 Section 8 of Under the Sunset by Bram Stoker. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The wondrous child, far away from the edge of a great creek, that stretched inland from the endless sea, there lay a peaceful village. Here the husbandmen led a happy, prosperous life. They rose early so that in the cool grey morn they heard the lark, all invisible in the height of the dawn, singing the morning hymn that he never forgets. As sunset came stealing on, they returned to their homes, glad of the rest that nightfall brought to them. In the autumn, when the harvesting was to be done, they worked late, as they were able to do, for at that time the kind son and his wife the moon have a compact that they will help those who work at the harvest. So the sun stays up a little longer, and the moon gets out of her bed, in the horizon a little earlier, and thus there is always light to work by. The red, broad, full-faced moon that looks down on the husbandmen at work is called the harvest moon. The Lord of the Manor of this peaceful village was a very good, kind man that helped the poor always. At mealtime the door of his mansion stood open, and all who were hungry could enter if they chose, and take seats at the table and be welcome guests. This Lord of the Manor had three children, Siebold and May, and one little baby boy just come home, who had no name as yet. Siebold had just reached his eighth birthday, and May was within two months of her six. They were very fond of each other as brother and sister should be, and had all their plays together. May thought that Siebold was very big and strong, and whatever he wished to do, she always agreed to. Siebold loved finding things and exploring, and at different times the two children had been over all the domain of their father. They had certain secret haunts that nobody knew of except themselves. Some of these were very queer, delightful places. One was in the centre of a hollow oak tree, where so many squirrels lived that the branches were quite like the streets of a town with their going to and fro. Another place was the top of a rock, which was only reached by a narrow path between high bushes of ivy. Here there was a sort of great chair made in the rock, which just held the two, and here they often brought their lunch and sat half the day looking out over the treetops, to where, far away in the distance, the white edge of the horizon lay on the glittering sea. Then they would tell each other what they thought about, and what they would like to do, and what they would try to do when they grew up. There was also another place, which was their favourite of all. It was under a great weeping willow. This was a mighty tree, many hundreds of years old, which towered aloft above the other trees which dotted the sword. The long branches fell downward so thickly that even in winter, when the leaves had fallen and the branches were bare, one could hardly see into the hollow that lay within. When the new spring clothes came home, the whole tree from its high top, even to the mossy ground from which it rose, was a mass of solid green, and it was difficult to get within even if one knew the way. In one place one of the trailing branches had a long time ago been broken in a great storm, which had laid low many forest trees. But the branches which hung next to this sent forth new green shoots to fill the empty space, and so the opening was covered with thin twigs instead of strong branches. In summer the leaves covered all with a mass of green, but those who knew the opening could push the twigs aside and so enter into the bower. It was a most beautiful bower, no matter how strong the sun glared without, it was within cool and pleasant. From the ground even to the top, till the very roof where the dark branches meeting made a black mass, all was a delicate green, for the light without came through the leaves softly and gently. Seabold and May thought that so the sea must look to the mermaids, who sing and comb their long hair with golden combs down in the cool depths of the ocean. In the swad around this great tree were many beds of beautiful flowers, asters with their wide faces of many colors, staring up straight at the sun without ever winking, and round and over which flitted the gorgeous butterflies with their wings like rainbows, or peacocks, or sunsets, or ought that is most beautiful, sweet mignonette where the bees hovered with grateful hum, pansies with their delicate big faces trembling on their slender stalks, tulips opening their mouths to the sun and the rain, for the tulip is a greedy flower that opens his mouth till at last he opens it so wide that his head falls all to pieces and he dies. Hyacinths with their many bells clustered on one stalk like a big family party, great sunflowers whose drooping faces shone like children of the parent sun himself. There were also great poppies with spreading careless leaves, thick juicy stalks and grand scarlet flowers which rise and droop just as they please, and look so free and careless and independent. Both Seabold and May loved these poppies and went every day to look at them, in the beds in the mossy sward from which the great willow rose. They grew to an enormous size, so high that when Seabold and May stood hand in hand beside the bed, the great poppies towered over them till Seabold, standing on tiptoe, could not reach the scarlet flowers. One day after breakfast Seabold and May took their lunch with them and went out to spend the day together wandering about among the woods, for it was a holiday with them. A little tiny boy brother had arrived in the house and everybody was busy getting things for