Categories
1920s African American Fairy Tale Poem

The Silver Shell

The Silver Shell

By Eulalie Spence
Annotations by Catherine Bowlin
Wheeler, Laura. Decorations for “The Silver Shell.” 1920. From the sixth volume of The Brownies’ Book, 185. W. E. B. Du Bois, ed., http://www.loc.gov/item/22001351/. 
Dreamy-eyed, the fisher maid
Slowly down the long beach strayed;

“Gardens, palaces entrancing,
Knights and ladies gayly dancing,–

If I, an unknown maid, might be
One of that happy company!–”

Thus she mused – then nearly fell
O’er a gleaming silver shell.

As she raised it to her ear
Fell a voice, deep, tender, clear. 

“Prince am I of a noble land
Who at the touch of a witch’s wand

Enchanted was, and doomed to know
But fruitless search, where’er I go.

The seven seas, I’ve sailed them o’er.
I’ve seen far lands and barren shore.”–
Wheeler, Laura. Decorations for “The Silver Shell.” 1920. From the sixth volume of The Brownies’ Book, 185. W. E. B. Du Bois, ed., http://www.loc.gov/item/22001351/. 
“What art thou seeking, noble friend?
Why does thy questing know no end?”

“A maid who with nothing to acquire,
Would forsake her heart’s desire;

Who at the call of a simple shell
Would sound to her fondest hopes a knell. [1]

This purging flame of sacrifice
The witch demands – it is her price.

Then would I haste to my father’s home
To love and joy, no more to roam.”–

“O noble one, I’ll set thee free,
To seek thy home across the sea.

The dreams I’ve had are idle, vain;
‘Tis meet that I should bear the pain.”–

A golden mist illumes the land– [2]
A prince is kneeling on the sand!

A prince of courtly mien and carriage, [3]
Who seeks the maiden’s hand in marriage.
Spence, Eulalie. “The Silver Shell.” The Brownies’ Book, ed. W. E. B. Du Bois, vol. 1, no. 6, New York, N.Y.: DuBois and Dill, June 1920. 185. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/22001351/>.

[1] Knell: the sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral.

[2] Though it is more common to use “illuminate,” “illume” conveys the same meaning.

[3] Mien: a person’s look or manner, especially one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood.

Contexts

Eulalie Spence would have been around 25 years old when this poem was published in the sixth volume of The Brownies’ Book. From the West Indies, Spence was a Black writer, director, teacher, and playwright during the Harlem Renaissance. Eventually known as one of the most experienced Black female playwrights of the time, she also won several playwright competitions. Spence worked with W. E. B. Du Bois’s Krigwa Players from 1926 to 1928, helping make the guild more known. However, she and Du Bois disagreed artistically, which eventually led to the disbanding of the Krigwa Players. For more information about the Krigwa Players, see Wintz and Finkelman (full citation below). For more information about Spence and Du Bois’s disagreement, see Hill’s dissertation (full citation below).

Resources for Further Study
Contemporary Connections

Though Spence’s work has been overshadowed by more famous counterparts of her day, her plays are still being presented in contemporary theatre. Hot Stuff was presented in 2007 by The American Century Theater of Arlington, Virginia. In 2015, The Hunch was presented by The Xoregos Performing Company in New York City, Yonkers, and Newburgh. The Starter also premiered the same year at The Xoregos Performing Company.

css.php