Mysterious Island

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Part of Green and White

Title: Mysterious Island
Language: English
Year: 1930
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Fulltext: GREEN AND WHITE 161 · - - - - - - - - - - · - Mysterious Island By Arsenio Espiritu ONE day, when I was still a small child, ers, which, a moment ago, were perfectly a very strange and mysterious thing strange to me, I read and understood with happened to me, which I shall never singular clearness. And what was more wontorget. I always treasured the memory of it derful still was, that as soon as I had read a as a kind of secret. I have always shrunk word or gone over a page, these disappeared with horror from communicatng .it to my ra- at once, as if someone w.2re erasing the kttion.al fellowimen b2cause of the ridicule which ters and tearing the pages. Thus word after I might be subjected to, and because clever- word disappeared, and page after page vanishminded men might laugh at the simplicity of ed, and wb.2n I came to the last page, the goldmy tale. But I can hold no longer my peace. en book disappeared altogether. This did Something besides myself, as it were, impds not attract much my attention for more wonme to disclose what I have long kept as a secmt. derfol things were recorded- in . the book. I As I take up my pen and write this narra- know not to this day, whether this incident tive, it seems to me as if somebody were sug- was a hallucination, or a delusion, or an ilg.zsting the strang·e thoughts which arise in me, lusion. So I would ask those who are learncloth12d, however, with my infirm attempt of ed in the science of mental analysis, to deterexpressing as well as I can the singular story mine the reality of this strang·e ltippening which I am about to relate. I would ask those which quite puzzles 1my limited understandwho are inclined to subject the truth of everything to the unsparing·scrutiny of reason, those who would question .zven the right use of their reason, to deal with all possible leniency with me. On the other hand, I would ask also those who would believe ev.zrything, those who- would believe even the absurdity of that theory which hs>lds that our ancestors were all monkeys, not to take everything as true, which be finds in this story. One bright morning, as I was digging a bole along the seashore, my -hand struck something hard and shining like gold. With considerable difficulty, I drew it out of the hole, and to my great delight and surpris.2, I found that it was a small golden book. On its covers were written strange characters perfectly unintelligible to me. - I was a very curious child, as all childr1~n are, and I wanted to know what it had to- say. The more I examined it, the more my curiosity grew. I said to myself, "If I could only read and understand it, how glad I would be." Scarcely had I expres~ed this wish, when a wonderful change came over me. My understanding, all of a sudden, was enlightened and the characting. The title of tb.2 boc:ik was, "The Mysterious . Island." It was written by the Black Bat and the Wise Owl, two wise birds who lived ages and ages ago. The book contains an account of the Mysterious Island, and of the wonderful adventures through which they passed. I A long time ago, (the story ran thus), we lived in a vast forest. One day, in our wanderings, we chanced to fly over the· Island of the Rising Sun, which was inhabited by a prosperous people. We were so struck by the magnificence of the country that we made up our minds to live and die there. Through its glittering domes, through its glittering spires, through its magnificmt temples we made our daily flight. Over the shining house-tops we flew, over the crowded plazas we hoveredhow happy we were! Little did we think that this happiness was soon to come to an end; little did we think of the misfortune which- was ~mpending over the gay inhabitants and over ourselw~s! We were scarcely several months in the island, when, a i62 GREEN AND WHITE' - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -dreadful pestilence broke out. This horrible scourge visited nearly one-half of the population. For several weeks it raged with unabated fury until it had carried away all its victims. Through the half-empty str·eets, once alive with its gay p.2destrians, now the daily scene of mournful processions; through the pestilential air, once invigorating and health-giving; through the theaters once filled to overflowing, now empty: through the temples once frequented solely by old women, now visited even by the most indifferent hearts we flew. What a transition from gaiety to sadness! One day, a company of street boys found us flying about as usual. \Ve noticed that our looks did not please