him. The children had just seen him for an instant. Hand in hand Seabold and May went round all their favourite spots. They looked at the cave in the oak tree and said, How do you do to all the squirrels that lived in the tree, and told them of the new baby that had come home? Then they went to the rock and sat together in the seat and looked away over the sea. There they sat for a while in the hot sunlight and talked together with the dear little baby brother that they had seen. They wondered where he came from and they made up a plan that they would look and look till they found a baby too. Seabold said that he must have come over the sea and been laid in the parsley bed by the angels, so that nurse might find him there and bring him to comfort their poor sick mother. Then they wondered how they would be able to get away over the sea and they planned that someday Seabold's boat would be made bigger and they would get into it and sail away over the sea and search for another little baby all for themselves. After a while they got tired of sitting in the hot sun, so they left the place and hand in hand wandered on till they came to the level swore, where the great willow tree rose and where the beds of flowers made the air seem full of colors and perfume. Hand in hand they walked on, looking at the butterflies and the bees and the birds and the beautiful flowers. In one bed they found a new flower had come out. Seabold knew it and told May it was a tiger lily. She was afraid to go near it till he told her it could not hurt her, as it was only a flower. As they went on Seabold picked some flowers from every bed and gave them to his sister. When they were going away from the tiger lily he pulled the flower and as May was afraid to carry it he took it himself. At last they came to the great bed of poppies. The flowers looked so bright and cool for all their flaming color and so careless that May and Seabold both together thought that they would like to take a lot with them into the willow bower, for they were going to eat their lunch there and they wished the place to be as gay and pretty as possible. But first they went back to the oak tree to gather a lot of leaves, for Seabold suggested that they would make the new baby brother the king of the feast and that they would make for him a crown of oak. As he would not be there himself they would put the crown where they could see it well. When they got to the oak tree May called out, oh look Seabold, look, look! Seabold looked and saw that on nearly every branch were a whole lot of squirrels sitting two and two with their bushy tails over their backs eating nuts as hard as ever they could. When the squirrels saw them they were not frightened for the children had never done them any harm. They gave a sort of queer croak altogether and a funny little skip. Seabold and May began to laugh but they did not like to disturb them so they gathered as many oak leaves as they wanted and went back to the poppy bed. Now Seabold dear said May we must get lots of poppies for the dear bar is very very fond of them. How do you know? said Seabold. Because he ought to be she answered you and I are and he is our brother so of course he is. So Seabold pulled a lot of the poppies and some he took with many of the cool green leaves attached till they had each an armful of them then they gathered up all the other flowers and entered the willow bower to eat their lunch. Seabold went to the spring that rose in the garden and that ran through it down to the sea there he filled his cap with water and brought it back as steadily as he could so as not to spill much and return to the bower. May held open the leafy branches as he came and when he passed in she let them fall again. As the leafy curtain hung all round them the two children were alone in the willow bower. Then they set to work to deck their leafy tent with the flowers. They twisted them round the hanging branches and made a wreath which they put around the trunk of the tree. Everywhere they put the poppies as high as they could reach and then Seabold held up May while she stuck the tiger lily in a cleft in the tree trunk above all the other flowers. Then the children sat down to their lunch. They were very tired and very hungry and they enjoyed the rest and the food very much. There was only one thing which they wanted and that was the new little baby brother so that they might make him the king of the feast. When lunch was finished they felt very tired so they lay down together with their heads on each other's shoulders and their arms twined and there they went to sleep with the scarlet poppies nodding all round them. After a time they were not asleep. It did not seem to be any later in the day but to be the early morning. Neither of them felt the least sleepy or tired. On the contrary they both wanted to go on a longer expedition than ever. Come down to the creek said Seabold and let us get out my boat. May arose and they opened the leafy door and went out. They went down to the creek and there they found Seabold's boat with all its white sails set. Let us get in said Seabold. Why? asked May. Because then we can have a sail he answered. But it will not hold us. It is too small said May who was rather afraid to go sailing but did not like to say so. Let us try said her brother. He took hold of the cord that tied the boat to the bank and drew it in. The line seemed very long and Seabold appeared to be pulling it in for a great while. However the boat came in at last. As it drew nearer it got bigger and bigger till when it touched the bank they saw that it was just large enough to hold them both. Come let us get in said