Syringa by Laurence Housman

Name: Syringa
Author: Laurence Housman

Laurence Housman's "Syringa" opens with a King who reigns but does not rule, endlessly roaming his land in search of a woman he can truly love, spurning every princess offered to him. When his co-ruling brother-king dies childless, the councillors press him to marry the dead king's widow, but he flees rather than accept her. Riding into wild, empty country, he is led by a flower-scented wind to a hidden garden, where he finds a beautiful girl, Syringa, asleep beneath a great blossoming bush. She tells him she has waited three years listening for his approach; the two recognize each other as the love each has long dreamed of, and ride back to the city trailed by a continual shower of white blossom. Their marriage is celebrated joyfully, though the bitter Queen-widow only feigns reconciliation while secretly nursing her jealousy. For nearly a year the King and Syringa's happiness deepens, but the Queen-widow waits for her chance. She begins seeding the city with whispers that Syringa's uncanny beauty is unnatural and must be sustained by stealing newborn children, and indeed mothers across the city start losing their week-old infants without explanation. When Syringa gives birth to a son, the Queen-widow seizes her opportunity: finding mother and child asleep, she casts a spell that turns the infant into a little blue bird and flies it away, then smears Syringa with blood to frame her for devouring her own baby. The city, already primed by rumor, howls for Syringa's execution, and the King, unable to refute the "evidence," reluctantly orders his foster-brother to take her to a remote place and kill her, sparing himself the sight of her death. On the journey, the same flower-scented wind draws them to the identical garden and blossoming bush. Syringa asks only to die beneath its scent, lies down, and a small blue bird perches above her, calling her name as blossoms fall over her through the night. By dawn she has vanished beneath the drifted petals, leaving only flattened, dew-wet grass — she is gone, not dead, and the foster-brother returns to the city trailed by falling blossom, convinced of her innocence. The King, now certain his wife was innocent and beloved, is overcome with grief. He travels to the garden himself, weeps at the foot of the tree, and in a dream hears Syringa reveal the truth of her betrayal in his ear. He has the tree — with the silent blue bird still nesting in it — secretly transplanted into the palace garden, commanding the bird never to speak her name aloud, though at night he presses his lips to its leaves and begs forgiveness. Believing the King's grief to be fading, the Queen-widow begins courting him under the guise of comfort, and he, playing along, encourages her, secretly intending to draw out a confession. A year on, he leads her to sit beneath the very tree in the palace garden. When a blossom brushes her throat, she cries out that it has bitten her; the tree bursts open, its flowers swarming like angry bees as the blue bird cries Syringa's name, and the Queen-widow collapses and dies clutching her throat. As her breath fails, the scattered blossoms rise, swirl together, and part to reveal Syringa herself, alive and whole, cradling her infant son — while the wicked Queen-widow lies dead at her feet and the city's other stolen children, freed as caged blue birds, call out for their mothers. The King kneels in penitence before her, and Syringa forgives him, sealing her pardon first with her child's kiss and then with her own, reuniting the family in fragrance and joy.

By Laurence Housman · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Romance · 3,217 words

First lines

A great many years ago there lived a King who spent his days in travelling about to find the woman he could love and take to be his wife. Though the richest and most beautiful princesses offered him their hands in marriage, for none of them could he entertain the smallest affection. "It seems that I have had a dream," he said. "Somewhere my Love is, but I have not found her yet!"

In those days the country over which he was lord had two Kings, one reigned and the other ruled; and as long as this was so, since his brother-King who ruled was married, his councillors allowed him who merely reigned to wander about at will in pursuit of his strange fancy.

What this Textopian page supports

Syringa is listed on Textopian as a short story by Laurence Housman, dated Date unknown.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Laurence Housman
Date: Date unknown
Language: English
Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Romance, Gothic, Magical Realism
Length: 3,217 words
Structure: 1 section, 60 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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Genres

Fairy Tale — The narrative follows classic fairy tale structure with a magical garden, enchanted protagonists, a villainous antagonist, magical transformations, and moral justice delivered through supernatural means.
Fantasy — Central magical elements including an enchanted garden, transformation spells, a sentient magical tree, and a blue bird with supernatural origins drive the entire plot.
Romance — The love story between the King and Syringa forms the emotional and narrative center, depicting an idealized, transcendent love that motivates key character actions throughout.
Gothic — Features a jealous scheming villain, false accusations, emotional darkness, melodramatic intensity, and mortality, creating an atmosphere of dread and betrayal.