THE MAGIC WELL

THE MAGIC WELL

In the centre of Australia there’s a large and lovely lake,

And its waters gleaming golden, from the sun their glory take;

In the middle of the waters there’s an Island, wondrous fair,

And the perfume of its fruit and flowers, like incense fills the air!

In the heart of this fair Island there’s a wonder-working well,

By the fairy-folk enchanted; for ’tis there the Fairies dwell!

Most people seem to think that the heart of Australia is nothing but a sandy desert. Well, that’s not quite correct. As a matter of fact, though not a great number know it, the very, very centre is inhabited by Fairies. They live there on a beautiful island in the middle of a great lake; and all they have, including their wonderful city, is all due to the “Magic Well”!

On their splendid Island there are hills covered with trees—forest trees! And there are great valleys where wild-flowers grow; and springs and streams and waterfalls; and caves with stalactites in them; those funny things that look something like sheep’s tails frozen! These stalactites hang down from the cave-roofs, and even they are due to the Magic Well! That may seem strange; but the way it happens is this:—Little drops of water, very slowly oozing down from the top of the cave, carry with them the tiniest bits of sand or limestone. The first pieces of sand or limestone just stick to the roof; and then, every other little piece, after it gets through, just clings to the piece that got there before it, so that, by-and-by, thousands and thousands of them, all joined together, make a stalactite.

But of course there are many other things there beside those that hang in caves! For instance, there are the loveliest birds and butterflies; the most beautiful beetles and moths; and, above all, the rarest lot of Australian animals the eye could wish to see. Kangaroos, Wallabys and Woolly Bears! ’Possums, Platypuses, and gaily-coloured Lizards, big and little!… And then, the fern gullies! Why, there never were such ferns anywhere ever before! Thousands of them! Tree-ferns galore! Stag-ferns in plenty! Maiden-hair in bunches as large as rose bushes; larger indeed; and cat-heads; besides great trailing asparagus ferns, and every kind that the world knows! Date palms, too; and lofty cocoanut trees; with the cocoanuts on them always ready to pull; and banana trees, with great yellow bunches of bananas hanging down most temptingly!

Then there are bread-fruit trees, as well as fruit trees of every other description; and flowers, and flowering shrubs in untold number and variety. Can you imagine such a place? And all due to the Magic Well! For without that Well the Island could not have come into existence; and, if anything were to happen to it, the Lake would disappear, and the Fairies of Australia have to find a new home!

Strictly speaking, it should have been said that the “superior fairies” would have to find a new home, for, as everybody knows, not all the fairies live in one place. Even those who belong to “Fairy Island” are not always there! Over and over again they are sent travelling about on errands for their King and Queen; and sometimes they are given very important work to do. For example, they are constantly showing the rain-drops just exactly where to fall; coaxing the wind to blow more softly on the delicate flowers; pulling the dark clouds away so that the sun can steadily shine upon the Earth, warming the soil, causing things to grow—and making everything very sweet and pleasant for everybody!

A FOREST FAIRY.

Of course there are other tribes, such as the Mountain Fairies, the River Fairies, the Forest Fairies, and many more. But these are all subject to King Waratah at Fairy Island, and have only a Governor over them now. That was not always the case. Many years ago the various tribes were all independent of one another, and each tribe had its own particular piece of country within which it lived and was supreme; and, naturally, each had its own King or Queen! But a time arrived when this was changed; and it came about in quite a wonderful way, and, in a manner of speaking, all through the Magic Well! Some day you shall be told all about it; but, for the moment, attention must be devoted to the discovery of the Magic Well, and what took place as the result of that happy event.

Now this is how the Well came to be found.

Prince Waratah, as he was then called, having come of age, was sent by his father to look for a wife. It was then the custom among the fairies—as it still is among the crowned heads of the world—for the King’s sons and daughters to get their wives or husbands from among the families of other Royal households. The Prince’s father—who was the head of the Forest Fairies—was called King Eucalyptus! And a very clever and prudent old King he was, too; though not nearly so wise as his son became, as you shall learn later on! At the same time he was not without a great deal of what is termed “natural shrewdness”! He therefore reasoned that, if he sent his son travelling from tribe to tribe—with strict injunctions or orders not to choose a wife until he had seen at least six Princesses—he must indeed learn many things that were unknown to his father. So off the Prince went!