Seabold. Somehow May did not feel afraid now. She got into the boat and found that in it there were silken cushions of the colour of the poppy flowers. Then Seabold got in and pulled away the rope that tied the boat to shore. He sat in the stern and held the tiller in his hand. May sat on a cushion in the bottom of the boat and held on to the sides. The white sails swelled out with a gentle breeze and they began to move away from the shore. The tiny waves rippled from the bow of the boat. May heard the lap lap lap as they touched the prow and then fell away. The sun shone very brightly. The water was as blue as the sky and so clear that the children could see down into its steps where the fishes were darting about. There too the plants and trees that grow under the water were opening and closing their branches and the leaves were moving about as those of land trees do when the wind is blowing. For a little while the boat went straight away from land till they lost sight of the tall willow tree which rose above the others. Then it seemed to come near to the shore again and moved on always so close that the children could see all that was there very plainly. The shore was very varied and each moment showed something new and beautiful. Now it was a jutting rock all covered with trailing plants whose flowers almost touched the water. Now it was a beach where the white sand glittered and glistened in the light and where the waves made a pleasant humming sound as they ran up the shore and down again as if playing at touch with themselves. Now dark trees with dense foliage overhung the water but through their gloom shone bright patches far away as the sun streamed down through some opening into the glade. Again there were places where grasses green as emeralds sloped right down to the water's edge and where the cow slips and butter cups that grew on the marge as they leaned over almost kissed the little waves that rose to meet them. Then there were places where great trees of lilac made the air sweet for far around with the breath of their clusters of pink and white blossom and where the labyrinems seemed to shower endless streams of gold from the wealth of flowers which hung from their twisted green branches. There were also great palm trees with their wide leaves making a cool shadow on the earth beneath. Great coconut trees up huge stems, troops of monkeys, troops of monkeys kept running to gather the coconuts which they pulled and threw down below. Allows with great stalks laden with flowers of purple and gold for this was the hundredth year when alone the aloe blooms. There were poppies as large as trees and lilies whose flowers were bigger than tents. The children liked all these places but presently they came to a spot where there was a patch of emerald grass shaded over with giant trees. Around rose or hung or clustered every flower that grows. Tall sugar canes sprang from the edge of a tiny stream which ran over a bed of bright stones like jewels. Palms reared their lofty heads and plants with great leaves rose and made shadows even in the shade. Close by was a crystal spring which bubbled into the tiny stream once the sugar canes rose. When they saw this place both the children cried out, Oh how beautiful! Let us stop here. The boat seemed to understand their wishes for without the helm even being touched it turned and drifted in gently to the shore. Seabold got out and lifted May to land. He intended to moor the boat but the moment May got out all the sails folded themselves of their own accord. The anchor jumped overboard and before it was possible to do anything the boat was anchored close to the shore. Seabold and May took each other's hands and they went round the place together looking at everything. Presently May said in a whisper, Oh Seabold! This place is so nice! I wonder if there is any parsley here? Why do you want parsley? he asked. Because if there was a nice bed of parsley we might be able to find a baby. And Oh Seabold! I do so want a baby. Very well then, let us look, said her brother. There seems to be every kind of plant here and if there is every kind of plant you know there must be parsley for Seabold was very logical. So the two children went all round the grassy dales searching and presently sure enough under the spreading leaves of a citron they found a great bed of parsley, bigger parsley than they had ever seen before. Seabold was quite pleased with it and said this is something like parsley do you know May? It always puzzled me how a baby who is so much bigger than the parsley can be hidden by it and it must be hidden in it for I often go out to look in the bed at home and I never can find one. Although a nurse always finds one whenever she looks but she does not look nearly often enough. I know if I was as lucky as she is I would be always looking. May found the longing to find a baby grow so strong upon her that she said again Oh Seabold! I do so long for a baby. I hope we will find one. As she spoke there was a queer kind of sound heard. A sort of very very soft laugh like a smile set to music. May was surprised and for a moment did not think of doing anything. She merely pointed and said look look Seabold ran forward and lifted up the leaf of an enormous parsley plant and there oh joy of joys was lying the dearest little baby boy that ever was seen. May knelt down beside him and lifted him up and began to rock him and sing hush by baby while Seabold looked on complacently. However after a while he got impatient and said look here you know I found that baby he belongs to me oh please said May I heard him first he is mine he is mine said Seabold he is mine said May