herewasawell-knownfaceatlast-around,friendlycountenance,thefaceofagoodfriendihadknownat,fact,itwasthemoonthatlookedinuponme.hewasquiteunchanged,thedearoldmoon,andhadthesamefaceexactlythatheusedtoshowwhenhepeereddownuponmethroughthewillowtreesonthemoor.ikissedmyhandtohimoverandoveragain,asheshonefarintomylittleroom;andhe,forhispart,promisedmethateveryevening,whenhecameabroad,hewouldlookinuponmeforafewmoments.thispromisehehasfaithfullykept.itisapitythathecanonlystaysuchashorttimewhenhecomes.wheneverheappears,hetellsmeofonethingoranotherthathehasseenonthepreviousnight,oronthatsameevening."justpaintthescenesidescribetoyou"-thisiswhathesaidtome-"andyouwillhaveaveryprettypicture-book."ihavefollowedhisinjunctionformanyevenings.icouldmakeupanew"thousandandonenights,"inmyownway,outofthesepictures,butthenumbermightbetoogreat,afterall.thepicturesihaveheregivenhavenotbeenchosenatrandom,butfollowintheirproperorder,justastheyweredescribedtome.somegreatgiftedpainter,orsomepoetormusician,maymakesomethingmoreofthemifhelikes;whatihavegivenhereareonlyhastysketches,hurriedlyputuponthepaper,withsomeofmyownthoughts,interspersed;forthemoondidnotcometomeeveryevening-acloudsometimeshidhisfacefromme.

firstevening

"lastnight"-iamquotingthemoon'sownwords-"lastnightiwasglidingthroughthecloudlessindiansky.myfacewasmirroredinthewatersoftheganges,andmybeamsstrovetopiercethroughthethickintertwiningboughsofthebananas,archingbeneathmelikethetortoise'sshell.forthfromthethickettrippedahindoomaid,lightasagazelle,beautifulaseve.airyandetherialasavision,andyetsharplydefinedamidthesurroundingshadows,stoodthisdaughterofhindostan:icouldreadonherdelicatebrowthethoughtthathadbroughtherhither.thethornycreepingplantstorehersandals,butforallthatshecamerapidlyforward.thedeerthathadcomedowntotherivertoquenchherthirst,sprangbywithastartledbound,forinherhandthemaidenborealightedlamp.icouldseethebloodinherdelicatefingertips,asshespreadthemforascreenbeforethedancingflame.shecamedowntothestream,andsetthelampuponthewater,andletitfloataway.theflameflickeredtoandfro,andseemedreadytoexpire;butstillthelampburnedon,andthegirl'sblacksparklingeyes,halfveiledbehindtheirlongsilkenlashes,followeditwithagazeofearnestintensity.sheknewthatifthelampcontinuedtoburnsolongasshecouldkeepitinsight,herbetrothedwasstillalive;butifthelampwassuddenlyextinguished,hewasdead.andthelampburnedbravelyon,andshefellonherknees,andprayed.nearherinthegrasslayaspeckledsnake,butsheheededitnot-shethoughtonlyofbramahandofherbetrothed.'helives!'sheshoutedjoyfully,'helives!'andfromthemountainstheechocamebackuponher,'helives!"

secondevening

"yesterday,"saidthemoontome,"ilookeddownuponasmallcourtyardsurroundedonallsidesbyhouses.inthecourtyardsatacluckinghenwithelevenchickens;andaprettylittlegirlwasrunningandjumpingaroundthem.thehenwasfrightened,andscreamed,andspreadoutherwingsoverthelittlebrood.thenthegirl'sfathercameoutandscoldedher;andiglidedawayandthoughtnomoreofthematter.

"butthisevening,onlyafewminutesago,ilookeddownintothesamecourtyard.everythingwasquiet.butpresentlythelittlegirlcameforthagain,creptquietlytothehen-house,pushedbackthebolt,andslippedintotheapartmentofthehenandchickens.theycriedoutloudly,andcameflutteringdownfromtheirperches,andranaboutindismay,andthelittlegirlranafterthem.isawitquiteplainly,forilookedthroughaholeinthehen-housewall.iwasangrywiththewillfulchild,andfeltgladwhenherfathercameoutandscoldedhermoreviolentlythanyesterday,holdingherroughlybythearm;shehelddownherhead,andherblueeyeswerefulloflargetears.'whatareyouabouthere?