ve my hands above you, and you shall sleep. When
you awaken the flowers will be blooming; and upon the lid of
each you shall see the tear, but upon the lips of each shall
rest a smile."

So now the figure in the smoke waved, and nodded, and smiled and
beckoned, until I said to the Singing Mouse it seemed scarce
like things we ordinarily know.

"Lie down and sleep," said the Singing Mouse.

So I lay down and slept. And when I awoke there were some small
flowers not far away; and when I looked I saw it was as had been
said. Each flower had a tiny tear hidden away beneath its lid,
but upon the lips of each there rested a brave smile. And from
among the flowers there arose a sweet odor.

"This," said the Singing Mouse, when it saw me note the
fragrance, "this is a Memory. It belongs to you. See how soft
and sweet it is."

[Illustration]

[Illustration: How the Mountains Ate up the Plains]

[Illustration]

HOW THE MOUNTAINS ATE UP THE PLAINS

"I once knew a man," said the Singing Mouse, "who had seen the
mountains in the winter time, when they were covered deep in
snow. It is the belief of most men that the mountains are then
asleep, but this man said that they are not asleep, but that
they have only drawn over their heads the white council-robes,
for then they are sitting in council. Now the mountains are very
old and wise. This man told me he heard strange sounds coming
from under the council-robes of the mountains then, voices not
distinctly heard, but wonderful and strong and of a sort to make
one fear.

"This man told me that once he heard the mountains tell of a
time when they ate up the plains. 'Once man was a dweller of the
plains,' sang the mountains in a great song; 'there man dug and
strove. Never he lifted up the eye, but at his feet, at his
feet, there he still gazed down. The clouds bore not up his
gaze, neither did the hills comfort him. Things false, of no
worth, these man sought and prized. Though we whispered to him,
still he made deaf his ear. Then we, the mountains, we the
strong, the just, the wise, we rose, we set together our
shoulders and so marched on. Thus we ate up the plain. Now we
stand where once man was, for man lifted not up his eyes.
Therefore, now let man look up, let him not make small his gaze.
We the strong, we the just, the wise, we shall eat up the plain.
For on our brows sits the light, about our heads is the calm.
That which is high shall in the days prevail