and both began to get a little angry. Suddenly they heard a low groan a sort of sound like as if a tune had a toothache. Both children looked down in alarm and saw that the poor baby was dead. They were both horror struck and began to cry and both asked the other to forgive them and promised that never never again they would be angry. When they had done this the child opened its eyes looked at them gravely and said now never quarrel or be angry if you get angry again either of you I shall be dead I am buried too before you can say trap sticks indeed Bar said May I shall never never be angry again at least I shall try not to be said Seabold I assure you sir that under no provocation resulting from whatever concatenation of circumstances shall I be guilty of the malfaisance of anger how pretty he speaks said May and the baby nodded his head to him familiarly as much as to say all right old man we understand each other then for a while they were all quite quiet presently the baby turned its blue eyes up to May and said please little mother will you sing to me what would you like Bar said May oh any little trifle something pathetic he answered any particular style asked May no thank you anything that comes handy I prefer something simple some little elementary trifle or instance any little tune beginning with a chromatic scale in consecutive fifths and octaves pianissimo ralentando accelerando crescendo up to an inharmonic change on the dominant of the diminished flat ninth oh please bar said may very humbly I do not know anything about that yet I'm only in scales and if you please I do not know what it is all about look and you will see said the child and he took a piece of stick and wrote some music on the sand I do not know yet said May just then a small yellowish brown animal appeared in the glade chasing a rat when it came opposite them it suddenly went off like the sound of a pistol do you know now asked the child no dear bar but it does not matter she answered very well dear said the child kissing her anything you please only let it come straight from your loving little heart and he kissed her again then may sang something very sweet and pretty so sweet and pretty that it made her cry and seabold also and the baby she did not know the words and she did not know the tune and she had only a vague sort of idea what it was all about but it was very very pretty all the time she was singing she kept nursing the baby and he put his dear little fat arms around her neck and loved her very much when she was done singing the child said schlap schlap schlap schlap what does he mean she asked seabold in distress for she saw that the baby wanted something just then a beautiful cow put its head over the bushes and said moo the beautiful child clapped his hands so did may who said oh i know now he wants to be fed the cow walked in without being invited and seabold said i suppose may i had better milk him please do dear said may and she began cuddling the baby again and kissing and nursing him and telling him that he would soon be fed now whilst she was thus engaged she was sitting with her back to seabold but the baby was looking on at the milking operation with his blue eyes dancing with glee all at once he began to laugh so much that may looked round to see what he was laughing at there was seabold trying to milk the cow by pulling its tail the cow did not seem to mind him but went on grazing che lady said seabold the cow began to frisk about oh i say said seabold do hurry up now and give us some milk the bar wants some the cow answered him the dear bar must not want for ought may thought it very strange that the cow could talk but a seabold did not seem to think it's strange she held her tongue seabold began to argue with the cow but really now mr cow if he must not want for anything why do you make him want the cow answered don't blame me it is your own fault try some other way and it began to laugh as hard as it could its laugh was very funny very loud at first but gradually getting more and more like the child's laugh till may could not tell one from the other then the cow stopped laughing but the child went on what are you laughing at bar may asked for she did not remember to know anything about milking any more than seabold she thought this very funny for she knew that she had often seen the cows milked at home the baby spoke that is not the way to milk a cow then seabold began to work the cow's tail up and down like the handle of a pump but the baby laughed more than ever all at once without knowing how it came to pass she felt herself pouring milk out of a watering pot all over the baby who lay on the ground with seabold holding down its head the baby was crowing and laughing like mad and when the watering pot was all emptied he said thank you both so much i never enjoyed dinner so much in my life this is a very queer dear bar said may in a whisper very said seabold whilst they were talking there came a dreadful sound among the trees very very far away at first but getting nearer and nearer every moment it was like cats who were trying to imitate thunder the noise came booming through the trees meow boom may was very much frightened so also was seabold but he would not say so he felt that he had to protect his little sister and the baby so he got between them and the place the sound came from may hug the child close and said to him do not fear dear bar we will not let it touch you what is it said the baby i do not know bar she answered i wish i did there it comes now for just at that moment a great angry tiger bounded over the tops of the highest trees and stood glaring at them out of its great green