  SEVEN SPOT'S VISIT. Little Tom spent many days at home alone on top of the linen press. Outside, the sun shone and through the windows the flowers breathed a wonderful fragrance; but he no longer wished to go out, for he knew there only awaited him terrible traps and dangers. He worked sometimes in his garden, or wrote in his diary, or went over to the window to look out sadly between the flower pots to the wide world beyond. One day, as he was standing on the window ledge and looking into the garden, he perceived on a fuchsia near the window a beautiful, red ladybird with shining wings, crawling on the blossoms and looking sideways at him. His Godmother had been away since early morning and he knew that she would not return until evening, so he was very lonely there all by himself. The lady-bird opened its wings and flew over to the window. Alighting on the edge it started to crawl along, all the time looking towards Tom who thought to himself: »What is that gentleman looking for and does he know me?« But the lady-bird coming to him said, »Good morning Little Tom. How are you? I am very pleased to find you. I am Seven Spot from the lady-bird kingdom on the forest pool. We all thought that you had perished with the others in the terrible flood.« Little Tom was surprised to learn that this gentleman knew him so well, but he did not wish to inquire how it happened; so he replied that he was very pleased to meet Mr. Seven Spot, as he had no companions at all. They talked together for some time. Seven Spot told him all about the forest pool and how beautiful it was; and Seven Spot persisted, but when he saw that Tom would not be persuaded, he said: »My dear Tom, it is true that you suffered very much when you came out; but that is because you live with human beings and do not know your true place in life, nor your own friends. What kind of a life have you among humans? Although your Godmother loves you, you are neither her child nor her friend. Your real life is among the gnomes, but, since there are none left, you should dwell with their good friends who are like you in many respects. They will welcome and honor you. With them you can live in peace and happiness, and who knows if you might not find among them some one dear to your heart? But if you do not wish to go, I will fly back to my people and tell them that my mission was in vain.« After this long speech, Mr. Seven Spot raised his shells indifferently and aired his wings; but he did not fly away. Instead, he lighted on the pistil of the fuchsia and started to crawl slowly into the blossom. Little Tom was greatly surprised at what he had heard. Who had sent this messenger and who was thinking of him? He begged Seven Spot not to go away, but to tell him everything he knew. Seven Spot smiled. »Do you think, Little Tom,« he said, »that I would dare to enter the dwelling of a human being without reason, unless I felt sure of finding you here? Friend Mirmex told me about you on the meadow, where with his workmen he is collecting stores of grain. Then, someone else whom you know very well told us about your past life in the realm of the gnomes. We asked Mirmex to find out how you are living and what you are doing. So, while you were sleeping in the night, his workmen found a way to you, looked over everything very carefully and made a report to us. We realized that you would not find your happiness with human beings and we have, therefore, decided to ask you to come to us and rule over the lady-bird realm on the forest pool, since your own kingdom has perished. If you do not wish to accept, we shall all be very sorry and, later, you will recognize that your decision to remain with humans was not to your advantage and somebody will cry for you.« Little Tom was very curious to know who would cry for him and his heart was torn with the hope that he might see again one of his own people. Perhaps, after all, he was not alone in the world, but he feared that he might be terribly disappointed. He begged Seven Spot not to torture him, but to tell him who was expecting him. That gentleman only replied that he could say nothing further, as he had given his word of honor, but that Tom should go with him and see for himself. Tom felt as if on thorns. He said that he could go and see, but to remain was impossible, as he could not bind himself to do that. Moreover, he did not know how to get to the wood. Seven Spot was pleased to see that Tom was yielding and said, »Only prepare your things and dress in your finest clothes. In a few minutes, I will return, and you need not bother about your transportation.« And off he flew. Tom at once set himself to pack his tiny hand-bag. Then he put on a beautiful suit of green and belted his sword about him. When he was ready, he was impatient to leave. He had barely completed his preparations however, when Seven Spot appeared at the window. Little Tom, snatching his bag, ran to him at once. There, on the ledge, he saw a gorgeous dragonfly with golden eyes, slim, blue body and transparent rainbow wings. Tom was a little embarrassed before such a magnificent creature; but Seven Spot, without any hesitation, placed Tom's bag upon the dragonfly and told him to get on its back. In a trice, they were flying like a shot through the warm, summer air. Such a wonderful journey it was, under the blue sky, over the broad stretches of land, high above the earth. The dragonfly, as if not feeling the burden, sparkled and glistened in the rays of the sun, while above them Seven Spot was flying in great circles. Tom was intoxicated by the swift flight through the beautiful sunshine and the fresh breeze, which, far below them, rippled the sea of grain into little waves. Over the slope they flew, across the fields and into the cool twilight of the forest, among the pine trees and the beeches. Under the thick, quiet arches of the leaves, Tom looked around in surprise; but the dragonfly winged his way unerringly, deeper and deeper into the wood, until they came, at last, to the valley where, beyond the ferns and the colts-foot, shone a dark