produced by david widger

a wonder-book for girls and boys

by nathaniel hawthorne

the paradise of children

contents :

tanglewood play-room introductory to " the paradise of children " the paradise of children tanglewood play-room after the story

tanglewood play-room .

at last came merry christmas , and eustace bright along with it , making it all the merrier by his presence .

and , the day after his arrival from college , there came a mighty snow-storm .

but no more green grass and dandelions now .

this was such a snow-storm !

it seemed as if the hills were giants , and were flinging monstrous handfuls of snow at one another , in their enormous sport .

but these were merely peeps through the tempest .

nevertheless , the children rejoiced greatly in the snowstorm .

but the children liked the snow-storm better than them all .

it suggested so many brisk enjoyments for to-morrow , and all the remainder of the winter .

" why , we shall be blocked up till spring ! " cried they , with the hugest delight .

" what a pity that the house is too high to be quite covered up !

the little red house , down yonder , will be buried up to its eaves . "

" it has done mischief enough already , by spoiling the only skating that i could hope for through the winter .

we shall see nothing more of the lake till april ; and this was to have been my first day upon it !

don't you pity me , primrose ? "

" o , to be sure ! " answered primrose , laughing .

" i never heard of that before , " said primrose .

" of course , you never did , " answered eustace .

you may read it , word for word , in the pages that come next .

the paradise of children .

her name was pandora .

the first thing that pandora saw , when she entered the cottage where epimetheus dwelt , was a great box .

and almost the first question which she put to him , after crossing the threshold , was this ,

" epimetheus , what have you in that box ? "

the box was left here to be kept safely , and i do not myself know what it contains . "

" but , who gave it to you ? " asked pandora .

" and where did it come from ? "

" that is a secret , too , " replied epimetheus .

" how provoking ! " exclaimed pandora , pouting her lip .

" i wish the great ugly box were out of the way ! "

" o come , don't think of it , any more , " cried epimetheus .

" let us run out of doors , and have some nice play with the other children . "

then , everybody was a child .

it was a very pleasant life indeed .

o , what a good time was that to be alive in !

" whence can the box have come ? "

pandora continually kept saying to herself and to epimetheus .

" and what in the world can be inside of it ? "

" always talking about this box ! " said epimetheus , at last ; for he had grown extremely tired of the subject .

" i wish , dear pandora , you would try to talk of something else .

come , let us go and gather some ripe figs , and eat them under the trees , for our supper .

and i know a vine that has the sweetest and juiciest grapes you ever tasted . "

" always talking about grapes and figs ! " cried pandora , pettishly .

" i am tired of merry times , and don't care if i never have any more ! " answered our pettish little pandora .

" and , besides , i never do have any .

this ugly box !

i am so taken up with thinking about it all the time .

i insist upon your telling me what is inside of it . "

" as i have already said , fifty times over , i do not know ! " replied epimetheus , getting a little vexed .

" how , then , can i tell you what is inside ? "

" you might open it , " said pandora , looking sideways at epimetheus , " and then we could see for ourselves . "

" pandora , what are you thinking of ? " exclaimed epimetheus .

still , however , she could not help thinking and talking about the box .

" at least , " said she , " you can tell me how it came here . "

" what sort of a staff had he ? " asked pandora .

" o , the most curious staff you ever saw ! " cried epimetheus .

" i know him , " said pandora , thoughtfully .

" nobody else has such a staff .

it was quicksilver ; and he brought one hither , as well as the box .

" perhaps so , " answered epimetheus , turning away .

" what a dull boy he is ! " muttered pandora , as epimetheus left the cottage .

" i do wish he had a little more enterprise ! "

for the first time since her arrival , epimetheus had gone out without asking pandora to accompany him .

so perseveringly as she did babble about this one thing !

the box , the box , and nothing but the box !

thus , a small vexation made as much disturbance , then , as a far bigger one would , in our own times .

after epimetheus was gone , pandora stood gazing at the box .

as the child had no other looking-glass , it is odd that she did not value the box , merely on this account .

the edges and corners of the box were carved with most wonderful skill .

nevertheless , on looking more closely , and touching the spot with her finger , she could discover nothing of the kind .

some face , that was really beautiful , had been made to look ugly by her catching a sideway glimpse at it .

the most beautiful face of all was done in what is called high relief , in the centre of the lid .

had the mouth spoken , it would probably have been something like this :

" do not be afraid , pandora !

what harm can there be in opening the box ?

never mind that poor , simple epimetheus !

you are wiser than he , and have ten times as much spirit .

open the box , and see if you do not find something very pretty ! "

there appeared to be no end to this knot , and no beginning .

never was a knot so cunningly twisted , nor with so many ins and outs , which roguishly defied the skilfullest fingers to disentangle them .