flaming eyes may he looked on this terrible thing with her eyes distended with terror but still she classed the baby closer and closer she kept looking at the tiger and saw that he was eyeing not her nor seabold but the baby this made her more frightened than ever and she clasped him closer as she looked however she saw that the tiger's eyes got less and less angry every moment till at last they were as gentle and tame as those of her own favorite tabby then the tiger began to purr the purring was like a cat's purr but so loud that it sounded like drums however she did not mind it for although loud it seemed as if it meant to be gentle and caressing then the tiger came close and crouched before the wondrous child and licked his little fat hands with its great rough red tongue but very gently the baby laughed and patted the tiger's great nose and pulled the long bristling whiskers and said gee gee the tiger went on behaving most funnily it lay down on its back and rolled over and over and then stood up and purred louder than ever its great tail rose straight into the air with the top moving about and knocking to and fro a great bunch of grapes that hung down from the tree above it seemed overwhelmed with joy and came and crouched again before the child and purred round him in the greatest state of happiness finally it lay down smiling and purring and watching over the child as if on guard presently there came from the distance another terrible sound it was like a great giant hissing and was louder than steam a more multitudinous than a flock of geese there was also the sound of breaking branches of the crushing of the undergrowth and there was a terrible dragging noise like nothing else they had ever heard again seabold stood out between the sound and may who once more held the baby to protect him from harm the tiger rose and arched his back like an angry cat and got ready to spring on whatsoever should come then there appeared over the tops of the trees the head of an enormous serpent with small eyes that shone like sparks of fire and two great open jaws these jaws were so big that it really seemed as if the beast's whole head opened in two and between them appeared a great forked tongue which seemed to spit venom behind this monstrous head appeared enormous coils of the serpent's body moving endlessly the tiger growled as if about to spring but suddenly the serpent lowered its head submissively it was gazing at the wondrous child and may looking also saw that the wee baby was pointing down as if commanding the serpent to his feet then the tiger with a low growl and afterwards a contented per went back to its place to watch and guard the great serpent came gently and coiled itself in the glade and it also seemed as if keeping watch and guard over the wondrous child again there came another terrible sound this time it was in the air great wings seemed to flap louder than thunder and from far away the air was darkened by a mighty bird of pray that made a shadow over the land with its outspread wings as the bird of pray swooped down the tiger rose again and arched his back as though about to spring to meet it and the serpent raised his mighty coils and opened his great jaws as if about to strike but when the bird saw the child it too became less fierce and hung in mid-air with its head drooped as though making submission presently the serpent coiled itself and layers before the tiger went back to watch and guard and the bird of prayer lit in the glade and watched and guarded too May and seabold began to look with wonder on the beautiful boy before whom these monsters made a bear sense but they could not see anything strange again there was another terrible sound this time out to see a rushing and swishing as if some giant thing was lashing in the water looking round the children saw two monsters coming these were a shark and a crocodile they rose out of the sea and came up on land the shark was jumping along with its tail beating about and its triple rows of great teeth grinding together the crocodile was crawling along with its big feet and short bent legs and its terrible mouth was opening and shutting snapping its big teeth together when these two got near the tiger and the serpent and the bird of prey all rose to guard the child but when the newcomers saw the baby they too made submission and they also kept watch and guard the crocodile crawling on the beach and the shark moving up and down in the water just like centuries again May and seabold looked at the beautiful child and wondered once more there was a terrible noise more awful than had yet been the earth seemed to shake and a deep rumbling sound came from far below then then a little way off a mountain suddenly rose its top opened and forth burst with a sound louder than a storm fire and smoke great volumes of black vapor rose and hung a dark cloud overhead red hot stones of enormous size were shot aloft and fell again into the crater and were lost down the sides of the mountain rolled torrents of burning lava and springs of fiercely boiling water burst forth on every side seabold and may were more frightened than ever and may clasp the dear baby closer to her breast the thunder of the burning mountain grew louder and louder the fiery lava poured thick and fast and from the crater rose the head of a fiery dragon with eyes like burning coals and teeth like tongues of flame then the tiger and the serpent and the bird of prey and the crocodile and the shark all prepared to defend the wondrous child but when the fiery dragon saw the boy it too was quelled and it crawled humbly out from the burning crater then the fiery mountain sunk again into