them at all, and we heard one of tham say, "Since these hideous birds appeared, evil things befell us." And all the rest sung in a chorus, "When hideous things appear, evil things naturally happen." Thus they shouted through thz streets. The whole population was aroused, and as if inspired by no common devil. caught up th~ cry, and before night we were stoned out of the island. It is really strange how men grow superstitious when calamities befall them, and in their frenzy and blindnes~ wreak their vengeance on those who are innocent. In the cold night air we flew, over the boundless ocean we sailed, until the Island of the Rising Sun faded from our view. On, on, we flew, but we sighted no land. Towards morning when dawn was already visible in th? East, Brother Bat said, "I can fly no longer: my wings are wea.ry; and I fear that I must die." "Courage, dear bro:her," I answerzd, "Summon all thy strength. Fly yet a little longer and soon you will s·ze the providence of God. Know you not that Heaven is able to bring forth our greatest happiness even out of our heaviest misfortunes?'' Before us was the rising sun; behind us, was the moon, hardly discernible in the distant west·ern horizon. The sun's fiery disk had scarcely risen above the crimson waters, when far in the west, we heard a sw1~et voice say, "O faithful ocean, thou that obeyest my mandates, yield up the treasures which I have long hidden in thy bosom." The waters trembled, and a whole island clothed in the loveliest garments of nature rose gradually beneath us. We gave thanks to the Lord for this singular manifestation of His power and goodruess., and under the shadows of the morning we rested. Thus did the mysterious island make its mysterious appearance in the world. It was an island fair and lovely to look at. Nature, as it were, had bestowed all her charms on this particular spot. There, you could stare at the sun at mid-day without being blinded by its strong rays; th?re, the cool and refreshing air of the morning pervaded the aiimosphere throu,ghout th.2 whole day; there, the stars ~'winkled brighter than in any other part of the world; th2re, the thunder was never heard; and there, the sto~m never raged. In short, our island was another garden of Eden. (Here the narrative shifts to another place, and relates how an unfortunate pair was driven by the malice of men from their native land, and how Providence brought them to the mysterious island.) II Far, far away, in the land of the Setting Sun, lived Benjamin and his wife, Aurora, a Godfearing and a God-loving pair. Now, the people in tha: island were agriculturists. The country was so fertile that, with a little tilling of the soil, abundant crops were harvested. The land flowed with abundance., and there nobody was ever known to complain of hunger and thirst. It was always so, in that country from time i,mme'morial. But a time came when this abundance came to an end. Th.2 harvests failed, and in a short time it was feared that a famine woµld break out. Strange to say, the crops of Benjamin and Aurora wer.2 as good as ever. At the time of the calamity, their crops yielded thrice as much produce as they were wont to gather. Th:~ir neighbors wondered. And they said to one another, "Why was this ma!l spared and not we? What have we done to merit such misfortune? Are we not, each and everyone of us, as good as they?" Thus they reasoned. The envy of their neighbors increased from day to day, and soon Benjamin and Aurora wer.2 hated. GREEN AND WHITE 163 Meanwhile, the innocent pair, when they saw th.2 trials which the good God was pleased to send the!m, never tired of helping their fellow creatures, as much as they could. They did not feel proud of their exemption from these calamities, if calamities they could be rightly called; they did not consider themselves invincible to misfortunes, nor did they think themselves fortunat.2. They were still the same Benjamin and Aurora. Prosperity in the midst of adversity disturbed not the humility of their hearts. The next year, a similar thing occurred. The harvest was worse than ever, but Benjamin's crop this time increased ten-fold. This heigh:ened the rising anger and envy of their fellowmen, and in spite of all their sacrific.2s, in spite of everything they did to alleviate the wants of their suffering countrymen, they were regarded with hatred by everybody. It did not take them long to notice this rank ingratitude. Instead of r.2ceiving kind words for the services which they had so willingly rendered, they received in return, insults. A rumor soon spread that they were sorceri~rs. The failure of the crops were ascribed to infernal powers which they were supposed to have and the proof of it was, that while everybody else suffered, they alone