He played some innocent pranks on sailors, but he never harmed anyone. Soon he received four feet and the rank of a mastodon, with the privilege of roaming over the land.
With the self-control of a philosopher he entered upon his new life, busying himself with geological investigations.
A few centuries later--remember that in the kingdom of spirits all time taken together is only as a short quarter of an hour--or to speak more correctly, that all time is nothing. For time was made merely for man, for his amusement, and given to him just as we give picture books to children. For spirits, present, past and future are all the same. They comprehend yesterday, to-day and to-morrow at a glance, just as one reads a word without spelling it out. What was and is going to be, is.
The Egyptians and Phoenicians knew that very well, but Christians have forgotten it.
Fancy knew that Walter could not read, so she related Upsilon's story to him, just as I am doing for the reader.
Some centuries later he had become an elephant; then a moment later, i. e., about ten years before the opening of my story--I mean years as we mortals reckon them--he was elevated to the class of man.
I don't know what sins he may have committed as an elephant.
Anyway, Fancy had said, that in order to return to his station as a spirit-prince in a short time and escape any further degradation it was necessary for him to be diligent and well behaved in his present state, and not write any robber songs, or slip out things and sell them--even if it was only a Bible.
And, too, he must become reconciled to seeing Juffrouw Pieterse without a train on her dress. Fancy said it couldn't be helped.
This "Fancy" must have been some lady at his mother's court, who visited him in his exile to comfort and encourage him, so that he wouldn't think they were punishing him because they were angry with him.
She promised to visit him from time to time. "But," asked Walter, "how is my little sister getting along?"
"She's being punished, too. You know the law. She is patient with it all and promises to improve. At first she was a fire-ball; but she behaved so nicely that she was soon changed to a moon-beam; and also in this state there was nothing against her. It seemed to be a pleasure for her; and it was all her mother could do to keep from shortening the punishment. She was soon turned into vapor, and stood the test well; for she filled the universe. That was about the time you began to eat grass. Soon she was a butterfly. But your mother did not consider this suitable for a girl and had her changed into a constellation. There she stands before us now."