 | Bits of Talk, in verse and prose, for young folks |  |
81
THE PALACE OF GONDOFORUS.
A LEGEND OF ST. THOMAS.
When King Gondoforus desired
To have a palace built that should
Be finer than all palaces
Which in the Roman Empire stood,
To have a palace built that should
Be finer than all palaces
Which in the Roman Empire stood,
He sent his provost Abanes
To search the countries far and wide
For builders and for architects,
Whose skill and knowledge had been tried.
To search the countries far and wide
For builders and for architects,
Whose skill and knowledge had been tried.
Then God unto St. Thomas said:
“Go, Thomas, now, and tell this king
That thou wilt build a palace which
Immortal fame to him shall bring.”
“Go, Thomas, now, and tell this king
That thou wilt build a palace which
Immortal fame to him shall bring.”
Then to the saint, Gondoforus
Gave stores of silver and of gold,
And precious stones and jewels rich;
Nought did the eager king withhold.
Gave stores of silver and of gold,
And precious stones and jewels rich;
Nought did the eager king withhold.
82
“Now see thou build, O saint,” he cried,
All proud and arrogant of mien—
“Now see thou build right speedily
Such palace as was never seen!”
All proud and arrogant of mien—
“Now see thou build right speedily
Such palace as was never seen!”
Then to far countries journeyed he—
Two years and more he staid away;
At other sovereigns' palaces
All scornful gazing, he would say:
Two years and more he staid away;
At other sovereigns' palaces
All scornful gazing, he would say:
“St. Thomas, sent from God, doth build
For me a palace. God hath said
Its splendor an immortal fame
Upon my name and reign shall shed.”
For me a palace. God hath said
Its splendor an immortal fame
Upon my name and reign shall shed.”
Gondoforus returned and sought
With eager haste his palace site;
The field was bare as when he went,
The sod with peaceful daisies white!
With eager haste his palace site;
The field was bare as when he went,
The sod with peaceful daisies white!
“What has the man called Thomas done
With all my gold?” he hotly cried.
“Given it all unto the poor,”
The courtiers sneeringly replied.
With all my gold?” he hotly cried.
“Given it all unto the poor,”
The courtiers sneeringly replied.
83
The king, in rage no words could tell,
St. Thomas into prison threw,
And racked his brains to think what he
For fitting punishment could do.
St. Thomas into prison threw,
And racked his brains to think what he
For fitting punishment could do.
That very day, his brother died;
His vengeance now must cool and wait;
Until a royal tomb was built,
The royal corpse must lie in state.
His vengeance now must cool and wait;
Until a royal tomb was built,
The royal corpse must lie in state.
Lo! on the fourth day sat erect
The royal corpse, and cried aloud,
While all the mourners and the guards
Fled terror-stricken in a crowd;
The royal corpse, and cried aloud,
While all the mourners and the guards
Fled terror-stricken in a crowd;
“O king! O brother! listen now,
These four days I in Paradise
Have wander'd, and return to tell
Thee what I saw with my own eyes.
These four days I in Paradise
Have wander'd, and return to tell
Thee what I saw with my own eyes.
“This man whom thou wouldst torture is
God's servant, dear to God's own heart.
Behold, the angels showed to me
A palace wrought with wondrous art,
God's servant, dear to God's own heart.
Behold, the angels showed to me
A palace wrought with wondrous art,
84
“Of silver, gold, and precious stones:
Most marvellously it did shine;
And when I asked whose name it bore,
O brother! then they told me thine!
Most marvellously it did shine;
And when I asked whose name it bore,
O brother! then they told me thine!
“‘St. Thomas this hath built,’ they said,
‘For one Gondoforus, a king.’
‘It is my brother!’ I exclaimed,
And fled to thee the news to bring.”
‘For one Gondoforus, a king.’
‘It is my brother!’ I exclaimed,
And fled to thee the news to bring.”
Then fell the royal corpse again
Back, silent, solemn in its state;
Until the royal tomb was built,
The royal corpse must lie and wait.
Back, silent, solemn in its state;
Until the royal tomb was built,
The royal corpse must lie and wait.
Oh! swift the king the prison doors,
With his own hands, did open wide.
“Come forth! come forth! O worthy saint!”
He, kneeling on the threshold, cried.
With his own hands, did open wide.
“Come forth! come forth! O worthy saint!”
He, kneeling on the threshold, cried.
“The dead from heaven this day hath come,
To tell me how in Paradise
The palace thou hast built for me
Shines beautiful in angels' eyes.
To tell me how in Paradise
The palace thou hast built for me
Shines beautiful in angels' eyes.
85
“Come forth! come forth! O noble saint!
And graciously forgive my sin.
As honored guest, my palace gates
Oh condescend to enter in!”
And graciously forgive my sin.
As honored guest, my palace gates
Oh condescend to enter in!”
Then, smiling, said St. Thomas, calm
And gracious as an angel might:
“O king! didst thou not know that we
Build not God's palaces in sight
And gracious as an angel might:
“O king! didst thou not know that we
Build not God's palaces in sight
“Of men, nor from the things of earth?
All heaven lieth full and fair
With palaces which charity
Alone can build, alone can share.
All heaven lieth full and fair
With palaces which charity
Alone can build, alone can share.
“Before the world began, were laid
Their bright foundations by God's hand,
For Charity to build upon,
As God and his son Christ had planned.
Their bright foundations by God's hand,
For Charity to build upon,
As God and his son Christ had planned.
“No other palaces endure;
No other riches can remain;
No other kingdoms are secure;
No other kings eternal reign.”
No other riches can remain;
No other kingdoms are secure;
No other kings eternal reign.”
86
Henceforth the king, Gondoforus,
Went on his way, triumphant, glad,
Remembering what a palace he
Already in the heavens had.
Went on his way, triumphant, glad,
Remembering what a palace he
Already in the heavens had.
No more the Roman emperors
With envy could his bosom move.
How poor their palaces by side
Of one not made with hands, above!
With envy could his bosom move.
How poor their palaces by side
Of one not made with hands, above!
His treasures in the good saint's hands
He poured, and left for him to use,
In adding to that palace fair
Such courts and towers as he might choose.
He poured, and left for him to use,
In adding to that palace fair
Such courts and towers as he might choose.
And there to-day they dwell, I ween,
With other saints and other kings;
And roam with hosts of angels bright,
From place to place, on shining wings.
With other saints and other kings;
And roam with hosts of angels bright,
From place to place, on shining wings.
| Bits of Talk, in verse and prose, for young folks | |