prospered. Who, but they could have caused their crops to wither? A good God could not have allowed so much suffering among His creatures. Under the cover of hypocritical kindness, thzy strove to hide the inhumanity of their hearts. Thus the rumor ran. So, one night, when they were asleep, they were awakened by the loud shouts of their neighbors. "Kill the sorcerers, kill the sorcerers, who bring these cala'mities upon us. Let us have our vengeance. The soon.2r we get rid of them, the better, for who knows what they might do next. Let us burn them alive." All these things the man -and his wifo heard with tre\mbling hearts. But one wiser than the rest said, "Let us put them on a boat, and let them drift to the ends of the earth, (people in those days thought the earth was flat), where monsters which infest the deeps will swallow thfim up." ~~~~~~~~~~And all shouted, "Let us do it nOiw." Lmmedia:tely they seized the trembling creatrues, and placed them in a boat. A strong current caught their bark and far into the ocean they were borne. Great was their terror when they found themselves in the wide ocean. They expected, momentarily, monsters of all shapes to rise from the treacherous deeps and swallow them up. A profound sl.2ep, the sleep of the innocent, came over them. On the morning of the third day they awoke, and. to their great astonish!ment, they found themselv.is on the shores of the mysterious island. Behind them was the rising sun, befoc them was the mysterious island. Own the mountain tops was the round moon. Again we heard the same sweet voice from the west say, "O my chosen ones, inhabit the land which I have long prepared for you and your descendants. The peace of the Lord shall al:ways be with you, and the hand of adversity shaill ~ever strike you." On their bended knees they gave thanks to Almighty God for the singular favor which th.2y had received. They were exceedingly delighted to see the mysterious island and all its wonders. In this island, they lived to an advanced age. Their desc.2ndants multiplied exceedingly and at the end of the century the island was fairly inhabited. (Here the story describes the prosperity of the inhabitants. It relates also that, there nobody ever had a bad day, and that in the island, if the account of the authors be true, complete happiness always reigned.) III The third part of the story begins t'hus: "Reader, whoever thou art, if thou wouldst be worthy of the secrets which fortun.2 hath placed before thee, purify thy mind from every trace of incredulity; make a solemn act of faith before reading any further; and entertain not the least shadow of doubt concerning the truth of our infallible testimony, for to doubt it would bring down the severest judgments of heaven on thy head," 164 GREEN AND WHITE (Without hesitation, I made up my mind to swallow up everything the authors of the book had to say, and with this disposition of mind caught up the thread of the story.) · "For a hundred years we lived in the mysterious island, and during all that time we saw mysterious things happening everyday. Once, we thought of leaving the precincts of the island,-a foolish thought it was-bui: we could not leave it for it Sl!emed as if we were held by some strange power. Every day the island seemed to grow lovelier in our sight, and each succeeding day we felt that we were growing younger but strong.2r-a thing which we could, in no wise, account· for. At this time there was a lovely young man who lived near the seashore. He was so charming that the birds of the island gather.2d around him in flocks, and sang their loveliest songs; he was so kind he never knew fear. His parents and all who knew him loved him. w.2 loved him, too. One night when the inhabitants of the island were asl~ep, (all of them fell asleep early that night-an unusual thing), when in the solemn stillness of the night, only the rippling of the tiny waves and tre sighing of the wind could be heard, young Benjamin, for it was the boy's name, awoke from his sleep. He rose, led by an unknown power, went to th; seashore, and there sat on a stone. There, he sat looking at the placid ocean before him. There, he saw the moon peeping above the watery horizon. He gazed on the rippling waves, he gazed on the moonlit waters, he gazed at the beautiful moon, anci then muttered to himself, "This world is a lovely world. What a happy place for man to live in!" But he heard th.2 wind sighing,· and wondered why. So he asked playfully, "Wind, wind, why do you sigh?" Th'! wind answered him not, but kept on sighing. As he received no answer, re looked· at the moon. He seemed to see the Man in the Moon looking very sad. So, he aske'd again playfully, "Man in the Moon, Man in the Moon, why do you look so sad?" After he had said these words, a profound stillness came over the island. The waves stopped rippling, and th.2 winds stopped sighing. Now, a profound stillness co•mes over nature before a storm, but dear reader, we can assure you that it was no storm tpat came over the island. Again, he repeated, "Man in the Moon, Man in the Moon, why do you look so sad?" Scarcely had he uttered th~se words, when we saw the moon coming nearer and ne;irer over th.