony on. able sight, and the people trembling legs would carry Luckily they did not have applauded loudly. her. to cross the grassy land. If Anak was standing near' And that is how it was they had come into the high the throne, and, at the call the king never knew the prairie grass they would of the Prince, he stepped sky was falling.-Reprinted have been lost. The grass forward. But there was no by Permission. would have hindered the retinue of followers behind short legs of the pony. him, and he held nothing The pony made for an in • his hands except what object. Then he placed it open_ing in the corral fence, appeared to. be a little, in- in a ray of sunlight which an~ rn a few moments pony significant piece of glass. fell on to the white steps of and nder were within the There was the sound of a the throne. · enclosure. The tall thorn short laugh here and there, Immediately on the steps bushes and branches, which at which the good Prince there were the most mar- mad-e the fence, kept the frown~d, for he ,liked this vellous shades .of blue and wild animals out. The boy dark, long-limbed peasant, green of yellow and violet sprang from his pony and whom he now feared had and r~d and every imagin- thr~w thorn branches into failed. able color. A great cry of the opening. Then with his "Well, Anak, have you amazement went up, for no rifle in hand he awai_ted the found the task impossible?" one in those days had ever appearance of the hon. he said kindly. heard of the spectrum or a But the lion did not ap"O Prince,. I have fpr spectroscope, al)d no one pear, although the boy knew you the key which tells that, knew anything about the the animal was somewhere though the _earth may be wonderful rays of broken near. He kept his rifle ready covered w 1th abundant light. for instant firing should the beauty, and the sea _swarm Then the Prince came beast attempt to penetrate w~th the marvels of hfe, yet down the ste s and held his the fence. Fdrtunately the without the white light of . .P 't 1 sky they cannot exist. The white robe m the wonder- corral was no very arge, light of the sky holds the ful coloq of the rainbow. a~d the thorn fence , was marvellous paints to which He took Ai:ak by the hand. high enough to prevent wild they must all come for their "My heir-your future arnmals from iumpmg over. colors. while their beauty Prince," he cried to the The natives had been very passes' away, that of the people. carefu.I in . selecting this light of the sky is everlast- . And the people shoure.d place rn which to _keep ca.ting always renewing both with delight. From the1r tie dunng the rnght safe ear;h and sea." own number had been from attacks of wild beasts. At the Prince's puzzled chosen their future ruler, The boy knew that the look Anak h~ld up the piece for had he not proved him- 'lion was lurking outside of of glass ln his hand. It was self to be the wisest man in the enclosure but could not a triangular, wedge-shaped the land? (Please turn to pa9e 411.)

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