Everychild

“ Everychild was so greatly puzzled by this statement that Aladdin explained: "I can never be rid of the lamp save on one condition. When I have wished for the best thing of all the lamp will disappear and I may rejoice in the thought that it will never be mine again."
"The best thing of all?" mused Everychild.
"You see how difficult it is. Who can tell what is the best thing of all? And so I must go on owning the lamp and being unhappy." ”

“ It was then that an outer door opened hurriedly and the giant, Will o'Dreams, entered the room. Perceiving Everychild, he stood an instant with clinched hands and uplifted face; and then he cried out in a loud voice:
"Everychild!"
And Everychild replied, with a little of that kindly condescension which a married man feels toward a youth, "Well, my boy?"
The giant cried out with elation, "Everychild, I have found her house!"
"You have found her house?" echoed Everychild in perplexity. ”

“ To Everychild he seemed a changed person as he adjusted both his scythe and his sand-glass in his left hand and advanced with his right hand uplifted. He seemed very stern. His eyes traveled from one face to another until at length they rested only on Jack. Then upon the shoulder of Jack the Giant Killer his hand descended.
Everychild could scarcely believe his own eyes for a moment or two. A tragic change occurred in the youth who had been so splendid.
He had become old and infirm! His clothes were in tatters, his form was bent, his sword was covered with rust. ”

“ He gained the side of the giant; and then—what is this? The devotees all turned to cowering wretches! They put forth their elbows to ward off imaginary blows. They slunk back like base cowards.
They had seen the sword in Everychild's hand, and they had recognized it!
Moreover, before the gleam of that sword the temple door swung open.
The giant dashed into the temple to greet his mother. He became for an instant invisible. The devotees were now slinking back to a safe distance. Everychild, without ever lowering his sword, smote them all with his glance of scorn. ”

“ They all found places on the grassy bank, the giant Will o'Dreams lying down beside Everychild like a true friend.
They had no sooner taken their places than it was really night. Insects in the forest about them made a droning sound. A distant bell rang faintly. One by one the members of the band fell asleep.
All save Everychild. He alone was wakeful. And he knew that the Masked Lady had taken a step forward and was looking down at him. ”

“ Every word he speaks is false. He doesn't know how to tell the truth. His own mother doesn't know him any more. That's how bad he is."
"He seems a very pleasant boy," said Everychild.
"There you are! Of course. It's easy to have a name for being pleasant if you're willing to say the first thing that comes to hand."
"But wouldn't you find people out if they did that?" asked Everychild.
"Of course!"
"Well, when I find the giant out I'll remember what you've said."
He was glad that the path broadened into a road just then. He ran forward a few steps and walked by the side of Tom. ”

“ Literal to the Masked Lady, "for him to be making friends with that giant," and he nodded his head toward Everychild and his companion, "but just the same, I could wish to see him in better company. Look at the giant's eyes. Visionary eyes. Very little precise thinking going on back of a pair of eyes like that!"
The Masked Lady replied quietly: "It's only little creatures who consider precision the first of all merits. Let them alone."
Everychild's attention was attracted then by Jack, whose manner had suddenly changed and who now approached the giant with a mysterious smile on his lips. ”

“ He sat down by Aladdin on the Oriental rug. "And this is your lamp," he said, his eyes shining.
"Alas!—yes," replied Aladdin sadly; and Everychild was surprised that Aladdin could speak sadly. But Aladdin said no more about the lamp just then. He turned his eyes, which seemed a bit askew, upon Everychild. "You were marching bravely as you came along," he said. "I was watching you. And I thought to myself, 'How can any one walk bravely along a road like this?'"
For an instant Everychild's heart was troubled. "Isn't it a good road to walk on?" he asked. ”

“ With the deepest assurance Father Time replied, "Give her your affection and she will befriend you in every hour of loss and pain, clear to the end of your journey—and beyond."
"But," said Everychild, "she—she doesn't look very—she looks rather—rather fearful, doesn't she?"
"She is beautiful only to those who love her," said Father Time.
This seemed reassuring; and now Everychild ventured to address the Masked Lady directly. ”

