hethrusthisfingersfartherandfartherintohisears,tillatlastthedrumsburst.andnowhecouldhearnothingmoreofthetrue,thebeautiful,andthegood;forhishearingwastohavebeenthemeansbywhichhehopedtoacquirehisbecamesilentandsuspicious,andatlasttrustednoone,notevenhimself,andnolongerhopingtofindandbringhomethecostlyjewel,hegaveitup,andgavehimselfuptoo,whichwasworsethanall.

thebirdsintheirflighttowardstheeast,carriedthetidings,andthenewsreachedthecastleinthetreeofthesun.

"iwilltrynow,"saidthethirdbrother;"ihaveakeennose."nowthatwasnotaveryelegantexpression,butitwashisway,andwemusttakehimashewas.hehadacheerfultemper,andwas,besides,arealpoet;hecouldmakemanythingsappearpoetical,bythewayinwhichhespokeofthem,andideasstruckhimlongbeforetheyoccurredtothemindsofothers."icansmell,"hewouldsay;andheattributedtothesenseofsmelling,whichhepossessedinahighdegree,agreatpowerintheregionofthebeautiful."icansmell,"hewouldsay,"andmanyplacesarefragrantorbeautifulaccordingtothetasteofthefrequenters.onemanfeelsathomeintheatmosphereofthetavern,amongtheflaringtallowcandles,andwhenthesmellofspiritsmingleswiththefumesofbadtobacco.anotherpreferssittingamidsttheoverpoweringscentofjasmine,orperfuminghimselfwithscentedoliveoil.thismanseeksthefreshseabreeze,whilethatoneclimbstheloftymountain-top,tolookdownuponthebusylifeinminiaturebeneathhim."

ashespokeinthisway,itseemedasifhehadalreadybeenoutintheworld,asifhehadalreadyknownandassociatedwithman.butthisexperiencewasintuitive-itwasthepoetrywithinhim,agiftfromheavenbestowedonhiminhiscradle.hebadefarewelltohisparentalroofinthetreeofthesun,anddepartedonfoot,fromthepleasantscenesthatsurroundedhishome.arrivedatitsconfines,hemountedonthebackofanostrich,whichrunsfasterthanahorse,andafterwards,whenhefellinwiththewildswans,heswunghimselfonthestrongestofthem,forhelovedchange,andawayheflewovertheseatodistantlands,wherethereweregreatforests,deeplakes,loftymountains,andproudcities.whereverhecameitseemedasifsunshinetravelledwithhimacrossthefields,foreveryflower,everybush,exhaledarenewedfragrance,asifconsciousthatafriendandprotectorwasnear;onewhounderstoodthem,andknewtheirvalue.thestuntedrose-bushshotforthtwigs,unfoldeditsleaves,andborethemostbeautifulroses;everyonecouldseeit,andeventheblack,slimywood-snailnoticeditsbeauty."iwillgivemysealtotheflower,"saidthesnail,"ihavetrailedmyslimeuponit,icandonomore.

"thusitalwaysfareswiththebeautifulinthisworld,"saidthepoet.andhemadeasonguponit,andsungitafterhisownfashion,butnobodylistened.thenhegaveadrummertwopenceandapeacock'sfeather,andcomposedasongforthedrum,andthedrummerbeatitthroughthestreetsofthetown,andwhenthepeopleheardittheysaid,"thatisacapitaltune."thepoetwrotemanysongsaboutthetrue,thebeautiful,andthegood.hissongswerelistenedtointhetavern,wherethetallowcandlesflared,inthefreshcloverfield,intheforest,andonthehigh-seas;anditappearedasifthisbrotherwastobemorefortunatethantheothertwo.

buttheevilspiritwasangryatthis,sohesettoworkwithsootandincense,whichhecanmixsoartfullyastoconfuseanangel,andhowmuchmoreeasilyapoorpoet.theeviloneknewhowtomanagesuchpeople.hesocompletelysurroundedthepoetwithincensethatthemanlosthishead,forgothismissionandhishome,andatlastlosthimselfandvanishedinsmoke.

butwhenthelittlebirdsheardofit,theymourned,andforthreedaystheysangnotonesong.theblackwood-snailbecameblackerstill;notforgrief,butforenvy."theyshouldhaveofferedmeincense,"hesaid,"foritwasiwhogavehimtheideaofthemostfamousofhissongs-thedrumsongof'thewayoftheworld;'anditwasiwhospatattherose;icanbringawitnesstothatfact."

butnotidingsofallthisreachedthepoet'shomeinindia.thebirdshadallbeensilentforthreedays,andwhenthetimeofmourningwasover,sodeephadbeentheirgrief,thattheyhadforgottenforwhomtheywept.suchisthewayoftheworld.

"nowimustgooutintotheworld,anddisappearliketherest,"saidthefourthbrother.hewasasgood-temperedasthethird,butnopoet,thoughhecouldbewitty.

thetwoeldesthadfilledthecastlewithjoyfulness,andnowthelastbrightnesswasgoingaway.sightandhearinghavealwaysbeenconsideredtwoofthechiefsensesamongmen,andthosewhichtheywishtokeepbright;theothersensesarelookeduponasoflessimportance.

buttheyoungersonhadadifferentopinion;hehadcultivatedhistasteineveryway,andtasteisverypowerful.itrulesoverwhatgoesintothemouth,aswellasoverallwhichispresentedtothemind;and,consequently,thisbrothertookuponhimselftotasteeverythingstoredupinbottlesorjars;thishecalledtheroughpartofhiswork.everyman'smindwastohimasavesselinwhichsomethingwasconcocting;everylandakindofmentalkitchen."therearenodelicacieshere,"hesaid;sohewishedtogooutintotheworldtofindsomethingdelicatetosuithistaste."perhapsfortunemaybemorefavorabletomethanitwastomybrothers.ishallstartonmytravels,butwhatconveyanceshallichoose?