As it chanced, however, his father need not have had any anxiety about his making any mistake in selecting a wife; for he had very good taste, and was gifted with what is called discrimination, or the power to see for himself the best in whatever came under his notice. So, though he paid many visits to many Fairy Kings, up to this time he was by no means satisfied to make a choice. His latest journey had taken him to stay for a while with a tribe of Fairies who lived in what is now called the “Northern Territory”—quite close to the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The King of those Fairies had several daughters, all very bright and witty in their conversation, but, possibly owing to the heat of the climate, rather sallow complexions, and not nearly beautiful enough to please the Prince’s fancy. He, therefore, finally resolved to make his way across the Continent from North to South; for, so he had heard, the Wattle Fairies of that part of Australia that is now known as Victoria, were particularly fair and lovely, and he cherished the hope that at long last he would discover a Princess fit to be his wife.

As may be imagined, in the course of such an extraordinary lengthy journey—about two thousand miles—he naturally met with quite a number of adventures. Of these there is not time to tell; except to say, that though over and over again in peril from the wicked Desert Fairies, who repeatedly tried to overwhelm him in storms, he always had the good fortune to win safely through!

When he had gotten exactly half way across Australia, he came upon a very singular sort of hill, rising in great slopes above the otherwise level country. Interested, he stayed to closely examine it, climbing at last to the top. Whilst there, night came on, and being very tired, he settled himself to sleep, selecting for a pillow one of the numerous tussocks of grey-green grass which were growing all over the hill.

Of other vegetation there was very little—only a few stunted trees, almost devoid of leaves. But the hill itself spread over a very wide area indeed; and though in many places sandy, there were other spots, as the Prince had seen, that were covered with what looked like excellent soil; ready to grow anything if only plenty of water were available. In point of fact, it was on these patches that the stunted trees were growing, only saved from death, no doubt, by the falling of extremely rare showers of rain. There were gorges and gullies too; but so dry from lack of water that only the merest tuft of things were growing there. Round about the hill, as far as the eye could see, and, further, stretched miles and miles of sandy desert!

Just as the sun rose in the morning, the Prince awoke. In order to pull himself to a sitting posture he clutched at one of the grass tussocks that grew near. To his astonishment, it came easily out of the ground. But judge of his intense surprise, when, gazing steadily into the hole left by the uprooted grass, he saw a tiny drop of water slowly come through the soil at the bottom. Quickly replacing the tussock, and firmly bedding the loosened earth round about it, he gave himself up to pondering on the very peculiar fact that had just come under his observation.

“To his intense astonishment it came easily out of the ground.”

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 trap-door 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 Golden 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.

A DESERT FAIRY.

With so many things in his favour, it is thus easy to understand the joy with which Prince Waratah assembled his friends, and, taking them into his confidence, went into the minutest details as to his proposals. But at the same time he strongly counselled them not to mention or discuss his plans with anyone else; for he wanted everything to be kept a close secret until the right time came to disclose it.

The working Fairies were soon selected (about two thousand), but of course they were not told where they were going, nor exactly what they were expected to do. They could guess at things—that was all! And well might they exercise their minds in guessing, for never before had they seen such extensive preparations for work on such a gigantic scale. In the course of a few weeks there were got together hundreds of fairy barrows, picks and shovels. Scores and scores of fairy saws, hammers, chisels, planes and screw-drivers. Great quantities of timber; together with all kinds of machinery for making bricks, tiles, and earthenware pipes. Besides all these things there were any number of pots for holding paints, colours and varnishes, dozens and dozens of packages containing nails, screws, clips and cleats. Others again were filled with catches, cords, pulleys, and all sorts of small fittings. In addition, there were surveyors’ instruments and engineers’ tools. In short, there was every class and kind of thing required, or likely to be needed for the immense amount of work in contemplation.

As to food, that also was carefully preserved and safely stowed in appropriate packages and parcels. But more marvellous than all else, every machine package and parcel was given a set of fairy legs on which to travel. These were most ingeniously made, filled with electrical energy (which the Fairies know how to extract from the air), and then fitted to the particular parcel or package they were to carry!