“ The giant was the first to speak. "This is the place," he said. "And beyond that door, inside the temple, is where my mother is hidden."
Everychild nodded. Presently he thought to ask: "And all those—those ..." He really could not think how to refer to those persons on the pedestals.
But the giant understood. "We needn't pay any attention to them just now," he said. "They'll neither see nor hear us as long as we just stand here. It's only when we try to get into the temple that they become really terrible."
"And what do they do then?" asked Everychild. ”

“ While Everychild and the giant had made their visit to the castle of the cruel king, their companions had remained in the old house at the foot of the hill, and great was their delight when the two who had been absent returned, bringing with them Prince Arthur, toward whom all the children felt immediately drawn. ”

“ She replied thoughtfully, "I fear that Everychild is sometimes treated unkindly."
He seemed to weigh this point and to remain unconvinced. He moved more confidently to the next point. "At least," he said, "you'll scarcely contend that Everychild marries the Sleeping Beauty?"
She replied with assurance: "Everychild marries a Sleeping Beauty. To him she is beautiful, and she is asleep until he comes."
Mr. Literal lost patience. "Very well," he said, "but you know it's true that Imagination—I believe he calls himself Will o'Dreams—is not a giant as he's been represented here." ”

“ Then without seeming cause she started guiltily and fixed her gaze on the door through which her sisters had made their entrance and exit.
"Some one is coming!" she whispered excitedly,
Everychild sprang to his feet.
"It's my mother, I think," added Cinderella. "I'm afraid there'll be trouble. Please run away. No, I don't think I could go with you, after all."
Everychild stood undecided an instant; and then he could see the inner door opening. He would have run away, then, but it was too late; and Cinderella seized him by the arm. ”

“ Your parents lost you in the woods to be rid of you—because there wasn't enough to eat at home."
[Illustration: "You are Hansel and Grettel."]
Hansel and Grettel looked at each other with round eyes. "It is true," they replied in unison. "But to think it should have got about already! Who are you?"
Everychild addressed himself to Hansel—who, by the way, was a fat boy with wooden shoes and a tiny homespun jacket and trousers of the same stuff, the trousers being very floppy about the ankles. "I am Everychild," he said. "And if I were you I'd not try to go home to such a father and mother. ”

“ And now Truth paused before the curtain whereon the likeness of Everychild's parents was painted.
"Parents of Everychild, appear!" she cried.
They came, subdued, saddened, hand in hand. And Truth addressed them.
"Parents of Everychild," she said, "I need not tell you now why Everychild is lost to those who should be nearest to him. You have learned that coldness and neglect toward those who have a right to look to you for love and good will is the one sin for which punishment is most inevitable. But so long as the world stands Everychild shall not forget his father and mother ”

“ The little boy now gazed at Everychild, and the blank expression in his eyes was there no more.
"Come, we'll get them," declared Everychild. "Do you live far away?"
"There," said the little boy, pointing away into the forest, where not a sign of a house was visible.
Here Grettel spoke for the first time: "Let's not," she said. "I don't think I care about wandering away into the woods."
"We might get lost," suggested Cinderella.
And now the giant interposed. "I agree with Everychild that we ought to take the little boy and his brothers and sisters with us," he said ”

“ The Masked Lady replied, again with that queer smile about her lips, "I am very often near when you think I am far away."
And then Everychild perceived another person standing not far from the Masked Lady: a little man wearing large spectacles and thread-bare clothes. ”

“ In another there was the kitchen of Cinderella's house, with Cinderella holding her skirt back and looking in ecstacy at two perfect crystal slippers on her feet, while her mother and sisters and a perfectly fascinating prince looked on with rapture.
In another there was Everychild, being held close to his mother's side, while the father stood apart, his hands in his trousers pockets and a complacent smile on his lips. There was the lamp shade with the red beads, and the clock like a state capitol, and everything. ”

