Читать книгу Australian Fairy Tales - Hume Cook - Страница 7

After a while a great thought came to him. The drop of water he had seen could not be there by itself. It must have come from some larger supply located deeper down in the earth. If that were the case—and there could be no reason to doubt it—then it might become possible to do many things, which, in his dreamings, he had often planned to carry out if only the opportunity offered. Such, for example, as the building of a new, safe, and perfectly wonderful City, the creation of a Fairy Navy; or the erection of a glorious Palace greatly in advance of anything that had ever before been seen.

Almost all his life—maybe because he had so frequently noted the comparative scarcity of water in the inland portions of Australia —he had thought of what might be done with unlimited supplies. Here, then, appeared to be his golden opportunity. It was a chance not to be missed!

Giving up his quest of a wife, and hastening home with all speed, he secretly got together a number of his more intimate friends and told them of his remarkable discovery. He then persuaded them to join him in going back to the Well, in order to see what might be done with its waters, and whether or not he could do some of the other things about which he had been thinking; but, for fear of failure, he did not let his father know of his return or of his intentions. For the same reason he did not tell his friends what was in his mind; but he resolved that should the matter turn out as fortunately as he hoped, to take them into his entire confidence and seek their assistance in the carrying out of the great enterprises he had in view. So, having provided them with everything he thought might be required for the works he proposed to carry out, quietly and unobtrusively, off they set upon their mission.

After surmounting many difficulties, in due course they arrived at the place where Prince Waratah had rested a few weeks earlier. He very easily found the spot where he had lain down to sleep, because, quite apart from a pile of stones he had set up to mark it—the tussock he had disturbed was, consequent upon its getting a little more water than it had previously been able to draw from the earth, much greener than before. It was only the work of a moment to again pull it from its place, and there, sure enough, in a very few minutes the tiny bubble of water appeared!

To say that they all were deeply interested is to put it mildly. But they were not allowed to waste much time in merely wondering from whence the water came. Acting under the Prince’s orders, a circle was first drawn round the opening from which the tussock had come. From centre to circumference the distance was six feet, so that from edge to edge of the circle was exactly twelve feet. Within the circle they all then set to work removing the earth, even the Prince himself digging away with the others.

Curiously enough, as the digging advanced, they found embedded in the soil several implements such as are used by the Garden Fairies in cultivating their lands; just exactly in the same way as people in England, in digging wells, often come across old Roman coins or other articles. When they had reached a depth of about twelve feet, meeting a little more moisture as they proceeded, they suddenly came upon some broad flat stones. The Prince instantly ordered them all to stop working until he had looked them over carefully, with a view to seeing how they might best be removed. Gently stamping his foot to test the thickness of the stones, the Prince thought he detected a somewhat hollow sound coming from underneath. Listening intently, he vigorously stamped upon the particular stone upon which he was then standing. In doing so he involuntarily stepped backwards, and, to his amazement, the stone immediately tip-tilted a little, and out shot a long thin stream of clear cold water!

Naturally enough, the startlingly sudden appearance of the water caused the Prince to step still further back, with the result that when his weight was removed the stone fell into its place again, and so shut off the water. But the secret was out! They had found the entrance to a subterranean spring or well! Further experiments showed that two stones, fitting together, formed a kind of trapdoor barring the waters from coming out. To open or close the trap-door stones required very little effort once the trick was learned; and in accordance with the extent to which they were opened, the amount of water released could be easily regulated.

Of course they all got very wet indeed whilst they were learning the Secret of the Well. But that gave them very little concern. The truth is, they were far too interested to bother about so small a matter, and they eagerly awaited the further instructions of the Prince. These were brief but effective. They were to replace the earth in the Well; and, having done so, to so cover the whole with tussocks of grass as to make it appear to any too enquiring eye that there were only an unusual number growing there. A further advantage of placing so many together would be to serve as a distinguishing mark, on their return in strength, to carry out the projects of which he would later on inform them. Meantime, it was his wish that they should all return to their homes, as he particularly desired to tell his father the wonderful news, and to consult him as to the future.

A little disappointed, perhaps, but nevertheless perfectly loyal to the Prince’s wishes, they therefore set about returning. Arrived back, the Prince immediately waited upon his father, King Eucalyptus, and, omitting no essential detail, told him the whole story from the time when he first observed the tiny drop of water up to the actual unearthing of the Well and the learning of how to release its waters.

Very quietly the King listened to the end, smiling occasionally as the narrative proceeded. When the Prince had finished he said: “The Well you have found once belonged to the Garden Fairies. It is a Magic Well; and it is fed by an underground stream called ‘Fruitful River.’ The river will never run dry, no matter how much water is taken from it. The Garden Fairies are now dispersed all over Australia; every tribe having some of their number attached to it except the Desert Fairies and the Ocean Fairies. It was the Desert Fairies who drove them out of their original home and scattered them among the other tribes.

“All this happened hundreds of years ago, but the Garden Fairies still tell the tale of their lost possessions; and, though they are extremely peaceful and industrious, in their hearts they loathe the Desert Fairies for the injuries done them.

“It is said that the Desert Fairies, who are very vicious in their habits and also very war-like, became envious of the prosperity of the Garden Fairies, and resolved to attack and conquer them. This they did, but, to their surprise, the war lasted for years and years, the Garden Fairies resisting with all their might the malicious onslaughts of their enemies.

“But the time came when they saw they must be defeated, and, rather than leave their Sacred Well (from which they gained all they had) to the mercy of the Desert Fairies, they resolved to seal it up with stones. This they successfully accomplished, covering the seal with earth.

“Then they left, but not before they sustained another terrific siege from the Desert Fairies, who, determined to overcome them, threw enormous quantities of sand over the whole place. If they had not done this they might afterwards have discovered just where the Well was, but so completely had they done their wicked work that it was almost impossible to tell one spot from another.

“So the place has remained these many hundreds of years, till you, fortunately, have had the good luck to find what the Desert Fairies have looked for in vain. Having found the Magic Well, you are at liberty to ask me for such a favour connected with it as may be within my power to bestow!”

For a moment Prince Waratah was so taken aback at the unexpected conclusion to his father’s remarks, that he could hardly find words to express himself. Quickly realising, however, that here was an opening that might never occur again, he promptly asked permission to give up for the time being his search for a wife, to go back to the Well, and to take with him such of his friends, and so many of the working Fairies as would enable him to begin his most cherished ambition—the building of the City of his Dreams! It was of this he was thinking when he had said to his friends at the Well that he would later on discuss with them projects of great importance.

The King, under the circumstances, was only too delighted to give his consent, and added that, if at any time the Prince found himself in any difficulty and wanted advice and assistance, he was to come to him quite freely, and, as far as was possible, he would be willingly helped. All of which goes to show that the King in his heart was proud to find his son so full of enthusiasm, and was really desirous that he should succeed.