who have a right to look
to you for love and good will is the one sin for which punishment is
most inevitable. But so long as the world stands Everychild shall not
forget his father and mother; and at last he comes to take you into his
heart to cherish you for ever and ever. Will you--but ah, I need not
ask! I know that at last the parents of Everychild, tried by suffering
and time, love him better--oh, far better--than they love themselves."

To which the parents of Everychild cried out, "We do--we do, indeed!"

Then Everychild gave his hand to the Sleeping Beauty, who seemed a bit
overawed by all that was transpiring, and led her toward his parents.
They stood with outstretched hands. And immediately they passed with
the utmost happiness behind their curtain.

They had all disappeared now--yet no, Aladdin and Will o'Dreams
remained.

Aladdin had been sitting apart, watching everything that took place.
He had kept quite out of the way. Now he arose leisurely and moved
toward those hangings through which Prince Arthur had disappeared. He
meant to join Prince Arthur!

But just before he disappeared he turned about. A blissful smile was
on his lips. He held his hands high.

_His lamp was gone_!

He passed from sight. He could be heard singing dreamily,
"Tla-la-la . . . tla-la-la . . ." His voice died away.

Now Truth remained all alone save that her son, Will o'Dreams, remained
gazing at her happily.

But suddenly she perceived an intruder near her. For the last time,
Mr. Literal was there beside her. He was smiling smugly and tetering
back and forth on his feet. "You seem very well satisfied with
yourself," he said with a sneer.

She only turned toward him serenely.

"Yet all the same," continued Mr. Literal, "the story is full of
meaningless things and inconsistencies."

"Do you think so?" she returned.

"Of course. Take those unhappy pictures of childhood, for example.
You don't mean to argue really that Everychild is treated unkindly?"

She replied thoughtfully, "I fear that Everychild is sometimes treated
unkindly."

He seemed to weigh this point and to remain unconvinced. He moved more
confidently to the next point. "At least," he said, "you'll scarcely
contend that Everychild marries the Sleeping Beauty?"

She replied with assurance: "Everychild marries a Sleeping Beauty. To
him she is beautiful, and she is asleep until he comes."

Mr. Literal lost patience. "Very well," he s