pool covered with yellow and white pond lilies. There the dragonfly settled into the cool moss. Tom stepped down, but before he could turn and thank this kind friend, the dragonfly had sped up in the air like a colored spark and disappeared among the yellow candles of the cat tails. It seemed to Tom as if he had landed in some magic kingdom. All about him were growing gigantic willow-herbs with thick bunches of little red blossoms, broad crowns of yellow lettuce and water crow-feet on thin, spreading stalks, with their tender little heads sparkling like white flames. Everything was radiant, glittering with bright colors, and perfumed with the sweet odors of the forest. When Tom turned around, he found Seven Spot standing beside him. He invited Tom to come with him, saying that all the lady-birds were waiting. They went under an arch of green leaves and through a lofty green palace to the sprays of sweet-smelling mint by the water. On the leaves of the mint, were sitting, side by side, hundreds and hundreds of lady-birds, in colors of gold, brown, violet, red and yellow. All crowded forward to see the guest, whom they greeted with cheers. Little Tom was led by the crowd to the shore of the pool, where a great water- »Prince Tom, be welcomed to our Lady-bird Kingdom. Long have we waited for you and now respectfully beg you to be our king, rule over our land and take for your wife the true comrade of your youth, who, at the time of the flood, was visiting us and so was saved.« As soon as Seven Spot stopped speaking, the water lily opened and out stepped a golden haired girl in a violet dress. »Chrysomela« cried Tom and ran to her with open arms. »Long live our King, Little Tom!« was shouted on all sides in a loud chorus, while a great crowd of golden flies flew around and around the pool and a merry choir sang to celebrate the fÊte. Tom was quite beside himself with happiness. The sad past faded away and he saw only before him the goldenhaired girl, who smiled at him from her blue eyes. They held each other's hands and talked and talked, until Seven Spot interrupted them to ask them to sit down to the banquet and accept the homage of their subjects. The banquet was magnificent. Stuffed tiny snails, salad of flower tendrils, a giant whitebait born by four cooks on a dog-rose leaf, mint candies, and, for drinking, blackberry wine drawn directly from a great berry standing on the edge of the leaf. When they began to feast, beautiful music sounded. It was the famous Gnat Quartette, two gnats playing violins, a small cicada, the cello and a wood-bee, the bass viol. Joyous strains rang through the warm summer air. Presently, a swarm of gnats hovered over the water close by, dancing a graceful ballet; and, when they had finished, there came a dragonfly who gave an acrobatic performance with giddy jumps and dizzy whirling. The rest of the kingdom of the lady-birds were sitting all around the shore of the pool on mint and ferns, cheering and shouting with joy. On a fallen trunk by the water, sat a sedate group of water-bugs chewing young tendrils and nodding approval with their beards. By the time the celebration was finished, evening had come and a serious brown water-bug came up to invite them to visit the wood-bugs mines. In a long procession, they followed him to a powerful, old beech, where he conducted them through deep, long corridors to a hollow in the tree arranged as a beautiful hall, in which Little Tom and Chrysomela might have their home. Tom was wondering how they could live there without furniture or utensils; but when he stepped inside, he was struck with surprise. The great hall was lighted from above by dry wood, which glowed with a subdued, blue light showing all his own furnishings from Castle Easter Egg, neatly arranged around the walls; all the drawers were in the cupboards, all the utensils were there, not even a cup was missing. By the entrance stood Mirmex, with a whole regiment of his ants. He said, »I welcome you to your new kingdom and ask you to be our good neighbor, as we used to be with your father.« When Tom had flown away to the lily pond, the ants had moved all his belongings and arranged everything in the new palace. They knew very well, when Tom had seen Chrysomela, that he would not return to his Godmother. Tom thanked them all very heartily and Mirmex asked him to visit their Black Town on the morrow, which he gladly promised to do, remembering how his father had planned to send him there to learn how to rule a kingdom. After all had said good night, Little Tom and Chrysomela remained in their new home while the crickets under the beech sang them a serenade. In the morning, when they came out of the old beech, they were greeted by a choir of crickets whose music rang clear to the tops of the trees. Already, Mirmex and some of the ants, were standing before the entrance, among them a brilliant, green rose-bug for carrying Tom to Black Town. Many onlookers stood about. The Lady-birds greeted their new king, while snails on the mushrooms stretched up their heads, so that they, too, could see what was going on. Golden flies crowded around in swarms, while on the path stood a line of wood-bugs as a guard of honor. After saying good-bye to Chrysomela, Tom went down to the moss and greeted his friends the ants. Chrysomela was very sad that he was leaving her so soon and almost wept. She was afraid that she might lose him again, as they were so alone in the great world; but Tom soothed her by saying that he would surely return the next day, and that he was obliged to make this visit to their neighbors to honor them and fulfil his father's wish. Then they arranged with Seven Spot where they should meet him and Seven Spot proposed that, immediately on his return, Tom and Chrysomela should accompany him to inspect their own kingdom. When all preparations had been completed, Tom, in full armor, jumped upon the rose-bug, the noisy trumpets of the gadflies sounded and the great procession started for Black Town. CHAPTER EIGHT. |
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