180 INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE 



frost of winter), who slumbered, as the seeds do, 

 but did not die. One after another strove, so 

 the story runs, to win a way through the barriers 

 which encircled the place of her sleeping, but at 

 length the Prince and Master came, to whom all 

 was easy the Sunshine of the first spring day; 

 and as he kissed the Sleeping Beauty, all the 

 buglers blew, both high and low, the cawing rooks 

 on the trees, and the croaking frogs by the pond, 

 each according to his strength and skill. All 

 through the palace there was reawakening: of 

 the men-at-arms, whether bears or hedgehogs; 

 of the night watchmen, known to us as bats; even 

 of the carpet sweepers, like dormice and hamsters 

 all were reawakened. The messengers went 

 forth with the news, the dragon-flies like living 

 flashes of light, the bustling humble-bees refresh- 

 ing themselves at the willow catkins by the way, 

 the moths flying softly by night." 



If these are not good interpretations, there are 

 other exegeses to choose from. (See Frazer's 

 Golden Bough and our Biology of the Seasons, 

 1911.) 



Fine as are the old Nature myths and fairy 

 tales, it seems obvious that each age should make 

 its^own, if it can. And the possibility depends on 

 two things. First, on keeping close to the funda- 

 mentals, sojourning with Nature, for it is touching 

 and handling that counts; listening to sounds, 