~ moonlit waters, until it rested just in front of Benjamin. (Here, the authors describe the appearance of -the moon as they saw it, and other asuonomical observations important only to the students of astronomy. They give also a detailed description of the person of the Man in the Moon, most interesting to students of fine arts.) We never saw such a lovely face, yet op.e c:ould see that the expression on it was full of sadness, the story continues. . His whole person shont! with the softest light. He stretched his right hand to Benjamin. This, the boy caught up, and in another instant he was with the Man . in the Moon. As for ours·elves, we flew to one of the rocks on the moon's surface, wher.2 we witnessed everything that passed between the:in. In' another moment, the moon had resumed its former place. "My child," began the Man in the Moon, "I have so~ething to tell you. Listen attentively to all that I have to say, and engrave nty words in your heart." "Know, that I am one of those Beings destined· to watch over the affairs of the universe. When the universe was created, the Creator, in His goodness, appointed me to watch over the world of men, until the end of time comes. That was ages and ages ago. Each day the world passes before me in review, (the world revolves around its axis once in twenty-four hours), and once a month I go around it, to see how everything _goes on with the world. When I say to the tide, "Rise," it rises, and when I say to it, "Fall" it falls. Great is my influence' over- th~ world, but man alone, the lord of the earth, insignificant as he is, stands aloft and refuses to concur with the harmony that exists in the universe. Man is a rebe'llious GREEN AND WHITE 165 cr:eature. It has b.2en so from the beginning At the end of each ,year, I render an account of my trust to the King of the universe. This, He receives. with great sorrow, and yet He still camjmands me, "Watch on, watch on." Faithfully have I fulfilled my duty, but how it pains me to see the ingratitude of men. Fram the wickedness of man I gather no consolation. How galli~g is that indifference, that utter disregard which man pays in return for the innumerable blessings which the Creator showers on him every day of his life! ''My child, look through this crystal." The man in the Moon handed him a crystal, and Benjamin looked as he was directed. First, he saw the Mysterious Island. This gradually disappeared~ and other lands appeared througl? the magic crystal. Full twenty-four hours he looked through the magic crystal, which revealed to him every corner of th~ earth and the doings of men. When Benjamin laid down . the crystal, his eyes were filled wit!} tears. "I did not know," said h2, "that there is so much misery in the world, that men could be so cruel and so heartless; that bad men prosper; 1 i.d that the good are persecuted by their foll0wmen. Truly, 'The enemy of man is man!' " "My child," answered the Man in the Moon, "that is how th2 world goes on. By my word I caused the mysterious island to spring from the bowels of the ocean. That island, I prepared for my descent, and for that reason I beautified it. I sdected the descendants of your great grandfather Benjamin and your great grandmother Aurora to inhabit it, for I am loath to go near wicked men. I selected you in particular to deliver my message to the world. "I repeat, I have a message to give to th2 world, and you have a mission to fulfill. It is this. Understand, that dearer to me than everything else in the world are children. I would willingly do anything that would add to their happiness. As soon as you return, start on a journey. You are to visit the children of every country 1and clime. You are to tell th€!ITI that I love th2m so much. You are to take that crystal with you, and whenever there is a full moon, you are to make them look through it. Thus, children will come to know m2. Thus, they will often think of me and love me. You will admonish them, for my sake to walk always in the path of goodness. How consoling, in the midst of my sorrows, would this be, indeed, to me. I promise you a long lifo, for a long time it will take you to fulfill your task. I will give you the power of doing every possi'ble good, and when you have fulfilled your· task, you can return to the mysterious island once more. "Farewell." In