When they were run down, just in the same way as the storage batteries which give light to tram-cars are replenished, they were recharged with electricity, and off they went again! Thus, when everybody and everything was ready to move out upon the long trek, there was witnessed a sight the like of which can only be imagined; for never before or since has such a thing been done.

First and foremost rode the Prince, mounted on a dainty milk-white pony not any larger than a sheep. Close behind, riding chestnut ponies with silver manes and tails, all about the same size as the Prince’s pony, came his chosen friends. It is said that the horses from which these ponies were bred came originally from Spain. A boat load of them was on its way to that part of Western America which is called California; but, driven by storms and stress of weather, the ship was thrown out of its course, and eventually wrecked on the East Coast of Australia. The Fairies rescued the horses, fed and cared for them; and during the long years that followed, slowly bred them down in size. Unfortunately they are all dead now; but at the time that the Prince set out to build his Fairy City, they were at their prime. Other animals landed in Australia have met with better luck, and have not died out. For instance, the Indian buffaloes that were long ago placed on Melville Island have increased in number until to-day there are thousands of them.

But to continue! After the Prince’s personal friends, there followed on in proper order, the Fairy workmen, all astride of dappled greys. Then came the surveyors’ instruments and all the machinery, tools, packages and materials; the longest, strangest procession that ever sallied forth from anywhere. At the extreme rear came the fairy cooks, with all their pots and pans, and fairy fireplaces; everything spotlessly clean and shining in the sunlight! The cooks all rode in fairy waggons, each about the size of a butter-box, and as white as snow! The waggons were drawn by coal-black ponies, whose highly polished coats rippled and shimmered whenever the sunbeams fell upon them. Surely never before had there been seen so uncommon a sight in all the world!

There is perhaps no need to mention that all the fairy folk not going with the Prince turned out to see him and his retinue depart. Great was the cheering as each particular section passed along; and many a one openly speculated as to where they were all journeying, and what they were going to do. But the secret had been well kept, and all the guesses were wide of the mark.

When the Prince and his party were fairly on their way, everything seemed somewhat quiet after the noisy send-off that had been given them. He, therefore, sent word along the line that he would like them to sing their new marching song. This particular song he had himself written, composed, and taught them during the time when they were preparing for the task upon which they had now set out. This is it:—

Left! Right! Left! Right!

On we go from morn till night;

Heads up! Shoulders back!

Stepping straightly on the track!

Step strong! Move along!

Cheer the journey with a song!

Let the chorus roll and ring,

As we all together sing:

Step right! Keep bright!

Soon will come the cooler night!

Then shall all our marching cease,

While we rest and take our ease,

No one but ourselves to please,

Till the morning light!

Left! Right! Left! Right!

Forward march to meet the night!

Stride out! Sing and shout!

Put your cares to right about!

Step strong! Tramp along!

Singing still the same old song!

Send the words on aery wing,

As we once again them sing!

Step right! Keep bright!

Soon will come the cooler night!

Then shall all our marchings cease,

While we rest and take our ease,

No one but ourselves to please,

Till the morning light.

Nothing loath to comply with the Prince’s desire, they were soon heartily singing the song, and much enjoyment they got from it. The fact is, that marching songs, as a rule, have a very brightening effect upon the singers. Words and music are alike intended to bring this about. Knowing this to be the case, and realising that as the long day stretched itself out, many of his followers were certain to get very tired, he deliberately chose such words and sentiments for his song as would tend to keep their spirits up till night time, when they could rest!

When at last night did arrive, Prince Waratah and all his company found themselves in a very lovely wooded valley. It was an ideal place for camping. A little silver stream supplied them with plenty of water. The dry leaves that had fallen from the trees, and the smaller broken branches that lay around supplied them with kindling and firewood; an extra supply of leaves also making very good bedding on which to spread their sleeping rugs.

After supper, feeling very comfortable and happy, they fell to humming the most delightful tunes imaginable, crooning tunes, such as mothers sing to their babies; soft and low and sweet. The effect was truly remarkable! In the course of fifteen or twenty minutes—just as the stars began to peep at them through the gently swaying tree tops—they were all sound asleep; or, to be quite accurate, all were asleep except the few guards posted at fairly distant intervals along the outer edges of the camp. Their duty was to watch out for any attack by possible enemies, such as the Mountain Fairies, who, although not really wicked, sometimes take it into their heads to throw down huge pieces of rock, or to send a giant tree hurtling over a cliff, to the great danger of those who may be camped or passing below.

