y?"

"No. What is it, Phoenix?"

"I--well, it is strange, my boy, but I do not know ... but that it is
magnificent no one can doubt."

"Do I have one too?"

"Of course, my boy. We all do."

David was glad of that. He did not know exactly what a destiny was,
however, and he tried to think of how one would look. But the only
picture which came to his mind was that of a small, mousy creature
(his destiny) looking up in admiration to a splendid thing of flame
and gold, dazzling to the eyes--the Phoenix's mysterious destiny.

He said, "We'll have to do something special tomorrow to celebrate,
Phoenix."

The Phoenix looked thoughtful. "I think we had better do whatever we
are going to do _today_," it said.

"Well, we can do something today _and_ tomorrow, then," said David.
"After all, a birthday only comes once a year, and it seems a shame to
spend only one day on it. Especially when it's a five hundredth
birthday."

"Tomorrow ..." said the Phoenix doubtfully. "I have a strange feeling,
my boy--for once, I find myself unable to explain--most odd, _most_
odd ... five hundredth birthday...."

"Ah, well," it went on more cheerfully, "I shall undoubtedly remember
later. The pressing question is, what shall we do now?"

David got up, thought for a while, and suddenly flung his arms wide.
"Oh, Phoenix," he cried, "it's such a beautiful day, I wish it could
go on forever! Couldn't we go somewhere--somewhere where we--oh, I
don't know. I can't explain it. Anywhere _you_ say, Phoenix."

The Phoenix looked at him for a long time. "I think I understand, my
boy. Yes.... How about one of the forgotten places I told you about?
Should you like to meet a Faun?"

* * * * *

It was a green valley, completely enclosed by the barren mountains
which towered above it. At one end a waterfall hung on the face of a
cliff, a misty thread pouring into a rainbow-arched pool. A brook
serpentined through fields and groves of trees. There were flocks of
sheep and goats in the fields. Here and there were strange ruins of
marble and red granite--columns, peristyles, benches carved with
lions' heads, and pedestals.

They landed in a little glade, and David got down in silent
wonderment. The very stillness of the air was enchanted. The grass,
dappled with sun and shadow, wore a mantle of flowers. Clouds of
butterflies sprang up at their approach and swirled about them. To
their right stood two broken columns