an instant the moon sped back to the Mysterious Island. Benjamin came down to the earth once :more. We left the rock where we had remained concealed all the time. Scarcely had we done so, when the moon sped back faster than lightning to its former place. Thus ended the visit of the Man in the Moon in which wonderful things were revealed. (Ancient Egyptians, ancient Babylonians, ancient Chaldeans, ancient Greeks, where are your astronomers? . . You that watched day and night the operations of the celestial worlds, why have you failed to inform us of this singular and wonderful phenomenon? Why have you failed tb corroborate the unerring testimony of the Black Bat and the Wise Owl, for it is certain that a long time ago, in that particular year, in that particulgr month, in that particular week, on two consecutive nights, the moon either conjured up by an unknown magician, or attracted by an unknown force, or directed by the Man in the Moon, twice cdme speeding over the vast space which separates it from this earth of ours; that it actually rested over the mysterious island and twice resumed its former place as fast as it came! Saw you not this? Knew you not this?) IV After the mysterious events, which we have described, Benjamin still sat on the stone regarding the moon. Then, far away in the distant horizon, we spied a boat, speeding like an .arrow, heading for our island. On it came and stopped right at Benjamin's feet. It was the same boat which brought Benja;min and Aurora, three <:_enturies ago, to th.2 shores of the mysterious island. Immediately he boarded it. Away it sped until the distant horizon swallowed it up. 166 GREEN AND WHITE Weeks pas~'!d, months passed, years passed, still nobody missed him. His parents, his relations, the inhabitants of the is'tand, behaved as if they never had him, as if they never kn.'!w him. They lost him, yet they knew it not. How strange ! the bad I persuaded to .lead good lives." Then we heard a voice, (it was the same vocie we heard two c,'!nturies ago), answer, "My child, you have faithfully obeyed my commands and I am mightily pleased with you. Come, rest forever in the kingdom of the BlesFull two hundred years Benjamin was away, f,2d." and during all that time, wonderful things were Presen~ly, we heard the sound of heavenly happening in the island. Little by little, the music, and the air around us was filled with population dwindled, until at last, not a single fragrance, undefinable; Benjamin was rapt in man was left. How this came to pass, we ecstasy, and slowly he ros.2 from th2 ground, know not. Wren anybody died, they buried as if borne by unseen hands. Higher and highh~m without tears, without lamentations. er he rose, until he was enveloped by the maDeath they regarded as the stepping stone to jestic clouds, further and further the music was eternal happiness. Nothing marred the per- heard, until dead silence swallowed the sound feet happiness in the island. And when only of sweet voices altogether. Until morning we one man was left, he lived and died as if he spent musing over the strange events of that had never known the society of men. Thus night. passed away the inhabitants of the mysterious The next morning, the sun rose as usual island. Thus pass.'!d away the happiest race with unclouded splendor. The island without of mortals. Thus passed away men who were, Benjamin was lovely still. But at noon, we born happy, who lived happy, and who died' noticed that the birds were leaving the island happy. in great numbers. Towards the close of the But the island was still lovely even without day, not a single bird was to be found in the its inhabitants. One night, as we were watch- ' island except ourselves. We wondered why! ing the beautiful tints of the gleaming waves, t. That night there came a great change over we spied something in the distance speeding to- J-. the island. The night was hot-a thing which ward our island. Our hearts beat faster. Was . never was before-and the silence was so deep it Benjamin? Yes, it was he. At last the boat 116 and so impressive, that we thought we were reached the shore. Benjamin stepped forth f ;already in the kingdom of the dead. This was from it. He was lovelier than ever, he was. ;broken, ever and anon, by sounds so fearful younger than ever, he was still the young man 'that, no living ear could withstand them. These who left years ago. Time which spares no sounds were followed by the howling of dogs man had spared him. How unexpressibly in agonies of fear. Sdmetimes we heard rumsweet, yet how sad was the expression of his bling sounds which shook th'! island. Thus fac.'