“ There was one window at the gable end: a broken window, with fragments of glass lying about it. The light of the moon penetrated the window, making the fragments of glass glisten, and forming a pale avenue across the dusty floor.
There were old chests here and there, all mysteriously closed—perhaps locked. There were old garments hanging in obscure places. They made you think of persons lurking there in the dark. Outside the broken window an owl in a dark tree hooted mournfully.
Everychild crossed the attic cautiously. ”

“ But now I go to watch for her until she emerges from her door, or until her followers slumber ... Oh, the obstacles shall be as nothing. Only rejoice with me that I am to meet her again at last!"
But Everychild's heart became heavy. "And we must part?" he asked in a low voice. "Please do not say so! We, who have become like brothers ... is there no other way?"
"There is no other way," replied the giant. ”

“ He parted them and passed out. While his hand still clung to the hangings there came a flash of lightning which revealed the chaos of nothingness without. Thunder rumbled. Then the hangings fell back into place and the prince was seen no more.
So it went on until all the children had been restored to their parents—all save Everychild. ”

“ The rich have pampered feet. At best they tread soft places. No, it is an evil thing to have too much. I would that the lamp had never been mine."
"If it were mine," said Everychild, unconvinced, "I think I should be happy."
"To be happy," said Aladdin, "means to want something and believe you are going to get it after awhile. But when you've got everything it is a good deal worse than not having anything. Because there's nothing left for you to wish for. And wishing for things is really the greatest pleasure in the world." ”

“ When she comes in—my mother, I mean—I'll just say good-by and light out."
"What's been the matter?" asked Everychild.
"It's no fit place for a boy to live," said Tom. "In the first place, nobody's ever home. Mother's always gadding about somewhere. She gives lectures on The Home, and she's never here except between lectures. And even then her mind is somewhere else. You don't dare to speak to her. She stares at nothing—so. ”

“ Grettel said, "Oh, Hansel!" in such a tone that Everychild regarded her more closely. She was really quite charming in her wooden shoes, and her ample blue skirt, somewhat short, and her waist of terra-cotta color, with white sleeves. She had on a linen cap shaped somewhat like a sunbonnet. She turned to her brother and spoke with a good deal of emphasis. "Anyway, it's plain you'll not find any sausages growing on the trees. For my part, I'd rather go somewhere. Especially since we've got a nice boy to go with us. Anything would be better than spending another night in the woods. ”

“ He paused in silence again and then added almost banteringly—yet with a note of earnestness, too—"Come, boy, the young have wary eyes and swift feet. Can you not flee and escape from the wrath and fear of your uncle the King?"
But Arthur shook his head. "I think when your work is done, dear Hubert," he said, "the fear of the king and his wrath will trouble me no more."
Hubert frowned darkly. "That is an old man's creed," he cried. "It is monstrous that a child should welcome death!"
He turned away from Arthur and fixed his blank eyes in the direction of Everychild. ”

“ To speak quite plainly, the Masked Lady had been putting off to the last possible moment a step from which she could not help but shrink.
The time had come for Everychild to take that dread journey to the Mountain of Reality. She had given him as many days of grace as she could possibly permit. And at last she said solemnly:
"It shall be to-morrow."
CHAPTER XXVIII THE MOUNTAIN OF REALITY
The next day the giant, standing out on the rampart where every one could see and hear him, was shouting—"The world is full of evil! The world is full of evil!" ”

“ The last grains of sand were just falling when she looked up, startled, because Mr. Literal had broken the stillness by yawning. He was plainly bored, and he was looking about the room at the various sleepers as if he were thoroughly tired of them all.
After Mr. Literal had finished his yawn a truly unearthly silence reigned. There wasn't so much as the ticking of a clock or the falling of embers in the fireplace. Silence, a long, long silence.
Then a distant door opened and closed sharply. There was the muffled tramp of many feet. And then—what have we here? Everychild entered the room! ”