Next morning everybody was stirring bright and early; and, after breakfast and packing up, the march began again. So day followed day for many a day. Sometimes they travelled up hill; sometimes down. Occasionally they had to make their way through timbered country; and now and again a stream had to be crossed. But, like soldiers, they made very light of such a passing difficulty, for they carried a certain number of pontoons with them, and, throwing them down as bridges, over the river they went in perfect safety. “Pont,” as you probably know, is the French word for bridge; and “pontoons” are usually made of empty barrels strung together to make a bridge. It was thus they crossed over waterways through which they could not wade.

But the time came when they left forest and stream behind them, and had to travel over great stretches of land covered with coarse and stubbly grasses. It was not pleasant by any means. Yet worse conditions were ahead; for when the rough grass lands were finally crossed, they came to the great sandy desert. Sand, and yet more sand—nothing but sand! Luckily they were not far from their destination. In two more days, the Prince told them, they would be there. As a consequence they began the desert march with a certain amount of light-heartedness, buoyed up by the thought that within a very little while their wanderings would cease. Unhappily, however, before that time arrived, they found themselves engaged in a terrific struggle with the Desert Fairies.

These nomadic Fairies, possibly resentful of the coming of the others, or, maybe, just because they are naturally nasty, viciously and vigorously attacked them in force.

Following their usual tactics, they first brought up an extremely hot wind, and, driving this before them full into the face of the wayfarers, sought to make them beat an inglorious retreat. But in spite of the fearful discomfort which the scorching wind brought to them, they kept steadily on; absolutely determined not to be turned from their purpose by a hot wind, however fierce!

Seeing, therefore, that this attack was a failure, the Desert Fairies resorted to their dreadful second line of attack. Picking up vast quantities of sand—(which by this time was doubly hot from the rays of the sun and the blistering wind that had passed over it)—they flung it before them, seeking to choke, blind and burn the intrepid adventurers. Eyes, ears and noses became partly filled with it. Under the strain, lips blackened and cracked, and parched throats ached with a pain almost unendurable as the onslaught developed in intensity! Yet, still undaunted, on they went! Their courage and steadfastness were marvellous! Well might the Prince be proud of them! As a matter of fact, foreseeing such a fight, he had repeatedly urged them, should it occur, not to be dismayed and fall back, but to stand firm, and at the right moment, effective help would certainly be forthcoming.

And so it chanced! For, just when the contest seemed no longer possible of endurance, and despair was about to bring panic to their midst, the Shower Fairies arrived, and, with their pellet-like raindrops beat the sand particles down, cleared and cooled the air, and with refreshing waters restored the faint and famished Fairies. More remarkable than all, their late attackers, finding themselves thus bereft of their weapons, turned tail and fled, leaving the Prince and his faithful followers masters of the field.

This was a wonderful victory, and serves to show how very wise the Prince was, and with what profit he had reflected upon the things he had seen in his previous travels. In particular, he had noted that the only thing the Desert Fairies fear is water, especially in the form of raindrops. With great foresight he had, therefore, arranged that there should follow on behind his company a tribe of Shower Fairies, ready to act should the need arise. True, they were a little late, but this is accounted for by the fact that each of them had to bring along a full supply of raindrops, and as these are very heavy for such wee folk to carry—especially in the teeth of a hot driving wind—they were somewhat longer in coming up than they should have been. Nevertheless they were not too late, and, when they did come, their work was splendidly done.

The way to the Magic Well was now clear! So, after bathing in the pools which the Shower Fairies had created—(soon, alas! to disappear!)—they rested until the next day. Then, in the highest possible spirits, they set about their final march, singing with the greatest gusto as they went their famous marching chorus:—

Left! Right! Left! Right!

Soon will come the cooler night!

Then shall all our marchings cease,

While we rest and take our ease,

No one but ourselves to please,

Till the morning light!

“Shower Fairies arrived, and, with their pellet-like raindrops beat the sand particles down.”