!. Tea.rs of joy, tears of sorrow, mingled the night passed. We can never fully describe with wonder and reverence, we shed. We re- the terror which we endured that terrible night. joiced to see him once more, yet we sorrowed, Towards dawn, a strong gale ros1? from the because he looked so sad. west, and, in a short time, the clouds over the Once more, as he sat on that stone, he saw th.2 full moon above the waters of his native sea. Once more he fixed his look on it, and in a voice so sweet, yet so sad, he spoke thus, "Man in the Moon, hear me once more. All the children in the world, I have visited and rejoio~d. Not only did I do that. but I did more. The miserable, I relieved of their mi-. sery; the suffering hearts, I comforted; the good, I encourag.'i!d in the path of virtue; and island were so thick that morning was changed into night. Then, for the first time, tbe the lightning flar.2d, and the crash of thunder was heard. A terrible earthquake soon followed. The mountains were rent asunder and clapped again with a fearful thundering crash. Th.'!n fire came out Qf the bowels of the earth consuming every living thing below, and melting even the hardest rocks. All these happenings we beheld with trem•bling hearts. Th~n. GREEN AND WHITE 167 when all these catastrophes were at their worst, we beheld the island sinking slowly beneath us. And when the waters closed above the highest mountain peak, all of a sudden, the sky became clear, the sea became calm, and we saw the glorious sun rising in the eastern horizon. The mysterious island disappeared forever. High up in the air we fL~w, reJ01cmg; above the clouds we sailed exulting: higher and high.:r still we flew. The spinning earth we left behind us. Into r.~gions of sunshine perpetual we will fly, the celestial worlds we will visit, but never more shall the earth attract us; never more sh:ill the fury of m.~n persecute us. Nzver morz, never more, shall we return. This book we. leave for your perusal. Adieu! dear rr:ader. (And I he last page of the golden book vanished from my hands. I looked at the blue sea before me, and seemed to see the mysterious island. I looked up at the blue sky, and seemed to see the Wise Owl and the Black Bat taking their leave of this earth and saying to me, '·Neuer more shall we return, never more shall w:: return. Farewell, dear reader.") 0, you that would visit the moon in a cigar balloon, if you ever get there, expect not in the height of presumption to see the Man in the Moon, for great indeed will be your disappointmrnt. He is not to be seen by profane eyes. He is only visible to a certain class of people. Only children see him with their innocent eyes, see him with their innocent imaginations, think of him with their innocent minds, and love him with their innocent hearts. How often m my young years have I thought of him, too. ----·«:.--Decision By Angel A. Roman, Jr. QECISION is that "phase of mental activity in which a volitional tendency reaches its completion." The whole trend of the present remarks, however, will deal with decision as being the conclusion or resolution arrived at' by an individual ;:ifter deep thinking, that is, after weighing every fact that mitigates or aggravates each and every circumstance n~garding a certain matter. Decision may prove beneficial and sometimes fatal to an individual, to associations and to nations. Quick decision and immediatz action have carried •many a man over critical plights where a little hesitation or deliberation would have spelled ruin. Napoleon's audacity and power of quick decision won for hi;m victoi;ies and conquests. Alexander succeeded in conquering the world by virtue of his stern will and decision. Thus when are confronted by a crisis or dile/m'ma, have pored on it, and finally have arrived at a derision, then the rest must be governed by that decision. We cannot go back on it. To hesitate or falter and not to have the will to carry out our schemes, would be only to lose one's golden opportunity in life. Each and every individual cherishes different ambitions and dreams during his youth. Each and every one of them longs to realiz.~ and attain his coveted goal. But in most instances, their efforts are in vain. Because, although they have bright prospects and are fitted to accomplish great achievements, their failure to decide which course to follow when they were young, and remaining stagnant, so to say, have made them what th~y ought not to bemere "nobodies". Thus through lack of proper decision, their hope faded into the hazy distance, and with it their golden chance of suecess. Quick decision and prompt action are requisite factors for the person who is to be a succzss in life. Our ideals and projects can materialize only-wh~n we have cdme to a conclusion or resolution to put them into execution at the earliest time possible. Many a promising scheme has turned into a discouraging fail