" i really believe , " said she to herself , " that i begin to see how it was done .

nay , perhaps i could tie it up again , after undoing it .

there would be no harm in that , surely .

even epimetheus would not blame me for that .

when life is all sport , toil is the real play .

there was absolutely nothing to do .

and then , for the rest of the day , there was the box !

after all , i am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way .

it supplied her with such a variety of ideas to think of , and to talk about , whenever she had anybody to listen !

or , if she chanced to be ill-tempered , she could give it a push , or kick it with her naughty little foot .

for it was really an endless employment to guess what was inside .

what could it be , indeed ?

do you think that you should be less curious than pandora ?

if you were left alone with the box , might you not feel a little tempted to lift the lid ?

but you would not do it .

o , fie !

no , no !

and , possibly , a little more so ; but of that i am not quite so certain .

she was more than half determined to open it , if she could .

ah , naughty pandora !

first , however , she tried to lift it .

it was heavy ; quite too heavy for the slender strength of a child , like pandora .

she raised one end of the box a few inches from the floor , and let it fall again , with a pretty loud thump .

a moment afterwards , she almost fancied that she heard something stir , inside of the box .

she applied her ear as closely as possible , and listened .

positively , there did seem to be a kind of stifled murmur , within !

or was it merely the singing in pandora 's ears ?

or could it be the beating of her heart ?

the child could not quite satisfy herself whether she had heard anything or no .

but , at all events , her curiosity was stronger than ever .

as she drew back her head , her eyes fell upon the knot of gold cord .

" it must have been a very ingenious person who tied this knot , " said pandora to herself .

" but i think i could untie it , nevertheless .

i am resolved , at least , to find the two ends of the cord . "

so she took the golden knot in her fingers , and pried into its intricacies as sharply as she could .

almost without intending it , or quite knowing what she was about , she was soon busily engaged in attempting to undo it .

pandora stopped to listen .

what a beautiful day it was !

" that face looks very mischievous , " thought pandora .

" i wonder whether it smiles because i am doing wrong !

i have the greatest mind in the world to run away ! "

but just then , by the merest accident , she gave the knot a kind of a twist , which produced a wonderful result .

the gold cord untwined itself , as if by magic , and left the box without a fastening .

" this is the strangest thing i ever knew ! " said pandora .

" what will epimetheus say ?

and how can i possibly tie it up again ? "

she made one or two attempts to restore the knot , but soon found it quite beyond her skill .

nothing was to be done , therefore , but to let the box remain as it was , until epimetheus should come in .

" but , " said pandora , " when he finds the knot untied , he will know that i have done it .

how shall i make him believe that i have not looked into the box ? "

o , very naughty and very foolish pandora !

" let us out , dear pandora , pray let us out !

we will be such nice pretty playfellows for you !

only let us out ! "

" what can it be ? " thought pandora .

" is there something alive in the box ?

well ! yes !

i am resolved to take just one peep !

only one peep ; and then the lid shall be shut down as safely as ever !

there cannot possibly be any harm in just one little peep ! "

but it is now time for us to see what epimetheus was doing .

but nothing went right ; nor was he nearly so happy as on other days .

in short , he grew so uneasy and discontented , that the other children could not imagine what was the matter with epimetheus .

neither did he himself know what ailed him , any better than they did .

the world had not yet learned to be otherwise .

but , as it happened , there was no need of his treading so very lightly .

she was too intent upon her purpose .

epimetheus beheld her .

but epimetheus himself , although he said very little about it , had his own share of curiosity to know what was inside .

and if there were anything pretty or valuable in the box , he meant to take half of it to himself .

so , whenever we blame pandora for what happened , we must not forget to shake our heads at epimetheus likewise .

but pandora , heeding nothing of all this , lifted the lid nearly upright , and looked inside .

" o , i am stung ! " cried he .

" i am stung !

naughty pandora ! why have you opened this wicked box ? "

pandora let fall the lid , and , starting up , looked about her , to see what had befallen epimetheus .

the thundercloud had so darkened the room that she could not very clearly discern what was in it .

it was one of these that had stung epimetheus .

had they been faithful to their trust , all would have gone well .

for it was impossible , as you will easily guess , that the two children should keep the ugly swarm in their own little cottage .

meanwhile , the naughty pandora , and hardly less naughty epimetheus , remained in their cottage .

of course , they were entirely unaccustomed to it , and could have no idea what it meant .

besides all this , they were in exceedingly bad humor , both with themselves and with one another .

she was crying bitterly , and sobbing as if her heart would break .

suddenly there was a gentle little tap , on the inside of the lid .