the earth the burning lava disappeared and the dragon remained with the others to watch and guard seabold and may were more amazed than ever and looked at the baby more curiously still suddenly may said to her brother seabold i want to whisper you something seabold bent his head and she whispered very softly into his ear i think the bar is an angel seabold looked at him in awe as he answered i think so too dear what are we to do i do not know said may i hope you will not be angry with us for calling him bar i hope not said seabold may thought for a moment and then her face looked up with a glad smile as she said he will not be angry seabold you know we entertained him unawares quite true said seabold whilst they were talking all sorts of animals and birds and fishes were coming into the glade walking arm in arm as well as they could for none of them had arms a lion and a lamb came first and these two bowed to the child and then went and lay down together then came a fox and a goose and then a hawk and a pigeon and then a wolf and another lamb then a dog and a cat and then another cat and a mouse and then another fox and a stalk and a hare and a tortoise and a pike and a trout and a sparrow and a worm and many many others till all the glade was full of living things all at peace with one another they all sat round the glade in pairs and they all looked at the wondrous child may whispered again to seabold i think if he is an angel we ought to be very respectful to him seabold nodded showing that he agreed with her so she cuddled up the baby closer and said please mr bar do not they all look nice and pretty sitting around like that the beautiful child smiled sweetly as he answered beautiful and sweet they look may said again i wish they would always be like that and never fight nor disagree at all dear bar oh i beg your pardon i mean mr bar the child asked her why do you beg my pardon because i called you bar instead of mr bar the boy asked again why should you call me mr bar may did not like to say because you are an angel as she would have liked to have said so she cuddled the child closer and whispered into his pink little ear you know the child put his little arms around her neck and kissed her and said very low and very sweetly words that all her life long she never forgot i do know be always loving and sweet dear child and even the angels will know your thoughts and will listen to your words may felt very happy she looked at seabold who bent over and kissed her and called her sweet little sister and all the animals in pairs and all the terrible ones on guard said all together like a cheer right then they stopped and made all together each of the noises in turn that any of them used to show they were happy first they all purred and then they all crowed and then cackled and squeaked and flapped their wings and wagged their tails oh how pretty said may again look dear bar she was just going to say mr when the child held up its finger so she only said bar the child smiled and said right you must call me only bar again all the animals said together like a shout right you must say only bar and then they all went through the same ways of showing their joy as before may said to the child and somehow her voice seemed very very loud although she did not mean it but only to whisper oh dear bar i do so wish they would always continue happy and at peace like this is there no way of doing it the beautiful child opened its mouth to speak and all the living things put up their claws or their wings or their fins to their ears to listen attentively he spake and his words seemed full of sound but very soft like the echo of distant thunder coming over far waters on the wings of music no dear children and no ye all that list there shall be peace on earth between all living things when the children of men are for one hour in perfect love and harmony with each other strive oh strive each and all of you that it may be so as he spoke there came over a solemn hush and they were very still then the wondrous child seemed to float out of may's arms and to move down toward the sea all the living things instantly hurried to make a great double line between which he passed may and seabold followed him hand in hand he waited for them at the marge of the sea and then kissed them both whilst he was kissing them the boat came closer to shore the anchor climbed on board the white sails ran aloft and a fresh breeze began to blow towards home the wondrous child moved on to the prowl and they arrested seabold and may went on board and took their old place and after kissing their hands to all the living things who were by this time dancing altogether in the glade they kept their eyes fixed on the beautiful boy as they sat hand in hand the boat moved along gently but very swiftly the shore with its many beautiful places seemed gliding into a dim mist as they swept along presently they saw their own creek and the great willow towering over all the other trees on shore the boat came to land the wondrous child floating in the air moved onward towards the willow bower seabold and may followed he entered the bower they came close after as the leafy curtain fell behind them the figure of the wondrous child got dimmer and dimmer till at last looking at them lovingly and waving his tiny hands as if blessing them he seemed to melt away into the air seabold and may sat for a long time hand in hand thinking then both feeling sleepy they put their arms round each other and lay down to rest in this position they again fell asleep with the poppies all around them end of section eight recording by Sandra Cullum end of Under the Sunset by Bram Stoker