" what can that be ? " cried pandora , lifting her head .

but either epimetheus had not heard the tap , or was too much out of humor to notice it .

at any rate , he made no answer .

" you are very unkind , " said pandora , sobbing anew , " not to speak to me ! "

again the tap !

it sounded like the tiny knuckles of a fairy 's hand , knocking lightly and playfully on the inside of the box .

" who are you ? " asked pandora , with a little of her former curiosity .

" who are you , inside of this naughty box ? "

a sweet little voice spoke from within ,

" only lift the lid , and you shall see . "

" no , no , " answered pandora , again beginning to sob , " i have had enough of lifting the lid !

you are inside of the box , naughty creature , and there you shall stay !

there are plenty of your ugly brothers and sisters already flying about the world .

you need never think that i shall be so foolish as to let you out ! "

she looked towards epimetheus , as she spoke , perhaps expecting that he would commend her for her wisdom .

but the sullen boy only muttered that she was wise a little too late .

" ah , " said the sweet little voice again , " you had much better let me out .

i am not like those naughty creatures that have stings in their tails .

come , come , my pretty pandora !

i am sure you will let me out ! "

pandora 's heart had insensibly grown lighter , at every word that came from within the box .

epimetheus , too , though still in the corner , had turned half round , and seemed to be in rather better spirits than before .

" my dear epimetheus , " cried pandora , " have you heard this little voice ? "

" yes , to be sure i have , " answered he , but in no very good-humor as yet .

" and what of it ? "

" shall i lift the lid again ? " asked pandora .

" just as you please , " said epimetheus .

" you have done so much mischief already , that perhaps you may as well do a little more .

one other trouble , in such a swarm as you have set adrift about the world , can make no very great difference . "

" you might speak a little more kindly ! " murmured pandora , wiping her eyes .

" ah , naughty boy ! " cried the little voice within the box , in an arch and laughing tone .

" he knows he is longing to see me .

come , my dear pandora , lift up the lid .

i am in a great hurry to comfort you .

" epimetheus , " exclaimed pandora , " come what may , i am resolved to open the box ! "

so , with one consent , the two children again lifted the lid .

out flew a sunny and smiling little personage , and hovered about the room , throwing a light wherever she went .

have you never made the sunshine dance into dark corners , by reflecting it from a bit of looking-glass ?

well , so looked the winged cheerfulness of this fairylike stranger , amid the gloom of the cottage .

then she kissed pandora on the forehead , and her hurt was cured likewise .

" pray , who are you , beautiful creature ? " inquired pandora .

" i am to be called hope ! " answered the sunshiny figure .

never fear ! we shall do pretty well , in spite of them all . "

" your wings are colored like the rainbow ! " exclaimed pandora .

" how very beautiful ! "

" and will you stay with us , " asked epimetheus , " for ever and ever ? "

there may come times and seasons , now and then , when you will think that i have utterly vanished .

yes , my dear children , and i know something very good and beautiful that is to be given you hereafter ! "

" o tell us , " they exclaimed , " tell us what it is ! "

" do not ask me , " replied hope , putting her finger on her rosy mouth .

" but do not despair , even if it should never happen while you live on this earth .

trust in my promise , for it is true . "

" we do trust you ! " cried epimetheus and pandora , both in one breath .

and so they did ; and not only they , but so has everybody trusted hope , that has since been alive .

i have felt them already , and expect to feel them more , as i grow older .

but then that lovely and lightsome little figure of hope !

what in the world could we do without her ?

tanglewood play-room .

after the story .

" primrose , " asked eustace , pinching her ear , " how do you like my little pandora ?

don't you think her the exact picture of yourself ?

but you would not have hesitated half so long about opening the box . "

" every mite of it ! " answered eustace .

" this very snow-storm , which has spoiled my skating , was packed up there . "

" and how big was the box ? " asked sweet fern .

" why , perhaps three feet long , " said eustace , " two feet wide , and two feet and a half high . "

" ah , " said the child , " you are making fun of me , cousin eustace !

i know there is not trouble enough in the world to fill such a great box as that .

" hear the child ! " cried primrose , with an air of superiority .

" how little he knows about the troubles of this world !

poor fellow !

he will be wiser when he has seen as much of life as i have . "

so saying , she began to skip the rope .

meantime , the day was drawing towards its close .

out of doors the scene certainly looked dreary .

had there been only one child at the window of tanglewood , gazing at this wintry prospect , it would perhaps have made him sad .

end of project gutenberg 's the paradise of children , by nathaniel hawthorne